Maybe they really like Scott Eyre

Harden seems to be a 6 inning pitcher at best…of course 6 good innings is good enough most of the time but the bullpen will definitely be used on his days most likely. I think he only has 2 career complete games.

Marmol hasn’t been overused, at this point he is just plain ineffective and the hitters have figured him out. He needs to make some kind of adjustment and get his control under control.

Lets get the sweep tomorrow and hope that we can be 6.5 games up at the break :)

....I’d have to look at it again, but from the replay, it didn’t look like Marmol looked over at third, I thought he took his eye off the ball because he was going to tag the runner going to first.

But, agreed, Riot’s gotta eat that ball. He didn’t have a shot at the runner if he threw it hard and straight….let alone that “pop up” he tried to throw.

only say the score on the ticker. 7-0 Cubs, 6th inning, Harden pitched very well. I figure this game is WELL in hand. I go to the store, listening to the D Backs game on the radio and they say the Cubs blew the 7 run lead. I get home to read Al’s recap and I totally agree. For one thing, why no Lieber after taking Harden out? Why Marmol in the 9th? Why LEAVE him in there and maybe give the game away. Lou has his favs and his guys he doesn’t trust, but My God, man, eat your ego and do the right thing once in a while. Sometimes he is totally brain dead when it comes to his bullpen. If I was in the pressroom after the game, I would have been all over his ass.

...of action right now for Carlos. He can work at a slower pace, rest up and get his confidence back.

He appears to be a bit emotional and some time in Iowa could help him get his head right.

A little pressure on Howry to step up and pitch like everyone knows he can be nice residual effect as well

Lou lost his game management by trying to do something between Marmol’s ears. Cubs lost their concentration in the 9th with their fielding.

Hopefully when they return on Thursday before embarking to Houston Piniella and Co things will be righted.

That said: Marmol is not a closer, he is a set up man. Howry is the back up closer.

Theriot is not a liability in the late innings on the defensive side.

Johnson is a steal. Edmonds is a bank robbery. Harden is an outstanding 6-innings pitcher and will do well in the playoffs.

One I’m unbelievably glad we pulled out, b/c it would’ve really hurt to lose.

I don’t understand the Marmol issue at all. He pitched a lot early, got several days off before the Tampa series and has been awful since. I just hope Lou & Larry figure it out. We need him.

As for the 9th today, from what Pat & Ron said by the time Marshall was really ready, Marmol had gotten 2 outs. With the bases loaded bringing in Marshall would’ve been dumb (IMHO) b/c the pitchers spot was due up in our inning. It would’ve been difficult for him to come into a situation (runners on) he’s not used to and then you’d either have to have him bat or lose him. Burning your long guy for 1/3 of an inning would’ve really irritated me.

I just don’t know. We won. The details will be shaken into place by someone above my pay grade.

and busted it. God, I was mad Lou. Shoulda pulled him before the tying run came up. At least we won but I still feel deflated. Hopefully we’ll crush em tomorrow and all will be forgotten. Got a new cellphone for tomorrow, hopefully I won’t break it tomorrow.

Hated the rest… until we won. Marmol is not the same. No one “figures out” how to hit the nasty that Carlos deals when he’s right. There is evidence that his stuff is not the same. I’m going to believe that until someone can show other reasonable explanation for his ineffectiveness.

watching Marmol during the conference on the mound made me exquisitely uncomfortable because he was, to my mind, on the brink of tears. My heart went out to him at the same time I was angry at Lou, him, and the entire situation.

It may be mechanics, but he may be so competitive that a whiff of failure throws him completely akilter.

Seems like Lou is in the “throw them into the deep end, let them figure out how to swim” philosophical camp. That works for some but clearly not others. You need a new tactic, Lou.

Carlos, you need time to decompress. AAA sounds like the right prescription to me.

Just an observation. But after seeing the 9th inning lowlights on Gameday, it wasn’t exactly a case of the Giants creaming Marmol all over the place. I saw mostly bloopers and seeing eye groundballs made worse by some poor fielding decisions, including of course by Marmol himself.

Al, I wasn’t at the game so I appreciate your take on it. I was going off of the game thread comments.

Today? Lou has had no trust in Jon Lieber for about two months now.

Marmol, however, can apparently do no wrong.

3-0 reds top of the 1st

...you don’t bring in your top guys with 5 run leads, but Lou seems to take this opportunity to wear them out more…If Weurtz gets sent down is Lou going to give Marmol his outright release after today? I say that part in humor and part directly towards Lou’s poor use of his Staff and Pen.

I like both Weurtz and Marmol and think they both belong in that pen in general. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Marmol has an injury. In terms of probability, it’s much more likely that he is injured then he suddenly went loco. It won’t surprise me at all if they announce an MRI for Marmol early next week.

In any event, at least we won against a total horsecrap team, but the cracks are showing and widening in some areas. Kudos to harden, he didn’t go deep and he walked some guys but the guy is capable of dominating.

This is going to be a very gut wrenching 2nd half. Let’s hope Marmol can get it together ASAP and that Lou will send at least one more pitcher down. I’d rather he send 2 down and recall Weurtz.

2-0 Pirates end of one. Not quite as sexy, but pretty good- right?

Trade Marquis so Sean can go back to the rotation! Way to be, #45.

Rich Harden flashed today why I was screaming for his addition for so long. He is a game altering force on the mound. A legitimate ace quality pitcher. A pitcher that NOBODY will want to face in the post season.

So ridiculous in fact that I am signing off for the night. This board has become sickeningly overrun with attack of Lou Piniella and Larry Rothschild that I can’t take it. Frankly, I am dumbfounded by Al’s take on the situation today too. All of which is to say that I am in the significant majority on this topic. If this board is going to deteroriate into another iteration of a Cub manager is ruining pitcher X, then count me out permanently.

but I feel that Harden was taken out early not only based off a strict pitch count but Lou wants to get his relievers working before the all-star break. You need to give them work. Also, being Hardens first game and winning 7-0 it would be nice to save his arm and his confidence in his first game and pull him, it is unpredictable that the Marmol we knew before would do this. AND Gaudin should NOT have been pulled when he was, he should have stayed in. Also, after all of my Theriot support, I almost broke my hand when he made that throw. Theriot, my man, COME ON, you made a nice play, farking make a wise decision or no decision at all, it could have changed the game. But, CUBS WIN CUBS WIN, thank you Marshall and Harden for the well pitched games.

from ESPN:

Harden left with two on in the sixth to a rousing standing ovation from the crowd of 41,555.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling,” he said. “I’ve never had anything like that before, pitching in Oakland.”

this is for you.

Boy the vibe around here is extremely negative. Starting with Al’s comments to all the other members of BCB. Guy s we won the game. Did it go according to plan? NO. Do we have bullpen issues? Yes. Is there time to solve these issues? Yes.

Be happy that were back to 20 games over 500. I can’t think of any other Cubs team than this one that would have won this game after blowing a 7 run lead. This team always believes. Say what you will about Lou or anyone. The chemistry on this team is fantastic.

I love Lou but his use of the bullpen has confused me over and over this year. I hear how Coudin (sp?) can potentially start for the Cubs, let him pitch 2 or 3 innings, or Lieber, or Marshall. Why do we have long men if they are never used?

I wouldn’t have mind if Lou gave Marmol this series off and let him rest mentally more than anything and start with a clean slate going into the 2nd half, now he has this outing to think about till the 2nd half starts.

I was on the golf course with the radio/cooler (best invention ever) and I wanted to break some clubs listening to the ninth.

Reds up 5-2

This being his first full season and teams being able to finally get good reports on him. He’s in a slump, but he will get better

and have to say my thoughts almost completely match Al’s feelings on the matter. What was a relaxing and exciting business-as-usual offensive onslaught through the first few innings nearly unraveled because of a few bad decisions and a currently unremarkable reliever. I don’t mean this is a nasty way, but right now Marmol appears to be the bullpen version of Rich Hill (a man with a devastating weapon, but a lock on the firing pin). He needs a little vacation in Des Moines to get his ship righted.

What I took away from this game (aside from being totally impressed by Rich Harden and relieved in the win) is that Sean Marshall is the sleeper MVP of the pitching staff. I cannot say enough good things about what I’ve seen from this young man in the first half. He has been asked to fill many roles, and has responded with level-headed unselfishness and poise more often than not, and rightly deserved the win today (his base hit in the 11th ignited the victory). Way to man up and show Lou why you are still up here with the big boys, Sean!

What a roller coaster ride today! Hope tomorrow’s a laugher. Go get ‘em Demp!

...and chase his dreams to patent mouse flavored kitty food.

sweetness!

Not over yet, though …

that Isringhausen, Marmol, and Gagne would just as soon forget.

And Ozzie just had to pull Boone Logan – the Rangers are making some noise in the 9th.

but managed to get the win. They had an 8-2 lead in the 8th; final score 9-7, Rangers had the tying run at the plate.

CARDINALS LOSE!

variety go piratesssssss

and call it a night.

Cubs win, Sox win. Hard to believe how well things worked out after how it looked around 3pm today.

if we went into the ASB with a sweep, and the brewers got swept and the cards lose a series?

Pirates announcers having a stroke in the booth. They busted out a “I can’t believe what I’ve just saw!” call while screaming incoherently for the rest. The Cubs won ugly today, but that W column is all that matters! Gotta love this.

for the cards/brewers tommorow? opponents?

For future reference

Joel Pineiro (STL) vs Ian Snell (PIT)
Homer Bailey (CIN) vs CC Sabathia (MIL)

I can remember in a long time. Wo0t!

chiefs win! will comment more when the minor league wrap gets posted