GatewayRedbirds.com

I've been trying to pay attention here and there to how other teams are filling out their starting five. Can anyone shed some light on some of these teams and who the front runners are? I know most teams' company lines are still it's an open race, but please share who you think has the edge.

We know about the Cubs with Prior, Guzman, and Miller competing for the fifth spot.

I think Tomko, Billingsley, and Mays are competing for the Dodgers fifth spots.

The Twins seem to have Bonser, Garza, Ponson, and Perkins in competition for two spots.

The Pirates have Chacon and Armas competing for the fifth spot.

Are Albers and Nieve competing for the Astros fifth spot?

I believe Sampson is also in the running and may be the favorite. Appears to be a late bloomer.

I thought Garza was pretty much in at Minnesota. No?

I know Suppan had one really good outing, and one really not so good outing.

I'll give the rest of the Central a shot:

Reds: Arroyo, Harang, Lohse, Milton, and Saarlos are locked in to begin the season I believe, with Homer Bailey getting the first crack at it when one of the back three inevitably falter.

Brewers: Sheets, Capuano, Bush, Vargas, and Suppan to start the year. I believe it will be Villenueva as the #6 and Gallardo spending a little more time in the minors before a likely callup.

Pirates: Duke, Snell, Maholm and Gorzellany are the for-sures, or they should be if they aren't. Chacon and Armas in the five spot, and I guess it just depends on if you like your batting practice to be thrown right-handed or right-handed.

Astros: Apparently Wandy Rodriguez is the leading candidate for the fourth spot in the rotation. With Jennings, Oswalt, and Williams at the top. The three guys with a serious shot at the fifth spot are Albers, Sampson and Borkowski. Troy Patton is apparently a long shot also.

Unfortunately I had to listen to Richard Justice talk to find that out. According to him and some other dudes on the Chronicle website it looks like it will be Rodriguez and Albers rounding it out.

Has Piniella commented on the Cubs' fifth spot lately?

jim wrote:I thought Garza was pretty much in at Minnesota. No?

I hope he is, he is on my Fantasy team

-Brodie

haltz wrote:
Has Piniella commented on the Cubs' fifth spot lately?

Not really. I still think it's Prior's to lose and he's doing a good job of doing just that.

Guzman was a dark horse candidate, but is throwing really well. The curve is back and he's hitting in the mid-90's with his fastball. If I had to guess, I'd say Guzman wins the job.

But, if Prior or Miller pitch well enough to give any glimmer of hope that they can be effective, one of those would move ahead of Guzman.

haltz wrote:Astros: Apparently Wandy Rodriguez is the leading candidate for the fourth spot in the rotation. With Jennings, Oswalt, and Williams at the top. The three guys with a serious shot at the fifth spot are Albers, Sampson and Borkowski. Troy Patton is apparently a long shot also.

Unfortunately I had to listen to Richard Justice talk to find that out. According to him and some other dudes on the Chronicle website it looks like it will be Rodriguez and Albers rounding it out.

If you're getting you're Astros information from Richard Justice, you're better off consulting a tarot card reader.

Sampson, Albers, and Nieve are the top contenders for the 5 spot; Borkowski is not really in the mix. They would like for Albers to get the 5 spot, but he appears to be better suited to pen duty at this point, meaning Sampson (below-avg. "stuff", great results) and Nieve (some arm issues, great "stuff") are the contenders.