3 up, 3 down at Cardinals spring training and 1 lineup dilemma yet to come around: BPIB
JUPITER, Fla.聽鈥 With three weeks of spring training remaining before opening day at Busch Stadium and three weeks to make decisions on the bullpen, three weeks to explore any last-minute trades, three weeks to stir the offense, and three weeks to make that first free-agent move of the offseason, the Best Podcast in Baseball considers camp with a pair of threes.
Three up.
Three down.
Post-Dispatch sports columnist and instant offense for Jeff Gordon joins baseball writer Derrick Goold to discuss three ups of spring (players who have stood out) and three downs (trends of note), and all of that leads to the one major lineup dilemma looming over the team. Manager Oliver Marmol likes to say it will take a larger room to come to a conclusion on some of the defining decisions of March. This is a look at how those talks could go.
Gordon joins the podcast from St. 香港三级片, while Goold is in Jupiter covering spring training for the Post-Dispatch's constant Cardinals coverage.
The Best Podcast in Baseball, sponsored by Closets by Design of St. 香港三级片, is in its 13th season. It is a production of the 香港三级片, , and Derrick Goold.
"I was not really pleased with our offensive performance at the beginning," new hitting coach said as Cardinals hit .184 through nine games before a few bursts this week.
Back at the ballpark where he injured his hamstring a year ago and delayed his Cardinals start, Sonny Gray focused on execution. What's next? "Scouting," he says.
Cardinals want to follow same blueprint to setup bullpen. Do they have the right personnel?
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 When Roddery Munoz arrived in spring training with the team that plucked him and his velocity off waivers, the Cardinals presented him with their plan and a change of pace.
Munoz, who pitched last season for Miami, started in 17 of his 18 big-league appearances, and his relief experience mostly came in Class AAA two years ago. The Cardinals met with him early in camp and explained how they wanted to move him to the bullpen, from the start, and outfit him with a reliever鈥檚 routine to see if that made him more consistent while maintaining (or accelerating?) his power.
He was intrigued.
鈥淚 like to try something new,鈥 the right-hander said. 鈥淚f something doesn鈥檛 work, then trying something new. The routine for a starter is long. You get ready for the game. You have a lot of time. The reliever 鈥 you never know when you鈥檙e going into a game. Whatever the situation, you have to be ready for every moment.鈥
Cardinals pitchers Roddery Munoz, right, and Edwin Nunez throw on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at the team practice facility in Jupiter, Fla.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
The Cardinals are auditioning for the reliever to be ready for a moment that was pivotal to last season鈥檚 reliable bullpen and record-setting season from closer Ryan Helsley.
They have a blueprint. They need a bridge.
And they鈥檙e throwing all sorts of options at the opening to see if one emerges.
鈥淲hen you know you have Helsley in the ninth, you鈥檙e working backward,鈥 manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淵ou had an answer for just about anything. That is, when you have more opportunities to close out games when you have the lead after the sixth or seventh inning 鈥 which wasn鈥檛 a strength of ours the previous years. When you look at what went well, it was we had really good personnel to solve for a lot of lineups.鈥
Andrew Kittredge brought the bullpen together with his work as Helsley鈥檚 primary setup. Lefty JoJo Romero had 30 holds. Kittredge led the National League and set a club record with 37 holds. Talk to Chris Roycroft about his mentality or Ryan Fernandez about his gameday prep, and it鈥檚 clear Kittredge鈥檚 presence remains, even though he left as a free agent for Baltimore.
To replace him and bridge leads to Helsley, the Cardinals have pulled prospective relievers in from all the usual sources. There is the incumbent: Romero. There are the returning relievers pushing for a promotions: Fernandez and Roycroft from the right, Matthew Liberatore on the left. There is the comeback candidate (internal): Riley O鈥橞rien. There is the comeback candidate (external): Nick Anderson. There is the waiver claim: Munoz. And there is the rising prospect who could have a new role: Gordon Graceffo.
The one source not yet tapped is major-league free agency. The Cardinals remain in conversation with veteran relievers, sources said. What they鈥檙e willing to spend appears limited, but there鈥檚 internal discussion about the value of adding a stabilizing veteran. The available free agents the Cardinals have discussed or approached include a handful of seasoned relievers such as David Robertson, who had 34 holds in 2024, and Phil Maton, a native of Chatham, Illinois, who had a 3.66 ERA in 71 games this past summer.
Cardinals relievers JoJo Romero, right, and John King throw in the bullpen on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at the team's practice facility in Jupiter, Fla.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
鈥淭he guys we have right now can definitely do what we did,鈥 Fernandez said. 鈥淗opefully I can put myself in that role by pitching well.鈥
With his fastball, Fernandez, a rookie last season, has seven strikeouts in four innings this spring. He along with Romero, Kyle Leahy, Munoz, O鈥橞rien, and Roycroft had yet to allow a run in their spring appearances. Anderson slipped into trouble in an early outing. Graceffo pitched out of trouble in a recent outing, and he leads the Cardinals going into Friday鈥檚 game with nine strikeouts in 5鈪 innings.
A year ago, the Cardinals committed to Helsley in a classic closer role 鈥 he鈥檇 get the ninth if they had a save to secure. That came after a turbulent year for the bullpen and Helsley that saw him used in various innings, often when it appeared to be the highest leverage.
A variety of consistent, quality setup options made that possible.
They intend to have the same approach with Helsley this season.
A variety of consistent, quality setup options must make that possible.
鈥淵ou have the personnel to do it that way,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淭here are times when you don鈥檛, and you have to figure out a different blueprint as to how to get to Helsley. But it worked because we had kind of (solutions) for a couple of different situations on the right and left side. You had groundball guys on both sides. You had some swing and miss on both sides. Based on the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and into the ninth. They were pretty interchangeable.鈥
Their groundball guy from the left, John King, returns, and so does their primary setup lefty Romero and their rising option Liberatore.
On the right, there are candidates and creativity.
The Cardinals want to see how shifting to relief helps Munoz find command, and they鈥檙e intrigued by what Graceffo could do in short-burst outings.
