PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Johan Santana -- surprise, surprise -- was picked to pitch on opening day for the New York Mets. They're still undecided on a No. 5 starter.

Orlando Hernandez and Mike Pelfrey, the leading candidates for the job, were both ineffective Sunday in a 14-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

El Duque gave up five runs and four hits in three innings, then Pelfrey was rocked for eight runs and 13 hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Hernandez, making his spring debut, struggled with his command, although his fastball was in the 83-85 mph range -- up from the 78-81 mph he displayed in two simulated games. He threw 69 pitches with just 38 strikes.

"I felt a little weird and I didn't have great command," Hernandez said. "My mechanics are no good yet. I need to work in the bullpen before my next start."

Velocity wasn't a problem for Pelfrey, but keeping the ball down was.

"Maybe his adrenaline was too much, I don't know," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "Every time he got the ball up he got pounded. He obviously didn't step up in a time when he had an opportunity to."

So for now, the Mets will go into the final week of spring training with one lingering question -- who will be their No. 5 starter?

"We're going to have a fifth starter," Randolph said. "He may not break camp with us, but we're going to have a fifth starter."

Randolph did announce his rotation for the first week of the season on Sunday. As expected, Santana will start the opener March 31 at Florida. The two-time Cy Young Award winner, acquired from Minnesota last month, will be followed by Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez and John Maine.

Because of days off, New York doesn't need a fifth starter until April 12 against Milwaukee.

The Cardinals finished with 21 hits, highlighted by two-run homers from Rick Ankiel and Colby Rasmus. Albert Pujols had two hits and two RBIs.

St. Louis starter Todd Wellemeyer allowed three runs and five hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Notes:@ Mets relievers Duaner Sanchez, Pedro Feliciano and Aaron Heilman pitched against the Cardinals' Triple-A team on a back field before Sunday's big league game. Sanchez, whose fastball was clocked as high as 91 mph, pitched a scoreless inning with one hit and one strikeout. Feliciano and Heilman also threw a scoreless frame. ... Carlos Delgado doubled in his only at-bat. The Mets gave Delgado the rest of the day off to celebrate his child's first birthday. ... The Mets placed outfielder Moises Alou and pitchers Jason Vargas and Ambiorix Burgos on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)