ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Starting Lineup
2B Skip Schumaker: put together a solid season as a first-time starter in the majors, posting a .302 BA, .359 OBP, 8 HR, and 8 SB UPDATE 3/13 - needs to make a lot of progress over the next few weeks or this 2B experiment is over UPDATE 3/27 - officially named the team's 2B, although Schumaker expects to move to the OF late in games early in the season
LF Chris Duncan: looks like the odd man out in a crowded OF after hitting just 6 HR's in 222 AB's in '08; UPDATE 2/26 - looks like he's the guy in LF unless Rasmus has a big spring
1B Albert Pujols: arguably the best hitter in the majors owns two NL MVP awards and 319 HR's at age 29
CF Rick Ankiel: showed big-time power in hitting 25 HR's in 413 AB's; could be traded or moved to a corner OF spot to accommodate team's top prospect, Rasmus, whenever he is ready UPDATE 3/2 - working on hitting 4th behind Pujols
RF Ryan Ludwick: has hit 51 HR's and knocked in 165 runs in 841 AB's in two seasons with the Cards
C Yadier Molina: 2008 gold glove winner can also hit (.304 BA, 7 HR, 56 RBI)
SS Khalil Greene: reliable defender struggled offensively in '08 (.213 BA, 10 HR, 22 BB, 100 K) but he averaged 18 HR's, 72 RBI's, and a .256 BA over the previous four seasons
3B David Freese: 26 year-old had a big season in AAA (.306 BA, 26 HR, 91 RBI) but is stuck behind Troy Glaus and the team's #2 prospect, Brett Wallace, is also a 3B; However, he'll get a shot to at least start the season in St. Louis with Glaus on the DL UPDATE 3/8 - reassigned to minor league camp; Achilles' tendon injury hurt his chances UPDATE 3/20 - despite being sent to the minors, he still has a chance to win the 3B job UPDATE 3/22 - recalled from Minor League Camp UPDATE 3/29 - hitting .367 (11-for-30) this spring after an impressive performance yesterday

Bench
C Jason LaRue: will continue to be Molina's backup after a season in which he hit just .213 but threw out 8-of-21 attempted base stealers
IF Brendan Ryan: 26 year-old played 2B, SS, 3B, and OF for the Cards in '08 while hitting .244 with 7 SB's
IF Brian Barden: hit .285 with 9 HR's in AAA Memphis in 2008 and was 2-for-9 after a late-season call up
IF/OF Joe Thurston: signed to a minor-league deal after hitting .315 with 11 HR's and 19 SB's in AAA Pawtucket, he'll also be in the mix for the starting 2B job
OF Colby Rasmus: team's top prospect is a five-tool player that will likely force his way onto the roster at some point in 2009 UPDATE 3/26 - if he makes the team, it will likely be as the 4th outfielder UPDATE 4/2 - barring any last-minute trades, Rasmus has made the team

Disabled List
3B Troy Glaus: caught fire to finish the season with 27 HR's after hitting only 3 HR's in April and May; will start the season on the DL after shoulder surgery UPDATE 4/1 - rehab setback will keep him out at least two months

Starting Rotation
RHP Adam Wainwright: 27 year-old was 11-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 20 starts in 2008
RHP Kyle Lohse: had his best season in 2008 with a 15-6 record and 3.78 ERA, his first sub-4.00 ERA in his 8-year ML career
RHP Todd Wellemeyer: another guy that made pitching coach Dave Duncan look like a genius, winning 13 games and posting a 3.71 ERA in his first full season after being converted to a starter
RHP Joel Pineiro: had a 6.05 ERA in the 2nd half of '08 while opponents batted .317 against him
RHP Chris Carpenter: 2005 NL Cy Young winner has missed most of the past two seasons with elbow trouble and is preparing for a return to the rotation as early as opening day; LaRussa has mentioned the possibility of using Carpenter as a closer when he returns UPDATE 2/28 - so far, so good UPDATE 3/12 - barring any setbacks, he'll start the season in the rotation UPDATE 3/18 - six scoreless innings in today's outing; the only question now is where he pitches in the rotation - at this rate, he could earn an opening day start

