Sun-Times Predicts Marmol Will Be Closer

[Schwarber Fan]

The Chicago Sun-Times predicts that Carlos Marmol will come out on top in the three-way battle for the Cubs' closer spot this spring.

Marmol picked up his first spring save Friday with a scoreless ninth against the Mariners, and has generally been considered the favorite to earn the spot since camp opened.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=4478&line=230276&spln=1

 

Good move

[sneakypower]

thats a shame

[CoBleacherBum]

Listening to Lou during the game yesterday, I got the impression he was leaning towards Wood. Could have been a motovational thing I guess.

[Sammy Sofa]

Too bad. That's ultimately gonna end up wasting him.

[anabiono]

Too bad. That's ultimately gonna end up wasting him.

 

i am kind of with you on this sentiment

[El Rojito]

All along Lou has said that he needs to see Wood pitch on two or three consecutive days and see how he reacts. Lou said yesterday that he'll start to pitch Wood on consecutive days within the next week or so. I think if Wood can do this, he'd be the favorite, and Marmol would be the fireman. Obviously, with how Howry has pitched so far, and that he normally gets off to a slow start, Marmol would be favored over Howry.

[CubmanPi]

Put me in the "what a waste" response category if this turns out. The closer position exists because of the save stat, not the other way around, which makes it a pretty [expletive] position to have in the first place. If there's a 1-run lead against the Mets with the heart of their order coming up, Marmol is an excellent choice for closer. If it's a 3-run game against Cincy and Hairston, Macias, and Perez are up at the bottom of the order, using your filthiest reliever just because he's supposed to be the one who gets that tick mark in the save category when every other person in the bullpen could get the job done in that situation is a complete waste at best. Considering the fact that we're going to have ample games this year where Marquis and Dempster are going to be pulled in the fifth inning with bases juiced and none out in close games, I cringe at the idea of not bringing in Marmol with the justification that it's not the role he's been type-cast for this season. If the closer position MUST exist, I'm perfectly ok with it being the second or third best reliever on the staff. Not Marmol.

[rawaction]

Marmol is the last guy I want closing. Part of me wants Wood to win the job, because he's not likely to be as good as Howry and Marmol, yet be good enough to save a high % of games. Part of me has the same worries about Wood as I had about Dempster, prone to give up walks and HRs.

 

 

Lou did comment a lot of decided who would win the job would depend on another RH stepping up to show he can be a late inning reliever also. Seriously, Michael Wuertz needs to wear a neon jumpsuit around the clubhouse, because apparantely the Cubs don't know he's on the team. Maybe they think he and Jason Marquis are the same person as they did on picture day.

[Sarcastic]

I agree with the reasoning behind not putting your best reliever into the closer role, but I have two questions before I jump on the "what a waste" bandwagon.

 

1. As good as he was last year, what are the chances Marmol is our best reliever this year by anything close to the margin he was in 2007?

 

2. How big of a difference is there between having Howry and Wood pitch crucial situations in the 7th and 8th with Marmol in the 9th and the other way around? Marmol will still get his innings in. I kind of doubt this has much of an effect, though I'd love to see some stats on it if it does.

 

This doesn't seem like a smart move, but I don't know if it is worth a single game to the Cubs.

Edited March 9, 2008 by Sarcastic

[rawaction]

I agree with the reasoning behind not putting your best reliever into the closer role, but I have two questions before I just on the "what a waste" bandwagon.

 

1. As good as he was last year, what are the chances Marmol is our best reliever this year by anything close to the margin he was in 2007?

 

2. How big of a difference is there between having Howry and Wood pitch crucial situations in the 7th and 8th with Marmol in the 9th and the other way around? Marmol will still get his innings in. I kind of doubt this has much of an effect, though I'd love to see some stats on it if it does.

 

This doesn't seem like a smart move, but I don't know if it is worth a single game to the Cubs.

