Monday, July 01, 2013

And Just When You Thought Things Were Going Well: Carlos Marmol To Dodgers?

ESPN.com is reporting that Ned Colletti, he who covets washed up pitchers*, is close to a deal sending SOMEONE to the Cubs for Carlos Marmol:

The Chicago Cubs are closing in on a trade that would send Carlos Marmol to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to two sources.

Marmol was designated for assignment on June 25, giving the Cubs a 10-day period to trade him or give him his unconditional release. He has a limited no-trade clause with six teams he could block, including the Dodgers.

It's unknown which player or players the Dodgers would send to Chicago.

Marmol is owed more than $5 million on his $9.8 million for this season, and another source said the Dodgers will absorb some of the money owed. He's ending a three-year, $21 million contract with the Cubs, who are the only team he's played for in the majors.

Marmol can become a free agent after this season.

This trade had better be for Matt Guerrier, dammit. I've watched Marmol blow waaaaaay too many Chicago Cubs games to think he would be a good rental for us for the remainder of the year.

How bad is Marmol? Let's look back at an article Phil Rogers of the Chiacgo Tribune wrote this May, asking for a mercy killing:

Marmol has made himself a candidate for similar treatment, although his $9.8-million salary could buy him more time in the hopes that another team will want him. That hardly seems likely, however, as the Tigers didn't give Marmol a sniff when they were exploring closer options in March.

But unless President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer intervene, this thankless project will continue for manager Dale Sveum and pitching coach Chris Bosio.

"I don't know if he threw a strike today,'' Sveum said after Marmol had walked Zack Cozart and Joey Votto and plunked Brandon Phillips with a pitch. "There were a couple of swings but I don't know if there were any strikes. One way or another, he has to get fixed. He has to pitch. … He has to throw strikes. If he's out there, he has to pitch. You only have seven (relievers) and they have to pitch.''

When Marmol inherited a 4-2 lead from James Russell in the eighth inning — the lead courtesy of two two-run homers from Alfonso Soriano — Marmol passed Lee Smith to become the most used pitcher in Cubs' history. This should have been a nice moment, but you could feel the anxiety level soar with many in the Wrigley Field crowd of 36,455.

Rookie Hector Rondon came in with the bases loaded but gave up a one-run single to Jay Bruce and a sacrifice fly to Todd Frazier to tie the score. Rondon's bases-loaded walk of Jack Hannahan gave the Reds the lead, shining a brighter spotlight on Marmol, who was charged with his third blown save.

"That's frustrating, difficult,'' Marmol said. "I wasn't throwing strikes. I'm giving people chances to score.''

Marmol has walked or hit the first batter he has faced in his last four outings. He has retired the first hitter only five times in 14 appearances in 2013.

"I have to throw strikes, get people out,'' he said. "That's all you can do.''

How much longer until the Epstein regime deems Marmol a lost cause?

UPDATE 6:44p: Dylan Hernandez of the LAT managed to liken Marmol to disastrous Dodgers reliever Brandon League:

If the Dodgers manage to acquire him, he would probably not go straight onto the major league roster. Marmol hasn't pitched since June 20, so he would probably first pitch in the minor leagues or at the Dodgers' spring-training complex.

Last season, the Dodgers acquired and turned around another struggling former closer, Brandon League, who had been demoted to a lesser role by the Seattle Mariners.

For the Dodgers, League saved six games and had a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances, which he parlayed into a three-year, $22.5-million deal with the Dodgers over the winter.

However, League has reverted to his Mariners form from last season, which again cost him the closer's role. League is 3-3 with a 5.83 ERA this season.

Brandon League, the sequel. Great.

* Not to mention there isn't a three-year, $21M deal Ned hasn't liked. Oh, and that cartoon is from the Cubby Blue blog.

12 comments:

MR.F said...

WTF why?

Cliff Beefpile said...

Dammit, Colletti!

Paul said...

We already have a pitcher that burns the stadium down in any situation. Why do we need two?

Fernie V said...

Please don't let this be who we get for Ethier. We know Epstein has a boner for him.

Benzo Jones said...

Brandon League needs a friend and Ned is trying out for his post Dodger Match.com gig???

Orel said...

Ned should just wait and pick him up on waivers.

MR.F said...

Ned probably thinks that waivers only exist in fantasy baseball.

Fred's Brim said...

oh god please no

Alex Cora said...

This is oh so bad. I'd rather get some young arms then washed up closers.

spank said...

This is some serious general managing. Ned's got mad skillz.

MR.F said...

Jay Jaffe ‏@jay_jaffe 3h
nothing about Dodgers' potential acquisition of Carlos Marmol is even close to Ned's 3-year deals for Matt Guerrier and Brandon League

Steve Sax said...

@Mr F: easy for Jaffe to say, he doesn't have to watch either train wreck up close