04-30-2009, 09:26 AM
<!--quoteo(post=34140:date=Apr 30 2009, 02:11 AM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Apr 30 2009, 02:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->T. Miller (Las Vegas): The Cubs trade of Mark DeRosa has been highly criticized. I still think they should have traded Derrek Lee and kept DeRosa. However, I've been tracking the 3 pitching prospects the Cubs recieved in the trade, <b>Chris Archer, John Gaub, and Jeff Stevens</b>. Stevens is yet to give up a run in Triple A in 8 innings, Archer has a 1.59 ERA through 17 innings, and Gaub has a 1.59 ERA for the double A team. Is there a chance that the Cubs new more about these prospects then everyone else when they made the trade? Any upside here?
Ben Badler: I do like the aggressive promotion of Gaub to Double-A to see what they have, which right now looks like an interesting reliever. Archer walks too many batters for that ERA to be sustainable. Stevens is another guy who needs to throw more strikes, but he's close to the big leagues. The trade is still better for Cleveland. If it all works out for the Cubs, they end up with a couple of big league relievers.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
While it's true that Archer has walked a lot of batters in his career, he also strikes out a ton (8.4 Ks/9 in his MiLB career). If he can avoid becoming Donnie Veal, he could be a dominant MLB starter. The last two games he's pitched, he's kept the walks down. I hope that's a trend we'll keep seeing.
Ben Badler: I do like the aggressive promotion of Gaub to Double-A to see what they have, which right now looks like an interesting reliever. Archer walks too many batters for that ERA to be sustainable. Stevens is another guy who needs to throw more strikes, but he's close to the big leagues. The trade is still better for Cleveland. If it all works out for the Cubs, they end up with a couple of big league relievers.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
While it's true that Archer has walked a lot of batters in his career, he also strikes out a ton (8.4 Ks/9 in his MiLB career). If he can avoid becoming Donnie Veal, he could be a dominant MLB starter. The last two games he's pitched, he's kept the walks down. I hope that's a trend we'll keep seeing.