TXCubsFan

Thanks!

I've noticed in the past few games that Pie has been striking out looking more than striking out swinging. Could that be considered a sign that he's trying to become more selective at the plate?

http://cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060521&content_id=1464636&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc Quote: So, does he listen? "I think sometimes I get in my own way, if that makes sense," Hill said. "I try to think I know everything already, and that's obviously not the way to go about it. I've started to listen and am trying to take everybody's advice. I've run into problems taking the wrong people's advice. Maybe part of that is saying, watch who you listen to. You try to take advice from everybody." Advice to Rich Hill - next time you're on the bench at Wrigley, sit next to Mad Dog, ask a lot of questions, and speak sparingly.

ding ding ding ding Honestly, he hasn't had a ton of plate discipline in the minors either, in terms of walk totals. But Dusty preaching "be aggressive" isn't going to help him be more selective. Ronny doesn't have to be a walk machine to succeed. Just a bit more patience and fewer strikeouts are needed. As we saw late in today's game when he drove in the seventh run, he has a quick bat and can spray the ball around the field. I believe Ronny could be a very effective #2 hitter with a .330 OBP, given his style of hitting.

What Jones needs is a good platoon partner so that a couple of good lefty starters don't mess with his stroke or his confidence. Don't blame JJ's troubles with LHPs, blame Hendry for putting him in a position to fail. If this team can give $5 million to Neifi!, it can afford a couple million more for a platoon partner in RF.

I think Hill's biggest hurdles are working three pitches into his major league repetoire and self-doubt. If Marshall is a better pitcher than his tools because he's shown mental toughness, Hill may be a worse pitcher than his tools because of self-doubt.

Rich Hill will be a major league pitcher, once he gets more self-confidence. The question is whether he'll be a #3-4 starter or a swing man.

No. Why not? Whats the scouting on Wood and McPherson. I would never trade Ramriez, but I still want to know. The Angels organization is worse about instilling the concept of OBP in their prospects than are the Cubs.

I could see it happening. He trades 3 solid pitching prospects for Pierre and then trades Pierre away for a PTBN or some crap like that. Ultimate salt in the wounds. Take heart, Willis. Mitre and Wellemeyer are AAAA players. The Cubs also will have a long, steady stream of pitchers coming from the minors that are as good or better than Nolasco. Having Pierre has given Pie time to mature at Iowa. Perhaps the Cubs have learned from the troubled saga that was CPatt. :D

Perhaps Hendry is preparing to trade Pierre and promote Pie sometime in the next month.

Corrected. :twisted:

Let me play the Devil's Advocate here - The 2006 Cubs, in some ways, is a transitional team. They have DLee, ARam, and Barrett as established players. Cedeno and Murton are going through growing pains, and Pie and EPatt are in the wings and may be starters next year. As for pitching, the Cubs have Prior and Z as the foundation of the staff with three established veterans in the bullpen. Wood is in his last year, Mad Dog might be. You have Marshall, Guzman, and Hill who also are going through growing pains and could be starters next year. At this point, there is no clear direction for Hendry to take. He can trade Wood, Miller, Jones, and Pierre to get the team younger and give the youngsters more experience this season. He can try to get a veteran bench player or two by trading away some promising prospects to compete for this year. Not an easy situation to face.

I think Maddux has to go. If you like Maddux, just outbid everyone for him this fall. His agent is Boras so you won't get any deals by signing him early. Furthermore, by sending him to another team, the Cubs could increase the liklihood of re-signing him as they won't have to worry with the pesky arbitration deadline if they don't offer and they won't I would handle Maddux differently, even letting him have some say as to where he is traded. While Quentin might could be had for a Ryu or Marmol, I'd rather have all three. Maddux is an impending FA, so that means he's considered lost for this season unless he signs the extension NOW. In doing a firesale correctly, emotional ties cannot cloud the judgement. Any player not signed for 2007 must be offered to maximize the returns. I love Walker, but with his contract up after 2006, he's gone if I'm the GM. I might try to get him back in 2007, but I'd trade him without hesitation now. Sound reasoning. I hope Hendry is smart enough to raise the white flag this season.

I'm not quite sure what Wood and Miller are going to get you since they've been DLed all season. Obviously they need to pitch and show that they're healthy before anyone is going to take them. I really think Wood's trade value is so low that we would be better off keeping him and making a decision late in the season. I understand your concern about their health, but the Rangers have an excellent chance of signing Wood to a long-term contract. They're weakness has been starting pitching, which could be remedied very quickly if Wood and Miller start for them. We remove the risk that Danks and Diamond may not become good starters. With both the As and the Angels playing mediocre ball, this might be the time for the Rangers to take a chance on veteran pitching, which with luck might get them to the World Series.

