As the Cubs continue to be the most active team this off-season, they have traded one of Lou’s perpetual doghouse tenants in Michael Wuertz to Oakland for minor leaguers Richie Robnett and Justin Sellers. GM Billy Beane is hoping Wuertz can use his plus slider to battle pitchers like Santiago Casilla, and the likely favorite Russ Springer, for the 7th inning reliever in a very strong Oakland pen despite losing Huston Street this off-season.
Wuertz, with his suspect control, never seemed to capture the confidence of Piniella — especially in critical situations. Probably the most important trait to have in a Piniella bullpen is to throw strikes. The writing was on the wall last year when Wuertz was in Iowa and Pineilla was still trotting Howry out there in the 7th inning despite the fact Howry had lost most of his velocity on an already straight fastball and a flat slider.
Wuertz has a fastball that sits 90-93 and a really good slider that sits around 84-86 MPH. While I don’t ever see Wuertz having plus control/command, I think he fell in love with his slider last year and used it is a pitch to get ahead in the count because he wasn’t throwing his fastball for strikes and was having to use his slider for strikes. Obviously a slider isn’t designed to be in the strike zone and having his out pitch double as his get -me-over pitch will take away the guesswork of a hitter (for Wuertz, between his FB and slider) and basically give the meaning of a hanging slider. I believe that change in pitching style changed Wuertz from a strikeout pitcher to a contact pitcher and his strikeouts declined dramatically because of the change in approach. Wuertz also throws a show me change-up to lefthanders, but it is neither effective nor worth thinking about if you’re a left-handed hitter.
If Wuertz can go back to FB/slider pitcher rather than a slider/slider/fastball pitcher of last year, he should be able to project a productive member of the outstanding Oakland pen. His control and lack of a plus pitch against LH’ers will likely prevent him from projecting as a set-up reliever, but he’ll eat innings in the pen and always toy with those right-handed hitters that either pull off the ball or lack the strike zone knowledge on the bottom left quadrant outside of the strike zone.
Richie Robnett:
Drafted by Oakland in the 1st round of the 2004 draft, the 25-year old has had an up and down minor league
career. He is a plus athlete and despite going to an outstanding baseball program at Fresno St., as well as 4+ full year in the Oakland system, has not been able to have the approach that allows the production to equals the tools.
Last year at AAA, he struggled mightily as the advanced pitchers were able to take advantage of his lack of strike zone knowledge and patience; his approach caused his stock to fall. As I originally mentioned, he is an outstanding athlete who has plus bat speed, plus raw power, slightly above average runner, and a plus arm. Although he does have speed, (like most of his game) his instincts prevent him from fully taking advantage of running the bases, as well as playing the outfield where he will take odd routes and misplay singles into doubles.
I am glad that he’ll hopefully be at Iowa next year as this is a perfect project for Von Joshua, who is probably the best hitting instructor in the Cubs’ organization. This is probably one of Robnett’s final shots. If he bombs and the Cubs release him, he’ll get another shot — but instead of a 1st round talent that needs a new setting, he’ll be a 1st round bust trying to hang on.
Justin Sellers:
Drafted in the 6th rd. by Oakland in the 2005 draft, Sellers has not been able to follow in his father’s footsteps by spending part of his 4th year of pro ball was in the majors, as his struggles continued at the plate in 
Texas League. Unlike his father, who was a pitcher for the Red Sox in the 80s, Sellers is an outstanding defensive SS with great hands and solid range. He probably projects as the Cubs’ best defensive infielder at this stage depending on if Andres Blanco sticks around after Spring Training. He also seems to have inherited his father’s genetics as far as instinctive side of the game.
While Sellers has an advanced approach for the game whether it be in the field or judging strikes and balls, his approach to hitting is that of a glory hound high school kid used to facing 82MPH fastball with aluminum, as he often tries to muscles up pitches that end up being lazy fly-balls.
Like Robnett, Sellers will likely end up at AAA and would benefit from molding his hitting style to someone like Theriot and close up his stance and focus on hitting gap to gap as that likely be his best and only chance to get to the majors.
