Chicago Cubs: Would a six-man rotation help or hurt the team?

Would the Chicago Cubs using a sixth-man rotation create an advantage for them? Getting in your ‘big guns’ more often?

Imagine the Chicago Cubs using a sixth-man rotation for 60 games, give or take. Would it help them? Or hinder them? If manager David Ross doesn’t like it, he will go away from it. But it doesn’t hurt to try. Names like Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana, Tyler Chatwood, Alec Mills and Adbert Alzolay? Six is the final number that counts. But that sounds nice, right?

First, a taxi squad as far as the pitching is concerned is taken care of. Mills and Alzolay would be ‘relievers’ as far as I’m concerned. They pitch three or four innings? Good. They throw two, and I’m fine with it. They would be ‘openers.’ The guys that start the game and go as far as he can with it.

The Cubs and the ‘real’ rotation

Lester, Darvish, Hendricks, Quintana and Chatwood. The real starters. If you see them in the game, you bet your bottom dollar they aren’t openers. Chatwood and Hendricks were the stars of the group.

Hendricks allowed one home run and that was it. He allowed a batting average of .100, BAbip of .095, and only three hits. THREE. And that was in nine innings. He throws a fastball, curve, sinker, cutter and TWO change-ups. They’ve been effective–believe that.

Chatwood wasn’t as impressive–but close. In 9 2/3 innings, he allowed six hits, two home runs and a WHIP of 0.828. He also struck out 10.2 per nine–Darvish led the way with 12.6 per nine. Chatwood averaged an 8.0 in opponent quality–Hendricks an 8.5–so Triple-A or higher.

Don’t forget the Cubs’ Mills

Although I mentioned him as a reliever–and I stick by that until Chatwood fizzles out–he was pretty good. In 10 2/3 innings, he allowed one run on four hits with a BAbip of .143–ZERO home runs. If Chatwood struggles, I’d let Mills ‘run the show.’ Give him three or four starts, see how he does. Heck, three or four starts would be the season.

So would the Cubs go with a sixth-man rotation?

To be honest? I don’t know. Ross sticks his cards close to his chest, so I don’t know what he’s thinking. I know this. If Ross THINKS he will be better with a sixth-man rotation? You better bank on it. This is the time to try new things. A sixth-man? What do you say? I’d say yes.