Marmol!!!

Actually, the Cubs played pretty well in Pittsburgh.  They got good pitching throughout the series, especially from starters Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood.  The sole exception was Carlos Marmol, who, despite recording the save in Thursday's game, was just plain awful.

Just a couple of thoughts.  As we had advised our followers throughout the off-season, this team cannot hit a lick, strikes out too often, seldom walks, and doesn't score runs.  I don't care how cold it was in Pittsburgh, this lineup, both versions, is not designed to score runs ever.

The Cubs took some steps over the winter to remedy the ancient curse of their right-handed hitting lineup.  Mainly it was a result of signing Scherholtz and Hairston to platoon in right field.  On paper it looks good.  And in practice, the platoon has produced a few runs.  By my count, five in all, which is a lot since the Cubs have scored only seven runs all year.

Still, especially missing Barney at the bottom of he order, if I were an opposing manager, I would throw every lefty I could find up against that lineup.  In fact, that is what the opposing teams are doing.  It was no accident that both the Pirates and the Braves brought in their left-handed relievers first in the games they won.  They want this lineup out there because they know the Cubs will never score a run.

As far as Marmol goes - and I have been inclined to defend him occasionally in the past - his time is over.  I know the Cubs would like to showcase him looking toward the inevitable trade, but as long as he performs as he has performed thus far, you have to ask yourself just how dumb or how desperate you think others teams are because neither you or Marmol are fooling anyone.

As the Cubs are currently constituted, they have a good chance of winning when Samardzija and Wood pitch, a fifty-fifty chance when Jackson and Villanueva pitch, and no chance when Feldman pitches.  When Garza returns to the rotation, assuming they drop Feldman, they have yet another winning opportunity.

However, even when Barney returns to the lineup and the weather warms up, they will still be lucky to score three or four runs on any given day, which means lots of close games, which means Marmol closing in tight spots, which means a lot of tough losses unless the Cubs cut their losses and dump him or change his role.