There’s an interesting battle brewing for the final spot in the Cubs’ rotation, one in which veteran Jon Lieber may have taken the lead after tossing four shutout frames on Saturday.

Carlos Zambrano and lefty Ted Lilly are entrenched in the first two spots in the rotation, with southpaw Rich Hill expected to slide into the fourth spot in order to break up the lefties. Ryan Dempster, being converted back into a starter after spending the past few years closing, seems to have a guaranteed rotation spot, so he’ll likely be the No. 3 man.

That leaves Lieber, Jason Marquis and the two Seans - Marshall and Gallagher - to vie for the last spot.

Lieber definitely got some help from his defense when Mike Fontenot came up with a big double play, snaring a pop-up behind second base and then nailing a tagging Augie Ojeda at the plate to get Lieber out of trouble in the first inning.

Notwithstanding pissing Lou Piniella off with last week’s ’start me or trade me’ demands, Marquis has been effective so far this spring, especially in his last outing. But as always, control will be an issue.

Although he made strides in this area last year, that’s a key consideration for Marshall as well, as evidenced by three walks, three wild pitches and a hit batsman in his first 5 1/3 innings. Marshall started the Cubs’ other Saturday game, looking strong with three shutout innings before getting touched up for a pair of runs in the fourth. He’s looking like a long shot.

Besides, both Marshall and Gallagher are being mentioned in trade talks. Either could head to Boston in a Coco Crisp trade, while Gallagher is also being talked about in the perpetual Brian Roberts-to-the-Cubs rumours. Adding fuel to that fire was the fact that an O’s scout turned up Saturday to check out Gallagher’s outing.

Piniella has said that one of the starters who doesn’t win a spot will likely have to pitch out of the bullpen. So unless the Cubs can find someone foolish enough to take the rest of Marquis’ contract (he’s signed through the end of 2009 with over $16 million left on his deal), it appears that he will have to pitch in long relief, his demands to start notwithstanding. It’s been seven years since Marquis last regularly pitched out of the pen, but for Lieber, it’s been over a decade.

And if control factors in here at all, Lieber has always been a specialist in this area, and judging by his spring results (five Ks, no walks), that’s not about to change.

There’s an interesting battle brewing on the Twins as the club tries to sort out both its centrefield situation while also seeking a lead-off hitter. Ideally, this person will be one and the same.

We discussed this topic to an extent on the weekend, but now it appears that not only are all three centrefield candidates (Carlos Gomez, Jason Pridie and Denard Span) vying for the top-of-the-order gig, but so is infielder Nick Punto.

Today, this quartet received tutorials from not one but two Hall of Famers, as both Paul Molitor and Rod Carew imparted lead-off batting wisdom to the group.

Last week, I suggested Gomez has the inside track on the job, but manager Ron Gardenhire believes the youngster’s skills need “to be refined.” Plus, Gomez typically was a middle of the order hitter in the minors, whereas Span and Pridie each have experience batting leadoff.

On the plus side, Gomez has speed, can get on base and can bunt – all attributes required by a lead-off man. I still think he’s going to win this battle, even if he needs a month or two of seasoning first. By June, if not sooner, expect to see Gomez patrolling centrefield and batting leadoff for the Twins.

In other Twins’ news, Brian Buscher has a decent chance of sticking as a corner infielder. His opportunity to win the starting third base job disappeared when for some reason Minny gave Mike Lamb $6.6 million for two years to handle the hot corner. But Buscher spent the offseason working on his defense at third, and he’s also working out at first base this spring as the Twins seek someone to back up Justin Morneau. If Buscher can handle both corners, it will vastly improve his chances of breaking camp with the team. Of course, he didn’t hurt himself this afternoon by mashing a pair of doubles, including one that tied the game against Concordia University.

How about those arms that Minnesota got in the Johan Santana trade? We’ve already discussed them in-depth earlier this month, but now we get to see them in action.

Philip Humber was ripped for four runs in one inning, surrendering a two-run double and then a two-run homer. Sure, he just had his first live throwing session on the weekend, but this was an inauspicious start.

Kevin Mulvey got the start and walked the lead-off man, but settled down to hurl a pair of goose eggs. And finally, Deolis Guerra, who won’t be 19 for another couple of months, contributed one shutout inning.

In the final installment of Position Battles for the 2006-07 NBA season, we run down some quick playing time issues to watch for in the last week before the playoffs.

We’re still waiting to see Boris Diaw get his act together, but his job sounds like it’s in jeopardy; and Mike Wilks of all people suddenly finds himself with some value.

