As the 2014 MLB season begins after a brutal winter, fans are eager for the games to start and the storylines to end. Teams such as the Yankees, Dodgers, Tigers, Mariners and Rangers dominated off-season headlines with splashy new signings and massive extensions for marquee players. Meanwhile, other teams like Washington, Tampa Bay, Oakland and Kansas City have quietly emerged as playoff contenders. Yet, one team deserves more national attention than it has received, and that is the team that I believe will win the 2014 World Series: the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals won 97 games last year and nearly won the World Series, but the best may be yet to come. St. Louis already had one of baseball’s youngest and most complete teams. It also managed to shore up weaknesses at shortstop and outfield by bringing Peter Borjous and Jhonny Peralta into the fold this offseason. The Cardinals do not have any 35 home run hitters, but they were third in the MLB in runs scored and fourth in team batting average last season. As they proved against the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 2013 NLCS, St. Louis’ deep lineup can overwhelm the best of pitchers with a steady barrage of singles and doubles. While the loss of Carlos Beltran might hurt a bit, the Cardinals figure to be in a better long term situation with his salary off the books. After all, any squad with Matt Carpenter, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina will have little difficulty finding enough key hits and runs to win most nights. St. Louis also has several fine reserve players, including Mark Ellis, John Jay, Oscar Taveras and Pete Kozma. With all these assets, the Cardinals will be well-equipped to handle the dog days of August and the rigors of October.
As good as its offense can be, St. Louis is my favorite to win the World Series because of its superb young pitching staff. Of St. Louis’ 18 pitchers on its 40-man roster, only four are over 28 years old. Adam Wainwright has cemented his role as the staff ace, but Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, Shelly Miller and Joe Kelly are all perfectly capable of being top-three pitchers for a playoff team. In fact, the Cardinals have a chance to have each starter finish with a sub-4.00 ERA, something almost unheard of. This depth is a true luxury, and it allows them to withstand injuries to one or two rotation members. If the starters keep St. Louis in games, the bullpen should finish off victories. Trevor Rosenthal is yet another young pitcher with great potential for the Cardinals, and he will look to establish himself as their closer for years to come. The Cardinals’ pitching staff was not always a strong factor in the 2000s, but their current pitchers could dominate the league for the ensuing decade.
When I consider the Cardinals all-around strength and exciting young talent, it seems surprising more baseball fans aren’t taking note. Come October, this will probably change.
— Dominic Kearns
