Infielder Aaron Miles didn’t have a baseball job this spring, having failed to make the Reds’ Opening Day roster.

Outfielder Randy Winn had a nice gig with the Yankees, but lost it by hitting .213 in 61 at-bats.

Miles had to work his way back to the majors, starting back at the Class AA level for the Springfield Cardinals. Winn landed in St. Louis after the Yankees designated him for assignment.

Tony La Russa managed Miles before and appreciated the way he played the game. He never managed Winn, but always wanted the opportunity to do so.

Both veterans covet their current role with the Cardinals – and it shows in their play.

Miles and Winn started Tuesday’s game against Phillies lefty Jamie Moyer. La Russa kept both switch-hitters in the lineup after Moyer departed with an elbow strain after one inning.

What fun these two had during the Cardinals 7-1 victory.

Winn, batting second, hit a two-run homer in the third inning. He walked, stole second base and scored in the fifth inning. He smacked an RBI single in the ninth.

He is hitting .292 as a Cardinal with two homers, three stolen bases and nine RBIs. “Still doing the same things I was doing earlier in the year,” Winn said after the game. “Balls are just dropping in right now.”

Is that all that went wrong for Winn in New York?

“I have no idea,” La Russa said. “I never asked him about the Yankees. He’s really done a good job since he got here. He’s been a tough out ever since he showed up. He’s done dramatic things lately.”

Miles, hitting seventh, stroked singles in the second and fifth innings. He is batting .341 in his limited role.

“I feel very comfortable at the plate,” said Miles, who has developed a produtive pre-game routine that gets him prepared for whatever role La Russa might have for him.

Winn could return to the bench Wednesday if Colby Rasmus and Jon Jay return to the starting lineup against Phillies righthander Joe Blanton. Miles might get another start, given Skip Schumaker’s jammed wrist.

“The deeper we are,” La Russa said, “the more problems we present to the other side.”

Before the Cards began their collective offensive surge, there was plenty of chit-chat about this team’s chemistry. Was the team too quiet? Was the team too tight?

Did general manager John Mozeliak need to change the mix?

Then most of the struggling Cards began playing to their ability. The resulting winning streak turned all the frowns upside down.

Fans now see a team featuring a nice blend of veterans and youngsters. Miles and Winn added grit and smarts to the group, arriving as helpful mid-season additions.

They have the experience and mental make-up to excel in a part-time role. La Russa considers them excellent teammates, too.

Both figure to stick with the Cards for the duration, barring dramatic decline or catastrophic injuries.

The younger Cards have added plenty too. Some, like rookies Jaime Garcia and David Freese, have played big roles from Opening Day on. Others -- like Jon Jay, Tyler Greene, Fernando Salas and Allen Craig -- have contributed as fill-ins.

Every day in the majors means something to these guys. Just as Winn and Miles are fighting to stay in the game, the younger guys want to stay in the majors.

“More than anything, they see an opportunity,” La Russa said. “They are taking their best shot. Let the rest fall in place, or out of place.”

This urgency serves the Cards well. They have built their season-best winning streak while missing two of their top six hitters, Ryan Ludwick and Freese, and two-fifths of their pitching rotation, Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse.

“We’ve had a lot of guys step up with the injuries we’ve had,” Miles said. “It has to be comforting, heading down the stretch knowing we have so many guys ready to help out.”