 

I think chances are good Marmol is again the best reliever. He's the youngest and most talented of the group. At worst, I think he'll be a close 2nd to Howry, unless Wood completely dominates while staying healthy all year.

[UMFan83]

I agree with the reasoning behind not putting your best reliever into the closer role, but I have two questions before I just on the "what a waste" bandwagon.

 

1. As good as he was last year, what are the chances Marmol is our best reliever this year by anything close to the margin he was in 2007?

 

2. How big of a difference is there between having Howry and Wood pitch crucial situations in the 7th and 8th with Marmol in the 9th and the other way around? Marmol will still get his innings in. I kind of doubt this has much of an effect, though I'd love to see some stats on it if it does.

 

This doesn't seem like a smart move, but I don't know if it is worth a single game to the Cubs.

 

I think chances are good Marmol is again the best reliever. He's the youngest and most talented of the group. At worst, I think he'll be a close 2nd to Howry, unless Wood completely dominates while staying healthy all year.

 

Think about how many middle relievers, even closers consistantly put up numbers like Marmol did last year.

[Monco]

The Chicago Sun-Times predicts that Carlos Marmol will come out on top in the three-way battle for the Cubs' closer spot this spring.

Marmol picked up his first spring save Friday with a scoreless ninth against the Mariners, and has generally been considered the favorite to earn the spot since camp opened.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=4478&line=230276&spln=1

 

Good move

I doubt Lou cares about their prediction.

[ReadytoPlayCF]

Put me in the "what a waste" response category if this turns out. The closer position exists because of the save stat, not the other way around, which makes it a pretty [expletive] position to have in the first place. If there's a 1-run lead against the Mets with the heart of their order coming up, Marmol is an excellent choice for closer. If it's a 3-run game against Cincy and Hairston, Macias, and Perez are up at the bottom of the order, using your filthiest reliever just because he's supposed to be the one who gets that tick mark in the save category when every other person in the bullpen could get the job done in that situation is a complete waste at best. Considering the fact that we're going to have ample games this year where Marquis and Dempster are going to be pulled in the fifth inning with bases juiced and none out in close games, I cringe at the idea of not bringing in Marmol with the justification that it's not the role he's been type-cast for this season. If the closer position MUST exist, I'm perfectly ok with it being the second or third best reliever on the staff. Not Marmol.

 

Well said.

[Sammy Sofa]

I agree with the reasoning behind not putting your best reliever into the closer role, but I have two questions before I just on the "what a waste" bandwagon.

 

1. As good as he was last year, what are the chances Marmol is our best reliever this year by anything close to the margin he was in 2007?

 

2. How big of a difference is there between having Howry and Wood pitch crucial situations in the 7th and 8th with Marmol in the 9th and the other way around? Marmol will still get his innings in. I kind of doubt this has much of an effect, though I'd love to see some stats on it if it does.

 

This doesn't seem like a smart move, but I don't know if it is worth a single game to the Cubs.

 

I think chances are good Marmol is again the best reliever. He's the youngest and most talented of the group. At worst, I think he'll be a close 2nd to Howry, unless Wood completely dominates while staying healthy all year.

 

Think about how many middle relievers, even closers consistantly put up numbers like Marmol did last year.

 

Marmol doesn't have to duplicate those numbers to still be one of the best relievers around.

[Sarcastic]

I agree with the reasoning behind not putting your best reliever into the closer role, but I have two questions before I just on the "what a waste" bandwagon.

 

1. As good as he was last year, what are the chances Marmol is our best reliever this year by anything close to the margin he was in 2007?

 

2. How big of a difference is there between having Howry and Wood pitch crucial situations in the 7th and 8th with Marmol in the 9th and the other way around? Marmol will still get his innings in. I kind of doubt this has much of an effect, though I'd love to see some stats on it if it does.

 

This doesn't seem like a smart move, but I don't know if it is worth a single game to the Cubs.

 

I think chances are good Marmol is again the best reliever. He's the youngest and most talented of the group. At worst, I think he'll be a close 2nd to Howry, unless Wood completely dominates while staying healthy all year.

