Where will the Cardinals finish in 2011?

**Kingdom** · 03-23-2011 10:34 AM

So, I'm sure by now you've heard about Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright. Not exactly the off season a contender wants. I don't expect Pujols' productivity to tail off, though. But the offense is still in question and the rotation took a warhead directly in its face. Looks like Kyle McLellan might be going from reliever to the number 5 spot. Westbrook, Garcia, and Lohse all get bumped up a notch. If Garcia proves he's no fluke and Lohse can avoid posting another 6 plus ERA, the rotation will be solid. The pen continues to see fresh, new faces that throw hard but Ryan Franklin is still carrying the torch as closer. He's usually effective, it's just never pretty to watch. And did you know he's 38? Aside from Pujols, the infield is pretty weak at hitting. There's capable contact hitters, but Freese+Theriot+Schumaker combined might not even reach 20 homeruns. In fact, 10 will be hard enough to reach. Holliday and Rasmus will provide plenty of pop in the outfield, and then there's the wild card. Lance Berkman and his kneeless body will be manning RF. Still waiting to see if St. Louis realizes that he's 35, not 25. He's always a health concern, and having him play RF, probably going to increase the odds of injury. He's been on the down slide offensively since 2008, in part due to the injuries, and you can only imagine the adventures to be had defensively. Jon Jay is still around, he did have a solid half season.

**love_that_reefer** · 03-23-2011 11:06 AM

I got the Cards finishing third. When you got the best player in the game matched with Holliday and Carpenter, you can do some damage. I think you underestimate Freese in the power department. I can see a healthy Freese hitting 15 HRs by himself. Theriot will be far superior than Ryan who was basically an automatic out last year. Ryan's defense was superior but provided next to nothing offensively, plus players didn't like him. If LaRussa uses Berkman correctly, I can see it working out and by using him correctly I mean plenty of days off and Jon Jay coming in late defensively. The rotation should still be solid even with the loss of Wainwright. Dave Duncan is a god! I just don't think the Cards will have the lasting power to surpass the Reds and Brewers.

**Fitzy** · 06-09-2011 08:17 PM

The teams pitching is pretty weak, especially the bullpen. They will still fight for the division with the Reds and Brewers, but I think they will fall short coming in 3rd behind those teams.