MLB: ***Official 2019 St. Louis Cardinals Season Thread***

[TheHelgo]

Ok, it seems to be that time of year, so let's hear it Cards fans - what's everyone thinking for 2019.

Personally, I think this is the year we take back the Central. A great offseason for the Birds, with the additions of Goldschmidt and Miller. Goldschmidt has the ability to be an MVP should flourish in front of a full Busch Stadium. Looking for a bounce back year for Fowler and continued improvement out of Ozuna. Carpenter likely takes a bit of a step back, but the lineup is more than ready to pick up the slack.

Solid starting rotation, but relief still a question mark for the pitching staff.

All in all, 2019 should certainly be a playoff year. Anything less will be a massive disappointment.

 

[80sClone]

Damn it's too early for this.

 

[matclone]

Yes, it's early, but season starts tomorrow.

 

[80sClone]

Yes, it's early, but season starts tomorrow.

Look. I'm a Cardinals fan. But stop this talking about the season until August or September otherwise you'll just be another useless Cubs fan.

 

[matclone]

Look. I'm a Cardinals fan. But stop this talking about the season until August or September otherwise you'll just be another useless Cubs fan.

Huh?

 

[matclone]

Projected line-up:

Carpenter 3b
Goldschmidt 1b
De Jong ss
Ozuna lf
Molina C
Fowler rf
Wong 2b
Bader cf
Mikolas p

Fowler stunk so bad last year, but I assume the coaches know what they're doing. Otherwise, no complaints.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Ok, it seems to be that time of year, so let's hear it Cards fans - what's everyone thinking for 2019.

Personally, I think this is the year we take back the Central. A great offseason for the Birds, with the additions of Goldschmidt and Miller. Goldschmidt has the ability to be an MVP should flourish in front of a full Busch Stadium. Looking for a bounce back year for Fowler and continued improvement out of Ozuna. Carpenter likely takes a bit of a step back, but the lineup is more than ready to pick up the slack.

Solid starting rotation, but relief still a question mark for the pitching staff.

All in all, 2019 should certainly be a playoff year. Anything less will be a massive disappointment.

Thanks for starting this thread. My thoughts on 2019...

1) Big year from Ozuna. He had surgery to fix his shoulder in the offseason. This is his walk year. I expect big numbers from him

2) Wainwright puts together a few good starts at the beginning of the year but ends up either hurt or succumbs to age this year. He retires at seasons end.

3) Mikolas regresses a bit as teams use 2018 tape to figure him out. Flaheraty (sp?) is the ace of the staff. Martinez remains hurt all year and gives minimal assistance to the bullpen.

4) Goldy starts slow with the pressures of the new city and new deal bearing down on him. He rebounds to have a good, not great, 2019.

Pitching is worse but offense is better than last year. The division is too damn tight to guess. Though I expect the Cubs to rebound this year after a crappy couple of years. Cards are either 1 or 2 in the division.

 

[ca4cy]

In no particular order...

Negatives

Worried about Carp at 3rd for an entire season. Will the shoulder hold up?

Really hoping Fowler gets off to a hot start and they move him to an AL team that needs DH-OF help while he has some value. I've never felt he was a fit and that's a bad contract.

Ozuma got the shoulder cleaned up but it doesn't sound like he put in a ton of offseason work. Same with CMart. That's concerning.

Positives

How good of a start can Wong get off to? If he gets going and gets his confidence up, he could have a great season.

Offense should be very good. It would be nice to take so.e pressure off the staff and pen

Starters should be good to great. Metrics on Flaherty are excellent and I think he can handle the innings. Not a ton of room for the injuries we've endured the last few years.

Great to be talking baseball again.

 

[throwittoblythe]

I will add that I hope fundamentals are vastly improved this year under Shildt instead of Matheny. It was embarrassing how many errors and base running mistakes this team made over the past few years. I don't know how you clean that up in one off season, but I hope Shildt can do it. It's hard enough to win a division when you're not giving up outs and runs through your own mistakes.

 

[CyCrazy]

Stay healthy and they can win the division.

 

[TheHelgo]

Mikolas vs. Chacin at 1pm. Let's get it started the right way!

 

[heitclone]

NL Central should be really good again, Cubbies are probably still the favorite but it's closer than in the past. Cards were better against the division last year than in the past few. If the bullpen comes around, we should be really tough to beat. Last year was actually really impressive considering the time that Dejong, Wong and Yadi spent on the DL. Yadi had a really underrated year. Love young arms in the rotation. Should be a really fun season. Play Ball!!!

 

[BoxsterCy]

Luke Voit and the Yanks say thanks for the trade. Just went deep in the 1st.

Sorry, couldn't resist cause I do like this guy. I forgive myself because I am still a little mad about that Bob Gibson 1964 World Series.

 

[heitclone]

Luke Voit and the Yanks say thanks for the trade. Just went deep in the 1st.

Sorry, couldn't resist cause I do like this guy. I forgive myself because I am still a little mad about that Bob Gibson 1964 World Series.

Carp did okay at first last year for us, glad to see Luke playing well, always liked him when he was with us. The cards farm system is insanely good, there have been kids stuck down there the last few years that are good enough to play in the bigs.

 

[throwittoblythe]

The game is on!

For the record, I hate Brad Thompson as the color guy on the FSN-Midwest Broadcast. His voice sounds like a cartoon character to me.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Chacin strikes out the side to start the season. We're screwed. Start selling...

 

[cyfanatic13]

NL Central should be really good again, Cubbies are probably still the favorite but it's closer than in the past. Cards were better against the division last year than in the past few. If the bullpen comes around, we should be really tough to beat. Last year was actually really impressive considering the time that Dejong, Wong and Yadi spent on the DL. Yadi had a really underrated year. Love young arms in the rotation. Should be a really fun season. Play Ball!!!

Cardinals were the Vegas favorite as of a few days ago, it was basically neck and neck between them and the Cubs but you would've made $5 less betting $100 on the Cards to win the division than the Cubs

 

[ca4cy]

Not a terrible start for Wong.

Back to back for he and Bader. Both bombs! Danny Mac's call on Bader's was honest to God one of the most awkward homerun calls I've ever heard.

 

[67CY]

Not a terrible start for Wong.

Back to back for he and Bader. Both bombs! Danny Mac's call on Bader's was honest to God one of the most awkward homerun calls I've ever heard.

I was hoping Danny would not be back this year

 

[throwittoblythe]

JFC. Always have to give runs back right after we take a lead...