Here We Go

by LS Murphy

Eighteen days and counting until pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter, Florida. There are still questions for the team but that's nothing unusual. Most teams have holes. The Cardinals have one major glaring hole to fill. Third base.

David Freese is the favorite going into spring training for the hot corner. Is he ready? Only spring will tell. Maybe another rookie will emerge. Maybe Joe Mather will jump forward and steal the spot. Or maybe, just maybe, Mo will make a deal that will bring someone in for the job.

The minor hole is the fifth starter. There are many pitcher to fill this hole so it isn't as big a deal as third base. Rich Hill could recover into a solid starter under Dave Duncan. Kyle McClellan could move out of long relief. So could Blake Hawksworth. There's always Mitchell Boggs, who managed a few starts in 2009. Of course, we can't leave out Jaime Gracia either. Maybe he's not ready after recovering form Tommy John surgery.

There's a lot left to accomplish before opening day. I can't wait to watch it all unfold.

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