This had to be one of the worst played gamed I've ever seen. Gorzelanny pitched badly from the start and the Cubs seemed determined to mess up even the most basic plays. In this quest, they faced some stiff competition from the Dodgers. Rafael Furcal continued to play SS with a cement glove, and in Manny Ramirez, I sincerely believe the Dodgers have found a LF to rival and surpass Alfonso Soriano in sheer incompetence, not to mention a level of indifference that exceeds by far the Cubs' star.
The Cubs continued their free-swinging ways against Billingsley, who didn't look a lot better than Gorzelanny most of the time, but who managed to wiggle out of jam after jam. The Cubs were totally over-matched by the Dodger bullpen in the late innings. And the other thing to note is that the Cubs have left tons of guys on base in this series and have scored most of their runs as a result of atrocious Dodger fielding gaffes. They are lucky to have a shot at winning the series tomorrow afternoon. Anyway, this was a forgettable game. If Gorzelanny was making a case for staying in the rotation, it was not a strong one.
There is a rather lively debate going on about who should go to the bullpen when Zambrano moves back into the rotation. Some have even suggested the Cubs retain a six-man rotation, and the argument is not a bad one. However, Cubs management lacks imagination and even trying to figure out how to make this work seems beyond their ken, so this is likely a lost cause to begin with. I would definitely eliminate the idea of moving Lilly or Dempster into relief. Dempster was pretty much of a flop as a closer and Lilly doesn't look like the kind of guy who could make the transition either.
That leaves Silva or Gorzelanny and either might be successful. Gorzelanny is a lefty, which makes him an ill fit in a bullpen already dominated by lefties. Silva has pitched successfully in relief early in his career, he starts out strong and he throws strikes. Logically, he is the right guy to have moved in the first place, but he is 6-0 and moving him to late inning relief just does not seem like the sort of thing the Cubs would ever consider.
Of course, a trade is definitely a possibility. It appears no serious talks have taken place involving Gorzelanny. If the Cubs think the lack of a knockout 8th inning right-handed reliever is all that holds them back from playoff contention, it might be worth a shot. He is basically, like Silva, a career .500 pitcher. However, he is young and has a substantial upside, so dealing him would have to bring back a guy like Heath Bell or the equivalent talent to make it worthwhile. Realistically, Zambrano, Dempster, and Silva are not, either because of performance or no-trade clauses or salary considerations, guys who are marketable commodities.
That leaves Lilly. He is a talented pitcher, but he is in his free-agent year and would very likely not be signed by the Cubs next year anyway because of his age and the fact the Cubs are pitching-rich in the minor league system. I would not be surprised if the Cubs dangled Lilly sometime this year to see what they could get. Even though he is a potential free agent, they'd have to get more than a bullpen arm to make it worth their while. I don't think this dilemma is necessarily a bad thing either, especially if you agree with me that relief pitchers are relief pitchers, with the exception of outstanding closers, because they are not good enough or consistent enough to be starters. Provided a guy is suitable in style and temperament to make the transition, having a pitcher who could start in the bullpen is a plus for any team. Witness the success of Sean Marshall for example.
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