Cubs' Starters Start Strong

The games haven't been pretty, and the results deceiving (see Wood, Kerry), but so far, the rotation members/candidates have pitched very well. In three games, Lou has sent five guys out for two innings each - Zambrano, Hill, Marquis, Gallagher and Dempster.

Here's how they look combined, over those 10 innings.

ERA   4.50
WHIP  1.40
K9    8.10
B9    1.80
K:B   4.50
H9    0.90
fERA  3.30

fERA = (3.2 + ((HR*13+(BB+HBP)*3-K*2)/IP))

Meaningless sample, meaningless games - but it is all we've got. Here's more, quasi-realistic candidates only.

righty relievers - Hart, Ascanio, Lahey, Ceda and Mateo - 5 total innings

ERA   3.60
WHIP  0.80
K9    3.60
B9    3.60
K:B   1.00
H9    0.00
fERA  4.20

lefty relievers - Pignatiello, Eyre, Campusano, Jones, Cotts - 5.33 IP

ERA   1.69
WHIP  1.13
K9    5.07
B9    3.38
K:B   1.50
H9    0.00
fERA  3.76

closers - Marmol, Howry, Wood - 3 IP

ERA  12.00
WHIP  2.00
K9    0.00
B9    0.00
K:B   0.00
H9    3.00
fERA  7.53

No walks or K's for the closers yet.

Adding up the numbers for the pitchers above only, 23.33 IP

ERA   4.63
WHIP  1.29
K9    5.40
B9    2.31
K:B   2.33
H9    0.77
fERA  4.14