Rotation, rotation, rotation

by mlf on Feb 28, 2006 10:01 AM CST Comment 15 comments

Lotsa starters to pick from, at least early on.

This morning's Sun-Times has a lot of tidbits about starting pitchers, as Al noted. It raises the question of a 4-man rotation in April, with so many off days. My longer-term question is: Which five will go in a 5-man roatation?

The Locks:
Zambrano
Prior (relax; he's fine)
Maddux

The rest:
Wood (due in May)
Wade Miller (Due in May)
G. Rusch
J. Williams (looking good, the Sun-Times assures us)
Rich Hill

That's 8! Do we just grimly assume ill health fixes this oversupply? Can we make a trade in May? Rusch to the bullpen, and Wood too?

I guess I like Wood and Williams as 4/5, with Wade Miller and Glendon Rusch in the bullpen, and Mr. Hill in Iowa. Other thoughts?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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the fifth man..

I think that it all depends on spring training. I still think that Hill should be in the minors until he has more pitches than a great breaking curve. I like Zambrano, Prior, Wood, Madduz,then Miller. That's if they're all healthy. I'd have Rusch as a swing man. And Williams too. Only trade candidates are Hill, and Willaiams, but not until the deadline. Let's see where the Cubs are in the standings before we let some good ones go.

by fuzzycubfan on Feb 28, 2006 11:41 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

don't overestimate

what the cubs have.

wood will be lucky to pitch in may, and miller before the all-star break. people, you have to have realistic expectations of these guys. their surgeries were major stuff for a pitcher. it can take two years to come back from. count on nothing from them -- and be happy if they come back.

that means you have rusch and williams, with hill as the 6th in reserve -- a minimum level of staffing, imo. trading one of these guys away without getting another better pitcher would be insanity.

by gaius marius on Feb 28, 2006 12:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed.

Unless they're already in "wait 'till next year" mode, the Cubs simply can't start trading away ML-ready starting pitchers until Wood and/or Miller are able to prove that they're ready to maintain a spot in the starting rotation for longer than 4 or 5 weeks.

by Santos L Halper on Feb 28, 2006 2:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

As usual you give the worst case scenario

which AMAZINGLY seems to go against everything else being reported in the media. Wood is already throwing off a mound. His velocity has been impressive and he has had no "set-backs" thus far. Furthermore, Miller is also progressing well and may throw off the mound soon. He is purely insurance anyway so anything from him would be a bonus.

Even without Wood we have two #1s (Z and Prior), a solid if unspectacular #3 in Maddux, a solid #4 in Williams, and several decent short term/potential long term options as a #5 in Rusch/Hill/Guzman.

It isn't even March yet. Plenty of time to figure things out. Bottom line though not nearly as bad as you make it out to be YET again.

by CA Cub Fan on Feb 28, 2006 9:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

I have to agree with Gaius...we can't overestimate our pitchers' health. I think that short of picking up a Zito or a Millwood, this was the best option to ensure no huge holes opening up in the rotation if/when someone goes down.

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 1, 2006 8:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

While you can't...

... overestimate pitchers' health, neither should you always take the worst doom-and-gloom scenario as the gospel truth.

The truth, undoubtedly, lies somewhere in between.

by Al on Mar 1, 2006 8:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what's doom and gloom

about saying the cubs have six starters including hill at the outset of this year?

what's pessimistic about saying that miller and wood had major surgeries that often take a year to come back from?

these are facts, not statements of negation. i'm baffled as to how anyone could interpret what i said up there as "negative" or "pessimistic". i frnakly thought i was being an optimist by allowing for the possibility that wood could pitch in may.

by gaius marius on Mar 1, 2006 9:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

... perhaps I was being a bit too harsh.

I think everyone EXPECTS Wood to be ready by May. You say that's optimistic.

It may be that Miller and Wood will take as much time as you say to come back from surgery. But based on the reports so far, both appear to be on or ahead of schedule.

by Al on Mar 1, 2006 9:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

popular expectation

has a way of consistently being proven ridiculous in the aftermath of events. crowd opinion is the last thing that should justify a viewpoint, imo.

all i'm saying is that it took chris carpenter two years to come back from what miller and wood had done. jason simontacchi is finding out right now how difficult the rehabilitation path can be.

setbacks are a very common thing in recovery from shoulder procedures and can appear out of the blue. it doesn't much matter, frankly, that they're supposedly "on schedule" now. statistically speaking, they are far from being out of the woods. and it's only sensible to point that out -- while simultaneously hoping that everything goes well for them both.

by gaius marius on Mar 1, 2006 9:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OK....

... I'll accept that, and given my nature, try to take the more optimistic view, and hope I'm right.

by Al on Mar 1, 2006 10:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

me too

by gaius marius on Mar 1, 2006 10:50 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Al

I don't see anything wrong with trying to avoid a "glass is half empty" viewpoint but I think that it is just Wood's last season (along with other starters injuries and such) that make me want some insurance this time around. Hopefully we won;t need hem all and come July, we will have some stocked up trade bait.

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 1, 2006 10:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The question ...

tells the answer. In even bothering to ask what we'll do when we have 7 or 8 healthy starters, I'm showing my hand as a glass-half-full type.

Or glass-soon-to-be-overflowing type.

by mlf on Mar 1, 2006 3:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Trade bait

You'd best believe there is trade bait in there somewhere and somewhere along the line.

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Feb 28, 2006 5:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

rotation

Z
Prior
Maddux
Neifi

No really, it keeps him from playing 2B, it'd be worth it. But for the #4 spot, I'll give it to Williams first, then Rusch can take the 5 slot on the 15th. I dunno, maybe by then Angel Guzman will dominante ST and AAA, or Rich Hill....I'm not betting on it.

by Ienpw on Feb 28, 2006 9:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs