Cardinals set sights on middle infielders

ST. LOUIS -- Now that the St. Louis Cardinals have acquired a pitcher for the top of the rotation, they'll turn their attention to the middle infield.

General manager Walt Jocketty completed the deal for pitcher Mark Mulder, who came from the Oakland Athletics, while on vacation in Hawaii. Jocketty usually takes the last two weeks of the year off for an island getaway, but there's a chance he'll stay busy this year because the Cardinals still need a second baseman and shortstop.

"This is usually a time when I get away for a little while," Jocketty said. "Not this year."

Monday is a big day on the shopping list, because that is the deadline for teams to offer contracts to unsigned players. Their list of potential replacements for Edgar Renteria and Tony Womack likely will expand on that day.

Mulder will make $12.75 million the next two seasons, a factor that might make a big-ticket free agent pickup for either of their vacancies less likely. Jocketty said the Cardinals were not in the running for Boston free agent Orlando Cabrera, the most expensive of the shortstop candidates.

A pickup like 40-year-old Barry Larkin, who batted .289 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs in 111 games with Cincinnati last year, perhaps would make sense. Larkin could share shortstop with Hector Luna, a Rule 5 draft pickup last year who was impressive in limited all-around duty.

"He'd be a good fit for us," Jocketty said.

Among the top second base candidates are former Cardinals player Placido Polanco.

The price was steep for Mulder, a 17-game winner last year. The Athletics in return obtained right-hander Dan Haren, who had been projected as part of the St. Louis rotation next year, right-handed reliever Kiko Calero and top catching prospect Daric Barton.

"We knew it was going to cost us some good players," Jocketty said. "The up side is he's under contract for us for the next two years."

The Cardinals were able to make the deal because Jocketty felt they were dealing from depth.

Without Haren, the Cardinals still have an impressive rotation of Mulder, Chris Carpenter, Matt Morris, Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis -- all of whom won 15 or more games. Morris might not be available until May following offseason shoulder surgery, but the Cardinals can fill in with former phenomenon Rick Ankiel, 25.

Jocketty said Ankiel, who was effective last September after recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, has been impressive pitching in Puerto Rico this winter.

Barton was the team's first-round draft pick in 2003 and had been considered the franchise's catcher of the future. Yet they already have one of those in place in Yadier Molina, 22, who'll take over the starting job from the departed Mike Matheny this year.

The Cardinals had projected Barton, 19, to be playing at Class AA next year.

Without Calero, the Cardinals still have three right-handed middle relievers in Cal Eldred, Mike Lincoln and Al Reyes. Jocketty said Lincoln has recovered from elbow surgery.