St. Louis Cardinals 2017 Team Preview

Jun 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Kolten Wong (right) celebrates with shortstop Aledmys Diaz (center) and second baseman Matt Carpenter (left) after their victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cardinals won 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Kolten Wong (right) celebrates with shortstop Aledmys Diaz (center) and second baseman Matt Carpenter (left) after their victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cardinals won 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
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Jun 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Kolten Wong (right) celebrates with shortstop Aledmys Diaz (center) and second baseman Matt Carpenter (left) after their victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cardinals won 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Kolten Wong (right) celebrates with shortstop Aledmys Diaz (center) and second baseman Matt Carpenter (left) after their victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Cardinals won 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /

After making the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, the St. Louis Cardinals failed to do so in 2016. Can they make it back into the postseason in 2017? Here’s a look at the Cardinals heading into the new season.

The last time the MLB Postseason didn’t include the St. Louis Cardinals was in 2010. The Cardinals won the NL Central the past three seasons. And after winning 100 games in 2015, they regressed 14 wins and won 86 games in 2016.

Even with 86 wins, the Cardinals finished 17.5 games back of the first place and eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs. St. Louis barely missed out on the playoffs, though. They finished one game back of the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants for a Wild Card spot in the NL.

Fast-forward to 2017 and the Cubs are once again favored to win the NL Central. The battle for the NL Central title is mostly a two-team race between the Cardinals and Cubs. The Pirates could also mix into that equation, but they’ll need to play better than they did last season.

In order for the Cardinals to win the NL Central, they need certain players to step up.

Diaz’s Sophomore Season:

Aledmys Diaz burst onto the scene into 2016. The rookie shortstop provided some of the best offensive numbers for the Cardinals last season. He even earned a trip to the 2016 All-Star Game.

In 111 games, Diaz hit .300/.369/.510 with 17 home runs, 65 RBI and 71 runs. The Cardinals need Diaz to repeat that success in 2017. If the Cardinals want to earn the NL Central crown back, they cannot afford a sophomore slump from the 26-year-old.

Although, the Cardinals own one of the deepest infields in all of baseball. With backup utility infielders Jedd Gyorko and Greg Garcia available, the Cardinals have plenty of options to go with if any of their starting infielders struggle.

Waino’s World:

If the Cardinals want to compete with the Cubs in 2017, their pitching staff must step up. In particular, their ace, Adam Wainwright needs a successful season on the mound.

Wainwright struggled in 2016. He posted the highest ERA of his career at 4.62. His 2.67 BB/9 rate also jumped up to the highest rate since 2007. He didn’t look like the ace that he used to be.

Entering his age-35 season, Wainwright might not possess the dominance of previous years, but without a stronger 2017 season, the Cardinals can’t win the Central.

Oh Closing Games:

After struggling in the closer’s role in 2016, Trevor Rosenthal lost his job to 33-year-old rookie Seung-hwan Oh. In 2017, the Cardinals are sticking with Oh as their closer. And they are trying to convert Rosenthal into a starter, per Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today Sports.

Nothing helps a team more than a successful closer. The Cardinals need success from Oh in 2017. Last season, Oh converted 19 saves out of 23 attempts. His ERA sat at 1.92 and his K/9 rate reached 11.64.

Now let’s check out some of the new acquisitions for the Cardinals, along with departed players, 2017 projections and predictions.

Mar 1, 2017; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Dexter Fowler (25) at bat against the New York Mets during a spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Dexter Fowler (25) at bat against the New York Mets during a spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Additions

The Cardinals made some free-agent acquisitions during the offseason and have a pitcher coming back from injury. All three guys look to bolster the Cardinals’ roster.

Center Field:

During the offseason, the Cardinals picked up one of the best free agents available in Dexter Fowler. After two seasons in Chicago, Fowler signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Cubs’ division rival Cardinals. He fits into the outfield with Stephen Piscotty in left and Randal Grichuk in right.

Fowler played a huge factor in the Cubs’ 2016 championship run. He hit a leadoff home run in Game 7 of the World Series and helped end a 108-year championship drought for the Cubs. Fowler also earned his first All-Star appearance last season.

In 2016, Fowler hit .276/.393/.447 with 13 home runs, 48 RBI and 84 runs. He provides the Cardinals with a leadoff hitter and adds more depth to the lineup.

Relief Pitcher:

After spending his first eight major league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, reliever Brett Cecil signed a four-year, $30.5 deal million with the St. Louis Cardinals. The reliever puts a good left-hand option in the bullpen for the Cardinals.

Last season, Cecil’s ERA was up a bit. After three seasons in the two-range, Cecil’s ERA hit 3.93. Nonetheless, Cecil owns a career 6.8 bWAR. A change of scenery might help Cecil in 2017. At the very least, the Cardinals added a veteran arm to their bullpen for the next four seasons.

