Hey Cub fan... question for you

**Cy's Taxi** · 04-14-2009, 12:12 PM

marmol should have had the job at the beginning of the season, and he'll have it soon.

**clone4life82** · 04-14-2009, 12:29 PM

For all of you who are calling for Marmol to be closer, he's actually way more valuable for us in the situations he's pitching now. Think about it... anytime the cubs are up 0-3 runs in the middle of a later inning with men on in scoring position, who would you rather want coming in to fix the situation... Marmol or Gregg? Marmol. This way you get it to the 9th inning where the closer comes in with nobody on base and a fresh slate where there's less pressure right off the bat and he can make a mistake or two and get away with it with the save. The closer position is the most overrated position in baseball because these guys are getting credit for a low-stress job compared the the setup role where the pitcher doesnt get any statline credit for getting out of a 1 out jam with men in scoring position. If you're not happy with Gregg in the closer role, you put someone besides Marmol in. You just make sure you pay Marmol like he's the best pitcher on the cubs staff so he doesn't get discouraged that he's not getting that statline.

**cyhiphopp** · 04-14-2009, 01:13 PM

A Hold is a stat, but not valued as much as a Save.

**gocubs2118** · 04-14-2009, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by clone4life82

For all of you who are calling for Marmol to be closer, he's actually way more valuable for us in the situations he's pitching now. Think about it... anytime the cubs are up 0-3 runs in the middle of a later inning with men on in scoring position, who would you rather want coming in to fix the situation... Marmol or Gregg? Marmol. This way you get it to the 9th inning where the closer comes in with nobody on base and a fresh slate where there's less pressure right off the bat and he can make a mistake or two and get away with it with the save. The closer position is the most overrated position in baseball because these guys are getting credit for a low-stress job compared the the setup role where the pitcher doesnt get any statline credit for getting out of a 1 out jam with men in scoring position. If you're not happy with Gregg in the closer role, you put someone besides Marmol in. You just make sure you pay Marmol like he's the best pitcher on the cubs staff so he doesn't get discouraged that he's not getting that statline.

Couldn't have said it better.

**iccyfan** · 04-14-2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by clone4life82

The closer position is the most overrated position in baseball

There was a very well-written article on "closers" and the "save" shortly after Jerome Holtzman passed away, basically making the case for your above-noted quote. I couldn't agree with you more but it hasn't always been this way. Bruce Sutter regularly pitched two or three innings for his "save"...

Note: Jerome Holtzman was a Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter generally credited with bringing the "save" into being as a regular statistic...

**djcubby** · 04-14-2009, 01:31 PM

I agree that I don't think that Marmol should be the closer, but I don't know if Gregg is the right guy for the job. The bullpen is one of the most important items entering the playoffs, and the cubs proved that their pen could not hack it the last couple of years.

Woody wore down a little at the end of the year, but it was also his first year as a closer. I would have liked him to have another year as a Cub to see what he could do.