5 bold Cardinals predictions that aged well in 2024, 5 that did not

Every once in a while, I like to look back at some of my work over the last year or so and reflect on different takes or opinions I had regarding the St. Louis Cardinals. Some of them I still really enjoy and stand by, and others...well not so much.

Rather than running and hiding from the takes I have gotten wrong and just drawing attention to what went "right", I think it is good for all of us to evaluate both the good and the bad, see what led to those takes, and learn from them for next time! That is exactly what I want to do today.

Back on January 4th, 2024, I made 10 bold predictions about the Cardinals in 2024. Some I nailed, others I was partially right or wrong on, and then there were the takes I was dead wrong about. Let's take a trip down memory land and see what takes from this piece aged well and what did not over this past year.

Prediction that aged (pretty) well - Dylan Carlson wins the Opening Day center field job

Had Dylan Carlson not had a freak collision with Jordan Walker in a brief two-game series with the Chicago Cubs to finish Spring Training before beginning the season in Los Angeles, Carlson would have been starting in center field that day.

But, alas, he did get hurt, forcing the Cardinals to turn to Victor Scott II I actually finished this prediction by saying Carlson would not remain the Cardinals starting center fielder throughout the season as Scott would take over at some point, and that did become true to an extent as well.

What I also did not see coming though was the rise of Michael Siani and Tommy Edman never playing an inning for the Cardinals in 2024. But overall, I think this was a pretty good prediction that aged pretty well - especially since the take was centered on how the center field situation would look coming out of camp, not that Carlson would be the center fielder all year long. He won the job, he just, unfortunately, had a freak injury a few days before the game.

Prediction that aged poorly - Lars Nootbaar would be the Cardinals' best player in 2024

I had high expectations for Nootbaar coming into the season, but the young outfielder once again battled injuries throughout the season and had some prolonged stretches where he struggled at the plate.

Nootbaar did end up finishing the season with a .244/.342/.417 slash line, good for a 114 wRC+ and 1.7 fWAR in just 109 games played. Nootbaar's wRC+ was fourth on the time while finishing sixth in fWAR.

I'm still confident that if Nootbaar stays on the field next year, he will be a highly productive player. But 2025 is going to be a big year for Nootbaar, as if he is unable to stay healthy again, he may not be a part of the club's plans going forward.