Cards News And Notes: Let the Games Begin

Spring Training games are starting up. The Yankees took on the Pirates this afternoon, another sign that baseball season is just around the corner. Even up here in Syracuse, where a foot of snow dropped last week, it’s starting to feel like spring — I only had to wear a sweatshirt around campus today. The fresh spring smell is an exciting feeling every year. It is a feeling that is intertwined with the start of the baseball season, which promises the sunny summer days. Right now, teams are preparing to make sure those summer days are enjoyable and not exhausting.

The Cardinals preparation begins tomorrow in its first exhibition against the Mets in Port St. Lucie. The team has been working out in Jupiter, and mixing in live batting practices to work both the pitchers and hitters. But an organized game brings another level of excitement and intensity to the weeks leading up to opening day. While the big stars like Pujols, Holliday, Wainwright, and Carpenter won’t make the trip, these exhibitions hold great importance for the team we see in July. The stars are set.

But the spark off the bench is not. And that spark is just important to a club’s success as the superstar. The MLB season is grueling. Baseball is tough, slumps are inevitable. When Holliday hits a wall for a week, who will pick up the slack and keep the Redbird machine rolling?

Questions like these will be answered starting tomorrow. Joe Mather, Allen Craig, and Tyler Greene are among the group traveling Thursday that will have the opportunity to make an impression on the coaching staff. All three have shown flashes of success during their careers, but need to show more to earn an everyday spot on the roster.

Mather spent 54 games with the big league club last year and was a valuable contributor. He is versatile, which is key for the Cardinals bench this year. Felipe Lopez signed with the Cards largely because of his versatility.

Allen Craig is a different option, but perhaps more intriguing. Craig has a big bat that may get him a spot on the team. The 25-year-old has hit over .300 for much of his minor league career. He also packs a punch, hitting 26 home runs in Triple-A Memphis in 2009. Defensively, he lacks a true position, but his power off the bench could make him a great pinch hitter in the Greg Dobbs mold.

Finally, Tyler Greene could also become a familiar face in St. Louis. The young shortstop was with St. Louis for 48 games in 2009, making cameos for his defensive abilities. With Brendan Ryan’s health in doubt after wrist surgery, he could fill in at shortstop for a few weeks. Greene has also worked hard to improve at the plate this season. Other candidates include Lopez and Julio Lugo.

The role players that can make such an impact to hold a team together will earn their keep in Jupiter. The recognition will come in St. Louis when they are the hero for a day, because Albert can’t always be the man. The glue guys are sometimes just as fun to watch because they work so hard to get where they are. The fans in St. Louis can certainly appreciate that.