The Cubs aren’t going to put up with 30-year old righty closer Carlos Marmol as the closer much longer unless he starts throwing more strikes in the near future.  He has pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 0-0 with 1 save, a 20.25 ERA and a 4.50 WHIP.  32-year old righty Kyuji Fujikawa gives the Cubs the alternative to Marmol that they didn’t have in 2012.  He has pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 0-0 with 1 save, a 0.00 ERA and a 0.00 WHIP.  The Cubs were smart to bring in Fujikawa over the winter to either push Marmol to be better or to replace him as the closer.

UPDATE:  (4/7/2013) - The Cubs have decided to switch roles for Marmol and Fujikama.  Marmol has pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 0-1 with 1 save, a 27.00 ERA and a 4.80 WHIP.  Fujikama has now been much better as he has worked in 3 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 0-0 with 1 save, a 11.57 ERA and a 2.14 WHIP.

30-year old righty starting pitcher Justin Germano was brutal for the Cubs in 2012. He pitched in 13 games (12 starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 2-10 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He gave up 81 hits and walked 19 batters in 64 innings while whiffing 45 batters for the Cubs this year. He was especially brutal in September for the Cubs, starting six games in which he was 0-6 with a 7.76 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP.

UPDATE: (10/30/2012) - The Cubs will be without Justin Germano in 2013 as he has elected to become a free agent. This is no loss for the Cubs.

27-year old righty starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija has been awful so far in June for the Cubs. He has started 4 games for the Cubs so far in June and he is 0-3 with a 8.53 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. He has given up 27 hits and he has walked 11 batters in his first 19 innings this month, and that just isn’t going to get the job done. He has now pitched in 14 games (all starts) overall this year for the Cubs and he is 5-6 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. The Cubs need Samardzija to get back on track soon.

29-year old righty reliever Carlos Marmol has been re-installed as the Cubs’ closer as no pitcher took over in the role after he gave it up. Marmol has pitched in 23 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 1-2 with 3 saves, a 5.79 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP. He has whiffed 21 batters already this year and he has only allowed 15 hits in his first 18 2/3 innings, but he has also walked 22 batters and that is what drives manager Dale Sveum nuts. Marmol has now pitched in 414 games (13 starts) in his first 7 years with the Cubs and he is 19-27 with 98 saves, a 3.46 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Marmol is #4 in saves (98) in Cubs’ history and he is also #5 in games pitched (414). The Cubs will have to just live with his wildness and hope for the best in the 9th inning.

24-year old rookie righty reliever Rafael Dolis is out as the Cubs’ closer. He has pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 2-4 with 4 saves, a 4.97 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Dolis has walked 15 batters in only 25 1/3 innings as he has been wild, just like the pitcher he replaced as the closer…..Carlos Marmol. The Cubs are going to go with a committee for now with 36 year old righty Shawn Camp and 26-year old lefty James Russell likely splitting the job. Camp has pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 2-2 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Camp has 10 saves so far in his major league career, but he lacks closer type stuff. James Russell has pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Russell has yet to save a game in his major league career.

29-year old righty reliever Carlos Marmol is no longer the closer of the Cubs. He has pitched in 12 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 0-1 with 2 saves, a 6.23 ERA and a 2.31 WHIP. He has given up 8 hits in 8 2/3 innings so far this year, but he has walked 12 batters and whiffed 8. The Cubs just can’t handle watching Marmol continue to struggle with his control with the game on the line. 24-year old righty Rafael Dolis will likely get the first shot to replace him. Dolis has pitched in 14 games (0 starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 1-2 with 2 saves, a 3.31 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

Last year, Ryan Dempster pitched in 34 games (all starts) for the Cubbies and he was 15-12 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. With that in mind, the Cubs were expecting similar results in 2011, but that just hasn’t been the case. Dempster has pitched in 30 games (all starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 10-11 with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Dempster is likely going to be back in 2012 for the Cubs as he is very likely to exercise a player option. With that in mind, the Cubs hope that Dempster turns around next year as he didn’t pitch too well for them in 2011.

The Cubs thought they could depend on 28-year old righty starting pitcher Randy Wells in 2011. After all, Wells pitched in 62 games (all starts) in his first three years with the Cubs and he was 20-24 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. This year though, he has flat out stunk up the place. Wells has pitched in 14 games (all starts) for the Cubs so far this year and he is 3-4 with a 6.05 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He has given up 92 hits (15 homers) in his first 77 2/3 innings pitched while also walking 31 batters. Wells has been one of he most disappointing Cubs in a very disappointing season.

33-year old righty starting pitcher Ryan Dempster has been a very solid starting pitcher for the Cubs the last few years. But, this year has been different as batters have been running up to the plate against him so far in 2011. Dempster has started 6 games for the Cubs this year and he is 1-3 with a 9.58 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP. Dempster has given up 42 hits and he has walked 16 batters so far this year in only 31 innings pitched. He has whiffed 29 batters so far, so maybe he will be able to turn things around soon. The Cubs are depending on Dempster, so they need him to step up soon.

28-year old righty starting pitcher burst onto the scene for the Cubbies in 2009. He started 27 games for the Cubs last season and he was 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP seemingly out of nowhere. The Cubs penciled him into this year’s starting rotation but he has not looked like the same pitcher he was in 2009. Wells has started 29 games for the Cubs this year and he is 6-13 with a 4.61 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He will likely have to earn a spot in the Cubs’ rotation during spring training in 2011.