Evaluating the 2021 St. Louis Cardinals, part II: The Hitting and Managing

The St. Louis Cardinals had a very good ride as they made a strong late push to get into the postseason. They won 17 straight games en route to making it to the postseason to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2021 NL Wildcard game.  It was going to be a very tough one-game playoff.  The Cardinals had their best pitcher on the mound in Adam Wainwright, but the Dodgers also had their best pitcher in Max Scherzer, so it was going to be a pitcher’s duel.

The Dodgers had won 16 more games in the regular season, and they had won 106 games, so it was going to be a very tough game for the Cardinals to win.  The Cardinals were able to get the upper hand early, but the tide really seemed to turn  for the worse when Dodgers’ third baseman Justin Turner hit a home run off of Adam Wainwright in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1 apiece.  The Cardinals struggled to score later on, and some curious bullpen moves were made as the Dodgers ended up winning on a walk-off homer late in the ninth inning.

The Cardinals’ 2021 season is now officially over.  That begs the question, so how did everyone do?

I looked up information using Baseball-Reference.  For the WAR statistical metric, I went to Fangraphs for that.

St. Louis Cardinals' starting catcher, Yadier Molina made his 10th All-Star team in the majors, and he also became the sixth player ever to catch 2000 games while being the first to do so with one team.

(Photo: Jeff Roberson/Associated Press, via The Philadelphia Inquirer)

C Yadier Molina
2021 (STL): .252 AVG, 11 HR, 66 RBI, 3 SB, .297 OBP, .370 SLG, .667 OPS, 5.1 BB%, 16.7 K%, 41 CS%, 1.0 WAR, made the 2021 NL All-Star team
2021 (Playoffs): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .000 OBP, .000 SLG, .000 OPS, 0 BB%, 0 K%, 0 CS%

Yadier Molina had a much bigger impact for his team that the box score statistics may have suggested.  He called a great game continuously throughout the season, and he showed great leadership skills in leading his team and the pitchers.  He also did a very good job of throwing runners out in the regular season.  His offensive production may have slowed down a bit over the years, but his defense and signal calling is still very good, and he did a good job of driving runners in this year.

2021 Player Grade: A-
2022 Player Rating: 3 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting catcher of the St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt had a very good season this year in 2021.
(Photo: Getty Images, via CBS Sports)

1B Paul Goldschmidt
2021 (STL): .284 AVG, 31 HR, 99 RBI, 12 SB, .365 OBP, .514 SLG, .879 OPS, 9.9 BB%, 20.0 K%, 4.9 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .333 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .600 OBP, .333 SLG, .933 OPS

Goldschmidt played very well, as he hit the ball really well this year, and he consistently shined on offense this year.  His only significant mishap came late in the Wildcard game, when he struck out by being caught looking on three pitches with Tommy Edman stranded on second base late in the ninth inning.

2021 Player Grade: A-
2022 Player Rating: 4 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting First Baseman of the St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals' starting second baseman, Tommy Edman quietly had a very good season, and he was terrific for the Cards in the postseason.

(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images, via Viva El Birdos)

2B Tommy Edman
2021 (STL): .262 AVG, 11 HR, 56 RBI, 30 SB, .308 OBP, .387 SLG, .695 OPS, 5.5 BB%, 13.7 K%, 2.3 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .600 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 SB, .600 OBP, .600 SLG, 1.200 OPS, 0 BB%, 20 K%

Tommy Edman played very well for the Cards in 2021.  He showed a good approach to the plate, as he would make pitchers work the count, and he is a speedy middle infielder that excelled as a baserunner and fielder this year.  He was very valuable in the playoffs, as he consistently got on base by getting base hits, he also did great work on the base paths by stealing bases, and he made numerous stops with his glove in the field.  Overall, he had a very good season this year.

2021 Player Grade: A-
2022 Player Rating: 3 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting Shortstop of the St. Louis Cardinals

Nolan Arenado had a solid season with the Cardinals, and he was especially good with the glove this year.
(Photo: Rich Schultz/Getty Images, via Denver Fan)

3B Nolan Arenado
2021 (STL): .255 AVG, 34 HR, 105 RBI, 2 SB, .312 OBP, .494 SLG, .807 OPS, 7.7 BB%, 14.7 K%, 4.0 WAR, made the 2021 NL All-Star team
2021 (Playoffs):.000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB%, 0 K%

Nolan Arenado proved that he can hit outside of Colorado, as he did a good job of hitting, and for power, and he also did a tremendous job with the glove on the defensive end.  While his offensive production was a bit down, he did not disappoint as he brought stellar defense to this team.  He didn’t come through in the playoffs though, but the Cards faced a really tough Dodgers’ squad this year.

