Cubszone.com | Chicago Cubs News, cubs Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> The two-time defending NL Central champs go to camp as the favorites again, but that doesn't mean manager Lou Piniella won't have his hands full. Roster turnover and questions in several key areas are sure to keep Piniella antsy and his players on edge during spraining training.</div>Once again, there will be a battle for the closer's job because the Cubs let veteran Kerry Wood walk away after he saved 34 games last year. This time, right-hander Carlos Marmol looks to move up from lights-out setup man to closer, and he says he's ready. He'll battle with right-hander Kevin Gregg, whom the Cubs obtained from Florida in November, when Cubs officials said it was time to cut ties with Wood. The fifth starter job is wide open. Piniella would like to have another lefty in the rotation to join Ted Lilly, so Sean Marshall might have to pitch his way out of a job during the Cactus League season. Marshall has done it all for the Cubs in the past three seasons, starting and relieving. He'll compete with right-handers Chad Gaudin, Jeff Samardzija and Aaron Heilman for the No. 5 job. Whoever doesn't get it presumably will go to the bullpen. With the trade of infielder/outfielder Mark DeRosa to the Indians, the infield situation is wide open and a bit uncertain. The Cubs want left-handed-hitting Mike Fontenot to get a lot of at-bats and play second base. He'll share time with Aaron Miles, who also will spell Ryan Theriot at short. Where the Cubs might miss DeRosa is at third base, where he ably backed up Aramis Ramirez. Miles can play third, but he doesn't offer much pop. General manager Jim Hendry may have to add a veteran during camp. The situations in right field and center field also will be interesting. A poor second half last year cost Kosuke Fukudome his starting job in right to free agent Milton Bradley. Fukudome will share time in center with Reed Johnson. Bradley has to show he's 100 percent healthy. Speaking of health, keep an eye on the starting pitchers. Right-handers Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden are coming off seasons in which their shoulders acted up. Zambrano experienced problems for the first time in his career, a sign that maybe the heavy workloads of the past are catching up to him. Harden's problems have been chronic, and the Cubs might take it easy on him in Mesa, Ariz. Piniella's competitiveness never takes a holiday, and he's good for at least one blowup during the spring. Sloppy baseball and players complaining about their roles are sure to get the manager's goat. Overall, this is a veteran team, and there aren't many jobs up for grabs. WHERE, WHEN: HoHoKam Park, Mesa, Ariz. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 against the Dodgers. TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: RF Milton Bradley brings a lot of baggage with him after signing a free agent contract in January. The Cubs profess not to be worried about Bradley's past outbursts, which have landed him in hot water and even gotten him injured. Their main concern will be keeping Bradley on the field by avoiding some of the nagging injuries that have plagued him in the past. Bradley led the AL in on-base percentage and OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) last year. If he can play 140 games, he could have a monster year for the Cubs. TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: OF Kosuke Fukudome lost his job in right field after a horrid second half last year. He'll compete for playing time in center with Reed Johnson. Fukudome was an on-base machine during the first two months of the 2008 season, and then he fell off the face of the earth. Now entering the second year of a four-year, $48 million contract after coming over from Japan, Fukudome is under severe pressure to show that other teams haven't figured him out once and for all. AUTHORITY FIGURES: Lou Piniella is 182-141 in two seasons as Cubs manager. However, he has yet to win a playoff game as the Cubs have been swept out of the NL Division Series in both of his years. Veteran players have learned to tune out some of Piniella's rants, which come from frustration. Actually, he has mellowed markedly in recent years and isn't above apologizing to a player if he feels he's come on too strong. Piniella also has been tough on pitching coaches, but Larry Rothschild returns for his eighth season with the Cubs. Rothschild began under Don Baylor and then survived the Dusty Baker years. Piniella's coaching staff with the Cubs has remained intact since he arrived before the '07 season.<div class="spacer10"></div><div class="gray_dots"></div><div id="body_footer_link">Play FOX Fantasy Baseball today </div><div class="gray

The two-time defending NL Central champs go to camp as the favorites again, but that doesn't mean manager Lou Piniella won't have his hands full. Roster turnover and questions in several key areas are sure to keep Piniella antsy and his players on edge during spraining training.

