THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Assuming the Cardinals cannot get Matt Holliday re-signed and that Jason Bay stays with Boston, who are some other options out there that you think the Cardinals should pursue to man left field?

JOE STRAUSS
First, it is premature to assume either premise. Holliday’s market may not be as firm as some insist, especially if Bay returns to Boston and the New York Yankees remain on the periphery. But playing along, the leading free agent outfielders remain Bobby Abreu, a Type A who can steal bases but is also a very limited defender who has suffered a significant ebb in power. The Cardinals literally return to where they started if Holliday leaves, becoming a Pujols-centric attack almost forced to put Ryan Ludwick into the cleanup role.

If the club is serious about giving David Freese a chance to win the third base job, its best options become a trade for an outfielder. John Mozeliak acquired Troy Glaus under duress before the ’08 season. It is feasible that the Washington Nationals make Adam Dunn available this winter before he enters the walk year of his deal. Dunn is owed $10 million next season, a relative bargain in comparison to a 6-8 year deal for Holliday or a 4-year splurge on Bay. Bay, however, represents an extremely good fit in St. Louis should talks with the Red Sox stall.

DERRICK GOOLD
One of the reasons the Cardinals’ push for Matt Holliday is so pivotal to their 2010 roster is there is a steep plummet from the class of Holliday and Jason Bay to the other free agents out there this winter. Not one of them is an obvious candidate to hit cleanup behind Albert Pujols like either of those top-shelf left fielders would be. Bobby Abreu or Vlad Guerrero may have the name recognition to do so, but they don’t have that everyday, NL look at this point in their careers.

A name in that second or third tier of free agents that intrigues is Xavier Nady, one year removed from a 97-RBI turn with Pittsburgh and the New York Yankees. He lost 2009 to injury, but had back-to-back 20-homer seasons before that. Nady would be an interesting instant-scratch ticket. Some low-risk options could be found in the secondary market — the players non-tendered by teams. According to reports, the Florida Marlins are likely to non-tender Jeremy Hermida, a lapsed top prospect, and former Brave outfielder Jeff Francoeur could be set free by the New York Mets. Not the big-splash, big bat the Cardinals crave for the middle of the lineup. But if they whiff on Holliday it may be where the Cardinals have to go to supplement the in-house candidates and hope lightning strikes left field.

RICK HUMMEL
Give Allen Craig, one of the top power hitters in Class AAA at Memphis, a glove and work him out in left field all spring. His bat may be good enough but possibly not his defense. Otherwise, sign DeRosa, if his wrist is deemed all right, and make him more or less a full-time outfielder.

JEFF GORDON
I would keep Mark DeRosa and play him in the outfield, if it is determined Skip Schumaker is the long-haul solution at 2B. I’m not sure you can find somebody else with solid 20-homer, 80-RBI potential in free agency. This could also open the door for somebody like Allen Craig to get some OF at bats when De Rosa takes some starts at 3B to spell Freese or 2B when Skip gets a break against lefties.

There isn’t much to deal for, say, a Josh Willingham-type. A guy like Xavier Nady could be interesting to rehab.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: As the Phillies head to their second consecutive World Series it raises the question, “What does Philadelphia have that the Cardinals do not?”

DERRICK GOOLD
Where to begin? How about where the difference is the greatest? The lineup. The Phillies have one of the deepest, one of the most power-packed and actually one of the most underrated lineups in baseball. Chase Utley may be the most complete lefthanded-hitter in the National League. Ryan Howard, Mr. September to the locals, is a power threat that is emerging as a Mr. October. Jimmy Rollins is a former MVP (Matt Holliday was robbed!) and a switch-hitting speed threat. And if the number of elite hitters doesn’t reveal the gulch between the depth of the Phillies’ lineup and the Cardinals’ lineup, consider Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth are complementary hitters in that lineup — and would be linchpins of the Cardinals.