In his second outing of spring, Munoz had the swiftest pitch of the game, at 97.4 mph. In one scoreless, he struck out two, threw 11 pitches, and feature four different types 鈥 a sinker at 95 mph, a cutter at 92.2 mph, a slider at 86.2 mph and the aforementioned fastball. Graceffo had seven swings and misses Thursday, and he fastball averaged 93.9 mph. He touched 90.5 mph with his slider. All five of the swings at his curveball missed it.
鈥淵ou get a shot of adrenaline coming out of the 鈥檖en and don鈥檛 think as much as when you have a whole day to prepare, a whole week to prepare for the start,鈥 Graceffo said. 鈥淵ou can kind of get in your head a little bit. 鈥 The mindset is a little different. It鈥檚 how you attack the day.鈥
Without signing a major-league free agent, what the Cardinals have created within camp and on their roster is depth. From quantity, they鈥檒l seek quality. Marmol recently said the right-handers vying for a spot in the bullpen 鈥渃ontinue to dial-up (for) evaluating guys who got their legs under them. This will be a good stretch.鈥
Bullpens are volatile, annually. The bullpen the Cardinals have on opening day 鈥 all lined up in roles from spring, their ERAs a tidy 0.00 鈥 is not going to be the bullpen they have by July or August. The Cardinals prioritized some elasticity with their pitching options so, if necessary, they could use churn to find the consistency.
That鈥檚 less of last year鈥檚 blueprint and more of a route, up Interstate 55.
鈥淵ou still have to have the right depth,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淯sually if they鈥檙e doing well, they don鈥檛 seesaw back and forth. They tend to stick around.鈥
Walker on the mend
Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker resumed limited baseball activities Friday for the first time since jamming his knee into a sprinkler cover earlier in the week. He took some light swings in the cage and participated in some warmup drills with his teammates.
Marmol said Walker鈥檚 absence 鈥 initially set for a week 鈥 is now 鈥渄ay to day鈥 with how the outfielder feels.
Hence sent down
Ahead of Friday night鈥檚 game, the Cardinals optioned right-handed pitcher Tink Hence to Class AA Springfield. Hence, 22, struck out one and allowed nine baserunners in his 3鈪 innings this spring. Hence, part of the Cardinals鈥 2020 draft class and one of the top pitching prospects because of the life of his fastball, has had multiple seasons interrupted by injuries.
鈥淲hen you can live and die with the fastball, it鈥檚 a good thing,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淎dd the velo to it and it makes it very difficult. Him being able to repeat that, understand how he creates that, is important. Which I feel good about.鈥
Worthy: Why Matt Koperniak could be the player most worth rooting for in Cardinals camp
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 Surely it鈥檚 selling Cardinals short to say there are only three reasons to root for the 27-year-old undrafted prospect to get his shot in the big leagues this season.
Those who know him much better probably could run down a laundry list of reasons that he鈥檚 worthy of your well wishes and positive vibes.
However, three reasons jump out to the person at the keyboard for this particular column. And yes, at least one reason might be a bit selfish.
You don鈥檛 see many former Division III college athletes reach the pinnacle of their sport. You certainly don鈥檛 see them come those from small liberal arts colleges known more for their academics than for producing star athletes.
If you鈥檙e not aware, Koperniak attended Trinity College in Connecticut, and he played baseball in .
If you even know that NESCAC stands for New England Small College Conference, then you鈥檙e already likely in a relatively small group of people alive. Maybe you read U.S. News and World Report college rankings when you鈥檙e bored.
That group of small schools definitely can give you a general manager or president of baseball operations. Chicago Cubs top decision maker Jed Hoyer and Pittsburgh Pirates top baseball official Ben Cherington are NESCAC alums.
That conference might even squeak out a sports reporter or two from time to time (Yes, including the columnist at the keyboard for this piece).
So, as a one time Division III athlete who grew up in the Northeast and went to a NESCAC school, it鈥檚 a given that Koperniak has my attention. Even if his performance has helped him shed that label as the underdog from the small school.
鈥淚 thought it was definitely some extra motivation, for sure,鈥 said Koperniak, who the Cardinals added to their 40-man roster this offseason. 鈥淛ust trying to get drafted and get into pro ball is hard enough as it is. It鈥檚 so competitive out there.
Cardinals prospect Matt Koperniak takes batting practice on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, at the team鈥檚 training facility in Jupiter, Fla.
David Carson, Post-Dispatch
鈥淛ust being able to get into pro ball from a Division 3 school was definitely motivation for me. It made me just keep working hard every day. Now, five years in, it鈥檚 just about being a professional now.鈥
Personal bias aside, Koperniak also exhibits that sort of quiet confidence that makes it difficult not to want to see him succeed.
His senior year of college came in the COVID-19 pandemic. So he had an extra year of eligibility that he planned to use at a major Division I program, Kansas State.
But then, with the MLB draft shortened to five rounds, he got the chance to jump into professional baseball as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He signed with the Cardinals and started pursuing his big-league aspirations.
A 6-foot tall, 200-pound left-handed hitting outfielder, Koperniak went into professional baseball with his eyes wide open. He knew he鈥檇 have to prove that he could adapt and improve to a much higher level of competition.
Koperniak also knew he had one trait that would help keep him around, and he鈥檇 have to hone it and let it carry him up the ladder.
鈥淚 was always a pretty good hitter,鈥 Koperniak said. 鈥淛ust trying to not put pressure on that, but know that 鈥 if anything 鈥 my bat could play at each level. So I just knew that if I was going to make it up a couple more levels, I just had to keep hitting.
鈥淚 was fortunate enough to keep doing that. Along the way, I definitely got better at all other aspects of the game as well.鈥
He never had the hype or attention that came with being labeled a top prospect. He didn鈥檛 get fast-tracked and pushed aggressively toward the majors.
In 2021, he spent most of the season at Single-A, finished the year at Double-A and then repeated Double-A again in 2022. The next season, he again spent time in both Double-A (33 games) and Triple-A (96 games). Last season, he spent the entire season at Triple-A (122 games).
Last season, he batted .309, clubbed 20 home runs and slugged .512 with an .882 OPS. For his career in the minors, he has slashed .298/.373/.461.
He has just kept hitting, and he has done it with a rather simple focus. He put the process over results.
