Cincinnati Reds sign Carlos Marmol
Struggling reliever Carlos Marmol wasn’t without a home for long, as the Cincinnati Reds have signed the right-handed reliever to a minor league contract.
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The once impressive Marmol has had a career implosion over the past several seasons, bouncing from the Chicago Cubs, to the Dodgers, and finally the Miami Marlins, before being released on May 19th.
Marmol saved 107 games over four seasons for the Cubs, before his career went downhill. He was also named to the 2008 National League All-Star team, prior to being named the team’s closer. Marmol had a 8.10 ERA, while allowing almost two baserunners per inning on average in 15 appearances for the Miami Marlins this season. On May 11th, the Marlins designated Marmol for assignment.
The Cincinnati Reds are starving for bullpen help, as mainstay Alfredo Simon was forced to the rotation to replace the injured Mat Latos. Also, Logan Ondrusek, JJ Hoover, Manny Parra and Sean Marshall have under-performed for the team, turning one of their greatest traditional strengths into a glaring weakness.
Cincinnati has had a good track record of rehabilitating the careers of de-railed relief pitchers, as Alfredo Simon, Manny Parra, Zach Duke, and Jose Arredondo all experienced success in Cincinnati after being tossed to the curb by their previous teams.
The Reds are also in need of help in their farm system, as most of their prospects were traded in order to acquire Major League talent. The team’s Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats, have an average age higher than that of the Reds’ MLB club.