Trying to Remember Shaun Marcum Objectively

As strange as it seems, Shaun Marcum has most likely thrown his last pitch with the Brewers. The right-hander made his last scheduled start of the season Monday night, allowing a pair of runs in six innings and striking out two. A couple weeks after the end of the World Series, he will become a free agent, and the Brewers – at least publicly – have shown absolutely no interest in retaining his services. Marcum will leave Milwaukee with two seasons and 325 innings accumulated there since he was traded from Toronto in December 2010. To refer to his “legacy” might be a charitable use of the term, but mentioning Marcum’s name in the years to come should be an easy way to spark a spirited debate – the sharp dichotomy of the opinions surrounding him is almost bizarre. On one hand, Marcum has been a good midrotation starter for the past two years, and was absolutely vital to their success over that time. As a Brewer, Marcum has averaged over 160 innings per year with an ERA of 3.61. H...