Instead of statistics, he studied the daily reports from the organization on his swing decisions, evaluating if he swung at good pitches or bad pitches, if did damage on the pitches he put in play.
鈥淚t was just sort of trying to take it day to day and focus on getting better at my approach, pitch recognition, stuff like that,鈥 Koperniak said. 鈥淛ust tried to take it as a work in progress.鈥
This spring, Koperniak earned his way to big-league camp as a member of the Cardinals鈥 40-man roster. At some point this season, he could be called upon to provide reinforcements in the majors.
The third reason that Koperniak getting to the big leagues?
As an undrafted free agent from a tiny Division III school who flew under the radar for a lot of his career in the minors, Koperniak would serve as a fitting salute to now-retired former Cardinals head of player development Gary LaRocque.
The team rightfully underwent a revamping of its player development system this offseason. A big part of that was devoting resources (money, technology and staffing) to the farm system that were sorely lacking.
LaRocque got dealt those cards, and he played them the best he could. Surely, he would have appreciated those upgrades now being put in place. Instead, on his way out, he took some shrapnel for decisions made above his pay grade.
But Koperniak鈥檚 success would signify one last winning hand for LaRocque.
Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold joins columnist Jeff Gordon for a Cardinals rundown.
With Cardinals hosting Astros, Victor Scott II gets the start in center field
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 Victor Scott II will continue his bid for the starting center field duties on Friday when the Cardinals host the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Stadium. The 24-year-old speedster is scheduled to start in center field and bat second in Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol鈥檚 lineup.
Through six games to begin spring training, Scott is batting .467 with seven hits in 15 at-bats while going four-for-five on stolen base attempts. Ahead of Friday鈥檚 game, Scott鈥檚 four stolen bases tied him for second-most among base stealers across the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. At the time of this writing, Scott trails Nationals infielder Nasim Nunez鈥檚 five steals for the most across the majors this spring training.
Scott, who went hitless in three games during his start in left field on Thursday against the Washington Nationals, has a hit in five of the six games he鈥檚 appeared in.
The Cardinals鈥 opening-day center fielder a season ago, Scott is in competition with Michael Siani and Lars Nootbaar for starting duties heading into 2025.
Before Friday鈥檚 game, the Cardinals optioned pitching prospect Tink Hence out to Class AA, where he ended the 2024 minor league season. The right-handed starter will continue building his workload in minor-league camp.
Hence, 22, entered his third big-league camp with 40-man roster status for the first time in his career. The Texas League鈥檚 pitcher of the year this past season with a 2.71 ERA and 109 strikeouts across 79 2/3 innings as starter, Hence allowed seven runs (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings across two big-league spring training appearances. He struck out one batter and walked two.
Hence鈥檚 option to minor league camp brings the Cardinals鈥 major-league camp roster to 56 players.
Here鈥檚 how the Cardinals will line up on Friday:
1. Masyn Winn, SS
2. Victor Scott II, CF
3. Lars Nootbaar, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Alec Burleson, 1B
6. Ivan Herrera, C
7. Nolan Gorman, DH
8. Jose Fermin, 2B
9. Jose Barrero, RF
P: Miles Mikolas, RHP
Three up, three down with Derrick Goold: Best Podcast in Baseball
Worthy: Jury still out on Ivan Herrera's throwing work but Cardinals need his bat
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. 鈥 Ivan Herrera didn鈥檛 sound like he regrets playing through arm pain last season. If anything, the Cardinals catcher regretted that he let it slip out last season when he鈥檇 gotten an injection to relieve that pain. If he could rewind time, he鈥檇 probably keep that tidbit to himself.
This week, Herrera acknowledged those issues when asked. Then, he tried to steer away from the topic.
After all, Herrera knows his difficulty in throwing out runners is the big knock against him, and that has only picked up steam in the past year. Any mention of arm pain would just be low-hanging fruit for those already questioning his ability to handle catching duties.
Herrera, 24, devoted his offseason to addressing his throwing issues 鈥 from a physical standpoint as well as in terms of his throwing mechanics.
鈥淎ll I wanted to do was be ready for the season, have my body in a good position to succeed,鈥 Herrera said while standing a few feet from the team bus Wednesday at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 doing. I think I put in really good work. I feel 100% for this year.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of negative stuff out there, but I don鈥檛 really focus on that. I know the kind of player I am, and I know I can play in the big leagues.鈥
Herrera got exposed to a lot of playing time after starting catcher Willson Contreras suffered a broken arm in early May.
As a result, Herrera鈥檚 arm also got exposed. He threw out just 4 of 59 attempted base stealers (6.8%) last season. The MLB average last season for throwing out runners was 21%.
During a stint on the injured list for lower back tightness in June, Herrera received an injection for the pain in his throwing arm. While Herrera initially revealed he鈥檇 had the injection, he later downplayed the arm issues as the criticism mounted about his poor rate of throwing out base runners.
Now several months removed from the end of last season, surely Herrera might reveal more about just how much the pain impacted his throwing? Perhaps with just a little prodding?
Well, not exactly.
鈥淚鈥檓 not here to (make) excuses,鈥 Herrera said politely. 鈥淚鈥檓 not that guy. All I wanted to do was be there for the team when they needed me. Even putting my arm on the line like that was fine. I would do it again for the team because that鈥檚 the kind of player I am. At the end of the day, all I want to do is win and help the team win. That鈥檚 what I was trying to do.
鈥淓ven when I was playing like that, we were winning a lot. I think when Willson got hurt, we were second-to-last, then we jumped to second place. I feel like I was helping win some games. I was OK with trying to still play like that. Then I hurt my back, and I got sent down. I went back to Triple-A. After that, I came back to the big leagues, and I was better after I got the shot for my arm.鈥
The reality is that Herrera, the Cardinals minor league player of the year in 2023, hadn’t drawn rave reviews for his throwing arm in the minors. Third-party publications such as Baseball America and rated his throwing arm as fringe-average to a tick above average in 2020. During the 2022 season, he threw out just 18% of base stealers.
Arm pain or not, Herrera鈥檚 throwing needed to take a step forward this winter as the Cardinals prepared to fully hand the daily catching reins over to him and Pedro Pages.
