We still have a few weeks before the regular season, so things could change of course, but as of today:
1) Kozma has won the SS job (over Ronny Cedeno, who was signed in the offseason and released in spring training). Furcal is hurt and it doesn't sound good at all.
2) 2B is still a battle between Descalso and Carpenter, and Cards manager Mike Matheny may ride the hot hand throughout the year, and/or may rotate them both in based on who is pitching (Descalso when groundballer Westbrook is pitching).
3) The other six starting jobs have always been clear, and you probably know what they'll do - C Molina, 1B Craig, 3B Freese, RF Beltran, CF (and leadoff hitter) Jon Jay, LF Holliday. Of these, Molina and Jay outperformed expecations last year, so you may want to be cautious expecting a repeat. Freese hurt his back recently making a catch, but is expected to play before spring training ends.
4) Five bats on the Bench:
i) Tony Cruz would be the backup catcher who isn't bad if Molina gets hurt, but he still wouldn't crack my list of top 24 NL fantasy catchers since Yadier Molina plays so much.
ii) Ty Wigginton CI - nothing to get excited about, but he'll make the team; they paid him too much to think about cutting him, and he has that veteran presence blah blah blah.
iii) Matt Carpenter/Daniel Descalso (whoever loses the 2B job)
iv) Shane Robinson OF - batting .500 with 3 HRs, he is leading Adron Chambers and Justin Christian for the 4th OF spot. Note that the Cardinals will only carry one OF on their bench, since starting 1B Allen Craig can, and will, play some RF and LF.
v) Expected to be Matt Adams 1B - Descalso can also play SS, so the Cardinals would still have two guys who could play SS, and the Cardinals would be a better team with Adams on the bench as a pinch hitter (see i-iv above; not much stick on the bench).
Top prospects Oscar Taveras and Kolten Wong are quite unlikely to make the club out of spring training but both are quite likely to be up at some point, with Taveras much more likely to be up before September than Wong.
5) Rotation: Chris Carpenter is out for the year and Kyle Lohse is now a Brewer. So the rotation is Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Westbrook, Lance Lynn, and Shelby Miller
6) Bullpen Guys/Other Pitchers worth owning/considering in rough order of how I'd rank them:
i) Jason Motte - closer but injured.
ii) Mitchell Boggs - 8th inning guy with first shot at closing in Motte's absence.
iii) Trevor Rosenthal - expected to make the team in the bullpen. The Cardinals might let him start at some point, or they might be considering him closer of the future. Hit 100 MPH and struck out the side the other day. His role was expected to be the guy who comes in when runners are on base late in games and they need a strikeout.
iv) Mujica - 7th inning guy; $1 shouldn't hurt you. He has been getting rocked in spring training, but nobody seems concerned. Might get a shot at closing before Rosenthal if Boggs flops quickly.
v) Michael Wacha - good pitching prospect; won't make the team out of spring training, but has a chance of being 2nd man up in the second half of the season if two starters get hurt, so keep an eye on him.
vi) Joe Kelly would have a good chance to be the first man up if a starter gets hurt. Likely would begin season in long relief in MLB.
Derrick Goold (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) https://twitter.com/dgoold is the best guy for Cardinals coverage.
1) Kozma has won the SS job (over Ronny Cedeno, who was signed in the offseason and released in spring training). Furcal is hurt and it doesn't sound good at all.
2) 2B is still a battle between Descalso and Carpenter, and Cards manager Mike Matheny may ride the hot hand throughout the year, and/or may rotate them both in based on who is pitching (Descalso when groundballer Westbrook is pitching).
3) The other six starting jobs have always been clear, and you probably know what they'll do - C Molina, 1B Craig, 3B Freese, RF Beltran, CF (and leadoff hitter) Jon Jay, LF Holliday. Of these, Molina and Jay outperformed expecations last year, so you may want to be cautious expecting a repeat. Freese hurt his back recently making a catch, but is expected to play before spring training ends.
4) Five bats on the Bench:
i) Tony Cruz would be the backup catcher who isn't bad if Molina gets hurt, but he still wouldn't crack my list of top 24 NL fantasy catchers since Yadier Molina plays so much.
ii) Ty Wigginton CI - nothing to get excited about, but he'll make the team; they paid him too much to think about cutting him, and he has that veteran presence blah blah blah.
iii) Matt Carpenter/Daniel Descalso (whoever loses the 2B job)
iv) Shane Robinson OF - batting .500 with 3 HRs, he is leading Adron Chambers and Justin Christian for the 4th OF spot. Note that the Cardinals will only carry one OF on their bench, since starting 1B Allen Craig can, and will, play some RF and LF.
v) Expected to be Matt Adams 1B - Descalso can also play SS, so the Cardinals would still have two guys who could play SS, and the Cardinals would be a better team with Adams on the bench as a pinch hitter (see i-iv above; not much stick on the bench).
Top prospects Oscar Taveras and Kolten Wong are quite unlikely to make the club out of spring training but both are quite likely to be up at some point, with Taveras much more likely to be up before September than Wong.
5) Rotation: Chris Carpenter is out for the year and Kyle Lohse is now a Brewer. So the rotation is Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Westbrook, Lance Lynn, and Shelby Miller
6) Bullpen Guys/Other Pitchers worth owning/considering in rough order of how I'd rank them:
i) Jason Motte - closer but injured.
ii) Mitchell Boggs - 8th inning guy with first shot at closing in Motte's absence.
iii) Trevor Rosenthal - expected to make the team in the bullpen. The Cardinals might let him start at some point, or they might be considering him closer of the future. Hit 100 MPH and struck out the side the other day. His role was expected to be the guy who comes in when runners are on base late in games and they need a strikeout.
iv) Mujica - 7th inning guy; $1 shouldn't hurt you. He has been getting rocked in spring training, but nobody seems concerned. Might get a shot at closing before Rosenthal if Boggs flops quickly.
v) Michael Wacha - good pitching prospect; won't make the team out of spring training, but has a chance of being 2nd man up in the second half of the season if two starters get hurt, so keep an eye on him.
vi) Joe Kelly would have a good chance to be the first man up if a starter gets hurt. Likely would begin season in long relief in MLB.
Derrick Goold (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) https://twitter.com/dgoold is the best guy for Cardinals coverage.
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