5 favorites to win the 2016 World Series

By John Buhler | Mar 18, 2016

Nov 1, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the New York Mets in the 9th inning in game five of the World Series at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 9, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (4) is congratulated by manager Mike Matheny (22) after game one of the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports /

3. player. 32. . National League. Central. St. Louis Cardinals

There has not been a better run franchise in Major League Baseball in the last 20 years than the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis is never bad and no team does a better job of reloading with great young players than does to Cardinals organization.

While St. Louis had somewhat of a down year in 2015, where they didn’t make it to a National League Championship Series, the Cardinals were still able to win the National League Central without having its best pitcher in Adam Wainwright for most of the season because of an Achilles’ injury.

St. Louis has great position players like catcher Yadier Molina, left fielder Matt Holiday, and third basemen Matt Carpenter, but it will be their loaded pitching staff that will carry the Cardinals very far in the 2016 NL postseason.

Wainwright, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal, Lance Lynn, and Jaime Garcia will all toe the rubber for the Redbirds in 2016. St. Louis has a great young manager in former backstop Mike Matheny and the Cardinals will grind for playoff positioning in the tough National League Central with the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016.

Since the Cardinals failed to meet lofty expectations in 2015 and their arch rival Cubs are one of the presumed favorites to win it all, St. Louis could emerge as the least surprising dark horse contender in the National League to win the World Series. A 2016 World Series Championship would make a perfect dozen for the most successful organization in the National League in St. Louis.

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