Cards waste no time initiating rookies

ST. LOUIS — After opening day, the waiting game for that first major league action is already history for the St. Louis Cardinals' trio of rookies.

Right-handed reliever Kyle McClellan made a standout debut against the heart of the Colorado Rockies order while protecting a one-run lead, retiring Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe in order.

Rule 5 pickup Brian Barton has a souvenir broken bat from his pinch-hit single, and Rico Washington's perseverance was rewarded after 3,980 minor league at-bats, even though he grounded out as a pinch hitter.

Interestingly, all three appeared in the same lineup slot, eighth in the order. Washington and Barton got chances in the fifth and seventh, while manager Tony La Russa saved more experienced bats like Ryan Ludwick and Aaron Miles for later.

"You can't mess around with these games to make that happen too often," La Russa said Wednesday. "The situations came up and I used them. I wouldn't be afraid to use them, evidently."

La Russa would have preferred that the 23-year-old McClellan, who had never pitched above the Class AA level and missed almost all of the 2006 season with an elbow injury, make a more low-key entrance. But that's who pitching coach Dave Duncan wanted after watching him throughout spring training.

That was fine with McClellan, who is from suburban St. Louis and attended a half-dozen opening days with his father. Now he's so highly regarded that McClellan also would have been La Russa's choice to take over for Adam Wainwright on Monday, had that rain-delayed game resumed.

McClellan preferred the tight game to the four-run lead he would have inherited in the rained-out opener.

"I couldn't draw it up any better," McClellan said. "Those are the situations as a reliever that you want to be in.

"I'd much rather do that than come in with a big lead."

McClellan didn't miss the ovation he received when he began the trek from the bullpen in relief of Kyle Lohse. He said the adrenaline rush got the best of him on his first pitch, a wild inside fastball to Holliday.

"That was awesome," he said. "As soon as I came out of the gate I could hear it, and after I came off at the end of the inning it was special. I loved it."

Barton, 25, had only 87 at-bats above the Class AA level before this year. The Cardinals drafted him out of the Indians' organization in December, and Barton appeared on his way to beating out 38-year-old Juan Gonzalez for an extra outfield job even before Gonzalez' comeback bid was halted by an abdominal injury in the middle of the spring schedule.

Barton batted .351 with a .424 on-base percentage in the spring and showed off his speed with three triples while never failing to display confidence that he belonged. He took that assuredness to the plate against Rockies reliever Taylor Buchholz in the seventh inning.

"It's just a matter of taking some time and telling yourself it's the same game you've been playing growing up, and then on top of it getting a fastball to hit," Barton said. "I didn't want to get in a situation where I was swinging at his junk pitches, so the first pitch I saw was somewhat in the zone I just took a swing at it."

Barton plans to mount the bat and send it to his grandfather. He had used the same bat the last 10 games in spring training.

"You know what, it's a good thing because I can retire the bat and show everybody this was my first hit," Barton said. "Hey, this is a special one."

Washington, 29, made the team because Brendan Ryan is on the 15-day disabled list with a pulled side muscle. Ryan could return next week, although La Russa said he needs playing time before he can join the team.

Right now, Washington is living a dream that has carried him through 11 minor league seasons.

"It's one hard road, and thank God I'm here," Washington said. "Now I've just got to make the best of it."