The Cardinals are off to a solid start to the year, though the NL Central is shaping up to be quite the battleground in 2018. Maintaining health throughout the season could end up being a major factor in deciding the division race. The long view is what motivated Cards righty Adam Wainwright to go on the DL at this point, as MLB.com’s Joe Trezza reports. His elbow has flared up a bit, though the 36-year-old suggested he’s confident that he’ll be able to return in relatively short order. The hope is that some rest and minor mechanical tweaks will allow Wainwright to take most of his scheduled starts in the final season of his contract. Of course, even if the veteran hurler is down longer than expected, the team has plenty of options, as Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explores.
Here’s more from St. Louis:
- Another key hurler for the Cardinals, recent signee Miles Mikolas, has thrown well upon his return to the majors. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch documents some of the ways in which Mikolas has thrived. In particular, he has been one of the most efficient starters in all of baseball, due in no small part to the fact that he has issued just a pair of walks in 26 innings. Goold traces this element of Mikolas’s game back to his successful stint in Japan, during which he gained mental and physical control of his pitching. It’s early, to be sure, but the two-year, $15.5MM pact Mikolas signed over the winter has looked like a bargain.
- Cardinals fans will also want to check out two other recent pieces from the Post-Dispatch on the team’s pitching staff. Jose de Jesus Ortiz offers a look at staff ace Carlos Martinez, who says he believes he is pitching better than ever. That the 26-year-old has found another gear is certainly a scary thought for the rest of the league. And Goold examines the intriguing case of Bud Norris, who is now closing out games and sporting a career-high 15.3% swinging-strike rate. It’s a worthwhile read that goes well beyond the field of play.
- On the position-player side, the Cards appear to have unearthed another hidden gem in first baseman Jose Martinez. The late-blooming 29-year-old has done nothing but hit in the majors and is off to a .329/.409/.526 start to the current campaign. Trezza penned an interesting look at Martinez’s unlikely path to the majors. The St. Louis scouting department and front office aptly identified and targeted the burly slugger, eventually snagging him from the cross-state rival Royals. Of course, the results have outstripped even the most optimistic expectations. “We were confident he could be a good right-handed hitter off the bench,” says Cardinals GM Mike Girsch. “That’s what we thought we were getting. Since then, he’s been raking.” While he’s currently performing like a mid-prime star, Martinez won’t even reach arbitration eligibility until 2020.
themed
And back on top where they’ve been most of this century. Fantastic organization that has never resorted to tanking. Imagine that they actually try to compete year in and year out.
bravesandcrewfan
Which is what makes them so annoying as a Brewers fan. They will always be that nuisance in the way to the postseason.
baseballpun
As a Cardinals fan, I don’t want the extra competition, but as a baseball fan, I hope the Crew gets some pitching before the deadline.
davbee
You do realize the Brewers (3.38 team ERA, 5th in the NL) are essentially even with the Cards (3.29, 4th) in pitching so far.
stollcm
That’s good baseball no matter which side you are on.
3rdStrikeLooking
….And here we have a completly uneducated St L fan. You sir, are what gives the fan base the bad name.
Buy a clue.
themed
I’m not sure to whom you are referring to. Every point I’ve read so far seemed right on the money. What clue is needed please clarify your view here.
3rdStrikeLooking
Please!
Have you ever developed your opinion on your own or are you they type that is told your opinion?
By the way, its quite easy to see whom I was referring….or does someone need to tell you that too?
Nnnjjjjjhhjj
I don’t have any idea who this goat is referring too. All good points from what I read. I think the Cards staff is better set up for the season than Milwaukee’s is.
themed
I am the first poster in this thread. I posted the first opinion. Still don’t understand about the developing my own opinion thing.
davbee
Milwaukee’s bullpen is far superior to the Cards, even with Knebel out.
Nnnjjjjjhhjj
Yeah-I don’t know about that-doesn’t surprise me you say that-Cards are a bit unknown-but I think by the end of the year people will be talking about the Cards bullpen being a strength.
brucewayne
Tell us what did he say that was actually wrong genius ?
jdgoat
Are you going to make this comment every time they get knocked out of first and then move back up?
themed
No team can win every year but to be able to compete and win more times than not is a very proud thing to say. And to tank on purpose is simply disgraceful.
3rdStrikeLooking
Just stop now.
jdgoat
Except it’s not
themed
Yes very morally wrong. Your a professional team act like. Participation awards are for children.
jdgoat
I’d much rather cheer for a team whose the best in the league and trade in a few bad seasons then a mediocre one who battled for a wildcard spot.
I cheer for two teams that I’ve never watched rebuild but they’re never near the top of the league. I’ve never seen a team I cheer for win a championship. And i look around sports and realize that tanking is effective and brings a lot of success if done right.
The cubs and Astros are set up for years, the Sixers are set up for years, the Penguins are and have been set up for almost a decade because they tanked.
