A healthy return of Chris Carpenter would mean much more than any offseason addition might have.

Where They Are Coming From

Two years removed from a World Series championship, and coming off a subpar season with a record of 78-84, the St. Louis Cardinals are going through an unfamiliar transition period. They are getting younger, fighting injuries, and trying to battle back to become the team that finished the 2006 season by dominating the Detroit Tigers. However, that vision seems far from reality for this 2008 team. New general manager John Mozeliak replaced his mentor, Walt Jocketty, and he bit the bullet this off-season as he saw several key veterans leave via free agency or trade. As it is, there are far many more questions than answers. Manager Tony La Russa, who is back for his thirteenth season in St. Louis, must be patient as his lineup and pitching rotation shake down.

Only three position players from the Opening Day lineup last season are expected to take the field this coming April; all three are currently rehabbing injuries from last season. Of most importance is the health of Albert Pujols, whose strained left calf hindered him for much of the season. He also has a lingering problem with his right elbow, but he will hold off on surgery for now. Last season was a down year for Pujols, as he only hit 32 home runs, a career low. Yadier Molina, coming off a bum knee, picked up a new four-year deal this off-season, and he once again projects as a top-notch defensive catcher. Second baseman Adam Kennedy is also coming off a knee injury but expects to be ready for Spring Training. He will be out to prove that he can give his team more than the 87 games it got from him last season.

Players Added

In perhaps the most meaningful one-for-one deal this year, the Cardinals traded disgruntled third baseman Scott Rolen to the Toronto Blue Jays for fellow third baseman Troy Glaus, along with $1.8 million. La Russa had said that Rolen would stay on the team and bat cleanup in the lineup, unless the team could get another power bat in return; they did just that. Glaus, when healthy, is one of the more feared power hitters in the game. The former UCLA star had asked the Blue Jays for a trade so that he could get off the hard Toronto turf and onto grass, a surface that would prolong his career and keep his foot injury from being re-aggravated. The Cardinals were glad to accommodate him if it meant getting rid of Rolen. Glaus, coming off a season in which he hit 20 home runs and drove in 62 runs in 115 games, provides Albert Pujols the protection in the lineup that La Russa was looking for.

In their search of a veteran pitcher to help fill out the rotation, the Cardinals landed on Matt Clement. He inked for one year and $1.5 million in guaranteed money, but what eventually lured Clement to St. Louis was the possibility of the contract reaching $5.5 million with incentives. Having not pitched since 2006 with the Boston Red Sox because of surgeries to his rotator cuff and labrum, he is sure to be motivated to reach those incentives. Beyond that, there is an $8.75 million option he would like to see the Cardinals pick up for 2009.

Cesar Izturis was welcomed aboard as the starting shortstop this year when he signed a one-year, $2.85 million deal. He is not a power hitter, but he will provide fielding strength up the middle of the Cardinals defense. While playing for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates last year, the native Venezuelan hit .258 in 110 games last season.

Selected in this year’s Rule 5 draft was youngster Brian Barton. He hit .305/10/66 at stops in Double-A and Triple-A for the Cleveland Indians’ organization in 2007. In all likelihood, he will be on the 25-man roster for the entire season, so the Cardinals hope to give him an extended look to see where he projects in their future plans.

Third baseman David Freese came over from the San Diego Padres in a trade for Jim Edmonds in December. The power-hitting youngster became available because Kevin Kouzmanoff blocked his path to the Major Leagues. Last season Freese hit .302/17/96 in 128 games at High-A.

Also coming to Spring Training will be veteran first baseman/catcher Josh Phelps, catcher Jason LaRue, promising outfielder Cody Haerther, and infielders Luis Rodriguez and D’Angelo Jimenez.

Players Lost

As previously mentioned, veteran third baseman Scott Rolen is gone. The Cardinals will not miss his offensive production, however. Last season he once again hurt his shoulder – for the third time in three years – and was limited to just 112 games while hitting .265/8/58.

Fan favorite and clubhouse leader Jim Edmonds is also not returning. He returned to his home state of California to roam the spacious center field of Petco Park in San Diego. A multiple Gold Glove winner, Edmonds has proven he will put his body on the line to take away an out. He hit .252/12/53 in 117 games in 2007. Some have wondered whether injuries have caught up with him, which is why he was dealt for merely an A-ball player, albeit one with a bit of promise, and a reported $2 million to offset some of his $8 million 2008 salary.

Also gone is starting shortstop and 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, who signed a one-year free agent deal to play in Toronto. A constant sparkplug who has always been a pest both in the batter’s box and on the base paths, his departure will force the Cardinals to find a new leadoff hitter this spring.

Troy Percival resurrected his career last season in St. Louis and stayed healthy enough to pitch in 34 games. He posted a 3-0 record with a 1.80 earned run average over 40 innings. That second half of 2007 was, in essence, an audition for a 2008 gig – and he landed one as a Tampa Bay Ray.

