Felix Pie of the Chicago Cubs appears to have earned his spot on the Major League team. It appears Lou Piniella has no plans of moving Jacque Jones to center when Angel Guzman is recalled on May 1st. The Cubs believe that Pie is a five tool player. He has already and without much difficulty proven that he is the best defensive outfielder that the Cubs have. He also has already shown his arm and his track star like speed. Coming in last but definitely not least Pie is showing the signs of contact and power that the Cubs' scouts have been drooling over for years. It is way too early to anoint him the next big thing but it appears he has all of the tools to become a Jose Reyes or Hanley Ramirez like player. Pie added his first homerun of his major league career on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Pie now has a five game hitting streak going in which he is seven for his last 19 with two runs scored, two doubles and two runs batted in.
Who would have thought that Braden Looper would be leading the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff in wins (3), earned run average for starters (1.91), innings pitched (33), fewest hits per nine innings among starters (6.27) and WHIP among starters (1.00) 21 games into the 2007 season? Not Me! Looper has been very impressive thus far and without any doubt has played the biggest role in keeping the Cardinals within striking distance while Chris Carpenter has been out. Looper came to the Cardinals, via the New York Mets, as a failed closer of sorts and had never made a major league start before this season. Although Looper is pitching well and showing no signs of slowing down I have to expect him to hit some kind of dead arm period, considering his season high in innings pitched is 86 in 2002. Once that happens it will then be critical to see how he responds. Once those issues come to the surface, a realistic long term projection will be available. Right now Looper is on pace to make 35+ starts and win 21 games. I promise you that will not happen.
Angel Guzman of the Chicago Cubs will get his next round of opportunities to be a starting pitcher starting on May 1st. Guzman has had two previous rounds of failed chances, both in 2006. In 2006 Guzman made 10 starts and went 0-6 with a 7.39 earned run average. On the optimistic side of things Guzman looked like he was starting to figure things out early this season as the long relief guy (2.45 E.R.A. in 7.1 IP over 4 app) before being optioned to AAA Iowa. Guzman was not demoted due to performance rather to make room for Felix Pie while Alfonso Soriano was nursing a hamstring but perhaps more importantly to make two starts in preparation to replace Wade Miller as the Cubs fifth starter. Guzman struggled to say the least in those minor league starts but the Cubs are hoping they will get the guy that was flat out nasty in his last big league appearance on April 16th when he struck out four in two innings while allowing only one hit against the San Diego Padres. Guzman's stuff looked like Felix Hernandez's did against Boston earlier this season, throwing a slider in the low 90's and hitting 99 mph on the gun with his fastball. Guzman has the stuff it is just a question of whether or not he has the mental fortitude to execute. The Cubs are hoping that his early struggles will simply model the early career paths of Carlos Zambrano and Rich Hill, solidifying the Cubs rotation for years to come. Although that is possible he is simply a HIGH RISK/high reward player at the moment.
Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants has been pitching very well this season even though his record doesn't show it. Cain is currently only 1-1 but he has a 1.55 earned run average, an impressive mark of 7.25 innings pitched per start, 6.52 K/9, and a remarkable number of 3.4 H/9. That is not a typo he has only allowed 11 hits in 29 innings pitched. With the Giants playing much better baseball, lately, if Cain continues to pitch the way he has been his win column should be the beneficiary.
Saying Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies is hot right now would be an understatement! Utley is 14 of his last 28 with 10 runs scored, three homeruns, six doubles and 11 runs batted in. One week ago Utley was batting .213 with two homeruns and six runs batted in. The best part about is that if you're an Utley owner this is the way he is supposed to hit.
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