Kevin Gregg is Still Lou’s Man…for Now
Two straight blown saves are not enough to convince Lou Piniella that a change is needed at closer for the Cubs. So, for the time being, Kevin Gregg will remain the man in the 9th.
Of course, remember that, for a long time, Piniella refused to publicly consider jerking Alfonso Soriano from the lead-off spot. And what ended up happening?
The truth then was that, even as Lou denied he was planning to move Soriano in the order, he was contemplating that very thing. Lou just doesn’t like tipping his hand. And he understands baseball psychology. If you talk about changing a guy’s role, that guy will lose even more confidence, or press more, and then you will have no choice but to make the move.
Better to say everything is fine until you absolutely have no choice, and hope the guy can pull himself out of it.
So Gregg will continue getting 9th inning chances. Until Lou becomes truly fed-up and puts Carlos Marmol in there, or Angel Guzman, or Sean Marshall.
None of those guys are Mariano Rivera, by the way.