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St. Louis Cardinals 2015 MLB season preview and predictions

ByBrad Rowland|
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) is congratulated by third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) after scoring on a three run double by catcher Yadier Molina (not pictured) during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) is congratulated by third baseman Matt Carpenter (13) after scoring on a three run double by catcher Yadier Molina (not pictured) during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
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St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong (16) throws out a Detroit Tigers base runner at Roger Dean Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Tigers 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong (16) throws out a Detroit Tigers base runner at Roger Dean Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Tigers 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

3 Keys to Success

  1. The Old Guys – In fairness, the trio of Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright isn’t that old, with only Holliday (35) technically out of prime seasons when it comes to MLB players. However, each player saw a downturn in 2014, whether due to injury or ineffectiveness, and the 2015 campaign will rely heavily on what the Cardinals can extract from the three players. Holliday’s slugging percentage has declined in 5 straight seasons (.441 in 2014), making it tougher to overlook his defensive issues, while Molina (110 games) faces questions about the extended miles on his legs at catcher. Wainwright is perhaps the biggest concern, as the lone ace on this staff, but another massive workload (227 IP in 2014) gives some pause about his ability to continue his dominance.
  2. Stability in the Bullpen – Pat Neshek is out and Jordan Walden is in. We’ve touched on these two pitchers already in this space, but the biggest concern is actually in the ninth inning with Trevor Rosenthal. The former elite prospect wasn’t bad in 2014, posting a 3.20 ERA with 45 saves in 72 appearances, but his walk rate spiked to an ugly 5.37 BB/9, leaving some to wonder about his future. St. Louis has been optimistic about their young closer, but if Rosenthal struggles and Walden sustains any durability issues (which he has countered previously), there isn’t an obvious choice for late-inning work.
  3. Double-Play Combo – Jhonny Peralta and Kolten Wong form one of the strongest SS-2B combinations in the league. Peralta was excellent in 2014, posting a career-best 5.3 fWAR on the strength of 21 home runs and elite defense, and it will be important for St. Louis to receive similar production in 2015. Wong is the “X-Factor” of the two players, though, as he is a former elite prospect that has struggled at times with consistency. For the full season in 2014, the now 24-year-old did steal 20 bases and blast 12 home runs, but it came with a sub-.700 OPS, and Wong isn’t quite as dominant defensively as he would need to be to overcome that. The talent is there for both players, but the Cardinals go could as their middle infield goes in 2015.

Next: 2015 Season Predictions

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