By B.J. Rains
FOXSportsMidwest.com
Feb. 23, 2011
JUPITER, Fla. � Infielder Dan Descalso spent part of his time before practice Tuesday morning answering fan mail and signing baseball cards that were sent to him.
He didn't look like a guy who saw his chances of making the Cardinals roster improve after news broke the previous afternoon that infielder Nick Punto would miss 8-to-12 weeks with a sports hernia.
That's because the news hadn't reached him yet.
Speaking before the Cardinals workout Tuesday, Descalso was unaware of the injury to Punto that significantly upgraded his chances of breaking camp with the big league club.
"Actually I hadn't heard that yet," Descalso said. "I know Nick wasn't at practice yesterday. I wasn't sure where he was, nobody said anything, but if that's the case, like you said there's an extra spot, but that doesn't really change my approach or plan down here. I'm just coming down here trying to have a good camp and control what I can control."
The injury to Punto opens up a roster spot and a decent amount of playing time both in spring training and the regular season. Descalso, Tyler Greene and non-roster invite Ramon Vasquez appear to be the three main candidates fighting for two infield spots.
Greene was expected to see time in the outfield this spring but Punto's absence will likely put him in the running for more playing time on the infield. Both Greene and Vasquez can play second, short and third while Descalso is seen as an option at second or third.
"You have the same guys playing in the infield so all that does is now there's a spot on the club that's vacant on opening day," said manager Tony La Russa. "It adds some playing time to somebody who emerges but as far as the guys who are looking for that, they were all in the mix as far as getting innings and at-bats.
"Put them out there and see who seizes the opportunity."
Descalso was a late-season callup for the Cardinals last year, hitting .265 (9-for-34) in 11 games. He hit .282 and had a .350 on-base percentage in 116 games for Triple-A Memphis. The 24-year-old Descalso is a career .276 hitter in four minor league seasons.
Vasquez is a career .254 hitter in seven big league seasons for the Mariners, Padres, Red Sox, Indians, Rangers and Pirates. He last played in the Major Leagues with the Pirates in 2009, when he hit .230 and had a .335 on-base percentage in 101 games.
The 34-year-old Vasquez, a left-handed hitter, has played all four infield spots during his career.
"We've seen him," La Russa said. "He's played against us. He has a lot of versatility defensively. Good hands, good arm, swings from the left side. You get a chance to see him everyday yourself to measure the type of player and so far so good."
Greene, 27, has a .222 career batting mark in 92 games with the Cardinals in 2009 and 2010 but is seen as an above-average defender. The Cardinals had toyed with the idea of giving him time in centerfield to give him more at-bats and a better chance of making the club, but the latest injury news may put that plan on hold.
Allen Craig will also see plenty of time at third base as a backup for David Freese but he appears to have a good chance of making the club as a backup outfielder as well. Jon Jay appears set as the other backup outfielder.
