Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Dodgers activate Marmol, but hold your shudders

Frightening many a fan, the Dodgers have put Carlos Marmol on their active roster, sending Jose Dominguez to the minor leagues.

Marmol was cast off by Chicago after allowing 50 baserunners and a 5.86 ERA in 27 2/3 innings for the Cubs this year. The Dodgers took a low-risk flyer on him as a reclamation project, and given how small the investment was, it’s worth a shot.

Comparisons to Brandon League have been made, but Marmol’s career strikeout rate is nearly double that of League. As bad as he has been, Marmol offers more reason for optimism.

Dominguez has excited many with his promise, but the reality of his pitching is that he was allowing baserunners at a higher rate than even League, while posting a lower strikeout rate. Since his perfect debut, Dominguez has allowed 15 baserunners against 22 outs, a .417 on-base percentage against him. Dominguez has struggled to complete innings, and his ERA has been kept low in part because other relievers have bailed him out. I’d be happy to wait out his on-the-job development, but that’s not a reason to assume he’s better for the Dodgers at this very minute than Marmol is.

If Marmol turns out to be a lost cause, the Dodgers can cut bait quickly (unlike with League, whose three-year contract requires them to have more patience). But if the Dodgers can catch Marmol on an upswing, there could be a net gain that also possibly prevents the Dodgers from making a worse bullpen decision (say, an Octavio Dotel-style trade) down the road.

Honestly, I don’t know. Sure, Marmol might make the Dodgers worse, but I just won’t immediately rule out that he can make them better.

Update: The Dodgers have issued a correction, saying that Dominguez has gone to the disabled list with a left quad strain. Dominguez was limping as he left Monday’s game.

Dodgers at Blue Jays, 4:07 p.m.

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128 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Mármol is washed up but, at this point, the Dodgers may be good enough that he won’t do irreparable damage – at least in the regular season.

    • Anonymous

      I feel vindicated.

      • Anonymous

        Damage? Yes.
        Irreparable? Surprisingly, no.

        • Anonymous

          In the regular against a second-division team, no. In the post-season v. a good team, more worrisome.

  2. Anonymous

    As long as the Dodgers can keep their finger on the control-z button (i.e. “undo”), the upside is better than the downside.

  3. Anonymous

    Marmmolaid–a stickier version of a band-aid?

  4. It appears Dominguez was sent to the DL instead of minors, makes more sense after seeing him cringe last night. 15 day try out for Marmol?

  5. KT

    Dodgers lineup:
    Crawford LF
    Puig RF
    Gonzalez 1B
    Ramirez DH
    Ethier CF
    M Ellis 2B
    Hairston 3B
    Federowicz C
    Punto SS
    Capuano P

  6. KT

    Going for game two of the three game sweep of the Jays…Go Blue!!

  7. Anonymous

    Brings a whole new meaning to Carlos Danger.

  8. KT

    Let’s go CC

  9. They’re going to continue to pitch to Puig like that until he stops swinging at bad pitches.

  10. KT

    why does it take until the second inning lately for our offense to get started

  11. Anonymous

    Reds 4, Giants 1, after an inning and a half.

  12. KT

    Nice Cappy!

  13. KT

    5-1 Rojos

  14. Anonymous

    It’s now 7-1 Reds, who are still batting in the 3rd inning. Bochy just went to the bullpen.

  15. KT

    Let’s get those back guys

  16. KT

    Hanley!
    Come on Dre

  17. What’s up with the walls there? Seems like there’s a ton of ground rule doubles.

  18. KT

    MEllis!

  19. KT

    Let’s get a hold here Cappy

  20. KT

    DP Time

  21. Anonymous

    Rare miss by Capuano.

  22. Anonymous

    Watching Capuano pitch this season reminds me of what Forrest Gump’s mother tells him in the movie: “Life’s a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

    • Anonymous

      Capuano just not fooling anyone. They are very happy to have him pitching (and with that, he”s pulled.).

    • Anonymous

      Exacty this.

  23. KT

    Let’s get those back guys

  24. Anonymous

    Yes, I don’t know what to make of Cappy here! The Dodger’s offense has been really good, but I don’t think they can catch a receding rocket!~

  25. It’s a Marmol moment.

  26. Anonymous

    I hope the dodger offense realize they have to do something now. !!