Too much of the Cardinals lineup is isolated around one bat swinging well. His name: Albert Pujols. The Phillies have many players who can spark a rally, continue a rally or invent a rally on their own. They don’t need three hits to score one run. They often need one hit to score three runs. It’s easy to take potshots at the studio they call a ballpark and acknowledge that it adds to the Phillies’ power threat. But here’s the thing: Take away the power, and the Phillies still have the balance and depth to bombard teams anywhere else, too. The Cardinals just don’t have that many dimensions to their offense.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
The Phillies had a much deeper and stronger lineup. If you go by combined onbase + slugging percentage (OPS), the Phillies have the edge over the Cardinals at six of the eight positions. (We’re not counting the pitchers’ batting performances in this statistical breakdown). The only spots where the Cardinals had the better OPS than the Phillies this season were first base and shortstop. The Phillies ranked in the top 5 in the NL in OPS at six positions, and were No. 1 in the league at second base and right field. Their outfielders, overall, were No. 1. They were No. 2 in OPS at center field and fourth in OPS in left field. The Cardinals lagged terribly in the position-by-position OPS rankings at third base (15th), center field (13th) and right field (12th) and were mediocre in left field (8th) and second base (8th). St. Louis outfielders overall were 12th among 16 NL outfields with a .743 OPS — or 108 points less than the OPS generated by the Phillies’ outfield.

The Phillies also led the NL in slugging percentage and had a lot more danger in their lineup from top to bottom, finishing with nearly 100 more extra-base hits than the Cardinals.

Finally, there was a huge disparity between the teams in their batting performance against LH pitching. The Phillies were the league’s second-best team in OPS vs. LH (.787) and the Cardinals finished last in OPS vs. LH (.674).

RICK HUMMEL
The one thing the Phillies have that the Cardinals don’t have is damage up and down their lineup, from No. 1, where Jimmy Rollins hit 21 homers, to No. 8, where Carlos Ruiz has been a postseason star. Also, they seem to be better hitters with men in scoring position.

JEFF GORDON
Run production! That lineup wears out pitchers. There is danger everywhere. How many at bats would Chris Duncan, Rick Ankiel, Joe Thurston, Khalil Greene, Troy Glaus, et al, have earned in that group? Fans clamor for a one big hitter to protect Albert, but the challenge is to assemble a dangerous attack, one through eight. The Cards can move in that direction, even without Holliday, by weeding all their .230 hitters off the roster.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Power, speed, offensive depth, better left-right balance in the order and better defense. The Cardinals pitching is a little better on the whole but not by all that much.

The Phillies hit 40 percent more home runs (224 to 160) than the Cardinals, plus they stole 59 percent more bases (119 to 75), walked 12 percent more often (589 to 528) and they had a higher OPS (.781 to .747). In fact, Philly ranked 1st in the NL in OPS and HR while finishing 2nd in steals. They had four 30 home run guys this year (Howard, Utley, Werth and Ibanez) compared to one for the Cards (Pujols), which pretty much paints the picture for you.

In fact, 7 of their 8 “everyday players” reached double digits in home runs (Rollins had 21 as the leadoff man) and the only guy who missed out, catcher Carlos Ruiz, hit 9 homers despite missing 55 games.

The Cardinals had a strong team, one whose pitching carried them over the course of the long 162 game season, but the Phillies have a dynamic, explosive team and one that is better suited for a playoff run.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have many pending free agents, not to mention a clock ticking on Albert Pujols’ current deal. Keeping in mind money will have to be set aside for Albert, how many of the pending free agents do you think this team can realistically re-sign? And how might you prioritize those signings?

RICK HUMMEL
The Cardinals probably can sign as many of the free agents as they want, but they would have to move salary elsewhere, perhaps a Ryan Ludwick, who will be due another big raise as an arbitration-eligible player. The pecking order:
1. Matt Holliday
2. Joel Pineiro
3. Mark DeRosa
4. Trever Miller
5. Rick Ankiel
6. Jason LaRue
7. Todd Wellemeyer

No chance category: Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If they go “all in” on Matt Holliday, that’ll be it. There won’t be enough money (realistically) to deal with Mark DeRosa or Joel Pineiro, unless the players are willing to stay here at a steep discount. I’m wondering if the Cardinals will regret the contract they gave Kyle Lohse after last season.

DERRICK GOOLD
How many they sign depends mostly on who they sign. The priority has to be re-signing Matt Holliday. The Cardinals gave up a lot to get him, and they did so with the intention of keeping him beyond this season as the long-term heavy to hit behind Albert Pujols. A successful pursuit of Holliday will not only limit who else the Cardinals can go out and sign — or go out and keep — but also how they then approach Pujols about an extension. Holliday will limit the budget for other signings and help set the internal market for Pujols’ next deal. Signing both Holliday and Mark DeRosa isn’t unreasonable, and it may be necessary for the Cardinals to bring back DeRosa as an option at third base and second base. After that, the Cardinals usually move quickly to sign their backup catcher (Jason LaRue has done nothing to change his status) and will need to find a lefty specialist (will Trever Miller return?). The rest, including Joel Pineiro, are on the backburner or not in the conversation either because of the price tag, need or 2009 performance.

