5 Cardinals who need to finish strong for Chaim Bloom to keep them around

Lars Nootbaar

Fans love Noot for his energetic personality and his ability to come up clutch. If Nootbaar didn't make several appearances on the injured list this season, the fan base and coaching staff could have gotten a better idea of what type of player they have in him.

Nootbaar is another candidate where it will be interesting to see if Bloom decides to keep giving him an opportunity or will he move on from him in an attempt to get some talent in return. Nootbaar can play all three outfield positions and is hitting .237/.325/.368 with 23 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs, four stolen base, and 48 RBIs. He also has a career-high 112 strikeouts.

After his most recent stint on the injured list, the Cardinals promoted Nathan Church from AAA Memphis. Church has played a majority of his games in centerfield, but can also play all outfield positions very well. He hasn't had very many hitting opportunities but does have a double, a homer, and eight RBIs.

Nootbaar is a fan and clubhouse favorite, but it is curious to see if Bloom will feel the same way. The team has several young, versatile options for the outfield.

Jordan Walker

If Walker, manager Oli Marmol, and the coaching staff get their way, Walker is someone this team demands for their future. While the staff has been public about their frustration with his stubbornness toward taking coaching, the organization likes the potential Walker exhibits.

The question remains if Bloom feels the same way about Walker.

The young man has worked tirelessly to improve his skills as a right fielder. There has been a real improvement in his defense. But his hitting still needs some work. The coaching staff is obviously putting in the work to help him improve. The fans get glimpses of what he is capable of producing. Just not consistently.

Walker and hitting coach Brant Brown will hopefully get the opportunity to continue to work together to improve his approach at the plate. It will be interesting to see if the runway gets extended for Walker and for how long. There seemed to be a lot of eagerness for him to improve but also a lot of frustration. The most important question will be what Bloom wants to do moving forward.