Chris Rusin got his second wind in the majors this season. He has made the most of it.
In 2012, he pitched in 7 games. He went 2-3, 6.37 ERA, 1.652 WHIP for a negative 0.4 WAR.
Throughout his 5 minor league seasons, he compiled a record of 30-28, 3.72 ERA, 1.157 WHIP.
This season with the Cubs, in 11 games he has a 2-4 record, 2.85 ERA, 1.283 WHIP and 1.5 WAR.
At age 26, Rusin was in a make or break year. He has broken through to become the Cubs 2014 5th starter behind Samardzija, T. Wood, E. Jackson, and a free agent rehab project to be named later.
He is not an overpowering pitcher, but he is left handed. If he does not walk batters, he is quite effective. He projects to be a .500 pitcher.
For the past two seasons, starting pitching has not been a sore spot for the Cubs. They have traded away almost a quality staff for prospects. The prospects that most people talk about are the hitters: Baez, Almora, Bryant, Vogelbach. The Cub prospect pitchers do not have the "can't miss" buzz that fans who are watching the minors have been hoping for, with the exception of C.J. Edwards. But Edwards has a problem of being unable to pitch more than 5 innings as a starter. Some scouts now project him as a reliever.
Rusin has turned himself into a spot starter into an "asset" that the front office can either hold on to or package for more talent, especially field positions on the major league roster.