JEFF GORDON
Having Julio Lugo for free next season helps the budget. Also, David Freese appears back on track to replace Troy Glaus at third base. That helps as well. I would try to extend Mark DeRosa ASAP for a moderate raise over his current deal. He is a classic Cardinal. Surely he wants to stay, right? If the Cards have DeRosa in hand, preferably before the end of the season, that allows the team to remain patient on the Matt Holliday front. The team will be assured of having a solid offense next year. If Holliday wants to stay, the Cards could give him a nice contract, turn the page on Ankiel and Pineiro and lean on younger starting pitching. If Holliday decides to explore the market and chase the top dollar, then the Cards could spend money on Ankiel, Pineiro and/or other pitching and hitting. This could go a lot of ways, but I would lock in DeRosa early to simplify the equation.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
They should be able to sign the two or three they really need in addition to leaving room for Albert’s contract down the road without too much difficulty. The three I’d recommend focusing on are Matt Holliday, Joel Pineiro and Mark DeRosa, in that order. Holliday is the presence you need behind Albert. Pineiro has become a reliable starter and they have no apparent in-house replacement for him. DeRosa is an incredibly valuable, versatile player with leadership ability and a solid bat. As long as their demands — in terms of dollars and years — aren’t totally out of whack the team should be able to afford them and leave room for Albert’s new deal here in a couple of years. Minus their current obligations on Adam Kennedy, Troy Glaus, Khalil Greene and Todd Wellemeyer, the Cardinals save $27 million and that should give them some wiggle room to work with.

THE WATERCOOLER:
Troy Glaus is in Memphis as his rehab continues. He was five for 25 at Class A Palm Beach. He will probably play first base and left field instead of third because of lingering pain when he throws. What would his return mean to the Cardinals, even if not at third base?

BRYAN BURWELL:
If Glaus can swing the bat as well as he did last year, it simply comes down to his value as a pinch hitter who can also play left field. Would you rather have a LF who can hit but can’t throw or a LF who can’t hit a lick?

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
Hard to tell whether the guy can play LF or be able to make throws from the outfield with that surgically repaired shoulder. If not, then he’s a pinch hitter and will be used the way Mark McGwire was deployed late in the 2000 season, when a bad knee limited him to one at-bat per game, and no base running. Seems like a stretch. The Cardinals have gotten skimpy production from the LF spot, and the Rick Ankiel-Chris Duncan combo is an absolute embarrassment. So in that context, I guess Glaus in LF is worth a look. But why not give Nick Stavinoha more of a shot out there?

RICK HUMMEL:
You could pinch hit Glaus once a game whereever you want to. But you’d have to reduce to 12 pitchers and stay there, at least until Sept. 1. If he has to play first base for any length of the time, the season is over anyway because Pujols would be out. Left field would be a gamble because it might cost you one base an inning on any ball hit to him

JOE STRAUSS:
The hope is that Glaus at least represents a RH deterrent off the bench. His return likely bodes poorly for Nick Stavinoha unless a roster move is made with either Duncan and Ankiel, each of whom may be dealing with physical issues. It would be risky to put Glaus at 3B as he would invite teams to bunt at will. It’s hard to imagine him playing much at 1B. The LF alternative suggests growing impatience with Dunc’ and Ankiel. The Cardinals have not closed the book on acquiring another hitter around the July 31 trade deadline. If Mark DeRosa continues to struggle offensively, pressure for an additional move grows. Frankly, it’s difficult to envision Glaus having a significant impact on a pennant race aside from a key late-inning pinch hit. For a first-place team, the Cardinals are currently juggling a lot of balls. The front office may be more prone to seek pitching help but the cluibhouse persists in the belief that another bat is more essential. The next week in Memphis may do much to confirm or dispel that.

JEFF GORDON:
Glaus has a long swing and he is a notoriously slow starter. So expecting sudden offensive impact is unrealistic. Perhaps he could offer some bench power while he tries to regain his throwing ability, but putting him in left field is a pretty extreme concept. Perhaps he could do it here and there, but why not just let Nick Stavinoha play? If Glaus pounds the ball at Memphis, perhaps the Cards could ship him to an AL team looking for a DH/1B type. The Cards would have to eat some salary, but maybe the organization could add an entry-level prospect or two in a trade.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Albert Pujols is due to become a free agent after the 2011 season. Do you think Pujols will still be playing in a Cardinals uniform come 2012?

