[bears9]

MESA, Ariz. -- The competition has barely begun, but Sean Marshall already knows the score.

The big numbers are these: $7 million, $6.375 million and $3.5 million. Those are the 2008 salaries of the three veteran pitchers -- Ryan Dempster, Jason Marquis and Jon Lieber -- who are ahead of him in the fight for two spots in the Cubs' starting rotation.

For the Cubs, sure.

''But if you're in my shoes, it's a little bit tougher,'' said Marshall, who won't complain about his near-impossible odds of making the rotation even though he'd like to think the job he did last year would count for more coming into this year.

Marshall the odd man out :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Cubs