3 questions Cards hope to answer this spring

JUPITER, Fla. -- Asked this week what are the biggest storylines he’s following this Spring Training, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak did St. Louis ball writers a solid by naming a succinct three questions he’d like answered by Opening Day:

1) How might the back end of the starting rotation unfold, thereby dictating the bullpen?

2) How will the outfield competition shake out and provide production in 2021?

3) How can the club utilize Matt Carpenter to the max?

“But the one difference, I'd say, is in a normal spring, when you have a lot of these types of questions, you may not have internal solutions,” Mozeliak said. “In this particular case, I'm feeling pretty confident that we do. Ultimately, that's what I think we have to work through over these next five weeks.”

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How the Cards answer these questions over their time in Florida will lay an integral foundation for a 2021 season with championship aspirations. With Grapefruit League action underway on Sunday, let’s break down each issue:

1. The rotation question
Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Kwang Hyun Kim and Miles Mikolas are locks. They make up Nos. 1-4 of a rotation with a proven track record and high floor.

But there are still questions.

Flaherty -- recently named the club's Opening Day starter -- is coming off a disappointing 2020, though the club retains full confidence in its ace. Wainwright, the most dependable starter last season, turns 40 during the 2021 campaign. Kim is a bit of a known quantity after bursting onto the scene last season as a 32-year-old rookie. Mikolas is coming off a season-long injury that required surgery on his right forearm. The latter two are being eased into their Spring Training workloads.

“The good news is, we feel very confident we have depth to answer those questions,” Mozeliak said. “In the past, there's been times where we've come to camp and we're head scratching for a fourth or fifth starter. That part is not the same level of stress.”

That depth comes with Carlos Martínez and Alex Reyes, viable starting candidates, though both feature their own slate of questions. John Gant also wants to start, as do Daniel Ponce de Leon and a few others. All have said they will happily take any pitching role they’re assigned, however.

Performing at its absolute best, the Cardinals’ rotation can be one of the top five in the National League. But if some of the candidates don’t hit their expected marks, it could turn into an area where the club looks to make a midseason upgrade.

2. The outfield question
From their projected left to right field -- Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader and Dylan Carlson -- the Cardinals’ oldest outfielder is set to be Bader at just 26. He is the only one of the trio with more than 100 starts in his career. Compounding the general concern is that the crop has yet to find prolonged success in the batter’s box at the big league level.

But what inspires confidence is some of the noise Bader is making at the onset of camp, with two homers in live batting practice Saturday, and what seems to be more of an outspoken role. It’s also the club's belief that Carlson will take off in a full 162-game season, as he began to tease in the second half of 2020 as well as in the NL Wild Card Series. And the Cardinals believe O’Neill can be pushed to another level this season, with Lane Thomas also vying for playing time in left.

The defense will not be a concern. O’Neill has already won a Gold Glove Award, Carlson is believed to be capable of doing so and Bader has been a finalist, seen as one of the most deserving outfielders without one.

"And I want one,” Bader said this week. “I want one more than anything."

Whereas the rotation is a high-floor, low-ceiling group, the opposite can be said for the outfield.

3. The veteran question
Carpenter is flexible. But Carpenter also wants to start, believing he can help the Cardinals soar when he’s playing like he believes he’s capable of playing.

His path to starting third baseman was blocked by the acquisition of Nolan Arenado, and his path to a starting role at second base is stymied -- at least for now -- by Tommy Edman. But the Cardinals’ best lineup may very well be with both Edman and Carpenter.

Should the designated hitter return to the NL (though it’s not included in the current health and safety protocols), that’s a natural solution. If not, Edman has expressed his willingness to wear an outfield glove, though as it stands he’s entrenched at second.

Where the 35-year-old Carpenter fits into the Cards’ 2021 plans is a glaring question, one of several that require answering over the next five weeks.

“As I sit here today, I can give you my best guess,” Mozeliak said, “but as you know, I don't like guessing. So we'll take advantage of the next five weeks and see if we can resolve some of these issues.”