JOE STRAUSS
The question certainly feeds the local sports talk monster but there are several factors that make answering nothing more than speculation. Will Tony La Russa remain as manager? Will the Cardinals have to pay Pujols market value? Is Pujols interested in remaining with a franchise that apparently has set a new direction regarding player procurement, i.e., build from within. Of course, what happens this season (and next) will help shape his position. Paying El Hombre $22-$25 million per season would likely tie up to 28 percent of payroll in one player, typically not the best salary structure for a perennial contender. Right now it’s impossible to say, which perhaps says much.

DERRICK GOOLD
Put me in the camp that believes that whether Albert Pujols finishes his career as a Cardinal is more his decision than the organization’s. A competitive offer will be there — has to be there. (Imagine the p.r. backlash.) Will his interest? The phrases I’ve heard repeatedly is that the front office “understands the icon element” and “respects the icon factor.” They appear braced for that to be not only part of the next negotiations with Pujols, but even a platform for negotiations. This push to kickstart negotiations now assumes one essential part of any discussion of extension: Health. Any extension negotiated now would be making a gamble on health that the current contract makes unnecessary. Why rush to assume that risk? So assume away. Assuming health, assuming an early offer, and assuming the Cardinals remain competitive in a division that offers a broad definition of “competitive,” it’s safe to assume Pujols will still be No. 5 with the Birds on the Bat in 2012, and beyond.

RICK HUMMEL
Albert Pujols will be in a Cardinals uniform in 2012 if they get him signed to an extension before the start of the next regular season. By then, Pujols should have an even better idea of where the Cardinals’ front office and the farm system is heading.

GERRY FRALEY
In the current landscape, Pujols will be playing elsewhere in 2012. Ownership knows it merely has to open the gates to draw about three million, and the media contracts will remain lucrative. There is no incentive to make a big-ticket expenditure on any player. Only a rebellion by the obedient fan base will get ownership’s attention.

Other clubs, which value star-power and believe in spending money to make money, will have payroll space because of expiring contracts after the 2011 season. The New York Mets and the Los Angeles Angels top that list.

The wild-card in this is the labor agreement, which expires in December 2011. There is a growing drumbeat among some owners that the next labor deal must include an increased drag on salaries. Pujols could decide to take what he can get from the Cardinals rather than jump into an uncertain free-agent market. Don’t bet on that.

JEFF GORDON
Yes. The Cardinals have the resources to pay him top dollar. Their farm system is producing the budget-balancing depth the franchise needs to make that happen. As the Cards cycle out some more dead money — Troy Glaus, Khalil Greene, Adam Kennedy — they will have the resources to improve. Baseball will see a buyer’s market for free agents during the next few seasons as the economy recovers — and the Cards are positioned to exploit that. Albert wants to win. Assuming that this team will keep at least some of its top players healthy during the next few years, the Cards will continue contending.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals need a third baseman and they also just need a bat. Scouring the league and players that could be moved, who would you think might be a nice fit for this Cardinals team … someone that could truly be attainable?

JOE STRAUSS
The answer depends on availability, cost and potential upside. The Cardinals could trade for Colorado Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins today if they were willing to tolerate his .188 average, declining power and $7M salary. Given the Cardinals’ situation, however, Mark De Rosa is a better fit. He is versatile enough to play all over the field and hit anywhere from Nos. 2-7 in the lineup. His production is somewhat down this season, but the leftovers of a $5.5M salary aren’t crippling. Still, he’s projecting for 100 RBI. Those who worship at the Altar of the Walk won’t like his 18 bases on balls to 45 strikeouts, but DeRosa is a RH-hitting deterrent. That is specifically what the Cardinals sought but couldn’t find last winter. The likely cost of Mitchell Boggs or Chris Perez-plus will test the front office’s protectionism regarding home-grown talent. Doing nothing sends a worrisome tone.

RICK HUMMEL
Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa seems to be the best fit because he’s a productive righthanded batter who can play third base among five positions. But Cleveland wouldn’t seem eager, yet, to dispose of DeRosa because center fielder Grady Sizemore, their best player, is going to be out a long time and Travis Hafner also has been injured. They will need DeRosa’s offense. More available — but not as good — is Colorado third baseman Garrett Atkins, hitting under .200 with the Rockies, who are likely to make moves relatively soon because they’re 14 1/2 games out and Atkins is a free agent.

