The Unresolved Bullpen Angst Thread

[powen01]

So who goes to the bullpen? 

Wells or GorzawhatshisfuckCHUNKBABYRUUUTH?

[PenPho]

So who goes to the bullpen? 

Wells or GorzawhatshisfuckCHUNKBABYRUUUTH?

3. Silva.

He's been way better than expected, but he still deserves to go to the pen.

[CBStew]

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.

I find it interesting that none of these add up to 100%.  It raises an infinte number of questions.

[Armchair_QB]

So who goes to the bullpen? 

Wells or GorzawhatshisfuckCHUNKBABYRUUUTH?

3. Silva.

He's been way better than expected, but he still deserves to go to the pen.

Why?

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

So who goes to the bullpen? 

Wells or GorzawhatshisfuckCHUNKBABYRUUUTH?

3. Silva.

He's been way better than expected, but he still deserves to go to the pen.

Why?

Because "better than expected" is not the same thing as "better than the other starters."

Stats-wise, Silva has the highest FIP among current Cubs starters at 4.19. And his BABIP of .281 suggests he's been luckier than two of the three starters with higher ERAs than him—Gorzelanny (.341) and Wells (.326)—and may be due for a correction.

The third starter with a higher ERA than Silva is Ted Lilly. Lilly is also the only Cubs starter currently valued less than Silva by Fangraphs' WAR rating, due mostly to having pitched 9 fewer innings. (Note that Gorzelanny is currently number 1 in WAR.) But you're not moving Theodore to the bullpen without first fleeing the country with armed escort.

[Armchair_QB]

I'd actually like to see Grabow moved to the rotation.

Then we won't have to watch him come out of the fucking bullpen anymore...

[Internet Apex]

I'd actually like to see Grabow moved to the rotation.

Then we won't have to watch him come out of the fucking bullpen anymore...

Who's rotation? The Cardinals'? Yes.

[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.

Thank you for this.

I find it interesting that none of these add up to 100%.  It raises an infinte number of questions.

Most pitchers have a fourth pitch they throw as well.  For the sake of Apex's question, I just listed each pitcher's top three offerings.

[Shooter]

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.

I find it interesting that none of these add up to 100%.  It raises an infinte number of questions.

Most pitchers have a fourth pitch they throw as well.  For the sake of Apex's question, I just listed each pitcher's top three offerings.

I think some pitches go as undetermined/undefined, also.

[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.

I find it interesting that none of these add up to 100%.  It raises an infinte number of questions.

Most pitchers have a fourth pitch they throw as well.  For the sake of Apex's question, I just listed each pitcher's top three offerings.

I think some pitches go as undetermined/undefined, also.

"You put snot on the ball?"

[Saul Goodman]

Grabow is horseshit.  Nice choice, Jim.

[Armchair_QB]

Grabow is horseshit.  Nice choice, Jim.

Pujols shouldn't get credit for a three-homer game because the third one didn't come off of a major league pitcher.

[fiveouts]

It might be fun to note that, for a combined expenditure of almost $35 million dollars over the past two years, the Cubs have gotten:

Jeff Smardizjia
John Grabow
Kevin Gregg
Neal Cotts
Luis Vizcaino
Aaron Heilman

Nothing like going with the "proven veterans" in the pen. 

[Slaky]

Old news but Grabow to DL and Cashner is up. This works for me.

[Armchair_QB]

Old news but Grabow to DL and Cashner is up. This works for me.

I didn't realize you could DL somebody for sucking.