Dan Straily

chibears55

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@CarrieMuskat: #Cubs Renteria says plan is for Straily to make spot start Saturday and then go back to Minors
 

CSF77

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Think it has more to do with his age going forward, 35 in 2015...

Be nice if this off season they could put together 4 or 5 starters to basically be the mainstay of the rotation going forward for the
next 5+ years.. they already have 2 in arrieta and hendricks

They have a option in 2015.

"I don't want to characterize it as No. 1 quality or whatever but we know we have to add pitching," general manager Jed Hoyer said recently of the upcoming search. "We know we have an imbalance [of hitting prospects vs. pitching in the minors] and I think that will be a main area of focus in the offseason and probably several offseasons."

That tells me they are looking to add 1 arm per offseason. Right now they could add Lester then lose Wood and Jackson. They have Wada, Turner, Straily and Doubront as back fill.

I believe what they want is Turner and Doubront to replace Wood and Jackson and for them to sign Lester and not pull Wada's option. But Wada's performance is making them rethink it and with a 2015 option in place it is a easy decision to do so.

I believe it will come down to competition with these guys as they should be adding contract every year and adding Lester or Scherzer this year then getting into the Price bid next year becomes more of a transition with Wada at 35 and a F/A.

BTW his birthday is 2/31/1981. 34 at the start of the year. He will be 35 in 2016. 1 year at 34 is really not a big deal and it gives them the opportunity to let him go if they need to add a TOR at the deadline.
 

CSF77

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Straily feels solid with mechanical tweaks


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OAK@HOU: Straily fans seven over 6 1/3 innings
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NEW YORK -- Dan Straily feels like himself, and that's a good thing for the Cubs.

The right-hander, acquired from the Athletics on July 4, will make a spot start for the Cubs on Saturday in the second game of their series against the Mets. In his last outing for Triple-A Iowa, Straily gave up two hits over six innings and picked up the win. He has not given up an earned run in his last three starts.

"I got out of the little funk I was in, some mechanical flaws, if you will, that had taken over my game," he said Friday. "You have one good game, and it's like, 'OK, I had a good game.' Two in a row, OK. Three in a row, OK. Hopefully, we got it.

"I definitely feel more like the pitcher I know I am, not the guy I had been this year," he said. "It's a real good feeling to go out there and throw the baseball and feel like I was in command."

What's been a surprise for Straily is that his velocity has increased since Spring Training. At the beginning of the year, his fastball was clocked in the mid-80s. Now, it's 87-92 mph.

"It's nice to know I have it back there again," he said of his velocity.

He was 10-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 27 starts with the Athletics last season, but was 1-2 with a 4.93 ERA this season. He also has made 10 starts at Triple-A Sacramento.

Iowa pitching coach Bruce Walton, Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio and others have studied Straily's mechanics and combined to make some minor changes. The right-hander feels good about where he is.

"Maybe this whole change-of-scenery thing is what it's made out to be," he said. "Maybe that's all it is."
 

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