Not only do we cover these situations and many other fantasy basketball related issues in this week’s Position Battles, but we also provide a handy how-to guide for when you’ve got a lady spending the evening and she has no sleepwear.

It looks like Kwame Brown, just when he was starting to roll, has hurt himself again. Andrew Bynum and Ronny Turiaf stand to gain should Kwame’s disappointing season take another turn for the worse with more time on the sidelines. In this week’s Position Battles, we check out the Laker centre situation.

Jamaal Tinsley’s elbow could create more playing time for Darrell Armstrong; Jarvis Hayes isn’t exactly running with Caron Butler’s job; and Rudy Gay is developing a level of consistency that makes him a far more valuable player.

Got the ‘I can’t wait for Joost blues?’ Let us help you take your mind off the next big thing with plenty of fantasy basketball tidbits in Position Battles.

The Phoenix Suns have been knocking on the door for a while, and while their big win over Dallas two weeks ago was sweet, it will mean nothing if they can’t get past the Mavericks and return to the NBA Finals for the first time in 15 years. In today’s Position Battles, we put stare into the Suns and their season to date.

We also review the rookie season of Randy Foye to date and see how the former Villanova star has adjusted to life as an NBA player.

Are you the only person on the planet without a gmail account? That’s okay…as a consolation prize, we’ve got all the fantasy basketball tidbits fit to print in Position Battles.

The Knicks have certainly been a lot better than last season’s debacle which found them occupying the Eastern Conference basement. It’s progress enough to save Isiah Thomas’s ass, but probably not sufficent enought to get back to the playoffs, especially with several key players out. In this week’s Position Battles, we check in on the Knicks.

It sounds like Joe Johnson is done for the year; Ben Gordon is seeing a ton of action; and P.J. Brown isn’t ready to be set adrift on an ice floe just yet.

Sorry, we don’t have any topless photos of Snakes on a Plane hottie Elsa Pataky, but we can fill you in on the latest fantasy basketball happenings in Position Battles.

I had such high hopes for the Bucks this year, believing that another trip back to the postseason and a winning record were both in the offing for 2006-07. Instead, the Bucks have dealt with injuries and shoddy D. And now all that’s left to look forward to is a drum filled with Ping Pong balls. In this week’s Position Battles, we check in the Milwaukee Bucks.

Stromile Swift is teasing us again; Fabricio Oberto might get another look in San Antonio; and Rajon Rondo has survived the cut in Beantown.

So once you’re done scratching your head over the idea that the same kind of person who would buy a Dell would want Linux on their PC, surf on over to this week’s Position Battles, where you’ll find a delightful amount of Linux-less fantasy basketball notes.

The Raptors will get their second look at Memphis this season at the ACC tonight, with both teams trying to end losing skids, but with the Grizzlies owning bragging rights over their former fellow Canadian team with eight straight wins. In this week’s Position Battles, we take a closer look at a Memphis team that seems destined to utter Greg Oden’s name in June.

In Seattle, Luke Ridnour’s neck injury has allowed Earl Watson another crack at the PG job for the Sonics and Chris Wilcox is in one of his slumps.

In search of child prodigy drummers? We’ve got that. Want fantasy basketball news? We’ve got you covered there too, in Position Battles.

Remember when the Raptors were going to be Phoenix East and jack up 100 shots per game? Well, after a 2-8 start, the team realized that it was easier said than done, so it decided maybe it ought to focus on playing some D, and we’ve all seen the results. Unfortunately, Golden State hasn’t learned that lesson yet. That’s why a Warriors’ squad that is scoring more than any team not nicknamed the Suns has no peer when it comes to surrendering points. And that is looking very much like a recipe for a 13th straight season out of the playoff mix. In this week’s Position Battles, we take a closer look at Don Nelson’s team.

We also check in on Rashad McCants, slowly recovering from surgery and poised to play a more important role off the T-Wolves’ bench down the stretch.

We’ve got a whack more fantasy basketball related issues to unveil is this week’s Position Battles.

The jury remains out on the great Allen Iverson-Carmelo Anthony experiment in Denver. Even if they are 2-5 together, seven games isn’t nearly enough time to determine if this union will work. However, assuming they are both healthy, the Nuggets will need to play better than .500 from here on out or this trade will look like a colossal failure. In this week’s Position Battles, we check in on Denver and assess the situation.

Jamaal Tinsley is suddenly gun shy; Chris Quinn is the forgotten man in Miami thanks to Eddie Jones; and LaMarcus Aldridge’s value could soar if Portland clears the decks for him this week.