That鈥檚 where Driveline Baseball entered the picture. The Seattle-based data-driven baseball lab initially gained prominence for its work with pitchers.
This winter, Herrera trained at Driveline鈥檚 facility in Tampa, Florida. He got on a throwing program that included throwing weighted balls and a long-toss regimen. The program aimed to improve his arm strength and retool his throwing motion/arm path, and it also built a routine to maintain his arm.
鈥淵ou learn new things,鈥 Herrera said. 鈥淟ike I kind of changed the angle I throw because that was making my arm hurt. You learn new stuff there because that鈥檚 something related to pitchers, more for arm.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I ever had an issue with my arm like last year. I never struggled to throw guys out until I made it to the big leagues. That was eye-opening for me. Then I went back and worked on it.鈥
The Cardinals struggled offensively last season, and Herrera can flat swing the bat. He hit throughout the minors. In 96 games in the majors, Herrera has slashed .289/.365/.398. He hits fastballs, breaking balls, off-speed pitches. His bat is potentially a big piece for their lineup.
鈥淗e knows who he is offensively, and he does a nice job of putting together professional at-bats,鈥 Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not the concern.鈥
So did Herrera fix his throwing problems this offseason?
The truth is we鈥檙e still waiting to find out. Herrera expressed confidence that the work he put in has paid dividends. Of course, skeptics will likely view his arm as a liability until he proves otherwise. And there are plenty of skeptics.
So far this spring, he has caught 35 innings spread out over seven games. He鈥檚 caught one runner stealing and two had successful stolen base attempts against him.
The chances to assess Herrera鈥檚 improvement have been 鈥渓imited,鈥 by Marmol鈥檚 own admission.
鈥淗e鈥檚 working hard at it,鈥 Marmol said. 鈥淚n the mornings, as far as his weight room stuff, as far as repatterning his throwing and just some of the Plyo balls. He鈥檚 got a good routine. Now, it鈥檚 a matter of it takes time for it to show. So our hope is that鈥檚 exactly what happens.鈥
Cardinals aren鈥檛 stuffing many hits into spring box scores. When does that start to matter?
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado flies out during the second inning of a spring training game against the Nationals on Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Jupiter, Fla.
Jeff Roberson, Associated Press
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 Back at the hotel for the evening along with his fellow Cardinals minor leaguers also in their first big league spring training, Lars Nootbaar saw his iPhone blink with a new message on the team-use app. He did a double take on the name.
Paul Goldschmidt, the first major league player Nootbaar approached, had buzzed with an apology 鈥 and an invitation.
Goldschmidt wrote that he may have hurried his talk with the young outfielder because he had a prior commitment. The All-Star suggested they meet the next day to discuss in greater depth. Nootbaar beamed. (鈥淚 was like, 鈥業鈥檓 in,鈥欌 he said, 鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥) The conversation that happened outside the Cardinals clubhouse back in 2021 gave Nootbaar advice that shapes how he approaches spring four years later, and it gave him the answers to a question asked this past week inside the clubhouse.
Spring box scores can lie. How does a hitter judge a game?
鈥淢y first conversation with a big leaguer was Goldy, and the first thing he said was, 鈥榃here was the pitch that I swung at?鈥欌 Nootbaar said. 鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 in a good spot, I don鈥檛 even think about it. That鈥檚 a mental mistake. So that鈥檚 the checklist that I go through. Where was the pitch? Could I have done something with that pitch? Yes. And now look back at my mechanics.鈥
Understanding how a hitter judges a spring game 鈥 especially a game early in the exhibition schedule 鈥 leads to a bigger-picture query for the Cardinals.
How does a team judge an offense?
The Cardinals reached this past week鈥檚 off-day with an offense yet to thaw in Florida, and that comes after a season hampered by a lack of thump. Through their first nine spring games, the Cardinals had 50 hits and ranked 30th with a .184 average, a .297 on-base percentage and .316 slugging percentage. The hitters earmarked for the opening day roster had hit .144, and subtract Willson Contreras鈥 five hits and they hit .112 with a .181 slugging.
Ivan Herrera got his first hit of spring on Wednesday; two Cardinals, Masyn Winn and Michael Siani, entered Thursday looking for their second. The Cardinals were held to five hits in a 12-1 loss Thursday to Washington at Roger Dean Stadium. Contreras had two.
The Dean is a notoriously difficult place to hit (and the Grapefruit League always lags offensively behind the Cactus League). But the fences are in, and opponents play there, too. They were batting .262. The Nationals rocked 13 hits, including a three-run homer by former Cardinal Paul DeJong.
Manager Oliver Marmol had a two-word take Tuesday on the sluggish statistics.
鈥淒on鈥檛 care,鈥 he said.
In the next three games, the Cardinals rapped 27 more hits, and they raised their average as a team to .206, their slugging up to .367.
鈥淪ame,鈥 the manager shrugged Thursday when asked if strong numbers changed his view. He expanded: 鈥淕uys are working on something. They鈥檙e obviously game-planning for that starter taking place, but this is where guys are feeling what they鈥檝e been working on in the offseason and bringing it into play. It takes time. Whether we hit three home runs today or none, doesn鈥檛 change the process. Since you asked that question, offense has looked a little different, so ask it more often.鈥
Marmol gave two specific examples from two young hitters off to the slowest starts of spring. Winn, who entered Thursday鈥檚 game 1 for 18, has been working on letting the pitch travel more, to give him more time to see it 鈥 a challenge at any point, let alone when his timing is early March rather than mid-May. Nolan Gorman, off to a 3-for-22 spring with eight strikeouts, has been focusing on 鈥渄ialing in鈥 his swing for the center of the field and eyeing the left-center gap to get more contact and plate coverage, 鈥渁nd (if) there is a hit or a double or a homer comes from it, so be it.鈥
Sidelined for a week by a knee injury, Jordan Walker stung three line drives in a game this past weekend and was not rewarded for it any of them with a hit. Brant Brown, the Cardinals鈥 new hitting coach, made sure that Walker celebrated the liners because he had not had three consecutive bolts like that 鈥渋n a minute.鈥
As Brant said, there鈥檚 more for the hitter than 鈥渁 plain old box score.鈥
鈥淪pring training is always difficult to judge,鈥 he said while watching the Cardinals do infield drills Thursday morning. 鈥淵ou have to take it with a grain of salt. I was not really pleased with our offensive performance at the beginning. The past few days have been better, but we also know baseball is always fluid. ... Our main message to players is it鈥檚 more about the execution of what you鈥檙e trying to do than the results. Because if you properly execute your game plan that is why it鈥檚 a game plan 鈥 the outcomes are more in your favor. That鈥檚 what is really important to me at this stage.鈥
Brown has placed an emphasis on situational hitting all spring.
