[mofome]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseb...-cub14.article

MESA, Ariz. -- Who says spring training games don't count?

On the day Cubs pitchers and catchers reported for camp, manager Lou Piniella stressed the importance of the March exhibition schedule in the team's efforts to get off to a strong start in April, something it failed to do last year.

And just as important are the answers those games will provide to the relatively few questions facing Piniella and his staff in their second Cubs spring -- specifically, how a three-man battle for the closer job will play out and whether former closer Ryan Dempster's move to the rotation will be successful.

The only thing that seems a lock as the first official workout gets under way today is that Piniella has no intention of resurrecting the ''Nasty Boys'' closer job-share program he employed with the World Series champion Cincinnati Reds in 1990.

''We'll have one guy,'' he said Wednesday. ''By the end of spring training, no question. Probably three-quarters of the way through spring training, we'll have one guy. We've got people here that are very capable of getting it done.''

That includes the guy who has done it the last three years. And Piniella didn't rule out the possibility that Dempster could return to the closer role if he can't win a spot in the rotation.

After Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill, Dempster joins as many as four others in a battle for two starting slots: Jason Marquis, Jon Lieber, Sean Marshall and possibly Kevin Hart.

''We've got plenty of time to figure that out,'' said Piniella, downplaying the differences between spring prep work for starters and relievers. ''The Boston situation last year showed us that in spring training. [Jonathan] Papelbon was slated to be a starter and ended up in the closer's role and did a pretty good job.

''I don't know what's going to happen with that situation, but I do know that if Dempster ends up in the rotation, we're going to have a good closing situation here. And if he doesn't, he did a heck of a job for us in the closing spot last year. So it's a win-win for us.''

As for the three closer candidates going in, Piniella said veteran setup man Bob Howry ''in my mind can close, there's no question,'' and that both Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood have the ''electric'' stuff to do it, with Wood needing only to show enough durability to pitch three or four days in a row.

Beyond the closer job and the final spots in the rotation, only the two-man fight in center field between Felix Pie and rookie Sam Fuld (who's already in camp) needs to be decided as the roster stands.

If the closer issue seems like the big concern in camp, Dempster, for one, sees strength in the numbers.

''It's a pretty fortunate situation to be in, instead of sitting there having your arms up in the air wondering who's going to close because you don't know who can do it,'' he said. ''We've got a bunch of really big competitors down there with great stuff who are capable of doing the job.''

Marmol setting up Wood most likely. that would make the cubs pretty tough.

[clonecat]

Marmol's their best so I would keep him as a setup person as he can work out of situations with runners on much better than Wood or Dempster.

[Willie Bee]

Are they still going to try and deal Marshall in a swap for Roberts in Baltimore? That would really put some pressure on Dempster to succeed as a starter (or pushes Lieber into that 5-hole).

I've really never liked the 'single closer' idea anyway. First, there is a financial concern; you are going to pay a guy who has back-to-back 35+ saves seasons way too much in my opinion. Secondly is the competition that a committee of closers would be having on a daily basis trying to nail the job down just for themselves.

Perhaps Sweet Lou will use a committee this year, or at least start off in that manner until someone earns the job.

[5 star bomb]

Its more like Wood, Howry, or Marmol. Demp wont be the closer I highly doubt it. Might do some long relief if he doesnt get into the starting rotation. Marmol is the best reliever so were going to be using him for tight spots in the 7th/8th. If Wood can handle the role I think hes going to get the first chance at closing. If not it could go to Howry. If all else fails I guess they could throw Demp back there again who knows. Either way though I like the bullpen a lot overall. It will all work itself out