
Ugly No. 3: Inexperience exposed
The Cardinals lineup has often resembled that of one of the minor league teams this season, with many minor leaguers joining the St. Louis club to help out with mounting injuries. It’s becoming a lot though and key players are missed.
Tyler O’Neill is expected to return to the St. Louis lineup during the weekend series with the Phillies. O’Neill’s return can not come soon enough. The team needs his bat and his Gold Glove defense in left field. Connor Capel, Brendan Donovan, Juan Yepez, and Lars Nootbaar have done well but it’s time to have a major league defender in the outfield.
Carlson has done well in the center field to fill in for an injured Harrison Bader. But it keeps Carlson out of the right field, where his defense is also needed. While Donovan has been serviceable in right, they have gotten some poor defense from Yepez who is better suited as a designated hitter or to assist at first place when Paul Goldschmidt or Albert Pujols is unavailable. He must work on his outfield defense if they insist on keeping him as an option in the outfield.