Logan Kensing would like the chance to start again.

John Smoltz has done it. So has Ryan Dempster.

The way Marlins reliever Logan Kensing sees it, why not him?

Kensing said he wouldn't mind getting another chance to be a starter, his job title until the Marlins converted him into a reliever in 2005.

''I would love to,'' Kensing said. ``At least try it. I would like to prove it to myself.''

Smoltz, who started for the Braves at Dolphin Stadium on Thursday, is a great example of a pitcher who has gone full circle. Smoltz switched to the bullpen not long after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2000, and returned to the rotation in 2005.

Dempster, another former starter who shifted to the bullpen following Tommy John surgery, has rejoined the rotation with the Chicago Cubs. Kensing already had moved to the bullpen when he had elbow-ligament replacement surgery in '06.

The Marlins have no intention of putting Kensing back into the rotation. There is a better chance he will end up as a closer if that position becomes available.

There are some differences between the careers of Smoltz and Dempster when compared to Logan Kensing.

It is true that Kensing began his major league career as a starter.  In 2004, Hurricane Frances, at least I think it was Frances, hit South Florida causing the Marlins to postpone, and is some cases lose, a number of home games.  So in MLB's infinite wisdom it was decided that the Marlins would play something like 28 games in 25 days to catch up.

Unsurprisingly the Marlins ran out of starters during that time and with the Triple-A and the Double-A clubs being in the minor league playoffs, the organization called up a pitcher from Single-A to fill in as a starter: Logan Kensing.

When Kensing got the call he hadn't pitched for a number of days and was basically sitting on the couch eating ice-cream and watching cartoons.  Logan joined the big club and did the best he could, making three starts and losing all of them.  In all three starts, IIRC, he looked good the first time through the order and then proceeded to get shelled after that.

He never started another game for the Marlins again.

When you contrast Logan's experiences as a starter turned reliever, it doesn't match the Smoltz and Dempster stories.

Dempster was a somewhat successful starter, at least for one year, who due to injury was made a closer.

Smoltz was putting up Hall of Fame numbers as a starter when the Braves discovered that they didn't have anyone who could close, but had some other decent starters.  So Smoltz became one of the best closers in the game.

Smoltz and Dempster were in the beginning proven quality starters. (Smoltz infinitely more so than Dempster)  Then the two became good closers. (Smoltz infinitely more so than Dempster)  And now they are starters again.

Logan, on the other hand, really didn't have much success as a starter and he has never been the go to guy closer in the bigs.  If it is in the cards that Kensing becomes a starter, I wish it for him.  But the analogy between him and the other two pitchers doesn't hold water.  And truthfully, Logan as a starter, is notta gonna happen.