If Jason Marquis really would like a trade and if Sean Marshall really would like to be in a major-league rotation, they had the perfect showcase Thursday when the Cubs beat San Diego.
“Somebody told me there were 48 scouts here,” manager Lou Piniella said. “That’s a ton of scouts, isn’t it?
“We’re probably one of the few teams that has a little excess of experienced major-league pitching and some good young arms, so it doesn’t surprise me. We’ll see where that leads, if at all.”
The Cubs have seven starting pitchers battling for five spots. Marquis, who threw four scoreless innings, and Marshall, who gave up one earned run in three innings, are two of those on the bubble for the last slot.
Marquis caused a stir earlier in camp by saying he would like to be traded if he couldn’t start.
“I don’t see competition with my teammates,” he said Thursday after lowering his spring ERA to 2.00. “I compete with hitters in the box. I compete with myself trying to get better on a daily basis. For the coaching staff to decide it’s a competition, that’s their take on it. I take it as we’re a team trying for the same goal.”
Closer watch
In the statistics-can-be-deceiving category, closer candidate Carlos Marmol has not allowed a run in five spring innings but gave up one hit and two walks Thursday.
“He has had a little trouble working under the ball this spring,” Piniella said. “He has such good stuff he gets away with it. But he’s not commanding his fastball very well.
“I don’t know if it’s the competition for the job or what. I wouldn’t think so.”
Lots of Hart
After putting up a 0.82 ERA and making the postseason roster last year, Kevin Hart has continued to impress Piniella with a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 spring innings.
“He has started to separate himself from the rest of the pitchers in [long relief],” Piniella said. “He has looked comfortable. He’s throwing the ball well. He knows how to pitch. He was one of the kids we really wanted to take a look at in spring training, and he has done quite well.
“I would think he’ll fit in really nice in the middle part of our pitching staff.”
No new wave
Piniella was talking about the importance of the eighth spot in the lineup and used the examples of the Cardinals’ Tony La Russa and Milwaukee’s Ned Yost batting the pitcher there.
“Thank God I haven’t been hit with those questions here,” Piniella said.
Which, of course, prompted the question.
“We’ll just leave the pitcher right where he’s at, and we’ll let Tony and Ned do what they want,” Piniella said. “I like it the conventional way.”
Extra innings
Center fielder Felix Pie is not expected to play again until Sunday, almost a week after surgery to repair a twisted testicle. “He probably could go Saturday [in Tucson], but we don’t want him sitting on the bus for two hours,” Piniella said. … The 71 new CBOE seats along the Wrigley Field third base line were auctioned for between $197 and $400 per seat. … The Cubs played before their fourth sellout crowd of the spring Thursday at HoHoKam Park.
