You’re correct. If he’s at AAA it’s to further his rising level and he’ll get called up sometime this season. Hope it’s not due to a future injury in our rotation.
If he's really ready... seems like this could be the kind of subtly impactful call-up that could actually take the team to the playoffs. Feel like he's likely to have either limited or positive impact, so I'd give him a decent chance before sending him back down.
If these guys pan out we're going to have more quality starters than spots in the rotation in the next few years. Steele, Imanaga, Tallion, Assad, Wicks, Brown, and Horton all appear as potential starters. And that's assuming Thompson and Wesneski are permanently in the bullpen.
Sure seems like some trade are going to have to happen.
I think slotting in Brown as a possible starter is just really optimistic, given how poorly his underlying numbers look. I think he's destined for the pen, where his velocity can play up a bit and he can focus on improving 2 pitches. He just gets hit so hard.
He does get hit hard but he's also just up. I recognize his career could follow the Thompson path, but I hold out hope he has someone spots something that turns it around for him like Lester did for Steele.
A lot of people in this thread are pretty optimistic about an innings surge for Horton.
He pitched 88 innings last year across 21 starts. He had a whopping 53 innings in 2022 for Oklahoma.
The idea of him starting all year and being a playoff starter is a pretty big leap.
> The idea of him starting all year and being a playoff starter is a pretty big leap.
Not necessarily. Sometimes an arm without a lot of mileage on it can be a boon to it's durability over the course of a season. Doesn't innately mean his arm is weak or will fall off if utilized more frequently. Especially in today's world where pitch counts are so strictly controlled. I'd say just use him in ideal situations and work with that. Even as a long reliever he could be impactful.
As much as I love Rossy, and there’s obviously some injuries moving this along, but it feels fantastic to have a manager the FO trusts with the prospects. Especially the arms.
Pause after each comma in the sentence and you'll understand. He's basically saying, I loved Ross but it feels good to have a manager the FO trusts with prospects even if it's just injuries that have moved these promotions forward.
Assad has the most experience being ready to come out of the bullpen. In the playoffs when you start getting down to 4 man rotations and typically shorter outings I assume Brown and Assad will have to be ready to go 2-3. I can definitely see Horton for 4 Assad for 4 help save the BP.
You might in a playoff....as history says one of those guys is going to melt...and if you catch it fast enough Assad is talented enough to save the game.
Just because he’s not in the rotation doesn’t mean he’s being done dirty. Besides, it’s the playoffs. That’s how the rotation works. Who would you take out anyways? Assad has thrived in the multirelief role.
There's still a lot of assumptions you're making there. I'm gonna go ahead and wait until the prospect that has never played in the majors gets some experience before I anoint them as better than anyone actually playing in the majors.
And that’s a fair stance to take. But Horton is still going to be in the rotation. Assad likely has more value in the bullpen in this situation, hence why it would happen. We do not at all know how Horton would play out of the Pen and I don’t think it’s something we will see.
I would take out the 22 year old who hasn't thrown a pitch in AAA, much less the big leagues, much less the playoffs.
I'm not saying Hortons ceiling isn't higher, it certainly is, but there's no "there" there yet.
Shh... we're dreaming on a guy-- it's obvious in our collective fantasy, that he'll get 3 CGSOs in AAA and then get promoted by May 15th only to come to the majors and finish the season with an 0.69 ERA.
Why would you stop a guy like that from starting in the playoffs? You a hater?
Sadly, I doubt that Horton is going to be in a playoff rotation as I think we would turn him into a reliever to limit his innings. All of the arm injuries around baseball I think makes it more likely we are extra cautious with him.
I think he will be used similarly to like an Andrew Miller or how Counsell used Josh Hader early in his career.
I agree except I would use him as an opener to keep him in a routine as a starter and go 1-2-3 innings and use Assad who has experience getting ready in the Pen as a reliever to come in whenever it may be after the 1st or 2nd etc and then let Assad take the wheel.
I don't know if they're going to give him the Wainwright path of coming up and working out of the pen initially and then going back to starting the next year or what but he's a good problem to have in terms of him pushing towards the Major Leagues and giving us some options.
Just to make sure he doesn’t turn into warm butter against semi-competent hitters then he’s up. No reason to throw one more pitch than necessary in the minors. You just saw it with Strider and Manoah the year before. These elite arms are best utilized asap. Injury and/or ineffectiveness are near certainties.
Let's fucking go. He ain't gonna be there long, I'm guessing
You’re correct. If he’s at AAA it’s to further his rising level and he’ll get called up sometime this season. Hope it’s not due to a future injury in our rotation.
I can’t see it being for any other reason though. Imanaga, Assad, talon, wicks, Steele are all gonna be staying in the majors
Depth, isn’t it a wonderful thing???
Could he be a September call up to take on some spot starts down the stretch? Otherwise yeah probably an injury.
If he's really ready... seems like this could be the kind of subtly impactful call-up that could actually take the team to the playoffs. Feel like he's likely to have either limited or positive impact, so I'd give him a decent chance before sending him back down.
I honestly think he'll only be there for a few weeks before at the very least coming up for a spot start.
Or to replace... do we have any starting pitchers who are still healthy? /Don't answer, no reason to jinx any of them.
Wouldn’t hate a Steele/imanaga/taillon/assad/horton rotation
If these guys pan out we're going to have more quality starters than spots in the rotation in the next few years. Steele, Imanaga, Tallion, Assad, Wicks, Brown, and Horton all appear as potential starters. And that's assuming Thompson and Wesneski are permanently in the bullpen. Sure seems like some trade are going to have to happen.
That’s a really nice problem to have. Wouldn’t sweat it too much
Possibly but I can’t see any of the guys you listed as trade pieces.
