The St. Louis Cardinals won 88 games during the regular
season, but that wasn’t quite enough to get them to the playoffs. I will be evaluating player performances in
terms of how they played this year.
Also, in having played the Franchise Hockey Manager 4 game
quite a bit, I have decided to also rate players’ ability, and for the younger
players their potential based on the 0.5 to 5 star rating system largely based
on projected 2019 WAR.
This will be split into three parts, position players,
pitchers, and organizational prospects, with recommendations listed below. Statistics are courtesy of Fangraphs.
(Side note: Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs use different calculations for WAR, also known as Wins Above Replacement, but I decided to use the Fangraphs' WAR metric for these evaluations.)
2018 St. Louis Cardinals' Position Player Evaluations
 |
| Yadier Molina had a solid 2018 season, as he made his 9th All-Star appearance this year. |
C Yadier Molina – B
He had another solid season for the Cards, as his slugging
numbers were up, and he also fielded well, and he also called a good game quite
often this year. He struggled to get on
base consistently though. His glove was reliably good this season, but it may not
be quite as dominant as it was in years’ past.
While Molina still can make All-Star teams, advanced metrics
no longer seem to be as kind to him recently.
His lack of speed makes it tough for him to get on base as frequently,
because any time he hits the ball on the ground almost always makes it a
definitive out for him. Still, his
ability to field, throw, and hit homers, combined with his durability make him a pretty good everyday catcher.
2019 Expectations: Good starter at catcher
2019 Player Rating: 3.5 stars
C Francisco Pena – D-
2018 Numbers: .203 AVG, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .239 OBP, .271 SLG, .510 OPS, -0.7 WAR
He was the backup catcher to Yadier Molina and he did not
play much as a full-time backup, though he was not very effective when he did
get a chance to play. Pena did not hit
the ball very well at all, but his defense rated as above average. It may be more of a concern that perhaps
Carson Kelly’s ability to translate his skills to the majors than Pena earning
the job, as Pena rated as a below average player overall according to advanced
metrics.
2019 Expectations: AAA Starter/Fringe Major League Player
off the bench
2019 Player Rating: 1 star
C Carson Kelly – F+ (F+ in the MLB, A- in AAA)
2018 MLB Numbers: .114 AVG, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .205 OBP, .114 SLG, .319 OPS, -0.4 WAR
2018 AAA Numbers: .269 AVG, 7 HR, 41 RBI, .378 OBP, .395 SLG, .773 OPS
(PCL & AAA champions)
He might have put up good numbers at Memphis, but the former
prized catching prospect really struggled for the third year in a row when he
was called up to play in St. Louis.
Kelly did not at all hit well or get on base at the clip that he did in
AAA, and he posted really bad slugging numbers.
His defense rated around average in the majors, though his signal
calling and defense was very good in the minors. But as Yadi has continued to excel, the
24-year old catcher, Kelly is no longer looking to be the heir apparent. On the other hand, Kelly does have the qualifications to be Yadi's backup for the entire 2019 season.
2019 Expectations: Default backup catcher
2019 Player Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)
C Steven Baron – D- (D- in the MLB, D in AAA)
2018 MLB Numbers: .200 AVG, 1 for 5, .200 OBP/.200 SLG/.400 OPS, 0.0 WAR
2018 AAA Numbers: .213 AVG, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .262 OBP, .250 SLG, .512 OPS
He did not get a hit in five plate appearances with the
Cardinals and he struck out entirely too much, but Fangraphs’ numbers suggested
he played above average defense. But at
age 27 with no track record of major league success, and having posted subpar numbers
at AAA, it’s unlikely that Baron will be in the majors next season.
2019 Expectations: AAA bench player
2019 Player Rating: 0.5 stars
 |
| Matt Carpenter and his secret salsa was all the rage as it swept up Cardinal nation in the 2nd half of the season. |
1B Matt Carpenter – A
2018 MLB Numbers: .257 AVG, 36 HR, 81 RBI, .374 OBP, .523 SLG, .897 OPS, 5.0 WAR
Matt Carpenter put forth an MVP-like season, and he had
Cardinals’ fans buzzing abound with the secret salsa talk in the 2nd
half as he kept his team in the playoff hunt all the way until very late in the
year. His ability to consistently get
hits, draw walks, and get extra base hits made him the Cardinals’ best player
all year long.