DERRICK GOOLD
So often the baseball rumor mill can read like a gossip column — hints and innuendoes, sourced reports and guesses. This one looks more like a Harmony.com profile, complete with what couldn’t be a more appealing coupling. Mark DeRosa and the Cardinals: Made for each other. Cleveland’s utility fielder DeRosa doesn’t have the imposing bat that the Cardinals have spent several years shopping for (who does?) but he fills so many other needs, and he could the spur offense by adding missing depth to the lineup. He did hit 20 homers last season and his doubles would fit well anywhere, No. 2 in the lineup or No. 6. Throw in the fact that he can play third now and later or second and the outfield if Troy Glaus returns and he’s … well, he’s a dream Tony La Russa player. A bat that talks. A glove that plays anywhere. Oh, and he’s also the glue that kept the Cubs chugging last year. (His absence and their struggles this year are related.)

The cost? Cleveland wants pitching, major-league pitching or major league-ready pitching. It could cost the Cardinals a righthander from their bullpen. But that was supposedly an area of depth. The connection is obvious, almost too obvious — which leaves one hunting for reasons it hasn’t happened yet.

GERRY FRALEY (Baseball writer for FOXsports.com, Sportingnews.com and USAToday)
The Cardinals are fortunate in that there is a glut of available third basemen. They should run from a few of them. Colorado’s Garrett Atkins is a poor defender and obsessed with his contract. San Diego would deal Kevin Kouzmanoff, but the Khalil Greene experience has shown why Padres GM Kevin Towers is called “sludge master.’’ Towers somehow always find a place to dump damaged merchandise.

Cleveland’s Mark DeRosa would be helpful. DeRosa is versatile — at least 125 career games at second, third, shortstop and right field — with power and is a superb clubhouse presence.

Seattle’s Adrian Beltre would be better. Beltre is a Gold Glove-level defender, and his offensive production has been stunted by playing at the airport that is Seattle’s Safeco Field. Since opening day 2007, Beltre has a .393 slugging percentage at Safeco and a .541 slugging percentage on the road. Beltre could have a more dramatic affect than DeRosa.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
The most common names tossed about are Mark DeRosa, Adrian Beltre and Garrett Atkins and while I prefer DeRosa over the other two in that group. But there is another guy I’d prefer to all three — Jhonny Peralta.

Peralta is a shortstop by trade but also plays third base, which is probably his better position at this point. He would give the Cards some lineup flexibility, especially if Troy Glaus does manage to make it back at some point, and he can hit. Peralta’s current numbers are uninspiring but he’s made up for a poor April (.211 AVG, .570 OPS) with a solid May (.316 AVG, .787 OPS) and he’s hit 20+ HR in three of the last four seasons. Also of note: Peralta (27) is seven years younger than Mark DeRosa (34), his 2009 contract is cheaper than DeRosa’s and he’s under contract for 2010 at the reasonable price of $4.6 million. If you have to give up a lot to get a player it’s a lot easier to do so when you’re going to get more than a few months of his services.

Would the Indians move Peralta, likely their long-term answer at third base? Not as readily as they would move DeRosa for sure, but the vibe coming from Cleveland is that they’re willing to shake things up quite a bit and they badly need relief pitching, something the Cardinals can certainly help them with. He’d be the guy I’d target first of all the players that would appear to be “available” here in ’09.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION:The Cardinals already are without pitcher Chris Carpenter, outfielder Rick Ankiel and now have lost outfielder Ryan Ludwick with a hamstring injury. Which loss hurts the team the most?

BERNIE MIKLASZ: Well since Carpenter is just about back I’m going to remove him from consideration. The answer is Ludwick. He’s the best No. 4 hitter on the roster, the best option to bat behind Albert Pujols. He was off to a good start and showing that 2008 was no fluke. And he’s more consistent than Ankiel. This is a big blow to an offense that is hitting only .232 over the last 11 games - and that was with Ludwick.

BRYAN BURWELL: I have to go with Carpenter. You can’t lose a Cy Young winner from your rotation and not feel it. The big fear now that the injuries continue to mount is the temptation to rush Carp back before he’s ready. The Cards have to resist that temptation.

