ST. LOUIS (KMOX) -- In just two weeks, Busch Stadium will be back in business for the home opener on April 7 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Who will be in the starting lineup?
If you've been paying attention to Adam Wainwright's pitching schedule in the Grapefruit League, he is certainly on track to be the Opening Day starter -- although that hasn't been announced yet -- in what could possibly be his last season.
Unless he pulls a Tom Brady, it is going to be the final Opening Day in the playing career of catcher Yadier Molina, who is back in camp and just about ready to play in his first Spring Training game.
Based on how manager Oli Marmol has written out his lineup, there are trends as to where he is leaning with his batting order. Let's take a look.
1) Tommy Edman, 2B
Edman earned the leadoff spot last season and held on, even with an on-base percentage of only .308. The speedy, switch-hitting Gold Glover also led the league in an offensive category (641 at-bats), stole 30 bases and registered 168 hits, 41 of which were doubles.
2) Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Add another Gold Glove to his resume, and like Edman and Nolan Arenado he was a regular in the lineup, playing 158 games. An OPS of .879 was just under his career mark of .911. Goldschmidt's combination of wise pitch selection and powerful exit velocity is hard to beat, resulting in 31 home runs, 99 RBI. He is a good baserunner, scoring 102 runs and swiping 12 bags.
3) Tyler O'Neill, LF
When former manager Mike Shildt split up Goldschmidt and Arenado, it opened the door for O'Neill to take the No. 3 spot in the order and he ran with it. O'Neill was a force for the team in their 17-game winning streak, barging into the playoffs. O'Neill hit .286 with 34 home runs and 80 RBI in 138 games. His OPS went up dramatically to .912 with a better approach at the plate. Still, his strikeouts are high (168); reducing them could turn him into a legitimate MVP candidate. He finished 8th in the voting last season on his way to a second Gold Glove.
4) Nolan Arenado, 3B
An MVP candidate every year -- and a three-time HR champion -- the nine-time Gold Glover is a force as a cleanup hitter in the Cardinals lineup. Arenado was the first Cardinal since Matt Holliday in 2012 with 100 RBI, cracking 34 homers and driving in 105 runs. His batting average, however, was at .255, up just two ticks from his .253 in 2020. Arenado never settles and worked on his hitting in the offseason, showing an ability to spray line drives to all fields, not just pull and launch. If he shows that off in the regular season, look out.
5) Dylan Carlson, RF
Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that Carlson, who carries himself like a veteran, is only 24 years old. He just completed his first full rookie season, as a matter of fact (.265, 18 HR, 65 RBI). Will the sophomore campaign be even better, or will there be a regression? Carlson could be primed for a breakout season, especially if he sticks in the No. 5 spot with plenty of RBI opportunities. That said, getting a chance at leadoff is not out of the question for the switch-hitter. Carlson posted a .343 OBP in 2021.
6) Corey Dickerson, DH
The nine-year veteran likely gets the nod at designated hitter, but his glove also plays in the outfield. Juan Yepez has a bat that can't be ignored. Lars Nootbaar could very well grab this spot and run with it if he gets hot. But Dickerson is a good contact hitter and can drive the ball, looking to improve upon power numbers that have dipped in recent years. When the Cardinals are facing righthanders, you can expect Dickerson to be slotted sixth or seventh in the order. He has a consistent lefty swing... and that was what the Cardinals identified in the free agent market this past offseason.
7) Harrison Bader, CF
Here's where it gets interesting. Bader, who has the speed to be a leadoff hitter, hadn't made enough contact in his career... until last season. Many of his 16 home runs and 50 RBI were during a stretch late in the season in which he came alive, proving to be a major addition to the lineup post-injury. He only played 103 games in 2021. Bader won his first Gold Glove. He could move around in the sixth through ninth spots in the order, depending on matchups, but against lefties his righthanded bat will play.
8) Yadier Molina, C
Even at the age of 39, Molina can still deliver the big hit in the clutch (he had a total of 111 hits last season). He can still launch a ball over the fence (11 home runs in 2021). And as he often goes first-pitch swinging, he can still keep those strikeouts rather low. Molina won't play every day, even though we'll joke with Marmol that Molina is lobbying for the daily start. And we won't be far off. Andrew Knizner will get some starts at catcher and bat eighth or ninth.
(9) Paul DeJong, SS
The Cardinals have another shortstop in Edmundo Sosa, but DeJong will likely get first crack at it. With a rib injury in 2021, COVID-19 in 2020, DeJong has had his share of setbacks. When healthy, can he resurrect his 30 HR season in 2019? Even in a difficult year, he somehow found a way to hit 19 round-trippers in 2021. DeJong had trouble making contact last season (.197 BA), but still... don't throw a mistake pitch to him over the plate. He'll knock it out of the park. Regardless, Sosa is waiting and will play.