Cardinals: 5 numbers that matter after the first week of the season

The Cardinals have 55 hits above 95 MPH

Coming into the season, it appeared the Cardinals were attempting to set themselves up to be built like they were last season – a defense and pitching-focused team. However, manager Ollie Marmol thought differently, calling the Cardinals’ offense “elite” after the first couple of games.

While it may not stick for the whole season, Marmol is on to something so far. In one or two fewer games than the rest of the MLB, the Cardinals have already recorded 55 hard-hit balls, or balls hit above 95 MPH. This puts them third in the MLB right now behind only Cincinnatti and Arizona. Those two teams also aren’t expected to have top offenses, but with some of the stretches the Cardinals’ offense has gone through in the past few seasons, nobody should be complaining.

2022 is a big year for hitting coach Jeff Albert (at least according to some fans) and the offense starting hot is a great sign early on. The usual suspects are leading the way for the Cardinals, as Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt each share the lead with eight hard-hit balls apiece. Somewhat surprisingly, the next player on the list is Albert Pujols with seven followed by Harrison Bader and Tommy Edman (the slugger). We’ll get back to Albert in a few slides.

Andrew Knizner has an OPS of 1.431 through two starts

Timing has not been something that young Andrew Knizner has ever had on his side in his MLB career. On plenty of other rosters, Knizner would’ve gotten his chance to be an everyday starter behind the plate years ago. But as any St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect in the past 17 years has found out, it’s tough to find time behind the plate while Yadier Molina is healthy.

However, 2022 could be the year that Molina finally begins to loosen his grip on the starting job as the 39-year-old prepares for retirement and passes on the torch. Through the first week, Knizner only had two starts, but boy did he make the most of them.

Through nine plate appearances, Knizner has four hits and five RBI, one of which was this monster home run against the Royals.

That three-run home run was followed by a three-hit performance in the second game against the Brewers on Friday.

Only amassing 260 plate appearances in his first three seasons in the MLB, Knizner has never had a real chance to get his rhythm behind the plate or standing at it. With more starts in 2022, the 27-year-old is pushing to stay in the long-term plans behind the plate in St. Louis with Ivan Herrera on the doorstep.

In this case, competition is breeding excellence.

Nolan Arenado already has a 0.8 fWAR

Through the first week of the season, there hasn’t been a hotter hitter in the National League than Nolan Arenado.

Starting on Opening Day with a homer, Arenado is currently second in the MLB with his 0.8 fWAR through just one week. Easily the team’s hottest hitter, Arenado sits with four homers, a 332 wRC+, 1.587 OPS, and is only one of four players in the MLB with double-digit RBI. Arenado won the first week’s NL Player of the Week in part because of a three-double performance last week and this was the first time he’s won the award with the Cardinals.

Coming into the year Arenado spoke about how “upset” he was with his 30+ homer, 100+ RBI season last year (which was objectively his worst full season in a while). With Arenado’s competitiveness and expectations, we should’ve known this was going to happen.

While Arenado won’t finish the year with a 20 fWAR (his current pace), it’s just one way to see just how hot he has been.

Albert Pujols home runs in a Cardinals jersey are BACK

We all knew it would happen at some point, but the fact it was in the first homestand makes it so much better. Albert Pujols is back, and Albert Pujols has hit another home run in a Cardinals uniform.

In the first game against the Royals, Nolan Arenado homered to clear the bases hitting in front of Pujols, but nobody knew it was just warming up the crowd for what was coming next.

The first of what figures to be many great moments this season with Pujols.

Some viewed the Pujols signing as a bit of a marketing gimmick, but through his first week, Pujols has proven he still has some pop in his bat and can help the team. He isn’t playing every day (and definitely should stop stealing), but Pujols has yet to strike out and has a hit in a third of his at-bats.

Even the most anti-Pujols fans can’t help but love the moments we’ve seen so far, from the walk down the right field line in Roger Dean Stadium to this first home run and even getting thrown out trying to steal third. I’m happy Albert is back.

The Cardinals’ bullpen has a 1.78 ERA

If 2021 was any proof, it’s that sometimes quantity just plain works in the bullpen. Coming into 2022, the St. Louis Cardinals picked up a lot of lower-end (for lack of a better word) players to fill out the bottom of the bullpen.

Drew VerHagen, Nick Wittgren, and Aaron Brooks are the biggest names that fans may not be familiar with, but so far almost everyone that Ollie Marmol has tapped to come into the game in relief has shown up well. Other than Giovanny Gallegos, the Cardinals really do have a hodgepodge bullpen, but that doesn’t mean it won’t succeed.

The Cardinals’ defense will always help, but the team’s 1.78 ERA from their bullpen right now ranks third in the MLB behind the Yankees and the Rockies. This is only over a little over 25 innings, but early results from the group are great.

The bullpen hasn’t had to face many high-power offenses yet either, but success is a success.