MLB: ***Official 2022 STL Cardinals Season Thread***

[TheHelgo]

Let's get this started all. Looking forward to a great year for the Birds!

Not sure if everyone saw the news this morning, but the Cards are bringing Pujols back! While he certainly isn't 'the machine' anymore, this is a great move for PR and sentimental purposes. Being able to see Yadi and Pujols get one final season together is pretty awesome.

I'm thinking the division is very much in reach this year - especially if Goldy and Arenado get hot and the pitching staff is above average.

What say you Birds fans?

 

[waynemorgan]

Love having him back for $2.5M and just skipping those tens years at $254M. Like you said, sentimental value at the very least.

 

[cyclonepower]

He will sell tickets so there is that I guess...

 

[Rural]

There's National League DH this year so even more of a no-brainer.

 

[KidSilverhair]

When Albert went cross-town from the Angels to the Dodgers last year I thought it looked like he was done, but he ended up contributing a lot more to the Dodgers than I thought he would. It’s a very nice bookend to his career, going back to St. Louis. My son and I already have tickets to see the Cardinals and the Orioles for a couple of games in May. Bring on baseball!

 

[swiacy]

I don't remember the guy's name but a couple years ago pre-Goldy, the Cards were in the hunt in September and our first baseman went literally 0-for September and I could not believe we had no one but him to run out there each day. Pujols probably still has enough juice left to DH but I hope this is not just the Cards brass playing the marketing card. If Pujols takes the roster spot of a player in the organization that could contribute, I am not a big fan of this move.

 

[mwwbbfan]

Let's get this started all. Looking forward to a great year for the Birds!

Not sure if everyone saw the news this morning, but the Cards are bringing Pujols back! While he certainly isn't 'the machine' anymore, this is a great move for PR and sentimental purposes. Being able to see Yadi and Pujols get one final season together is pretty awesome.

I'm thinking the division is very much in reach this year - especially if Goldy and Arenado get hot and the pitching staff is above average.

What say you Birds fans?

Think Waino probably hangs them up after this year too so will be nice if the three all go out together.

 

[cmjh10]

This offense has potential. If our outfielders can build on their progress last year, watch out.

Pitching may be iffy though.

 

[matclone]

Somewhat disappointed to read that SS job belongs to DeJong (BA .197), when he clearly lost it to Sosa (BA .271) last year. This seems like a re-do of the Fowler situation: we paid him a lot of money so he needs to be in the line-up, regardless of performance. If DeJong plays well, great, but, if not, well? Could this have been a point of friction between Shildt and the front office?

https://redbirdrants.com/2021/12/13/paul-dejong-bounce-back-cardinals/

 

[mramseyISU]

I just bought tickets this morning to go see them play the Brewers in Milwaukee on good Friday. I was sort of thinking about going to a game this year but Pujols being back sold me on it.

 

[mramseyISU]

I didn’t see that coming.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

Happy Opening Day!



One of those pitcher spots should go to Flaherty pretty soon (hopefully).

Waino/Mikolas/Matz/Hudson/Hicks (apparently) rotation until Jack is back. I imagine Hicks will be used as more of an opener.

Yadi/Goldy/Edman/Arenado/DeJong/O'Neill/Bader/Carlson from 2-9, with a Pujols/Dickerson DH platoon sounds to be the plan as well. I liked what we saw from Sosa last year so if DeJong is disappointing I hope Marmol has a short leash for him.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

Opening Day lineup right on cue:

1. Carlson, RF
2. Goldschmidt, 1B
3. O'Neill, LF
4. Arenado, 3B
5. Pujols, DH
6. DeJong, SS
7. Molina, C
8. Bader, CF
9. Edman, 2B
P. Wainwright

 

[TomTreebow]

Opening Day lineup right on cue:

1. Carlson, RF
2. Goldschmidt, 1B
3. O'Neill, LF
4. Arenado, 3B
5. Pujols, DH
6. DeJong, SS
7. Molina, C
8. Bader, CF
9. Edman, 2B
P. Wainwright

That lineup 5-9 is not a contending lineup. And a lot riding on Carlson and O'Neill keeping pace again this year. With seemingly one more run out of Waino and Yadi, it was head-scratching not to spend a bit on a DH. Pujols/Dickerson off the scrap heap just doesn't do it but the FO can hide behind the Pujols nostalgia.

I do love the defense and think Hudson, Matz, and Mikolas are in for very solid years given that, just disappointed they didn't make a jump into the deep end with more spend on a bat. They are always competitive, perhaps they find it at the deadline.

As an aside: my hot take is that I could see Hudson getting a nice extension and Flaherty being dealt. Flaherty is rightfully going to test free agency waters when the time comes and likely get thrown some cash from a west coast team bringing him home more than the Cardinals will be willing to spend. He could bring back a haul with a couple more years of control left rather than waiting until next year.

 

[CyCrazy]

Gotta admit I like seeing Pujols in the lineup again.

 

[mramseyISU]

I was waiting for the rotation to get finalized so I could see who was projected to be on the bump next Friday in Milwaukee. Looks like Matz is getting the start, he's the one guy I'm not thrilled to watch pitch.

 

[TheHelgo]

I was waiting for the rotation to get finalized so I could see who was projected to be on the bump next Friday in Milwaukee. Looks like Matz is getting the start, he's the one guy I'm not thrilled to watch pitch.

I somewhat disagree. He could be the make or break pitcher this year for our success, so I am very much interested in watching him early on. If Flaherty is out too long, and Matz/Hicks struggle, I fear our success will suffer due to pitching more so than batting. If Goldy and DeJong (as much as I really don't think he should be the guy), continue to hit like they have in Spring Training, and O'Neill/Carlson continue to success of last year, the O should be fine. I'm making the assumption here that Arenado has a great year as well.

 

[Kaner04]

I was waiting for the rotation to get finalized so I could see who was projected to be on the bump next Friday in Milwaukee. Looks like Matz is getting the start, he's the one guy I'm not thrilled to watch pitch.

I’m excited to see if our defense helps him out a lot. We’ve proven over the last couple years that if you throw strikes and throw to contact the defense is gonna help you out immensely.

 

[mramseyISU]

I somewhat disagree. He could be the make or break pitcher this year for our success, so I am very much interested in watching him early on. If Flaherty is out too long, and Matz/Hicks struggle, I fear our success will suffer due to pitching more so than batting. If Goldy and DeJong (as much as I really don't think he should be the guy), continue to hit like they have in Spring Training, and O'Neill/Carlson continue to success of last year, the O should be fine. I'm making the assumption here that Arenado has a great year as well.

I agree that the offense should be good enough to compete this year. The pitching scares the hell out of me, too many injury questions.

 

[Marcelason78]

Cardinal great Keith Hernandez was on Varney this morning. He said the key to improving the game is bigger ball parks, larger outfield gaps. Feels today's outfielders are allowed to play in, cutting down hits and freedom on the base pads.