2007 Cardinals Projected Lineup

2007 St. Louis Cardinals

Batting Order

1. SS David Eckstein
2. LF Chris Duncan/Preston Wilson
3. 1B Albert Pujols
4. CF Jim Edmonds
5. 3B Scott Rolen
6. RF Juan Encarnacion
7. C Yadier Molina
8. 2B Adam Kennedy/Aaron Miles

The Cardinals have toyed with moving Duncan down, but he had 30 points of OBP on Kennedy and 45 points on Encarnacion during his rookie season. While it's doubtful that Duncan will hit for average this year like he did last season, he could swat 25-30 homers even while sitting against lefties. Edmonds might begin the year on the DL if he's slow to recover from shoulder and foot surgeries. That would likely put So Taguchi or Preston Wilson in center field.

Rotation

1. Chris Carpenter
2. Adam Wainwright
3. Kip Wells
4. Anthony Reyes
5. Braden Looper

Other than Carpenter, the prospective starters won seven games as starters last season -- five by rookie Reyes and two by Wells. Mark Mulder, who had rotator cuff surgery in September, is expected back by July, although he thinks it will be sooner.

Closer: Jason Isringhausen

If Isringhausen has recovered from September hip surgery -- and by all accounts, he has -- he will regain the closer role. The Cardinals plan on using both Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper in the starting rotation, but we have to believe their strategy will change if Izzy's hip acts up again. Wainwright seems like the best emergency option, but if he sticks in the rotation, the Cardinals don't have another obvious choice for the ninth inning.