Cardinals spring holes

ST. LOUIS -- Often-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 Jupiter, Fla., 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.

Kennedy chafed at a job share last season and requested a trade, although the Cardinals announced earlier in the offseason that the job was his to lose. Barring a trade, 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.

Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young winner, would head a rotation strong enough to contend in the Central with 15-game winner Kyle Lohse and Adam Wainwright also proven arms and Todd Wellemeyer coming off a breakout year in his first full season as a starter. The team also has considered trying Carpenter as a reliever, but believes regular duty is the best option.

Carpenter underwent surgery to 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 '06 team that won the World Series and won 21 games for a Central title team 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, represents 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 and add to depth that can be tapped should they need a pitcher.

Duncan is a bit of a darkhorse coming off a second straight injury-shortened season, this time for a potentially risky neck disk surgery.

"I don't know that any of the three guys did more than Chris did in '06 and the first of '07," La Russa said. "I think 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 MVP off 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 allow reconstructive surgery which has been discussed in recent seasons. 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."