VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Eli Marrero became the fifth different starting left fielder in six games for the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

The defending NL Central champions are set everywhere else. But in left field, it appears to be a wide-open derby.

"All we've said to these guys is if you play left, center or right, they all count," manager Tony La Russa said Tuesday. "Just generate as many at-bats as you can and when it comes time to decide, we'll figure out whether somebody dominates or whether you can split it up."

Japanese import So Taguchi was the opening-day spring starter in left, and he's the only player with two starts at that position. The Cardinals are anxious to see whether Taguchi, who's played well in the field but is 0-for-12 at the plate with no pop, worth the three-year, $3 million contract they gave him.

"I'm not too conscious about the competition," Taguchi said through an interpreter. "I just want to play my own game and if Tony chooses me, that's great."

Taguchi likely is battling with Kerry Robinson and Placido Polanco, even though Robinson has only one start in left and Polanco none.

"If you ask me it doesn't really feel like a competition because I've only been out there once all spring," said Robinson, who batted .285 in 186 at-bats last year as a rookie. "I don't even know how to look at it.

"I just want to go out there and make it a tough decision for them."

Marrero, also the team's backup catcher, is catching on fast in the outfield.

"He's a great athlete," La Russa said. "He hasn't played out there all that much, but by the time spring training is over he could be an accomplished outfielder."

Al Martin and Tony Mota also have started there this spring. That Polanco has not is not unusual considering he wasn't considered a third baseman until opening day last season and then finished the year at the position.

"I'm not even worried about it," Polanco said. "Do you remember how many times I played at third base (in spring training) last year? I only played once.

"I like those challenges. You learn from those things."

Polanco, who batted .307 last year, has shagged some fly balls in left during batting practice. La Russa said he'll make it a point to make that part of his daily routine later in spring training. He anticipates using Polanco a lot in the infield during the season, but also believes it wouldn't take Polanco much time to adjust to the outfield.

"An infielder has an advantage reading balls off the bat, therefore an infielder can play the outfield with a lot less actual innings played," La Russa said. "This guy's got really good hands and he's got a nice, accurate arm, so the first day he steps out there he would be average."

That's the way Polanco reads the situation.

"The way I've been told, playing left is a little easier than the infield," Polanco said. "Everything's slower, so it's not a big change.

"It's a drastic change when you go from the outfield to the infield, so that's why I'm not ever worried about it."

One player who won't be seeing any left-field duty is rookie of the year Albert Pujols, who's settled in at third base after starting at four positions last season.

"He looks like a third baseman to me," La Russa said.

There's been more playing time for the outfielders lately because right fielder J.D. Drew missed his third game with a sprained left ankle Tuesday. Drew, who spent a lot of time on the disabled list with a similar injury last season, is expected back in 3-4 days and perhaps wearing an air cast on the ankle.