Spring Training Roster Battles: Predicting the Fate of Each Team's 'Losers'

Every spring, hundreds of baseball players converge on the states of Florida and Arizona to get ready for the upcoming season.

While it's the beginning of a new season, every team has a pretty good idea of who is going to comprise their 25-man roster on Opening Day. But there are always injuries, struggles and surprises along the way, opening the door for someone who was not previously considered to break camp with the team.

For all those who do win out in these battles for a roster spot, there has to be a loser.

Let's take a look at what fate may have in the cards for those on the losing end of the equation in some of this spring's position battles around the league.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Battle for Left

The Contestants: Jason Kubel vs. Gerardo Parra

The Winner: Jason Kubel

What Happens to Parra?

Gerardo Parra has outplayed Kubel this spring, hitting .333/.357/.481 to Kubel's .229/.282/.514, but the Diamondbacks didn't sign Kubel this winter to be a bench player.

So the talented Parra finds himself pushed to the bench and relegated to the fourth outfielder on the team. Should Kubel continue to struggle as the season progresses, Parra could see increased playing time.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson could use Parra as a pinch-runner late in games, as his speed is considerable.

According to Arizona GM Kevin Towers (per MLB.com's Steve Gilbert), trading Parra is not an option:

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"We haven't really had any trade discussion about him," Towers said. "Some people inquired earlier and we kind of shut it down. We're a better team with him, so we plan on keeping him. He's playing very well this spring."

"

Atlanta Braves: Who Is Playing Shortstop?

The Contestants: Tyler Pastornicky vs. Andrelton Simmons

The Winner: Tyler Pastornicky

What Happens to Simmons?

Like Pastornicky, Simmons has struggled with the bat in spring training, but his defense has been flawless—something that Pastornicky cannot claim.

That being the case, keeping both Simmons and Pastornicky on the team makes little sense for their development. Simmons will start the season in the minor leagues, likely at Triple-A, where he can continue to refine his approach at the plate,

But the loser of this battle—Simmons—may not be down on the farm for long, according to Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez (per MLB.com's Mark Bowman): "The guy we take [to start the season] might not be the guy you end up with anyways."

Baltimore Orioles: Who Is on Second?

The Contestants: Robert Andino vs. Ryan Flaherty

The Winner: Robert Andino

What Happens to Flaherty?

This could be a battle where both contestants lose in the end, because Orioles manager Buck Showalter hopes Brian Roberts will return to action sooner or later (per the Washington Post's Dave Sheinin).

But in the case of Flaherty, a Rule 5 draft pick from the Chicago Cubs this winter, he'll have to spend the season on the Orioles' 25-man roster or be offered back to the Cubs at half price. Flaherty will spend the season as a utility infielder for Showalter and the O's, filling in at 2B, 3B and shortstop when needed.

Boston Red Sox: A Three-Way Battle for Short

The Contestants: Mike Aviles vs. Jose Iglesias vs. Nick Punto

The Winner: Mike Aviles

What Happens to Punto and Iglesias?

Punto will serve as Bobby Valentine's super utility player, filling in at 2B, 3B, shortstop and all three outfield spots as needed.

Iglesias will go back to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he will try to show that he's able to hit—between his .174/.240/.261 line this spring and his .235/.285/.269 line last season, he has work to do before he's ready to take a turn in Boston's major league lineup on a daily basis.

Chicago Cubs: Who Backs Up Geovany Soto?

The Contestants: Welington Castillo vs. Steve Clevenger

The Winner: Welington Castillo

What Happens to Clevenger?

Both Castillo and Clevenger have played well this spring, and manager Dale Sveum joked that a coin flip could decide who stays and who goes (per the Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmeyer). 

Castillo's cannon of an arm beats out the left-handed bat of Clevenger, and he'll return to Triple-A Peoria for his first full season in Triple-A.

Chicago White Sox: A Three-Way Battle for the Last Three Outs

The Contestants: Addison Reed vs. Matt Thornton vs. Jesse Crain

The Winner: Matt Thornton

What Happens to Crain and Reed?

Crain will serve as Thornton's primary setup man, while the hard-throwing Reed will work out of the White Sox bullpen in earlier innings.

However, I don't expect Thornton to last the entire season as the White Sox closer. Before long, Reed will slide into that role and should flourish for the foreseeable future.

Cincinnati Reds: Who Replaces Ryan Madson?

The Contestants: Aroldis Chapman vs. Sean Marshall

The Winner: Sean Marshall

What Happens to Chapman?

