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It may be a case of case closed for Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol. Or possibly former Cubs closer Carlos Marmol. Not that he is a former Cub — yet. Merely a former closer after his performance Saturday night (April 6) in Atlanta.
Yes, Syracuse lost to Michigan in the semifinals of the NCAA basketball tournament. Here is Playboy Playmate Nikke Leigh with a consolation prize for the Orange.
Marmol entered the game in the ninth inning against the Braves and allowed a leadoff, game-tying home run to B.J. Upton. One out later, Marmol yielded Justin Upton’s homer that gave the Braves a 6-5 victory. It was the first time brothers had hit the game-tying and game-winning homers in the same inning. Ah, history.
As a closer for the short term (if not longer), Marmol is history. He has had one blown save in three chances this week. He did record a save Thursday at Pittsburgh depsite allowing two runs in the ninth inning. He was pulled from Monday’s season opener.
Having a closer with a 27.00 earned-run average can cause fans to be unhappy. Not to mention Marmol’s manager, Dale Sveum, who announced Sunday Kyuji Fujikawa will become the team’s closer.
“I came into the season with the mindset of a setup man,” Fujikawa said through his interpreter. “Once Marmol’s condition gets better, I think there is a chance he’ll come back. We all have to fight through it.”
“You can’t complain about it,” Marmol said of his demotion. “They say it’s better for me and for the team. I’ll take it. I agree.”
As for another, more familiar face as a replacement? Former Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood, who retired last season, tweeted: Thanks for the kind words Cubs fans but relax! It’s a long season, stay positive! I can’t even throw strikes to my sons little league team.
Asked whether Marmol’s problem was physical or mental, Sveum said, “I don’t know. If I knew that problem, I’d be a genius.”
OK, so Sveum’s apparently no genius. And Marmol’s apparently no closer. Any hopes that using him in that role might enhance his trade value are as gone as the two home runs he allowed to the Braves.
Hosting “Saturday Night Live” on April 6 was actress Melissa McCarthy. Among her sketches was one that featured a fictional coach along the lines of recently dismissed Rugers basketball coach Mike Rice.
Speaking of college athletics, spring football is pretty much spring football. And the culmination of spring football with an actual game is pretty much the culmination of spring football with an actual game. Except for those rare instances when it isn’t.
Such was the case Saturday for Nebraska. The Cornhuskers don’t have to debate what the highlight of the always anticipated contest was. It was a 69-yard touchdown run by Jack Hoffman on the scrimmage’s final play. He won’t be a Big Ten standout in 2013. Or 2014. Or probably ever. Even though he was the leading rusher in the game.
Jack Hoffman is 7. He also is a brain-cancer patient from Atkinson, Neb.
“Really awesome,” Jack said of the cheering crown of 60,174.
“It was a lot of emotions right at once,” Jack’s father Andy said. “Very emotional to see that. Husker fans have been so incredible to Jack and our family and especially to this cause.”
“Jack’s a young man who’s touched the hearts of a lot of people,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said. “Our football team, the student body, people have gotten behind him and he’s become a big part of the team. …
“I wasn’t sure if he was going to want to do it before we brought the idea to his dad, and I thought it was a pretty special thing.”
See for yourself:
OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Which means we are ready for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video. So here we go:
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