Whatever the result, he wants to see the hitter鈥檚 approach reflect what is needed in the game 鈥 and some of this spring has been spent on education for the situation.
鈥淚 think situationally, we can be a little bit better,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淯nderstanding the game and what鈥檚 happening in the game and knowing when to be a slugger and when to be a hitter.鈥
And there are times to be both.
Brand described how he has been talking with Nootbaar and Alec Burleson, two left-handed batters and strike-zone sticklers, about how to approach an at-bat with a runner on second base and the usual demand for a ball in play that nudges the runner to third.
鈥淲ith Lars and Burly, when there鈥檚 a runner for them at second, we鈥檙e trying to get them to think, 鈥業 want to drive them over,鈥欌 Brant said, emphasizing the verb 鈥 drive. 鈥淎nd then worst-case scenario, you get them over. The best non-home-run play in baseball is the double-double. Trade places.鈥
The day before Monday鈥檚 break in the schedule, Nootbaar connected for a double down the left field line. He tagged a curveball that was over the plate for his first extra-base hit of the spring. Cue the checklist.
The pitch was one to drive.
He got the ball in the air and on a line.
His timing was late, but it鈥檚 early March.
鈥淚n a perfect world, that ball is in the right-center gap and it鈥檚 a sexy double,鈥 Nootbaar said. 鈥淚 have to understand that my body is in a better position right now to do that. That鈥檚 better than rolling over to the right side. After I鈥檓 on base or back in the dugout, why did that happen? I revisit what Goldy said.鈥
Like Nootbaar鈥檚 evaluation of his at-bats, so much of spring training happens in the batting cages or on the back fields for hitters that early games can be icebergs 鈥 there鈥檚 far more beneath the surface.
The Mets, with Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso and $700 million man Juan Soto, are hitting .214 this spring with a .332 on-base percentage. Spring misleads. But more and more becomes apparent as the games grow closer and closer to the regular season. Spring also unfurls in phases. Between off-days, the Cardinals enter this stretch where timing arrives, lifting production with it.
That won鈥檛 be measured in agate type.
鈥淣ot so much box scores,鈥 Marmol said, 鈥渁s process.鈥
Brendan Donovan feels he is 鈥榮tarting to turn that corner鈥 at plate: Cardinals Extra
Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan watches batting practice on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, the first day of full-squad workouts as spring training continues at the team鈥檚 practice facility in Jupiter, Fla.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 Having gone through the ups and downs of spring training over the years, Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan can point to one overarching takeaway from those experiences.
鈥淚 think the biggest thing is just knowing that this is a time for me to work on things,鈥 Donovan said. 鈥淵ou want to go into the season feeling pretty good, but you try not to make it a results-driven thing. You try to make it about the consistency of the contact, the quality of the contact, and the competitiveness of the at-bat. That鈥檚 kind of what I boil it down to.鈥
Those lessons have shown him to put 鈥渢rust鈥 that work will eventually lead to results that show up in the box. After getting off to a quiet start to begin this spring, Donovan feels his work with hitting coach Brant Brown has begun to peak through just as his box score results have.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 starting to turn that corner a little bit,鈥 said Donovan, who has hits in three of the past four Grapefruit League games he鈥檚 appeared in.
Donovan went 1 for 3 with a single and an RBI on Thursday against the Nationals. With his start at second base Thursday at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Donovan has remained exclusively at second through his first seven games this spring training. He鈥檚 used batting practice to take some live reads in the outfield off the bats of his teammates, but some different defensive looks can be expected soon.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Donovan is in line to receive opportunities in the outfield. The Cardinals looked to keep Donovan at second base through the first third of camp. They have used the first two-and-a-half weeks of games to prioritize outfield innings for players competing for spots on the team鈥檚 roster.
Offensively, through seven Grapefruit League games, Donovan has three hits in 18 at-bats and has walked once. The utilityman was hitless in his first nine at-bats before lining a single to right field in at-bat No. 10 on Feb. 28 and collected his second hit Tuesday with a triple that jumped off his bat at 102.6 mph in a game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Donovan鈥檚 triple was one of two balls he put in play that registered an exit velocity above 100 mph, per Statcast.
The third hit he鈥檚 collected so far came Thursday in the form of a line drive single to center field that plated the Cardinals鈥 only run in a 12-1 loss to the Nationals.
Donovan said he鈥檚 worked with Brown to find a more consistent 鈥渄ownhill鈥 movement in the batter鈥檚 box. Donovan said he started camp 鈥渁 little uphill and a little spinny鈥 but feels their work has led to progress.
鈥淚 think that just comes from not having a lot of reps,鈥 Donovan said Thursday from outside the Cardinals clubhouse. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been diligent with that process in just trying to make that a good, consistent move downhill.鈥
Walker feels improvement
Right fielder Jordan Walker was said to have shown improved mobility and reported less soreness in his left knee when he reported to the Cardinals complex Thursday morning, Marmol said. Walker, 22, injured his left knee when he stepped on a sprinkler cover while fielding a fly ball during a game Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Imaging on Walker鈥檚 knee confirmed he did not have any structural damage. He continued to receive treatment for the injury Thursday.
Walker is expected to miss around a week of games as he allows the inflammation above his knee to clear. On Thursday, Marmol noted the young outfielder鈥檚 timeline to return to baseball activity could depend on the 鈥済eneral soreness鈥 of his left knee.
鈥淚t could be a week, it could be less, but at the moment, he鈥檒l dictate a little bit of that based on how he feels every morning,鈥 Marmol said.
