Ryan Dempster has been the Cubs’ second best starting pitcher so far this season. After years of relieving, Dempster has really excelled this season in the rotation. Dempster has started 6 games for the Cubs this season and he is 4-0 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Dempster needs to sharpen his control as he has walked 19 batters in 37 innings this season and that needs to change if he is to remain effective. He has only allowed 22 hits in 37 innings this season and that is why the walks haven’t hurt him yet but his stuff isn’t good enough to keep missing bats like he is right now.

Kerry Wood is only 4 of 7 converting saves and when he blows them they are usually in spectacular fashion! Wood has pitched in 14 games this season for the Cubs and he is 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Wood better start getting more consistent in his performance or he will likely lose the closer’s job to Carlos Marmol. Marmol has some of the nastiest stuff in the majors and he would be a dominant closer as long as he can handle the pressure. Marmol has pitched in 15 games for the Cubs so far this season and he is 0-0 with 2 saves, a 1.42 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP. Marmol has whiffed 27 batters in only 19 innings and he has only allowed 9 hits as batters often appear hopeless against him. The Cubs should probably flip Marmol and Wood’s roles soon for the betterment of the team.

I remember all of the hype going around about Mark Prior and Kerry Wood when they younger but Carlos Zambrano emerged in their shadows to turn into the anchor that the Cubs really needed. Now that he’s got the big money, he can relax and get back to being the outstanding pitcher that he is. Zambrano has pitched in 201 games (180 starts) for the Cubs in his career and he’s 82-55 with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He has worked 1193.1 innings for the Cubs and he’s allowed only 986 hits, walked 548 batters and whiffed 1,042. The only thing I can see that Zambrano could improve on is his control. If he cuts down on his walks a little bit he would definately win a Cy Young Award.

The Cubs needed help in the middle of their bullpen when the season started and Carlos Marmol came out of nowhere to dominate in that role.  Marmol has worked in 55 games this season and he is 5-1 with 1 save, a 1.25 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.  In 64.2 innings he has allowed only 38 hits, walked 33 batters and whiffed 89.  The scary thing about Marmol is that he could be even better if he tightens up his control a little bit.  The Cubs are now deadlocked with the Brewers for first place in the National League Central with a 79-73 record.  The Cubs must win the division to make the playoffs as they are 5 games behind the Padres for the Wild Card.

Carlos Marmol has come out of nowhere and he has given the bullpen a huge boost.  He has cut down on his walks and he’s been aggressive in the strike zone and that is the reason for his success so far this season.  Marmol is 2-0 with 1 save, a 0.96 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP this season.  Marmol has only allowed 18 hits and whiffed 40 hitters in 28 innings this season.  Carlos Zambrano started the season poorly but he has been outstanding lately and his overall numbers don’t look too bad.  He is 10-7 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP so far this season.  Look for Zambrano to dominate in the 2nd half of the season without Michael Barrett around.  Many thought the Cubs wasted their money when they signed Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis as free agents but they have both proved their critics wrong so far this season.  Lilly is 8-4 with a 3.67 ERA and Marquis is 6-5 with a 3.67 ERA.  If both of those guys pitch like that in the 2nd half the Cubs will probably make the playoffs.  The kid lefties at the back end of the rotation have also done their part this season.  Sean Marshall is 4-3 with a 3.48 ERA and Rich Hill is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA.  Look for Marshall and Hill to be good in the 2nd half of the season as they both have outstanding stuff.