Aaron Miles and Felipe Lopez got much of the time at second base for the Cardinals in the latter part of the 2008 season, but both are now gone.
Lopez, who hit .385 in two months with the Cardinals after being released by Washington, signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Arizona. Miles, non-tendered for the second season in a row, received a two-year, $4.9 million contract from the Cubs. That leaves Adam Kennedy, who played some outfield toward the end of the season, as the second baseman -- and relatively unchallenged, at that. Kennedy, who received $10 million for three years before the 2007 season, batted .280 in 339 at-bats last season after hitting only .219 the year before when he had knee problems.
The Cardinals had explored trading Kennedy, per his late-season request, but found little interest in him and have now decided to restore him as the regular at the position, with Khalil Greene, acquired from San Diego, as the shortstop.
The competition for the utility infielder job, a job held largely by Miles last year, will come from Brian Barden, Brendan Ryan, Tyler Greene and newcomer Joe Thurston, a left-handed hitter signed as a minor league free agent.
Ryan, impressive in his rookie season in 2007 when he hit .289 in part-time duty, regressed last year and fell from favor a bit when he batted .244 and was sent back to Class AAA Memphis. It appears the energetic 26-year-old will get another chance next spring.
