Rotation Issues

Expect an announcement later today that Kerry Wood is starting the season as the Cubs' closer. He finally got his back to back work in Saturday and Sunday and still hasn't given up a walk in the spring. Barring any health setbacks, I think this just may work out nicely for everyone, fans included.

Other happenings in the pen saw Eyre admitting to tightness in his left elbow. This is something that may have been bothering him for a bit now, but that he has just brought up to staff. It could be an underlying factor in his spring performance and his recent fastball heavy pitch selection. It is unsure whether he will be ready to go when the games start. This news shines the spotlight on Sean Marshall, Carmen Pignatiello (a personal favorite of mine) and Tim Lahey as possible left replacements in the pen. Marshall certainly has experience on his side, but Pigs has looked great so far this spring and Lahey is a Rule 5 draft pick that the team has to keep with the big club or get rid of. Marshall seems the logical long relief man and between Lahey (not stellar his last few trips to the mound) and Pigs, I would like to see Pignatiello get the shot.

As to the glut of potential starters, the three vets have all performed well. I leave it to Piniella to make this decision. Each of them has a little going for them. I would probably go with Lieber, but that's me. Dempster has a lot left in him and has looked good shifting into a starter mentality. Marquis is the youngest of the three and was actually a starter last year with an above .500 record (ignoring the terrible second half).

Now, let's talk about Marquis a bit more. I have to say, I was a fan when he came up with Atlanta (being a former Atlantan). I thought his acquisition last year was a solid move by the Cubs, though pricey. This spring, he is doing little to make me think he is good for this team. I've seen years of clubhouse drama with the Cubs and, while this me be a very small thing, I find Marquis' statements during this competition for a starter spot quite disturbing. Everyone loves a guy with confidence, but this guy is rubbing me the wrong way.

A previous post detailed the minor flareup early in the spring with Marquis boasting a "start me or trade me" mentality. It seemed to have blown over, but this morning in the Chicago Tribune, you can read the following from Marquis, "My track record speaks for itself, what I did over the last four years, taking the ball every five days". He further declined to comment on how he would deal with a demotion to the pen.

Let's take a gander at the last four years....

(historical stats from baseball-reference.com, chart done by me - give me a break, I was in a hurry)

So, Marquis was OK. He had more wins than Lieber, but a worse ERA and WHIP, including a ton of walks. He never won more than 15, and that was with a Cards team that won 105 games. I don't think the numbers bear out a significant historical advantage for Mr. Marquis. Dempster's number are not comparable from the closer spot, but he did have 87 saves, which is nothing to sneeze at. Lieber had only 105 walks in 641 innings and a WHIP under 1.3. Also, pretty good for a back of the rotation guy.

We'll find out soon enough, but Marquis should not be surprised if he finds himself in the pen, either now or at the midpoint of the season. Obviously, trading one of these guys to help nab a true leadoff hitter would be nice, too.