 

Think about how many middle relievers, even closers consistantly put up numbers like Marmol did last year.

 

Marmol doesn't have to duplicate those numbers to still be one of the best relievers around.

 

Relievers' performance varies quite a bit. Marmol could easily have a down season (or one of the others could get hot) and get knocked down a notch or two. We don't know. It seems like he'll probably be the best next year, but we don't really know, and each of our best three relievers are likely to give a good performance.

 

In any case, I'd still love to know how much this will actually cost the Cubs in terms of games. I don't think it is going to make that huge of a difference, but we definitely could use some actual evidence, which nobody has presented and I don't have.

Edited March 9, 2008 by Sarcastic

[Sarcastic]

Double post, sorry. Edited March 9, 2008 by Sarcastic

[Monco]

Put me in the "what a waste" response category if this turns out. The closer position exists because of the save stat, not the other way around, which makes it a pretty [expletive] position to have in the first place. If there's a 1-run lead against the Mets with the heart of their order coming up, Marmol is an excellent choice for closer. If it's a 3-run game against Cincy and Hairston, Macias, and Perez are up at the bottom of the order, using your filthiest reliever just because he's supposed to be the one who gets that tick mark in the save category when every other person in the bullpen could get the job done in that situation is a complete waste at best. Considering the fact that we're going to have ample games this year where Marquis and Dempster are going to be pulled in the fifth inning with bases juiced and none out in close games, I cringe at the idea of not bringing in Marmol with the justification that it's not the role he's been type-cast for this season. If the closer position MUST exist, I'm perfectly ok with it being the second or third best reliever on the staff. Not Marmol.

 

Well said.

 

Marmol saved many games last year in the 7th. He came in and got out of jams enabling Dempster to get mop up saves. The closer title is often overrated. If their roles were switched last year, would Marmol have had as many save opportunities ?

[UK1679666180]

I'm more curious to see how it'll impact his usage pattern, if he's been out there for two days in a row will Lou use him a 3rd day in a row despite having two guys capable of closing it out?

[imb]

I want Marmol as a starter.

 

But whatever. Howry, Wood and Weurtz will work as RH firemen, and if Marmol can pull off an 07 again, the 7-8-9 innings won't be too different now that he's (presumably) closing. It would be nice to have closer that doesnt turn 4 run ninth inning leads into 1-run wins.

[seanimal]

I want Marmol as a starter.

 

seriously. somebody ban this guy. WHAT A STUPID POST

[hardcorecubfan]

Listening to Lou during the game yesterday, I got the impression he was leaning towards Wood. Could have been a motovational thing I guess.

 

Esp. after sun. outing finishing with that last pitch was nasty!!!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

If Wood proves he can go back to back games, it's his job. I think right now, the Cubs are skeptical to his ability to do so.

[javy knows my name]

Listening to Lou during the game yesterday, I got the impression he was leaning towards Wood. Could have been a motovational thing I guess.

 

Esp. after sun. outing finishing with that last pitch was nasty!!!

Is this English? It sounds like a text message.

pwn3d u bad dood

[Cubfanintheknow]

FWIW, the writer who predicts Marmol will close, Gordon Wittenmyer, also believes the Cubs will acquire another centerfielder because Felix Pie is not getting it. You see, Pie's hit two home runs this spring. And according to Wittenmyer, "after having it pounded into his head for years to play the little-man's game, it's not the kind of skill he needs to show to be of any use to the team."

 

Hmmmm.....

[David]

FWIW, the writer who predicts Marmol will close, Gordon Wittenmyer, also believes the Cubs will acquire another centerfielder because Felix Pie is not getting it. You see, Pie's hit two home runs this spring. And according to Wittenmyer, "after having it pounded into his head for years to play the little-man's game, it's not the kind of skill he needs to show to be of any use to the team."

 

Hmmmm.....

 

 

Um, did he seriously write that?