The challenge: Construct the Cubs 2015 pitching staff using only players currently in their system. (See yesterdays post for position players.) For simplicity’s sake, assume optimum health for all players and don’t worry about salary considerations. Feel free to use 2011 draftees, assuming they will sign, if you wish. Constructing the pitching staff seems like more of a crap shoot than selecting position players due to the high attrition rate of pitchers throughout the development process, so rather than trying to select an 11 or 12 man staff, I decided to classify pitchers into general categories:
Starting rotation
Potential top-of-the-rotation starters: McNutt, Cashner
Potential mid-rotation starters: Garza, Simpson, Beeler, N Struck
Potential back-of-the-rotation starters: A Kirk, R Whitenack, J Jackson, H-W Chen, D-E Rhee, Z Rosscup
Bullpen
Potential high-leverage relievers: C Marmol, S Marshall, C Carpenter, R Dolis, L Suarez
Potential mid-leverage relievers: J Gaub, A Cabrera, K Rhoderick, J Beliveau, J Serrano, B Wallach, A Kurcz, F Batista, S Maine
Very young, wait & see
Y-L Wang, B Wells, A Reed, L Liria, W Cruz, S Peralta, T Zych
What's your take? Have at it!