The second-guessers -- Phil Rogers, Jay Mariotti, Gordon Wittenmyer, Melissa Isaacson, Rick Morrissey, Mike Downey, Mike Imrem, and Barry Rozner (talk about group think) -- were out in full force this morning after the Cubs' 3-1 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS. All of them consider Lou Piniella's removal of Carlos Zambrano to start the seventh inning in favor of Carlos Marmol to have been the cause of the Cubs' loss.

The real cause, of course, was Brandon Webb's mastery of the Cubs' hitters, the particular angle of some line drives off Cubs' bats, and Marmol's inability to locate his pitches in the 7th inning. But not to the aforementioned writers, who have created a new Zambrano in their mind, some unstoppable force who would of course not allowed any runs going forward. Either that, or they just could not come up with another angle on this game.

In making their judgments, they ignore the information Piniella had to go on when he made the decision, namely, that Marmol is a better pitcher than Zambrano over a 1-2 inning stretch.

Rich Lederer of Baseball Analysts lists Carlos Marmol among his players who "have been among the most valuable players on their respective teams while earning at or near the minimum salary."

Many of us long for the day when a manager's management of the bullpen is not dictated by that nefarious of taskmasters: the save statistic. Since Cubs' closer Ryan Dempster has been injured following the game on June 22, Lou Piniella has been freed. The Cubs have won seven of eight since Dempster's oblique injury (in addition to the last game Dempster pitched in). Piniella initially announced that Bob Howry would be the closer in Dempster's absence, as the Chicago Tribune reported. During Dempster's absence, however, three different relievers have notched saves -- Howry (2), lefty Will Ohman (1), and bullet-throwing Carlos Marmol (1).

Read more below the fold.

As expected, Mike Fontenot's (now third) stay with the big league club was short. After two at-bats, the Cubs sent him back down to AAA Iowa in favor of a 7th reliever, this time Carlos Marmol.

Baseball America's Jim Callis discusses the Cubs' eight rookie starting pitchers this year in his latest "Ask BA" column. (Hat tip: Chicago Cubs Minor League Baseball.) He says Rich Hill (5-2, 3.05 ERA, 52/19 K/BB ratio, in 59 innings since the All-Star break) is the only "lock" to be in the 2007 starting rotation. Read the rest. Luke Jasenosky and Derek Smart also have praise for Hill.