Dear Los Angeles, Thank you and good luck.
As a former Los Angeleno, now a Chicagoan, I appreciate more than you can ever know the decision of the LA Dodgers to take Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Marmol in trade Tuesday for Matt Guerrier.
In this age of the Internet, you surely went into this transaction with open eyes, and I wouldn't for a moment suggest that you'd been hoodwinked. But, really, a lot of us here in Chicago are nonplussed by your generosity ... even if we did have to throw in a little additional sweetener (international signing-bonus slot No. 4).
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
You can't help but know Cubs fans have booed Marmol most every time he's taken the mound at home this season. And, if you're aware of that, then you know about his less-than-stellar performance in a few outings, like the Cubs-Mets game of June 16th, during which the Cubs were up 3-0 going into the bottom of the 9th. And then they called Marmol up from the pen.
He allowed the four runs necessary to lose that one, including a three-run homer.
Did I mention the Cubs were playing the Mets?
The Mets!
Blown save after blown save.
None of this means Marmol won't be able to turn it all around in LA. The fans, in my experience, are certainly more gentle in LA. I can't recall any instance in which they booed a member of their own team. But then, I've been gone a couple years.
Perhaps LA's surroundings will agree with him. But, a word of advice ... that beat-the-traffic behavior pattern that sends a good portion of the stadium shuffling to the exits in the seventh inning might have to change if you see Marmol up in the bullpen.
You'll see.
In the meantime, thank you again. One need only sample the tweets of Cubs fans on Twitter to understand what joy you've brought us. We will miss Marmol. He was good material.
I've assembled a sampling of some of my favorite Marmol Tweets. Forgive me for including one of my own. Enjoy:
A lot of people showed up for the Carlos Marmol farewell parade #Cubs #TCM pic.twitter.com/7LMATCtGUF
— Total Cubs Move (@TotalCubsMove) June 28, 2013
As bad as Carlos Marmol has been, he hasn't blown a save since yesterday.
— Cubs No-Hit Streak (@CubsNoHitStreak) June 17, 2013
Sveum not worried about fans' perceptions of his managerial skills after latest Marmol implosion. http://t.co/suR2C7cDX4
— Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) June 17, 2013
Once again Carlos Marmol snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. 4 runs in the 9th. #cubs #cuthimnow
— Jason Callan (@JasonCallan) June 16, 2013
Being dragged to church used to ruin my Sundays when I was a kid. These days it's Marmol. #Cubs #TCM
— Seamus O'Toole (@Snewn) June 16, 2013
Carlos Marmol is the antithesis of the Heimlich maneuver. #cubs
— TJ Sullivan (@TJSullivanLA) June 16, 2013
I think the #Cubs should trade Marmol at the trade deadline for a used Gatorade cooler and a bag of sunflower seeds.
— Caleb Shaw (@ctshaw13) May 2, 2013
There's a small part of me that loves when Marmol pitches because of the hilarious tweets everyone posts #cubs #marmol
— Stephanie Lynn (@CubsFanSRL510) April 26, 2013
Marmol's necklace, gotta be St. Jude, right? Can't be St. Christopher as he's obviously not going anywhere. #Cubs
— Tim Morgan (@nagrommit) April 26, 2013
If Dale Sveum is a slow witted lab rat, Carlos Marmol is a hunk of cheese rigged to a car battery that he just can't stay away from. #Cubs
— Frank Friedlander (@Frankieaaron) April 26, 2013
Marmol Alert. Seek cover. #Cubs
— timothy dee micheli (@timothy_dee) April 26, 2013
i swear, if Marmol blows like 50 more saves we're going to have to start thinking about finding someone else. #cubs
— Scott Garapolo (@scottisadrummer) April 24, 2013
-- TJ Sullivan