Spring training is now underway and that means position battles across the league have begun. Sometimes those battles are for a roster spot, other times for a specific role with the team. Picking a winner of those battles based on spring performance is sort of silly, but teams do it all the time.

Over the next week we'll look at the various position battles around the league division by division. We've done the AL East and NL East and now it's onto the NL Central. 

CHICAGO CUBS: 2B/3B ... LF?

The fifth starter competition could also be discussed here, but sorting out the options at second base and third base -- even bleeding into left field -- is more exciting.

First and foremost, there's uber-prospect Kris Bryant, who most (including myself) expect to win NL Rookie of the Year. He's expected to be promoted to the majors after just a few weeks. He could stick at third base, but the Cubs are also going to give him looks in left field.

Until Bryant comes up, Javier Baez, Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara are options at second base with any of the three also being possibilities at third -- though I'd be surprised if Baez was asked to learn a third infield position. Mike Olt could also get a shot at third.

How the youngsters Baez, La Stella and Alcantara fare early will have an impact on what the Cubs do once Bryant gets up, obviously.

The hope seems to be that Bryant sticks at third, Baez locks down the job at second with La Stella being a nice bench player and Alcantara roaming the field as Joe Maddon's new version of Ben Zobrist. And if Bryant does stick at third and Alcantara plays well, that could mean lots of starts in left field this season for the utility man.

Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez are fighting for playing time this spring.
Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez are fighting for playing time this spring for the Cubs. (USATSI)

As for the fifth spot in the rotation, behind Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks, the Cubs have Travis Wood, Edwin Jackson, Tsuyoshi Wada, Dallas Beeler, Eric Jokisch, Felix Doubront and Jacob Turner as options.

CINCINNATI REDS: Last two rotation spots

Behind the top three in the rotation -- Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey and Mike Leake -- the Reds would prefer the young guns lock down the last two rotation spots. That is, Tony Cingrani and Anthony DeSclafani.

Cingrani, 25, had a very good rookie season in 2013, but battled injury and performance woes (possibly related, of course) last season.

DeSclafani, 24, has had some success as a starter in the minors, but he posted a 7.40 ERA in five starts with Miami as a rookie last season before moving to the bullpen for his later stints in the majors. The poor ERA in starts is a small sample and certainly doesn't mean he can't be a quality big-league starter.

As insurance, though, the Reds have brought in veterans Jason Marquis and Paul Maholm. Marquis himself has already declared that one of the open spots is his "job to lose."

As for the decision-maker, here's manager Bryan Price, via the Associated Press:

''We targeted DeSclafani to start for us and we have Tony Cingrani, who has pitched well for us when healthy. We signed Marquis and Paul Maholm to compete. Those are guys that are comfortable pitching in the big leagues. Marquis has been very impressive.''

MILWAUKEE BREWERS: Closer?

The Brewers are pretty well set almost everywhere, but there's a situation that could arise in the coming days. The Brewers are in discussions with free agent Francisco Rodriguez and a decision is expected very soon, reports Jon Heyman.

If the Brewers do ink K-Rod, I'd assume he would go right back into the closer role, but Jonathan Broxton was already in line for that job.

On the surface, K-Rod had a good season in 2014, but remember he didn't give up a run for over a month to start the season. Once he did (May 11), he posted a 4.22 ERA the rest of the season while coughing up 14 homers in 49 innings. 

Broxton had a 2.30 ERA and 1.02 WHIP last season, though he was worse with Milwaukee and misses fewer bats than K-Rod these days.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES: Shortstop ... eventually?

Jordy Mercer is the incumbent and most likely starter opening day here, but he has competition, at least down the road, from Korean import Jeong-Ho Kang.

Kang, 27, hit 40 homers last season in Korean Baseball Organization in just 117 games, with a slash line of .356/.459/.739. Obviously MLB is much tougher and the transition halfway across the globe can't be easy, but he has talent.

Mercer, 28, hit .255/.305/.387 last season for the Pirates. He had a very good partial season in 2013, though.

Kang has stated his desire to be the everyday shortstop and the Pirates have said that when they signed him they envisioned Kang as an everyday starter eventually.

The hunch is that Mercer has the job out of spring, but it's not out of the question that Kang takes this thing at some point.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: Fifth starter

This is going to come down to two youngsters with upside who have limited starting experience at the big-league level but have also thrown out of the bullpen: Right-hander Carlos Martinez and lefty Marco Gonzales.

Martinez was a very good starter in the minors. In eight career MLB starts, he's 2-2 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. He's fared better in relief, but that doesn't mean he can't start. He's still only 23 years old.

Gonzales himself just turned 23 earlier this month. He debuted last June, making five starts and five relief appearances in the majors. As a starter, he was 2-2 with a 4.56 ERA and 1.75 WHIP. He was also better as a reliever but, again, this doesn't mean much -- especially with such a small sample.

In 21 starts in the minors last year (six in High-A, seven in Double-A and eight in Triple-A), Gonzales was 9-5 with a 2.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 122 innings. He was the Cardinals' first-round pick out of Gonzaga in 2013.