Vance, I agree with much of what you're saying. I might add that a Wood and Miller and change trade with the Rangers for both Diamond and Danks might be possible for the Rangers if they're in the hunt for the pennant. I disagree about Maddux. If Hendry can convince Maddux to stay for 2007, I believe his value as a tutor for young pitching would be worth the extra payroll. He's been a good influence on Marshall, and I've noticed that Hill and Ryu have sat next to him in the dugout. I wouldn't be surprised if Dusty suggested the seating arrangement. Besides, I think you could get Quentin for Ryu and Marmol, tops. IMO, Williams does not thrive on pressure. A trade to KC for whatever you can get would be good for KC, the Cubs, and Williams.

I would trade Wood, Miller, Jones, Hairston, Rusch, and Pierre (the latter three won't get much, admittedly). You accumulate as many pitching prospects as you can from those trades, which the Cubs have a track record of developing. They'll give Hendry trading chips for later, at an appreciated value. You offer Ryu and change soon to the Diamondbacks to get Carlos Quentin, then play Pie in CF and Quentin in RF, to get them some ML experience THIS year. I would sign Walker for 2007, which gives EPatt a chance to develop and arrive at Wrigley full-time at some point in 2007. I would sign Maddux for 2007 and let him tutor Marshall, Guzman (#4-5 starters) and Hill (swing man out of the pen). The team is just a few moves and health from being a very competitive team in 2007.

I thought Rich did very well today. No sin in walking Giles twice. Rich missed his location on a couple of fastballs, but he did throw THREE pitches today and often spotted his fastball well. He's getting closer to becoming legitimate starter material. I could see him being the swing man for the 2007 Cubs.

Hope so. It just wasn't there in his ML starts. Guess that explains the Ryu callup. Although doesn't that burn an option for him? The Cubs might be showcasing him for a trade later in the season.

Guzman will be ready by the end of the year. His control was much better in Iowa than in the majors, and I'll bet he'll show that control next time he pitches at Wrigley. For whatever reasons, the Venezuelans that the Cubs have brought to the majors (e.g., Zambrano, Cedeno, Guzman) have been very emotional types. I think some of that emotionalism hurt Angel this time.

While it's too early to raise the white flag today, let's assume we're towards the end of June, we're even further behind, and Wood, Prior, and Miller have returned and are pitching well. I would consider trading the following for major league ready prospects or young position players: Wood, Miller, Rusch, Pierre, and Jones. The advantage of trading a healthy Wood is avoiding a difficult decision in the off-season on whether to keep him. He may have real trade value this summer, more than the draft picks we'd get from his free agency departure. Let another team like the Texas Rangers manage his injury risk. Pierre doesn't seem to be playing at the level we expected but might provide the Yankees or Boston with a speed option. As for Jones, the Cubs either need to get a permanent platoon partner for him or trade him. If Maddux continues to throw well, keep him for next year along with Marshall, Guzman, and Hill. Did you notice Rich Hill sitting next to Mad Dog during last night's start? Very good sign. Maddux's influence and knowledge of the game could be more valuable to the Cubs than Wood's fastball, given the young pitching talent we have. In 2007, having a rotation of Z Prior Maddux Marshall Guzman Hill (swing man from bullpen) could really be something special. We'll also need a RH power bat off the bench.

I agree. I saw him pitch in Round Rock last month. The Cubs obviously had been working with him to use THREE pitches, with a curve that wasn't his 12-6. He looked like he could be a #3 or #4 pitcher in the majors, BUT, he challenged hitters in 3-1 and 3-2 counts with his fastball that was striking out AAA batters but good major league hitters would have crushed. If Hill can learn to throw his changeup and curve ball effectively in those counts, then he will become a good major league pitcher. Give him time.

When (if?) Wood and Prior return, should the Cubs return Guzman to Iowa or keep him in long relief, like they did with Zambrano early in his career?

No rush to trade Rusch. Perhaps he can recapture his mojo in the bullpen. If he's traded, Florida might be a nice destination - a team with little to lose that might benefit from advice from a veteran. I wouldn't wish exile in KC on anybody.

Having watched Hill pitch in AAA, it's obvious that the Cubs want to give him time to be a more rounded pitcher. Rusch might force Hendry's hand to recall Hill now.

Agreed. Most anger at Neifi! has been a result of Dusty's misplacement of him in the batting order, not his performance.