ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

2005 finish: 100-62, 1^st place in NL Central

Manager: Tony La Russa (11^th season)

Incoming: OF Juan Encarnacion, RHP Braden Looper, 2B Junior Spivey, LHP Ricardo Rincon, RHP Sidney Ponson, C Gary Bennett, IF Deivi Cruz, OF Larry Bigbie, 2B Aaron Miles, RHP Jeff Nelson, RHP Josh Hancock

Long gone: RHP Matt Morris, OF Larry Walker, 2B Mike Grudzielanek, OF Reggie Sanders, IF/OF John Mabry, LHP Ray King, RHP Julian Tavarez, RHP Al Reyes, IF Abraham Nunez, C Einar Diaz, RHP Jimmy Journell

Rotation: RHP Chris Carpenter, LHP Mark Mulder, RHP Jeff Suppan, RHP Jason Marquis, RHP Sidney Ponson

Relievers: Closer: RHP Jason Isringhausen; Setup men: RHP Braden Looper, LHP Ricardo Rincon, RHP Brad Thompson, LHP Randy Flores, RHP Jeff Nelson, LHP Carmen Cali, RHP Adam Wainwright, RHP Alan Benes

Regulars: SS David Eckstein, 2B Junior Spivey, 1B Albert Pujols, CF Jim Edmonds, 3B Scott Rolen, RF Juan Encarnacion, C Yadier Molina, LF So Taguchi

Role players: C Gary Bennett, IF Deivi Cruz, IF Hector Luna, OF John Rodriguez, OF Skip Schumaker, OF John Gall, IF Aaron Miles, OF Larry Bigbie (DL), OF Rick Ankiel (DL)

The pressure is on: Jim Edmonds is in the final year of his contract, and needs a strong season.

Breakout candidate: His two older brothers say Yadier Molina is going to be the best catcher in the family, and this could be the year.

Rundown: Ownership is taking heat for not increasing the payroll despite an expected revenue boost with the move to the new Busch Stadium. But their $90-$94-million number will be one of the highest in the National League, and is more than enough to get back to the playoffs despite a big makeover in which up to half the roster could be changed. For starters, nobody in the NL has as much quality starting pitching. The Cards go four-deep with Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis, and all four are healthy. Only Suppan failed to top 200 innings last season, and he barely missed at 194. Troubled veteran Sidney Ponson beat out top prospect Anthony Reyes for the fifth spot, and you have to figure Ponson is thinking this could be his last chance, and that Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan can find a way to coax a productive season from him. The bullpen could use a little more quality depth behind closer Jason Isringhausen, as top setup men Julian Tavarez and Ray King are gone, unheralded Al Reyes is out after surgery, and Cal Eldred retired. That leaves newcomers Braden Looper and Ricardo Rincon, along with Brad Thompson and most likely Randy Flores. Jeff Nelson, Carmen Cali, Alan Benes and Adam Wainwright are other possibilities, and so is a late-spring deal. How can the offense get better? One big way would be a healthy return for All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen, who played in only 56 games last season before undergoing shoulder surgery. He might be a bit slow out of the gate, but expect him to be in the Opening Day lineup. Jim Edmonds, 36, had a down season in 2005, and is in the last guaranteed year of his contract, so a mild comeback should come as no surprise. But he has been bothered by a sore shoulder this spring. Yadier Molina also figures to take the next step and become one of the NL’s elite catchers. His defense already is there, and his offense should improve. Larry Walker retired and Reggie Sanders wasn’t re-signed, but those aren’t as big of losses as you might think. Walker’s line was .289-15-52 in 315 at-bats. Those numbers should be topped by free-agent signee Juan Encarnacion, who has turned 30 without ever having the huge season that was expected from him. But the sneaking suspicion here is that the move out of Florida to St. Louis will be beneficial, and he’ll reach the 20-homer and 80-RBI marks. Sanders played only 93 games last season, but did hit 21 homers and drive in 54 runs. The field of possible replacements is crowded -- So Taguchi, John Rodriguez and Skip Schumaker all will get opportunities – and knowing La Russa, this will be one of his mix-and-match spots that will produce just fine. The Cards won the Central by 11 games last season, and while their off-season wasn’t anything spectacular, Houston’s wasn’t either, and nobody else in the Central was within 19 games of them last season. Fewer victories, same result: See you in October.

Predicted finish: 1^st place, 94-68

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