The Unresolved Bullpen Angst Thread

[R-V]

It gets even better...Jackson is moving BACK to the rotation after pitching out of the pen for all of 2 weeks. This organization has ADD.

Cashner will pitch one inning Thursday night and one inning Saturday before the Cubs decide what to do next. Jay Jackson, another starter who was switched to the bullpen, will move back into the Iowa rotation.

"The reasons are as follows," player development director Oneri Fleita said. "Jackson has had a chance he can throw out of the pen, and he did a great job. And now we'd like to know what Cashner can do out of the pen because these kids are young kids.

"They've pitched for two years and I'd hate to know that they (couldn't come) up here because we had a need for our bullpen."

[Powdered Toast Man]

It gets even better...Jackson is moving BACK to the rotation after pitching out of the pen for all of 2 weeks. This organization has ADD.

Cashner will pitch one inning Thursday night and one inning Saturday before the Cubs decide what to do next. Jay Jackson, another starter who was switched to the bullpen, will move back into the Iowa rotation.

"The reasons are as follows," player development director Oneri Fleita said. "Jackson has had a chance he can throw out of the pen, and he did a great job. And now we'd like to know what Cashner can do out of the pen because these kids are young kids.

"They've pitched for two years and I'd hate to know that they (couldn't come) up here because we had a need for our bullpen."

Wut?  There you have it, folks.  These kids...they're young kids.  So, them being young and kiddish is why we are earfucking them this year.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

These kids...they're young kids.  So, them being young and kiddish is why we are earfucking them this year.

Kurt just got a boner in his jean shorts.

[Eli]

Can't you guys come up with something original to argue about?  I feel like I'm watching an episode of Community here.

I guess I'll just wait until IAN shows up and starts talking about Annie's boobs.

[CT III]

Can't you guys come up with something original to argue about?  I feel like I'm watching an episode of Community here.

I guess I'll just wait until IAN shows up and starts talking about Annie's boobs.

You probably won't have to wait long.

[Yeti]

Can't you guys come up with something original to argue about?  I feel like I'm watching an episode of Community here.

I guess I'll just wait until IAN shows up and starts talking about Annie's boobs.

I'm kind of obsessed with Annie, too. I just don't express it as much as IAN does. He carries the workload for that.

[motown]

It gets even better...Jackson is moving BACK to the rotation after pitching out of the pen for all of 2 weeks. This organization has ADD.

Cashner will pitch one inning Thursday night and one inning Saturday before the Cubs decide what to do next. Jay Jackson, another starter who was switched to the bullpen, will move back into the Iowa rotation.

"The reasons are as follows," player development director Oneri Fleita said. "Jackson has had a chance he can throw out of the pen, and he did a great job. And now we'd like to know what Cashner can do out of the pen because these kids are young kids.

"They've pitched for two years and I'd hate to know that they (couldn't come) up here because we had a need for our bullpen."

Wut?  There you have it, folks.  These kids...they're young kids.  So, them being young and kiddish is why we are earfucking them this year.

I think it's easy to overrate the effects of moving pitchers back and forth between the bullpen and starting. Sure there's a big difference in preparing for each role, but at some point, pitching is pitching- if Cashner and/or Jackson are the best available pitchers, then get them ready for the role and bring em up. And if they can't hack it in the big leagues long-term, it likely will be because they weren't good enough for either role, and not because they were jerked around.

[BH]

It gets even better...Jackson is moving BACK to the rotation after pitching out of the pen for all of 2 weeks. This organization has ADD.

Cashner will pitch one inning Thursday night and one inning Saturday before the Cubs decide what to do next. Jay Jackson, another starter who was switched to the bullpen, will move back into the Iowa rotation.

"The reasons are as follows," player development director Oneri Fleita said. "Jackson has had a chance he can throw out of the pen, and he did a great job. And now we'd like to know what Cashner can do out of the pen because these kids are young kids.

"They've pitched for two years and I'd hate to know that they (couldn't come) up here because we had a need for our bullpen."

Wut?  There you have it, folks.  These kids...they're young kids.  So, them being young and kiddish is why we are earfucking them this year.

I think it's easy to overrate the effects of moving pitchers back and forth between the bullpen and starting. Sure there's a big difference in preparing for each role, but at some point, pitching is pitching- if Cashner and/or Jackson are the best available pitchers, then get them ready for the role and bring em up. And if they can't hack it in the big leagues long-term, it likely will be because they weren't good enough for either role, and not because they were jerked around.

shit just got realz.

[BH]

Great news!

"David Patton, who was designated for assignment when the Cubs had to make room for Bob Howry, has cleared waivers and re-signed with the Cubs, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (via Twitter)."

[Quality Start Machine]

It doesn't matter how dumb something I can say looks in retrospect (I don't even have drinking as an excuse), the fact that the Cubs can always swoop in and say or do something dumber is a source of comfort.

[PenPho]

It doesn't matter how dumb something I can say looks in retrospect (I don't even have drinking as an excuse), the fact that the Cubs can always swoop in and say or do something dumber is a source of comfort.

Those are about the lowest standards you can have.

[Quality Start Machine]

It doesn't matter how dumb something I can say looks in retrospect (I don't even have drinking as an excuse), the fact that the Cubs can always swoop in and say or do something dumber is a source of comfort.

Those are about the lowest standards you can have.

Hey, when you shank one as bad as I did earlier, you can't be fussy.

[Internet Apex]

Fuck it, if you've got a guy who would rather be thrown into the fire than start, that's something that can't be taught.

Seriously, guys like Eck and Smoltz who transitioned perfectly from starting to the pen were totally gutless until they weren't.

THI. I don't think it's harmful to move a guy back and forth between starter and reliever. Not as much as moving him to a level he's not ready for. That was the problem with Samardjiza. His offspeed stuff wasn't even close to Major League ready. However, if you move a starter to the pen and suspend his use of his third or fourth pitch, you may require additional seasoning (Spring Training? AFL?) to recalibrate if you decide to move him back. But I don't know if that even matters. Most good starters use their third pitch about what, five times a game?


EDIT: If you missed the larger point, it's probably because this post was horribly written. 

[Eli]

Most good starters use their third pitch about what, five times a game?

Since I like answering rhetorical questions and missing the larger point of people's posts, here are some top starters and their percentage of pitches thrown:

Lincecum: 53% fastball, 24% change, 13% curveball
Halladay: 39% fastball, 33% cutter, 14% curveball
Greinke: 63% fastball, 17% slider, 11% change
Jimenez: 59% fastball, 17% change, 14% slider
Verlander: 62% fastball, 19% curveball, 14% change

So, two points -- 1.) looks like top pitchers will generally throw their third pitch about 15 times per game and 2.) Tim Lincecum throws a whole lot of changeups.

[Internet Apex]

Most good starters use their third pitch about what, five times a game?

Since I like answering rhetorical questions and missing the larger point of people's posts, here are some top starters and their percentage of pitches thrown:

Lincecum: 53% fastball, 24% change, 13% curveball
Halladay: 39% fastball, 33% cutter, 14% curveball
Greinke: 63% fastball, 17% slider, 11% change
Jimenez: 59% fastball, 17% change, 14% slider
Verlander: 62% fastball, 19% curveball, 14% change

So, two points -- 1.) looks like top pitchers will generally throw their third pitch about 15 times per game and 2.) Tim Lincecum throws a whole lot of changeups.

Thank you for this.