News
Marshall Cubs' model of efficiency
Cubs (35-36) at White Sox (36-38), 1:05 p.m. CT
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
06/27/09 9:08 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Sean Marshall may be the most efficient pitcher the Cubs have. On Friday, he came on in relief in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and one out and got White Sox pinch-hitter A.J. Pierzynski to hit into a 3-2-3 double play and end the inning. And he did it all by throwing one pitch. Pierzynski jumped on it. |
Marshall will be back in the Cubs' bullpen Sunday for the series finale against the crosstown rivals, hoping for another chance. The left-hander began the season in the rotation but has become the team's lone lefty in the 'pen.
And efficient. "I think I've thrown three pitches, three pitches and one pitch in the last three games," Marshall said of his last three outings, before throwing eight pitches and taking the loss in Saturday's 8-7 final against the White Sox. "Seven pitches in three games. It's amazing efficiency." As a starter, he has a distinct routine before games. As a reliever, there are times when he will warm up, then sit down, then warm up again, then sit down. "That's the toughest part of being a reliever," Marshall said. Veteran Kevin Gregg has taught Marshall to save his pitches and not use all his energy when he's warming up. He's still learning. But you'll never hear the lefty complain about his role. "I'm in the big leagues and I'm very fortunate to be in the big leagues, especially pitching for the Chicago Cubs," he said. "It's one of the biggest teams in any sport." Doesn't he miss starting? "A little bit," Marshall said. "I'm getting accustomed to coming in and getting a couple guys out. At the beginning of the season, I didn't think I'd be going from the rotation to being a lefty specialist, but if we're going to win a World Series and it means I need to be a lefty specialist, then I'm more than happy to do it." What if he faces Pierzynski again on Sunday? "I might do a little something different," Marshall said. "They've faced me a bunch of times and they know what I throw -- a slider, a little cutter, a changeup occasionally and a big loopy curveball. I think they'll be looking for something, and I'll throw something else. We'll see what happens." Pitching matchupCHC: RHP Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.48 ERA)
Zambrano will be happy to be finished with Interleague Play. He says pitching in an American League ballpark is "boring" because he doesn't get to hit. In his last outing against the Tigers, he gave up three runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings while striking out four. One of the batters he walked scored on Brandon Inge's two-run homer. Lou Piniella wants to eliminate that. Zambrano faced the White Sox on June 18 at Wrigley and gave up three runs on six hits over seven. In that game, Alexei Ramirez hit a two-run homer off Big Z, also in the seventh. If Zambrano could skip the seventh, he would be OK. CWS: LHP John Danks (5-6, 4.43 ERA)
Danks produced his third consecutive quality start, but it wasn't enough in a 5-2 loss against the Dodgers, who showed why they own the best record in baseball. He lasted seven innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out five and walking two. Danks was done in by mistakes he made early in the contest, allowing back-to-back doubles in the first inning and a two-run homer in the second. Lifetime against the Cubs, Danks is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA, striking out 14 with no walks in two career starts. He faced the Cubs just two starts ago at Wrigley Field. In that game, Danks picked up a victory, allowing one run on five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work. Tidbits
The two teams still have one more game to be played after Sunday -- a makeup for the June 16 game. It will likely be Sept. 3, but that has yet to be made official. ... Jeff Samardzija gave up three runs on eight hits over seven innings in Triple-A Iowa's 7-3 win over New Orleans on Friday. Samardzija struck out five and now is 5-3 with a 3.72 ERA. So Taguchi and Bobby Scales each had two hits. ... Jeremy Papelbon gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings in Double-A Tennessee's 4-2 loss to Montgomery. Doug Deeds hit his second homer, a two-out solo shot. ... Starlin Castro, who will represent the Cubs on the World Team in the upcoming All-Star Futures Game, drove in a season-high five runs in Class A Daytona's 8-6 win over Fort Myers. ... Josh Vitters, who will play for the U.S. Team in the Futures Game, had two hits, including a two-run homer, in Class A Peoria's 3-2 loss to Wisconsin. ... Alvaro Sosa homered in Class A Boise's 11-1 loss to Salem-Keizer. ... Starting time for the July 6 game with the Braves has been changed to 6:05 p.m. CT. Tickets
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• Monday: Cubs (Rich Harden, 4-4, 4.95) at Pirates (Zach Duke, 8-5, 3.09), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: Cubs (Ted Lilly, 7-5, 3.41) at Pirates (Ross Ohlendorf, 6-6, 4.75), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: Cubs (Randy Wells, 2-3, 2.57) at Pirates (Virgil Vasquez, 1-0, 3.00), 6:05 p.m. CT
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
