3 or 4 runs over that span should keep us in the game. Now if he doesn’t dumb stuff like give up a homer right after the offense just tied the game at 5, then he will still be Jason Marquis.

7/22 At AZ, 5IP, 3 runs allowed (hardly a meltdown) but not a top of the rotation start.
7/27 FL 6 IP 6 Runs allowed in a blow out win.

Now I am one who has not been enamored by Marquis or what he represents but he is probably one of the stronger 5th starters in all of MLB, period. Marshall is a 4-inning pitcher, Samardzija is in the bullpen and maybe when Wood returns and after mid-August when Piniella & Co has the chance to skip a start or two. That of course is only done if there is cause.

I suspect that Marquis will pitch two less than spectacular and grinding type games where the game will be in doubt in the middle innings.

After the past four starts, averaging 7IP per GS, he needs to turn it up a notch.

I just hope there isn’t any letdown after this big series, coming home and taking the Bucs for granted.

Yesterday’s game was awesome, and made dealing with the drive that more enjoyable.

and recently acquired from the NYY who needed pitching, a 26 year old RHP…I think Cubs will continue with their building of their league leading run differential.

with 3 er, and I’ll be fine. Heck, 6 innings; give Gaudin, the Shark and Marmol some work.

He’s fine there. Yes he is overpaid and he probably won’t get a post-season start. He is what he is and I don’t understand the constant bashing. No he’s not going to get better because of the other pitchers. I’m sure he would love to but he doesn’t have ability of the other pitchers. The Cubs could do a lot worse for a 5th starter.

Personally, if he goes 6 to 7 innings and gives up 5 runs today, that’s ok. He just needs to eat innings.

Marquis has been up & down all year. At the beginning of the year in spring training, I admired his working out over the off-season, and could see that he was determined to be better. I had high hopes. Now, as many of you know, I am a Marquis critic, but I don’t hate him. Of course I don’t want him to do poorly, he’s a player on my favorite team of all-time. As he has struggled, I’ve become more critical of him. To be honest, up until the last few days, I didn’t hold out much hope of him pitching well the rest of the year.

He seems to have been pitching well lately. I understand his lines or record don’t belie this. What I have seen, as far as him being mindful of getting ahead in the count, pitching to contact & trying to keep the ball down has impressed me.

So, do I think he will rise up today, and subsequently rise to the occasion & put together a string of quality outings over the last two months of the regular season? The quote by Harden tells me one thing; if he is saying that in the media, it is what the team, (and more specifically the rotation), are thinking. To a competitive guy, (quiet though it is), like Marquis, I think this goes a long way. Baseball is a mental game, and I think mentally that Marquis will feed off this. It has never been a problem with Marquis’ ‘stuff’, it’s always been about his mental game, about his execution.

I can’t believe I’m saying this… Will Marquis rise to the occasion as we wind up the regular season?

I think he will.

I’ve never been a fan of Jason Marquis. But honesty prevails me to say he has done an OK job for the role he is here to serve in 2008.

isn’t Marquis going to make somewhere around 10 million dollars next year? you shouldn’t have to pay your #5 starter 10 million dollars.