2019 Expectations: All-Star level performance as a 1B once
again
2019 Player Rating: 4.5 stars
1B Matt Adams – D-
(D- with the Cards, C+ with the Nationals)
It was a nice story that the Cardinals brought back Matt
Adams right at the peak of the Secret Salsa hype when Matt Carpenter was
absolutely crushing balls to keep the Cardinals in the pennant race, and the
thought behind this was that he could be an extra power hitter off the
bench. However, Adams just did not play
well at all in his return to St. Louis in 2018.
Adams still can slug, but he’s never really been a patient
hitter nor a great fielder, and his inability to hit baseballs really made him
an ineffective acquisition late in the year.
He’ll need to hit and get on base more, and improve his glove to get
more consistent playing time next season.
2019 Expectations: Bench Player, though not necessarily for
the Cardinals
2019 Player Rating: 1.5 stars
 |
| Kolten Wong had a good 2018 season, as he could contend to win a Gold Glove this year. |
2B Kolten Wong – B
2018 MLB Numbers: .249 AVG, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 6 SB, .332 OBP, .388 SLG, .720 OPS, 2.8 WAR
Wong fielded his position exceptionally well, as he could
contend to win the Gold Glove at his position this year. However, his offensive numbers were less than
stellar, as his power and baserunning numbers were down, and he only got on
base at around an average rate.
As a minor criticism, he still kind of struggles to make
routine plays at times, even though he has the range to make spectacular
plays. Still, look for him to have a
solid season next year in 2019, as his glove and athletic tools should have him
be an above average player at his position once again.
2019 Expectations: Solid starter at 2B
2019 Player Rating: 3 stars
2B Edmundo Sosa – D (D in the MLB, B- in the minors)
2018 MLB Numbers: .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .333 OBP, .000 SLG, .333 OPS, 0.0 WAR
2018 (AAA): .262 AVG, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 5 SB, .321 OBP, .408 SLG, .729 OPS
2018 (AA): .276 AVG, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 1 SB, .308 OBP, .429 SLG, .737 OPS
He didn’t play much when he was called up late in
September. When he did, he did not get
a hit, but he showed some ability to draw walks and field.
2019 Expectations: AAA Starter, and then get some at bats in
the majors late in the season
2019 Player Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)
 |
| Paul DeJong quietly had a good 2018 campaign in his second year in the majors. |
SS Paul DeJong – B
The athletic middle infielder showed off very good power and
fielded his position quite well, as he had a solid second season for the
Cards. However, he will need to get on
base more, and improve his ability to run on the base paths.
2019 Expectations: Solid starter at SS
2019 Player Rating: 3.5 stars
3B Jedd Gyorko - C
2018 MLB Numbers: .262 AVG, 11 HR, 47 RBI, .346 OBP, .416 SLG, .762 OPS, 1.4 WAR
For the positives, Gyorko’s on-base percentage has never been
higher, as he posted a pretty good .346 OBP this year. However, his power and baserunning numbers
are down, and he only fielded his position at an average rate. Next season, the question will be if he can
hold on to his starting job if his play doesn’t improve.
2019 Expectations: Platooning as a Starter and as a High-End
bench player
2019 Player Rating: 2.5 stars
3B Patrick Wisdom – B (B in the MLB, A- in AAA)
2018 MLB Numbers: .260 AVG, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB, .362 OBP, .520 SLG, .882 OPS, 0.4 WAR
2018 (AAA): .288 AVG, 15 HR, 61 RBI, 11 SB, .363 OBP, .480 SLG, .843 OPS
Wisdom’s playing time was limited in the majors as he was
called up intermittently throughout the year, but he did a very good job of
getting on base and slugging, as he had good power numbers throughout the
season. He also managed to pick up a
pair of stolen bases in the majors along the way. However, his fielding numbers were still
below average, but Wisdom played well enough in 2018 to get a good chance to
stay in the big leagues in 2019.
