Forgetting Sean Marshall

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Sean Marshall is making his long debated move to the bullpen. After easily winning the Spring Training battle for the 5th starter spot over Aaron Heilman and Jeff Samurai Ninja (who both openly campaigned for the spot), it appears he will be the team's lefty reliever for the foreseeable future. Marshall has made eight starts on the year with three bullpen appearances and has had mixed results in the season's first two months.

Until crapping his pants in the first inning of last night's nationally televised game Marshall has been solid for the most part. After yesterday's outing his ERA is now up to 4.73. The good news for Marshall is that he has a 31/14 K/BB ratio, which makes him a god among men when it comes to our bullpen. Look for that to change as soon as he takes a seat in the infected and highly contagious Cubs' bullpen.

We should point out that Marshall will be moved as soon as Harden is ready to return from his DL stint...which means Marshall might see another 12 starts before the demotion takes effect. To his credit, Lou acknowledged that it was the lack of the bullpen lefty that caused the move rather than a lack of faith in Marshall's ability to start. Filling in for the rotating injured and suspended Cubs pitchers, Randy Wells has pretty quietly been lights out. Marshall's blow-up last night coming at a time where Harden is (scheduled to be) coming off the DL gives the perfect opportunity for Lou to make the switch he's probably been waiting to make, without it looking like sour grapes. Unfortunately for the lefty David Patton, Jason Waddell, his stint in the majors appears to be short lived.

Hopefully this is the final nail in the coffin to this man's (and his mullet's) career with the team.