Where you stand here often depends on the question you are posing:

Can this staff get to the playoffs? Answer: Yes.

Can this staff win in the playoffs? Answer: Let’s add another starter, please.

Lets package Marquis (who doesn’t look like he wants to be here anyway) and some minor leagueres for a solid starter, that is if any are available.

You like the staff, but are dissatisfied with the 5th starter? I can think of 20 teams around the league that would love to have that problem, and another eight “contenders” that have the same problems. You come up with a talent likely to be available at the deadline that’s an upgrade, and I’ll help you campaign. Seriously. And please, no more Rich Harden.

As an aside though, I’m a little surprised that Al’s mention of the Kevin Millwood rumor didn’t garner more comment. He looks back to his April form after that trip to the DL.

I’m not necessarily advocating a trade for Meche, but the Royals have to be looking to dump that contract for some young players. A few years ago, when the Cubs signed Marquis, I know a lot of fans were hoping for Suppan or Meche instead (I know I was hoping for Suppan over Marquis).

What do you all think of trading a few youngsters for Meche? I can’t imagine he’d cost a lot (in players) since his contract is a little ridiculous. I’m not saying he’s a number 2 by any means, but he may be an innings eater that at least keeps the team in most game he pitches.

that Lilly got BETTER as the game went on. His velocity went up, his location got better.

He shouldn’t have been left in for the 8th. Period.

... that some of the pitching will wear out in the 2nd half.

Basically, it’s Marmol and Dempster. I really worry that they’ll both tire out and won’t be nowhere near as effective in the 2nd half. And you’ve seen how dependent upon them both we are right now. I have a feeling Wood won’t tank and I wonder if Lou will end up using him a lot more than just closer if Marmol does tucker out.

Anyway, we are going to need some more pitching… you just cannot expect those two guys to carry the load for a full season like they have.

i hope i can eat my words but I predict there wont be any better pitcher available than what we have.

millwood-hurt all the time
harden-didnt he sign with the pads
padilla-his arm is still intact
burnett-billion dollar contract and #1 dl filler
blanton—-marquis esque??
anyone else??

Hendry will make a move if needed, I have no doubt about that, and the trading deadline is July 31st so it probably won’t happen anytime soon. I don’t think the Cubs will go into the playoffs with this rotation. Last year they made the weak move of picking up Trachsel…this year they will get somebody to move the meter…I’d be shocked if they didn’t.

If it were not for our amazing offense, Marquis and Lilly would be the story this year (and not in a good way). We are lucky to have the record we do with the poor pitching of our 3-5 starters.

We need more consistent pitching (either from inside or outside) if we’re to advance in the playoffs. I can’t imagine our offense being able to keep this up

In the short term, the best improvement we can hope for is for Hill to come back and be the number 2 starter he has the potential to be.

No one is really so out of it that they’ll be in a sell now mode for another month. Even then, which teams are likely enough to be out of it to be selling? You’re looking at maybe a Zack Greinke type at best, and I’m not sure he’s worth the very very high price that the Royals would reportedly be asking for. Same goes for Daniel Cabrera – he’d maybe be available but I’m just not a believer.

MLB Trade Rumors has a very good rundown of the kinds of names that might be available by the end of the year. The only names I like on there are Sabathia and maybe Burnett, and I’m not convinced either of those teams are going to be out of it come the trade deadline.

But again, no one is available now. Any of the names we would really want simply aren’t available at the moment.

People keep throwing his name out there, but Marquis simply isn’t a valuable trading chip. He is priced at or above (ok, above) market value. Now, there are teams who would be happy to take him (there are a number of contending teams that have gotten significantly worse production out of their fifth starters – look at the Mets, Twins, and Astros for example) if the Cubs ate a few million, but they certainly wouldn’t give you anything in return. I say it all the time here, but when something is priced at market value you don’t give anything up for it. You’re trading contracts not players.

Let’s say the Cubs decide to bite the bullet and DFA him. And then say he ends up pitching with another team, Whoever picks him, just pays the prorated league minimum, right? And the Cubs are on the hook for rest of his salary for this year.

Now what about next year? I’m pretty sure Cubs are also on the hook for Marquis’ salary for next year too. Well, what about his services? Does he have to at least start with the Cubs next year in spring training and take it from there? Or by DFAing him this year, are the Cubs also cutting ties with him for next year as well (except for the $$).

I’m just wondering about this because it may get to a point this season where Marquis is taking up valuable space on the roster, esp. the rotation, so the Cubs will just let him go if they can’t trade him. But it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that somehow, somewhere, Marquis figures something out in the offseason and comes back next year as maybe a halfway decent pitcher. Seems to me that if the Cubs are paying his salary for next year, they ought to at least get first dibs on his services too…

Anyone know?

Look at the teams who sliced thru the playoffs en route to the World Series the past number of years. Nearly all of them had a couple quintessential “power pitchers” in the mix.

Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly are decent pitchers. Certainly they can help you win during the season. But come post-season? Guys like this typically get lit up like a Christmas tree.

I’ve felt all along the staff isn’t in position to go deep in the playoffs. They’ll win the division, in fact I’m considering going beyond the 5-7 game margin mentioned before. LDS is a good chance, LCS is iffy and WS is risky at best.

I’d like to be a fly on the wall when Hendry discusses Greinke 3.56ERA, 5/2 K/BB, 1.25WHIP. BAA is OK at .258. What would KC want? Hmmmm….

Duchscherer from the A’s is intriguing. Injuries may be an issue but in his 9 starts he has an ERA of 2.32, BAA of .212, WHIP (my favorite pitching stat) of 1.03 with a K/BB ratio of 5/2. Would Beane try to ream Hendry on a trade here like we all thought he would for Harden or Blanton?

These guys wouldn’t cost a bundle like Sabathia; who I understand may be of interest by the BoSox. Tribe scouts are supposed to be watching the BoSox and their farm closely.

Clearly, the Cubs of 2008 could well be a team of destiny … but the very heart of the issue that clouds this destiny has been well examined.

GREAT thread, Cub Nation .. we definitely are needing another starter and more longevity and consistency in the rotation as it stands. It’s early June .. and with the heat of a long summer coming in, perhaps the war horses will finally settle in and run like the dickens into history. But the misfiring continues – so may Lou and Hendry ever so carefully do what they gotta do to tune it out.

If it means a new set of plugs, module, wires, whatever .. what needs to be done has to be very careful, yet deliberately done in the month to come. If the Comeback Cub offence slips up at some point, that’s when the rotation has gotta shine and as good as it’s been in years, it just has got to be tighter. I think our long/short relief staff is probably the best in baseball, but it has been at times overworked.

the Rockies will deal Aaron Cook? No idea the specifics of his contract but they are really bad this season and perhaps want to deal for younger players?