Cubs quest to lose 100 games begins in 45 minutes.

[Gregg]

Well, I get to watch the first half hour and then listen to the opener for my hour and a half drive. Depending on how long the sales call lasts will determing if I get to hear the end of it.

I do predict a Cubs win today. It will launch a 24 hour period of blather about them finishing .500.

Going to be a long year. Wait until next ye...er 2015!!

[Sharky]

Well, they have Baez on the way. I think he'll be a beast. Almora could be ok too. That's two solid bats to complement Starlin Castro. Probably better than my Mets have to look forward to. And unlike with Mets with Johan Santana, if the Cubs eat some of Soriano's salary they might actually get a prospect.

[Gregg]

Well, they have Baez on the way. I think he'll be a beast. Almora could be ok too. That's two solid bats to complement Starlin Castro. Probably better than my Mets have to look forward to. And unlike with Mets with Johan Santana, if the Cubs eat some of Soriano's salary they might actually get a prospect.

I wish the Cubs would trade Castro for Stanton.

I suspect that Castro will not be on the 2015 team that is supposed to be competitive.

Asking Cubs fans to sit through two seasons of 100 loses plus whatever "almost good" 2014 brings is asking a lot. They better be really really good.

[james33]

And they gave it their best shot on this quest, striking out 15 times today, causing Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters to collectively cry from Iowa "Hey, we can do that!"

2B Darwin Barney decided to slice his knee, going to the DL to avoid having to play for the Cubs. Brent Lillibridge filled in admirably, leading the way with 3 Ks and an error.

Carlos Marmol did his job, giving up a walk and a run in the 9th inning, in a quest to lose his closer job faster than anyone else.

Sveum realizes the 100-loss quest is a long haul, one that might require injuries to key players; he let Samardzija go 110 pitches on opening day.

[DMT]

.500?

[NakedRicci]

My only Cubs are Barney and Samardzija so I feel pretty good about the game. Personally I don't care if they only win 20 games this year, as long as Sam is pitching those days!

[Gregg]

My only Cubs are Barney and Samardzija so I feel pretty good about the game. Personally I don't care if they only win 20 games this year, as long as Sam is pitching those days!

Naked! Good to here from you! I know what you mean. They are so bad, my fantasy team comes first in the rooting department.

[B-Fly]

Marmol is definitely working very hard to lose his job before Axford can.

[joncarlos]

The Pirates won't let Marmol blow it, as Walker GIDP ends the game.

[B-Fly]

Ugh, with Cutch on third. What a missed opportunity!

[Gregg]

The Pirates won't let Marmol blow it, as Walker GIDP ends the game.

Yes, but not before he allows 2 earned to make it a 3-2 game.

[Gregg]

Brewers send 9 guys to the plate score four runs. Cubs down in order.

Wind blowing out at 27 mph with gusts up to 47.

Take me out to the ball game...

[dslaw]

The good news is Marmol is out as closer. They may only lose 99 games now.

[Ryno84MVP]

The good news is Marmol is out as closer. They may only lose 99 games now.

Not so fast...

Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio said Monday morning that the long-range plan for Carlos Marmol includes returning him to the closer's role.

"We want him to be our closer," Bosio told ESPNChicago.com. "We want all our players to do well, and Carlos is not any different than anyone in this room."

After losing a game in Atlanta on Saturday night, Marmol's role was given to Kyuji Fujikawa. Marmol will pitch in the sixth or seventh inning until he can rebuild his command and confidence level. Marmol lost the closer's role last April but reclaimed the job in the second half of the 2012 season.

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs...rmol-as-closer

[Sour Masher]

That is probably just rhetoric to increase his trade value, right?