The hot corner is manned by 6-time Gold Glove winner Scott Rolen, who also won a glove last season.  On top of that he rebounded from an injury riddled 2005 to hit .296 with 22 homers and 95 RBIs in 142 games and provide some much needed protection for Prince Albert.

With Scott Spiezio, the Cards have a seasoned veteran with a penchant for postseason heroics who does not mind being a role player.  He will spell both corner spots, and provide insurance in the event Rolen goes down.  He may even see time in the outfield.  Spezio and his red flavor saver are also solid pinch hitters.

In the outfield, let’s start with what we know: Chris Duncan (pitching coach Dave’s son) had a solid rookie campaign with 22 homers in about a half a season and has hit 5 home runs this spring.  Although some sites forecast him to hit 2nd, he is likely to slide down the order based on his power potential and his 69 strikeouts in 280 at-bats last season.

Over the tenure of Walt Jocketty and Tony LaRussa, right field has been a plug-and-play position and continues to have an air of uncertainty at this point.  Juan Encarnacion and Preston Wilson were statistical clones of one another last season with roughly 20 homers and 70 RBIs a piece. With Duncan securing the left field spot, the two veterans will compete for playing time in right.  However, Encarnacion will miss the start of the season recovering from a wrist injury and Wilson has not impressed this spring.  His comment that it takes him longer to get it going because he has a long swing did not please LaRussa and he is currently in the doghouse. 

This may give spring surprise Skip Schumaker a chance in right until the injuries sort themselves out.  Spezio is also available and if something doesn’t work itself out, look for Jocketty to make a move later in the season.  He seems to have a knack for pulling off the perfect trade if the Cardinals are in the running – Larry Walker anyone?

The Cards starting pitching may have the most questions, and the most potential to surprise.  Carpenter will be expected to put up another 15 to 20 wins and has looked very capable of doing so this spring.  When you look at the projected starting five outside of Carpenter though, it’s not so easy to predict what may happen. 

Some point to the loss of three starters from a year ago as a concern but its not like the Suppan-Marquis-Weaver trio was exactly Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz.  It shouldn’t be that hard to replicate the 5.00 ERAs of those three.

Pitching coach Dave Duncan is one of the best.  Every year I look at the Cardinals pitching and swear that they cannot possibly win the division with their starters, yet they continually overachieve (or at least meet their potential), and the credit should go to Duncan. We should all have expected this from his Oakland days when he turned Dave Stewart into a Cy Young winner, made 15-game winners out of the likes of Scott Sanderson and Mike Moore, and revived Bob Welch.  Duncan identifies pitchers strengths and, if the pitcher is willing to work, maximizes those strengths.  This most recent bunch has some serious potential. 

Kip Wells was a solid pitcher for two years (2002 and 2003) with an awful Pittsburgh team, averaging almost 200 IP, 11 wins and an ERA just under a 3.50 ERA before matching his team’s ineptitude.  Wells is known as a hard worker, the type of player Duncan generally has the most success with, and should improve on the last few years if he can stay healthy.

Adam Wainright was solid all of last season as a middle reliever and became the star of the bullpen when Jason Isringhausen went down, registering 7 saves during the postseason run.  He has followed it up with a solid spring and, unlike most bullpen to starter transformations, Wainright already has a few 160-inning seasons and a 180-inning season under his belt in the minors.  He may have some growing pains adjusting to starting again, but better to gamble on a talented young pitcher than depend on someone without, to borrow a basketball catchphrase, ‘tremendous upside potential.’

Anthony Reyes is another youngster who looked unhittable at times last year and was solid during his two postseason starts.  He will look to improve his consistency, which should come with experience and Duncan’s continued tutelage.  If his spring training ERA under 1.00 is any indication, it looks like he may have a breakout year.