GLENDALE, Ariz. — As Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovi made his way to the row of the bullpen mound this weekend, with a clipboard under his arm and a basket of baseballs in hand, he burst out laughing.
"Head on a swivel," quipped Hotovi, speeding up his pace.
Hottowi has been bouncing between practice areas, bullpen, pitch lab and stadium in recent days, while the front-office team on the campus's second floor continues to add new pitchers to the camp. Chicago is rapidly building depth in view of the brief build-up for Opening Day.
A rotation blueprint has yet to be drawn up for Hottovy and the Cubs' pitching group, but with several contingencies for the start of the regular season. The reality for Chicago (and every other team) is that pitchers won't be fully drawn when camp breaks out this spring.
"I've thought about it myself," said Cubs left Justin Steele. "How are we going to have nine-inning games when no one is really prepared to do what's like five, six, seven innings? I really don't have the answer."
Here's what the Cubs are watching right now:
• Right-handers Kyle Hendrix and Marcus Strowman appear ready to reach at least five innings before the April 7 opener against the Brewers arrives. As things stand, they are positioned to be candidates for Inauguration Day.
• Lefty Wade Miley is currently on what David Ross called the "Veteran" program. He is set to throw a bullpen session on Monday, but is currently a bit behind the other arms in the camp. Hotovi said the goal would be to get him to more than 40 pitches by the end of spring.
• Left wing Drew Smiley and Steele will be led as starters along with right wing Alec Mills and Keegan Thompson. It's possible they were part of a "piggyback" outing in early April.
• The Cubs have multi-inning options at camp, in addition to Daniel Norris, Adrian Sampson (non-roster) and Robert Geselman (non-roster). Norris, in particular, is hoping to compete for the rotation innings.
"Ultimately, that's what I'd love to do," Norris said of starting. "But at the same time, I feel like I can do anything. I'm going to compete the best and whatever they choose is what they choose, and I'll be excited regardless."
Steele scored two shutout innings against the Padres on Saturday, and Mills followed with two frames (given two runs) against the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Sunday. Steele and Mills are on their way to four or five innings by the end of camp, but know their role is yet to be finalised.
Ross noted on Sunday that Steele, who worked 57 innings between rotation and bullpen for the Cubs in 2021, has a minor league option available if the lefty doesn't crack the opening day rotation. The manager started earlier that Mills (of the options) was going to have a shot at being the starter.
Mills - who wrote a no-hitter in 2020 and has performed better in the starter routine - is hoping to be part of the rotation.
"There are a few things I've done in the past that I feel like I've had the chance to be a starter," Mills said. "But, this is what you've done for me lately. So obviously, I have to keep pitching well and show them that I deserve to be a starter."
They're the key to all of this is staying flexible, especially considering the latest wrinkle with Miley. If he's only ready for three or four innings by the end of spring training, the need for a multi-inning reliever will be even greater.
Hottovy noted that 35-year-old Miley recently threw a 15-pitch bullpen session that went well. Ross said the veteran lefty will be in the Games "soon," but the Cubs are taking a conservative approach to their throwing schedule as they monitor data and get Miley's feedback.
"We're just trying to evaluate each bullpen," Hotovi said, "and for him and for us to make the best decision possible. In general, we really try to give him that runway." doing what he needs."
Under the circumstances, Hottovy is hoping MLB allows additional roster spots at the start of the season. Meanwhile, the Cubs and every other team are planning a 26-man roster with a 13-man pitching staff.
How that staff is built on Opening Day is an unsolved puzzle.
"[There] could be 10 three-innings guys," Hotovi said. "All these people are really in the same boat. We're going to try to spread all these people out like that."