Extra bases
Starter Erick Fedde completed three scoreless innings and did not allow a hit in his start against the Nationals. Through three starts this spring, Fedde has allowed one run and totaled six innings.
Prospects Tekoah Roby and Gordon Graceffo both allowed three runs in relief outings. Roby surrendered three runs on four hits and issued two walks in two innings. Graceffo lasted 1鈪 innings after allowing three hits and walking two batters.
Infielder JJ Wetherholt and left-hander Quinn Mathews were two of the 27 Cardinals prospects listed on the roster for the Cardinals鈥 Spring Breakout showcase against prospects from the Miami Marlins on March 14 at Roger Dean Stadium. Infielder Thomas Saggese, who debuted in the majors last season; first-round draft picks Cooper Hjerpe (2022) and Chase Davis (2023); top catching prospect Jimmy Crooks; and 17-year-old shortstop Yairo Padilla are also listed for the prospect game.
Before Thursday鈥檚 game, players and coaches who spent time with Class Low-A Palm Beach in 2024 were presented with championship rings for winning last season鈥檚 Florida State League title. Manager Gary Kendall was also recognized for winning the Cardinals鈥 2024 George Kissell Award for player development. Kendall managed 59 different players a season ago. His club finished with a franchise-best 83-47 record. The league title was Palm Beach鈥檚 first league championship since 2017.
JJ Wetherholt, Quinn Mathews among 27 Cardinals prospects set for spring showcase game
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 The group of Cardinals prospects set for this year鈥檚 spring showcase includes the top prospect in St. 香港三级片鈥檚 farm system and the club鈥檚 quickest rising pitcher from 2024.
Infielder JJ Wetherholt and left-hander Quinn Mathews were two of the 27 Cardinals prospects on the club鈥檚 roster for this year鈥檚 Spring Breakout game against a team of prospects from the Miami Marlins. The showcase game is set for March 14 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.
Joining Wetherholt and Mathews in the exhibition will be Jimmy Crooks, the Cardinals鈥 top-rated catching prospect and their 2024 minor league player of the year, 2023 first-round pick Chase Davis, and 2022 first-round pick Cooper Hjerpe. All five prospects have had time in big league camp this spring as non-roster invitees.
Wetherholt started as the Cardinals鈥 designated hitter Thursday against the Washington Nationals. The seventh overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft entered Thursday with two hits, including a homer, in 14 at-bats.
Mathews, last year鈥檚 minor league leader in strikeouts with 202 and Baseball America鈥檚 minor league pitcher of the year for 2024, threw two scoreless innings in his lone Grapefruit League start before being reassigned to minors camp to continue getting innings as a starter on the backfields.
Davis and Hjerpe were reassigned to minors camp earlier this month.
Yairo Padilla, a 17-year-old switch-hitting shortstop, is also on the Cardinals鈥 roster for the prospect showcase. Signed as an international free agent in January 2024, Padilla soared up prospect rankings after he batted .287 with a .795 on-base plus slugging percentage in 35 games in the Dominican Summer League last year.
Major League Baseball introduced the Spring Breakout showcase in 2024. This year鈥檚 spring breakout includes 16 matchups from March 13 to March 16.
Cardinals minor league hitting instructor and former Cardinal Ryan Ludwick will be the field manager for the team of Cardinals prospects.
Catchers: Leonardo Bernal, Ryan Campos, Crooks, and Rainiel Rodriguez.
Infielders: Dakota Harris, Brayden Jobert, Jonathan Mejia, Padilla, Cesar Prieto, Thomas Saggese, Miguel Villarroel, Wetherholt, and RJ Yeager.
Outfielders: Nathan Church, Chase Davis, Travis Honeyman, Zach Levenson, Yordalin Pena, and Jose Suarez.
Cardinals to put some local telecasts on over-air TV for first time in years
The Cardinals are joining the Blues in returning some of their locally produced games to over-the-air television, announcing early Thursday that at least 10 contests this season will be shown on KMOV (Channel 4) and/or Matrix Midwest (Channel 32).
It will be the first time since 2010, when KSDK (Channel 5) had some Sunday games, that any Cardinals local telecasts will be on 鈥渇ree TV.鈥澛 In the ensuing years, over-the-air Cards coverage had been limited to contests shown regionally or nationally by Fox (KTVI, Channel 2 locally).
The first contest in the KMOV/Matrix package is set for April 11, when the Cardinals entertain Philadelphia at 7:15 p.m. These telecasts also will air on cable鈥檚 FanDuel Sports Network, which produces them and remains the team鈥檚 anchor telecaster. That鈥檚 unlike the three over-the-air Blues games this season, which are not on FanDuel.
KMOV and Matrix are owned by Gray Media, and the games also will be carried on over-the-air channels it has in other markets throughout the Midwest. That was a key selling point in the deal.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be in eight states, so pretty much our entire TV territory, which is great,鈥 said Anuk Karunaratne, the team鈥檚 senior vice president of business operations.
Those states are Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky and Oklahoma, and Gray says stations on that network reach nearly 7陆 million households.
Among the markets in which the games are set to be shown over the air are Cape Girardeau and Springfield in Missouri; Rockford, Peoria and Quincy in Illinois; Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa, Davenport, and Mason City in Iowa; Memphis, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas and Evansville, Indiana.
This expands the Cardinals鈥 rapidly growing television coverage options, as for the first time this season the club also is selling streaming of its games directly to fans That's in addition to continuing to have the entire local television schedule airing on what last season was Bally Sports Midwest and now is FanDuel. The arrival of over-the-air TV and direct-to-consumer streaming is designed to fill some of the gaps on FanDuel鈥檚 distribution map.
鈥淓ven with streaming, a big goal was how can we maximize our reach and get our games in front of more people 鈥 not just in St. 香港三级片, but across our entire footprint,鈥 Karunaratne said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping this will be just one other thing in the tool kit for people to be able to access our games.鈥
Six over-the-air games have been scheduled, all on Fridays, and the club would like to continue that Friday focus with the remainder of its over-the-air schedule that is to be announced as the season progresses.
