Steve Stone once said that all bullpen arms are failed starters.
The Cubs under Theo have failed to draft and develop one starter of their own.
The streak continues even though the team called up one fading prospect.
The Cubs have optioned infielder Jeimer Candelario to Triple-A Iowa
and added Pierce Johnson to their bullpen.
Johnson — the first pitcher the Theo Epstein regime drafted for the
Cubs — will be available to make his big-league debut against the
Cincinnati Reds.
Johnson — the 43rd overall pick out of Missouri State University in
2012 and the compensation for losing free agent Aramis Ramirez —
struggled with command issues and health problems as a starter and
pivoted toward a bullpen role last summer.
Johnson went 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 12 appearances for Iowa this
season, putting up 21 strikeouts against 11 walks and 15 hits through 14
innings.
But when Johnson was drafted, the front office painted the picture
that he was the prototype pitcher the Cubs would stock pile in the
minors. It never happened. Even though more than 50% of all Cub draft
selections have been pitchers, none have made the majors as a starter. The inability to develop a home grown starter is the black hole in the Cubs organization. Every team is desperate for pitching, especially quality inning-eating starters. The premium spot is an ace starter. The inability to develop starters has led the Cubs to the market to overspend on free agents and pitchers on the decline in their careers.
But as we have seen this season, a starting rotation can crumble quickly. A five-man Opening Day rotation now looks for a 5th starter, and two replacements for Arrieta and Lackey when their deals expire at the end of the year. Some predict that Arrieta and Lackey may not last the entire season. It then gets to the proposition of Peter stealing to pay Paul; trading the depth of position prospects to either rent or take on a bad contract at the deadline for an experienced major league starter.
