Final Predictions for Chicago Cubs' Key Spring Training Battles
The Chicago Cubs don't have a ton of position competitions during this year's spring training, but a few key battles are currently going on.
Most aren't at key spots, but the outcomes of the battles could end up being very important nonetheless.
At these four spots, the competition is starting to heat up. Here's a look at which players have the upper hands in those battles based on their overall skill sets and what they've shown so far this spring.
All stats for this story taken from Baseball-Reference.com.
Lefty Specialist
1 of 4
The Candidates: Felix Doubront, Phil Coke and Tsuyoshi Wada
Winner: Phil Coke
Two out of these three pitchers will likely make the team, but one will be used for long relief while another could be used as a lefty specialist in late-game situations. Recently signed Phil Coke has the upper hand for a number of reasons.
He has experience pitching in late-game situations and matches up extremely well against left-handers in those situations.
Coke vs. left-handed hitters
| Year | BAA vs. LH |
| 2014 | .257 |
| Career | .243 |
Compare Coke's numbers to those of Felix Doubront—who doesn't have late-game relief experience.
Doubront vs. left-handed hitters
| Year | BAA vs. LH |
| 2014 | .337 |
| Career | .270 |
Clearly, Coke is better suited to match up against lefties late in games.
Meanwhile, when facing lefties, Wada has an impressive .190 batting average against, but he has faced barely over 50 of them in his major league career. Based on that limited experience, he may be better served as a long reliever or spot starter.
Since Coke is more experienced in the role these men are auditioning for, he should get the nod as long as he holds his own this spring.
Final Outfielder
2 of 4
The Candidates: Junior Lake, Ryan Sweeney, Matt Szczur and Chris Denorfia
Winner: Matt Szczur
Again, of these four players, two are likely to make the team as bench outfielders. If newly signed Denorfia makes the team as the fourth outfielder, that leaves the other three to compete for one spot.
Due to his vast potential and complex skill set, Szczur really should claim the Cubs' last bench spot. Essentially, the team knows what it's getting with the other three players. The other three are average outfielders—and that's fine—but Szczur can amount to more than that.
The former two-sport athlete (football) at Villanova can field, hold his own at the plate and run—something that can't be said of the other candidates.
Last year, in a full season in Triple-A, he hit .261 while swiping 30 bases. If nothing else, he separates himself from the other candidates by being a stolen-base threat and a potential late-game pinch runner.
Third Base
3 of 4
The Candidates: Tommy La Stella, Kris Bryant and Mike Olt
Winner: Tommy La Stella
If this competition strictly came down to the best performance in the spring or the most talented player, the Cubs would have already given the spot to Kris Bryant.
However, it's not that simple.
As long as the Cubs hold Bryant out of the big leagues for the first three weeks or so of the regular season, they will retain his rights for an extra season—when he will presumably be in his prime. Due to that, this competition really comes down to La Stella and Olt.
One thing that separates La Stella from Olt is his ability to put the bat on the ball. Until a late-season slump, La Stella was hovering around .300 last season. Meanwhile, Olt struggled to stay above the Mendoza line.
Obviously, Olt provides more power, so he profiles better as a late-game pinch hitter. The Cubs can have the best of both worlds by using La Stella as an everyday player (until Bryant is up) and Olt as a pinch hitter.
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Fifth Starter
4 of 4
The Candidates: Tsuyoshi Wada, Travis Wood, Felix Doubront, Jacob Turner and Edwin Jackson
Winner: Travis Wood
The battle for the fifth starter job could have been more interesting if Travis Wood had been traded this offseason, but it appears the Cubs are willing to give him another chance to prove himself. He's never going to be a superstar, but he does have the ability to be a solid No. 5 starter.
While the other candidates have upside (Wada looked good in limited action last year, Doubront has looked excellent in short spurts in the past and Jackson is in desperation mode), Wood is the best bet. He also gives the Cubs a lefty in the rotation to go along with ace Jon Lester.
Even if Wood does end up claiming the No. 5 spot in the rotation, don't expect him to have much wiggle room. If he struggles early, the Cubs have plenty of other options.
One of the candidates who doesn't initially win the job could quickly fill in if Wood begins to look like he did last season.
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