Cubs made offer to Francisco Liriano

[Tryptamine]

Remember Rick Sutcliffe?

Sutcliffe wasn't exactly terrible in the two years before the trade. He had a combined 7.3WAR in those years.

[Doogolas]

Gato, what happened? You were all about going after Liriano in the offseason around midseason?

[BUD Bleachers]

Of course not, but Edwin Jackson was wild in Arizona and got back on track in the same timeframe. I know a weak argument, but you hope to see at least some improvement over time. But there was none, heck it seemed that he even got worse.

Don Cooper is not perfect of course and maybe they didn't establish an rapport. But it would be a red flag for me.

The problem with Liriano is that he (still) wants to strike everybody out all the time rather than use his stuff to put the ball in play, you know, actually pitch.

If Don Cooper couldn't fix the issue, then I don't like my chances with too many others, especially the Cubs pitching coach, Mr. Heatmeiser, or whatever his name is.

The Cubs will throw their hat in the ring with Ryu, just like they did with Darvish, to make it look like they're strategic players to affect the market, but in the end, they won't land him unless there's a freak chance he falls cheaply.

Liriano is the perfect "Malholm" type that they'll want to fill-in the blanks with Garza and Samarjesus--him and Rodrigo Lopez, of course.

Unless I'm completely mistaken, but based on last week's forum call with Thedson Eploeder, the Cubs are mailing-in 2013 (again) in trying to lock the over/under for losses at 92.5, and praying for anything better than fifth, which is now last place.

The only great part about it this time around is that they're being completely honest and have curbed the stiffy manager's yap-yap-yappy mouth.

God love you guys for still caring.

I give Theo credit for not caring about anything else accept "the plan." Microeconomics is great, but not at the expense of the macroeconomics.

Nudge me when it's proven that the Cubs will for sure be playing meaningful baseball on, or later than, October 15th, 20??.

You can then wake me up when it's time for the Fall Classic.

Anything less is BS anyway at this point.

[SenorGato]

Gato, what happened? You were all about going after Liriano in the offseason around midseason?

I've said otherwise since?

[ABE32]

Sutcliffe wasn't exactly terrible in the two years before the trade. He had a combined 7.3WAR in those years.

Suttcliffe was sucking it up before we traded for him and then with 16-1 so was it a change of scenery or did he just dominate a weaker division.

[Cub_StuckinSTL]

Theo and friends have successfully invented the time machine and they are getting 2006 Liriano with double the innings....hell I'd settle for 2010 Lirano

[homestarunner93]

The problem with Liriano is that he (still) wants to strike everybody out all the time rather than use his stuff to put the ball in play, you know, actually pitch.

If Don Cooper couldn't fix the issue, then I don't like my chances with too many others, especially the Cubs pitching coach, Mr. Heatmeiser, or whatever his name is.

The Cubs will throw their hat in the ring with Ryu, just like they did with Darvish, to make it look like they're strategic players to affect the market, but in the end, they won't land him unless there's a freak chance he falls cheaply.

Liriano is the perfect "Malholm" type that they'll want to fill-in the blanks with Garza and Samarjesus--him and Rodrigo Lopez, of course.

Unless I'm completely mistaken, but based on last week's forum call with Thedson Eploeder, the Cubs are mailing-in 2013 (again) in trying to lock the over/under for losses at 92.5, and praying for anything better than fifth, which is now last place.

The only great part about it this time around is that they're being completely honest and have curbed the stiffy manager's yap-yap-yappy mouth.

God love you guys for still caring.

I give Theo credit for not caring about anything else accept "the plan." Microeconomics is great, but not at the expense of the macroeconomics.

Nudge me when it's proven that the Cubs will for sure be playing meaningful baseball on, or later than, October 15th, 20??.

You can then wake me up when it's time for the Fall Classic.

Anything less is BS anyway at this point.

No one from this board with be waking you up. I can promise you that.

[terencem]

Look at it this way: he's an improvement over Volstad.

[Jack the Ripper]

No one from this board with be waking you up. I can promise you that.

QFT. One less fair weather fan. Good riddance.

[TyrionLannister]

Look at it this way: he's an improvement over Volstad.

Proposition. Here, instead of WAR we call it WACV. "Wins Above Chris Volstad"

[keymax]

Key phrase there is over time THO.

I'd like to see splits but occupado. Even then the significance is in question....

I'm not talking entireky about the results. Don Cooper's philosophy is to simplify mechanics and stay closed in your delivery and to keep pounding the zone especially if you're ahead in the count. Liriano couldn't do anything of that. He was flying open as I said earlier and bouncing way too many pitches. So even if he had a good count it lead to grooving pitches to avoid walks. And way too often Liriano couldn't even groove one.

I a not opposed to the idea of bringing Liriano back to fix him in spring training. But right now his mechanics are a mess.
Anything over a one year incentive laden deal is a big mistake IMO.

[SenorGato]

Even mechanical changes would require more than two months...what is that..10 starts? to get a feel for. Plus, that doesn't really sound like a unique philosophy so perhaps he and Cooper just didn't develop a rapport in their short time together.

There's no real advantage for the Cubs in signing him to a one year incentive laden deal. It pretty much means he gets a year to get his act together so he can hit FA again at the still young age of 30. He even loses a little bit more of his trade value like that...

[TheoPhite]

Liriano has some upside. Pending the contract and the money involved, he can be a nice addition. He's not a true fly ball pitcher, indicated by his SIERA of 4.12. With some adjustments with the possibility of improving his walk rate, it is very realistic he can be a 2.5-3.5 win pitcher.

He keeps the ball down and when wild, way down.He's also poison for left handed batters

[Chi-Town Cubs25]

Cubs should sign him to a one year deal with a team option just like they did with Maholm.

[Crusader]

Proposition. Here, instead of WAR we call it WACV. "Wins Above Chris Volstad"

I laughed