RICK HUMMEL: Ankiel will be back in a week or so and Ludwick should be back within 15 days. The Cardinals need a top-flight starting pitcher with the rest of the rotation crumbling. It always has been about Carpenter, for the Cardinals’ success or lack of same this season.

DERRICK GOOLD: While those three are crippling blows to a rotation that’s yet to find its secure footing and a lineup that has had the plug pulled on its power, it’s not one or two significant injuries that hurt the Cardinals most. It’s the nagging paper cuts, too. The ongoing absence of Troy Glaus (with no clear return in sight) makes the lineup thin. Joe Mather’s slow start/achy wrist in Class AAA means there is a righthanded bat to provide insurance for injury or inconsistency. Brendan Ryan’s hamstring means there’s one less proven glove and backup shortstop around to spell a struggling middle infielder. Look, a healthy Chris Carpenter clearly transforms the Cardinals from a nice team to a contender and his health more than any others could have a direct impact on the long-term standings. But what’s hurting the Cardinals most now isn’t any one of the three injuries mentioned, it’s the avalanche of injuries and absences that appear too numerous to mention.

JEFF GORDON: Despite the current power outage, Carpenter has been the biggest loss. The little bit we saw of him earlier this season was stirring. He looked like his old “stopper” self, capable to shutting down opponents when his team needed it most. A starting pitcher like that makes the whole rotation better. A healthy Carpenter takes pressure off the bullpen, too. The Cards have won with Mitchell Boggs filling that rotation slot, but he has needed much relief help.

GERRY FRALEY: The Cardinals will be most hobbled if outfielder Ryan Ludwick misses an extended period of time because of a hamstring injury. No hitter short of Barry Bonds in his prime will force opponents to pitch to Albert Pujols. Ludwick’s value is that he has made opponents pay for pitching around Pujols to create run-scoring situations. Since opening day 2008, Ludwick is hitting .323 with 94 RBIs for 189 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Cardinals cannot replace that extraordinary production.

THE WATERCOOLER

SCENARIO: A major league club opens the season with a pared-down payroll following an offseason in search of “low-hanging fruit” for free agent help. The club’s 99-RBI third baseman from a year ago is still recovering from shoulder surgery. Its former Cy Young-winning pitcher, whom the club said was vital to the success of the rotation this year, is already on the DL again. The team’s defense has committed 19 errors through 20 games. And the club’s manager is shuffling his lineup more than a blackjack dealer to find the right matchups. Through all of this the club finds itself at 14-6 through 20 games and sitting atop the NL Central. That club is the 2009 Cardinals.

QUESTION: Given all these obstacles, and perhaps a few more not mentioned, what do you think is the key to success the Cardinals have had so far this year and is there reason to believe they can sustain a pace anywhere near this?

JOE STRAUSS
Without a doubt the longest question in the history of Round 2. That said, the key to date is the stability of the offensive core, the rotation’s early effectiveness and the bullpen’s solid performance when allowed to pitch in role. (We’ll give the defense a break today.) The take here remains much as it was entering the season: Minus Troy Glaus, the Cardinals will remain solid if their 20 best players remain available. The loss of Chris Carpenter is significant but won’t become magnified unless further attrition occurs. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs are experiencing what the Cardinals cannot afford as Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, Milton Bradley and Carlos Marmol are all compromised. So far, this season represents a (near) best-case scenario for the Redbirds.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
This will be my shortest answer ever: Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan. Period. Despite the insane, inexplicable hatred that a faction of bizarre, hopelessly bitter fans have for the manager and pitching coach. Can the Cardinals keep it up? Down to the wire, yes. They’ll be in the hunt in September. And that’s the goal.

DERRICK GOOLD
You mean besides the obvious two-word answer: Albert Pujols? The fuel for the Cardinals’ quick start is offense, offense, offense. Last year’s Cardinals led the league in batting average and were fourth in runs scored, yet this year’s lineup is deeper and has the chance to be better because the production won’t be isolated around the island of Pujols-Ludwick. The Cardinals’ hitting this April has papered-over serious concerns, like the innings the starters are leaving for the work-in-progress bullpen to swallow and the errors that force those same pitchers to pitch around. Even an offense powered by Pujols cannot keep up this current pace. Those flaws will come out.

So the starters have to go deeper into games if the Cardinals are going to remain atop the NL Central, and the defense cannot give away outs to make going deeper into games more difficult. The absence of Chris Carpenter is enough of a challenge for the rotation and bullpen to overcome.

