The St. Louis Cardinals have questions days before 2024 Spring Training.
The St. Louis Cardinals have questions days before 2024 Spring Training. The 2023 season flopped. Not what was expected. Baseball fans are wary, but Cardinals supporters haven’t been this dubious in a while.
Several Cardinals started last season with their native countries’ World Baseball Classic teams. The team will stay together during Spring Training. They’ll have time to study together. To strengthen Cardinal Way.
The Cardinals’ manager is heated to start the season. Oli Marmol is relieved to have Daniel Descalso as bench coach. His tenacity and desire make him a good dugout partner. Advisor Yadier Molina will be in the dugout. Molina’s presence matters.
In his first season as pitching coach, Dusty Blake felt understaffed and overworked. Blake has Dean Kiekhefer as his assistant in 2024. The pair will have a big season. Only Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz will return to start alongside newcomers. Lance Lynn, Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson. The squad features many young pitchers and numerous seasoned bullpen guys competing for Opening Day slots.
This is the most significant Spring Training in years.
Despite the team’s significant priorities, numerous players realize their spring training performance might decide their team’s success in a key season.
Masyn Winn may shape the Cardinals in 2024.
One of the Cardinals’ most promising prospects. He struggled in 2023. Winn has to improve for 2024. Starting spring training, he must prove he can be the Cardinals’ everyday shortstop and affect the lineup.
Winn should be able to focus on his plate performance and match his shortstop play now that his new guy feelings have subsided. His performance might make or break the squad. If he fails at shortstop, Tommy Edman may return from centerfield. Other forced movements might derail everything. This may seem dramatic, but the Cardinals depend on Winn at shortstop this season.
Willson Contreras may shape the Cardinals in 2024.
Contreras wanted to be the Cardinals’ regular catcher like Yadier Molina. He was professional when his new manager and pitching staff criticized him for not being Molina, but he persevered.
Contreras will work with a new pitching staff this season. Molina, John Mozeliak’s special assistant, will be accessible to him during Spring Training and beyond.
Contreras should help the Cardinals win in 2024 if he can improve on his 2023 performance and work with Molina and the new staff.
Lars Nootbaar may guide the Cardinals in 2024.
Lars Nootbaar became a worldwide celebrity last year after playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and being awarded GQ Japan’s Man of the Year.
Nootbaar hit.261/.367/.418 with a.784 OPS in 2023. He had 74 runs, 23 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, and 46 RBI.
Watching how this plays out in 2024 will be fun. Fans, teammates, and management like him. After switching outfield and lineup positions, he now plays left-field defense and leads off. In 2023, he was injured like the rest of the club, but he improved at the bat this summer.
In 2024, Nootbaar will be crucial to the Cardinals’ success if healthy.
Lance Lynn’s return to the Cardinals in 2024 might shape their trajectory with his ability to toss strikes over extended innings. The Cardinals need this after a dismal 2023 in which the bullpen was overworked due to starting rotation woes, most of which were injuries.
A starter who can go several innings will be welcome.
Lynn has the charisma needed to be a big brother to a young, silent staff unsure of their fit with a team striving to discover itself. Bulldog and warrior, he knows the Cardinal Way and expectations.
Lynn played poorly for the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, but returning home to play for a loyal fans should be good for him. A system he grew up with and friends with players and coaches would comfort him. If Lynn fulfills their expectations, the Cardinals should succeed in 2024.
Nolan Arenado might steer the Cardinals in 2024.
Arenado struggled like his colleagues in 2023. He may have had his worst Cardinals season.
Arenado’s prior hitting failures have motivated him to have a tremendous season. Arenado ended the 2023 season on the disabled list due to back problems.
Last season, he hit.266/.315/.459 with a.774 OPS. He had 26 doubles, two triples, 26 home runs, 71 runs, and 93 RBIs. This offseason, he’s worked to rehab his injury and improve at the plate in addition to fielding. To succeed in 2024 and return to fan expectations, Arenado needs a big chip on his shoulder.
If Arenado gets back on track, the Cardinals’ summer will depend on him.
