According to a report from the Sun-Times, the Cubs have told Carlos Marmol’s agent to expect a trade and Marmol has given the front office five teams he would be willing to accept a trade to.
Gordon Wittenmyer shot down a report last week, and labeled it as unfounded, that stated Marmol would be traded by Opening Day. The Cubs would like to trade Marmol, but likely not until after the season begins after Marmol re-established some value, plus they would like to see Kyuji Fujikawa pitch in the big leagues.
Bruce Levine reported on Saturday that several teams are interested in Marmol, but right now the Tigers is not one of them.
Carlos Marmol
Gordon Wittenmyer went into detail in his report about Carlos Marmol. Wittenmyer spoke with a “high-level evaluator for a projected contender” who said that Marmol cannot close. Apparently the evaluator is so sure of Marmol’s inability to close games that he recently used Marmol’s appearance in a Cactus League contest to use the bathroom.
Carlos Marmol is owed $9.8 million for the season, the third and final year of the three-year contract he signed in 2011. The Cubs will likely have to eat a large amount of money in order to receive anything of value in return for Marmol.
Marmol has not looked good this spring, and while it is only Spring Training, the Cubs need for him to rebound and finish the Cactus League on a high-note. From all indications, Marmol is not in the Cubs’ plans moving forward and getting anything of value they can in return for Marmol would be the right move at this point.
Cubs News Bits
Dale Sveum said on Saturday that his regulars will see more playing time in the coming week. The players that project as starters on Opening Day will see at least three at bats in each game next week and will play in all three of the split squad games (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). When the Cubs are done with the three split squad games next weekend (six games in three days), the regulars will begin playing into the seventh inning on March 18.
Scott Baker is pitching a simulated, B-type game on Tuesday. According to Dale Sveum, Baker is slated to start a Spring Training game around March 17.
Starlin Castro and Brent Lillibridge are expected back on the field on Wednesday. The Cubs have a scheduled off day on Tuesday.
Dale Sveum indicated on Saturday that Javier Baez and Jorge Soler will likely be sent to minor league camp in the next week. The moves could be made before the weekend or just after the three split squad games … both players can still be used in Cactus League games once they sent to minor league camp. Sveum does not expect to see either player at any point in the big leagues this season.
Pat Hughes will call his first Cubs’ game of the spring next Saturday from Las Vegas when the Cubs battle the Rangers at Cashman Field.