Can the Cardinals keep up this winning percentage? No. Can they slow down and still win the NL Central? It’s bad form to back off preseason predictions (especially three weeks in), so I’ll stick with the answer I gave for the preview section. … Sure. Sure, they can.

RICK HUMMEL
The keys, in no particular order, have been the comeback of Joel Pineiro (4-0), who didn’t win his fourth game until August last year; the emergence of Ryan Franklin from a tangled bullpen as the closer; the insight and, even daring, of manager Tony La Russa to find the right daily combinations in the outfield and at third base; the ability of catcher Yadier Molina and the pitchers to absolutely nullify the opposition’s running game. . . and, of course, Albert Pujols. Nobody else has a player like that and anybody who does will always be a contender. Will the Cardinals play .700 ball? No. Could they win 90 or more games? Yes. Will they? I thought 90 before the season, so I’ll stay with that.

JEFF GORDON
There are three keys to the Cards success:

1) The much-maligned Cards managed investing in pitching, extending Kyle Lohse’s deal a year after doing the same for Joel Pineiro. These two are helping offset Carpenter’s injury. John Mozeliak responded to his bullpen deficiency by buying free agent Dennys Reyes during spring training.

2) The player development is paying off. Colby Rasmus, Brendan Ryan, Jason Motte, Chris Perez and Mitchell Boggs are helping the home-grown Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Rick Ankiel, Skip Schumaker, Kyle McClellan and Chris Duncan get the job done.

3) Once again, the team located scrappy, handy utility players in Brian Barden and Joe Thurston.

GERRY FRALEY (National baseball writer for FOXsports.com, Sportingnews.com and USAToday)
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is blessed with two outstanding coaches in vital positions.

The good work of pitching coach Dave Duncan is well-chronicled. Duncan knows how to get through to distressed pitchers and make them embrace his pitch-to-contact philosophy. This staff will not light up the radar guns, but it will get ground-ball outs.

Batting coach Hal McRae is equally good in his field. He teaches his hitters to use the entire field rather than trying to pull every pitch. A National League scout at last weekend’s series against the Chicago Cubs said McRae’s hitters are unusual in that they can drive the ball to the opposite field. When most hitters use the opposite field, the scout said, they lob the ball for singles. The Cardinals get extra-base hits to the opposite field. They go into tonight’s game leading the National League in average at .296, slugging percentage at .476 and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) at .854.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals are off to a 9-5 start. While the season is still very young, is there any individual’s play, good or bad, that has caught your attention thus far? And what do you expect from this player in coming months?

JOE STRAUSS
The third base platoon of Joe Thurston and Brian Barden has exceeded what even the most wildly optimistic fans and front office members could have envisioned. Their production likely will outstrip what Troy Glaus gave the team last April. The question is how much longer will manager Tony La Russa be able to find them favorable matchups and to what extent either player will be exposed by heavy playing time.

DERRICK GOOLD
We had a good idea going into spring training that Brian Barden was an above average glove with the ability to play three positions in the infield, and play them well. There just wasn’t any indication that was enough to even make the major-league bench. As Joe Mather, Joe Thurston and later David Freese got the playing time at third and Skip Schumaker monopolized second, Barden was in the background of both competitions. Was he around for depth? Or, did he have a shot? Halfway through March we were wondering if a player with so few at-bats had stuck around that long in major-league camp before.

But stuck around he did. Stuck around long enough to outlast others, win a utility job — and now is capitalizing on the opportunity to be a regular starter at third base. The reason: Well, opportunity, sure, but also health. Turns out Barden was really hampered by a groin injury the past couple seasons that diagnosed as something he should play through. He had it repaired this offseason and has his legs back. Plus, he feels he can turn on pitches better, with more whip and therefore more power. The glove plays. That much is certain and that is enough to keep him in the majors. In the month ahead, the bat will dictate how much he plays.

RICK HUMMEL
Chris Duncan probably has been the biggest surprise to most people although if they had had a chance to watch him in spring training, they would have seen that his swing was back after he was restricted by injuries the last two years. And he’s dropped only one fly ball.

Duncan should knock in 85 runs and hit .270 or above.

