I'm not sure who had it first and I don't care enough to go back and look, but both Carrie Muskat and Paul Sullivan have reported that Carlos Marmol has been placed on the disabled list after injuring his right hamstring last night, with Casey Coleman being called up to replace him on the roster.
Muskat is also reporting that Coleman will not arrive to Miller Park in time for the first pitch of today's game at 12:05.
This could end up being one of the best things to happen to Marmol this season, since he will now be eligible to appear ina few rehab games in the minors before coming off the DL. This saves the embarassment of asking a veteran to go back down to the minors (and I think he'd have to clear waivers first anyway). It also prevents him from continuing to get lit up at the major league level while he tries to work out whatever it is that has been wrong.
But I'm not celebrating his injury like many undoubtedly will. The overwhelming sentiment on Twitter has been that Marmol sucks and the Cubs should never ever pitch him in any situation that doesn't involve a gigantic lead or deficit. Some seem to apply the Zambrano Syndrome to Marmol, believing that the problems are all in Marmol's head and implying that he is pitching poorly because he doesn't care or some stupid nonsense.
I don't know what's wrong with Carlos Marmol. If I did, you can bet I'd have a much different job and make a lot more money than I currently do. But I do know that he is very capable of being an above average reliever. His velocity is down, his slider isn't sliding and nobody seems to know why. He's never had good control, so that just makes his loss of stuff worse and more frustrating to watch.
But can the Cubs afford to give up on him? Should they just lump him onto the already giant piles of dead money that continues to plague this roster? Should the Cubs give up on him and pay him to pitch for someone else while getting almost nothing in return? I'm not ready to go there yet.
Maybe I'm an idiot, but I think Marmol still has some life left in his arm and hopefully his rehab stint can help him find it.
Comments
(dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
Was just about to post that too. Axford rocks. (dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
I think having Marmol on rehab should help him a bunch. With that kind of stuff (when it’s on) you should be more confident that he can figure it out again so you don’t have to eat all of the money in a transaction.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m still surprised at how quickly fans turn on players. I don’t know why it surprises me, but it does. I’m even more surprised it hasn’t happened with Wood.
I was thinking about that last night during the game. I wonder if he struckout 14 on 5-6-1988 if the Cubs would have kept him around this long. I wouldn’t trade that 20K game for a 14K one and Wood off the team. That was the greatest game I’ve ever seen pitched, but I can’t help but wonder whether the Cubs would have cut ties with him long ago if he hadn’t struckout 20.
mb21Quote Reply
I agree with what you say after this in that Marmol still has plenty of talent, but I’ve been ready to get rid of Marmol for awhile now. This small sample doesn’t have anything to do with it. He’s had a couple really good seasons, but he’s always been overrated. The only way he could remain a dominant reliever as he has been at times is if he his BABIP stayed down and his HR/FB stayed down. Those just don’t happen. I don’t know what getting a couple of wins out of him over the next season and a half would do. I wouldn’t mind the Cubs shipping him off and paying all his salary and hoping to get a B prospect in return.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
My read on the twitters last night was that most Cubs fans expected Wood to suck, and are sad to see him pitching this poorly. I kind of feel the same about Marmol – when his pitches are working he’s my favorite reliever ever. Wood doesn’t get this hate that Marmol is getting though, for sure.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I’m glad he doesn’t get this hate. He doesn’t deserve it and neither does Marmol. Neither do any of them. Find me a player who isn’t trying and I’ll be OK with some of the comments. I mean someone who isn’t trying most of the time. All players fail to give their best 100% of the time. I just don’t understand the anger some fans have with players and how personal they make it. You already knew this though. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
Cool, CJ Wilson is starting on consecutive days
BerseliusQuote Reply
Speaking of fans taking a dump on a player on twitter, by Grapthar’s Hammer everyone hates Casey Coleman
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Should this make me glad that I am not actually on Twitter?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That was a bunt I recently enjoyed.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs fall for the second-oldest trick in the book.
ACTQuote Reply
Where are all those facepalm gifs? (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That was a nice play by Barney.
joshQuote Reply
Can someone explain this one from the playlog?
(dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I like this Axford guy.
joshQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I think Volstad caught Ryan Braun off 1B, but after he threw there, the infielders forgot that Nyjer Morgan was on 3B and he came in to score before they could tag Braun out. Whichever playlog you’re using is about as confused as the Cubs were.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Braun pretended to steal to draw a throw, at which point nyjer Morgan broke for home. Castro considered throwing, then continued the play and got Braun out. Part of the problem was Volstad hung onto it too long, duped by Braun when he stopped running, to give Nyjer time to sneak to about the half-way point before he broke.
joshQuote Reply
Nyjer wasn’t caught stealing at all, unless they call Castro looking home “caught.”
joshQuote Reply
Honestly, I don’t get how Braun won MVP over Kemp, even ignoring the PED happenings.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Winning team > losing team
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Brewers and Cubs are trying to outshift each other.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ josh
Honestly? Check the standings.
ACTQuote Reply
Hamilton ———–> 18 dingers
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Unreal. What’s that 9 HRs in last 4 games?
MuckerQuote Reply
@ Mucker:
7 in the last 4, 8 in the last 5.
ACTQuote Reply
(dying laughing) @ Volstad
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ ACT:
That’s insane.
MuckerQuote Reply
Poor Volstad…can’t escape that bad inning.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Josh Hamilton has 5 more homers than the Padres.
ACTQuote Reply
Cardenas —> first career hit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/should-managers-be-allowed-to-use-the-sac-bunt.html
mb21Quote Reply
@ josh:
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=21363617&c_id=mlb
Silly Cubs.
Rice CubeQuote Reply