Kevin Gregg

Many of the so called experts predicted the Toronto Blue Jays to end up in the cellar in the AL East.

So far, this hasn't happened as the Blue Jays have stayed within striking distance in the AL east, and currently own the AL's third best record.

How have they done this you may ask? Well, it is simple. They currently lead the league in home runs and the pitching staff has stepped up and pitched pretty consistently.

If nothing else, the 2010 edition of the Toronto Blue Jays may be the most exciting team in Baseball.

Off to their second best start in 15 years, this year the team isn't using smoke and mirrors or benefiting from mediocre play from the Yankees and Red Sox.

They are literally HAMMERING their way to a 25-17 record—good enough for third in the AL East and a mere one game behind the Yankees for the AL Wild Card.

With power arms and even more powerful bats, this team is starting to make the rest of the league take notice.

Can the Blue Jays maintain this torrid pace?

As this season warms up, the Blue Jays are slowly succumbing to the heat. That, temperature puns aside, was pretty much how this season was supposed to play out.

Low attendance numbers suggest that everyone and their pessimistic mothers knew that the Jays wouldn't compete (you bunch of know-it-alls).

Roy Halladay is weaving together his masterpieces in the City of Brotherly Love, and  Cito Gaston agreed to run the team only as an acknowledged placeholder. People are taking their cues from the attitude this team gives off.

Game No. 17 of 162 in Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ summer-long journey featured a revived Jose Reyes and an impressive pitching performance from this week’s hottest pickup: Mike Pelfrey .

Game No. 17 – Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

With Matt Capps seemingly on his way to the Nationals and the Cubs still in need of a right handed set-up man at the back of their bullpen, I ask, why not turn to an all too familiar face in Kevin Gregg?

Let me start out by saying I am a Cubs fan, and this suggestion is in no way meant as ill will towards the North Siders.

Simply put, Kevin Gregg is not a closer, at least not in large market such as Chicago where each outing is put under a microscope. While he was seemingly unable to take the pressure of the ninth inning, he is in no way a bad pitcher.

As the 2009 season progresses, there are plenty of issues on the minds of not only the Cubs organization, but also Cubs fans alike.

The high-powered offense of last year—the same offense that was supposed to thrust the team into this year—has been eerily quiet. The talented pitching rotation that made so many strides last year has been marginally acceptable this year, and the bullpen that was touted as one of the best a year ago has yet to separate itself from the average.

It's only been a week, but six games into the season the Chicago Cubs' Achilles heel thus far has unquestionably been the bullpen.

Going into 2009, there were many question marks for Chicago, including the durability of key players such as Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano, infield depth, and, of course, the bullpen.

The current problem with the bullpen situation is that it's not just one or two guys who are underachieving, it's virtually everyone.

For everyone who picked Marmol in fantasy, the answer whether Marmol would be the closer is answered.  He will remain the setup man.

Kevin Gregg has been a monster during spring training, not allowing a single run.  Marmol on the other hand has struggled, having an ERA of 4.50.  What hurt Marmol was that he played in the WBC, while Gregg stayed and put out the show of his life. 

On Sunday afternoon, the Chicago Tribune reported that Lou Piniella has named Kevin Gregg as the closer for 2009.

For two years, Marmol has been lights out in the setup role and looked like a shoo-in for the Cubs closer role in the future. Kevin Gregg, on the other hand, has pitched well, but doesn't have nearly the talent that Marmol has.

Most people are surprised with this decision, as the closer battle in Spring Training seemed more like a token contest rather than an actual competition for the role.