CUBS, RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER CARLOS MARMOL AGREE TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

Thursday, February 4, 2010

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs and right-handed pitcher Carlos Marmol have agreed to terms on a 2010 contract, thus avoiding salary arbitration. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Marmol, 27, went 2-4 with 15 saves and a 3.41 ERA (28 ER/74.0 IP) in 79 relief appearances for the Cubs last season. He led the club with 27 holds despite moving into the closer’s role August 18, as Marmol then went 11-for-11 in save opportunities from that point through the end of the season. He limited opponents to a .170 batting average (43-for-253), third lowest among qualifying major league relievers, and surrendered only two home runs in 74.0 innings of work.

The righthander has made 161 relief appearances since the start of the 2008 campaign, second-most in the majors behind Pedro Feliciano (174). Marmol’s 73 holds in his career tie him with Kyle Farnsworth for the most in franchise history.

In all or part of four major league seasons with the Cubs (2006-09), Marmol is 14-16 with 23 saves, 73 holds and a 3.42 ERA (117 ER/307.2 IP) in 239 major league appearances, including 13 starts.