2012 MLB Season Preview: St. Louis Cardinals

CARDINALS SUBTRACTIONS

• Tony La Russa (retired)
• Dave Duncan (leave of absence)
• Albert Pujols
• Nick Punto
• Edwin Jackson
• Ryan Theriot
• Octavio Dotel
• Arthur Rhodes

Mar 5, 2012; Jupiter, FL. USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder

CARDINALS ADDITIONS

• Carlos Beltran
• Mike Matheny
• Derek Lilliquist

CARDINALS PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Rafael Furcal, ss
2. Carlos Beltran, rf
3. Matt Holliday, lf
4. Lance Berkman, 1b
5. David Freese, 3b
6. Yadier Molina, c
7. Jon Jay, cf
8. Tyler Greene or Daniel Descalso, 2b

This projects to be the lineup used most often, but numbers 2-7 will be fluid.

KEY INJURED POSITION PLAYERS

1. Allen Craig
2. Skip Schumaker

CARDINALS PROJECTED ROTATION

1. Adam Wainwright
2. Jaime Garcia
3. Kyle Lohse
4. Jake Westbrook
5. Lance Lynn

KEY INJURED ROTATION MEMBERS

1. Chris Carpenter (DL)

CARDINALS PROJECTED BULLPEN

• Jason Motte, Cl
• Fernando Salas
• Eduardo Sanchez
• Marc Rzepczynski
• Kyle McClellan
• Mitchell Boggs
• J.C. Romero
• Scott Linebrink

At this point any of the last three players on the bullpen list could take the final spot depending on what Mike Matheny is thinking. If he wants a second left-hander in the pen then he’ll have to decide between Boggs and Linebrink, young vs. veteran presence.  If he decides against the second lefty then he keeps Boggs and Linebrink.

CARDINALS PROSPECT TO WATCH

The Cardinals have six players in Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list from 2012. While Shelby Miller is tops on that list, Oscar Taveras is the prospect to watch. The 19 year-old outfielder impressed in major league camp this spring. He has the potential to be a major star in this league. He hit .386 in the Midwest League last season. He needs some refinement in the running game but his bat is legitimate. It will be interesting to see how he responds this season and how quickly he can climb the organizational ladder. By 2014 he could be a mainstay in the Cardinals’ lineup.