Cubs Get A Starting Pitcher (Allegedly)
UPDATE: Carrie Muskat tweet says Cubs talking to Edwin Jackson and Villanueva, but no deal done with either. And so we wait...
Jon Heyman (and others) are reporting that the Cubs have signed SP Carlos Villanueva, formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays. The 29-year old swingman ran up career highs in innings (125.1) and games started(16) last year for the Blue Jays. Depsite a fastball that won't get over 90 too often, he manages nearly 8 K/9(7.8 to be exact) for his career and a 3.1 BB/9. He's a bit prone to the long ball with a 1.3 HR/9 rate for his career (although his HR/FB% rates are a little higher than the norm) and has a 4.26 career ERA between the Brewers and Blue Jays over 7 seasons (306 games, 56 of those started).
Much like the addition of Scott Feldman, he's being applauded by many of the saber-folks as a good low money risk play this offseason.
We'll see what the money is in this case, but seems like another shrewd, yet unspectacualr move for the Cubs. I don't know if he's been promised a rotation spot, but more likely he'll just be one of the competitors for a spot in spring training and obviously someone comfortable with moving to the pen if and when necessary. Now let's see if Twitter didn't jump the gun again.
Have they changed the meaning of extend again? Kids these days, just when I've gotten used to bad meaning good.
The Cubs should extend Marmol now while he's in his little slump.
(Ducks)
A+
Cubs can build on that foundation of Sweeney and Ransom.
almost 9% of MLB players have ADHD/mental-health exemptions for amphetamine use (well more than the population average at large)...and the amount who use stimulants not on the banned list bumps that up quite considerably...from the ones who pound redbull to the ones taking the newest GMC stimulant(s) that hasn't appeared on the ban list (yet).
stimulants and baseball is the way it's done...from those who like to get pumped up before a game to those that are trying to deal with 200+ days of travel.
Hmmm...
"But whatever players put into their bodies today to fight fatigue, it no longer includes amphetamines — or at least it doesn't unless those players want to risk getting slapped with a stiff suspension."
hahahahahhaha...oh my...my sides...phew, good one.
Hitters swing at more bad pitches as the season goes on, and a group of scientists at Vanderbilt University believe it's because they're not sleeping long enough or well enough. http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/...
the DP would have most likely been turned...castro had a decent amount of time and was in good position to throw.
robinson's take-out slide was a bit silly...he was way off the bag.
Would they have gotten the DP anyway?
Also, while I tend to be a pretty big supporter of pitch counts, I can definitely see why they kept ninja in so long with our bullpen and Gregg pitching so much.
lololol...interference by robinson on a crappy slide going for castro (well off the bag getting ready to toss to 1st after stepping on 2nd) rather than bag forces a double play.
k.gregg gave up a 1 run single...got the "weird" double play...cubs win. STL fans are pissing themselves in rage.
it was a fair call, fwiw...robinson was no where near the bag on the slide.
...and 2 singles later (men on 1st/2nd) he's done after 115 pitches. almost...
ninja going into the 9th, 104 pitches.
3 96mph fastballs in a row to start the 9th...followed by an 84mph off speed pitch for the ground out.
and Javier Baez has a Grand Slam tonight in the 7th inning.
Z (AAA, PHI) tonight..
7ip 5h 1bb 6k, 0r
...according to a news/blog blurb about his last start he's not even hitting 90mph (at least that night), but he might be up in the bigs soon...especially with pettibone sucking hard in the rotation for PHI
Wavin' Wendall Sandberg....
Delmon Young becomes the 10th Phillie thrown out at home this year. Only Diamondbacks (11) have had more outs at home.