ST. LOUIS -- When the Cardinals' full squad reports to Spring Training in Jupiter, Fla., in a little less than two weeks, competition will abound. Third base, the outfield and the bench all appear open at this point. There's another spot, though, where nothing is assured: second base.

Adam Kennedy comes in as the leader, perhaps the favorite, but not as the starter. Coming off a so-so offensive year and an exceptional season with the glove, Kennedy will face a slew of challengers for the job he hopes to regain. The two men who took over for him late last year, Aaron Miles and Felipe Lopez, are gone, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

"There's always guys that are pushing you for playing time," Kennedy said recently. "If you don't perform, you see it all the time -- someone gets a little window of opportunity and runs with it. I do take it personally to not let that happen, and try to really show in spring for [manager Tony La Russa] to have some confidence in me."

After an up-and-down first half, Kennedy saw his playing time dwindle after the All-Star break in 2008. He ultimately requested a trade, which never came. Now that he's been brought back for the final year of a three-year contract, the next question is who will push Kennedy? It's a long list, without an undisputed No. 1 challenger but plenty of interesting names.

"It's going to be an open competition for sure," general manager John Mozeliak said. "[Skip Schumaker] will see some time there, and then Brendan Ryan will get some time there. You'll also see [Brian] Barden get some time there. And given how Joe Thurston played this winter, he's going to get some time there."

Schumaker's candidacy is probably delayed for a year. He'll be learning the position for the first time, as much with an eye on 2010 as on this season. The other guys, however, all have some shot.

Ryan turns 27 before Opening Day, an indication that his time may be now if it's ever going to happen. He had a rough year at the plate in 2008, batting .244 with a .307 on-base percentage and a .289 slugging percentage in 80 games. Ryan has the tools to be an exemplary defender, but he has yet to consistently turn those tools into performance.

Thurston, a Minor League signee, has all of 66 big league at-bats but put up a .316/.367/.456 line at Pawtucket, the Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate, in 2008. He's a second baseman by trade, and while he's no guarantee even to make the roster, it's clear that both Mozeliak and La Russa hold him in some regard already.

The most intriguing candidate, though, may be Barden. He'll turn 28 shortly before Opening Day, and the minimal age gap between him and Ryan might surprise some. He's an excellent defender at three infield positions, and hit .285/.349/.421 at Triple-A Memphis in '08. Barden has three double-digit home run seasons in the Minors along with his fine defensive reputation.

The odds are that Kennedy will take the bulk of the playing time at second base for the 2009 Cardinals. But if he stumbles in spring, La Russa has made it clear that he won't hesitate to give innings and at-bats to another player in his place. So all three challengers, plus Minor Leaguers Jarrett Hoffpauir and Tyler Greene, will try to push him.

Kennedy accepts it as part of the job.

"It's someone's to be earned, and I plan on doing that," he said.

"The last couple years have been a little trying, and I don't want to fall out of people's favor as far as them thinking I can still play. I'm a free agent, there's a lot of factors in it. This definitely is the biggest year of my career. It's not a secret.