5 takeaways from the Cardinals' impressive 2025 season launch
Small ball sex appeal is in, boredom decreases, and the Birds aren't hopeless.
Echoing the words of the wise Bernie Miklasz, hold your “it’s only a game and a half” reactions. I spend a good portion of my work week cycle-counting plumbing supplies, so I understand the difference between 162 and 160. It’s early and not even the THIRD WEEK OF THE SEASON YET (La Russa voice), but there’s encouraging signs from the boys of summer as the 2025 season barely raises its head above the rainy ground.
#1-That’s a tasty Nootbaar
Lars is white hot to begin the season, smacking base hits and ripping key home runs for the home team all from the leadoff role. While Masyn Winn brought some pop and versatility to the top spot, Nootbaar could be a goldmine if his legs don’t fail him. The only thing that has hindered a guy who owns one of the best chase rates in the league is the injury bug. As I type this, he’s collected another multi-hit day with a two-run, cork-pulling single to push the scoreboard tally to 4-1, good guys.
He can cover ground out in the field, and plays all three spots to give manager Oli Marmol some wiggle room with younger talents like Jordan Walker and Victor Scott II. A leadoff guy is crucial for a team needing to improve their offensive performance.
#2-Rotation assurance
Sonny Gray may have shown some decreased velocity, but he gritted out five innings with some bulldog tenacity and decent pitch mixing on Opening Day. Erick Fedde carved through the Minnesota Twins lineup for six innings with only 73 pitches. If Miles Mikolas can shave a single run off his ERA and not get rocked every third start, the group may not be a sore spot for the club. My worries don’t exist with Andre Pallante; they rest with Mikolas, Matthew Liberatore (one start in the spring), and Fedde.
Unless the entire lineup starts beating teams up consistently (9 runs scored through the first 14+ innings this season), the rotation needs to be sharp or at least eat up some innings. Going to the bullpen in the fifth or sixth like last year won’t do well as the schedule stretches into August.
#3-Small ball action is refreshing
While they’ve hit three home runs in the first couple games, the amount of singles are plentiful--and that’s fine! The amount of at-bats where the team looks clueless or trying their best to resemble the Bad News Bears are far less. They’re working pitchers over and making them reveal their entire arsenal instead of giving the other team a free pass to an out. In the sixth inning Saturday afternoon, they had the bases loaded. The Twins reliever struck out Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn, but the two batters made them work enough for Lars Nootbaar to rip a game-flipping single.
Let’s wait a week before we call it Whitey ball revived, but it’s a change from last year’s putrid performance.
#4-They aren’t hopeless with runners in scoring position
The Nootbaar hit came with two outs, just like a few other knocks here in the opening round. Hitting with runners on and two outs is essential to do anything worthy in this league. Leadoff singles are nice and all, but pushing one through when the chips are down and the pressure is on separates the pretenders from the contenders. Nolan Arenado had a good at-bat lead to a key hit in the first game with two outs.
The full team reset is only underway, but the new hitting coach has apparently downloaded a new software into the brains of these hitters with only a couple months of work. Brant Brown may look like the older man on his front porch yelling at fast drivers while holding a Busch Light and his fishing rod, but he’s breaking through early on.
#5-Not worried about Willson Contreras
In a perfect example to exhibit how spring stats should be taken with the same amount of salt that Burger King applies to their French fries, the new first baseman is 0-8 to start the season. It’s no big deal to anyone who has watched the guy swing a bat for the past seven years. Sometimes, guys start slow while others come out of the gate hitting as many baseballs as Matt Holliday did in the second half of 2009. Contreras did relieve himself of some extra defensive prep time by moving 90 feet up the first base line to a new position, but the pressures of that new spot could be interfering with his approach at the plate.
Or, he’s just getting warmed up. A misstep at first base today extended an inning for Fedde, but the starter got out of it. It’s worth noting that Contreras made an impressive catch on Opening Day down the first base line. No worries yet on the lumber front. Speaking of Holliday, he needed some time to get rolling in his first full season in St. Louis back in 2010. Veterans can build their own cells of imprisonment by raising their bar too high, so it takes time to find a middle ground.
What I like is the overall approach this year, from the position players and pitchers. Ryan Helsley is still a filthy house of pitching in the ninth, and the bullpen looks to be strong once again. With their backs against the wall and nobody expecting much of them, the Cardinals may be something more than expected in 2025, or they could just be teasing us before the roller coaster ride hits a hill. We shall see. As Jake Taylor would say, we have 160 games to go, so settle in.
Purchase some IPA beer or a good bourbon for the endurance test that players face on the field and fans face due to their own passion and obsession.