Fansided

5 reasons the St. Louis Cardinals will win it all in 2015

By Josh Criswell

Jul 5, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Thomas Pham (60) is congratulated by third base coach Jose Oquendo (11) after hitting his first major league home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 5, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Thomas Pham (60) is congratulated by third base coach Jose Oquendo (11) after hitting his first major league home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
October 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (27) throws to first as Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (72) slides into second in the eight inning in game two of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
October 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (27) throws to first as Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (72) slides into second in the eight inning in game two of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

There is not a more clutch defensive team in the MLB

The St. Louis Cardinals are not the greatest defensive team in the MLB, but they are still very good. And very good is all that you need when your pitching staff is the best in baseball.

What makes the Cardinals’ defense so valuable, though, is their ability to leave runners stranded on-base.

St. Louis is performing at a historic rate in this area, with their pitchers playing a large role in why they are able to do so. Their left-on-base percentage is the best in MLB history. In addition, they are by far the best team in baseball when it comes to batting average allowed in situations with runners on base, runners in scoring position (RISP) and RISP with two outs.

This ability to step up in clutch situations is a major factor in the Cardinals’ stronghold on the best record in the MLB. They give up hits, but once runners are on-base, they become virtually unhittable.

The Cardinals are on par with the rest of the league when the bases are empty. As a matter of fact, they are performing below the league average. But they clamp down when it matters most, something that will be crucial in October.

Next: A lineup built the postseason

Home/MLB