Starter Back from TJS:

Cardinals’ starting pitcher Lance Lynn missed the entire 2016 season, due to Tommy John surgery. Back in 2017, Lynn feels like an addition for St. Louis, especially with the rotation help the Cardinals need.

In his five-year career, Lynn has a record of 61-39, an ERA of 3.37 and 766 strikeouts in 791.1 innings pitched. He earned an All-Star Game selection in his 2012 season. The Cardinals hope that Lynn comes back better than ever in 2017. Not only will that help St. Louis, but also Lynn as he heads into free agency next offseason.

Jun 29, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) at bat against the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 29, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) at bat against the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /

Players Lost From 2016

Although with the players St. Louis gained during the offseason, they also lost some key guys from the 2016 squad.

Matt Holliday:

After seven and a half seasons in a Cardinals’ uniform, Matt Holliday signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the New York Yankees. The Cardinals expressed no interest in re-signing Holliday, and decided Fowler fit better with the club moving forward.

Holliday finished his Cardinals’ career in emotional fashion. In his second to last at-bat with the Cardinals, in a pinch-hit appearance, Holliday hit a home run. He had just come off the DL and many thought it was Holliday’s last at-bat in St. Louis. The stadium erupted with cheers and his teammates went crazy for his home run.

Holliday owns a bWAR of 44.4. In 2016, he hit .246/.322/.461 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. He earned four All-Star Game selections and a silver slugger with the Cardinals. As the 37-year-old nears the end of his career, New York fits well for him because he can DH, if necessary.

 Jaime Garcia:

During the offseason, the Cardinals traded starting pitcher Jaime Garcia to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers John Grant and Chris Ellis, and infielder Luke Dykstra. Garcia is in his final year of a six-year deal. The Cardinals attempted to get the most for him in his last season before free agency.

Garcia struggled in 2016 and finished with a record of 10-13 with an ERA of 4.67 and 150 strikeouts. His ERA reached the highest of his career and he also suffered the most losses in a single season in his career.

The 30-year-old spent his entire career with St. Louis before the trade. He now joins a Braves’ team that is young and on the rise.

Brandon Moss:

After a season and a half with the Cardinals, Brandon Moss is out of St. Louis and in Kansas City instead. In the offseason, he signed a two-year, $12 million deal with a mutual option for the 2019 season.

Moss makes more sense with an AL team. With the Royals, Moss can DH for them, something he couldn’t do with the Cardinals.

The powerful left-hander hit 28 home runs last season. With the home runs comes a high strikeout rate. He struck out 141 times in 2016. His slash line last season was .225/.300/.484.

Alex Reyes and Zach Duke to TJS:

The Cardinals enter the 2017 season without two key pitchers. Alex Reyes, MLB.com’s No. 14 top prospect, underwent Tommy John surgery in February. The Cardinals expected Reyes to compete for the No. 5 spot in their rotation this coming season. Reyes won’t return until the 2018 season.

In the bullpen, the Cardinals likely won’t have relief pitcher Zach Duke for the 2017 season. Duke, like Reyes, is recovering from TJS. The Cardinals must rely on other pitchers to step up in place of these two lost players.

Aug 24, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) is congratulated by manager Mike Matheny (22) after scoring during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) is congratulated by manager Mike Matheny (22) after scoring during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Projections:

Although the Cardinals don’t stand as the favorites to win the NL Central, their roster is still one of the best in baseball. Their lineup is the strength of the team, but their rotation holds questions. Let’s take a look at their projected starting rotation, bullpen and lineup.

Rotation:

  1. Adam Wainwright
  2. Carlos Martinez
  3. Mike Leake
  4. Michael Wacha
  5. Lance Lynn

Bullpen:

Long Relief: Luke Weaver/Trevor Rosenthal

Middle Relief: Brett Cecil/Tyler Lyons (DL)/Kevin Siegrist/Miguel Socolovich/Matthew Bowman

Setup: Jonathan Broxton

Closer: Seung-hwan Oh

Lineup:

CF Fowler

SS Diaz

1B Carpenter

RF Piscotty

3B Peralta

C Molina

LF Grichuk

2B Wong

Next: Baltimore Orioles 2017 Team Preview

Predictions:

Record: 88-74

Division Rank: Second

Playoffs: Yes, Wild Card #1

The Cardinals win just two more games than they did in 2016. The Cubs win the division for the second consecutive year, but the Cardinals earn the first Wild Card spot in the NL. After missing the playoffs in 2016, the Cardinals led by Manager Mike Matheny are back in the Postseason and look to play deep into October.

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