Marmol Demoted From Cubs Closer
By Benjy Lipsman in News on May 4, 2012 8:40PM
Following yesterday's disaster, Cubs manager Dale Sveum informed Carlos Marmol on Friday that he is no longer the Cubs' closer. Marmol blew a 3-0 ninth inning lead, resulting in the Cubs 10-inning 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds that wasted a masterful outing by Ryan Dempster. The Cubs closer allowed three runs to score without even recording an out when he walked three, allowed a hit, and one batter reached on an error.
Marmol's blown save was his second of the year, and he also took the opening day loss after entering a tied game that the Cubs went on to lose 2-1. With a 6.23 ERA in 12 appearances, it was time to hand the ball to somebody else in crunch time.
The Cubs will use left-hander James Russell and right-hander Rafael Dolis in the closer role for now, said Sveum. Between the two of them, they have only one career save at the Major League level.
"Hopefully it works for the time being until Carlos comes back and finds himself,” Sveum said. “I don’t see it playing out the whole year by any means." And thus, Marmol will likely return to the Cubs' closer role eventually.
There are many, however, who don't want to see Marmol take the mound for the Cubs in any capacity. In this morning's column, Steve Rosenbloom questions whether Carlos Marmol is stupid or uncoachable, and suggest that either way Theo Epstein missed his chance to move him over the winter. Rosenbloom thinks the team would be better off if they were to just eat the balance of his contract, but that's something the Ricketts clan isn't likely to do given the dollars involved. Given the Cubs prospects for the season, it's not like he can do that much damage to their record anyway.