Starting pitchers Kip Wells and Mike Maroth are also gone. Wells got off to a great start last season after signing a one-year deal but fizzled after the All-Star break and finished 7-17 with a 5.70 earned run average in 26 starts. Maroth, who came over from Detroit mid-season, completely bombed in a Cardinals uniform, as he was 0-5 with a 10.66 earned run average in seven starts.

Last season’s Opening Day left fielder, So Taguchi, is also gone as the Cardinals continue their youth movement. Taguchi hit .290/3/30 in 307 at-bats in 2007.

In a wait-and-see situation, outfielder Juan Encarnacion’s career is in jeopardy. After playing in just 78 games last year, Encarnacion was hit in the eye by a foul ball while he was standing in the on-deck circle. He hit .283/9/47.

Also gone are outfielders Preston Wilson, John Rodriguez, and Brady Clark, as well as utility player/journeyman strikeout artist Russell Branyan.

Moves Still To Come

The whispers could be true of a Juan Gonzalez comeback. Scouts and former Major Leaguers have said that “Juan Gone” is in great shape at the age of 38 and is hitting the ball with power to all fields in batting practice. Granted, this is only hearsay and batting practice, but any team can use a bat, including the Cardinals. If he can prove he can still play a corner outfield spot, the two-time American League MVP Gonzalez could very well wind up in a Cardinals’ uniform.

The Cards could eventually bring back veteran pitcher Jeff Weaver to their rotation. He provided the team with several brilliant starts in their 2006 playoff run, but he signed only a one-year deal with the Mariners in 2007. He had a down year and is once again looking for a job. As of now, the Cardinals’ interest in Weaver is lukewarm at best; there is a possibility that he may be back though.

There had been talk that the Cardinals were at one point in the Érik Bédard sweepstakes, and the centerpiece would have been their stud five-tool centerfielder Colby Rasmus. Bédard would have provided the No. 1 starter the Cardinals would need this season, and the 21-year-old Rasmus is just the kind of player the Baltimore Orioles are looking for as they rebuild their team. Now, however, Rasmus will likely start the season in Triple-A Memphis. He led the Texas League last season with 29 home runs while also swiped 18 bases.

What to Watch in Spring Training

The health of ace starter, and 2005 Cy Young winner, Chris Carpenter will be closely monitored this season. As of now, the timetable for his return is the 2008 All-Star break. He made only one start last season and subsequently had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in July. As of this writing, he is making 25 throws per day from about 30 feet.

Also looking to make it back to the rotation will be veteran lefty Mark Mulder. Coming off shoulder troubles, Mulder has said he will likely be ready to pitch early in the season. Mulder made three starts last year and allowed 29 base runners in just 11 innings.

The outfield appears to be set even though none of them has ever had a full-time gig at the major league level. The one with the most experience is left fielder Chris Duncan. Duncan will likely bat second in the order and have the benefit of hitting in front of Pujols, as he did last year when he hit 21 home runs. He batted only .217 against lefties last season, so he will have all the chance in the world to improve on that glaring number.

Center field seems to be Rick Ankiel’s spot to lose. The former "can’t miss" pitcher now gets his chance to be an everyday player, and it is likely to be in center field at Busch Stadium. He performed well in his 47-game audition last year as he hit .285/11/39. His .391 batting average against lefties makes it an almost certainty that he will be an everyday player.

Right field seems to be a position in flux for the Cardinals. It will likely be a platoon situation between lefty Skip Schumaker and righty Ryan Ludwick. Schumaker played extremely well last season in 88 games as he batted .333; Ludwick held his own over 120 games while hitting .267/14/52.

Will Pujols be healthy enough to carry the offense? The answer is “yes,” if only because he has to be. This pitching staff will not hold teams down enough to win games 3-2. Pujols will have to get back to his .340/40/130 years and have a healthy Glaus for most of the season for this team to compete in the National League Central.

How will the pitching staff fall together? With Carpenter and Mulder likely out for at least some of the season, the rotation will rely on former closers Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper. Wainwright started 32 games last season and posted a respectable 14-12 record with a 3.70 earned run average over 202 innings. Looper, the former Wichita State Shocker, made the transition from his setup role into a starter last year, and this year he has to step up into the No. 3 spot in the rotation. He will be leaned on a lot this year, as will likely No. 4 starter Joel Piñeiro, whom the team acquired from the Boston Red Sox last season.

Closing this season will once again be Jason Isringhausen, whose $8 million club option the Cardinals picked up shortly after the 2007 season ended. He was spectacular last year while saving 32 games, and he was 11-for-11 on saves in consecutive days. Russ Springer, Todd Wellemeyer, Ryan Franklin, and lefties Tyler Johnson and Randy Flores will once again lead the solid, veteran, middle relief portion of the bullpen.