Once again, there will be a battle for the closer's job because the Cubs let veteran Kerry Wood walk away after he saved 34 games last year. This time, right-hander Carlos Marmol looks to move up from lights-out setup man to closer, and he says he's ready. He'll battle with right-hander Kevin Gregg, whom the Cubs obtained from Florida in November, when Cubs officials said it was time to cut ties with Wood.

The fifth starter job is wide open. Piniella would like to have another lefty in the rotation to join Ted Lilly, so Sean Marshall might have to pitch his way out of a job during the Cactus League season. Marshall has done it all for the Cubs in the past three seasons, starting and relieving. He'll compete with right-handers Chad Gaudin, Jeff Samardzija and Aaron Heilman for the No. 5 job. Whoever doesn't get it presumably will go to the bullpen.

With the trade of infielder/outfielder Mark DeRosa to the Indians, the infield situation is wide open and a bit uncertain. The Cubs want left-handed-hitting Mike Fontenot to get a lot of at-bats and play second base. He'll share time with Aaron Miles, who also will spell Ryan Theriot at short.

Where the Cubs might miss DeRosa is at third base, where he ably backed up Aramis Ramirez. Miles can play third, but he doesn't offer much pop. General manager Jim Hendry may have to add a veteran during camp.

The situations in right field and center field also will be interesting. A poor second half last year cost Kosuke Fukudome his starting job in right to free agent Milton Bradley. Fukudome will share time in center with Reed Johnson. Bradley has to show he's 100 percent healthy.

Speaking of health, keep an eye on the starting pitchers. Right-handers Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden are coming off seasons in which their shoulders acted up. Zambrano experienced problems for the first time in his career, a sign that maybe the heavy workloads of the past are catching up to him. Harden's problems have been chronic, and the Cubs might take it easy on him in Mesa, Ariz.

Piniella's competitiveness never takes a holiday, and he's good for at least one blowup during the spring. Sloppy baseball and players complaining about their roles are sure to get the manager's goat.

Overall, this is a veteran team, and there aren't many jobs up for grabs.

WHERE, WHEN: HoHoKam Park, Mesa, Ariz. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 against the Dodgers.

TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: RF Milton Bradley brings a lot of baggage with him after signing a free agent contract in January. The Cubs profess not to be worried about Bradley's past outbursts, which have landed him in hot water and even gotten him injured. Their main concern will be keeping Bradley on the field by avoiding some of the nagging injuries that have plagued him in the past. Bradley led the AL in on-base percentage and OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) last year. If he can play 140 games, he could have a monster year for the Cubs.

TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: OF Kosuke Fukudome lost his job in right field after a horrid second half last year. He'll compete for playing time in center with Reed Johnson. Fukudome was an on-base machine during the first two months of the 2008 season, and then he fell off the face of the earth. Now entering the second year of a four-year, $48 million contract after coming over from Japan, Fukudome is under severe pressure to show that other teams haven't figured him out once and for all.

AUTHORITY FIGURES: Lou Piniella is 182-141 in two seasons as Cubs manager. However, he has yet to win a playoff game as the Cubs have been swept out of the NL Division Series in both of his years. Veteran players have learned to tune out some of Piniella's rants, which come from frustration. Actually, he has mellowed markedly in recent years and isn't above apologizing to a player if he feels he's come on too strong. Piniella also has been tough on pitching coaches, but Larry Rothschild returns for his eighth season with the Cubs. Rothschild began under Don Baylor and then survived the Dusty Baker years. Piniella's coaching staff with the Cubs has remained intact since he arrived before the '07 season.

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