This story originally ran in Hometown 9 on April 4, 2008.

By Nick Tavares

Only two games into this 2008 season, Diamondbacks fans are questioning the logic of plugging Brandon Lyon in the closer's role ahead of young gun Tony Pena. Both excelled in setting up Jose Valverde last season, but with Papa Grande shipped off to Houston, one of the two had to step up.

Lyon had the benefit of past experience in the role, serving as Boston's closer in the first half of 2003 and again filling in for an injured Valverde with Arizona in years past. But Pena had been electric in moments last year, showing the ability to blow the ball past hitters in tight situations. He posted 6.64 strikeouts per nine innings in 85.1 innings of work, while Lyon, who's more of a contact pitcher, mustered only 4.86 K's per 9.

Pena seemed to be better suited to be the intimidating, nasty closer in the mold of Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez, but manager Bob Melvin went with experience. And after game two, the Cincinnati Reds' Edwin Encarnacion took Lyon deep to the tune of a three-run home run, a blown save, and a closer controversy.

So, the question is: How much longer will Melvin stick with Lyon? And should he have gone with Pena to begin with?

First, I don't think Melvin will hesitate to switch his two relievers, but he's not a reactionary hothead, either. If Melvin starts calling on Pena to get the final three outs this week, I'll be pretty surprised. But if Lyon stumbles, he’ll feel very comfortable making the call to Pena in two or three weeks, and a move like that is perfectly in the Melvin mold.

And the reasons to start the season with Lyon fit with Melvin's style, as well. He's a player's manager, and what that really means is he knows how to handle personalities. If Melvin had come out with Pena out of the gate and later been forced to make a similar switch, he could have stunted the growth and confidence of his young star hurler. But make the switch the other way? Maybe Lyon's pride would sting a bit, but he's a veteran who's filled several roles on a few different teams. He, in theory, could bounce back from the demotion much more easily than Pena.

So, with the youngest team in the majors, Melvin deferred to his veteran, and with that comes the responsibility to settle back into the eighth-inning role, or perhaps the seventh — don't forget, Arizona acquired the very capable relief workhorse Chad Qualls from Houston in the Valverde deal — should he not deliver in the ninth.

No doubt, Lyon was chosen with a backup plan in mind. So, for that reason, fans shouldn't get too riled up over Lyon in the ninth — yet. But if he's still struggling as closer and it's May, they'll have every right to start calling out Melvin at Chase Field.