img src=”http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2009/03/30/gK6FGflz.jpg” alt=”Cubs reliever lost the closer#039;s competition to Gregg on Sunday” hspace=”5″ vspace=”5″ align=”left” /
SURPRISE, Ariz. — On Monday, Carlos Marmol looked like the setup pitcher who was named to the National League All-Star team.
The Cubs right-hander, told Sunday he had lost the closer#039;s job to Kevin Gregg, struck out two in one inning against the Kansas City Royals. Marmol was disappointed to not be tabbed the closer. He talked to Cubs manager Lou Piniella before the game.
quot;He said to forget about it,quot; Marmol said of his conversation. quot;[He said], #039;Go out and pitch,#039; and do what I know how to do, that#039;s all. That#039;s what I need to do.quot;
So, Marmol felt the competition was fair?
quot;Of course, there#039;s no competition,quot; Marmol said. quot;We#039;re teammates. I#039;m not going to be an enemy with [Gregg].quot;
This spring, Gregg has not given up a run in 8 1/3 innings, while Marmol has been charged with four in nine innings and also hit five batters.
quot;It was all about competition, that I can tell you,quot; Piniella said. quot;I#039;ve said all along that either way we went, we#039;d be making the right choice.
quot;I#039;m sure he#039;s disappointed, or he is disappointed,quot; Piniella said. quot;He needs to get over it and pitch and help us win baseball games. I know he will. He#039;s a good young man and he competes well, and today he#039;ll get the ball and we#039;ll go from there.quot;
quot;Everything#039;s good,quot; Marmol said. quot;I#039;m going to go out there and pitch and do the best I can and we#039;ll see what happens down the road.quot;
Not many setup pitchers make the All-Star team, which Marmol did last year.
quot;How about if I make it this year?quot; Marmol said, smiling.
The only decisions the Cubs still have to make are to pick two relievers out of five still in camp. The pool includes Chad Gaudin, Angel Guzman, Chad Fox, Jeff Samardzija and David Patton. The five relievers who are set are Gregg, Marmol, Aaron Heilman, Luis Vizcaino and Neal Cotts.
quot;We were hoping to have our roster finalized by the time we go to New York on Thursday,quot; Piniella said. quot;Position player-wise, we#039;re there. Pitching-wise, not yet.quot;
Guzman gave up two runs — one earned — on three hits in 1 1/3 innings Monday and has an 8.71 ERA, while Samardzija gave up one unearned run on two hits and struck out three in 1 1/3 innings. He has an 8.16 ERA. Patton was to pitch Tuesday.
The Cubs#039; rotation is set. Rich Harden, slotted into the No. 4 spot, made his final Arizona start on Monday, giving up five runs on four hits, including three home runs against the Royals.
quot;It wasn#039;t the exact result I wanted,quot; Harden said, quot;but it#039;s Spring Training and that#039;s what it#039;s for — to fine-tune some things.quot;
This was Harden#039;s first Cactus League start after being sidelined by food poisoning.
quot;I definitely can take some good stuff out of this,quot; Harden said. quot;I#039;m feeing good, feeling strong. I#039;ve got another start, and we#039;ll go out there and get a little more comfortable. It#039;ll be nice being at Yankee Stadium and being in a big game like that. I#039;ll be ready to go.quot;
Harden#039;s last preseason tuneup will be Saturday at the Yankees#039; new stadium. There will be more adrenaline as well as more than the 8,859 fans in Surprise.
quot;My first couple Spring Trainings as a young kid, I#039;d still get up for these starts and try to throw the ball as hard as I could,quot; Harden said. quot;Now it#039;s more about getting your work in and working on things.quot;