Schuster: Same Old, Same Old For The Cubs
By: David Schuster
Well so far the new Cubs regime looks a lot like the old one. More losses, and ugly ones at that. Yes, it's only two games into a long season but it's awfully deflating when the two losses have come the way they have, so far.
Bullpens can make or break a team and the back end of the Cubs bullpen has lost them two games they should have won.
In Thursday's opener, Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol ganged up to gift wrap a victory to Washington. And it must have been so much fun they decided to do it again in Saturday's second game on the year.
Wood came into the game in the 8th inning with a 4-2 lead and after getting two quick outs then served up a home run to cut the margin in half. He then put on base two more runners and got the heave ho from Manger, Dale Sveum. Enter Marmol who then proceeded to allow those two runners to score plus two more as Washington scored 5 times.
After the game, Sveum tried to keep his calm, "It's no panic situation yet. Just a couple of bad innings the last few days".
How long do you think it will be before he has a Lou Piniella melt down? There's already a pool going around in the press box and the heavy money is on it being pretty soon.
At least Marmol was honest when he was asked about the massive booing he got, "I deserved it", he said and on that he was right on target.
So two games into what feels like a long season, already, the Cubs are searching for answers. And if the back end of the bullpen continues this way the season will be over (mathematically) pretty quick.