At this point, I'm still not sure why the Reds even signed Chapman; they don't seem to have any interest in him as a starting pitcher, and with Ryan Madson out for the season, it appears that Sean Marshall has the inside track on finishing games.

To me, it just seems a waste of talent to continue to use Chapman as a middle reliever when he's arguably a better pitcher than Homer Bailey and Jeff Francis, both of whom are vying for a spot in the Reds rotation.

My objections aside, Chapman will continue to pitch out of the Reds bullpen, flashing his 100 mph fastball and continuing to make people wonder why he's not closing games.

Cleveland Indians: The Battle for the Hot Corner

The Contestants: Jack Hannahan vs. Lonnie Chisenhall

The Winner: Jack Hannahan

What Happens to Chisenhall?

Chisenhall is the third baseman of the future in Cleveland, but he's looked overmatched and shown no discipline at the plate this spring, hitting .205 with only one walk and 16 strikeouts. His defense, while still a work in progress (Chisenhall has only played 3B since 2009), has shown marked improvement, as he has committed only one error thus far.

He'll head back to Triple-A Columbus, where he'll continue to work on his approach at the plate. A midseason call-up where he replaces the 32-year-old Hannahan for good is certainly not out of the question.

Colorado Rockies: Who Is the Fourth Outfielder?

The Contestants: Charlie Blackmon vs. Eric Young Jr. vs. Tyler Colvin

The Winner: Tyler Colvin

What Happens to Blackmon and Young?

Young has the most major league experience and is a legitimate threat to steal anytime he's on base. Additionally, he's versatile and can play both the outfield and second base, though he's not adept with the glove at either position. He'll make the team as a utility player.

Blackmon will head back to Triple-A Colorado Springs to start the year, but will likely be one of the first to be called upon should an injury or prolonged slump affect the Rockies outfield.

Detroit Tigers: Who Is the Fifth Starter?

The Contestants: Jacob Turner vs. Andy Oliver vs. Drew Smyly vs. Duane Below

The Winner: Drew Smyly

What Happens to Below, Oliver and Turner?

Duane Below will slide into the Tigers bullpen as a left-handed reliever.

Andy Oliver will head back to Triple-A Toledo and try to improve upon his 11-16 record, 4.32 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 35 Triple-A starts the past two seasons.

Jacob Turner, who seems to be past his "dead-arm" period (per MLB.com's Jason Beck and Paul Hagen) will join Oliver in Toledo for his first full season at Triple-A. This gives the 20-year-old some much-needed experience, along with a chance to build up his arm strength and stamina without the added pressure of doing so in the majors.

Houston Astros: Who Plays Third?

The Contestants: Brett Wallace vs. Chris Johnson

The Winner: Chris Johnson

What Happens to Wallace?

Wallace will head back to Triple-A Oklahoma City to get regular playing time at third base. Wallace, a converted first baseman, has nobody standing in his way at Triple-A; the team announced that Jimmy Paredes, once considered the favorite to start at third this season, is moving back to his original position, second base (per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart).

What that means for Astros second baseman Jose Altuve going forward remains to be seen.

Kansas City Royals: Who Replaces Joakim Soria?

The Contestants: Aaron Crow vs. Jonathan Broxton vs. Greg Holland

The Winner: Jonathan Broxton

What Happens to Crow and Holland?

Crow will take his spot in the Royals bullpen as the primary setup man for Broxton, a former All-Star closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Holland will also stay in the Royals bullpen, conceivably working the seventh inning of games.

Should Broxton struggle or get injured, either Crow or Holland could find themselves as his replacement.

Los Angeles Angels: Who Mans the Hot Corner?

The Contestants: Mark Trumbo vs. Alberto Callaspo

The Winner: Alberto Callaspo

What Happens to Trumbo?

Trumbo will be a corner utility player for Mike Scioscia as well as a part-time designated hitter to start the season.

As the season progresses and Trumbo becomes more comfortable at third, his power potential will outweigh any liabilities he may still have manning the hot corner. Trumbo will eventually replace Callaspo as the starting third baseman, perhaps by the All-Star break.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Battle for the Last Bullpen Spot

The Contestants: Jamey Wright vs. John Grabow vs. Josh Lindblom

The Winner: John Grabow

What Happens to Lindblom and Wright?

Lindblom still has minor league options remaining, so he'll start the season at Triple-A Albuquerque and bide his time until Dodgers manager Don Mattingly needs him to replace a struggling member of the pen.

