ST. LOUIS (AP) -Oft-injured ace Chris Carpenter used to be the St. Louis Cardinals’ top concern heading into spring training.
Now, to borrow one of manager Tony La Russa’s pet phrases, it’s tied for first. Following Troy Glaus’ unexpected shoulder surgery in mid-January and the surprise timing behind the release of second baseman Adam Kennedy on Monday, there’s definitely holes to fill no matter how Carpenter fares.
Glaus gave the lineup a big bat behind NL MVP Albert Pujols last season after a third baseman swap that sent disgruntled Scott Rolen to the Blue Jays. Prompt surgery for an injury that hindered him at times last season could have had him ready when pitchers and catchers report to camp on Saturday, but instead the forecast for his debut is sometime in May.
Fill-in options include David Freese, acquired from the Padres after the 2007 season for Jim Edmonds.
ade, the about-face earlier this week opens a free-for-all competition involving largely untested prospects and even outfielder Skip Schumaker.
Schumaker last played the infield in college and said last month he hadn’t taken ground balls in a half-dozen years.
“There’s a reason why I’m in the outfield, I think,” Schumaker said. “Obviously, if Tony wants to throw me in that fire I’ll try it, but I don’t know how realistic that is.”
Another major question for the Cardinals, a fourth-place team in the NL Central last year at 86-76, is anointing a closer. La Russa leaned on rookie Chris Perez the second half of last season after yanking Jason Isringhausen for a second time, and Perez enters the spring as the favorite after the Cardinals failed to land a proven ninth-inning specialist in the offseason.
The situation at both closer and second base reflect the organization’s decision to promote from within rather than through free agency, although the Cardinals were serious bidders for Brian Fuentes, who chose a lesser deal to play on the West Coast with the Angels.
“The only way to get him was to overpay, and we weren’t going to do that,” La Russa said.
team has considered trying Carpenter as a reliever, but believes regular duty is the best option.
Carpenter underwent surgery in November to transpose a nerve in his right elbow that had been causing irritation. He pitched only 15 1-3 innings last season after recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery but won 15 games for the 2006 team that won the World Series and won 21 games in ’05.
“All I’ve asked our training staff is to take the road that gives us the best chance to stay healthy,” La Russa said. “Whatever it is, I just want him pitching.”
Kyle McClellan, coming off a strong rookie season in middle relief, provides some insurance. The Cardinals want him to come to spring training prepared to challenge for the rotation.
“I said it all year, I loved my role in the bullpen last year,” McClellan said. “To have the opportunity to start would be great, I’d take that and run with it.”
The Cardinals are deepest in the outfield, with Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan and Schumaker all good enough for everyday duty. Colby Rasmus, long considered the franchise’s top prospect, figures to give the Cardinals a fifth option.
Duncan is a bit of a darkhorse coming off a second straight injury-shortened season, this time for a potentially risky neck disk surgery.
hink Chris deserves to be in that competition.”
The Cardinals hope to upgrade the infield offense with the acquisition of shortstop Khalil Greene from the Padres, a player who became available coming off a poor 2008 and finished the year on the disabled list with a broken hand.
“He played in a tough ballpark and they had a tough season,” general manager John Mozeliak said. “Most important, we’re looking at this as a fresh start.”
There are no such doubts regarding Pujols, who won his second NL MVP after a 37-homer, 116-RBI season while hindered by an elbow injury that led to surgery in October that was identical to the procedure performed on Carpenter.
Pujols and the Cardinals are optimistic moving the elbow nerve will help him avoid reconstructive surgery. He’s just as optimistic about his team’s chances.
“I heard a lot of people saying everybody in the Central Division got stronger and we got weaker,” Pujols said. “Every year, we prove different people wrong.
“If we can stay healthy, I think we can do a pretty good job.”
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