Hello Cardinals' Nation! The 2021 season is right around the corner, and here is who made the team on Opening Day, as well as my thoughts on them for the upcoming season as well as my predictions.
Analyzing the 2021 St. Louis Cardinals' Team
Jack Flaherty is a very talented pitcher that had a down 2020 season, but he's expected to pitch well this year.
Starting Pitchers (5)
Jack Flaherty
2020 (MLB): 4-3. 4.91 ERA, 40.1 IP, 7.4 H9, 1.3 HR9, 3.6 BB9, 10.9 K9, 4.11 FIP, 0.6 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-1, 1.50 ERA, 6 IP, 9 H9, 0 HR9, 3 BB9, 12 K9
He is a young ace that had a very good 2019 season, but he struggled in the shortened 2020 season. The Cardinals took him to arbitration and lost, and now that move may have cost the Cards, as it may have just increased the odds of them potentially losing Flaherty to free agency when his contract runs up. This season though, Flaherty is expected to have a solid 2021 season.
Adam Wainwright
2020 (MLB): 5-3, 3.15 ERA, 65.2 IP, 7.4 H9, 1.2 HR9, 2.1 BB9, 7.4 K9, 4.10 FIP, 1.0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0 5.40 ERA, 3.1 IP, 16.2 H9, 0 HR9, 5.4 BB9, 8.1 KP
Wainwright is historically a very good pitcher, and he was the most reliable pitcher in 2020. He's an aging veteran that is in a race with Father Time, but he is a proven pitcher that will be counted on to pitch well this season once again.
Carlos Martinez
2020 (MLB): 0-3, 9.90 ERA, 20 IP, 14.4 H9, 2.7 HR9, 4.5 BB9, 7.7 K9, 6.89 FIP, -0.2 FIP
Martinez is a former All-Star that once threw triple digits, but he really struggled in the shortened 2020 season, and he's had arm injuries. He made the rotation, but it's uncertain if he can get back to being his former All-Star self.
Daniel Ponce De Leon
2020 (MLB): 1-3, 4.96 ERA, 32.2 IP, 6.3 H9, 2.2 HR9, 5.5 BB9, 12.4 K9, 5.64 FIP, 0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-1, 27 ERA, 1 IP, 18 H9, 18 HR9, 9 BB9, 18 K9
He was previously a long man that excelled in his role, and after a couple of injuries that happened to other starting pitchers, Ponce de Leon won a role in the starting rotation this season. Ponce de Leon also throws hard, and he has strikeout stuff.
John Gant
2020 (MLB): 0-3, 2.40 ERA, 15 IP, 5.4 H9, 0 HR9, 4.2 BB9, 10.8 K9, 2.19 FIP, 0.5 WAR
He was previously a long man that excelled in his role, and after a couple of injuries that happened to other starting pitchers, Gant won a role in the starting rotation this season.
The St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation is a little banged up, so Gant and Ponce de Leon ended up being announced as starters on opening day. Kwang-Hyun Kim was said to be day-to-day, but he and Miles Mikolas will start the season on the injured list.
Relievers (8)
Giovanny Gallegos
2020 (MLB): 2-2, 3.60 ERA, 4 SV, 15 IP, 5.4 H9, 0.6 HR9, 2.4 BB9, 12.6 K9, 2.06 FIP, 0.6 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 2 IP, 13.5 H9, 9 HR9, 4.5 BB9, 13.5 K9
Gallegos was the most reliable bullpen pitcher, and he projects to pitch very well for the Cardinals this season.
Alex Reyes
2020 (MLB): 2-1, 3.20 ERA, 19.2 IP, 6.4 H9, 0.5 HR9, 6.4 BB9, 12.4 K9, 3.24 FIP, 0.5 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 5.4 H9, 2.7 HR9, 5.4 BB9, 8.1 K9
Reyes is a flamethrower that improved immensely from 2019 to 2020, and he projects to be a good bullpen pitcher this season.
