Jeff Niemann and David Price are 2/5ths of the Rays' 2009 rotation, but will either be part of the 2008 one?

With Spring Training still going full bore, let’s take another look into how some crucial spring training battles are going involving prospects.

We will start in Cincinnati, where two of the most important prospect stories are going on, with their center field position and their starting rotation. First, center field, where Jay Bruce should have been the prohibitive favorite to win the starting spot had he been on a team with quality ownership and intelligent management. Neither is the case however for the Reds, where they have an owner that cares more about keeping Bruce for an extra year under the arbitration clock and a manager who loves veterans and ruins rookies. As such, Corey Patterson signed with the Reds and, unfortunately for Bruce and his fans, is playing well so far. Through five games, Patterson is hitting .438 in 16 at-bats with two RBI and two runs scored. Bruce, meanwhile, has dipped slightly of late but is still hitting .286 with three runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases in 35 at-bats.

At this point, considering their performances and the team, look for Patterson to open the year as the starter, with Bruce opening the season in Triple-A. That situation will not last as such for long, however, with Bruce almost certainly back by mid-season.

On the pitching front, Homer Bailey took a pounding in his last start and he is currently 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in 10 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Edinson Volquez, acquired from the Rangers in the Josh Hamilton trade, is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA in three appearances. While that ERA might not be too impressive, what is impressive is his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 13:2 in just eight innings. Might the Reds place Volquez in the rotation and demote Bailey to Triple-A? That would be the smart move, as Bailey needs more seasoning, but the Reds are not one for doing the smart moves as we have said repeatedly now.

Sticking with the center field and with the color theme, we shift to the Red Sox, where Jacoby Ellsbury has been battling Coco Crisp for the starting spot. Unfortunately, due to injuries, Crisp is not battling that hard right now, and he has just four Spring Training at-bats. At this point, this looks like a lock for Ellsbury, and we can stop monitoring this “battle” for now, as there is no battle.

He is not in any battle as all, as it was obvious that he would be a starter the second he was traded, but for those wondering, Adam Jones is having an excellent Spring Training so far. In 25 at-bats through ten games, Jones is hitting .360 with one home run, one RBI, and five runs scored.

In Arizona, Jayson Nix continues to struggle in the Cactus League. Through 19 at-bats, Nix is hitting just .158, although two of his three hits did leave the ballpark. His competition for the starting second base spot for the Rockies is Marcus Giles, who is currently hitting .333 in 21 at-bats. Ian Stewart has been picking up plenty of at-bats, but he has not won the Rockies over, and he is likely to return to Triple-A to work out in the outfield or to stick at third base. Considering that the Rockies have Garrett Atkins at third base and Matt Holliday in left field, neither position is exactly a great path to the majors for him.

Sticking to the Cactus League, we have a prospect battling for a spot that we did not think would, and that is Luke Hochevar fighting for a spot in the Royals’ rotation. So far, Hochevar is having an excellent Spring Training so far. In three appearances, one as a starter, Hochevar has a 2.25 ERA over eight innings, with seven hits and one walk allowed, and he has struck out three. Hochevar is one of the better pitching prospects in the game, and the Royals’ back of the rotation is far from set – this could be a winnable spot for Hochevar.

Heading back to Florida, in the Nationals’ camp, we were keeping an eye on everyone’s favorite malcontent, Elijah Dukes, and whether or not he would beat out Lastings Milledge for the starting center field spot for the Nats. Right now, Dukes is having a respectable Spring Training, hitting .267 with a home run, three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base in 30 at-bats, but Milledge is doing much better, hitting .359 in 39 at-bats with eight RBI, nine runs scored, and five stolen bases. Dukes looks like fourth outfielder material at this point, although he will stick in the lineup at least for the start of the season while Wily Mo Pena recovers from his left oblique muscle tear.

David Price pitched two scoreless innings, maiming one and striking out three others, and the Rays have since sent him down to the minors. He will not be there long – look for Price to be back at some point this year, as it is pretty clear he is already close to major league ready with his stuff. The Rays do not want to rush him, but he might give them no choice.

Another Rays’ prospect, though, does have a chance to stick in the rotation, and that is Jeff Niemann, who is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA through three starts. His strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4:3 is not good, but he is pitching significantly better than Edwin Jackson, who looks like his is just about done with his chances in Tampa Bay at this point. Jackson is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA and a 2:6 K/BB ratio (yes, three times more walks than strikeouts – that is not a typo) in his three outings. Barring a dramatic turnout by both, look for Niemann to be victorious.

Lastly, we have the Alejandro De Aza / Cameron Maybin battle, which is getting quite interesting. De Aza is pounding the ball right now, hitting .355 with three home runs, nine RBI, six runs scored, and two stolen bases. Maybin, meanwhile, has gotten hot, and he is hitting .286 with three home runs, eight RBI, six runs, and one stolen base. Maybin struggled significantly in the majors last year, has little experience above A-ball, and could probably use more time in the minors, but at the same time he was clearly the marquee player in the Miguel Cabrera trade, and the Marlins would like to show something for that deal in the major league lineup on Opening Day. This battle will continue for at least another week.

That wraps up this week – next week, more Spring Training news and notes on the prospects you need to know!