While we can’t promise to make Clay Aiken sound good, we do offer up plenty of fantasy basketball-related tidbits for your palate in Position Battles.

The Hawks teased us with a quick start and then a rash of injuries derailed their season. Believe it or, they’ve been playing much better since the calendar changed and the return of Josh Smith has really helped sparked Atlanta to mediocrity. Now if the Hawks could only land a floor general. We explore the situation down in Atlanta in detail in this week’s Position Battles.

Matt Carroll is about to lose his job; Jake Voskhul is back on the bench where he belongs; and Vladimir Radmanovic has found his stroke.

We explore all these situations and offer up a buffet of basketball blurbs in this week’s Position Battles.

As a final note, don’t forget to spend some quality time with your loved one tonight during halftime. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Don’t look now, but the Raptors are 8-2 over the past 10 games and the uncertainty of a 7-14 start is a distant memory. Go ahead, Toronto fans, use the “P word” freely when discussing this team’s chances. We find out how the Raptors have shot to the head of the Atlantic Division in this week’s Position Battles.

Sebastian Telfair’s performance last night should help him find his way back into the struggling Celtics’ rotation.

We tackle this and several other fantasy basketball playing time concerns in this week’s Position Battles.

Speaking of the Raptors, we’ll be covering tonight’s game against the Magic, so look for a detailed report on the site tomorrow.

The Sacramento Kings last missed the postseason in 1997-98, but that run looks in grave danger this season, as this undersized team has consistently been beaten on the boards and has had a hell of time winning away from home. We check in on the Kings’ fortunes in this week’s Position Battles.

Mickael Gelabale is a tremendous athlete, but his grip on the SF job in Seattle looks tenuous; Brent Barry is now starting over Manu Ginobili for the Spurs; and Malik Allen can’t seem to find his way into the Bulls’ lineup consistently.

We’ve got all this and a heap of other fantasy basketball tidbits to chomp on in this week’s Position Battles.

The Portland Trail Blazers have made tremendous progress from last season’s disaster. While they have a ways to go before they return to the post-season dance, a great draft last summer has helped launched the club on the right path. In this week’s Position Battles, we unravel the mystery of how the Jail Blazers have transformed themselves into a team on the rise.

Udonis Haslem is gaining value thanks to some heavy minutes recently; Ronnie Brewer has found his way into the DNP Zone, but could still emerge as a second-half factor; and Jason Williams looks like he might finally be past his knee issues.

We’ve got all this and more in this week’s Position Battles. And there’s no need to go to YouTube to find it!

The soap opera that was Allen Iverson and Chris Webber is over for the Philadelphia 76ers, but now the team must carve out a new identity for itself. One can’t help but wonder if the one A.I. era will soon usher in the Greg Oden era. In this week’s Position Battles, we check in the PT situation in the City of Brotherly Love.

Will Caron Butler’s heavy PT come back to haunt him in the second half? His massive minutes totals, along with those of Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, are hurting the PT of reserves like Donell Taylor and Jarvis Hayes.

We check in on this, plus offer plenty more fantasy basketball insights in this week’s Position Battles.

Mike James seems to have solidified his starting gig for now; Dikembe Mutombo can’t keep playing heavy minutes at his age; and Trenton Hassell is getting a ton of PT these days.

We’ve got all these stories, plus enough to make Maria Sharapova squeal with delight in this week’s Position Battles.

Ruben Patterson and Charlie Villanueva are stuck on the Bucks’ bench while Chris Kaman seems to have gained power despite shaving his pretty-boy locks.

We’ve got it all and lots more fantasy basketball fodder in this week’s Position Battles.

We also dissect a Raptors team that’s not only winning on the road, but they’re doing it without their superstar.

Read about these situations and plenty of other fantasy basketball related issues in this week’s Position Battles.

I also take a close look at the Sonics, who just completed their worst road trip in almost 20 years. Other topics this week include: Marvin Williams is making ex-ACC rival Shelden Williams fantasy anathema; Drew Gooden vs. Anderson Varejao; and the backup guard situation in Utah.

Read these and a novelette’s worth more fantasy basketball tidbits in this week’s Position Battles.

Sometimes I feel sorry for the Clippers, facing a constant uphill battle to win the hearts and minds of LA’s basketball fans. Getting past the Laker mystique ain’t easy, baby. In this week’s Position Battles, I take a closer look at what’s going on with LA’s “other” team.

We also check in on a Bucks’ team that is starting to turn the corner after a lousy start, and we put the Bulls’ backcourt situation under the microscope.

You’ll find this and an Eddy Curry meal’s worth more fantasy basketball tidbits in this week’s Position Battles.