Chicago Cubs’ Carlos Marmol expects a better year – MLB News
The Chicago Cubs’ closer Carlos Marmol stated on Sunday, February 19, that he wants to have a better year than the last. Speaking to the media after the first day of Spring Training, he also said that all the negativity is gone as he has been through a lot
lately.
"It's gone," Marmol said. "It's a new year. I want to have a better year than last year. All the negative stuff is gone. I went through a lot."
Marmol had a total of 10 saves in 2011; less than what he might have planned to achieve. There were several opportunities that he could not utilise and ultimately lost. Similarly, compared to 2010, he has fewer strike-outs, giving up more hits and homers.
The past season saw the player appear in 75 games, pitching a total of 74 innings whereby he had an ERA of 4.01 with 99 strike-outs. His saves, which were 34, actually won him 10th position in the National League, something that he will obviously
want to repeat this year.
Nonetheless, the career ERA of the closer is fairly good; having 95 saves to his credit in the 391 games that he has played so far. With the three year contract that he has signed with the Chicago Cubs, this is a year he is expected to remain dominant.
That is what the team manager Dale Sveum thinks about the closer.
"He is what he is -- he's an impressive closer, but he's a slider guy with one of the best, unhittable sliders that we've seen in a long time," Sveum said. "That's what he is, and unfortunately sometimes he can get into a lot of pitches in innings because
of it, but it's so devastating he gets out of it, too."
Since he enjoys a veteran’s position in the team, Marmol will heavily influence other pitchers as well. It is in this context that Marmol will play a decisive role in determining the course of pitching. It now remains to be seen how forcefully he comes forward
to play his part in the team’s victory.
Tags: