Lou Piniella apparently has gotten tired of holding that second shoe, since he's been keeping it aloft all spring. Based solely on spring performances, it was clear that Kevin Gregg had done enough to win the closer's job in Chicago. For one thing, he was there in front of the manager's eyes, throwing 8 1/3 shutout innings in nine appearances for the Cubs, while Carlos Marmol struggled for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Still, Piniella declined to give Gregg the job outright, continuing to hold out hope that Marmol would come around. Finally, though, on Sunday, Piniella made the call we all expected, as the Chicago Tribune reports that Gregg has been named the Cubs' closer.

Marmol certainly has struggled this spring, with a 4.50 ERA and five hit batters in eight innings with the Cubs. However, Piniella definitely had reason to be confident in Marmol. He had a 2.68 ERA in 82 appearances for the Cubs last season, including seven saves to go along with 114 strikeouts. He was also incredibly effective against the first batter he faced, a key asset for any potential closer. The combined on-base percentage for the first hitter to face Marmol in a game for the season was a mere .185.

Now Gregg has saved 61 games over the past two seasons, but that was in Florida, and it's always difficult to expect a manager to have confidence in a pitcher he hasn't seen day in, day out. That's why the hesitation to name him the closer wasn't surprising. And there is some reason for concern. Gregg's OBP for the first batter to face him last season was .278 and he isn't exactly a strikeout machine, with only 58 K's in 68 1/3 innings in 2008.

Still, Gregg has the closer's job for the time being and Marmol does not, meaning that Marmol's current place as the No. 12 overall relief pitcher (ADP: 123.4) is due for a huge and immediate decline. Likewise, Gregg should find himself far higher than No. 31 (ADP: 219.3) very quickly. But remember, folks, that it isn't even April yet, and the tide can change very quickly. If you've already drafted Marmol, there's no need to throw him back into the free-agent pool just yet. He may well end up the Cubs' closer at some point this season, and could find himself reaching double digits in saves even if Gregg has a lot of success in the position.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, Brandon Morrow told the Seattle Times that he is the team's closer; today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future. Now the team and manager Don Wakamatsu have yet to confirm this bit of breaking news, but the fact the Mariners released closer candidate Tyler Walker certainly doesn't do anything to contradict Morrow's view. Morrow said a permanent move to the pen, and away from a potential spot in the starting rotation, was his idea. "Once they traded J.J., I thought, I kept going back and forth and back and forth,'' he told the Seattle Times. "Two or three weeks before I came to them with it, it's really kind of been just weighing on me. I just felt like a big relief when I went back to the bullpen because I feel that's like my home now. I've been there two years and I don't know if I could go back.'' This news, if it proves to be true, will certainly benefit the likes of Ryan Rowland-Smith, who will probably get the starter's spot many felt belonged to Morrow and effectively kills any fantasy value that relievers Miguel Batista, Roy Corcoran, or the injured Chad Cordero might have had. After all, if the Mariners go with Brandon today, come the summer, they're certainly going to continue to go to Morrow.