Mahoney and I released a new podcast today that you guys can/should check out above. It’s also on Apple Podcasts if you use Apple products instead of Spotify.
I want to use this 12:30pm to emphasize some basic talking points on Ben Brown.
But 1st let me just say my buddy Mahoney is a really fuckin good dude and a classic Chicago sports fan. He’s not into the advanced metrics as much as he knows the weather around Wrigley and where to get a cheap beer and who just changed their walkup song and a bunch of other stuff I get lost on throughout the season. So give Mahoney a follow and some respect at your convenience. He’s one of my favorite people in the world and I’m lucky to do the Monday Morning Cubs Show. (follow here)
It’s unfortunate don’t feel the same way about Ben Brown.
Bluntly, I hate watching him pitch.
These are my observations:
- It’s not his fault that he’s a starting pitcher for the Cubs right now when he should be in the bullpen converting his career to a wipe-out late inning guy. He needs a little more failure to be convinced that’s the right move, but I bet it happens at some point. That’s the hard reality when you only throw 2 pitches, neither of which consistently.
- The stuff is there and so is everything on paper, but we don’t have the Time to see his development through when we’re trying to win 90 games. This isn’t the place or space to find your rhythm as a young pitcher because the stakes are too high. So while some are patient and think he has another gear, I’m willing to declare the experiment over right now after watching him shit hisself.
- More specifically – yesterday as an opportunity to sweep in your first home start and you can’t find or feel a fastball in the first inning? That’s unacceptable in high school much less all the stops in-between there and Wrigley Field. So spare me debates about your appetite to watch bad pitching. The fact is you shouldn’t be out there if you can’t throw your fastball for a strike.
- Ben Brown has to be in the rotation though because we don’t have other options and there isn’t a future opportunity for him to come back into the rotation without major injuries. Cade Horton and Jordan Wicks take priority based on draft position when they’re good and ready. Colin Rea got a decent payday this offseason even though he blows right now. And then there’s always the trade market to improve the rotation if all else fails. But nowhere do we think Ben Brown was slated to make 30+ starts out of spring training without a horseshoe up his butt cheeks.
- I should be more specific because he’s talented and dominating. But he’s also wild and inconsistent, which is all an MLB lineup needs to hammer you for 6+ runs per start. Given a choice, you’d much rather have 3 average MLB pitches that can be located vs. 2 good pitches that are unpredictable. It’s literally the difference between Jameson Taillon and Ben Brown and I don’t think that’s even a decent comparison.
- If the Cubs were a sub-.500 team like many years in the past, I would enjoy Ben Brown starts because I’d want to see him grow into a stud. And to get there, you just have to let him fail a bunch and still feel confidence that he belongs. Season we could have used that are 2021-2023 no doubt about it, and any time between 2009-14. But right now it’s different because we can’t just surrender starts in the sake of his development.
- Another problem is having to use the bullpen as frequently under Ben Brown vs. other starting pitchers. So instead of starting fresh at the top of the rotation against the Rangers, we’ve got a lot of tired arms at the end of pen for the next 3 games and it’s because Ben Brown couldn’t pitch yesterday. That sets you back more than just 1 game and could ultimately ruin the next series for everybody else. That’s not fair.
- The solution is still another couple weeks away. I’d guess we see at least 3 more Ben Brown starts but then probably Cade Horton at some point in May if he still looks explosive. You need him sooner than later and I think that time is coming sooner than sooner if that makes sense.
Most important though is that this is a good problem. The young pitcher is too talented to make basic adjustments. We’ve got a couple other young arms that could take his spot and then a veteran on the active roster that should be better. There’s a number of options to pitch 5th in the rotation and I’m comfortable with a lot of them.
Just given a choice, I don’t see how Ben Brown can be the guy in the long run regardless of his velocity and slider. None of that matters if you can’t consistently locate your fastball which brings us to this blog in the first place.
Does any of this matter? I hope not but it’s good to be sure just in case.
For more on the topic, please check out today’s Monday Morning Cubs Show
PS – I’ve never wanted to be more wrong in my entire life. That’s ultimately the perfect scenario here.