Prior, Miller, Cotts, or Guzman?

With Spring Training in full swing, many of the Chicago Cubs question in need of answering have indeed been resolved. Can Alfonso Soriano play centerfield? Well to this point it appears he can though no one expects a gold glove any time soon. Will Ryan Theriot make the team? New Cubs skipper Lou Pinella has already come and made the announcement that the scrappy utility infielder will indeed be on the Opening Day roster. Can Ryan Dempster return to form as the Cubs closer? So far so good in the Cactus League as Dempster is sporting an ERA around 2.00 and has 5 strikeouts in 4 innings. The final question however of who is going to claim the fifth spot in the pitching rotation has yet to be determined.

With Spring Training nearly two-thirds of the ways over, the Chicago Cubs have been able to solidify the first four spots of their pitching rotation. Their Number 1 starter is a no brainer as Carlos Zambrano has claimed this spot without question. Zambrano who led the team in wins (16) last year has clearly stepped out of the Prior and Wood shadow and lain claim to the role of Chicago Cubs Ace.

Newly signed free agent pitchers Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis will be the number 2 and 3 starters respectively. Highly touted lefty Rich Hill will get the chance to prove he can dominate at the Major League level like he has done in the Minors as he will start the season as the Cubs 4^th starter.

This of course leaves one spot left for the Cubs five man rotation. The top contenders for this spot at the start of Spring Training were Mark Prior, Wade Miller, Neal Cotts, and Angel Guzman. Cotts has quickly faded off the radar and may well find himself being either the Longman out of the bullpen or a late inning left hand specialist. He has been hit hard so far this spring as he is sporting a 7.71 ERA after giving up 6 runs in 7 innings while only striking out 3. He is not scheduled to make any more starts for Lou Pinella's team this spring.

Prior has also not shown any signs of being able to recapture the form he showed in 2003. Plagued by injuries which limited him to only 9 starts last year, Prior entered camp ready to go, but so far has been hampered by bad mechanics. He has been hit hard so far this spring, and has been pushed back to the minor league spring camp to work on his mechanics. The Cubs still have hopes Prior can return to form, but have no plans to sit and wait for it to happen. If Prior can somehow turn the page and become the pitcher he has shown flashes of, the fifth spot in the rotation will be his.

When asked by Cubs beat reporter Carrie Muskat about Mark Prior, Cubs pitching Larry Rothschild had this to say, "I think Mark realizes where he is. If he keeps pushing it that way, it'll all come together at some point. We'll just keep working and trying to get him over the hump."

With Cotts out of the picture, and Prior relegated to side sessions this leaves Wade Miller and Angel Guzman. Both pitchers have pitched well this spring and the competition between them to see who earns the fifth spot could come down to the final day of spring training. Miller has been the subject of a few trade rumors, but if the club does not make a move, the veteran pitcher could very well find himself in the Cubs rotation.

Miller is another year removed from arthroscopic surgery in his right shoulder, and has shown definite signs of being healthy for the first time since 2005. He did make 5 starts for the Cubs in September, but was unable to get through 5 innings in any of those starts. Miller, who is only 30, was once part of a great one-two punch with Roy Oswalt when he played for Houston. In 3 starts so far this spring Miller has posted a respectable 4.00 ERA and has struck out 9 batters in 9 innings.

Manager Lou Pinella made these comments concerning Wade Miller, "He's a veteran pitcher with experience. He hasn't done anything here in Spring Training that you don't like." Pinella went on to add, "He's showing he's healthy. He's going out every five days and he's pitching. I think he'll get a little stronger, show a little more stamina. You have to be encouraged by what you see."

Miller himself had this to say about his chances, "I'm doing everything I can think of to try and get it. All I can do is pitch to try and get it. It's not up to me. It's what the coaches and manager think."

Angel Guzman has been the surprise of the bunch. A once highly touted prospect, he also has been slowed by arm troubles. The one time gem of the Cubs farm system now finds himself right in the mix for the fifth starting spot. Guzman was somewhat under the radar at the start of spring but in his three appearances so far is sporting a 2.81 ERA and has earned a chance to start in this week's round of games. Guzman has looked sharp and could be poised to fulfill the potential many in the Cubs organization believe he still possesses.

With Opening Day closing in, the competition for the fifth spot in the Cubs pitching rotation has really heated up. With Mark Prior still struggling with command of his pitches as well as his overall mechanics and Neal Cotts inability to get hitters out the door has swung wide open for veteran Wade Miller and prospect Angel Guzman. Will Miller's veteran savvy win out or will Guzman's dominating stuff prevail? This is one question yet to be answered during Spring Training and one competition Cubs fans should keep a close eye on in the days to come.

Carrie Muskat. 3/13/07. "Pinella Pleased with Miller" retrieved March 15, 2007 from http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com

Carrie Muskat. 3/13/07. "Prior to pitch in Minors game Friday" retrieved March 15, 2007 from http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com