Zambrano, Harden hold keys to Cubs moving forward

Eleventh in a series

Editor's note: As the countdown continues toward the April 6 opener for the Cubs, Daily Herald Sports Writer Bruce Miles will offer his analysis of each position on the team and the key issues facing the club this season.

Q. Let's get this out of the way: What are the chances the Cubs get Jake Peavy at some point this season?Miles: I think I'd have a better chance at predicting when the stock market is going to turn around. Neither the Cubs nor the Padres know the answer to that one. Peavy would like to play for the Cubs, and the Cubs would like to have him, but you need two ownership situations to clear themselves up and for two sets of baseball front offices to agree on players. Q. Rich Harden ... explain why it such a herculean feat for this guy to start 25 games?Miles: Anytime you have shoulder problems, you're going to be a question mark. The Cubs and Harden have talked all around the issue of whether he has a tear in the shoulder. To me, it's all semantics. Anytime you have a strained shoulder, you've got, at the very least, micro tears in there.If the Cubs wound up getting 25 starts from Harden this year, they'd jump for joy. If they manage him correctly, they just might pull it off. Q. Finish this sentence: the Cubs' rotation will be just fine this year if ...Miles: Carlos Zambrano finally grows up and reclaims the title of ace. The only guy stopping him is himself, unless there are serious issues in his shoulder.Way back in 2003, when Kerry Wood and Mark Prior were all the rage, I maintained then that Zambrano had the best pure stuff of the three and that his ceiling was unlimited. His own stubbornness and immaturity have hurt him more than anything else. If he goes out and gives you 34 starts and the vast majority are of the "quality" variety, all should be fine. Q. People gave Jason Marquis a lot of grief the past few years, but wasn't he about as good a fifth starter as anyone in the NL?Miles: He was. I came to admire Marquis last year for the way he took the ball every time out and did a credible job on most days. He helped the Cubs down the stretch quite a bit.You have to be careful when citing win totals for pitchers because so much goes into them, but Marquis has 65 victories in the last five years. He deserves some credit for that. Q. Is the fifth spot Sean Marshall's to lose or does Jeff Samardzija have a legit shot?Miles: Lou has said that Marshall has a leg up because of his experience and the fact that he was the good soldier last year. But I believe the Cubs would prefer to have Marshall be a swing man, getting spot starts and relieving on other days. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Cubs have three or four fifth starters this year, with Marshall, Samardzija, Chad Gaudin and Aaron Heilman all getting into the action. bull; Got a question about the Cubs for Bruce Miles? Visit his blog, Chicago's Inside Pitch, at dailyherald.com to share your questions and comments. 393512Chicago Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija throws against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Las Vegas, Wednesday, March 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) 512402Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano throws live batting practice during spring training baseball on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) 369512Chicago Cubs pitcher Sean Marshall throws before the first inning of a spring training baseball game Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)