Dunc! What's next?

Today the Cardinals announced the return of Dave Duncan as pitching coach, and Cardinal Nation breathed a huge sigh of relief. Duncan is, in my opinion, the most important piece of the puzzle in the Cardinal dugout. Yes, more important than Tony LaRussa even. Duncan's ability to take cast off pitchers and turn them into 200 inning, #2 or 3 type pitchers is legendary, and it helps in several ways. First, the quality of the pitching speaks for itself. Second, the money saved in payroll flexibility by signing Duncan reclamation projects has allowed the team to upgrade in other areas. Lets not forget the work Duncan does with our superstar pitchers either. Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are never short of praise for their taskmaster.

With Duncan's return we can all rest easy about our pitching next year. We can still, however, have heartburn over what pieces must be added in order to improve a disappointing 2010 team. The Cardinals were hamstrung all year by a thin middle infield, starting with Skip Schumacker. Let me be clear: I love Skip Schumacker. Unfortunately, Skip did not take the expected step forward as a second baseman, and his offense suffered a significant step backwards. I can live with a defensively mediocre second baseman who hits .300 with a .400 on base percentage. I can't live with a defensively mediocre second baseman who hits .250 with a .310 on base percentage. Especially not when that second baseman leads off. Can Skip return to his .300 + average form we knew before 2010? Nobody knows, but Cardinal GM John Mozeliak has already stated a need to upgrade the middle infield. The other half of that middle infield problem is Brendan Ryan, who couldn't put it together at the plate for the entirety of 2010. Ryan's dismal .220 average when combined with Schumacker's .250 mark makes for awfully poor production from the double play combo. In Ryan's case, the lack of offense is mitigated by sparkling defense. Ryan is one of the top 2 or 3 defensive shortstops in baseball. Also, Ryan's pricetag ($500,000) is relatively cheap. Schumacker, on the other hand, will make $2.7 million next year. Mozeliak would be wise to pursue a trade of Schumacker to a team that needs a plus outfielder with offensive upside, freeing up Skip's chunk of the payroll pie to try to find that elusive second baseman who can not only hit lead off, but can also field his position. Brendan Ryan gives the team enough defensively that he is worth hanging on to at his relatively low cost.

Now, how about one more power bat... David Freese's season ending injury coupled with Ryan Ludwick's mid-season trade sapped the Cardinal lineup of some much needed pop. While Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday continue to show us that they are the best 3-4 tandem in baseball, they need some help. A healthy David Freese would be an excellent first step, and Colby Rasmus enjoyed a successful, yet streaky year. If Rasmus continues to take steps forward, he will be a major cog in the Cardinal offense next year. Still, the need for one more veteran bat in the lineup is glaring, and few impact players are available in this year's free agent class. Early reports indicate that the Padres may non-tender Ryan Ludwick, making him a free agent. Could a reunion be in order? Ludwick is the perfect bat to hit behind the Cardinal's big sluggers, but his price tag may keep him out of range.

It will no doubt be an interesting offseason. Lets hope it comes filled with more high hopes and celebration than gnashing of teeth.