With Rafael Furcal out for the season the St. Louis Cardinals plan to use Pete Kozma as their shortstop to open the season. Kozma has earned the job over Ronny Cedeno.
A former first round pick, the 24-year-old Kozma was largely unproductive in six minor league seasons.
Over the last two years Kozma has played sparingly at the big league level and put together a surprising .303/.373/.506 line. The odds are against Kozma putting up that type of production for an entire season but the Cardinals will put him on the field to start the season and hope for the best.
Kozma had been considered the favorite to start at shortstop after it was announced that Furcal was in need of Tommy John surgery.
