After an off-season full of hand-wringing and worrying, it appears that the Cardinals actually had a fairly easy time setting their rotation this spring.La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan have set their starting rotation, the one Duncan predicted when he walked into camp.
Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, Anthony Reyes and converted relievers Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper worked a string of 24 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
It's certainly a diverse group. Carpenter has been the best pitcher in the National League over the past two years and Reyes and Wainwright are both very good prospects, but Reyes struggled a bit in his first extended big league stay last year while Wainwright spent most of the year in the pen. Also, Reyes wears his hat with a goofy flat brim.
Of course those two aren't even close to the biggest questions in the rotation: Braden Looper has generally been a punchline in the Mets' and Cards' bullpens in the past few years and Kip Wells is four years removed from his last above average season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Of course both have been fantastic as starters this spring and there was a point when Wells was one of the most promising young starters in the league. It's going to be interesting to watch, to say the least.
