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JUPITER, Fla. -- The St. Louis Cardinals don't exactly look like defending World Series champions. In fact, given the turnover in their starting rotation, more than a few observers might even pick the Redbirds to miss the playoffs this season.

Led by brilliant performances from starters Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver -- together with the emergence of Adam Wainwright effectively replacing injured closer Jason Isringhausen -- St. Louis won it all in 2006. But amid the offseason celebration, the landscape of the Cardinals' starting pitching changed dramatically.

Suppan, Weaver and Jason Marquis left via free agency, and although injured left-hander Mark Mulder re-signed with the team, Tony La Russa's club won't have Mulder's services until after the All-Star break. This leaves St. Louis with a proven star (Carpenter), another veteran who won all of two games last year (Kip Wells), a starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter (Wainwright), a career reliever converted to starter (Braden Looper) and a promising young right-hander (Anthony Reyes).

Carpenter obviously stands out as the most reliable of the group. The right-hander is 51-18 in the past three seasons and won the NL Cy Young in 2005. After that, the most positive aspects of the rotations are clearly the potential of Wainwright and Reyes.

Although many see the St. Louis starting rotation with skepticism, pitching coach Dave Duncan is enthusiastic about it. Once again, he has embraced the challenge of making a solid rotation out of questionable parts.

"One of the things that I like about this rotation is that they've all got good arms," Duncan said. "Some throw harder than others, some have more experience, but they all have one thing in common: They're healthy."

Duncan, 60, has spent many years helping young pitchers establish themselves at the major league level, as well as resurrecting the careers of some journeyman hurlers.

"Dave is the best," La Russa says. "Instead of trying to change a pitcher's personality, he tries to improve his strong points and help him overcome his weaknesses."

Duncan has been La Russa's pitching coach for 25 years, starting in 1983 with the Chicago White Sox. Together, they've won 11 division titles, five pennants and two World Series. And Duncan has guided four Cy Young winners and 10 20-game winners.

Under his tutelage, La Marr Hoyt had 24 victories in 1983 in Chicago and Bob Welch won 27 in 1990 with the Oakland Athletics. Also in Oakland, Dave Stewart had four straight 20-win seasons and Dennis Eckersley made the transition from starter to one of the best closers ever.

Braden Looper

Starting Pitcher St. Louis Cardinals Profile

2007 SPRING STATISTICS GS W L IP BB SO ERA 4 1 0 14 3 6 3.21

Now, one of Duncan's big tasks is to help Looper make the transition to starter. "He's got the talent to do it. He's got a lot of experience and has gotten a lot of outs at the major league level," Duncan said.

And Duncan calls Wells, who hasn't had a winning season since 2003, a "competitor with a lot of character."

This spring, the Cardinals' starters have exceeded expectations, with a streak of 26 scoreless innings in one recent stretch. Reyes (2-0, 0.90), Wainwright (2-1, 1.08), Looper (1-0, 3.21) and Wells (12 scoreless innings) have pitched even better than Carpenter (4.30 ERA in four appearances).

Isringhausen,who recorded his sixth 30-plus save season since 2000, is coming back from a serious hip injury.

"Izzy has looked good in his rehab program, and we think he'll be ready for the beginning of the season," Duncan said. "I think we've got good pitching, and a good club in general."

St. Louis has won the NL Central three years running and has been to the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons, but the Cards haven't been to consecutive World Series since 1967-68, and they've never won back-to-back titles.

"We don't feel like champions, because when the season starts in April, everyone starts with a clean slate," Albert Pujols said. "Everyone is at the same level."

Pujols, Scott Rolen, David Eckstein, Chris Duncan, Jim Edmonds and Juan Encarnacion will be called on to carry the offensive load for St. Louis.

But it's almost a certainty that Edmonds and Encarnacion will start the season on the disabled list, opening the door for veterans such as Scott Spiezio, Preston Wilson and So Taguchi in the outfield.

"We've got the depth to hold out until Jim and Juan are back," Pujols added.

Even with glaring question marks, especially on the mound, there's no shortage of confidence at Cardinals camp, with Pujols at the forefront.

"Our strengths won't be in offense or pitching per se, but in doing the little things to win," Pujols said.

Enrique Rojas is a reporter and columnist for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com.