Sean Marshall

Infobox MLB player
name = Sean Marshall

---

width = 250
caption =
team = Chicago Cubs
number = 45
position = Pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1982|8|30
birthplace = city-state|Richmond|Virginia
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = April 9
debutyear = 2006
debutteam = Chicago Cubs
statyear = September 30, 2008
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 16-22
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 4.62
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 202
teams =
*Chicago Cubs (by|2006-present)

Sean Christopher COOLCAT Marshall (born August 30, 1982 in Richmond, Virginia) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. After three minor league seasons, Marshall was added to the Cubs 40-man roster in November, by|2005.

Marshall graduated from Manchester High School in Midlothian, Virginia, in 2000. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University, and was drafted by the Cubs in the sixth round of the by|2003 Major League Baseball Draft. Marshall spent three years in the minor leagues before being promoted to play with the Cubs, and had 24 starts in his rookie season in by|2006. Marshall started the by|2007 season on the disabled list, but returned to the Cubs rotation in mid-May.

Marshall's twin brother Brian also plays baseball, and was taken in the fifth round of the same draft by the Boston Red Sox.

Minor league career

Sean was drafted by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 2003 amateur draft after pitching for three seasons at VCU including a junior season where he went 7-2 with a 2.61 ERA recording 95 strikeouts in 86.1 innings. Sean signed with the Cubs on June 7, 2003, and was assigned to the Single-A Boise Hawks. Marshall was moved up a level each successive season, pitching in AA in by|2004 and AAA in 2005. In 2006, Marshall spent the majority of the season with the major league team after starting the season at AAA. The following season he started in the minors, but as part of a rehab program healing from an arm injury.

=Stats [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Sean-Marshall.shtml Sean Marshall] , thebaseballcube.com , Retrieved on June 6, 2007] =

Major League Career

2006 Season

He made his major league debut against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 9, 2006, earning a no-decision [Seligman, Andrew, [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260409116 Chi Cubs 8, St. Louis 4] , Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on May 23, 2007] . In that game, he yielded a two-run homer to Scott Rolen in the first inning before settling down to pitch solidly for 4+ innings. The Cubs trailed 4-3 in the late innings, but rallied to win on a Michael Barrett grand slam in the eighth inning. He earned his first major league win on April 14, 2006, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. [Robinson, Alan , [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260414123 Chi Cubs 11, Pittsburgh 6] , Yahoo! Sports , Retrieved on June 6, 2007] Sean indicated his pleasure with the start. Marshall stayed in the starting rotation for the first half of the year before suffering a strained left side muscle [Fendrich, Howard, [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260722120 Washington 7, Chi Cubs 3] , Yahoo! Sports , Retrieved on June 6, 2007] . Marshall left the rotation after a July 16 crushing loss in which he gave up a grand slam in one inning, blowing a 5-2 lead in the 6th inning against the New York Mets. [Muskat, Carrie, [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20060716&content_id=1560691&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb A grand Mets endeavor] , MLB.com , Retrieved on April 3, 2008] In nineteen starts, Sean posted a 5-8 record with a 4.98 ERA. On September 2, Marshall returned to the Cubs rotation, but posted a loss against the San Francisco Giants. During the game, Sean gave up career home run #728 to Barry Bonds in Chicago. [Gano, Rick, [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260902116 San Francisco 4, Chi Cubs 2] , Yahoo! Sports , Retrieved on June 6, 2007] In his remaining four starts, Marshall struggled, and completed six innings only once.

2007 Season

Marshall was fighting for the 5th starting pitcher spot for the 2007 Chicago Cubs organization. After rehabbing from sore shoulder he started the season in Des Moines Iowa with the AAA Iowa Cubs. On May 22, Marshall was promoted to the Cubs starting rotation by manager Lou Piniella replacing Angel Guzman. [Sullivan,Paul, [http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-070522cubsbits,1,4871807.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines&prov=ap Piniella on closer fiasco: My bad] , Chicago Tribune, Retrieved on May 31,2007] Marshall struggled to get run support in his first two starts and fell to 0-2. On June 3, 2007, he claimed his first win of 2007 by matching a career high 8 strikeouts by leading the Cubs to a 10-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. [Selidman, Andrew, [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=Ag0yGOMlq74U6SVKSxEC_PQR0bYF?gid=270603116&prov=apChi Cubs 10, Atlanta 1] , Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on June 3, 2007.]

Marshall extended his string of quality starts with two additional wins against the Atlanta Braves and the Seattle Mariners, improving his record to 3-2. On June 13, 2007, Marshall pitched eight innings against Seattle, giving up seven hits and only two earned runs. He expressed his enthusiasm after the game.

Marshall continued his strong June, and was 4-0 with a 2.32 ERA, but was dealt a loss on June 30 by the Milwaukee Brewers lasting just two innings and giving up seven runs [Gano, Rick, [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270630116 Milwaukee 13, Chi Cubs 4] , Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on August 9, 2007] . In July, Marshall continued pitching well, giving up only six runs in his four starts; however, the Cubs did not provide much run support as he only gained one victory during the span [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7718 Sean Marshall Bio] , Yahoo! Sports, Retrieved on August 9, 2007] .

2008 Season

In spring training in 2008, Marshall led the majors in wild pitches, with 5 in 14.2 innings. [http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?teamPosCode=all&statType=2&statSet2=2&timeFrame=1&c_id=mlb&section2=1&subScope=pos&sitSplit=&venueID=&baseballScope=mlb&timeSubFrame=23&&sortByStat=WP] Marshall was not called up to the Cubs at the start of the season, however on April 9 he was recalled. That day, he collected his first major league save in a 15 inning Cubs victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On June 24 Mashall pitched against the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched 4.2 inings gave up 7 hits 4 runs 1 walk but struck out 7.

MLB Stats

"Current as of August 8, 2008."

References

External links

* [http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=445156 MLB.com Profile]
* [http://www.marshallfans.com Fansite]