Cards ready to begin Meetings in San Diego

ST. LOUIS -- Most of the Cardinals' contingent traveled west over the weekend. All will be ready to get back to work on Monday as baseball's annual Winter Meetings open in San Diego.

The organization's four-day stay in southern California should give the Cardinals a better grasp on how to address their final few needs before the start of Spring Training. While the team has seemingly already made the biggest of its winter moves, general manager John Mozeliak intends to remain in pursuit of any other available players who could fit into the team's 2015 plans.

Mozeliak's primary target heading into the Winter Meetings is a right-handed hitter, preferably someone who can play first base. Not only are the Cardinals currently left-handed-heavy on the position-player side, but they would like to protect themselves in case Matt Adams does not improve his production against left-handed pitching. Finding a right-handed hitting first baseman would accomplish that.

Mozeliak will keep his pulse on the starting-pitching market, which has been slow to develop this offseason. Unlikely to jump into the fray for the highest-priced starters, the Cardinals could take advantage of a saturated pitching market and add to their depth later in the offseason.

As rumors roll and news transpires in San Diego, cardinals.com will be on site to write about it all. That will include daily updates from Mozeliak's afternoon media gatherings and a report from manager Mike Matheny's news conference, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Coverage of the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday morning will wrap up the Meetings.

While it all unfolds, readers are encouraged to participate in the discussion by posting their opinions in the comment section. Who should the Cardinals eye as that right-handed-hitting addition? Does the club need more pitching? Could Mozeliak have an unexpected move up his sleeve?

Remember, too, that cardinals.com is connected through several social media platforms -- among them, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard -- and each will be used to help augment the Winter Meetings' coverage. There will be a fresh MLB.com Cardinals Extras podcast taped live from San Diego on Tuesday morning, as well.