2019 Expectations: Bench Player in the Majors
2019 Player Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)
UT Yairo Munoz – C
On the surface, it appears that Munoz had a pretty good
rookie season. He hit for a good
average, did a good job of getting on base, he showed off some decent slugging
and baserunning numbers, and he played a variety of positions in the
field. However, he does not play many of
these positions particularly well defensively, despite having a strong
arm. Some of his struggles was due to
having to play at shortstop part time, but he will need to improve his glove
and range considerably next year.
2019 Expectations: Bench Player
2019 Player Rating: 1 star (2.5 stars potential)
IF Greg Garcia - D
His numbers have been declining for the past couple of
seasons, and Garcia’s offensive numbers were not very good, to the point where
it no longer offsets his above average defense.
Garcia struggled to hit or get on base this year compared to previous
years, and he will need to bounce back in 2019.
2019 Expectations: Bench Player, though not necessarily with
the Cardinals
2019 Player Rating: 1 star
 |
| Marcell Ozuna was expected to be a big piece in 2018. He struggled at first, but played better in the 2nd half. |
LF Marcell Ozuna – C
2018 MLB Numbers: .280 AVG, 23 HR, 88 RBI, .325 OBP, .433 SLG, .758 OPS, 2.7 WAR
Big things were expected of Ozuna, as the former All-Star
was picked by The Shredder to be the best left fielder at his position for the
2018 season. He had a terrific 2017
season, though he also was playing off of other All-Stars such as Giancarlo
Stanton and Christian Yelich. And
seemingly even better for the Cards, he was obtained at a price that many felt
was a considerable bargain.
However, Ozuna’s 2018 season did not go nearly as well as
planned. In a vacuum, the argument could be made that he still had a decent season, but that's not the case when compared to what was projected of his 2018 season. He had trouble getting on base
consistently, and his slugging numbers were way down until it picked back up a
little bit in the second half of the year.
Ozuna still did not show much on the basepaths, and his fielding was
rated as below average, as he has a really tough time making throws. Without Stanton and Yelich by his side, he
looked quite ordinary this year as an outfielder.
2019 Expectations: Above average starter in LF
2019 Player Rating: 3.5 stars (4 star potential)
 |
| Harrison Bader had a stellar 2018 rookie season, and he could be a future Gold Glove award winner. |
CF Harrison Bader – A
2018 MLB Numbers: .264 AVG, 12 HR, 37 RBI, 15 SB, ,334 OBP, .422 SLG, .756 OPS, 3.5 WAR
He was one of the most pleasant surprises among Cardinals’
players in 2018, as the rookie outfielder fielded his position very well, and
he also did a good job of driving in runs and running on the basepaths. If he had played a few more games, he’d be up
for Gold Glove contention.
2019 Expectation: Very good starter in CF
2019 Player Rating: 3.5 stars (4 star potential)
RF Jose Martinez – B-
2018 MLB Numbers: .305 AVG, 17 HR, 83 RBI, .364 OBP, .457 SLG, .821 OPS, 2.3 WAR
Martinez had a solid season offensively for the Cardinals,
as he excelled at getting on base, and he put up above average slugging numbers
this year. However, he didn’t fare
nearly as well in the field, as he had quite his struggles defensively.
2019 Expectations: Slightly above average player at RF
2019 Player Rating: 2.5 stars
 |
| Tyler O'Neill had a very good 2018 season, and big things could happen for him in 2019. |
OF Tyler O’Neill – B+ (B+ in MLB, A+ in AAA)
2018 MLB Numbers: .254 AVG, 9 HR, 23 RBI, .303 OBP, .500 SLG, .803 OPS, 1.3 WAR
2018 (AAA): .311 AVG, 26 HR, 63 RBI, .385 OBP, .693 SLG, 1.078 OPS
He had his ups and downs throughout the year, but he ended
the season on a really strong note.
O’Neill has tremendous power, he also field well as he can play all
three positions, and he also possesses above average speed. He will need to get on base more, and he
strikes out way too much, but he looks ready to be a good everyday outfielder
next season.
2019 Expectations: Good Player in the OF
2019 Player Rating: 2.5 stars (4 star potential)
RF Dexter Fowler - F
He once was an integral member of a World Series
championship team with the 2016 Cubs, but those days are long behind him. Fowler had his worst season yet in 2018, and
despite having shown some long ball potential and the ability to draw walks,
Fowler really struggled in most areas of the game. He had a tough time trying to get hits or to
field defensively.
