Lineup 3.8: Thunder row
JUPITER, Fla. — Wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Cardinals’ offense this season is built upon a foundation of home runs, even if manager Tony La Russa doesn’t want his guys talking home run, thinking home run and, most of all, swinging for home run.
Thing is, they’re going to need the home run. No, really need it.
The Cardinals will have at least two sluggers with 40-homer seasons in their careers in the middle of the order; Juan Gonzalez, though slipping from his early-spring play, represents a third option. Expand the definition a bit and Rick Ankiel hit more than 40 combined at two levels last season.
The first six spots in today’s lineup, which will face the LA Dodgers at Roger Dean Stadium, is a example of how the Cardinals (5-5) could pack the power in their order:
- Colby Rasmus, LF … Led all Double-A players with 29 homers last season.
- Joe Mather, 1B … Breakout year included 31 homers in 2007.
- Rick Ankiel, CF … Hit 43 homers at Triple-A and the majors in ‘07.
- Troy Glaus, 3B … Once led the AL in homers with 47 in 2000.
- Juan Gonzalez, DH … Two-time MVP has five 40-plus homer seasons.
- Ryan Ludwick, RF … Is only a few years removed from 28 HR in Triple-A.
- Yadier Molina, C
- Adam Kennedy, 2B
- Cesar Izturis, SS
And that is without Albert Pujols (day off) and Chris Duncan (stiff back; more below), but they would up the pop by substracting one of the hitters above. Consider their subs just power proxy.
Starting pitcher: RHP Braden Looper. Also scheduled to pitch: LHP Ron Villone; LHP Ron Flores; RHP Blake Hawksworth; RHP Russ Springer; RHP Kelvin Jimenez; RHP Mark Worrell.
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Outfielder Duncan had his back “stiffen” on him yesterday and he’s been a scratch the last couple days, La Russa said. Duncan told trainers that he feels better today, and he’ll return to swinging a bat Sunday. If cleared from there he’s scheduled to join the team in Orlando for Monday’s game against the Braves.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
It’s looking more and more like Mather’s got a real shot at making this ballclub. Assuming they don’t cut ties with Izturis or Kennedy, the Cards have 11 of the 13 position slots pretty much locks, which means it could be down to Mather vs. Ryan (utilityman) and Barton vs. Gonzalez (RH outfielder) for the final two slots.