Is Marmol the next Ankiel?

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Brought to you by other predictions that were way off base.

I’m simply asking if anybody thinks his troubles might be in his head. His control wasn’t very good last night. The O’s helped him out by swinging at a few questionable pitches.

I think they go in this order of most likely to least likely:
1. Mechanical fly in the ointment, still working on fixing it;
2. Worn down by excessive use;
3. Just a bad stretch is all; they happen to everyone (see Webb, Brandon);
4. Temporary minor physical problem;
5. Mental problems;
6. Messed up by having 4 days off and “needs to be overworked to have success.”

Some of his pitches last night were nowhere near the plate. He broke off a few nice sliders, but he’s still erratic. Not cured, a work in progress.

Isn’t it weird that two of the most promising pitchers on the Cubs, Marmol and Hill, both fall victim to the Ankiel syndrome the same season.

...to be concerned about Marmol. He’s been such a key part of this team’s success that to see him struggle is highly unnerving. But I would advise my fellow Cubs fans to be patient and not panic.

Carlos looked a little better last night, and as others have pointed out, he’s not giving up hits, just walking and hitting guys. (And I would even go as far as to suggest that plunking a guy here or there might actually be a good way to keep hitters off-balance. I’m not advocating that he do it intentionally, of course, but, hey, if it happens it happens.)

In any case, I say: Sit tight and let this situation play out. Carlos appears to be a very self-motivated player, and I have faith he’s going to figure this out.

put down the gun….come in from the ledge….things will be ok.

Is Eric Patterson the next Willie Randolph?
Is Fukudome the next Ichiro?
Is Gallagher the next Clemens?

...Who knows? – TL

It doesn’t mean anything…It’s like ‘ramalamadingdong’ or ‘give peace a chance’

A LHP with a lot of promise that has some success early on at the major league level, who develops terrible control problems. Fans speculating about whether the problems are psychological or not.

Okay, Hill was a whole lot older as a rookie than Ankiel was. Ankiel was more heralded than Hill. Hill hasn’t been throwing pitches to the backstop, but the comparison between Hill and Ankiel is more valid than the comparison between Marmol and Ankiel.

Marmol has been so lights out that we are completely spoiled. I think the ‘worst’ of what could happen is he falls back into being an average major league pitcher. Not good for the Cubs but I don’t think he’s going to completely fall apart. Marmol has been a complete surprise as far as his dominance. It would be sad to see him regress a little but its possible.

Marmol is opening up too fast with his fastball which is why he is wild high. It will be corrected with work and experience.

Actually I think of the Bull Durham scene with Marmol possibly using his wildness like hitting the AD board a few times just keep them from really digging on.

Koufax also had Ankiel’s syndrome.

I’m not saying, I’m just saying

isnt doing especially well and turns 32 this year.

Marmol is having problems-I have to think he’ll get them figured out but, even if he doesn’t, if all it takes to derail us is a flameout by an (admittedly key) set-up guy-then we’re not that great of a team after all.
I’d much rather climb out there based on Derrek Lee’s problems with low, outside breaking stuff in key clutch situations.

I mean he is a wicked set up guy but hey if he could learn to hit a lot of homers
he might be of great use and Ankiel is playing CF so if Marmol can do that and hit
the homers we might another problem solved.

And people say I’m the nutbag around here. Carlos Marmol has his mechanics go beserk for two games and the peanut gallery is ready to label him Rick Ankiel. The Rick Ankiel of the organization is Rich Hill.

“Most Unecessary Fan Post Of The Season”

Way too much time on your hands, my friend…....