Marmol leaving Cubs for country

Carlos Marmol, who originally opted out of pitching in the World Baseball Classic, will now go ahead and pitch for his native Dominican Republic. Marmol is doing so despite battling Kevin Gregg for the Cubs closer role.

"I said, 'Look, it's always an honor to represent your country,'" Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We're not here to make decisions for you. If you feel you want to go, it's the right thing to do. Like I told everybody else, be careful, and I wished him well.

"He's told me three different times he's going, and three different times he's not going. I'm more confused than he is."

Piniella also told Marmol not to worry about the Cubs' job.

"I told him it's not going to make any difference closing-wise," Piniella said. "I said, 'We're going to still let you all compete when you get back,' and that's the end of it. I hope he pitches well and he's happy with that, and so am I."

Sounds like a good deal for Marmol. The Cubs sound like an understanding team, and with seven weeks of spring training this year they'll get plenty of looks at both Marmol and Gregg. Now they have to hope Marmol is ready to go full bore at such an early time of year.