At Home Plate - 2008 St. Louis Cardinals Preview

At Home Plate

2008 St. Louis Cardinals Preview

Written by Jonathan Leshanski (Contact & Archive) on March 11, 2008

2007 Regular Season Record: 78-84
Rank: Third in the NL Central - 7.0 games back
Home Park: Busch Stadium

Padding the Nest:

C- Mark Johnson - Free Agent*
C- Jason LaRue - Free Agent
1B - Josh Phelps - Free Agent*
3B - David Freese - Trade with Padres
3B - Troy Glaus - Trade with Jays
IF - Cesar Izturis - Free Agent
IF - D’Angelo Jumenez - Free Agent*
OF - Brian Barton - Rule V Draft Pick.
OF - Cody Haerther - Waivers from Jays
SP - Matt Clement - Free Agent
SP - Ron Villone - Free Agent*
RP - Ron Flores - Free Agent*
RP - John Wasdin - Free Agent*

Flown the Coop:

C – Gart Bennett- Free Agent to Dodgers
3B - Scott Rolen - Traded to Blue Jays
3B - Scott Spiezio - Released
IF - Russell Branyan - Free Agent to Brewers*
IF - Miguel Cairo - Free Agent to Mariners
SS - David Eckstein - Free Agent to Blue Jays
OF - Jim Edmonds - Traded to Padres
OF - So Taguchi - Free Agent to Phillies
RP - Randy Keisler - Free Agent to Twins*
RP - Mike Maroth - Free Agent to Royals*
RP - Troy Percival - Free Agent to Rays
SP - Kip Wells - Free Agent to Rockies

Likely Gone but still unsigned:
C - Kelly Stinnett
OF - Preston Wilson

* signed minor league deal

The Skinny:

After a sub-.500 season last year, the Cards came to the conclusion it was time to rebuild. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they slashed payroll and shipped out fan favorites Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen and allowed David Eckstein to walk away. That means that Cards fans are looking forward to a rough 2008. It’s worse since Albert Pujols needs an elbow surgery which he’s putting off - meaning that Cards fans are probably looking at a rough 2009 too.

Strengths:

If the Cards have a true strength it might just be their pitching staff which really isn’t half bad. While the Cards won’t open the season with a true ace like the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano, or the Astros’ Roy Oswalt, they do expect to get Chris Carpenter back around mid season. He’ll supplement a rotation which features Adam Wainwright (14-12. 3.70 ERA), Braden Looper, Joel Pineiro, Mark Mulder, and Anthony Reyes or Matt Clement.   And while that sounds good on paper, Clement, Pineiro, and Mulder are all coming off injury.   That means this staff could be one of the strongest in the Central or one of the worst. But odds are they’ll at least outclass the Pirates, Reds and Astros.

Weaknesses:

Offensively the Cards have shed the creaky Scott Rolen and the ancient Jim Edmonds, but you have to ask if Chris Duncan in the cleanup spot is really ready to take over as the heart of the offense.   That could be an even heavier burden if Albert Pujols decides sometime along the way that it’s time to have the elbow surgery which he desperately needs and will cost him at least most of a season. If that happens, the offense rides on Duncan, Rick Ankiel (who has been implicated as an HGH user and could face discipline) and Troy Glaus who at 31 has battled injuries the past few years.

Potential Lineup

CF - Colby Rasmus
SS - Cesar Izturis
1B - Albert Pujols
LF - Chris Duncan
RF - Rick Ankiel
3B - Troy Glaus
C - Yadier Molina
2B - Adam Kennedy

Rotation
SP1 – Adam Wainwright
SP2 – Braden Looper
SP3 – Matt Clement
SP4 – Mark Mulder
SP5 – Anthony Reyes

Keys to Success:

For the Cards to have any hope of finishing in anything like contention, they’ll need a collapse by the Brewers and Cubs and a rebound to previous form by at least two of their four starters who were injured last season. They’ll also need a healthy Pujols.

Prediction:

The Cards aren’t ready to contend this year, and won’t be ready to do so next year unless Pujols goes for surgery by June at the latest.   This is a team who will finish in the lower half of the Central, and could be the fifth best team in the division - better than only the Pirates if the pitching doesn’t bounce back to at least 75% of what it can be. Prediction - expect the Cards to finish fourth.

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