The Cubs are expected to go with a four-man rotation if they make the playoffs, but the possibility exists they’ll use all five starters if necessary.
No team has done it before, but few teams have had five starters as talented as the Cubs’.
“They can [use five],” Mark Prior said. “Who says they won’t? I don’t know how it’s going to get structured.
“We’ve got [13] games left, and a lot of things are yet to be determined. A lot of things can happen. Hopefully we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
If the rotation remains the same for the final two weeks, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano and Greg Maddux would be on schedule to start the final three regular-season games against Atlanta at Wrigley Field.
The playoffs start two days later on Oct. 5, meaning either Prior or Matt Clement would have enough rest to start Game 1 of the division series, with Wood and Zambrano in Games 2 and 3. If the Cubs clinch the wild-card spot before the final weekend, manager Dusty Baker could use Glendon Rusch against the Braves and save Zambrano or Maddux, his two most effective pitchers in the second half, for Game 1.
Everything is speculation since the Cubs are in a tight race. Plus Clement has struggled in three of his last four outings, including Monday’s, when he lasted only 2 1/3 innings, so he may be the odd man out.
Prior has said he doesn’t mind if he’s in the bullpen for the playoffs.
“Think what you want,” he said. “I honestly don’t care. If they want me to start, start me and I’ll go out and do everything I can to win the ballgame. If they want me to come in in long relief, I’ll do that. If they want me to close, I’ll do that.
“Come playoff time, it doesn’t matter what you do or who you are. If you’re a guy who hits 40 home runs and you’ve got to lay down a sacrifice bunt, that’s what you’ve got to do.
“It’s about the team goal of winning a World Series ring. Whatever the task is, if I start a game, come in two days later in relief or whatever, that’s what I’m going to do. Everybody on this team has that feeling. Whatever is asked of them, they’re going to do to.”
