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Carlos Marmol won't be handed job as Cubs' closer

Piniella not ready to hand final inning to Marmol just yet

By Paul Sullivan | Tribune reporter

8:44 PM CST, February 8, 2009

After losing to Kerry Wood last March in the three-way race for the Cubs closer's job, Carlos Marmol is ready to take over in 2009.

"I'd love to," Marmol said. "I've always said before I want to be a closer one day, and now I think I've got it."

Well, not quite.

Marmol says he's ready to close, Cubs fans are seemingly ready for Marmol and pitching coach Larry Rothschild appears comfortable with the idea, but nothing will be handed to the 26-year-old right-hander.

Manager Lou Piniella conceded that Marmol had "earned" the job, but he also believes former Marlins closer Kevin Gregg should be given every opportunity to prove he's the man.

"Let 'em compete," Piniella said.

The competition will begin in earnest next weekend after Cubs pitchers and catchers report to camp Friday in Mesa, Ariz. But how the two will be judged remains unknown.

Earned-run averages are virtually meaningless in spring games, and save opportunities are few and far between, since most closers are used during the early innings so they can face established hitters.

Marmol will have to compete for the job while also pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, dealing with pressure situations in significant games. When Marmol began pitching in the Dominican's winter league playoffs in late January, Peter Gammons wondered in his ESPN.com blog why the Cubs would let their would-be closer get on such a roller-coaster schedule.

"Marmol is heating up in January while pitching in the Dominican league playoffs," Gammons wrote. "Then he's going to go to spring training and slow it down, then turn it up again in the WBC, return to spring training and slow it down, then head north and be expected to be a shut-down closer beginning on Opening Day.

"Start. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. And there is a full season ahead."

Marmol didn't pitch for the Dominican in the Caribbean World Series last week in Mexico and is expected to report to camp with Cubs pitchers and catchers before leaving to prepare for the WBC.

The Cubs already know how important it is to keep him rested, as Marmol slumped before the All-Star break after a heavy first-half workload. He posted a 7.36 ERA in June but rebounded after a successful All-Star Game appearance with a 1.29 second-half ERA.

Meanwhile, Gregg's health will be monitored closely since he's returning from a torn tendon in his left knee. He probably won't pitch in late-inning situations in Cactus League games until the final week or so, based on Piniella's game plan last spring, when the derby involved Wood, Marmol and the departed Bob Howry.

Gregg, whose arrival in November was overshadowed by the Cubs' announcement that Wood was not returning, said he's fine competing with Marmol. Closing in front of packed houses at Wrigley Field will carry a much higher degree of difficulty than closing for the Marlins with nobody in the ballpark, though Gregg is unfazed.

"Yeah, there's pressure that comes from the outside, from the fans and the media and the organization, but that's nothing compared to the pressure that's put on the individual by himself," he said.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself, no matter if it's a high school game or Wrigley or anywhere else. I'm excited about it, and I've had some good games in this stadium the last few years."

psullivan@tribune.com

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Carlos Marmol won't be handed job as Cubs' closer

Piniella not ready to hand final inning to Marmol just yet

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