FanPost

What to do with starting pitching depth?

It appears like Shelby Miller may actually have a chance to make this roster as a starting pitcher. If that is the case, the Brewers have eight pitchers vying for five starting pitching jobs. (Really 4 for the first two weeks of the season.)

Here is my thoughts on a plan for each of them:

Lindlom: He was signed as a starter and will begin the season as a starter.

Anderson: See above. Although will have a shorter leash if he isn't effective.

Woodruff: Proved ready and capable and will be a starter with a longer leash.

Houser: The home grown starter with years of control. He starts the season as a starter and likely has a fairly long leash. But I could see some injured list time to control total innings if there are some other options available.

Those four are pretty easy and unless there is an injury, this leaves us with four others to battle out for positions.

Peralta: Maybe his future is as a starter but not right now and maybe not this year. He starts the season as a very valuable multiple inning late game reliever. (Ideally a fireman roll like Hader has filled in the past.)

Burnes: If he continues to impress, he may force the Brewers to keep him on the team in the bullpen to start the year. With an understanding that he may ride the shuttle at some point to be stretched out to come back as a starter.

Laur: It seems like he has made some adjustments that may help him do better. I could see him starting in the pen with the potential to be the fifth starter when needed and getting the first three to five of those starts.

Miller: Has his MLB option is picked up but he stays in Arizona to work on an "injury" followed by a number of rehab starts. If those go well, He is the first insert into the starting rotation in May taking the place of which ever of the five starters is under performing or injured. I could see Anderson having an injury by that time. If effective, the Brewers don't want to lose him and his history is as a starter so they will give him a chance to succeed as one.

This is the plan on March 10th. A lot of spring left. There could be injuries or some flaws in anyone of these pitchers could become more apparent as hitters get back in the groove.

What do you think will happen?