It was a very sour finish to the St. Louis Cardinals season after Matt Holliday dropped an easy fly ball and choking away a very productive season. It was their first division title in three years but with most of the same parts back – including Holliday for a full season – the Cardinals will be among the teams to beat in the National League.
St. Louis Cardinals Baseball betting: +1015 To Win World Series
Cardinals re-signed Holliday to a seven-year, $120 million contract
Bullpen returns intact
Cardinals are head and shoulders above everyone else in the NL Central
Batting Lineup – St. Louis Cardinals Baseball betting
The Cardinals batting order should be much scarier this year now that Holliday is around for a full season. Hitting behind Albert Pujols, the Cards have the best 3-4 combination in the majors. Much more will be expected from youngster Colby Rasmus, who was a key batter at times last year but was inconsistent. If Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan can do a good job of getting on base, the Cardinals should be able to score plenty of runs this year.
Troy Glaus, Mark DeRosa and Rick Ankiel are gone, but none of them had huge seasons last year so the Cardinals can make a smooth transition. The addition of Felipe Lopez could prove to be a shrewd pickup at some point this season.
Keep an eye on third baseman David Freese, who was limited by a sore ankle last year. In the AAA leagues, he has been tearing it up when healthy so online betting cappers and fantasy players might want to keep an eye on him as a sleeper.
Starting Pitching – St. Louis Cardinals Baseball betting
The Cardinals had two Cy Young candidates last year and they probably will again. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter are very underrated but as good as it gets when it comes to starting.
Joel Pineiro is gone, as is fifth starter Todd Wellemeyer, but the Cards brought in Brad Penny to suck up some innings. Sportsbook odds makers know that as long as Dave Duncan is the pitching coach, the Cardinals will continue to find some gems in the rotation.
Bullpen – St. Louis Cardinals Baseball betting
The bullpen was a strength for the Cardinals and MLB betting fans should expect more of the same. Ryan Franklin had a huge 38-save season, although he flamed out near the end. He should be better in his second season closing.
Almost the entire bullpen returns intact with Jason Motte, Mitch Boggs, Trever Miller and Denis Reyes. Kyle McClellan is a bullpen arm that can be thrown into the rotation occasionally if necessary.
Outlook – St. Louis Cardinals Baseball betting
The Cardinals are clearly the best team in their division. With the Chicago Cubs toiling in mediocrity, the Milwaukee Brewers in rebuilding mode, the Cincinnati Reds searching for an identity, the Houston Astros wandering and the Pittsburgh Pirates in AAA-league mode, the Cardinals shouldn’t have much trouble winning the Central.
They have the best starting rotation, the best bullpen and the best batting lineup in the division for starters.
How far they go in the postseason will be contingent on their own performance. This is a team capable of winning the World Series but they will have some mental hurdles – Holliday’s drop – to get past from last year.
If Wainwright and Carpenter are again Cy Young candidates, and Pujols and Holliday do exactly what they have been doing, this will be a tough team to stop at any point prior to the NL Pennant.
Projected Finish In Division: First
