Tagged: Jeff Samardzjia

Marshall gets call for Sunday

Lou Piniella announced after the second game on Wednesday that he’ll go with Sean Marshall on Sunday as the start for Sunday’s game against the Florida Marlins. Jeff Samardzija was rumored to be vying for the job.

Marshall has started three games for the Cubs this season and is their long man in the bullpen. The longest out for Samardzija was 2 1/3 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 3.

The Cubs took both games of the day-night double header on Wednesday. The Cubs won 10-2 in the first game and 8-0 in the second game. The Cubs improved to 28-30 on the road and remain 3 1/2 games atop of the Central Division over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cubs go for the series sweep against the Atlanta Braves Thursday at 7pm Eastern. The Cubs send Ted Lilly who looks to get his 12 win of the season to the mound against veteran Tom Glavine.

 

Samardzija could get call on Sunday

The double-header on Wednesday put wrinkle in the Cubs pitching rotation for the weekend series against the Marlins. Jason Maquis was supposed to on Sunday. But since he is starting the day game against the Atlanta Braves on

The Cubs have a couple of options available. Jeff Samardzija could start Sunday’s finale against the Marlins. The Cubs also could start Sean Marshall.

A decision is expected later in the week.

Cubs in need of help in the rotation?

Rich Hill is struggling and is now warming a bench in Arizona. Carlos Zambrano is on the DL and he is very questionable. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Cubs are expected to call up Sean Marshall from Triple-A Iowa to fill Z’s spot. That leaves Iowa a man short with Hill in Arizona.

So the Cubs call up the Shark, Jeff Samardzija to Iowa. Never mind the fact that the Shark has a 4.86 ERA at Tennessee. To Samardzjia’s credit, he had a rocky May. The ERA has improved.

But it does present a serious hole in the Cubs rotation.

So that brings up the question: Should the club pursue C.C. Sabathia?

From the outside, he’s a good fit for the club. However, he’s having an off year. And there’s another problem: he’s not going to come cheap (either in trade or money). The Cubs are going to have to try to get him “cheap” (meaning make the Indianas pay his salary or at least a good portion of it) and I don’t see the Indians doing that.

So who’s left? Well. No one. And that’s the problem. Hopefully Z’s shoulder will not pose a big problem. And here’s hoping the staff down in Arizona can correct Hill’s problem.