They will release Wright, a non-roster invitee to spring training.

Miami Marlins: Who Is the Last Man in the Bullpen?

The Contestants: Chad Gaudin vs. Wade LeBlanc

The Winner: Chad Gaudin

What Happens to LeBlanc?

Both LeBlanc and Gaudin are having excellent springs for the Marlins, though Gaudin has struggled with his control at times.

That being said, LeBlanc still has a minor league option remaining, while Gaudin does not. Gaudin gets the nod due to LeBlanc's remaining option and Gaudin's ability to slide into the starting rotation in a pinch if necessary.

LeBlanc will likely rejoin the team at some point during the season, at which time he'll stay for good.

Milwaukee Brewers: Who Roams Free in Center?

The Contestants: Nyjer Morgan vs. Carlos Gomez vs. Logan Schafer

The Winner: Nyjer Morgan

What Happens to Gomez and Schafer?

The Brewers will relegate Gomez to the bench, where he'll spell Morgan in center and serve as the team's primary pinch-runner.

Schafer will return to Triple-A Nashville for his first full season at that level, with eyes on winning the big league job in 2012.

Minnesota Twins: A Three-Man Race for Right Field

The Contestants: Chris Parmelee vs. Trevor Plouffe vs. Ben Revere

The Winner: Ben Revere

What Happens to Parmelee and Plouffe?

To be clear, the title is not a typo—this is a competition for right field, not left field. Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire has already filled left field, according to Christina De Nicola on MLB.com:

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"Let's call Josh Willingham my left fielder," Gardenhire said. "There's your bonus for the day. Denard's our center fielder. We've got two locked down."

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Parmelee will report to Triple-A Rochester for his first season of Triple-A ball, fine-tuning whatever Gardenhire and the Twins coaches discuss with him as he works towards a full-time spot on the Twins roster in 2013.

Plouffe will serve as the team's fourth outfielder, as there's no point in him returning to Rochester for a fifth season. Should Revere struggle, Plouffe could overtake him in right field, or at the very least, force a platoon situation.

New York Mets: Who Starts the Season in Center?

The Contestants: Matt Den Dekker vs. Mike Baxter vs. Jordany Valdespin

The Winner: Matt Den Dekker

What Happens to Baxter and Valdespin?

Make no mistake about it, this is a temporary thing—at least the Mets hope that it is.

With Andres Torres still nursing a calf injury and not yet cleared for baseball activities and Scott Hairston about ready to test his oblique injury in batting practice, Mets manager Terry Collins is likely to start the season without his starting center fielder and his fourth outfielder.

Den Dekker gets the nod because of the three, he is far and away the best defensive option. While Collins would prefer to have someone who can hit and field, beggars can't be choosers, and solid defense in center is more important than a potent bat at this point.

Baxter will head to Triple-A Buffalo, though there's an outside chance that the Mets release him.

Valdespin is playing center field for the first time after working his way through the Mets farm system as a middle infielder. He will spend this season honing his skills in center for Buffalo in Triple-A.

New York Yankees: Who Is the Fifth Starter?

The Contestants: Freddy Garcia vs. Michael Pineda

The Winner: Michael Pineda

What Happens to Garcia?

Everyone immediately assumed that Michael Pineda would win the fourth spot in the Yankees rotation when New York acquired him from the Seattle Mariners for prized prospect Jesus Montero.

Not so fast. Phil Hughes has shown this spring that he is back on track to regain his All-Star form from 2010 and currently sits as the No. 4 starter for the Yankees.

That leaves Pineda and Garcia to battle it out for the fifth spot, and Pineda will get first shot at the job.

Garcia will begrudgingly move to long relief in the bullpen, though they could slot him into the rotation should Hughes, Pineda or Ivan Nova struggle.

Until Andy Pettitte is ready to make his 2012 debut, of course.

Oakland A's: Who Starts at Third Base?

The Contestants: Josh Donaldson vs. Eric Sogard

The Winner: Josh Donaldson

What Happens to Sogard?

The A's will relegate Sogard to utility-man duty until Donaldson's struggles with the bat and the glove prove to be too much for Oakland to handle. Sogard will then get another chance to earn regular playing time at the hot corner.

Philadelphia Phillies: Who Wins the Job in Left Field?

The Contestants: Domonic Brown vs. John Mayberry Jr. vs. Laynce Nix

The Winner: John Mayberry Jr.

What Happens to Brown and Nix?

