St. Louis Cardinals 2015 MLB season preview and predictions

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 starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (5) is congratulated by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) after recording the final out against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

2015 Season Predictions

With apologies to the San Francisco Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals are the gold standard for National League franchises. They always put a competitive product on the field, and this season should be no different, with a strong blend of veteran contributors and rising young stars.

The success of this season’s St. Louis outfit is directly tied to a few players on the offensive side of things, but provided that a handful of those players produce at an expected rate, there is nothing to fear. The Cardinals have the highest talent level in the NL Central across the board, and while they don’t necessarily stack up with the Dodgers and Nationals on a player-for-player basis, the organizational stability and potential upside in players like Heyward, Wong and Wacha brings well-founded optimism.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been the class of the NL Central for a long time, and that should continue in 2015.

Projection: 93-69 (1st in NL Central)

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