Andrew Miller
2020 (MLB): 1-1, 2.77 ERA, 4 SV, 13 IP, 6.2 H9, 0 HR9, 3.5 BB9, 11.1 K9, 2.58 FIP, 0.3 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.2 IP, 13.5 H9, 0 HR9, 0 BB9, 0 K9
Miller is a solid, proven bullpen pitcher that has been reliable for plenty of years, but he is aging veteran that is in a race with Father Time to stay healthy and to pitch well for years to come.
Jordan Hicks
2020 (MLB): DNP – Injured
Hicks is a flamethrower that once threw 105 MPH, but he's been injured, and he had a rocky spring, but he still has a lot of potential to succeed in the bullpen this year.
Genesis Cabrera
2020 (MLB): 4-1, 2.42 ERA, 22.1 IP, 4 H9, 1.2 HR9, 6.4 BB9, 12.9 K9, 4.76 FIP, -0.1 FIP
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 18 ERA, 1 IP, 9 H9, 0 HR9, 27 BB9, 9 K9
He pitched well in the bullpen in 2020, and while he's had control issues, Cabrera is a hard-throwing lefty that could pitch well again this year to help solidify the Cards' pen.
Ryan Helsley
2020 (MLB): 1-1, 5.25 ERA, 6 H9, 2.3 HR9, 6 BB9, 7.5 K9, 7.02 FIP, -0.4 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.2 IP, 5.4 H9, 0 HR9, 0 BB9, 10.8 K9
Helsley is a hard throwing bullpen arm that shows promise to succeed in the bullpen.
Tyler Webb (projected to get sent down when Mikolas returns)
2020 (MLB): 1-1, 2.08 ERA, 21.2 IP, 7.1 H9, 0.8 HR9, 2.9 BB9, 7.9 K9, 3.61 FIP, 0.3 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 13.50 ERA, 0.2 IP, 13.5 H9, 0 HR9, 0 BB9, 0 K9
Webb is a lefty that pitched well in the spring, and he was fairly reliably in the bullpen this year, but he will need to show that he can also get righties out.
Jake Woodford (projected to get sent down when Kim returns)
2020 (MLB): 1-0, 5.57 ERA, 21 IP, 8.6 H9, 3 HR9, 2.1 BB9, 6.9 K9, 6.71 FIP, -0.3 WAR
Woodford is a versatile, young pitcher that can start or come out of the bullpen, and he pitched well in the spring to earn a spot on this team.
Catchers (2)
Yadier Molina
2020 (MLB): .262 AVG, 4 HR, 16 RBI, .303 OBP, .359 SLG, .662 OPS, 13.5 K%, 0.5 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .462 AVG, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .500 OBP, .615 SLG, 1.115 OPS
Yadi is a future Hall of Fame Catcher, and he's historically a tremendous defensive catcher. Numbers wise though, he seems to be on the verge or on the decline, and his offensive numbers are steadily decreasing. Molina is the everyday catcher, but he may need some days off so he can rest up and play at full strength this season.
Andrew Knizner
2020 (MLB): .200 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .300 OBP, .229 SLG, .529 OPS, 24.4 K%, 0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0 for 2, .000, .000 OPS, 1 K
He was a former prized catching prospect who will be Yadi's backup on opening day. Knizner has not hit well in the majors, but he's shown flashes of his potential, but most likely, he will just be there to give Yadi a breather when he needs it.
Infielders (7)
Photo via Getty Images
Nolan Arenado
2020 (COL): .253 AVG, 8 HR, 26 RBI, .303 OBP, .434 SLG, .738 OPS, 10 K%, 0.9 WAR, Gold Glove winner
2019 (COL): .315 AVG, 41 HR, 118 RBI, .379 OBP, .583 SLG, .962 OPS, 14 K%, 6 WAR, All-Star, Gold Glove winner
Nolan Arenado is a very good third baseman that was acquired via trade with Colorado. He is a good hitter and he is also a tremendous fielder. He'll team up with Goldschmidt to form a formidable force in the Cards' lineup.
Tommy Edman
2020 (MLB): .250 AVG, 5 HR, 26 RBI, .317 OBP, .368 SLG, .685 OPS, 21.1 K%, 0.8 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .214 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .214 OBP, .214 SLG, .429 OPS
Edman is a versatile infielder that can play multiple positions, and he is a fairly solid hitter that can hit for a pretty high average. He had a very good rookie season that was followed by a sophomore slump, but currently he has played his way to get plenty of at-bats and playing time this season.
