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 In the first at-bat of his career on Opening Day in 2010, Jason
Heyward walloped a tape-measure grand slam off the Chicago Cubs'
Carlos Zambrano, sending Atlanta Braves fans into paroxysms of joy
and even inspiring Hall of Fame predictions before the rookie had
even finished his first game.
Fast-forward to 2015: Heyward is now the St. Louis Cardinals' right
fielder and his new team is looking for the power he never really
displayed for a full season in Atlanta, save for his 27-homer 2012.
"I told him, 'I don't know if there's going to be a time in this
whole year that I'm going to ask you to give yourself up to get a
runner over. I want you driving the ball. I want you with that
mindset,'" manager Mike Matheny told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
This would be a great time for Heyward to hit homers. St. Louis was
last in the National League last year in the long-ball department,
and its offense was frequently stagnant, often needing three singles
to produce a run.
Heyward at his best can make this offense more dynamic. He has every
tool a player and a team would want. He has pop, patience and speed.
But his numbers with Atlanta didn't measure up to his potential.
The theory is that Heyward will be more motivated this year than he
has thus far been in his career. Playing in a new city with the
potential for a big contract -- this is his free-agent year -- could
lead to a big season for him and his new team. For that to happen,
the Cardinals believe he'll have to swing the bat more.
"I think it's just that mentality that's going to help free him up,"
Matheny said.
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MLB Team Report - St. Louis Cardinals - NOTES, QUOTES
--RHP Adam Wainwright (abdominal strain) is scheduled to pitch his
first spring training game March 21 when he starts against Atlanta
in Jupiter. Wainwright is expected to throw between 50 and 60
pitches, more than a starter normally throws in his first outing.
But Wainwright was able to throw despite his injury, suffered just
before the official start of workouts.
--RHP Lance Lynn (hip flexor) pitched three innings in a simulated
game March 18 and should be in line to get a start by March 23.
Lynn, who was injured during his first spring start, has worked on
his changeup in hopes of adding it to his game arsenal on a more
frequent basis. It would make him a tougher opponent for left-handed
hitters, who have slugged .409 against him in his career.
--CF Jon Jay (left wrist) could play in his first spring game March
20 when St. Louis travels to Port St. Lucie to face the New York
Mets. That falls in line with the timetable established for Jay, who
underwent offseason surgery. Jay took 13 at-bats in an intrasquad
game March 18 with three hits and a stolen base. Jay said that 40
at-bats in the last two weeks of exhibition games would be enough to
have him ready for Opening Day.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was just something I wanted to show him, that I
can throw strikes and be on either side of the plate." -- LHP Marco
Gonzales to cardinals.com after whiffing Miami OF Giancarlo Stanton
with a changeup on March 17 during a 4 2/3-inning outing in a 7-1
win.
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MLB Team Report - St. Louis Cardinals - ROSTER REPORT
PROJECTED ROTATION:
RHP Adam Wainwright
RHP Lance Lynn
RHP John Lackey
RHP Michael Wacha
LHP Marco Gonzales or RHP Carlos Martinez
Wainwright is coming off the second 20-win season of his career
despite battling occasional arm problems that left him unable to
open jars or doors at times. Lynn enjoyed a breakout season last
year, posting an ERA of less than 3.00 for the first time and
learning how to use his intensity in a way which didn't backfire on
him.
Lackey is a perfect No. 3 starter at this stage of his career, an
innings-eater who figures to be good for about 15 wins. A healthy
Wacha gives this team a No. 2 type starter in the No. 4 spot. The
loser of the Gonzales-Martinez duel at No. 5 opens the season in the
bullpen. LHP Jaime Garcia could still figure into this mix if he can
ever get and stay healthy.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Trevor Rosenthal (closer)
RHP Jordan Walden
RHP Matt Belisle
LHP Kevin Siegrist
RHP Seth Maness
LHP Randy Choate
LHP Sam Freeman
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Rosenthal notched 45 saves in his first year as closer, but lost
command of the strike zone far too often. After issuing only 20
walks in 75 1/3 innings in 2013, Rosenthal passed 42 hitters in 70
1/3 innings last year and was pulled from some save chances in the
ninth inning due to his wildness. He simply has to throw more
strikes than he did last year to maintain his effectiveness as a
closer.
Walden figures to fit into the eighth-inning role filled so well
last year by Pat Neshek, who left via free agency for Houston.
Belisle proved to be an innings eater with the Rockies the past four
years. Maness is durable and can throw double-play grounders like
nobody's business. If Siegrist can regain the dominant form he
showed in 2013, he could become another eighth-inning option.
Freeman has a leg up on a spot because he is out of minor league
options.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. 3B Matt Carpenter
2. RF Jason Heyward
3. LF Matt Holliday
4. 1B Matt Adams
5. C Yadier Molina
6. SS Jhonny Peralta
7. 2B Kolten Wong
8. CF Jon Jay
Manager Mike Matheny has options at the top of his lineup. He will
likely stick with Carpenter, who's reached base a whopping 545 times
the last two years, or possibly use Heyward, who has a good eye and
can steal a base.
Holliday struggled until the calendar flipped to July, then kicked
into gear and was at his best in late August and September. Adams
beat defensive shifts consistently but left some wishing he had hit
more homers. Wong displayed 20-homer pop late in the season and the
playoffs. The Cardinals averaged just 3.8 runs per game last year
while hitting fewer homers than anyone in the NL. That can't happen
again if they're to make noise in 2015.
St. Louis was much-improved defensively last year and might get
better with the addition of Heyward, who has Gold Glove ability in
right field. Molina remains the gold standard defensively at his
position.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--RHP Lance Lynn (left hip flexor strain) left the March 8 spring
training game. Though he did not think the ailment was serious, he
was scratched from his scheduled start March 13. He pitched three
innings in a simulated game March 18 and should be in line to get a
start by March 23.
--RHP Adam Wainwright (mild abdominal strain) was hurt in late
February. He began throwing live batting practice March 9. He threw
a 50-pitch simulated game March 16, and he was due to make his
Grapefruit League debut March 21. He still hopes to take the ball on
Opening Night at Wrigley Field, April 5.
--CF Jon Jay (left wrist surgery in October 2014) had yet to make
his spring debut through March 19, though he batted in a simulated
game March 16. The Cardinals hope he will be ready for Opening Day.
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