Cardinals 2020 Season Preview
Ready to check out our 2020 St. Louis Cardinals predictions? I think the best thing you can say about the Cardinals is that they shouldn’t be bad. They won the division a year ago and basically return the same team. That puts them in good stead to compete again.
MLB Angels Predictions & Handicapping Insight
There is nothing wrong with continuity in the modern game, it probably costs a little less than trying to make a big splash. Lot’s of good talent but who breaks out to really elevate the team.
St. Louis is an interesting mix of veterans and young players. The vets do not appear to be falling off a cliff but I do worry about a player like Yadier Molina. His homers dropped by half last year.
YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR TOP 40 MLB HANDICAPPERS IN THE WORLD! (All Under 1 Roof)
I am not sure what the compelling stories are going to be for this team. Turning back the clock or someone rising to the moment. They should beat bad teams but they are not close to the elite ones in my mind.
2020 MLB Team Previews – St. Louis Cardinals
- St. Louis Cardinals 2020 National League Central Odds: +240
- Cardinal 2020 National League Odds: +1500
- Cardinals 2020 World Series Odds: +3000
Key Additions:
- Kwang-hyun Kim
It has been a stand pat offseason for St. Louis, with more names leaving than joining the team. 91 wins last year may prove that to be the right strategy.
There is not the same kind of buzz with Asian players as there was a decade ago. Some have been great but most have fizzled, more than popped. Kim is expected to be the 5th starter which is a pretty low floor. His ceiling? I am not quite sure of.
Key Losses:
- Marcell Ozuna
- Michael Wacha
Ozuna could be a big loss. He never quite reached the heights that were expected but he has shown throughout his career that he can get hot and carry an offense for a while. His replacement, Tommy Edman, is unproven.
Michael Wacha did not turn into the kind of reliable arm the Cards were hoping for. He had a 17 win season in 2015 but other, younger, better, cheaper options have passed him by.
2020 Atlanta Braves Predictions: Projected Lineup:
- Kolten Wong, 2B
- Matt Carpenter, 3B
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
- Paul DeJong, SS
- Yadier Molina, C
- Dexter Fowler, OF
- Tommy Edman, OF
- Harrison Bader, OF
I an still remember when Goldschmidt was one of the best HR/SB guys in the game but he has slowed. He is 32+ and there are three other members of the lineup who are even older. That has to worry you. Ditto for the very bottom where Edman and Bader do not have much of a record, no matter how promising they look. If DeJong takes off maybe none of it matters but we are not to that reality just yet.
2020 St. Louis Cardinals Predictions: Projected Rotation:
- Jack Flaherty
- Carlos Martinez
- Dakota Hudson
- Adam Wainwright
- Kwang-hyun Kim
The key to the Cards having a really good season is Martinez. He has the big stuff but has struggled to get going in his career thanks to injuries.
Jack Flaherty might not be an elite ace but he is still an ace. He took on a bigger workload last season and was one of the best pitchers in the National League.
Hudson was also really good though he led the league in walks. He won more games than Flaherty a year ago and if he can get more control has really good upside.
2020 Atlanta Braves Predictions: Projected Closer:
- Giovanny Gallegos
I guess Gallegos is a late bloomer but based on what we saw last season there is no reason to think he can’t hold the role. He does not have experience in it though.
2020 Atlanta Braves Predictions: 82 Wins and third in the NL East (Bet Now at any of our reviewed MLB Sportsbooks!)
The Cardinals are always pretty good and I am not expecting this team to fall off a cliff this season. I just don’t see where the big upside is and there are some question marks.
I am really worried about the aging part of their core. Goldy was awesome for a three-year run but has cooled and Fowler and Carpenter are past their best before dates.
St. Louis is great about bringing up MLB calibre talent but when was the last time they developed a star…Pujols? The guys they are bringing up seem to have a ceiling of above average, not great.
The pitching should be good and that will keep them in the hunt for most of the season. Spots #4 and #5 are questionmarks but there could be some upside there. Waino just seems to keep reinventing himself and Asian imports often have early success.
The Central might be competitive overall with just one bad team but the Cards have a chance. I just like Chicago and Cincinnati more right now. Their floor is high but their ceiling is low. Scoring may be a challenge.
What do you think of our 2020 St. Louis Cardinals predictions? Comments are welcome below.
Check out our Updated MLB Betting Odds.
CappersPicks.com has MLB Odds up on a ton of 2020 MLB World Series futures, and you will also find DAILY MLB Baseball lines up as well.
Register here for a FREE MLB Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!
