We are about to find out how committed the Cardinals are to "runway" this season

With their team coming off a sweep at the hands of the New York Mets over the weekend and leaking another loss in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves, many St. Louis Cardinals fans are growing frustrated by the offense's woes over the last week as well as an extremely thin bullpen that seems to get beat when they are needed the most.

Some would love to see the Cardinals shake things up in order to find better results. There are still quality free-agent relievers available to be signed, and I certainly wouldn't be opposed to that kind of move. It doesn't feel like something the Cardinals will do, though, as they've looked to reduce costs as much as possible.

The calls for the Cardinals to add a free agent bat like J.D. Martinez are puzzling to me though. Did we already forget the Cardinals are supposed to be giving opportunities to young players this year? Do you actually want them to give up on that plan a month into the season?

A young team is going to have highs and lows. Performance will be volatile. But let's remember, it is the individual performances of young players that matter more than anything else this year; the team's record truly falls secondary to that.

But even with the players already on the Cardinals' roster, we are already seeing the club have to make decisions on whom to give runway to and whom to bench or send to Memphis, and more decisions like that are ramping up here for the organization.

The Cardinals' stance of letting young players have runway is going to be tested over the coming weeks.

Today, the Cardinals are expected to activate Masyn Winn from the injured list, meaning a corresponding move is coming. Most people, me included, want to see them keep Thomas Saggese on the roster, and it's really difficult to make an argument against him right now.

Saggese is slashing .400/.389/.600 in 35 at-bats and has been one of the few bats producing for them over the last few weeks. On top of the general production, he also provides infield versatility and depth at shortstop behind Winn, and his ability to hit left-handed pitching is an asset on a team that struggles as a whole against southpaws.

Even so, there's a real chance the Cardinals choose to demote Saggese today, and while that may seem backwards due to the whole "give opportunities to young guys" chatter, they'd actually argue that's exactly why they'd make that move. Keeping Saggese on the roster when Winn returns would mean that he is competing with Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson for that final spot on the lineup card each day, and that means two of those guys are sitting on the bench each day.

The Cardinals could get creative with off days for Lars Nootbaar, Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, and Victor Scott II to help with that, but it would still mean reduced playing time for two of those three aforementioned players. We've already seen Gorman sitting frequently, so that problem would just compound with Saggese remaining.

But what kind of message does that send to this team if Saggese, who has done nothing but produce since he was promoted and leads all National League rookies in WAR right now despite playing just 12 games, is sent down to Memphis in favor of bats that are struggling? But what kind of message does it send to this team if they bench or demote a player who is struggling after just 20 or so games?

On top of that, we've already seen guys like Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson struggle at the plate to begin the year. Especially in the case of Walker, will the Cardinals continue to give him the at-bats they claimed they would, even when someone like Saggese is producing?

No matter what decision they make, there will be ramifications. Personally, I do not see how Saggese could be sent down at this point, and I would rather have Oliver Marmol have to balance having all of those guys on the roster than keep Michael Siani on board. Long term, Saggese is likely a super-utility man with an impactful bat off the bench, but right now, he's doing everything within his power to break into the everyday lineup.

The Cardinals created this problem for themselves when they were unable to move Nolan Arenado this offseason, so no one feels sorry for them. They have to thread the needle of giving enough opportunity to young guys, but it remains complicated, even if those complications were caused by a good thing like Saggese producing.

I hope the Cardinals choose the "complicated" path today, the one where they reward a young hitter for how he's produced so far. It creates other "issues" for them, but I'd much rather navigate those than send a message to someone like Saggese that his performance does not impact his positioning with the organization. Sure, they'll say the fact that they want everyday opportunities for him is about his future, but he looks ready for St. Louis now, and I'm not stopping that train if I can help it.