DIVISIONAL OUTLOOK: NL Central—STL shortstop scenarios

St. Louis Cardinals

With the announcement that Rafael Furcal (SS, STL) will have Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season, the Cardinals are considering their internal SS options. The most obvious is Pete Kozma (SS, STL) or Ronny Cedeno (SS, STL), whoever wins that competition to become the everyday SS. Kozma has taken the early lead, going 9 for his first 22, with two walks and two strikeouts. Cedeno on the other hand has only two hits in 16 AB, with five strikeouts and two walks. And after Kozma posted a .349 BA and 1.016 OPS in September last season, it might seem that the Cardinals are set, but Cardinals management is well aware of Kozma's career .236 BA in the minors, so an alternate scenario is developing under the...

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