I think it is fair to say that the jury is in on Diamond and that one's initial impressions were fair. He just doesn't seem to have the command or the pitches to compete as a starter at this level. It has been painful to watch in his last two starts and I really think there is no further point to subjecting him and the fans to any more. At some point, Diamond may have had real potential, but a whole series of injuries seem to have wrecked his career.
There is some speculation as to where the Cubs rotation is going next year. If they dump Zambrano, or if he does not regain his form, it is, needless to say, going nowhere. Assuming they regain their sanity or get someone in the front office who has had some to begin with, things are still up in the air because besides Dempster, there is little consistency to build around. Gorzellany is still a possibility, but he is a little wild for my tastes and is still basically a #5. Silva is a big question mark because of his illness. Whatever happens, they are going to need to replace Lilly.
For some reason, the Cubs are always a little unwilling to test their pitching prospects in the rotation against major league hitters, at least in the roles for which their minor league careers have prepared them. Cashner seems to have followed the pattern of Samardzija. Personally, I think he would benefit with more seasoning in the minor leagues. Archer looks like the best prospect in AA. He has been dominant at A and AA, but he is probably a year or a part of the year away from the majors. Piniella is leaning toward starting Coleman in place of Diamond, but I seriously wonder why Samardzija doesn't get another shot, this time as a starter.
In the off season, there are likely to be plenty of free agent options available, but the best is Cliff Lee. If the Cubs were to make a play for him, it would serve notice that they are serious players and it would improve all their other starters immeasurably.
I don't think they'll get Cliff Lee, especially if they can't shed any significant payroll o'er the Winter. If they move Big Z and Fuko, they'll have to pay a significant part of their $ to get someone to take them. D. Lee hopefully be dumped, but what other players with big bucks can they realistically move?
ReplyDeleteBeagleman
Well, you know I am not a big fan of dumping Zambrano or Fukudome, partly because I think Zambrano, for all his faults, is still a young pitcher and I don't think you will get anything like value in return to replace him. It would be a different story if the Cubs had someone on the farm to step in, but you have to admit that the young guns we have seen so far have been pretty unimpressive.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, D. Lee is gone. He is a free agent and the Cubs have pretty well determined he will not be back. Letting go of Lee ($13.25M) and Lilly ($13M)and Nady ($3.3M)and Fontenot ($1M)and Theriot ($2.6M) saves them a little more than $33M, a big chunk of change.
Now I know there are additional obligations to other players signed long term that will eat up some of this, but there is enough money out there without busting the $150M mark to get a good 1B and probably a good starting pitcher.
I don't know how much Cliff Lee will cost, but if you are looking for a starter who is durable and you are willing to pay, Lee is your guy.