3 reasons this season will be different for the St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are guaranteed to have a different outcome this season. The 2023 season was an absolute disaster but the Cardinals have used the time since the 2023 trade deadline through Spring Training to dramatically improve their roster.

Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, John Mozeliak, promised to improve this team and get them back into winning contention. His moves to add “pitching, pitching, pitching” certainly improve the Cardinals and should provide for a much more competitive 2024 season.

Here’s what will be different this year:

3. The Cardinals have a return of influential veterans

Over the years, one of the trademarks of the Cardinals’ spring training was the return of alumni. It was the best way for the Cardinal Way to carry on. While 2023 saw the return of Ozzie Smith to camp, it was also the first season without Yadier Molina in camp.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado believe the lack of vocal veterans played a part in the team’s many communication issues in 2023. They requested Mozeliak sign a veteran who knows the team and the culture. Matt Carpenter is the free agent who knows the Cardinal Way better than anyone and he was signed on a league-minimum contract for a year.

Adding pitching was Mozeliak’s main goal for the offseason. In a move that shocked many, the Cardinals signed Lance Lynn, who previously played in St. Louis for six seasons including the 2011 World Series championship team.

Daniel Descalso, also on the 2011 World Series team, was hired as their bench coach this offseason. Descalso was one of the most scrappy players the Cardinals ever had and is beloved by the fanbase. Teammates have always complemented his leadership. It will be good to see him in The Birds on the Bat once again.

Yadier Molina was hired as a special assistant to Mozeliak. He is expected to be at spring camp and on the bench during the season. Molina has spent time managing teams internationally but wants to manage an MLB team. Oli Marmol is squarely on the hot seat this season and his actions during the disastrous 2023 season irked many Cardinal fans. If Marmol were to lose his job during the season, the fanbase would be ecstatic if Molina became the manager. Marmol’s contract does expire at the end of this season and how the next few months go will be crucial for him and the organization moving forward.

2. The Cardinals have more pitching options

Mozeliak followed through on his promise of acquiring pitching. The Cardinals signed the runner-up to the 2023 American League Cy Young Award, Sonny Gray. He’s expected to be the staff ace this season and he has made quite the impression with his new team this spring.

The Cardinals also added a couple of veteran arms that can throw strikes over multiple innings. Lynn joins the starting rotation along with Kyle Gibson. The trio joins Miles Mikolas, Drew Rom, and Zack Thompson in competing for spots in the rotation, which could go six deep/

The bullpen was taxed in 2023 as several relievers were used extensively, with the starting rotation unable to go for longer stretches. The additions to the pen include Keynan Middleton, Riley O’Brien, Andrew Kittredge, Nick Robertson, and Ryan Fernandez. At the trade deadline, the team added Rom, Sem Robberse, John King, Adam Kloffenstein, and Tekoah Roby,

Returning bullpen members who will benefit from the new additions include Ryan Helsley, Giovanny Gallegos, Wilking Rodriguez, Andre Pallante, Steven Matz, Packy Naughton, Jojo Romero, and Matthew Liberatore. After such a bad year for the bullpen, more talented arms could change everything.

1. The Cardinals have a chip on their shoulder

This is the St. Louis Cardinals we’re talking about. They have a winning culture that dates back decades. Of course, they have a chip on their shoulder about a season in which they went 71-91. While outside observers saw the lack of acquiring pitching help in 2023 as a detriment, the Cardinals went into 2023 quite confident they could win it all.

It didn’t work out that way, and Mozeliak publicly accepted this reality just before the trade deadline. Unfortunately, they didn’t do anything that could help them make a run in 2023, but they did make some moves that should help them this season and beyond.

Arenado and Goldschmidt each had their struggles, and the team was loaded with young talent trying to figure things out. While Arenado and Goldschmidt are quiet players who lead by example, the team was apparently missing a more vocal leader. They had a manager willing to throw players under the bus for perceived issues. Those players were left to go to outside sources to work on issues.

Willson Contreras went to Molina and other mentors after the starting rotation’s struggles at the beginning of 2023. Contreras and Ivan Herrera should benefit the most from Molina’s presence. Contereas powered through the criticism and became one of the better performers for the Cardinals in 2023. He looks to grow and be ready for an even better 2024.

Tyler O’Neill, another player criticized for a perceived lack of hustle, was traded this offseason to the Boston Red Sox. O’Neill’s departure relieves some of the backlog of outfielders. Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, Dylan Carlson, Tommy Edman, and Victor Scott II are all expected to compete for left and centerfield positions, with Jordan Walker set to play right field.

The second base position will see competition between Nolan Gorman, Edman, Donovan, and Thomas Saggese, as Masyn Winn seems to have secured shortstop.

With more options and some added leadership, this team should be a better unit moving into the 2024 season.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as 3 reasons this season will be different for the St. Louis Cardinals.