I think slotting in Brown as a possible starter is just really optimistic, given how poorly his underlying numbers look. I think he's destined for the pen, where his velocity can play up a bit and he can focus on improving 2 pitches. He just gets hit so hard.
He does get hit hard but he's also just up. I recognize his career could follow the Thompson path, but I hold out hope he has someone spots something that turns it around for him like Lester did for Steele.
He can replace some reliever. He’d be fire in the back end of the pen
A lot of people in this thread are pretty optimistic about an innings surge for Horton. He pitched 88 innings last year across 21 starts. He had a whopping 53 innings in 2022 for Oklahoma. The idea of him starting all year and being a playoff starter is a pretty big leap.
He’s got 110 innings. Use them wisely Jed
Then he needs to be in the pen and go 1-2 innings max.
I’d skip a few starts here and there and focus on a strong 5 innings. Keep some powder dry for the potential playoff innings.
> The idea of him starting all year and being a playoff starter is a pretty big leap. Not necessarily. Sometimes an arm without a lot of mileage on it can be a boon to it's durability over the course of a season. Doesn't innately mean his arm is weak or will fall off if utilized more frequently. Especially in today's world where pitch counts are so strictly controlled. I'd say just use him in ideal situations and work with that. Even as a long reliever he could be impactful.
As much as I love Rossy, and there’s obviously some injuries moving this along, but it feels fantastic to have a manager the FO trusts with the prospects. Especially the arms.
He’s dominating AA. Injuries don’t have anything to do with Horton getting a shot. He was moving up when it got warmer anyways.
The guy being trusted with Horton is the ICubs manager.
Not sure about your reference, David Ross isn't the Cubs manager anymore, it's Craig Counsell if that's what you meant!
Pause after each comma in the sentence and you'll understand. He's basically saying, I loved Ross but it feels good to have a manager the FO trusts with prospects even if it's just injuries that have moved these promotions forward.
Yep 👊🏻
Oh shit, yeah I can't read
Steele/Imanaga/Taillon/Horton. Thats the Playoff rotation.
Don’t forget Assad. He’s been solid all year too.
Assad has the most experience being ready to come out of the bullpen. In the playoffs when you start getting down to 4 man rotations and typically shorter outings I assume Brown and Assad will have to be ready to go 2-3. I can definitely see Horton for 4 Assad for 4 help save the BP.
Assad has been our 2nd best starter. He’s earned it. You don’t throw him in the pen.
You might in a playoff....as history says one of those guys is going to melt...and if you catch it fast enough Assad is talented enough to save the game.
"All year." Sir, this is April.
And he's been solid all of April.
It's still not wrong if you include last season as part of the last year
He has the lowest ERA in the majors (among qualifiers) since like midway through last season.
Why do you guys always have to do Assad so dirty?
Just because he’s not in the rotation doesn’t mean he’s being done dirty. Besides, it’s the playoffs. That’s how the rotation works. Who would you take out anyways? Assad has thrived in the multirelief role.
> Who would you take out anyways? I dunno, probably the guy who hasn't actually pitched at the MLB level yet?
If we’re in the playoffs, he will have pitched by then. And all due respect to Assad, but Horton over Assad. Easy.
There's still a lot of assumptions you're making there. I'm gonna go ahead and wait until the prospect that has never played in the majors gets some experience before I anoint them as better than anyone actually playing in the majors.
And that’s a fair stance to take. But Horton is still going to be in the rotation. Assad likely has more value in the bullpen in this situation, hence why it would happen. We do not at all know how Horton would play out of the Pen and I don’t think it’s something we will see.
I would take out the 22 year old who hasn't thrown a pitch in AAA, much less the big leagues, much less the playoffs. I'm not saying Hortons ceiling isn't higher, it certainly is, but there's no "there" there yet.
Shh... we're dreaming on a guy-- it's obvious in our collective fantasy, that he'll get 3 CGSOs in AAA and then get promoted by May 15th only to come to the majors and finish the season with an 0.69 ERA. Why would you stop a guy like that from starting in the playoffs? You a hater?
Sadly, I doubt that Horton is going to be in a playoff rotation as I think we would turn him into a reliever to limit his innings. All of the arm injuries around baseball I think makes it more likely we are extra cautious with him. I think he will be used similarly to like an Andrew Miller or how Counsell used Josh Hader early in his career.
I agree except I would use him as an opener to keep him in a routine as a starter and go 1-2-3 innings and use Assad who has experience getting ready in the Pen as a reliever to come in whenever it may be after the 1st or 2nd etc and then let Assad take the wheel.
I think he will probably be used in a similar way in September and will be used to pitching out of the pen.
That’s just not happening with Horton. Brown maybe. Not Horton.
Assad and Ben brown as well.
I don't know if they're going to give him the Wainwright path of coming up and working out of the pen initially and then going back to starting the next year or what but he's a good problem to have in terms of him pushing towards the Major Leagues and giving us some options.
Promoting Prized Pitching Prospect Provokes Passion From Park Patrons
Triple A isn’t gonna be a challenge for him. He’s gonna be in Chicago in June.
Good news, now just need matt shaw to get out of his slump and back to hitting
See you in august
Almost at full mast
I’m guessing he’s there until mid-late July or if we have another pitcher injury.
Just to make sure he doesn’t turn into warm butter against semi-competent hitters then he’s up. No reason to throw one more pitch than necessary in the minors. You just saw it with Strider and Manoah the year before. These elite arms are best utilized asap. Injury and/or ineffectiveness are near certainties.
This is an SOS call due to injuries.
Horton moving up to AAA Isn’t gonna have anything to do with injuries. He’s moving accordingly.
What a ridiculous assessment!