Inside look at Cubs' new-look, rebuilt bullpen

PHOENIX - The Cubs' bullpen essentially has been rebuilt.

Gone are Kerry Wood, Michael Wuertz, Bob Howry, Scott Eyre and various bit players such as Jon Lieber.

Here are Kevin Gregg, Aaron Heilman, Luis Vizcaino and David Patton. The bit players this spring include Chad Fox (again), Mike Stanton and Jason Waddell.

"I think the situation is about the same as last year," manager Lou Piniella said Monday of the overall picture, if not the personnel.

"Last year at this time we made the decision on Woody (being the closer), on Marmol and Howry as our setup guys. We had Scotty Eyre as our lefty. When you look at it and put it in perspective, it's changed quite a bit from last year.

"I thought coming into spring training that (the bullpen) would be our most important situation to work on, and we're starting to put the pieces together. I do feel that we have the pieces in camp. It's just a question of which way we go to have a really, really good bullpen."

The bullpen has been an obsession with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, from the minute he signed Mike Remlinger in 2002 through the LaTroy Hawkins experience, through the stays of Kent Mercker and Mark Guthrie and up to today.

With the end of spring training now in sight, the current bullpen has taken shape, but it's far from a finished product.

Let's break it down:

Kevin Gregg: Monday, he made his eighth official appearance of the spring (ninth if you include a WBC exhibition), and he still hasn't given up a run.

He looks to be the front-runner for the closer's job.

Carlos Marmol: As bad as he has looked at times, with 4 hit batters, he has given up only 4 hits in 7 innings, with 9 strikeouts. It wouldn't be the worst thing for the Cubs to make him their top setup man and for Piniella to sell him on how important that role has become.

Aaron Heilman: He has pitched well all spring (1.84 ERA) but lost out to Sean Marshall for the fifth-starter spot. He's the seventh-inning guy, and if he gets into trouble, Marmol can bail him out and work 1-plus innings on some days.

Neal Cotts: The quiet man from downstate Illinois had a nice quiet spring going until getting only one out in Monday's ninth inning and giving up 3 runs in the Cubs' 20-5 victory over the Athletics. He's the lone lefty in the bullpen.

Chad Gaudin/Luis Vizcaino: Gaudin will start Tuesday's game against the Rockies, but he's slated for bullpen duty. Neither Gaudin nor Vizcaino has had a great spring, and ideally, the Cubs would trade one to make room for a younger pitcher making less money.

Gaudin has $2 million coming, and the Cubs are on the hook for a total of $4 million (including a buyout) for Vizcaino.

Jeff Samardzija: Maybe the most intriguing pitcher on the staff, Samardzija is in the bullpen mix, but he's not guaranteed a job after losing out in the fifth-starter derby.

He could grab the last spot and help out in the sixth and seventh inning with his plus fastball and splitter, or the Cubs could send him to Class AAA Iowa to start and develop his slider and changeup.

Angel Guzman: This longtime can't-miss prospect is out of minor-league options. He has pitched better in recent outings, thanks to some tweaking by pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

"He worked with Larry about 10 days ago," Piniella said. "And Larry got him to stop flying open and work on a downward plane, and he's been better. He's thrust himself back into this thing."

Other teams have interest in Guzman. This will go down to the end of spring training.

David Patton: The Rule 5 pick has done nothing to make the Cubs do anything but want to keep him. He walked his first batter of the spring Monday. He has 10 strikeouts in 82/3 innings. This could be a last-day decision.

Kevin Hart: Piniella says he's still looking for a long man. Hart has done that. he also may get squeezed in a numbers game.

The rest: Jose Ascanio started out great but has given up 8 runs in his last 2 outings. Veterans Mike Stanton and Chad Fox don't look to be in the picture.

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