The Cubs have signed 29-year old lefty starter/reliever Ryan Rowland-Smith to a minor league deal. Rowland-Smith pitched in 24 games (21 starts) in Rookie+AAA-ball last year and he was 2-11 with 1 save, a 5.90 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the Mariners. Rowland-Smith has now pitched in 115 games (47 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 12-17 with 2 saves, a 4.57 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He will likely start the 2012 season in AAA-ball, but he could get a call from the Cubs at some point this year.

The Chicago Cubs are going to have a lot of competition for the #5 spot in the starting rotation and that’s a good thing. Here is a look at the Cubs starting rotation as of right now:

#1: Matt Garza: 28-year old righty Matt Garza’s name has been bandied around in trade talks all winter long but he is still with the Cubs, for now. Garza pitched in 31 games (all starts) in his first year for the Cubs and he was 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 2011. The offense and bullpen conspired to make him a .500 pitcher, even though he deserved much better than that. Garza has now pitched in 152 games (149 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 52-54 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. If Garza is on the Cubs’ on Opening Day, he will be starting that game as he is the new ace of the starting rotation.

#2: Ryan Dempster: 34-year old righty Ryan Dempster had an off-year in 2011 for the Cubs. He pitched in 34 games (all starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 10-14 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Dempster has now pitched in 358 games (138 starts) in his first 8 years with the Cubs and he is 62-61 with 87 saves, a 3.88 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. He has now pitched in 519 games (294 starts) in his first 14 years in the majors and he is 112-116 with 87 saves, a 4.41 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The Cubs are hoping for a bounce back year in 2012 out of Dempster.

#3: Paul Maholm: 29-year old lefty Paul Maholm will be #3 in line for the Cubs in the starting rotation. Maholm pitched in 26 games (all starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 6-14 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He has now pitched in 185 games (all starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 53-73 with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Cubs are hoping that all of the losing Maholm has done in his career so far won’t bother him in 2012, because he’s actually a pretty decent pitcher.

#4 and #5: Travis Wood: 24-year old lefty Travis Wood came over from the Reds in the Sean Marshall trade. That will give him an inside track to one of the last two slots in the Cubs’ starting rotation. He pitched in 22 games (18 starts) for the Reds last year and he was 6-6 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Wood has now pitched in 39 games (35 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 11-10 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He has a very nice upside and a bright future for the Cubbies.

Randy Wells: 29-year old righty Randy Wells is going to have a fight on his hands if he wants to remain in the starting rotation. Wells pitched in 23 games (all starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 7-6 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He has now pitched in 85 games (82 starts) in his first four years with the Cubs and he is 27-30 with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Wells better come to spring training focused and motivated if he wants to win a starting job.

Chris Volstad: 25-year old righty Chris Volstad was acquired from the Marlins in the Carlos Zambrano deal over the winter. Volstad pitched in 29 games (all starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 5-13 with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He has now pitched in 103 games (102 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 32-39 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Volstad will need to bring his A-Game if he wants to win a job in the rotation this spring.

Rodrigo Lopez: The Cubs re-signed 36-year old righty Rodrigo Lopez over the winter. He pitched in 26 games (16 starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 6-6 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Lopez has now pitched in 253 games (215 starts) in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 81-88 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Lopez will likely be the Cubs’ long man in the bullpen if he loses out on a rotation spot.

Andy Sonnanstine: 28-year old righty Andy Sonnanstine will be a longshot to win a job in the Cubs’ rotation in 2012. He pitched in 15 games (4 starts) for the Tampa Bay Rays last year and he was 0-2 with a 5.55 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Sonnanstine has now pitched in 132 games (80 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 28-31 with 1 save, a 5.26 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Sonnanstine will benefit from pitching in the National League in 2012.

Casey Coleman: 24-year old righty Casey Coleman had a rough go in 2011 with the Cubs. He pitched in 19 games (17 starts) for the Cubs last year and he was 3-9 with a 6.40 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. Coleman has now pitched in 31 games (25 starts) in his first two years with the Cubs and he is 7-11 with a 5.48 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Coleman will likely start the 2012 season in AAA-ball and have to work his way back to the show by pitching well there.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: C

The Cubs have signed 38-year old lefty reliever Trever Miller to a minor league deal. Miller pitched in 48 games last year for the Cardinals, Red Sox and Blue Jays last year in which he was 0-1 with 1 save, a 3.80 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. He has now pitched in 694 games (5 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 18-17 with 11 saves, a 4.18 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Miller will have a really good shot of making the Cubs’ bullpen this spring.

The Chicago Cubs have signed 34-year old switch-hitting 2B Bobby Scales to a minor league deal. Scales played in 148 games in AAA and Independent ball last year and he was 145 for 517 (.280 avg, .830 OPS) with 82 runs scored, 18 homers, 73 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. He last played in the majors with the Cubs back in 2010. Scales has played in 61 games in his first two years with the Cubs and he is 34 for 137 (.248 avg, .743 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He will get a shot to win a bench job this spring for the Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs have signed 29-year old switch-hitting infielder Mike Tolbert to a minor league deal. Tolbert played in 87 games for the Twins last year and he was 41 for 207 (.198 avg, .518 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 0 homers, 11 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He has now played in 247 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 139 for 605 (.230 avg, .607 OPS) with 76 runs scored, 3 homers, 54 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Tolbert will get a shot this spring to win a job on the Cubs’ bench due to his versatility in the field.