Cubs Closer Competition

Going into spring training last year the Cubs had a three-way competition for who would be the closer. Bob Howry, Carlos Marmol, and Kerry Wood all were considered, and Wood came into the season as the closer. That decision seemed obvious from the beginning, Marmol was needed to put out fires earlier in the game, and Howry couldn't be trusted to do anything.
This season Marmol comes in as the favorite to be the closer, but yet again Lou Pinella will have somebody to compete with him, recently acquired former Marlins closer Kevin Gregg.
At first glance it would seem that Marmol is the obvious choice, he had a 2.68 ERA last year with 114 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings. He got 7 saves filling in when Wood got hurt last year. Gregg did close games for the Marlins, with 29 saves and a 3.41 ERA, but he has low strikeout numbers and a high walk total. Pinella has a decision to make, go with the veteran who has shown some ability to get the job done before, or take the young not as proven player with the electric stuff. Both will be able to get the job done, I have no doubt about that, and because of that I think Gregg should be used in the ninth.
Marmol is way too valuable to be tied down to the ninth inning. When Luis Vizcaino loads the bases in the seventh I don't want Gregg coming in and walking guys, I want Marmol to come in and blow people away with his slider. Marmol has a ton more value right now as a setup man than he does as a closer. In the long run, Gregg may blow a save or two more than Marmol, but Marmol will get out of way more seventh and eighth inning jams than Gregg will.
When it comes down to the playoffs, Marmol can be used in the ninth if Pinella wants, but for the 162 game season that makes sure there are playoff games, Marmol is needed to put out fires, Gregg can get the last three outs of the game.