TheYanks04 wrote:It does if Wood is hurt and can't go. Bottom line, Wood is up with Bonds as a complete and total bust this season. Time to cut bait.
If you say so. To me, if he cant start, then just let him have his surgery now (unless he is gonna close and you trade for a SP or move Dempster back to the rotation). Otherwise, Wood pitching middle relief is a waste.
First off, Dempster can't go back to the rotation. Starters can go to the BP, but a closer has conditioned his arm as such that he won't be able to go back to the rotation without spending an extended amount of time regaining his stamina.
The Cubs won't use Wood as the closer. Dusty hasn't had a solid guy in the ninth since Joe-Bo went down, and he sure as hell won't ruin what he has going right now. If Dempster suddenly struggles, there's a chance, but otherwise Wood will might try to slide into the setup role, which would fill a glaring weakness in the Chicago pen if he's successful.
I don't think they will need another starter. Rich Hill should fill in nicely, and if he struggles, they'll drop Rusch back in (he's mostly been in extended relief work, and could jump back in the rotation at a moment's notice).
If the Cubs do make a deal, I'd wager that it will include Gerut, C-Pat and possibly even Nomar. I mean, couldn't you see Nomar playing 2B for the Yanks?
I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree fellas. Personally, I think this is a mistake for the Cubs and only prolongs the recovery process for his inevitible surgery.
Exactly how long is the list of starters with arm issues becoming steady, long term relievers and/or closers? I'm talking about guys in Wood's situation, where the injury (not team circumstances) was the only reason they're in the pen. I guess anything to get him pitching on a semi-regular basis is a good thing, but moving into a MR/setup role is in no way going to ease the pressure on his or anyone else's arm. At least with the closer if you warm up, you're getting it but -- with MR especially -- you're constantly up/down, throwing/sitting and not even getting in the game a lot of the time. I guess I just don't get all this talk about moving starters to the pen helping them. Unless you're going to the pen because you don't have the endurance to go 6+ every five days, moves like this have always seemed like an exercise in futility to me.
by The Loveable Losers » Tue Jul 26, 2005 11:00 am
Unless you're going to the pen because you don't have the endurance to go 6+ every five days, moves like this have always seemed like an exercise in futility to me.
He's going to the pen because he doesn't have the endurance to go 6+ every five days.
The arm problem only flares up if he throws around 60+ pitches. According to Wood, he's fine up to that pitch count but wants he gets around 60 the shoulder starts hurting. I would agree that he needs to be a start of the inning kind of guy. He's not the guy you want to be having jump up and down all day. But if they give him a solid 1/2 inning to get ready and have him go 2 innings I think he'd be very suited to that role (given that SP sounds like it's not an option due to the shoulder).
It limits his fantasy value but makes a lot of sense for the Cubs. Obviously Wood would be more valuable to the Cubs as a SP. If he can't start though and he CAN be a middle relief guy then that's where he should be. Is there anyone out there that thinks surgery is going to permanently fix his problems? I certainly don't have that illusion. His motion tears his arm to shreds. It's an unfortunate fact. Unless they can get him to pitch in a way that doesn't turn his arm into raw meat they need to move him to the pen...at least his arm will get torn apart more slowly then.
The Loveable Losers wrote:The arm problem only flares up if he throws around 60+ pitches. According to Wood, he's fine up to that pitch count but wants he gets around 60 the shoulder starts hurting.
I hadn't heard that, but then again I haven't really been following the situation too closely. I guess I was referring to the general "starter with arm trouble to the pen" philosophy than Wood in particular with my previous post.
jblank wrote:I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree fellas. Personally, I think this is a mistake for the Cubs and only prolongs the recovery process for his inevitible surgery.
Not really since Matt Morris had the same thing done in Nov and rebounded fine. Obviously different players have different recovery times but the procedure doesn't require an extended recovery time as some others.
If the Cubs stay in the thick of things and he is able to pitch in any shape of form, then he should. Why shoudln't he?
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by Chuckles » Tue Jul 26, 2005 1:08 am 
I guess anything to get him pitching on a semi-regular basis is a good thing, but moving into a MR/setup role is in no way going to ease the pressure on his or anyone else's arm. At least with the closer if you warm up, you're getting it but -- with MR especially -- you're constantly up/down, throwing/sitting and not even getting in the game a lot of the time. I guess I just don't get all this talk about moving starters to the pen helping them. Unless you're going to the pen because you don't have the endurance to go 6+ every five days, moves like this have always seemed like an exercise in futility to me. 
I guess I was referring to the general "starter with arm trouble to the pen" philosophy than Wood in particular with my previous post. 
