Forever afternoon...Tuesday musings

While waiting for tonight's game against Shawn Estes and the Padres (I remember that Dusty liked Estes' ability to "get out of trouble," forgetting that to get out of trouble, you had to get into trouble).

Because a few of you asked, I asked Lou yesterday about Carlos Marmol's usage patterns. Marmol, the Cubs' prized reliever, threw in three straight games over the weekend, including one in which the Cubs were up 7-2. Marmol came into the May 3 game at St. Louis with the Cubs up 9-3. Marmol didn't work between the third and the ninth, but I did ask Lou about the appearances with big leads.

"You know what?" Lou said. "There's such a fine balance between keeping a guy fresh and keeping him sharp. He hadn't pitched in six days (Friday). He wanted to pitch after he pitched the first day because he didn't really feel comfortable out there. So we got him some work.
But at the same time, we're looking to win a baseball game, too, and he's a pretty good option. So we pitched him yesterday (Sunday). He felt better. Actually, he could go today (Monday). He's only pitched 3 innings, but we'll probably stay away from him tonight."

That would have made 4 appearances in four days for Marmol, but it never came to that. Marmol has worked three straight days a couple other times: April 21-23 and April 5-7. He didn't work April 4, but did see 2 innings on April 3. On the third, he came in with the Cubs up 6-2. The other "big-lead" appearances came April 30, when the Cubs were ahead 13-5 and last Saturday, when they led Arizona 7-2.

On to the Jim Edmonds watch. I do believe the Cubs will take a flyer on Edmonds, cut loose recently by the Padres. Edmonds, a left-handed batter, batted .118 (2-for-17) against left-handed pitchers and .192 (14-for-73) against righties.

Felix Pie (also a left-handed batter), whom the Cubs likely will send down if Edmonds lands here, is batting .100 (1-for-10) against lefties and .245 (13-for-53) against righties.

There's not a whole lot there that screams for the Cubs to sign Edmonds, is there? GM Jim Hendry gets excited now and then about guys like this, and Lou's impatience with players who aren't performing to his standards is legendary. There's little financial downside to signing Edmonds. If he performs, the Cubs can let Pie get some work at Iowa. If Edmonds fails, Lou will ask Hendry to get him out of here.

Me? I'd take a pass.