JUPITER, FLA. – My how things have changed since that last out in late October that saw the Redbirds win their ninth championship. Gone are manager Tony La Russa and some of the front office personnel. Also the first baseman who for the last 11 years was the best player in the game.
Enter first year manager Mike Matheny, who before now had never managed anywhere professionally, yet many think he is the right man for one of the most coveted jobs in the game.
As for the players, time for the good news/bad news bit.
The bad news is Chris Carpenter will start the season on the disabled list with a bulging disk that is affecting a nerve in his neck and shoulder. The good news is that Adam Wainwright is back after being out the entire season due to elbow surgery. Wainwright was sharp during the spring and looked like he the Adam of old, 20-win form perhaps.
The bad news is that the best player in the game has moved on to greener pastures. The good news is it was never an issue raised by any player during spring training, and this team is sculpted in a different manner to win. The Cardinals won twice in his 11 years with the team and went to the World Series one other time. That means that someone else won it nine times without him, the same way these Cardinals will have to do it.
Can history repeat itself? You would have to go back to the Cincinnati Reds of the mid-‘70s to find a team from the National league that has won back-to-back championships.
The balance of power has shifted in the National League, as the two best power-hitting first basemen have moved to the American League with the Angels’ acquisition of you-know-who and Prince Fielder (formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers) now getting his mail in Detroit.
There is no dominant team in the National League. Before you start to count the Phillies, let me remind you that they will be without Ryan Howard for a bit and they are aging in some areas. Yes, their pitching is good but the Cardinals proved in the post-season that that can be solved.
So who else makes you shake? Yep, no one. If you are a Cardinals fan, you have to say, “Why not us?”
There are a lot of returning faces in new roles. Lance Berkman will move to first base with newcomer and former Cardinal killer Carlos Beltran patrolling right field. Beltran has had some knee problems and is looking to prove he still has game. He is a graceful player in everything he does.
At second base, Tyler Greene was given the position in spring training and he has held onto it. Perhaps the best athlete on the team, Greene has speed, range and some pop. He just needs to avoid the strikeout and not get himself out.
Rafael Furcal was the difference-maker for the Cardinals upon his arrival late last year. Furcal is the best shortstop the Cardinals have had since Ozzie left. Health is a factor for him as he has had an assortment of injuries that have slowed him down over the last five years. If he can go 130-140 games with the skill set we have seen in the past, then the Cardinals will be giddy.
Post-season hero David Freese had a good spring. He fought it a bit at the end but he stayed healthy. He too needs to get 140-plus games in and if he does, look out.
As for the outfield, Matt Holliday had a torrid spring. He hit everything he saw, and he hit it hard. He will bat in the three spot this season, and he could have the monster of monster seasons. Holliday is ready to take on the challenge.
Jon Jay was as solid as an outfielder for the Cardinals last season. I am amused by talk shows host who think there is always someone better than him the Cardinals should be playing. He supplanted Ryan Ludwick two years ago to play right field everyday down the stretch, and last season he was the main reason why the Cardinals were able to trade Colby Rasmus. He struggled offensively during post-season play, but he was also responsible for game six continuing with a big run he scored.
In pitching they were solid during the spring where in most cases five or six innings were required. If Jamie Garcia, Jake Westbrook and Kyle Lohse pitch with that mentality when the games are for real then the Cardinals will not win, as five and fly is the best way to burn up a bull pen.
The pen is set with Jason Motte returning as the closer. Motte was very good down the stretch, and he will be counted on even more now. The setup man from the right side will be Fernando Salas, who had 20 saves last year and was the guy who kept the Cardinals in it after Ryan Franklin faltered. Mark Rzyepcinski has nasty stuff from the left side, and he made the left-handed hitters pay dearly. He was terrific this spring and will be counted on to deal on the righties on occasion as well. The rest of the pen is the same as last season, with the exception of veteran right-handed reliever Scott Linebrink.
As for the catching, Yadier Molina is still the best in the game. He will catch at least a 150 games, and his backup will be Tony Cruz. Cruz saw action with the Cardinals last year and accounted for himself well.
If there is a concern, that would be the bench as there is no real Major League experience other than the games Daniel Descalso played last year and the few games Shane Robinson has played in over the years. Rule five acquisition Eric Komatsu never played beyond AA ball with the Washington Nationals, and he will be on this team all season no matter how good or bad he plays as he cannot be sent to the minors. Until the return of Skip Schumaker and Allan Craig from the disabled list, the Cardinals will be a little thin on the experience side.
They will be fun to watch. They will battle and they will find various ways to win, as speed and base running will return. That does not mean this will be the return of Vince Coleman, Willie McGee and Ozzie Smith, but there will be more first-to-third plays and also first-to-home. OK, there will be a runner lost from time to time, but it can be exciting. Then again, it’s only exciting when you win – and I expect the Cardinals to do their fair share.