鈥淥ur hope would be that they can be on a consistent day,鈥 Karunaratne said, although scheduling circumstances could impact that. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been no decision yet.鈥
The Cardinals talked with other stations in the market about the over-the-air package, but Gray鈥檚 reach with its network of Midwest outlets in addition to its stations in the local area was highly attractive to the club.
鈥淲e felt like the fact they have both the main channel (KMOV) and Matrix Midwest (in St. 香港三级片) and a strong outer market footprint of stations they own, that lines up really well with our core鈥 goals, Karunaratne said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what led us to choose them.鈥
KSDK (Channel 5) general manager Alicia Elsner and KTVI (Channel 2)/KPLR (Channel 11) GM Kurt Krueger had expressed interest in adding the Cardinals 鈥 as they had done with the Blues. Despite not landing either, Krueger is pleased for the over-the-air TV business in general.
鈥淚鈥檓 just happy teams are going back to broadcast TV,鈥 he said.
JD Sosnoff, who runs Gray鈥檚 St. 香港三级片 operations, could not be reached for comment. But he did issue a statement.
鈥淜MOV and Matrix Midwest are proud to serve our viewers in St. 香港三级片 and across the region, by bringing iconic Cardinals baseball back to free, over-the-air broadcasts,鈥 he said. 鈥... We are ready to bring the excitement from Busch Stadium to the fans.鈥
Like with the Blues, it is believed the Cardinals are not receiving a rights fee from Gray.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 it鈥檚 fair to say ... this is really being done more for marketing reach than anything else,鈥 Karunaratne said.
Also like with the Blues, this will be an experiment for the Cardinals and Gray to gauge viewer interest.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a one-year agreement,鈥 Karunaratne said. 鈥... So in some ways I think this is a test, we鈥檙e going to learn about how this fits into the mix. But we hope it鈥檚 successful and that it鈥檚 something we continue.鈥
Today鈥檚 Ten Hochman sports video 鈥 brought to you by Cardinals spring training home Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. 鈥 celebrates Mardi Gras with NOLA connections to STL! And as always, Ben Hochman chooses a random Cards card!
Worthy: Masyn Winn admits he got home run happy this spring but vows a return to basics
JUPITER, Fla. 鈥 The question posed pertained to last season, but Masyn Winn didn鈥檛 beat around the bush. The Cardinals shortstop took that opening and ran straight to his struggles at the plate this spring training with his answer.
That鈥檚 where the conversation was ultimately going to end up anyway. He just headed that off at the pass.
Winn, a dynamic soon-to-be 23-year-old (birthday is March 21), looks like a potential franchise cornerstone after he finished his rookie season as the club鈥檚 primary leadoff hitter as well as a National League Gold Glove finalist at shortstop in 2024.
Last year鈥檚 success didn鈥檛 make him any less aware of the 0-for-18 streak he鈥檇 put together this spring before his bouncer up the middle squeaked through for a single in his final at-bat Tuesday afternoon.
Upon reaching first base, he put his hands to the sky as if to exclaim: 鈥淔inally!鈥 That sort of relief stemming from a seeing-eye single by a guy who is one of your offensive catalysts could be cause for alarm.
However, we鈥檝e seen this movie before. Winn bounced back in a big way from a slow start last spring. Most importantly, Winn now knows he鈥檚 got a North Star to follow to get on the correct course.
No, Winn wasn鈥檛 slow-walking into a conversation about last year鈥檚 adjustments compared to this year鈥檚 performance at the plate. He jumped right in and drew the comparison right out of the gate.
鈥淲hat was happening last year, honestly, is probably what鈥檚 happening right now,鈥 Winn said Wednesday morning in the clubhouse of the Cardinals spring training facility. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to get too swing happy. I鈥檓 trying to pull homers rather than going the other way.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of what we just focused on today in the cages and what we did yesterday as well, getting my direction back going the opposite way. That will open up the pull side for me. So, I think, once I locked in on going to right field, that鈥檚 really what opened up the full field for me.鈥
Last spring training, Winn went into a season as the starting shortstop in the big leagues for the first time. He responded with a 3-for-3 start in his first appearance of Grapefruit League play last spring. Then, he followed that up with a 4-for-35 stretch.
This same time last spring, Winn clearly described the swing adjustment he was working through. At the time, he compared it to having two-strike approach 鈥渙ff the rip.鈥 In batting practice, he roped line drives the opposite way into right field with a short, simple swing.
The problem was that work didn鈥檛 translate into spring training games, as evident by that 4-for-35 stretch and the fact Winn hit at a .227 clip as he entered the regular season.
Then, the regular season started, and that opposite-field approach and the line-drive lasers he鈥檇 been shooting around the practice fields and in batting practice showed up in big league games. He batted .300 in April, then .309 in May.
That simple, short swing all of a sudden looked natural and ingrained. Winn batted leadoff in 102 games last season, the most in MLB among rookies and the fourth-most ever by a Cardinals rookie.
This spring, when an extended hitless streak 鈥渉umbled鈥 Winn, he became very receptive to the advice of assistant hitting coach Brandon Allen and hitting coach Brant Brown.
Their advice? Get back to the approach that served him well last season.
鈥淲henever I鈥檓 at my best is when I am going to right field,鈥 Winn said. 鈥淚 got too confident in myself coming into this year, trying to pull homers. Obviously, I want to hit homers, but that鈥檚 not my entire game. I鈥檓 best when I鈥檓 going to right field. So I think it鈥檚 not the fact that I鈥檓 trusting the work to get there, it鈥檚 knowing that it will work.鈥
Winn鈥檚 batting average slipped late last season 鈥 he batted .247 after the All-Star break and .196 in September 鈥 but he finished the season batting .267 with 15 home runs (including 10 at big bad Busch Stadium).
Ten of his home runs came after the All-Star break. A chunk of his home runs came because opposing teams were so cautious of Winn lining hits the other way that they challenged him on the inner half more. That鈥檚 when he ran into some home runs.
Winn came into spring training aiming for more homers. Perhaps he was riding that wave of power from the second half of last season. Whatever the reason, he has now seen the folly of his ways.
He already knows the road map to get back to being one of the toughest outs in the Cardinals lineup. Remember that his 80 hits with two strikes were the second-most in the majors last season, and he struck out at a rate lower than 75% of all hitters in the majors.
