Casey Coleman will be stretched out as a starter during spring training.

"He'll be built up as a starter and compete," said Cubs manager Dale Sveum. "The long-man [spot] is open in the bullpen. [Coleman] brings a lot of depth to the rotation. He'll be built up to compete for a job, any job that might come up." The Cubs' rotation is already pretty crowded and Coleman posted an ugly 6.40 ERA and 75/46 K/BB ratio over 84 1/3 innings with the big club last season, so he's unlikely to become fantasy relevant.

Casey Coleman allowed just two runs on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings Monday, but got stuck with the loss in Chicago's 2-0 setback against the Padres.

Coleman struck out seven and walked two in his second straight solid start following nearly an entire season of awful pitching. He'll finish his 2011 with a 6.40 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and 75/46 K/BB ratio posted in 84 1/3 innings. It's quite possible he was the National League's worst starter this season. He'll remain off the fantasy radar in 2012.

Casey Coleman had his best start of the season on Monday, holding the Brewers to one run on two hits and three walks in six innings of a 5-2 Cubs victory.

He fanned a season-high eight. A nice night for the 24-year-old righty, but not exactly something to get excited about, as he's still the owner of a 6.64 ERA, 1.79 WHIP and ugly 68/44 K/BB in 78 2/3 innings. If he's in the Cubs rotation in 2012, something will have gone drastically wrong.

Casey Coleman did what Casey Coleman does on Wednesday, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings of Chicago's loss to the Reds.

Coleman has now allowed four or more runs in nine of his 15 starts this season, and is the owner of a 7.06 ERA and 1.87 WHIP through 72 2/3 innings. He's not a major-league talent.

Casey Coleman yielded four runs on eight hits and no walks over five innings Friday against the Mets.

The youngster was hittable, though he did strike out five and didn't walk anyone. There's really nothing to get excited about here. You can safely stay away from him in all fantasy formats.

Casey Coleman yielded two runs (one earned) over six innings Saturday against the Pirates.

Coleman scattered six hits while while issuing three walks and striking out six. He left in line for his first major league win since May 12. The right-hander now has back-to-back quality starts under his belt, but we wouldn't trust him in fantasy leagues.

Casey Coleman allowed five runs on five hits and two walks in five innings of Chicago's loss to the Braves on Tuesday evening.

Coleman served up a grand slam to Jason Heyward in a five-run fourth for the Braves. Coleman has been amazingly bad in 51 innings of work this season, posting a 7.59 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and 39/32 K/BB ratio while allowing six home runs. It's hard to believe he's got another start in the pipeline.

Casey Coleman yielded four runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings Wednesday in a loss to the Astros.

It doesn't say much for Coleman that the Astros managed 10 hits off him and then none off relievers John Grabow, Ramon Ortiz and Jeff Samardzija in 4 1/3 innings. Coleman could remain in the rotation in Carlos Zambrano's place, but he belongs in middle relief.

Cubs recalled RHP Casey Coleman from Triple-A Iowa.

As expected, Coleman will take Carlos Zambrano's place in the rotation Wednesday against the Astros. The 24-year-old right-hander has an ugly 7.23 ERA and 31/28 K/BB ratio in nine starts and two relief appearances with the Cubs this season and doesn't come recommended in fantasy leagues.

Casey Coleman is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Carlos Zambrano's spot in the rotation on Wednesday.

He's the most logical candidate, and it also happens to be his day to pitch. Coleman has posted a 7.23 ERA and 1.94 WHIP in the majors this season as a swing man but holds a much better 3.65 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 12 starts for Iowa.

Cubs recalled RHP Casey Coleman from Triple-A Iowa.

Coleman is scheduled to start Monday afternoon against the Nationals. He has registered an ugly 7.78 ERA in 10 appearances (eight starts) this season for the Northsiders and can be avoided in all fantasy leagues.

Cubs optioned RHP Casey Coleman to Triple-A Iowa.

We should now officially be able to pencil Rodrigo Lopez into Coleman's spot in the rotation. The reality is that with a 7.25 ERA and 2.03 WHIP over nine games -- eight starts -- Coleman should have been replaced much sooner, but the Cubs simply haven't had a choice to keep him around with other pitchers dropping like flies around him. He'll likely be back at some point, but it will probably be in a long relief role.

Casey Coleman got shelled by the Mets on Wednesday evening, allowing six runs on seven hits and one walk in just 1 1/3 innings of the Cubs' rain-shortened loss.

Coleman tallied zero strikeouts in seeing his ERA and WHIP balloon to 7.32 and 2.05, respectively. He now owns a 25/26 K/BB ratio through 35 2/3 innings of work, and the disaster outing severely damages his chances of remaining in the Cubs rotation following Randy Wells' scheduled return this weekend.

Casey Coleman might remain in the rotation after Randy Wells (forearm) returns following Doug Davis' poor showing Friday.

It had been assumed that Coleman, who has gone 2-3 with a 6.03 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in seven starts, would lose his spot, but it's possible those plans could be altered after Davis was blasted for seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings Friday. How Davis fares next week against the Mets will go a long way in determining if he keeps his spot.

Casey Coleman remains in line to be bumped from the Cubs rotation when Randy Wells (forearm) comes off the disabled list.

Wells is expected back in roughly a week, so Coleman's start against the Mets next week may very well be his last for time being. Since being inserted into the Cubs rotation on April 10, Coleman has gone 2-3 with a 6.03 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in seven starts, turning in just one quality outing. He will not be missed in NL-only leagues.

Casey Coleman tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday, allowing four hits and five walks while striking out seven in a 5-1 win over the Marlins.

It was far from a spotless outing, but Coleman will take all the good mojo he can get right now. The outing lowers his ERA and WHIP to 6.03 and 1.89, respectively, while he moves to 2-3 on the year. Coleman has now walked at least three in each of his last six starts and sports a 25/25 K/BB ratio for the year. He'll get the Mets next.

Casey Coleman was lit up by the Cardinals on Thursday, surrendering six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Coleman took the loss to fall to 1-4, and his ERA jumped to 7.22. The Cubs figure to replace him in the rotation as soon as either Randy Wells or Andrew Cashner returns, but it looks like he'll make one or two more starts.

Casey Coleman was pounded for six runs in 2 2/3 innings by the Dodgers on Friday.

Coleman impressed in his late-season rotation stint last year, but he has a 7.42 ERA and a 9/8 K/BB ratio after three starts this season. Given the Cubs' lack of alternatives, he figures to make at least a couple of more starts before Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells return.

Casey Coleman was forced to leave Saturday's game early after taking a line drive off his leg in the sixth inning.

Just what the Cubs didn't need, another starter injured. Coleman was taking the place of the injured Randy Wells. Andrew Cashner is also on the disabled list and the Cubs are beginning to run out of viable options.

Starting in place of an injured Randy Wells on Sunday, Casey Coleman kept his head above water, allowing nine hits and four runs in five innings of work in Chicago's loss to the Brewers.

He let both Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder take him deep, but pitched about as well as the Cubs could have hoped for. He isn't worth a look in NL-only leagues during what should be a short stay in Chicago's rotation, however.