If he doesn’t have a significant bounce back year, he will
be an albatross contract on the Cardinals’ hands as he will be making over $16
million a year, and Mozeliak will probably need to find a way to move him off
the roster as a result.
2019 Expectations: Bench Player
2019 Player Rating: 2 stars
OF Adolis Garcia – F+ (F+ in the MLB, B in AAA)
2018 MLB Numbers: .118 AVG, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .118 OBP, .176 SLG, .294 OPS, -0.3 WAR
2018 (AAA): .256 AVG, 22 HR, 71 RBI, 10 SB, .281 OBP, .500 SLG, .781 OPS
2018 (AAA): .256 AVG, 22 HR, 71 RBI, 10 SB, .281 OBP, .500 SLG, .781 OPS
The 25-year old rookie outfielder may have put up fairly
good numbers in AAA, as he has good power and he has some base running ability,
but those numbers did not translate very well to the majors. Garcia did not at all hit the ball very well
in the big leagues, and he rated as significantly below average defensively
when he was up here. If he continues to
flounder in the majors, he might end up off the 40-man roster to make way for
some of the other prospects in the organization.
2019 Expectations: Good AAA Starter, and also see some at
bats in the majors.
2019 Player Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)
Players No Longer On the Team:
1B Luke Voit* - C- (C- with the Cards, A with the Yankees)
2018 MLB (w/St. Louis): .182 AVG, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .308 OBP, .455 SLG, .762 OPS, 0.0 WAR
2018 MLB (w/NY Yankees): .333 AVG, 14 HR, 33 RBI, .405 OBP, .689 SLG, 1.095 OPS, 1.9 WAR
After having a respectable 2017 last year with the Cards,
Voit did not get to see much playing time with the Cardinals before getting
dealt. He did show the ability to slug
while playing below average defense, but he did not flourish until he was
traded to the Yankees.
2019 Expectations: Above average player or Starter
2019 Player Rating: 3 stars (3.5 star potential)
CF Tommy Pham* - C
(that is…C with the Cards, A with the Rays)
2018 MLB (w/St. Louis): .248 AVG, 14 HR, 41 RBI, 10 SB, .331 OBP, .399 SLG, .730 OPS, 1.5 WAR
2018 MLB (w/ Tampa Bay): .343 AVG, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 5 SB, .448 OBP, .622 SLG, 1.071 OPS, 2.5 WAR
Pham had a phenomenal, breakout 2017 season, and big things
were expected on the horizon for him this year.
As last year, he had 23 homers, and 25 stolen bases, this season he was
pegged as the 2nd best center fielder behind Mike Trout by The
Shredder on the MLB Network just before the season started.
However, his 2018 season with the Cards was relatively
disappointing. He didn’t get on base
nearly at the same rate as last year, and his on-base, slugging, baserunning,
and fielding numbers were down all across the board. He ended up being dealt at the trade
deadline, but it was only after he went to the Rays where his play picked back
up again to the point where he looked like an All-Star caliber outfielder once
again.
2019 Expectations: Good starter in LF
2019 Player Rating: 4 stars
Likely 2019 Lineup
C Yadier Molina – 3.5 stars
1B Matt Carpenter – 4.5 stars
2B Kolten Wong – 3 stars
SS Paul DeJong – 3.5 stars
3B Jedd Gyorko – 2.5 stars
LF Marcell Ozuna – 3.5 stars (4 star potential)
CF Harrison Bader – 3.5 stars (4 star potential)
RF Tyler O’Neill – 2.5 stars (4 star potential)
C Carson Kelly – 1 star (2 star potential)
UT Yairo Munoz – 1 star (2.5 stars potential)
3B Patrick Wisdom – 1 star (2 star potential)
RF Jose Martinez – 2.5 stars
OF Dexter Fowler – 2 stars
Pending Free Agents:
1B Matt Adams (UFA) – 1.5 stars
C Francisco Pena (UFA) – 1 star
From here, it seems that the team needs a backup catcher, a
starting third basemen, and perhaps a starting caliber player to push O’Neill
and/or Martinez. It seems that the
bench needs an upgrade, unless if they can play well in 2019.
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