JEFF GORDON
The most interesting player is Joe Thurston. He is a middle infielder by trade, yet he is logging big time at third base. He gets burned from time to time on the hot corner, yet his defensive hustle aggression and hustle produce outs — as Carlos Beltran learned first hand. He adds speed when he gets on base. Given his minor league history, you would expect him to keep getting on base, too. He looks like a classic Tony La Russa guy. Hungry utility players can add a lot to the team chemistry, as we saw with Aaron Miles the last few seasons.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With news of an uncertain timetable for Troy Glaus’ return, it’s now looking like David Freese will man the hot corner for the Cardinals to begin the season. Coming over from the Padres via trade and spending just one year in the Cardinals’ minor league system, many here don’t know much about Freese. What would you tell people to expect to see from Freese at 3B and at the plate as the season gets under way?

JOE STRAUSS
It’s been 30 years since the Cardinals employed a rookie 3B on Opening Day. Freese is there for offensive production, though he is considered at least major-league average defensively. There is little question about Freese’s power. The ball jumps off his bat. With Glaus likely out through May, the more important issue is whether Freese is prone to overexposure. He was a high-strikeout guy at Memphis last season (but improved as the season progressed). How does his left foot hold up? Joe Mather is an option but not a preferred one. There is little ready depth at the position, since TLR holds the strong opinion that Brett Wallace is light years away defensively and Allen Craig is projected as a first baseman/OF. I’m not sure it’s comforting when second base is no longer the biggest question on the infield.

RICK HUMMEL
Freese seems to be moving all right in the field after his Achilles’ tendon injury in January. At the plate, he is best when he uses the whole field and he has good power to right-center-field. Manager Tony La Russa will bat him down in the lineup, either seventh or eighth, at least until he has more at-bats.

DERRICK GOOLD
Scouts I spoke to who watched him blossom in Triple-A Memphis last year universally lauded David Freese’s ability to play third base. He has a consistent and good enough arm, and a feel for the instinctive reactions needed to excel at the position. On the tricky fields of the Grapefruit League, he’s been comfortable and gained the faith of a discerning pitching staff. His play at third is going to be good enough that it allows some latitude if he is slow to adjust offensively.

He’s going to strike out — maybe even a lot (111 last year) — but Freese was able to work with hitting coach Mark Budaska in Memphis to expand how he uses the field. What started as an attempt to have him drive the ball gap to gap also helped unlock latent power. In July, he hit .378, slugged .694 and 16 of his 37 hits in the month were extra bases. Thirteen of his 26 home runs came after July 1. Freese has had back-to-back seasons of 90 RBIs and that nose for driving in runs doesn’t vanish. It could be awhile before he’s a middle-of-the-order hitter in the majors, but he’s going to add RBI depth to the lineup, especially nestled somewhere toward the bottom of the order.

JEFF GORDON
Making the jump from high Class A to Class AAA last season was challenging, but Freese adapted on the fly. Like Ryan Ludwick, he had to become more selective at the plate. He has hit at every level he has played at, but he had a lot to learn about facing more mature pitchers. Once he became more disciplined, the results followed. He is an above-average fielder, which makes him a better long-term option that Joe Mather, Allen Craig or Brett Wallace. He should do OK in the field and contribute some offense from low in the batting order.

GERRY FRALEY
Rather than bloviate, why not ask a major-league scout about David Freese? A scout with a National League East team offered this report on Freese:

“I know he has real power, especially if he can extend his arms. He can get tied up on balls over the inside half. His defense has held him back: decent arm but below-average range. San Diego liked (Kevin) Kouzmanoff and (Chase) Headley better than him and talked about making him a catcher. He’s a guy, just a guy. With all the ground-ball guys on their staff, I’d go for defense over offense.’’

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Defensively, reports indicate that Freese is a very good glove man at the hot corner. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect his defense to be close to what Glaus would provide in a normal season. His glove alone should make him the favorite to get the majority of starts at third while Glaus is on the mend.

Offensively you’d have to expect a bit of a decline from Triple-A to the majors. He has very good power, perhaps in the 20-25 HR range over the course of a full big league season, but his strikeout rate (1 K every 4 AB) at Memphis last year was a bit scary. Granted, Freese was making the jump from High-A to Triple-A but he was an appropriate age (25) for his level in ’08. His minor league numbers are outstanding (.906 career OPS) but it’s important to remember that until ’08 he was always a bit older than most of his competition.

If Freese gets 300 at-bats for the Cardinals this season I’d expect him to hit around .265-.270 with 10 HR, a fair number of RBI and a bunch of strikeouts. If he’s better than that, which is certainly possible, then the Cardinals will have some interesting decisions to make in the near future.