Brian34Cook

Left Face: Izturis, Glaus new anchors at short, third
03/30/2008


Cesar Izturis (left) and Troy Glaus (right), high-profile replacements at short and third, hope to make an impact in the Cardinals' lineup.

JUPITER, Fla. — These two veterans, new to the Cardinals' infield, have been around the bases enough times to not fret about whom they are replacing. They are far more concerned with what they want to restore.

For one it's his health. For the other it's his role. For both it's status.

Nowhere were the Cardinals' radical changes to their lineup more apparent than on the left side of the infield, where Troy Glaus and Cesar Izturis replace two faces of the franchise, Scott Rolen and David Eckstein. The team replaces two known personalities — one that clashed with the manager, the other that electrified the fanbase — with two unfamiliar quantities.

It has been more than two seasons since Izturis has been a starter, three since he won a Gold Glove. Glaus hasn't played 120 games in three of the past five seasons and his power drained last summer.

"Last couple years, I've been banged up," Glaus said. "I worked real hard this winter ... to get to this point. I want to get back to where I was four or five years ago, when I was playing 155, 158, 160 games. Trying to play every day with a legitimate chance to play every day.

"To play and be productive every day."

"Opportunity," Izturis said. "I was looking for opportunity."

STLtoday - Left Face: Izturis, Glaus new anchors at short, third