Cubs Starting pitchers

chibears55

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Gotta be encourage so far by the performances of the starting 5 this Spring in Arizona where hitters usually have advantage...

Lester 12.1 IP 13 K 1.43 ERA
Darvish 10.1 IP 13 K 3.48 ERA
Quintana 9.1 IP 9 K 1.93 ERA
Hendricks 15 IP 21 K 3.00 ERA
Chatwood 16 IP 18 K 2.81 ERA

Cant wait to see if this group is able to match up with past top rotation

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zack54attack

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You know what you're getting from the Top 4. Chatwood is the key. He's looked both good and bad in Spring. But if he can just be a decent fifth starter, then the Cubs are in great shape IMO.
 

CSF77

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You know what you're getting from the Top 4. Chatwood is the key. He's looked both good and bad in Spring. But if he can just be a decent fifth starter, then the Cubs are in great shape IMO.

He said that he was not able to get a feel for his cutter in his last game and was trying to gain command of it in game. In season he would have adjusted but being spring he needs to work on his pitches more than in game results.

I don’t see any issues with him. He still had a curve/change/fastball attack. Losing a cutter for a game really is not a huge issue.

My main concern was Hendricks. He has been more of a 2nd half guy up to this point but him coming out strong this year makes me feel that he is ready to make the next step.

Lester is another. I really feel that he ends up the #4 this year.

Q also has looked strong. Knocking out 16 guys in a row in a game. Him and Hendricks are going to have a nice ace debate this year.

Yu has the best stuff on the staff but I see him as the 3rd best starter this year.
 

anotheridiot

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Lets remember, the order is Lester, Hendricks, Darvish, Quintana and Chatwood.

Gotta worry about Darvish, He throws alot of pitches and seems to want to strike everyone out. No 3.48 is not a sky high ERA, but seems like when they get on they usually score.
 

brett05

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It's Arizona. No need to worry about era
 

CSF77

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It's Arizona. No need to worry about era

It wasn’t that hot out there honestly. 70-80 on avg. had some rain in the forecast. Last year was the same and we had a rain out.

It is not the same as the summer months.
 

brett05

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It wasn’t that hot out there honestly. 70-80 on avg. had some rain in the forecast. Last year was the same and we had a rain out.

It is not the same as the summer months.

True, but not the same as Chicago during April either.
 

TC in Mississippi

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Lets remember, the order is Lester, Hendricks, Darvish, Quintana and Chatwood.

Gotta worry about Darvish, He throws alot of pitches and seems to want to strike everyone out. No 3.48 is not a sky high ERA, but seems like when they get on they usually score.

The order at the beginning of the season really means nothing. I think Darvish will be the ace of this staff with Hendricks and Quintana right behind him. Lester is probably a 3 at this point of his career but with the Cubs will probably end up as the 4th best starter.
 

brett05

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Forgot what that feels like. Do tell.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
WETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
and did I say BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 

CSF77

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BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
WETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
and did I say BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Lol

72 here. 81 tomorrow. Then rain next 2.

I feel ya man. I don’t regret moving
 

CubsFaninMN

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Gotta worry about Darvish, He throws a lot of pitches and seems to want to strike everyone out. No 3.48 is not a sky high ERA, but seems like when they get on they usually score.

But... it's spring training. Pitchers work on their various pitches in ST, they're not out there in competition mode, usually. It's a credit to just how phenomenal Darvish's stuff is, that he's getting a ton of K's while not really working on throwing the *right* pitch -- just working on throwing a given pitch as well as he can. Or just get that mythical "feel" for it.

That said, Darvish is quoted as having been mostly interested in standing out somehow when he first came to MLB, feeling like he was the "face" of Japanese baseball in MLB at that time. Since he didn't have a killer 100+ fastball, he decided to try and strike out every batter he faced by developing a *lot* of pitches.

He succeeded, and to an extent, yeah -- he does try to strike out everyone, even during ST. But also, the guy has like eight pitches... if he spent one ST start working on the "feel" of each, I think that's more ST appearances than he's likely to make, period.

So, again -- not a lot to take away from ST, otherwise known as Small Sample Size Theatre, except for ensuring physicality looks and feels good across the board, and no one is showing signs of any bad injury or medical issues. Even pitchers showing control issues, unless in context with a history of same, don't bother me much; if you spend a few innings, like Chatwood did a few days ago, working on getting your cutter over the plate (and failing), of course your control isn't gonna look good. But during the season, he'd have swiveled to pitches he was locating better.

So, yeah... not much to worry about, here, I don't think. The biggest surprise takeaway thus far is the Cubs appear to be considering going north with only 12 pitchers. THAT would be a front-page story, knowing Maddon... ;)
 

anotheridiot

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The order at the beginning of the season really means nothing. I think Darvish will be the ace of this staff with Hendricks and Quintana right behind him. Lester is probably a 3 at this point of his career but with the Cubs will probably end up as the 4th best starter.

I know, I am just so happy that Maddon announced Hendricks as the 2 and feel she should show him some respect by not putting his name as a 4 or 5, thats all.
 

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