Brown will return to Triple-A Lehigh Valley for another season, though what else he has left to prove at that level remains to be seen.

The Phillies may push Mayberry into action at 1B should Ty Wiggington need to replace Placido Polanco at 3B, so Nix could find himself with semi-regular at-bats to start the season.

Once Ryan Howard returns to the lineup, expect Nix to at best return to a platoon role with Mayberry Jr. Most likely, the Phillies will relegate Nix to fourth-outfielder duty.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Who Starts at the Hot Corner?

The Contestants: Pedro Alvarez vs. Casey McGehee

The Winner: Casey McGehee

What Happens to Alvarez?

The best thing for Alvarez is a kick in the pants and a demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates don't have a bad team this year, and keeping Alvarez around serves no purpose—he's a mediocre fielder, he can't hit major league pitching and he'd serve as nothing but a distraction.

San Diego Padres: Who Is the Fifth Starter?

The Contestants: Anthony Bass vs. Dustin Moseley vs. Micah Owings

The Winner: Dustin Moseley

What Happens to Bass and Owings?

Bass could stick in the Padres bullpen, but if the team truly believes that his future lies as a starting pitcher, then it's back to Triple-A Tuscon for the 24-year-old.

Owings will slide into the Padres bullpen as a long reliever and pinch-hitter off of the bench. Owings is a terror against right-handed pitchers, posting a .315/.344/.582 hitting line with eight home runs and 29 RBI over 146 at-bats against righties.

San Francisco Giants: Who Is on First?

The Contestants: Brandon Belt vs. Aubrey Huff vs. Brett Pill

The Winner: Aubrey Huff

What Happens to Belt and Pill?

Belt will return to Triple-A Fresno, where he really doesn't have much left to prove.

Pill will serve as the backup to Huff at first base and a pinch-hitter off of the bench.

Seattle Mariners: Who Is the Last Man in the Pen?

The Contestants: Lucas Luetge vs. Erasmo Ramirez

The Winner: Lucas Luetge

What Happens to Ramirez?

Luetge and Ramirez have both been solid. Luetge, being a Rule 5 draft pick this past winter, needs to remain on the Mariners 25-man roster or be offered back to the Milwaukee Brewers at half price.

The Mariners still believe Ramirez can be a solid starting pitcher in the majors. He will return to Triple-A Tacoma to work on his mechanics and get to pitch every fifth day.

St. Louis Cardinals: Who Starts at Second?

The Contestants: Tyler Greene vs. Daniel Descalso

The Winner: Daniel Descalso

What Happens to Greene?

Greene will become a utility infielder for the Cardinals. He'll spell Descalso at second base, Rafael Furcal at shortstop and serve as a right-handed bat off of the bench.

Tampa Bay Rays: Who Backs Up Jose Molina?

The Contestants: Chris Gimenez vs. Jose Lobaton

The Winner: Jose Lobaton

What Happens to Gimenez?

He could report to the minors, though with his major league experience and versatility (he can play corner spots in the infield and outfield), he may prefer to become a free agent and see if he can latch on with a team looking for a versatile utility player.

Texas Rangers: Who Is the Lefty out of the Pen?

The Contestants: Joe Beimel vs. Michael Kirkman vs. Robbie Ross

The Winner: Robbie Ross

What Happens to Beimel and Kirkman?

The Pirates will release Beimel, while Kirkman will head back to Triple-A Round Rock to continue his conversion from starter to left-handed reliever.

Toronto Blue Jays: Who Is the Fifth Starter?

The Contestants: Kyle Drabek vs. Dustin McGowan

The Winner: Kyle Drabek

What Happens to McGowan?

McGowan will likely start the season on the disabled list as he tries to recover from plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

He had pitched well in two starts this spring, but he's now becoming somewhat injury-prone. Whether or not he can handle the stress of pitching deep into games is a question that needs to be answered.

If Drabek can take a solid spring and pitch well in the regular season, McGowan could return from the DL and head straight to the bullpen as a long reliever.

Washington Nationals: Who Is the Fifth Starter?

The Contestants: John Lannan vs. Ross Detwiler

The Winner: John Lannan

What Happens to Detwiler?

While a slide into the bullpen would be logical, Wahington's is jam-packed. So Detwiler is best served by heading back to Triple-A Syracuse, where he can take his regular turn in the rotation.

That being said, the Nationals could trade John Lannan at any point, so Detwiler could make a quick return to the Nationals rotation.