Paul DeJong
2020 (MLB): .250 AVG, 3 HR, 25 RBI, .322 OBP, .349 SLG, .671 OPS, 28.7 K%, 0.6 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .200 AVG, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .429 OBP, .300 SLG, .729 OPS
DeJong is a power-hitting shortstop that has a good set of tools, and he is also a solid fielder, but his hitting approach leaves much to be desired. Still, if he can hit for a decent average and get his numbers back up, he can be an upper-tier shortstop in the majors.
Paul Goldschmidt
2020 (MLB): .304 AVG, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .417 OBP, .466 SLG, .883 OPS, 18.6 K%, 2.1 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .231 AVG, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .286 OBP, .769 SLG, 1.055 OPS
Goldschmidt had a very good 2020 season, and he was the Cardinals' best hitter and player last year. He'll team up with Arenado to form a strong punch in the lineup.
Matt Carpenter
2020 (MLB): .186 AVG, 4 HR, 24 RBI, .325 OBP, .314 SLG, .640 OPS, 28.4 K%, 0.3 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .222 AVG, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .429 OBP, .333 SLG, .762 OPS
Carpenter has a good track record, and he is a former multi-All-Star that has hit well previously in the postseason. He hasn't hit well in recent years, and he's coming off a terrible spring. He's on the team, but right now, he looks to be a shell of his former self. Some are hoping that he'll come around to suddenly hit nearly as well as he used to, but I wouldn't bet on it.
John Nogowski
2020 (MLB): .250 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .250 OBP, .250 SLG, .500 OPS, 25.0 K%, 0 WAR
He certainly played his way onto the team, and he had a tremendous spring this year. He mashed the crap out of the baseball, and his ability to hit should bolster the team's bench.
Edmundo Sosa
2020 (STL/MLB): Did not play.
2019 (STL/MLB): .250 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB, .450 OBP, .250 SLG, .650 OPS, 20.0 K%, 0 WAR
2019 (AAA): .291 AVG, 17 HR, 62 RBI, 2 SB, .335 OBP, .466 SLG, .801 OPS, 19.4 K%
Outfielders (4)
Dylan Carlson
2020 (MLB): .200 AVG, 3 HR, 16 RBI, .252 OBP, .364 SLG, .616 OPS, 29.4 K%, 0.2 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .333 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .571 OBP, .444 SLG, 1.016 OPS
He was the Cards' prized hitting prospect, but they didn't call him up right away, and Carlson struggled in the majors in 2020. He did have a good postseason, and he is a good fielder. He has a solid set of all-around tools, but his hitting approach was fairly suspect in the majors. Carlson will be the starter on opening day.
Tyler O’Neill
2020 (MLB): .173 AVG, 7 HR, 19 RBI, 3 SB, .261 OBP, .360 SLG, .621 OPS, 27.4 K%, 0.5 WAR, Gold Glove
2020 (Postseason): 3 GP, 0 for 0, N/A OPS
O'Neill has a tremendous set of tools, and he has a lot of pop in his bat, but his hitting approach leaves much to be desired. He strikes a ton, but he is also a very good fielder, as evidenced by his Gold Glove win last season.
Justin Williams
2020 (MLB): .200 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .333 OBP, .200 SLG, .533 OPS, 33.3 K%, 0 WAR
He is a hitting prospect that played well in the spring, and he will get some at bats in the majors this season.
Austin Dean (projects to get sent down when Bader comes back)
2020 (MLB): .250 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .571 OBP, .500 SLG, 1.071 OPS, 28.6 K%, 0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0 for 1, 0 OBP or OPS
He is a fairly solid hitter that hit well in the spring, but Dean has historically not been a very good fielder in the majors. His tendency to strike out as also concerning. It was thought that Lane Thomas would win the job, but Dean played well enough to make the team on Opening Day.