You can say it’s “morally wrong”, which I strongly disagree with, but you have to at least admit that it is effective
jumsy
It’s only effective because you cherry-picked 4 instances…Where are the Clippers’ Championships? Where are Browns’ Championships? What about the Tigers? Why is there no hype about the Reds being a contender in the next 3 years? Because tanking does not guarantee a championship.
The Astros are setup for years as their Major League roster is stacked and their farm system is still producing good players. The Cubs will be rebuilding within 5 years because their farm system is empty. Guess where the Astros GM came from? That’s right, the Cardinals organization and he will carry the same compete every year approach into Houston. Luhnow’s decisions to trade prospects will be thoroughly thought out unlike Theo’s with the Cubs where the approach was to trade everyone away now and hope for good rotation health.
jdgoat
I said when it’s done right. When you have an incompetent FO like the Reds, it’s a lot tougher. But to judge the success of a team off of championships is kind of flawed, especially in baseball. And you can’t add the Tigers, considering they were planning on contending at the start of last year and their rebuild only started at last years trade deadline.
themed
Never ever give up on any season. Ridiculous to even think such an absurd thought. Take pride give it your all every year. Don’t lose on purpose.
jdgoat
Obviously many people much smarter than you and me disagree across the whole country
twentyforty
Educate yourself on the ages of the Cubs position players before a foolish “5-year rebuild” is spewed. That’s just ignorance….and wishful thinking of a non-Cubs fan.
brucewayne
But is it really ? Then explain the Padres ?
brucewayne
or the Cleveland Browns ?
brucewayne
So you only want to use the data that supports your opinion ? LoL! Not only is that cherry picking at its finest, it just shows how inflated your ego really is in reality ! By the way, how else do you judge a teams success , if not by the championships that they win? You sir, are an idiot!
Triteon
I’m a Cardinals fan here to remind you we’re 6-8 vs. teams that aren’t the Reds.
jonsteele
yeah, I mean don’t get me wrong they were 10-9 against them last year and you do gotta win against them but let’s pump the brakes a bit until they compete better against some better teams. I’m happy they’re 12-8, but not ready to say they’re back yet.
jumsy
They could be 3-4 against the Reds like another team is 2-3 against the Reds and Marlins…
c1234
Just in case your a cubs fan the cubs have lost games to the reds and marlins this year
twentyforty
7-0 vs the AA Reds helps. Back end of the bullpen STILL not competitive.
We’re_Pham-ily
You have to beat who’s on your schedule… the Reds are going for the sweep against ATL, and they don’t really suck..
angels fan 3
Not sure why people think Bud Norris is not good. He was electric with the Angels in the first half but after a few stints on the DL he had a rough 3 weeks and his era rose because of that rough patch.
Ironman_4life
Who
jakelonergan
Lol! Yup, I was going to say something similar. On the other hand, I was a little disappointed they Angels didn’t take a shot at getting Norris for this season. At the right price it might have been worth it.
angels fan 3
Yeah many Angels fans didn’t like him after than rough stretch in late July-Early August. I thought it was a good idea to bring him back but oh well.
echozulu88
For whatever reason Bud Norris reaches another level whenever the Cardinals are involved, whether for them or against them. Crazy.
twentyforty
It’s called pine tar. See Trevor Bauer’s recent comments re: Gerrit Cole. Applies to Norris.
brucewayne
It also applies to every other major league pitcher! Including the ones on your fav team!
JFree47
Lots of cardinals fans on here complain about not making huge free agent signings. Then complain about not making block buster trades at the deadline. Yet they don’t realize that St. Louis is rarely stuck with a horrible contract, and usually have a respectable farm system, while still being competitive at the major league level every year. Maybe the front office does know more than the fans?
kbarr888
I generally agree with you JFree……and we all need to remember that there’s a reason why WE aren’t in those FO meetings…..LOL
But this winter especially, the FO “Came out and SAID” that they were going to make some Big Moves. They admitted that they desperately needed a “MOB”, one with serious power. I believe that they raised the expectations beyond what they should have.
Sure they got Ozuna, but I feel like he was one of the Bridesmaids from the Stanton engagement……along with Yelich (great player but NOT what they needed). Neither is truly a Power Hitter…….Jose Martinez actually may be the Prize in 2018…..much like Pham was last year….and he was “already on the team!”.
barkinghumans77
I like the trade for Ozuna. I’ll like it more if they lock him up long term. Look at his numbers last year and there’s no way that isn’t what the Cards needed.
brucewayne
Exactly ! Plus they won’t be saddled with an overpaid
brucewayne
and over rated Stanton contract for the next 10 years! I think the Cards got the best player from that Miami OF , especially for what they had to give up. Which was not much at all .
We’re_Pham-ily
I mean they tried to get Machado, Donaldson, Archer, and Colome. They just didn’t want to over pay. Ozuna hit 37 home runs last year, how is that not a power hitter?
Pham went 3-3 with a HR and two walks. He’s a stud.
cards81
go to the Post Dispatch comments…probably the most pessimistic people ever who think they know it all….
DannyQ3913
Mikolas was a steal
c1234
Hopefully, too early to say that