MLB spring training equivalent to NFL preseason?

If I were to tell you the 2010 World Series would feature the Tampa Bay Devil Rays versus the San Francisco Giants based on spring training records as of this day, you probably wouldn't give that prediction much credit. After all, MLB spring training is very similar to the NFL preseason in terms of teams evaluating talent and making final roster decisions, so much so that teams usually use split-squad games to divide the team and have a better opportunity to evaluate every player trying to make the big league roster. So how worried should the St. Louis Cardinals be with their 6-10 start to preseason that is third to last in the National League? The answer: not at all.

Here are a couple key numbers to consider: 26, 139, and 20. 26 is the combined plate appearances for the Cardinals two superstars, Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Everyone that follows baseball at all knows that Pujols is about as consistent as Christmas Day falling on December 25th. Pujols has only appeared in seven games, while Holliday has only played in 3 games and has been plagued by rib cage soreness. 139, on the other hand, happens to be the combined plate appearances for outfielders Joe Mather, Allen Craig, Nick Stavinoha, and Jon Jay. However, whoever makes the roster out of these four outfielders will only be a situational players with Colby Rasmus, the aforementioned Holliday, and Ryan Ludwick covering the green grass for the Redbirds. The last number to consider, 20, is the combined innings pitched for the Cardinals' top two starting pitcher tandem: Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Indeed, pitchers aren't nearly in top form during spring training and normally are just trying to get the kinks worked out in each of their pitches, while trying to get their endurance up to throw 100+ pitches once the regular season starts.

Simply put, the Cardinals nor any other team doing poorly in MLB spring training has anything to worry about. If anything, I would tag the Cardinals as the favorites to win the National League Central again behind Pujols, Holliday, Carpenter and Wainwright.

As a lifelong Cardinals fan, I also need to put to rest the Pujols for Howard trade that gained momentum in the media this past week. How likely would it be for this to happen? Well that's pretty easy. There is zero chance, absolutely zero, zip, zilch, nada. Pujols is an icon in St. Louis, and also the best player in Major League Baseball. Yes, he could be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, and Howard is a St. Louis native which on the outside makes a trade somewhat logical between the two teams. However, Albert is the face of the Cardinal franchise as well as a vital community asset with the dedication of the Albert Pujols Wellness Center for Adults with Down Syndrome that opened at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri last November. Needless to say, I think the Redbird faithful can rest easy and expect to see #5 to continue manning first base for years to come at Busch Stadium.