"Twenty-seven Cardinals pitchers had taken the mound before Kyle McClellan got his first start of the spring Saturday. But McClellan promptly issued a statement in his bid to assume the starting job left vacant by the elbow injury to Adam Wainwright. As the Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 1-0 in an expeditious 1 hour 52 minutes, McClellan worked three efficient innings, allowing two hits and tossing just 38 pitches. McClellan, a reliable member of the Cardinals' bullpen in recent years, entered the game as the presumed leader for the fifth starting job and did nothing to change that opinion. "The way I look at it is if somebody is going to take it from me, they're going to have to really take it from me," said McClellan, who has been used as a starter in the previous two spring trainings only to lose to somebody else by the end of camp. Pitching coach Dave Duncan, the voice of reason in such matters, said it is too early to call anybody the leader for the last starting spot. "I don't think you can expect any more out of (McClellan) than he gave you today for the first time out," Duncan said. But, he added, "There really won't be a leader until we get halfway through spring training. By then, we'll have a chance to see a little better competition." Houston, which had a split-squad team Saturday, brought only third baseman Chris Johnson as a regular from last year's team. But McClellan retired whoever he faced and said, "This is where I want to be. This is what I want to do. I've had the opportunity in the past and it just hasn't worked out. There is no better opportunity than this. For someone to come in and take it away from me, they're going to have to take it while I'm fighting and scratching." The Cardinals' infield defense played brilliantly behind McClellan and five successors. Rookie third baseman Matt Carpenter and veteran second baseman Ramon Vazquez were strong and shortstop Tyler Greene made perhaps the best play, flagging down a one-hop shot to his right and starting a double play that extricated the Cardinals from an eighth-inning jam. "For 2011, that will be highlight material," manager Tony La Russa said. But the Cardinals' pitching had a lot to do with that defense, Duncan said. "It really helps when you're not out there (fooling) around and going into deep counts," he said. Lefthanded rookie John Gast picked his second runner off first base in as many outings. "He may pick guys off now," Duncan said. "But if he were to make our club, he wouldn't pick anybody off." And why is that?" Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/base...cle_ed2a4c07-204b-54bf-a1e2-ca0bc474e371.html
