One of my favorite places in this world is in front of a television with the Cardinals playing, the sounds of summer filling the room. And what a start it has been to the 2025 season! Six games of entertaining and satisfying baseball. So, that can mean only one thing, it’s time for my way too early 2025 Redbird Report Cards! It’s not all lollipops and butter pecan ice cream, but it is pretty darn close.
The team is in first place at 4-2, and yes, “IT’S ONLY 6 GAMES!’ But, if they were in last place and I said it was only 6 games…I can assume I know what your response would be.
The Ugly (D-)
Willson Contreras: This is not what I expected from the beefed-up newly minted Cards first baseman. Thank the ghost of Abner Doubleday, the man got a base knock today! He is now 1 for 23 on the season, but is hitting .250 in his last one game? That kind of slump is a hole that can weigh on a man’s mind worse than the memory of that time I decided to let my sister Brandie dye my hair blonde in high school. (I think I’ve burned all the photos from that pre-social media utopia.)
Masyn Winn: Again, Wednesday afternoon was what the doctor ordered. Winn got off the deck with a 2-4 day and you could feel the relief from downtown to Dogtown. He may only be hitting 0.91 as of press time, but he’s “trending” in the right direction.
The Good (B+)
Starting pitching: Forget about the 7th inning Wednesday. Sonny Gray’s tank was emptier than a jug of communion wine on a St. Louis Sunday. All of the starting 5 have been, as predicted by yours truly, SOLID. 2, 1, 2, 2, 3, 5 earned runs respectively. That’s 15 total earned runs by the starting staff after 6 games for an average of 2.5 earned runs a game. I will take that for all 162 and October.
The Great (A+)
Victor Scott II: The single word that describes Victor Scott is, ELECTRIC. He’s hitting .348, with one home run and five batted in, plus he’s four for four stealing bags which will make the disciples of Whitey Ball finally cheer for something this season. Plus, his work in center has been borderline magnificent. The only thing that covers more ground than VS2 is H2O.
Lars Nootbaar: Is this the season? Are we finally there? So many stops and starts. More hiccups than a toddler swigging 7-UP. But, after Wednesday’s 2-5, Noot is hitting a Rogers Hornsby-esque .417! He’s got five multi-hit games in the team’s first six. I have to believe this IS him.
Jordan Walker: JW has a hit in every game he has played this season, and has an average of .389. He looks comfortable. He looks like he has assurances that the job is his. The audition is over. He is the guy. Give the man runway and he will fly.
“I’m a peacock, YOU GOTTA LET ME FLY!” – Mark Wahlberg.
The Unexpected (A++)
Nolan Arenado: I have always had faith in Arenado. He is one of the five greatest third basemen to ever put on a pair of cleats. But, that off-season was a scary one. For a team to contend and win, you NEED a superstar, and Nolan is the only one in the organization. There may be a few coming, but he’s the name on the marquee. He’s hitting .391, has driven in 6 and has an OPS of 1.109. You know what those are? Those are Nolan Arenado-type numbers. Can I interest you in a 10-time Gold Glover that’s going to walk into the hall-of-fame like Brooks, Brett, Schmidt, and Scotty RoRo before him? I thought so.
Catchers Raking: WOW. What in the names of Roy Campenella, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra is going on here? We’ll start with Pedro Pagés. The back-up back stop is hitting .400 on the early campaign with a 1.200 OPS and has been perfect behind the plate. You cannot ask for anything more from the man.
Next? The weather held just long enough for us to witness Redbird history. Iván Herrera became the first catcher in Cardinals’ history to hit three home runs in one game. Not Joe Torre, not Ted Simmons, not Yadi…not even Tom Pagnozzi! Iván the Impaler is now raking .467, has an OPS of 1.200 thanks to those three McGwires, and eight RBI. All this in only five games.
What we need to see next:
The next six games are comprised of a couple of three game visits to Boston and then Honus Wagner-land out in the steel city. The team needs another 4-2 record to prove to themselves that this is real. They let a game slip on Tuesday in extras as Donovan did not run on that fly ball to Trout. They should be pulling into Lambert at 5-1 with more swagger than Nelly walking down Delmar. But, to quote the great Angels manager Ron Washington, “That’s the way baseball go.”
Then, between now and May 1st the Cards have 10 games against the central. And, like Bob Hamelin at a Shoney’s breakfast buffet, they need to assert their dominance early. You need at minimum a 6-4 record in those games with a stretch goal of 8-2. Build that cushion and add on throughout the sweltering St. Louis heat.
Look friends of Fredbird, there is plenty of room on this bandwagon. Join me in being positive, believing, and just loving baseball again! If i’m wrong you can tell me that you told me so, but isn’t it better to believe I’m right? Isn’t it better to believe in baseball again? I think so. It’s what Ray Lankford would want from all of us…and that’s all that matters to me.
– Will Saulsbery
Born and raised in St. Louis, Will Saulsbery is a multitalented writer and musician. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Saulsbery has established himself as a prominent ghostwriter, with his work appearing in top-tier publications like Forbes, Fast Company, Tech Crunch, Entrepreneur, The Observer, and The Hill. He recently Co-Authored You Wouldn’t Believe Me If I Told You: An Unforgettable Memoir of Golf, Grit, and a Blue-Collar Kid on the PGA Tour with the great Jay Delsing.
