St. Louis Cardinals Starting Lineup Without Albert Pujols

A St. Louis Cardinals starting lineup without Albert Pujols? It sounds frightening for fans of the Redbirds but it could become a reality in 2012. In fact, there's a slight chance the Cardinals could deal Albert before his contract comes to a close. Nobody in St. Louis wants to think about that option. Especially when the Cardinals are rolling currently with Pujols in the starting lineup. There's every bit of a chance that Pujols could end up in New York, Boston or Los Angeles. According to a story on the NESN, Pujols wanted a reported 300 million over 10 years. That's a hefty load of cash for any team to swallow.

But would it be a complete collapse for the starting lineup each night without Pujols? Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Dispatch believes the Cardinals machine won't "fold" without Albert.

The Cardinals have shown signs in 2011 that they might be able to endure LWP(Life Without Pujols.) In fact, I think the Redbirds have illustrated just how effective they can be considering the slow start of Pujols in 2011. Albert was putting up moderate numbers in regards of his typical starts and the Cardinals still managed to claim first place in their division.

So who plays first if Pujols doesn't sign on to stay with the Cardinals? Let's take a look at the potential starting lineup if the organization serves up LWP. The potential lineup doesn't look all that bad if the situation does indeed happen.

1) Ryan Theriot/Second Base
Theriot may be a former rival with the Chicago Cubs but he has never looked more at home than in a Cardinals uniform. Theriot has provided a constant on base presence for the Cardinals in 2011. He's the kind of gutsy player that Tony LaRussa likes and he serves the club well in the lead-off spot. There's nothing better than a great contact hitter to start things off. Theriot could be a lead-off staple in the starting lineup for years to come in the Cardinals organization.

2) John Jay/Outfielder
You have to believe that John Jay is going to get major playing time in the years to come. If it's with the Cardinals, he'll most likely hit in the number 2 slot thanks to his speed and lack of huge power. Jay just happens to also be one of the guys who could be dealt if the club is in contention late in the year. If he's not around, a guy like Allen Craig could return to his usual position of the outfield and bat deeper in the lineup-which could shift Colby Rasmus to batting second in the lineup each night.

3) Colby Rasmus/Outfielder
Rasmus is one of the bright young outfielders in the Cardinals organization. He is proving in 2011 that he can be a continual run scoring machine when inserted higher in the Cardinals starting lineup. Rasmus also has the power to hit in the number three, five or six slot. He's certainly not a cleanup guy or lead-off considering how often he strikes out. But his potential to be a 20-20 guy is very realistic. If he improves hit hitting against left handers, he just may be a 3 slot hitter with speed and power.

4) Matt Holliday/Outfielder
Holliday is the exact guy you would want batting cleanup if Pujols heads for the bright lights of a bigger city. He is a legitimate 30 home run and 100 RBI guy every season. Holliday also has a knack for coming up with huge hits in the clutch. He is also a guy who hits at or around .300 every season. As good as his contact is, Holliday could also bat 3rd or 5th in the lineup depending on who the Cardinals might sign.

5) Lance Berkman/First Base or Free Agent
It doesn't look as if Lance Berkman is slowing down anytime soon. His 2011 start makes Cardinal fans wonder if he'll be able to produce like that for a few more years without significant time out because of injury. If he does, he'll most likely stick around in the cleanup or fifth spot in the batting order. There's always the chance that the Cardinals could deal Berkman and/or sign a huge free agent with the money they'll have available if Pujols does leave. No matter what happens, the Cardinals will be able to throw a big name in one of the power hitter slots if Pujols exits Busch Stadium for good.

6) David Freese/Third Base
Freese has missed a ton of playing time in the past two seasons with injury. If Freese can stay healthy, he could be a 20 or 30 home run guy with 100 RBI potential. Freese is also a guy who can hit for average so he could also be in the number 3 slot in exchange for Rasmus. The Cardinals also have guys like Nick Punto, Daniel Descalso and Matt Carpenter coming up in the system at third. With so much depth, it would appear the Cardinals could unload some of their third base talent. Freese would probably get the most in return if he can prove to be healthy.

7) Allen Craig/Second Base
In just a short period of time, Allen Craig has illustrated why he could be the second baseman of the future for the Cardinals. He's a versatile guy who has batted for average and then some in the minor leagues. Craig could add some pop to the top or bottom of the lineup. There's a chance Allen could also play his usual outfield spot if the Cards shipped Jay or Rasmus. Daniel Descalso is another guy who could play second base or the Cardinals could move Theriot over to play the position if need be.

8) Yadier Molina/Catcher
There might be one certainty to the Cardinals for the next several years. Yadier Molina is a productive hitting catcher who always seems to call a great game with his respective pitcher. Molina might not drive in 100 runs in a season but he has become the heart of the Cardinals lineup regardless of where he bats. His defense and throwing ability alone make him a huge asset. He could be the type of lifer that we don't see that often anymore in Major League Baseball organizations.

This starting lineup for the Cardinals doesn't have the boom that a lineup with Pujols would have. But it certainly seems to stack up against some of the other National League teams in terms of speed, power and contact hitters. If the Cardinals add a big name free agent with 40 homer potential, St. Louis could possibly find LWP acceptable.