2021 Player Grade: B
2022 Player Rating: 4 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting Third Baseman of the St. Louis Cardinals

SS Edmondo Sosa
2021 (STL): .271 AVG, 6 HR, 27 RBI, 4 SB, .346 OBP, .389 SLG, .735 OPS, 5.2 BB%, 19.3 K%, 1.6 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB%, 25 K%

He took over in the second half at the shortstop position after Paul DeJong really struggled to hit on offense, and Sosa was a pleasant surprise for the Cards this season.  He did a good job of hitting the baseball.  

On the other hand, he struggled to make plays with the glove in the Wildcard game on defense due to having the jitters, but he was able to find his footing, and it didn’t seem to hurt the team that much.  Overall, Sosa’s future looks to be pretty bright with the Cardinals.

2021 Player Grade: B+
2022 Player Rating: 2.5 stars
2022 Expectations:  Platoon Shortstop with the St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder, Tyler O'Neill had a terrific season, as he hit for a .286 batting average, hit 34 home runs, and also provided stellar defense throughout the regular season.  With his tremendous 2021 season that he had, O'Neill arguably has positioned himself to be one of the best left fielders in baseball today.
(Photo: Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press, via St. Louis Post Dispatch)

LF Tyler O’Neill
2021 (STL): .286 AVG, 34 HR, 80 RBI, 15 SB, .352 OBP, .560 SLG, .912 OPS, 7.1 BB%, 31.3 K%, 5.4 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB, .200 OBP, .000 SLG, .200 OPS, 20 BB%, 60 K%

Tyler O’Neill had a much better year than expected.  Not only did he continue to show a stellar glove in the field, but he also had a very good year offensively as well.  He hit for a high average, and he hit for a whopping 34 homers while stealing 15 bags.  He was a whiff machine though, as he still strikes out a lot, and that was magnified more in the playoffs, but overall O’Neill turned in a very good 2021 season.

2021 Player Grade: A-
2022 Player Rating: 4 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting Left Fielder of the St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder Harrison Bader (pictured in the middle) had a very good all-around season, and he and O'Neill are two of the best defensive outfielders in all of baseball right now.

(Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images, via Redbird Rants)

CF Harrison Bader
2021 (STL): .267 AVG, 16 HR, 50 RBI, 9 SB, .324 OBP, .460 SLG, .785 OPS, 6.7 BB%, 21.2 K%, 3.4 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .750 OBP, .000 SLG, .750 OPS, 25 BB%, 25 K%

Harrison Bader had a solid season this year.  He did a better job of hitting the baseball, and he fielded very well defensively.  He did a great job of getting on base in the postseason, and he quietly played well this season.

2021 Player Grade: A-
2022 Player Rating: 3 stars
2022 Expectations: Starting Center Fielder of the St. Louis Cardinals

RF Dylan Carlson
2021 (STL): .266 AVG, 18 HR, 65 RBI, 2 SB, .343 OBP, .437 SLG, .780 OPS, 9.2 BB%, 24.6 K%, 2.8 WAR
2021 (Playoffs):.250 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .250 OBP, .250 SLG, .500 OPS, 0 BB%, 25 K%

Dylan Carlson was a player that continually got better as the season progressed.  He is a solid all-around outfielder that can do a little bit of everything.  He does strike out too much, but he had a good rookie season nonetheless, and big things may be expected out of him next season.

2021 Player Grade: B+
2022 Player Rating: 2.5 stars (3.5 stars potential)
2022 Expectations: Starting Right Fielder of the St. Louis Cardinals

IF Paul DeJong
2021 (STL): .197 AVG, 19 HR, 45 RBI, 4 SB, .284 OBP, .390 SLG, .674 OPS, 8.7 BB%, 25.6 K%, 1.6 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB%, 100 K%

Paul DeJong may have lost his starting job midway through the season due to his offensive struggles, but he is still a very good fielder, and his strong physical tools will show every once in a while, as he still hit 19 homers this season.  He made a terrific catch in the postseason to show his defensive value, but he then immediately followed that up by striking out in the next inning, which pretty much sums up his season.

2021 Player Grade: C+
2022 Player Rating: 2.5 stars
2022 Expectations:  Platoon Shortstop with the St. Louis Cardinals

RF Lars Nootbar
2021 (STL): .239 AVG, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 2 SB, .317 OBP, .422 SLG, .739 OPS, 10.5 BB%, 22.6 K%, 0.6 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): N/A

Considering that very few people in the baseball community knew who he was prior to the season, this year can be considered an overwhelming success for Lars Nootbar.  Nootbar did a good job of providing pop off the bench, and he also fielded well defensively.  He skyrocketed up through the minors to play well in a reserve role this year.  If there was an open starting spot for him next year, then Nootbar could then be a sleeper candidate for the NL Rookie of the Year award next season.

2021 Player Grade: B+
2022 Player Rating: 2 stars (2.5 stars potential)
2022 Expectations: 4th Outfielder on the St. Louis Cardinals

UT José Rondón
2021 (STL): .263 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .322 OBP, .413 SLG, .735 OPS, 8.9 BB%, 18.9 K%, 0.3 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): N/A

Rondon didn't make the team on Opening Day, but after playing well in AAA and as the team was hit with some injuries, he was able to show what he can do in the majors.  Rondon provided some pop off the bench, and he showed that he can hit for extra bases, but he also struggled considerably on the defensive end.

