St. Louis Cardinals: Five bold predictions for the 2020 season

No. 2: Nobody on the Cardinals team will accumulate more than 15 saves on the season

This season will be a true test of Mike Shildt’s managerial prowess. With Jordan Hicks on the shelf until August, at the earliest, or even for the entire season, the team doesn’t have a true “closer.”

In my mind, that is a good thing. One of the overwhelming opinions in baseball that may be going to the wayside is that every team needs to have their best “lockdown” reliever pitch in the ninth inning of games. The 2020 Cardinals need to do away with that and take the analytical approach.

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I think most people would agree that Giovanny Gallegos is the best reliever in the team’s bullpen this year, and for good reason – he was an absolute stud for most of last season. So why wait to use your best pitcher until the last inning? Games aren’t won or lost in the last inning, usually far before that.

The number of games Gallegos saved for the team last season in the 8th, 7th, 6th, or even 5th inning provided far more value than if he only pitched in the final inning. He came into tight games, with runners on, with a severe lack of outs and was able to prevent runs, thus allowing the closer to appear.

A closer-by-committee approach makes far more sense for the team. Throw whatever reliever fits the matchups best. Is that guy going to be Gallegos some games? Absolutely. Maybe they have three lefties due up? Throw Miller (maybe), Webb, or Kim in there to get the last outs.

Use your best arms when you need them most, regardless of inning. That means nobody will accumulate a huge save total like some fans are accustomed to in the past.