Levine: Cubs Hope Hector Rondon Helps Reinforce Bullpen In NLCS
By Bruce Levine--
LOS ANGELES (CBS) -- The reason the Cubs made a bullpen adjustment on their 25-man roster for the National League Championship Series had nothing to do with the Dodgers removing All-Star shortstop Corey Seager from their roster due to a back injury.
Instead, it had everything to do with the Cubs believing more in right reliever Hector Rondon than lefty reliever Justin Wilson.
In announcing their roster Saturday morning before Game 1 in the evening in Los Angeles, the Cubs added Rondon after he'd been left off the NL Division Series roster. He replaced Wilson, who was acquired from the Tigers in a deadline deal. In reality, the Wilson experiment never worked out, as he struggled with his control and couldn't find his quality form despite every attempts by the Cubs to make him comfortable. Wilson made just one appearance in the NLDS, in a low-leverage spot.
In a meeting Friday, manager Joe Maddon and executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer decided Rondon was a better choice that they'd have more faith in to use in big spots. They decided that before news of Seager's exclusion on the NLCS roster was public.
Not knowing the availability in Game 1 of closer Wade Davis, who recorded seven outs in the NLDS clincher on Thursday, also was on the Cubs' mind in adding Rondon, who has closer experience.
"We thought that Rodon would be more pertinent versus this lineup regardless of what happened with Seager," Maddon said.
Davis isn't hurt, but the Cubs are unsure of how his arm will fare after throwing 44 pitches Thursday. Rondon, Pedro Strop and Carl Edwards Jr. could all be options to close in Game 1.
Left-hander Jose Quintana opposes Dodgers ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. The Cubs hope Quintana can go deep to spare the bullpen a big workload.
"Wade will not be pitching two innings today," Maddon said Saturday afternoon. "I don't know if he will be available today or not. You do need good bullpens to win at this time of year."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
