JUPITER, Fla. -- Mike Myers arrived at Cardinals Spring Training a bit surprised to find out that he was in competition for a roster spot. Bill Pulsipher remains in camp, and plenty of people are a bit surprised that he's still in competition for that same roster spot.

Myers signed a Major League contract with the Cards in December, and in some quarters his name was written in ink on the St. Louis roster for 2005. With the departure of Steve Kline to the Orioles, it was clear that the Redbirds would want a second left-hander to go with Ray King, and Myers appeared to be just the guy.

Pulsipher signed a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training just days before camp began, and conventional wisdom suggested he might not stick around long. The one-time hot prospect with the Mets hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2001 and divided the '04 season between the Pacific Coast League, the independent Atlantic League and the Puerto Rican winter league.

Now they may be the two finalists for the job as the No. 2 left-hander out of the bullpen for the defending National League champions. Pulsipher has put up the numbers -- he's yet to allow a run this spring -- but Myers has a 10-year track record as a durable lefty specialist. Take your pick.

"Everybody here has got a case that they can make," Myers said. "If it comes down to where the competition was about who had the best Spring Training of going out and doing what they want to see for the particular role, then that's the way they want to do things. But then you take away what I've done for the last 10 years."

Not to mention the last two weeks. Myers allowed a run on Friday, but for the most part he's pitched better as camp has gone on. He hasn't issued a walk in two weeks after handing out four free passes in his first three games. He's looking more like the pitcher the Cards expected they were getting when they signed him away from the world champion Red Sox over the winter.

"Results come with throwing more strikes," he said. "Somebody asked me [Thursday], do you feel like you're right there? I went one-two-three and punched out two guys. That doesn't happen a whole lot, so it's easy to say yes at that time. But at the same time, I've felt there for a while. I've felt like I've been there for a while."

But while Myers may not have had as much leeway as it appeared when camp began, Pulsipher had next to none. As a non-roster invitee to Spring Training, he had to pitch for his job from day one. And he's done just that, putting up one shutout inning after another. He's still around, which counts as defying the odds in itself.

"You notice it, of course," Pulsipher said. "And I've been around long enough to know how things work. I think all in all, I've got to be very pleased with the way things have gone. I'm not sitting here like, 'Man, I've got no chance, this is a waste of time even though they're keeping me around.' That's not the way I'm seeing it."

The makeup of the Redbirds bullpen has yet to be determined exactly, but a few things are known. Jason Isringhausen will pitch the ninth, with Julian Tavarez and King as his main setup men. At least two other right-handers will be there, along with probably a swingman, who could be a lefty or a righty. Somebody will be the second southpaw, and it will be a pitcher who can pitch short relief and get left-handers out.

Pulsipher has started quite a bit in his career, but he's more in the mix for the shorter role, along with Myers. The swing job is more likely to go to Randy Flores or Kevin Jarvis, assuming that a designated "innings guy" is even on the roster. What the Cards will want from the second left-hander is the ability to get lefties out, and the ability to pitch frequently.

Based on history, that's Myers. And as camp goes on and he pitches more frequently, he gets a better chance to show what he can do.

News and features: • Cards notes: Pulsipher's spot up in the air • Cards notes: Where business meets baseball • Cards notes: Redbirds hit the road
Multimedia: • Cardinals reporter Matthew Leach:  • Cards GM Walt Jocketty  • MLB.com's Matthew Leach from Cards camp
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"There's very few guys that go out there and pitch all year long without having to go on the DL, and [who are] available every day to do their job," he said. "And I'm one of those guys that's been able to do that. So when it comes to work like this, like we've been getting the last couple days, it definitely helps me."

Still, even as the competition has gotten tougher, and the pitchers are seeing better and better hitters late in the games, Pulsipher just keeps getting outs. He won't go away, even if it's not entirely clear how he's succeeding. Pitching coach Dave Duncan admits he's not entirely certain just how Pulsipher is retiring hitters.

Duncan knows, though, that whatever Pulsipher is doing, it's working.

"That's basically what he's been doing all spring long," Duncan said, "so you have to pay attention to it."

The decision isn't likely to be made until the last possible moment. One pitcher will likely receive a plane ticket to Houston for Opening Day, while the other might be Memphis-bound. However, Myers would have to accept an assignment to the minors, and he'd likely choose free agency rather than the Pacific Coast League.

Just another complication in a decision that has turned out to be surprisingly complicated.

"That's why you watch it til the end," said Duncan. "You watch it til the end and you try to figure out how to put together the best club you can."