Injured:
Harrison Bader (IL)
2020 (MLB): .226 AVG, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 3 SB, .336 OBP, .443 SLG, .779 OPS, 32.0 K%, 1.0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): .111 AVG, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .182 OBP, .111 SLG, .293 OPS
He is a tremendous fielder, but he's not a very good hitter, and he has an even worse hitting approach. He projects to be the starting center fielder when he returns from the IL.
Miles Mikolas (IL)
2020 (MLB): DNP, injured
He is a solid veteran pitcher who can control his pitches, and he is a mid-tier starting pitcher. After having a very good 2018 season, he had an up and down 2019 season, and he missed all of last season.
Kwang-Hyun Kim (IL)
2020 (MLB): 3-0, 1.62 ERA, 39 IP, 6.5 H9, 0.7 HR9, 2.8 BB9, 5.5 K9, 3.88 FIP, 0.6 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 7.36, 3.2 IP, 12.3 H9, 0 HR9, 4.9 BB9, 4.9 BB
He is a solid veteran pitcher who can control his pitches, and he is a mid-tier starting pitcher. He had a rough spring, but he's expected to provide some solid innings this year.
Dakota Hudson* (60-day IL)
2020 (MLB): 3-2, 2.77 ERA, 39 IP, 5.5 H9, 1.2 HR9, 3.5 BB9, 7.2 K9, 4.50 FIP, 0.4 WAR
He is a solid, young starting pitcher who can control his pitches, and he is a mid-tier starting pitcher. He's out for the season though.
Sent down:
Kodi Whitley
2020 (MLB): 0-0, 1.93 ERA, 4.2 IP, 3.9 H9, 1.9 HR9, 1.9 BB9, 9.6 K9, 4.48 FIP, 0 WAR
2020 (Postseason): 0-0, 27 ERA, 0.1 IP, 27 H9, 27 HR9, 0 BB9, 0 K9
Johan Oviedo
2020 (MLB): 0-3, 5.47 ERA, 24.2 IP, 8.8 H9, 1.1 HR9, 3.6 BB9, 5.8 K9, 5.30 FIP, 0.1 WAR
Tommy Parsons*
2020 (MLB): Did not play.
2019 (College): 6-1, 2.11 ERA, 47 IP, 5.2H9, 0 HR9, 7.9 BB9, 11.9K9
Jose Rondon*
2020 (MLB): Did not play.
2019 (CHW/BAL/MLB): .196 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .263 OBP, .280 SLG, .543 OPS
2019 (AAA): .219 AVG, 2 HR, 12 RBI, .313 OBP, .356 SLG, .669 OPS
Max Moroff*
2020 (MLB): Did not play.
2019 (CLE): .125 AVG, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SB, .176 OBP, .250 SLG, .426 OPS
2019 (AAA): .213 AVG, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .375 OBP, .361 SLG, .736 OPS
Lane Thomas
2020 (MLB): .111 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .200 OBP, .250 SLG, .450 OPS, 32.5 K%, -0.3 WAR
Thought would make the team, but was sent down:
Jose Rondon*
Lane Thomas
Should they have made the team?
Matt Carpenter hit .186 last year, and he hit just .054 in the Spring with 0 homers, but his past proven track record helped him make the MLB roster this year.
Carlos Martinez had a 9.90 ERA last year, and he had a less than stellar 5.66 ERA in the spring, but he pitched better towards the end of the spring to be named the third starter in the team's rotation, and it also helped that Gant and Ponce de Leon were not noticeably better in the spring this year.
Current Grades for the 2021 season:
Pitchers: B-
Hitters: B-
Manager: B-
The backend of the starting rotation looks shaky, but the bullpen looks good, and I'm confident that the bullpen will pitch well. The outfield looks a bit suspect, but I really like the group of infielders that the Cards have, and Yadier Molina is a proven, reliable veteran.
Projected Season Outcome: 3rd in the NL Central, behind the Brewers and Cubs, barely missing the playoffs
Hopefully, the Cardinals will prove my prediction wrong, but I'm not certain if the team's outfield or group of starters will be reliable enough to get this team back to the playoffs. I am rooting for the Cardinals to win it all this year, though.
Anyways, those are my season predictions, and we'll see how everything shakes out.
