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Agree with the lineup. Beltran, Yadi and Freese batting 5 thru 7 is scary! I'm assuming they'll carry 12 pitchers, if so whose the odd man out ... Salas?

I'm guessing the bullpen will depend on who gets the 5th starter job. I think Kelly will be in the bullpen, but I think Miller will go back to Memphis and start. So, if Kelly got the 5th starter spot, I think you'd have a possible 7 man bullpen of:

Motte
Boggs
Mujica
Rzepcynski
Choate
Salas
Rosenthal

If Miller starts then yes, I think it likely that Salas or Rosenthal could be the odd man out.

As far as the bench, I'm not sure what they are thinking on Matt Adams. He's had a great spring, but might be better off playing every day at Memphis rather than playing sporadically in St. Louis.

If the regular starting 8 is what I have above, you have a bench of Wigginton, Cedeno, Cruz, Descalso and maybe Robinson. Pretty heavy on the right side of the plate.

This would assume that Jackson, Chambers and Adams all go back to Memphis. Will Matheny be tempted to keep Adams and that LH power bat around?

If Holliday and Beltran get more off days with Craig serving as the replacement OF on those days, it would make sense to keep Adams on the bench to play 1B on those days and maintain the firepower rather than shift Carpenter to 1B and play Descalso or whoever at 2B.

QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 05:03 PM ET  03.15 by CardinalPride25

If Holliday and Beltran get more off days with Craig serving as the replacement OF on those days, it would make sense to keep Adams on the bench to play 1B on those days and maintain the firepower rather than shift Carpenter to 1B and play Descalso or whoever at 2B.

I tend to agree with that. But then do you send Robinson back to Memphis? That leaves Craig and Carpenter as your only backup outfielders.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 10:33 AM ET  03.16 by ElevenRingsSTL

I tend to agree with that. But then do you send Robinson back to Memphis? That leaves Craig and Carpenter as your only backup outfielders.

I suppose with Wigginton in the mix, Adams has to go back to Memphis since Cedeno is the back up at SS. After writing that, the Wigginton signing seems horrible at this point in time.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 03:48 PM ET  03.16 by CardinalPride25

I suppose with Wigginton in the mix, Adams has to go back to Memphis since Cedeno is the back up at SS. After writing that, the Wigginton signing seems horrible at this point in time.

I think they wanted Wigginton to add RH pop off the bench that was missing in the post-season last year. They definitely have a numbers problem. If Carpenter is going to play 2B most days, that frees up Descalso to be the backup at 3B, SS and 2B, but I don't think they'll keep just him, they'll keep Cedeno too. Robinson has certainly earned a spot, so I bet that Adams goes back to Memphi.

On the pitching front, Miller had a great game today and Kelly a not so great one. Matheny to me has seemed to lean toward Kelly, but I wonder if today tips the scales in Miller's direction?

QUOTE(#7):

Originally posted 05:37 PM ET  03.19 by ElevenRingsSTL

I think they wanted Wigginton to add RH pop off the bench that was missing in the post-season last year. They definitely have a numbers problem. If Carpenter is going to play 2B most days, that frees up Descalso to be the backup at 3B, SS and 2B, but I don't think they'll keep just him, they'll keep Cedeno too. Robinson has certainly earned a spot, so I bet that Adams goes back to Memphi.On the pitching front, Miller had a great game today and Kelly a not so great one. Matheny to me has seemed to lean toward Kelly, but I wonder if today tips the scales in Miller's direction?

Cedeno was released today guaranteeing an increased workload for Descalso and Carpenter. Ryan Jackson, Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia will be on standby should they succumb to injuries.

QUOTE(#8):

Originally posted 12:11 AM ET  03.20 by CardinalPride25

Cedeno was released today guaranteeing an increased workload for Descalso and Carpenter. Ryan Jackson, Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia will be on standby should they succumb to injuries.

I was glad to see this. Now Matheny can bring Adams north with the big club, and Descalso can be the super-sub for 3B, SS and 2B. And as you say, Jackson, Wong or Garcia can come up if needed at some point.

Craig can go to RF when you want to give Beltran days off, and Adams can play 1B, giving him a fair number of ABs. You also have some pop off the bench in Wigginton and Adams.

I like this roster quite a bit. A lot of bench flexibility.

They have got rid of one bad signing and need to move the another one in Wigginton but want happen. The most valuable player on the team could be Matt Carpenter who can play so many positions in the field. I believe Jackson and Wong are headed for Memphis and Adams and Robinson makes the big club.

QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 01:04 PM ET  03.24 by toad

They have got rid of one bad signing and need to move the another one in Wigginton but want happen. The most valuable player on the team could be Matt Carpenter who can play so many positions in the field. I believe Jackson and Wong are headed for Memphis and Adams and Robinson makes the big club.

Agreed. Chambers goes down too, if he hasn't already.

According to Rick Hummel, Shelby Miller is in the lead for the #5 starter job. That puts Kelly in the bullpen. If Motte is on the DL for opening Day, I'm guessing you start with a bullpen of:

Boggs
Mujica
Rzepcynski
Choate
Salas
Kelly
Rosenthal

Then someone goes to Memphis when Motte returns.

First Motte, now Freese ... hope the DL won't be a popular thing for the '13 Cards.