Is there much of a chance that Randy Wells is for real?

by davidalanu on Jun 3, 2009 11:54 AM CDT Comment 36 comments

In looking over his minor league stats he's really only had one year that stands out as anything special, his 2005 season at high-A Daytona/AA West Tenn. He's given up just over a hit per inning in the minors, with a so-so 1.34 whip. And he'll be 27 in August.

That being said, he's obviously been outstanding in his five starts with the big club. I realize that there's no chance that he'll be able to keep putting up some of the numbers he's produced so far (24 hits in 37 innings, .911 whip), I am curious about what some of you who have followed him more closely think. Is he viable for the rotation for the rest of the year? What is his upside considered to be?

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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Micah + Wells = Roberts

Get ’er done, Jimbo.

/sarcasm

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jun 3, 2009 12:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd ship Bradley too

Idunno how they’re doing with their DL spot…. hmmmm (cough), I mean, their DH spot, but he could be enticing to McFail.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jun 3, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

I think it’s possible Wells is the real thing. I don’t think we can make any real conclusions in the few starts he’s had. He hasn’t pitched to the same team twice yet. He hasn’t had to go even a half a season yet, pitching every five days. We’ll know more in November. But he’s certainly got potential, and I’d be much more unhappy if he were traded than I was when Gallagher was traded, and I wasn’t happy with that trade at the time.

Certainly, he’s viable for the time being. And if he falters, he and Marshall can swap places.

I’m rooting for my team in spite of the problems. I recognize the team is struggling. I root for them anyway.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 3, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is he for real?

It depends on what your expectations are. He’s a really smart pitcher who doesn’t fear contact and knows how to move what little stuff he has around to keep hitters off balance.

If you’re expecting him to be a decent back-of-the-rotation starter, he’s got a chance to be that.

by Josh77 on Jun 3, 2009 12:03 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Thank you Josh

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jun 3, 2009 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Josh.

We could use a guy like this. As I wrote a couple of starts ago, he reminds me of Kevin Tapani.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al on Jun 3, 2009 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree as well,

there’s nothing special about the guy at all. But he doesn’t nibble, and appears to be able to spot the fastball well enough. I think he’ll be okay for now.

by Damen Jackson on Jun 3, 2009 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Len and Bob made a great point last night

Managers love a guy like Wells. They’d rather have a guy who doesn’t have outstanding stuff and knows what to do with it than a guy who has great stuff and can throw 100+ MPH and has no idea what he’s doing. Wells certainly has a place in the MLB. Probably not as an ace. But certainly in the 3-4-5 range. I think we should hold on to him

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Jun 3, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

At a minimum

Wells has earned a longer stay in the rotation, even when Harden returns (move Marshall out of the rotation and into the pen). Most likely he will get knocked around as hitters become more familiar with him, so it will be interesting to see how he handles that.

by lookingdeadred on Jun 5, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can be an adequate back-of-the-rotation starter it appears

He reminds me a lot of Braden Looper.

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings ...

by BLou on Jun 3, 2009 12:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Clearly he is on Roids

because nothing else explains a guy doing this well with no consistent history of it. Let’s trade him FAST.

"I daydream just like everybody else, I just do it with my body facing the field, so everybody thinks I'm paying attention."- Greg Maddux

by Doggie Stalker on Jun 3, 2009 1:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think..

Odds are he ends up as a Tapani-like pitcher, as Al said: a guy who gives you innings, with a decent ERA. However, it’s too early. There’s still a chance he washes out after a year or two. There’s also a chance he ends up as one of the top pitchers in baseball. There have been a number of elite pitchers who weren’t exactly regarded as top prospects.

by Poloplaya14 on Jun 3, 2009 1:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I've never seen anybody touch him.

I think he’s a ghost.

by Arbusto on Jun 3, 2009 2:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He would appear to fall

somewhere between Ricky Nolasco and Sergio Mitre.

Given good health, that might mean a 1-3 year run as a 4th starter, or a long man in the bullpen, but definitely able to help a big league club for the near future.

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by zambranofan on Jun 3, 2009 3:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I generally agree

Randy Wells has the sort of stuff that would seem to also translate to the bullpen. He looks like a good bet to carve out an existence as a 5th starter type who could also help in the pen. A fresh version of Chad Gaudin if you will.

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings ...

by BLou on Jun 3, 2009 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

By the way

Here’s what I said about him on Jan. 1 this year.

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by zambranofan on Jun 3, 2009 3:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Looking back at that...