It all starts with line drives to right field.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been working on it this spring,鈥 Winn said. 鈥淲e started working on it the last couple days. My at-bats have been a little bit better. I know once I lock in on that instead of getting the homer mindset 鈥 I鈥檓 not (Nolan Arenado), I鈥檓 not Willy (Contreras) 鈥 I鈥檝e got to get that through my head.
鈥淚鈥檝e got to play my game. That鈥檚 going to right field. I always get humbled. An 0-for-18 streak, you know, I鈥檓 trying to pull balls over the fence, and it鈥檚 not working. So back to the basics. Back to going to right field, taking my singles, taking my knocks. Getting on base. I think that will work out.鈥
The best news for Winn and Cardinals fans is that he came to that conclusion with three weeks remaining before the games count.
Hochman: 3rd base GOAT Mike Schmidt on why Cardinals鈥 Nolan Arenado is 鈥榟eir apparent鈥
Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt waves to the crowd after receiving his National League MVP Award for the 1986 season on April 10, 1986, prior to a game against the Cubs at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.
Amy Sancetta, Associated Press
Last Wednesday, while the Cardinals played in Tampa, some employees around the complex in Jupiter, Florida, were noticeably excited. They said Schmidt was there.
But surely it wasn鈥檛 Mike Schmidt, right? Maybe the Missouri senator (spelled differently) or the guy from the show 鈥淣ew Girl鈥 but not, you know, the greatest third baseman of all time.
Sure enough, while I waited to interview some Cards who stayed that day, a golf cart hummed by with the GOAT of the hot corner.
So I chatted with Schmidt about the greatest active third baseman, in terms of resume: Nolan Arenado.
鈥淚 have utmost respect for him ...鈥 said the 75-year-old Schmidt, who had just thrown out the first pitch before the Marlins game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. 鈥淣olan, I think he鈥檚 fantastic. I think he鈥檚 kind of the heir apparent at this point to George Brett and Brooks Robinson and myself when you talk about who the best ever was at third base. I oftentimes talk about Nolan Arenado and his defense, for sure. My opinion, and he鈥檚 got several more years to prove it, but I think at this point in time, he鈥檚 probably the greatest defensive third baseman. He鈥檚 on the way with many Gold Gloves so far.
鈥淎nd, you know, 100-RBIs-a-year guy, 35 home runs. He should have won a couple MVPs at this point and has not. I know there鈥檚 some talk about him going to another team. I hope that all works out for him and the Cardinals.鈥
As of now, of course, Arenado is still a Cardinal. His trade request to five particular teams has yet to be fulfilled. And while the St. 香港三级片 franchise is in transition 鈥 reducing spending and playing some younger guys and preparing for a new top executive for 2026 鈥 there is still the silver lining of a Gold Glove performer at third. Well, a guy who has won 10 Gold Gloves but didn鈥檛 get it last year (though was a finalist).
Quite simply, St. 香港三级片 baseball fans still get to watch Nolan Arenado play baseball. That鈥檚 a privilege.
鈥淚f he retires today, we鈥檙e talking about the Hall of Fame ...鈥 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淗is consistency has been unreal. And you watch his work, and it all makes sense. He鈥檚 probably one of the hardest workers I鈥檝e ever been around. No matter if he鈥檚 going well or not, this guy just gets after it. Then there鈥檚 an intensity to him, where he鈥檚 just 鈥 if you鈥檙e a young player and you鈥檙e watching him do his thing, it鈥檚 hard to show up and not be purposeful. Yeah, he鈥檚 accomplished quite a bit.鈥
Entering this 2025 season, Arenado is tied with, yep, Schmidt, for the second-most Gold Gloves ever by a third baseman. They each have 10, while Robinson retired with 16.
Schmidt has the highest WAR (wins above replacement) of any third baseman ever (106.9), per Baseball Reference. Arenado has the second-highest WAR of any active third baseman (56.7), just behind Manny Machado (57.8), who started in the bigs the season before Arenado (though Arenado has a much higher career on-base plus slugging percentage than Machado, .857 to .826).
Schmidt is a legend among the legends. Best third baseman. First-ballot Hall of Fame inductee. Three-time MVP. A .908 career OPS (he played from 1972-89, all with Philadelphia). A member of the 500-homer club with 548 鈥 and an eight-time league leader in home runs. And in 1980, he won the MVP and the World Series MVP.
鈥淢ike Schmidt, probably the greatest third baseman of all time,鈥 said Arenado, who turns 34 on April 16. 鈥淎 great guy 鈥 he was one of the first guys of the older players to ever say that he really loved my game, back when I was a young player. And that meant a lot to me, obviously coming from him. I鈥檝e got a jersey signed by him. Got a bat signed by him. I mean, he鈥檚 a legend. It鈥檚 an honor (being connected to him).鈥
Schmidt lives in the Jupiter area. He threw out the first pitch to raise awareness about skin cancer, while supporting the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation. Three months ago, MLB Network aired a documentary about Schmidt鈥檚 career 鈥 on Instagram, Arenado posted a photo of No. 20 in baby blue with one word above the photo: 鈥淕reatest.鈥
As for Arenado鈥檚 legacy, yes, he could retire today and be worthy of the Hall of Fame. He is, however, coming off an average offensive season 鈥 almost literally, considering he had a 101 OPS+ and the league average is 100. But to his credit, he鈥檚 worked diligently this winter on his swing to reactivate his power (in his first three seasons with St. 香港三级片, Arenado had homer totals of 34, 30 and 26; last year, his fourth with the birds on the bat, he hit just 16). And already this spring, Arenado has hit a few blistering baseballs.
He sits at 341 career homers. At this point, perhaps it would take three or four years, but No. 400 is reachable. And only nine third basemen are in the 400-homer club.
鈥淗e鈥檚 in better shape; he鈥檚 moving better,鈥 Marmol said recently in spring. 鈥淭he sequencing of his swing is where he wants to be, and that, a lot of times, is a big reason for exit (velocity). So the ball is jumping off his bat really well. Even early on, right now, during batting practice, you can see swings are effortless. And the ball is doing some pretty good traveling. So he鈥檚 in a good spot.鈥
