Marmol Re-signs with Cubs; Zambrano News

Throughout the past month the Chicago Cubs have tried to re-sign Carlos Marmol.  Just recently Marmol agreed to a 3 year deal that is worth 20 million.  Marmol is scheduled to earn $3.2 million in 2011, $7 million in 2012 and $9.8 million in 2013. The deal also includes a limited no-trade clause, and $1 million of the $3.2 million.  In a statement Marmol says that "I wanted to secure my life, my family, my career.”  The Cubs closer made $2.25 million in 2010, his first year of arbitration. He set a record for strikeouts by a Cubs reliever last season with 138. He also posted 38 saves in 43 chances with a 2-3 record and 2.55 ERA.  The Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry said “Great closers are hard to find” and the numbers he put up last year helped put Marmol in the top closer category.  Just to refresh memories what a closer is.   A closer is a pitcher that is called into the game in late game situations to preserve the win for the starter.  Marmol would have average 16 strike outs a game if he would have pitched all nine innings in this past 2010 season.  Marmol was drafted as a non-drafted free agent in 1999 and was converted to a pitcher in 2002.  He started 13 games in 2006 before heading to the bullpen the following season where he excelled as a setup reliever with a 5-1 record and 1.43 ERA in 59 appearances. He made the All-Star team as a reliever in 2008.

After a lackluster 2010 season Carlos Zambrano has stated that he will let his play do the talking.  In the past Carlos has been a player that talks big but in the end it doesn’t happen.  Last season with the Cubs Zambrano was suspended in June after his dugout confrontation with teammate Derrek Lee and manager Lou Piniella during a game against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. He later spent a month on the restricted list and underwent anger management therapy.  This past Monday he said that he would like to start his seventh straight opening day game but his play during spring training will determine his fate.  Right now, Ryan Dempster, newly acquired Matt Garza and Carlos Zambrano are the favorites to win the opening day starting position.  Zambrano has a 1-6 record when starting for the Cubs on opening day.

(espn.com)