What's at Stake: The Bench

The bench might be the most interesting of the pieces this Spring. Lots of guys fighting for just a few spots.Assuming a 12 man staff and a 9 man lineup, that leaves just 4 bench spots open. And we know Willie is getting one of those. That leaves room for a backup catcher, a backup outfielder and one more guy. On to the candidates!Backup CatcherJamie Burke - Burke hit 300 with little power or patience last year and handled himself reasonably well behind the dish. He's got the inside track on the job, but he's just keeping it warm for one of the two guys behind him. He won't repeat last year's performance.Jeff Clement - Clement can hit (Pecota thinks he can put an ISO in the 150 range), and his defense is probably at least acceptable, but he's not ready for prime-time just yet. He'll likely start the year in Tacoma.Rob Johnson - He's got the defensive reputation of our Tacoma catchers. He isn't going to hit in the big leagues though. If Burke had a ter...