Manager Ned Yost didn't need to watch Mike Cameron for long in spring training
to realize
the veteran center fielder would be missed during his 25-game suspension for
using a
banned stimulant last season.

At the same time, Yost thought he had adequate coverage in center with the likes
of Tony
Gwynn Jr., Gabe Kapler and Gabe Gross.
"We felt good with the guys that we had," said Yost. "Kapler is a very solid
player, as is
Gross, as is Tony Gwynn. We just felt we weren't going to skip a beat."

And that's exactly the way it played out during the first week of the season.
Before being
sidelined over the weekend with a slight hamstring strain, Gwynn batted .571
(4-for-7)
and drove in the winning run on Opening Day in Chicago.

Gross got his only start Saturday and drove in a run plus threw out a runner at
second in
the Brewers' 5-4 squeaker over San Francisco.

And Kapler cut a wide swath through the Giants' pitching staff. He collected
three hits
Friday and drove in two runs in a 13-4 rout, socked a pinch homer Saturday that
proved
to be the winning run and went 2-for-4 Sunday with yet another homer and two
runs
batted in as the Brewers rolled to a 7-0 triumph.

"Mike Cameron is a hell of a ballplayer," said Kapler. "But this lineup is the
kind of lineup
that can have a few missing people and still be successful. It's that deep."