St. Louis Cardinals Preseason Roster Predictions Part 5

Infield:

C — Yadier Molina: There is some debate about whether or not Yadier Molina will be (or should be) the starting catcher to open the season due to his thumb injury and off season surgery, but I’m putting money on number 4 being behind the plate to start the season. Why? Because of Molina and Mike Matheny.

Our beloved backstop is stubborn about being allowed to play, and generally, our less beloved manager lets him. It’s kind of what seems to get Yadi hurt so frequently, but between his willpower and the managers willingness to let him play, I find it hard to imagine that any other player will catch Adam Wainwright on opening day.

1B — Brandon Moss: Once again, we have a somewhat controversial decision to make. Right now, the first base job is a toss up between Brandon Moss and Matt Adams, and it’s almost impossible to tell who will actually get the job. So why do I give Moss the edge here? Two reasons. The first is his history. Although last year wasn’t exactly a triumph for him, the three seasons prior to 2015 showed a perfectly cromulent first baseman. Matt Adams has one month in 2013 where he looked pretty phenomenal.

But really, I could believe in Adams’ upside if it weren’t for Mike Matheny. His managerial style tends toward the veteran, even if that veteran isn’t an obvious upgrade over a younger counterpart. Thus, if given the choice between two relatively similar options with relatively similar stats, I’m going to bet on Mike choosing the one with more experience. And that’s why Brandon Moss will be scooping out errant throws at first base come April 3rd.

2B — Kolten Wong: Finally, we have a fairly easy choice. While I suppose there’s some outside chance that Jedd Gyorko could bump Kolten Wong from the starting role during Spring Training, I think that’s really unlikely. I feel pretty confident saying that the speedy Hawaiian will be manning the keystone for the St. Louis Cardinals on opening day.

3B — Matt Carpenter: Matt Carpenter is a lot like Wong, but even more certain. Unless he experiences a debilitating injury, Carpenter will play 3rd base for the Cardinals. He’s the best hitter in the Cardinals lineup, and fast becoming one of the most important pieces of St. Louis’ core. It’s hard to imagine a roster without Carpenter as the starting third baseman, and I’m not going to try too hard to do so. Moving on.

SS — Jhonny Peralta: Jhonny Peralta rounds out the infield as another sure thing. While catcher and first base are a little bit up in the air, second base, third base, and shortstop are pretty settled for the St. Louis Cardinals. Peralta has performed well in each of the last two seasons, and while he’s beginning to show his age a bit, he’s still a safe bet to be the starting shortstop for at least one more season.

Next: The Outfield