2021 Player Grade: C+
2022 Player Rating: 1.5 stars
2022 Expectations: Backup Utility Infielder on the St. Louis Cardinals

C Andrew Knizner
2021 (STL): .174 AVG, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB, .281 OBP, .236 SLG, .517 OPS, 10.8 BB%, 21.1 K%, 23 CS%, -1.0 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): N/A

Knizner didn’t hit the ball very well or throw runners out often, but he seemed to do a decent job of calling the game from behind the plate.  Whether or not if he can be the heir apparent remains to be seen, but he may have had a better year than the stats may suggest he had.

2021 Player Grade: C
2022 Player Rating: 1.5 stars
2022 Expectations: Backup Catcher on the St. Louis Cardinals

2B Matt Carpenter
2021 (STL): .169 AVG, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 2 SB, .305 OBP, .275 SLG, .581 OPS, 14.1 BB%, 30.9 K%, -0.3 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): N/A

Matt Carpenter is nowhere near the player he used to be, and while he can still draw walks, his numbers were down considerably across the board.  Not too long ago, Carpenter used to be a very good player that made All-Star teams, and he used to be very helpful in the playoffs.  There were questions if Carpenter or Carlos Martinez should have made the team this year, and neither of those two players really did anything to suggest that they should have this season.

But to put it nicely in terms of how good of an MLB player he is right now, Carpenter is super washed up, and it’s looking to be very unlikely that he’ll ever return to top form.  He’s been such a shell of himself that this time, he wasn’t even used for the Wildcard game against the Dodgers.

2021 Player Grade: D-
2022 Player Rating: 1 star
2022 Expectations: Backup Infielder somewhere in the majors, or retired

OF Justin Williams
2021 (STL): .160 AVG, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB, .270 OBP, .261 SLG, .531 OPS, 12.4 BB%, 33.6 K%, -0.8 WAR
2021 (Playoffs): N/A

Williams surprisingly made it to the team’s Opening Day roster, but he struggled mightily once he played in the Majors this season.  He was able to hit for power as he showed some pop in his bat, but he struggled to hit the baseball or to field this year.  

2021 Grade: D
2022 Rating: 1 star
2022 Expectations: AAA outfielder in the minors

Hitting Coach – Jeff Albert
2021 (STL): .244 AVG, 198 HR, 678 RBI, 89 SB, 8 BB%, 22.3 K%, .313 OBP, .412 SLG, .725 OPS
2021 (Playoffs): .156 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3 SB, 10.3 BB%, 25.6 K%, .289 OBP, .156 SLG, .446 OPS

It was a fairly mixed bag of a year for Jeff Albert.  The hitters did a good job of hitting the long ball and getting extra base hits in the regular season, and they also showed a decent ability to steal the bases and run on the basepaths this year.

On the other hand, their approach was still was sort of suspect, as they didn’t hit for a high average, and they struck out far too often.  The Cardinals weren’t the most consistent offensive team.  They were tremendous in September, but they couldn’t get the job done in the clutch in the postseason, even with big-time boppers, which hurts even though they faced a very tough Dodgers’ team.

2021 Grade: C+
2022 Rating: 2 stars
2022 Expectations: Hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals

The 2021 St. Louis Cardinals had a good season overall, as they did much better than expected, even though there were some curious bullpen moves that were made late in their Wildcard game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason.

(Photo: Robert Hanashiro/USA Today Sports, via Viva El Birdos)

Mike Shildt
2021 (STL); 90-72, 0-1 in the playoffs
Managerial Career: 252-199, 4-9 in his playoff career

The Cardinals overachieved in the regular season, and they were able to get to the playoffs, despite the majority of people picking against them.  Shildt gets the credit for being able to build positive relationships with his players, because he trusts them almost to a fault.  

In the playoffs though, this tendency tends to backfire because he’s reactive with his moves and not proactive, so he doesn’t always go with his best options.  He made some curious bullpen moves in the Wildcard game, so he will have to improve as a tactician in order to push the Cardinals closer to title contention.

2021 Grade: B
2022 Rating: 2.5 stars
2022 Expectations: Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals

The 2021 Season Grade for the St. Louis Cardinals:

Hitting: A-
Pitching: B
Coaching/Managing: B+
Watching Their Journey This Year: A-
Overall: B+

The 2021 St. Louis Cardinals had a good season overall, and they exceeded a lot of people's expectations.  Maybe this team wasn’t destined to win the World Series, but it was a fun ride to watch the 2021 St. Louis Cardinals, and they got a lot of mileage out of a makeshift bullpen and end of the rotation starters that they managed to cobble together.  Plus, it was fun watching Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina play for another season, and play very well in doing so.  So, there you have it, and thanks for reading.