Whirlwind followed Cardinals' run to title
Busy offseason reveals a new-look ballclub
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Enquirer news services
The World Series confetti had barely been swept up in St. Louis when the bad news started raining down.
Three days after the Game 7 victory, Tony La Russa, the third-winningest manager in history behind Connie Mack and John McGraw, retired.
A week before Thanksgiving, Allen Craig, one of the Cards’ biggest producers in their stretch run, underwent ankle surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined until May.
A couple weeks later, Albert Pujols, the best player of his generation, unexpectedly bolted for the riches of Southern California, signing a 10-year deal with the Angels that ultimately could pay him as much at $268.75 million.
That sounds like a real challenge for new manager Mike Matheny, but there’s reason for optimism, too.
Carlos Beltran will fill some of the offensive void left by Pujols, World Series MVP David Freese is healthy and could play his first full season for the Cardinals, and Adam Wainwright, who missed all of 2011 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, will be back to anchor a solid rotation.
Where the Cardinals stand heading into spring training:
PACKING FOR SPRING: The Cardinals added free-agent outfielder Beltran (.300, 22 homers, 84 RBI with the N.Y. Mets and San Francisco) and left-handed reliever J.C. Romero (1-0, 4.91 ERA with Philadelphia), re-signed two of their own free agents – shortstop Rafael Furcal (.231, 8 homers, 28 RBI with the L.A. Dodgers and Cardinals) and second baseman-outfielder Skip Schumacher (.283, 2 homers, 38 RBI) – and signed reliever Scott Linebrink (4-4, 3.64 ERA with Atlanta), catcher Koyie Hill (.194 with the Chicago Cubs) and infielder Alex Cora (.224 with Washington) to minor-league contracts.
SPRING CLEANING: The key departure, was Pujols (.299, 37, 99 RBI), but starter Edwin Jackson (12-9, 3.79 ERA with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis), relievers Octavio Dotel (5-4, 3.50 with Toronto and St. Louis) and Arthur Rhodes (3-4, 4.64 with Texas and St. Louis), catcher Gerald Laird (.232), outfielder Corey Patterson (.239, 6 homers, 36 RBI with Toronto and St. Louis) and infielders Ryan Theriot (.271, 47 RBI) and Nick Punto (.278) also did not return. The biggest losses, though, might be La Russa and his long-time pitching coach, Dave Duncan.
FOR STARTERS:
1. RH Wainwright (20-11, 2.42 in 2010), 30; 2. RH Chris Carpenter, 36 (11-9, 3.45 ERA); 3. LH Jaime Garcia, 25 (13-7, 3.56); 4. RH Kyle Lohse, 33 (14-8, 3.39); 5. RH Jake Westbrook, 34 (12-9, 4.66).
If Wainwright returns – and he’s almost at full speed now in Jupiter, Fla. – the rotation should be better than in 2011. One cautionary note: Carpenter pitched a lot of innings, especially down the stretch and in the postseason, and Garcia threw more than he ever had before, so it remains to be seen whether that will take a toll.
CLOSING TIME: La Russa was reluctant to call Jason Motte (2.25 ERA, 9 saves down the stretch, 5 in postseason) his closer, but the hard-throwing right-hander will start the season in that role. There are more pitchers than spots with right-handers Fernando Salas, Lance Lynn, Kyle McClellan, Mitchell Boggs and Eduardo Sanchez and lefties Marc Rzepczynski and Romero in the hunt.
EVERYDAY EIGHT:
C-Yadier Molina, 29 (.305, 14, 65); 1B-Lance Berkman, 36 (.301, 17, 93); 2B-Daniel Descalso, 25 (.264, 1, 28); SS-Furcal, 34; 3B-David Freese, 28 (.297, 10, 55); LF-Matt Holliday, 32 (.296, 22, 75); CF-Jon Jay, 26 (.297, 10, 37); RF-Beltran, 34.
There’s no way to replace Pujols, but the Cardinals could be better overall. Getting Beltran for two years at $26 million might have been one of the off-season’s biggest steals. They also should get more at-bats from two of their October heroes, Craig and Freese.
SPRING’S BURNING QUESTION: How quickly can Wainwright return to form? And, will the rest of the rotation, which was running on fumes by the end of October, bounce back after a short rest?
BOTTOM LINE: Despite the loss of Pujols, the Cardinals should be in the hunt in the Central.
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