There’s nothing like a little suspense to an otherwise mundane, drawn-out spring training. Leave it to Chicago Cubs baseball to provide any high-tension drama that could possibly remain.

Mercifully, it came to an end 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon when the Cubs finally decided on the remaining two pitchers that will round out the bullpen - and their 25-man roster.  It’s a good thing as well that Major League Baseball required the opening-day rosters be set by the 2 o’clock deadline or the rest of the league and Cubdom might still be waiting.

When the dust finally settled from the Cubs brass brain-storming,  Angel Guzman and Rule 5 pick-up David Patton survived the final cut to become part of the Cubs’ 12-man 2009 staff.

Jeff Samardzija and Chad Gaudin, both of whom spent time with the Chicago Cubs in 2008, were the remaining candidates for the final two slots.  Samardzija was optioned to Triple A Iowa, while Gaudin, who was part of last July’s Rich Harden trade, was released outright.

To think that either Guzman or Patton would be part of the Cubs bullpen when pitchers reported to spring training in early February would be akin to picking Michigan State in the Final Four championship. Who would have thunk?

But nearly two months later both will be in the parent Cubs uniforms when Chicago opens it 2009 season Monday night against the Houston Astros.

For Guzman, making the parent club has to be particularly satisfying.  Once considered the Cubs top pitching prospect, the right-hander has been plagued with arm injuries  (shoulder surgery in 2003 and elbow surgery in 2007) and general ineffectiveness for the past few years.

Patton, meanwhile, sparkled this spring despite not having pitching above the Class A level.  Despite his lack of experience at the big league level, it was the young right-hander who turned in the best spring of the candidates.  He finished with a 1.26 ERA in 14 1/3 innings.

“I really feel good about David,” Hendry said, prior to Sunday’s decision. “It’s one of those situations where you never know how he is going to do when the second deck goes on and the season starts, but the young man certainly has earned a chance in a lot of ways to get a look.”

As a Rule 5 Draft selection, if Patton wouldn’t have been chosen for the Cubs roster, he would have had to pass through waivers and been offered back to his original team, Colorado, before any assignment to the Chicago farm system.

For Gaudin, it was simply a case of running out of options.  That and the fact that of the four, he simply was the least effective.

Oddly, many baseball pundits thought Gaudin was the steal in the Harden trade.   Although he was 4-2 with a 6.26 ERA in 24 relief appearances for Chicago, Gaudin’s effectiveness began to tail off at the end of the season as he struggled through complaints of back pain.

Only time will tell whether the selection of Guzman and Patton was the right decision.  But it does demonstrate a willingness on the part of Hendry and manager Lou Piniella to depart from Chicago Cub baseball’s past.

Or it could mean the duo is embracing what the Cubs have been known as - long shots.