When spring training began, the Tigers were counting on Jeremy Bonderman to be a part of their starting rotation once the season opened. They were hoping Dontrelle Willis could be their fifth starter. When camp began, Joel Zumaya was very much a part of Jim Leyland’s bullpen plans.
        Today, all three are still in Lakeland, each pitcher continuing his comeback in his own way.
        Zumaya, who is certainly the closest of the three to being ready to rejoin the Tigers, is scheduled to start for the Lakeland Flying Tigers against Clearwater on Wednesday.
        It will be Zumaya’s second Florida State League start. If all goes well, his next stop may be at Erie or Toledo.
        “We’ll evaluate him today as far as moving him to another level,” Leyland said Wednesday.
        Best case scenario: Zumaya could be back in the Tigers’ bullpen by May or maybe a bit sooner
        Bonderman played catch in Tigertown earlier this week and, according to Leyland, will throw off the mound “soon.”
        Obviously, he is quite a bit farther away than Zumaya.
        “All I know is, he’s feeling real good right now,” Leyland said. “No pain. He’s throwing free and easy.
        “I don’t want to sound cold,” the manager cautioned, “but we’ve been down that road before.”
        It will probably be at least another month before Bonderman comes back.
        Willis, who was placed on the disabled list late in spring training after being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, “threw to hitters” in a minor league camp game earlier this week, according to Leyland.
        Leyland phoned Willis a couple of days ago to see how he was doing.
        “He seems upbeat,” the Tigers manager reported.
        “He said, ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.’ ”
        However, Willis’ return remains the longest shot of the three.
        “I want to get ‘em all back,” Leyland said Wednesday. “But I want ‘em to be right. I want ‘em all to be able to perform and be successful.”
        If that ever happens, the Tigers’ pitching staff will look a whole lot stronger.