You’d have to move Tyler Colvin almost completely off the list. He sucks.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.

by SackMan on Jun 3, 2009 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tim Wilkens is the one who sucks

Jeff Samardzija is nothing more than a way overhyped middle relief pitcher prospect. Tyler Colvin sucks. Andrew Cashner is looking like a strange pick. The list goes on and on.

Yes, it IS time to start being critical of this guy. He has produced nothing in his 4 years on the job that I can tell.

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings ...

by BLou on Jun 3, 2009 3:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Josh Vitters excluded (we hope)

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. It's all ball bearings ...

by BLou on Jun 3, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What the hell is wrong with Cashner?

1.99 ERA and 20 Ks in 22 inning in nine starts in High A. Hasn’t given up a home run all year. His stock is rising, not falling.

I know I’m not going to change your mind, but I mention it in case anyone gets the idea from you that Cashner was a bad pick. Cashner is doing great so far, although I do believe his future would be better served as a closer than as a starter.

by Josh77 on Jun 3, 2009 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

heh

I just posted this in another thread, although Baseball-Reference.com has his ERA at 2.07 or something like that.

Kid seems to have the tools.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. When they play over their heads, and when they play under the gutter. When they win the division, and then get swept in the division series. When they get no-hitters and when they blow no-hitters. And some day, when they go all the way and get those rings. This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 3, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Go to Milb.com

They have it right. It’s 1.99.

There’s a flaw in Baseball-reference’s minor league math programming. Whatever they have figuring out ERA, it counts 22.2 innings as 22 and one-fifth of an inning rather than as 22 and two-thirds of an inning. Their program doesn’t realize that the .2 isn’t a real decimal but rather a writing shorthand.

by Josh77 on Jun 3, 2009 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

oooh

that looks handy.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 3, 2009 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cashner

I also remember what Bob Brenly said on draft day last year after the Cubs took Cashner. Michael Brenly (whom the Cubs wouldn’t draft until the next day) had played against Cashner in the Mountain West Conference, so Bob called up his son to ask for a scouting report. Apparently all Michael said was “He throws real hard, Dad,” with Bob inflecting the word “real.” Made it sound like Michael was afraid of Cashner.

by Josh77 on Jun 3, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Randy Wells

Here’s what I wrote about Randy Wells after seeing him pitch against the Sacramento River Cats last May.

But having said that, I saw a heck of a pitching performance out of Randy Wells. Wells had great command of his 91 mph fastball (and I’m going by the stadium gun here, so don’t take that as gospel) and was mixing in a slider and a change-up that was keeping the River Cats off balance. I can see why Toronto took him in the Rule V draft as he seems to be a very smart pitcher. His stuff wasn’t great but he used it effectively. I hope he gets more than one inning in the majors one day, although I kind of doubt that will ever be with the Cubs.

I think that stands as a very accurate scouting report, except for the part where I doubted he’d get a chance with the Cubs.

by Josh77 on Jun 3, 2009 3:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep, that's Wells in a nutshell.

I hope he can keep it up. He’s been one of the few bright spots so far this season.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by dat cubfan daver on Jun 3, 2009 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll take a smart pitcher over a guy with overpowering stuff any day

by bluekoolaide on Jun 3, 2009 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Think maybe.............

the next time he as a 4 run lead and in line for his first win he pays Lou NOT to bring in Gregg?

by Rkfd Die Hard on Jun 3, 2009 4:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You gotta feel bad for the guy

I mean, has anyone else in the history of MLB ever pitched that good over five starts and still not have a win to his credit? What else does he have to do to get a win?

by burncruisin on Jun 5, 2009 2:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

how about James Richard Harden

and his first few games as a Cub last season? 5-1 in 12 starts with 1.77 ERA as a Cub last season with his first win comingin his fourth start as a Cub. HIs first four games, he gave up 3 Earned Runs in 24.1 innings www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=harderi01&t=p&year=2008

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Jun 5, 2009 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

get a grip

Yeah Gregg blew the save, but Marmol should get “credit” for the loss as much as Gregg.

by lookingdeadred on Jun 5, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's not praise the guy too much yet...

He hasn’t won a major league game yet.

So far he’s been nothing but a loser. Until he takes matters into his own hands and hits some dingers, I say trade him.

/sarcasm

by trefrog66 on Jun 3, 2009 10:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He could save us a ton of cash next year

Harden and his gimpy shoulder can go away, and Wells plays for cheap. I haven’t seen anything in Wells that doesn’t translate into being effective in the big leagues. He is a fighter, I like that. He knows the limitations of his stuff, and works with what he has. Seems to field his position decently also.

by Nibbles on Jun 3, 2009 10:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs