Like the rest of the team, the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen has largely been a disappointment. But within that pen is a man who hasn’t just been effective, but is perhaps on his way to the most dominant performance in baseball history.
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From a piece written by Joe Sheehan for the Wall Street Journal about Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol. Heading into Tuesday night’s action, Marmol, relying on his knee-collapsing slider, had whiffed 45.8% of the hitters he has faced in 2010. If he sustains that strikeout rate for the rest of the year, it would be the highest ever recorded.
Marmol’s performance in the 9th inning of tonight’s game between the Cubs and Dodgers at Wrigley won’t hurt the cause. Replacing starter Ryan Dempster, who was brilliant himself (8 IP, 3 H, 7 K, 1 BB, 0 ER), Marmol retired the side in order and racked up two more K’s of his own.
The Cubs beat Los Angeles, 3-0, to climb to within two games of .500.
