Battle for spots in rotation intense

The top three spots in Milwaukee's starting rotation were penciled in. Too bad that manager Ned Yost already has had to get out his eraser before his squad even started full-team workouts.

Rookie standout Yovani Gallardo suffered cartilage damage and was scheduled for surgery that would knock him out of spring training for four weeks, jeopardizing his availability when the Brewers open their season with a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

So, Yost and general manager Doug Melvin are looking like geniuses for hanging onto their depth of arms. That's not to say that one or more of their prospective starters won't be traded before camp breaks, but Gallardo's setback will present that many more opportunities for several pitchers to secure spots.

Two of those will go to ace Ben Sheets, who knows all too well what Gallardo is going through, and Jeff Suppan. Others in the competition for starting positions or perhaps a role as the long reliever include Carlos Villanueva, Chris Capuano, Dave Bush, Claudio Vargas and Manny Parra.

Sheets suffered several maladies that restricted him to 24 starts. He posted a 12-5 record and 3.82 earned-run average and averaged 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings, but his absence proved crucial as the team faltered after the All-Star break. He's in the final season of a four-year contract, so he could gain tremendously from a solid and injury-free campaign.

Suppan surpassed the 30-start plateau for a ninth consecutive time, finishing with a 12-12 mark in which he displayed Jeckyl and Hyde tendancies, finishing 9-3 at home and 3-9 on the road. He was heralded as an innings-eater, but far too often he didn't eat enough because he allowed a whopping 243 hits and 68 walks in 206 innings. The Brewers deserve more for their four-year, $40 million investment.

Gallardo survived a rough stretch, capping his 9-5 overall record and 3.67 ERA with 3-1 and 1.36 marks in September. He averaged 8.2 Ks per nine innings and hit .250 with two homers.

Villanueva also finished strong, going 2-2 with a 1.99 ERA in six September outings, including five starts. He was so valuable in relief for much of the season, entering the break with a 2.83 standing. Villanueva also tired in the dog days of July and August, but finished 8-5 with a 3.94 ERA.

Bush also won 12 times while losing 10 and posting a 5.12 ERA. He often fell victim to big innings, allowing 217 hits and issuing 44 free passes in 186 innings.

Capuano didn't pitch badly every time, but the Brewers lost 22 straight games in which he pitched. The lefty won 18 games in 2005 and made the All-Star team in '06, but everything's gone downhill since then as he finished 5-12 with a 5.01 ERA last season. Capuano had averaged 220 innings his two previous summers before allowing 170 hits and 54 walks in 150 innings in 2007.

Vargas often wiggled his way out of trouble and benefitted from offensive support in finishing 11-6. He also allowed far too many baserunners, giving up 153 hits and 54 walks in 134 innings. He got past the sixth inning only twice in 23 starts and ended up with a 5.09 ERA.

Parra is the only other left-hander in the mix and showed promise before injuring a finger while bunting against the Cubs. He was 0-1 but struck out 26 in 26.1 innings, posting a 3.76 ERA in nine appearances, including two starts.

There's no doubt that an improved defense will aid Milwaukee's pitching numbers by making them face fewer batters, thus throwing fewer pitches, etc. The fact that several of their bullpen additions are multiple-inning guys also will help, but starters must stay healthy and go deeper into games for the Brewers to reach the postseason.