  27. Anonymous

    I’m not sure I get what is going on with the dodgers getting Marmol. But this is probably the right place to use him—when there is perhaps no hope? I don’t get it I guess. any HELP!

  28. KT

    Let’s put up a crooked number

  29. KT

    Let’s go Dre

  30. KT

    JHjr!!!!

  31. Anonymous

    rally time

  32. KT

    these wall are 10 ft

  33. In a fairly close game, seems like an odd time to throw Marmol out there. Not close anymore.

    • KT

      I saw it a giving up on the game

    • Anonymous

      JT III: I agree. For his first appearance, a League moment would have seemed better than a game in which we trailed by just two runs. But, Mattingly has done a great job of managing this team into first place.

  34. Anonymous

    Have we seen enough yet?

  35. Anonymous

    I am getting the Blue Jays announcers on mlb.com. Does the play-by-play man sound a lot like Mike Shannon to anyone else besides me?

  36. Anonymous

    Throwing flat off the mound, without moving his legs, Dominguez would be better than that.

  37. Anonymous

    Marmol laid an egg.

  38. KT

    PUIG! man he’s fast

  39. Anonymous

    I know the Dodgers have had a great run. But they obviously gave up because they got down a few runs. Does that make sense?

  40. KT

    Gonzo!

  41. KT

    Way to move them up hanley!

  42. KT

    goodeye Hanley!

  43. KT

    Nice eye Dre!

  44. Anonymous

    Jays announcer saying after Hanley swung and missed a 3 – 1 pitch that was a slider in the dirt that he should have known a pitcher wasn’t going to throw him a fastball with with runners on second and third and him hitting .400.

  45. KT

    MELLIS!!!

  46. KT

    JH jr. gets on

  47. Never give up, never give up!

  48. Anonymous

    Is Marmol going to get a win?

  49. Anonymous

    Bad luck.

  50. KT

    He bobbled that throw…bad call

    • Anonymous

      The umpire was screened by both the runner and the catcher. He could have asked for helped from a fellow umpire with a better angle.

  51. Anonymous

    Two more innings in a hitters park with Dodgers bullpen in better shape than Jays’.

  52. KT

    FED!!!

  53. Anonymous

    OK, let’s get back to it.

  54. KT

    CC!

    Come on Yasiel

  55. KT

    Good Eye Yasiel

    • Anonymous

      His obp could climb sky high if he continues to take bad pitches

  56. Puig seems to be learning to take a walk.

  57. I’ve been off preparing dinner, looks like these guys may be able to withstand a Marmol sighting! And a League sighting!

  58. KT

    GONZO!!!!!

  59. Anonymous

    Okay, its League that gets the win instead of Marmol

  60. You gotta be kidding me.

  61. This is nuts! Off a lefty no less!

  62. KT

    DRE!!!!

  63. Anonymous

    I know the Dodgers are a force now.. But can they really intentionally give up a bunch of runs in the middle innings to showboat and win it late. It’s amazing and arrogant!! I hope we get away with it.

    • I don’t think that was the plan, though bringing in Marmol suggests it might be. But I’m sure Donnie would like his relievers to give up zero runs.

      • Anonymous

        Expecting it will happen and doing it intentionally are two different things.

  64. KT

    what a comeback…this team believes

    • Anonymous

      I am guessing that they can’t believe it either!

      • Anonymous

        Getting a win with Cappy starting and Marmol, League, and Belisario coming in back to back to back stretches believing.

  65. Anonymous

    If Marmol and Cappy had done well, would the Dodgers not have made any trades and now that they didn’t, will a trade more likely be made?

  66. KT

    @paulloduca16: It’s a firework show every night with this Dodger lineup

  67. foul tip

    At 43, is Oliver the oldest pitcher in the majors? Maybe oldest player?

  68. foul tip

    Four runs in at least one inning of about every game would send the Dodgers a long way, given the pitching.

  69. KT

    Insurance runs now

  70. Anonymous

    With Crim in the dugout, who is in charge in the pen?

  71. KT

    Ball Game, Dodgers win!!!!

    22-5 since 6/22

    5 game win streak after ASB

    5 games over .500

    3 games 33 runs

    No looking back!!!!

  72. Anonymous

    Are we smarter than the Jays. Never mind. Are we more talented—-maybe. Please end the game soon–guick–like now.—thank the lord–we win’

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