MESA, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano looked ready for Opening Day, Aramis Ramirez was back and Marlon Byrd tuned up for the regular season by hitting his third home run on Friday. But Cubs closer Carlos Marmol still has some work to do on his delivery.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella watched film of Marmol after Friday's game, a 5-2 loss to the Athletics. Marmol served up a home run in his second straight outing and took the loss. Piniella said he felt Marmol was "flat."
The problem, according to Piniella, was that Marmol was throwing more sidearm than over the top and his elbow was leading the ball. When you do that, Piniella said, "You lose that good snap. It was very evident in the film. It's something to work on. That's why it's called Spring Training."
In his last two outings, Marmol has given up four hits and four runs over two innings. This was the first spring in which he was handed the job as the Cubs closer. In the past two years, he had to compete for the job and ended up as the primary setup man.
"His mechanics are off," Piniella said of the right-hander. "What he's doing is showing the ball to the hitter quicker and he's losing that nice depth on his breaking ball.
"We'll let Larry [Rothschild, pitching coach] work on it tomorrow," Piniella said.
Rothschild was not at Friday's game; he'd gone home ill. He probably wasn't feeling much better after watching Marmol.
Zambrano, on the other hand, looked sharp. The Cubs' Opening Day starter struck out six and gave up two runs — one earned — on three hits over six innings. This was the longest outing by a Cubs pitcher this spring and he'll be shortened up to 70 pitches in his next start.
2010 Spring Training – Chicago Cubs
News & Features
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Zambrano's strong start
Baker's RBI double
Byrd's solo homer
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"Today I felt good and I'm anxious to start the season and I'm ready to go," Zambrano said.
Byrd, one of the Cubs' few new additions, smacked a 1-1 pitch from Oakland's Dallas Braden over the left-field fence. He's also ready for the season opener, which will be on April 5 in Atlanta.
"Right now, you get to the point where you feel like you've had enough at-bats," Byrd said. "I could've gone nine [innings] today."
He may get the chance soon. The Cubs trimmed seven players from the spring roster Friday and Piniella said he plans on having the regulars play more in the final eight days of camp. Byrd has seen nothing but positives with his new team.
"I love this — coming here, everybody does their work, everybody has their routine," Byrd said. "These young guys are watching [the veterans] and following right behind. We get everything done."
Ramirez was back at third for the first time since March 13. He'd been sidelined with a sore right tricep. But he didn't have to make a single throw in his six innings.
"It was a step forward," Ramirez said. "I'll be in there Opening Day — I don't know if I'll be 100 percent but I'll be in there."
One of the young players who can't wait for the season to start is lefty reliever James Russell. He appears to have made the big league team, which would give the Cubs four right-handers and three left-handers in the bullpen. Russell's father, Jeff, pitched in the big leagues as well.
"I told him the other day, 'You're on the cusp of making this club. What will determine it is whether I hit your dad as a hitter,'" Piniella said. "You know what he told me? 'I hope you hit him real good.'"
Actually, Piniella never faced Jeff Russell. Hopefully, that doesn't factor into the decision.
If Russell does make it, the Cubs' bullpen will be very young with Marmol, Esmailin Caridad, Justin Berg, Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija. John Grabow is the oldest at 31.
"I'll take ability over veterans any time," Ramirez said. "In Caridad and Berg, they throw the ball well. They have good arms."
The regular season can't begin soon enough.
"You get to this point in Spring Training and sometimes you lose your focus," Piniella said. "Now you have to push yourself a little bit because you've been down here five weeks. It's important that you get yourself ready this last week."
That includes Marmol.
"You can't have a perfect day in Spring Training," Piniella said.