JUPITER - For the most part the Cardinals look like the team that left the winter meetings. Few bumps in the road saw the Cardinals escape spring training without any injuries, and yet another trade brought in more pitching. Juan Nicasio comes over from division rival Pittsburgh and gives the Cardinals more injury cushion. This team looks good and seems set for a title run.
Spring Answers
Starting Rotation : After making a series of trades that reduced the Cardinals farm system to just a bunch of warm bodies, they definitely have the arms to form a solid rotation. The Cole-Martinez-Wacha-Ventura-Cashner core is going to lead this team every week. The presence of Ervin Santana, Mike Leake, R.A. Rickey, and the newly acquired Juan Nicasio gives the team depth and security in the event of injuries. They probably don't have the best rotation in baseball, but they are solid enough that they have a great chance to win every day.
Top Of The Order : The Cardinals 1-3 hitters are set and dangerous, but the rest of the order is going to need to step up to keep the Cardinals scoring. Charlie Blackmon is set to lead off with Starling Marte hitting behind him, giving St. Louis a speedy 1-2 punch at the top of the order. Matt Carpenter is going to hit 3rd, and if he can hit 20+ HR again he will have a monster season. Hanley Ramirez is penciled in at clean-up, but his grip on the position is tenuous at best with Brandon Moss breathing down his neck. Luckily this team isn't built around a powerful offense, thanks to their pitching staff, but these hitters are going to give opponents a headache.
Summer Questions
Bullpen Depth : The bullpen is without a doubt the Cardinals biggest problem. The team is confident in Trevor Rosenthal, Kevin Siegrist, and Seth Maness, but they can't all pitch every day. The team brought in Jim Johnson on a 1-year deal before Spring Training started, but beyond him the only available arms are big question marks. Jesse Chavez, signed as a starter, has found his way to the bullpen. Seung-Hwan Oh is a 33-year old pitcher snatched from the Hanshin Tigers, and Luis Perdomo is a Rule 5 pick stuck in the majors. The team is heavily reliant on Jim Johnson putting the last two seasons behind him and rediscovering his 2012-2013 form.
Middle Infield : It's very hard to tell if the Cardinals middle infield is their strength or a major weakness. The danger is a merry-go-round without someone establishing themselves as an every day starter. Between Marcus Semien, Jean Segura, and Kolten Wong they have a rotation that can cover 2B and SS, but if one of them can't cut it things are going to go downhill really quickly. The biggest hope is that Giovanny Urshela steps up big time and Matt Carpenter can take a stab at 2B if he has to.
2016 Depth Chart
St. Louis Cardinals Depth Chart - 2016
- Catcher
- S. Perez
- J. Jaso
- R. Hanigan
- First Base
- H. Ramirez
- B. Moss
- R. Howard
- Second Base
- K. Wong
- S. Segura
- Third Base
- M. Carpenter
- G. Urshela
- Shortstop
- M. Semien
- J. Segura
- Left Field
- S. Marte
- H. Ramirez
- Center Field
- C. Blackmon
- S. Marte
- Right Field
- E. Rosario
- B. Moss
- Starting Pitcher
- G. Cole
- C. Martinez
- M. Wacha
- Y. Ventura
- A. Cashner
- R.A. Dickey
- Relief Pitcher
- M. Leake
- E. Santana
- J. Chavez
- J. Nicasio
- J. Johnson
- S. Maness
- Closer
- T. Rosenthal
- K. Siegrist
- Designated Hitter
- B. Moss
- R. Howard
