Cardinals will look outside organization for pitching

Sources have confirmed that the Cardinals are discussing external pitching options for their starting rotation. While the team has said they will fill the spot made vacant by Adam Wainwright, who will miss all the 2011 season and most likely the beginning of 2012 recovering from Tommy John surgery. 

The Cardinals have a few options from their non-roster invitees, but no one who could sufficiently fill Wainright's role. Pitchers Ian Snell and Miguel Batista are the veterans in camp, but Snell hasn't posted respectable numbers since 2007, and Batista has been successful exclusively in relief the past two seasons, so why mess with that?

Adam Ottavino and P.J. Walters will likely compete for the rotation spot, but they will have to make noise in spring training in order to be considered. 

The Cardinals have kicked the tires on the possibility of signing veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood. Millwood posted a career worst 16-wins last season, but posted 13-wins in 2009 and posted at least 9 wins between the years of 2002-2009. So 2010 was a very off year for Millwood with the Orioles, so a move to the NL with a team like the Cardinals could prove beneficial for both sides in 2011.