Was using the bullpen stars tonight a good idea?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Zambrano could have gone 7, maybe 8 this evening and used Eyre, Wood, or even Piggy. Instead he used the studs of the pen.

 

Should he have not kept them fresh for tommorow night when the Cubs and Bucs each have starters in their mid 60's going at it, especially when the Brewers have their ace going aganst some Johnny No Name?

[badnews]

Zambrano was making me nervous, he was still issuing too many walks, Lou had to get him out of there and let him have a good start under his belt. Zambrano had already thrown 112 pitches anyway.

[Omar]

Did you even watch the game? Z loaded the bases with no outs to start off the 7th. That should be enough to get him pulled, and bring in Marmol. What do you expect Lou to do?

 

That was a great decision.

 

Bringing Marmol back out in the 8th was something I didn't like... But Cubs got the W.

[Drew Doughty]

getting zambrano out for the best reliever was the correct move. z was visibly upset with the umpire and himself after the start of the inning, especially by the last batter.

[Guest]

you obviously weren't watching the game when the cubs best reliever saved the game for zambrano in the 7th.

[rawaction]

Yeah, Zambrano was done. He should have struck out Paulino on 2 different occassions (ump blew 2 called strikes) and I think he gave all he had knowing that was likely his last batter. Bringing Marmol in in the 7th was the absolute perfect call. Bringing him out in the 8th wasn't that bad, considering he threw just 9 pitches. But I probably would have gone with Howry to start the 8th, to keep the normal formula that has worked in tact. I also like bringing in Dempster. Was a 3-run lead when he was warming up, and a nice easy save was a perfect way to throw him out there and get his rhythm back.

 

Can't play for a scenario that may never come tomorrow.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Actually, I had to turn it off after the 5th, and tuned back in the 9th. Didnt realise Zambrano was getting into trouble. Still, they could have at least saved Howry, and given Eyre a shot at the 8th.

[Guest]

Actually, I had to turn it off after the 5th, and tuned back in the 9th. Didnt realise Zambrano was getting into trouble. Still, they could have at least saved Howry, and given Eyre a shot at the 8th.

 

no. howry only faced one batter - a righty.

[CubmanPi]

I'm pretty indifferent about keeping Marmol in for the 8th, but bringing him in for the seventh was about as right of a call as Lou could have made. We saw yesterday how quickly the Pirates can put up a couple basehits, and a couple hits is all it would have taken for the Cubs to blow their lead. I also believe that had they blown their lead, the team simply wouldn't recover. Today's win was very important, Marmol was used in about as critical of a situation as there could be with a 4-run lead, and he delivered yet again. (If the sac fly he gave up were about ten feet to the left and had been a grand slam, using Marmol still would have been the right call.)

[NCCubFan]

Still, they could have at least saved Howry, and given Eyre a shot at the 8th.

No, they shouldn't have used Eyre. It was still only a 3-run lead in the 8th. The game was still very much losable.

[Mephistopheles]

My lord.....you'd honestly rather have Zambrano on the mound in the 7th when the bases were loaded?

[NCCubFan]

My lord.....you'd honestly rather have Zambrano on the mound in the 7th when the bases were loaded?

Says one Lord to another. :D

[Mephistopheles]

ive done it a few times to his posts, i didnt think anyone ever noticed.

[chuckywang]

If Zambrano would have stayed in, I'm pretty sure he would have given up at least 2 runs....it felt too much like his last start.

 

Pulling him and putting in Marmol was the correct move (albeit by only 5 feet). Let Z get his win, restore some of his confidence, and keep the division lead.

 

Absolutely the right move.

[RynoRules]

Actually, I had to turn it off after the 5th, and tuned back in the 9th. Didnt realise Zambrano was getting into trouble. Still, they could have at least saved Howry, and given Eyre a shot at the 8th.

 

I love this sort of post:

 

"I didn't see the game and have no idea what the situation was, but I need to be crticial of what I did not see."

[Illini Iceman]

Actually, I had to turn it off after the 5th, and tuned back in the 9th. Didnt realise Zambrano was getting into trouble. Still, they could have at least saved Howry, and given Eyre a shot at the 8th.

 

I love this sort of post:

 

"I didn't see the game and have no idea what the situation was, but I need to be crticial of what I did not see."

 

And then follows that up with criticizing another move (Howry instead of Eyre) where the criticism is unwarranted if he had been watching the game.

[BigbadB]

I have to give props to Zambrano. He kept his cool out there when even I don't think I could have. That first bad call was right down the middle of the plate. The second one was debateable, but you would expect an umpire who completely blew the previous call to give Zambrano a make up call on that one.

 

Here's a guy throwing a shut out, and he gets ripped off by the umpire late in a game? Carlos really wanted to ream the umpire, but he kept his cool. Then he wanted to let loose in the dug out, but he composed himself and went down into either the hallway or the clubhouse and regained full composure.

 

Maybe the booing the other day has helped him control his emotions a little bit?

 

I had no problem with Lou using the bullpen the way he did. The Cubs got out of two different bases loaded situations giving up only 1 run.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

I have no problem with Marmol going 1 and 2/3 (29 pitches). It was only the second time he has pitched over the last week and the one time he did pitch it was 1/3. Marmol should be unavailable today. He'll be needed tomorrow.

 

Howry was rested and only went 1/3. He should be good to go today as should Dempster.

 

Wuertz is rested and has looked really solid the last 3 times on the mound.

[shnsajax]

all they need to do today is score 12 runs and not even worry about the bullpen.

[Warren Brusstar]

Zambrano could have gone 7, maybe 8 this evening and used Eyre, Wood, or even Piggy. Instead he used the studs of the pen.

 

Should he have not kept them fresh for tommorow night when the Cubs and Bucs each have starters in their mid 60's going at it, especially when the Brewers have their ace going aganst some Johnny No Name?

 

If I'm sure of one thing, it's that the Cubs shouldn't be making personnel decisions based on who is pitching for the Brewers on a particular day. That's totally irrelevant.

[Yeti]

if Lou didnt yank Z when he did, Z would have been ejected and possibly suspended...Lou taking him out was the best thing he could have done for the team, with exception of taking him out one batter earlier.