Bullpen
RHP Jason Motte: converted catcher can throw in the high 90's and could be the closer of the future UPDATE 3/10 - continues to pitch well this spring UPDATE 3/18 - there's still plenty of time left for someone else to step up but it sure sounds like Motte is the leading candidate for the closer's job
LHP Dennys Reyes: UPDATE 3/5 - signed to a two-year deal, reports ESPN's Buster Olney; the 31 year-old had a 2.33 ERA in '08 for the Twins and held lefties to a measly .202 BA and .250 OBP
RHP Ryan Franklin: former starter has had success as a reliever with the Cardinals; he'll likely move to a middle-relief role after saving 17 games in '08 UPDATE 3/9 - officially 'in the mix' to be the closer
RHP Kyle McClellan: hadn't pitched above AA before winning a spot in the Cardinal bullpen last season, posting a 4.04 ERA and 2-7 record UPDATE 3/2 - according to this article, he's considered plan B as the 5th starter in case Carpenter isn't ready UPDATE 3/12 - back to the setup role for McClellan
LHP Trever Miller: journeyman posted a 4.15 ERA in 68 games with the AL Champion Rays in 2008
RHP Josh Kinney: was nearly perfect in seven appearances (7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 8 K) after missing nearly two seasons with elbow injuries UPDATE 3/5 - Jeff Gordon of STLTODAY.COM says not to overlook Kinney for the closer's job
RHP Brad Thompson: swingman could help in the rotation if Chris Carpenter cannot make a healthy comeback to the rotation or pitch in long relief UPDATE 3/12 - trying to hold off youngsters for the long relief job UPDATE 3/30 - has held off Chris Perez for the final bullpen spot

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
RHP Jess Todd: team's #4 prospect, according to BA, will battle for the #5 spot in spring training but will probably benefit from spending at least a half-season in AAA
RHP Clayton Mortensen: team's #6 prospect, according to BA, will also get a look in spring training before likely starting the season in AAA
OF Jon Jay: 23 year-old is a career .308 hitter in three minor league seasons, although he's only played 16 games in AAA UPDATE 3/9 - off to a 6-for-17 start this spring with a double and a triple UPDATE 3/22 - reassigned to the minors
RHP P.J. Walters: 23 year-old was 9-4 with a 4.87 ERA in AAA but had 122 K's in 122 IP UPDATE 3/23 - reassigned to the minors

Optioned to AAA
OF Brian Barton: rule V pick in 2008 held his own in his rookie season, batting .268 with a .354 OBP in 153 AB's
RHP Mitchell Boggs: struggled in 6 mid-season starts (7.55 ERA) for the Cards but was very good in AAA with a 9-3 record and 3.45 ERA
LHP Charlie Manning: limited lefties to a .203 BA in 2008 while pitching for the Nationals
IF Tyler Greene: UPDATE 3/9 - turning heads in camp this spring as he challenges for a backup IF job UPDATE 3/22 - optioned to AAA
IF Jarrett Hoffpauir: 25 year-old second baseman hit .273 with a .352 OBP and 31 doubles in AAA last season UPDATE 3/30 - optioned to AAA on March 15th
RHP Chris Perez: it appears as though the Cards will try to fill the closer role internally and Perez will likely get a shot after saving 7 games and posting a 3.46 ERA in 2008 UPDATE 3/9 - update on the closer's competition UPDATE 3/29 - final spot in the bullpen could come down to Perez and Brad Thompson UPDATE 3/30 - optioned to AAA
OF/3B Joe Mather: played all 3 OF positions in '08 as well as a few games at 1B and 3B; hit 8 HR's in 133 AB's for the Cards in '08 and 17 HR's in 211 AB's in AAA UPDATE 3/2 - looks like he'll compete with Freese to be the stopgap at 3B until Glaus is healthy UPDATE 3/20 - losing his grasp on the 3B job after an 0-for-19 slump UPDATE 3/29 - .214 OBP in 66 plate appearances this spring cannot help his case to win the temporary 3B job UPDATE 4/2 - optioned to AAA

Placed on Waivers
LHP Royce Ring: former 1st round pick joins his 5th organization and could serve as a lefty specialist if he makes the roster; click here for a scouting report and video on each of the left-handed relievers competing for a bullpen job this spring UPDATE 3/25 - placed on outright waivers today, meaning he could clear waivers and accept an assignment to AAA or he could clear waivers and elect free agency