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History suggests the St. Louis Cardinals rarely go all-in during the offseason. After dealing starter Shelby Miller to the Atlanta Braves for Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden, rumor has it the Cardinals may be scripting another chapter in their offseason history book. By playing fact or fiction with the latest buzz surrounding the Cardinals, I will offer you a better understanding of what is possible and what remains pure fantasy based on the team’s biggest need—starting pitching.

It’s likely the Cardinals aren’t done wheeling and dealing. Facts are buried under the layers of smoke screens combined with how the free-agent market takes shape. Predicting general manager John Mozeliak’s next move would be like calling the weekly weather in the Midwest.

The tragic death of rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras rewrote the Cardinals’ offseason agenda. Suddenly, the Cardinals went from needing minor tweaks to being desperate for a big move.

Has Mozeliak locked himself in his office while pondering another big move? Will the GM throw a lucrative deal at a starting pitcher to aid the best rotation in the National League Central Division? 

The clock is ticking as Mozeliak digs in. 

Are the Cardinals plotting to offer Max Scherzer a contract?

Given the recent history of the Cardinals and acquiring free agents, it would be unwise to fathom Mozeliak and owner Bill DeWitt Jr. presenting Max Scherzer with a gaudy contract.

However, I believe this is purely a fantasy.  

The Cardinals need another starter after trading Miller. 

The 2015 projected rotation consists of Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, John Lackey, Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez. Martinez will enter spring training as a starter, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Wainwright and Lynn are staples. Lackey is on the back end of his career, and Wacha‘s health remains a mystery after dealing with a rare stress fracture in his right shoulder. Even if Martinez enters the regular season as a starter, he is inexperienced and will need time to adjust to pitching every fifth day. There’s also Jaime Garcia, who is an injury-plagued lefty that can never remain healthy for an entire season.

Back in March, Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski made a significant offer to Scherzer in an effort to keep him in Motown. The offer was worth north of $25 million per season and failed to match the contract Justin Verlander signed prior to the start of the 2013 season.

To no surprise, Scherzer rejected the offer and opted for free agency, where he can cash in. And he deserves that ability after winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2013 and reaching 18 wins last season.

The Cardinals haven’t publicly expressed interest in any free agent, which would be foolish to do. But Scherzer remains an attraction for multiple reasons. 

The Cardinals have the payroll flexibility to sign Scherzer if they choose to do so. Scherzer is from the area and stated the Cardinals were his dream team.

“It would be too cool,” Scherzer told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in March. “I grew up there. When you’re a little kid, you picture yourself putting on the [Cardinals] uniform.”

Indeed, that says a lot about Scherzer. But it’s just an idea for the time being.

The Cardinals could certainly use the services from the kid they originally drafted, and a substantial offer isn’t out of the picture. Still, the odds of the Scherzer coming home remain slim. 

Are the Cardinals in the running for Jon Lester?

According to ESPN, there is a fourth team bidding for Jon Lester. Though the ghost team has yet to be identified, the Cardinals are believed to be it.

And why not? The Cardinals have resources to invest in Lester. Mozeliak doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for his prospects to mature like he used to. 

Lester has taken his time deciding which organization he will pitch for in 2015. When you’re one of the top pitchers on the market, why wouldn’t you be patient and let GMs bid against each other while jacking up the price tag?

It’s a good move by Lester and his camp.

At first, it didn’t seem likely the Cardinals would seek Lester.

It’s funny how quickly things change.

At the July 31 trade deadline, the Boston Red Sox were 12 games under .500. The season was lost, and the focus shifted to the future. Boston shipped Lester to the Oakland Athletics at the trade deadline last season. In northern California, Lester helped the A’s reach the playoffs by winning six of his 11 starts.

For Lester, reaching the playoffs last season marked the fifth time he’s done so in his career.

In my opinion, Lester is the best option in terms of starters on the market. He’s a winner—and an experienced one. Lester has two World Series rings (2007, 2013). He’s a perfect 3-0 in his three World Series starts over his career.

The Cardinals would be wise to present Lester with a hefty contract, especially with the uncertainties regarding the health of Wainwright and Wacha. 

With a chance to reverse their current offseason trend, the Cardinals have an opportunity to make a big splash by signing one of the most attractive starters on the market. They won’t get both, but I believe they will land one. 

And that man is named Lester. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals were escorted into the offseason short of winning their 12th World Series championship. Looking ahead, the core of the team remains intact, and the Cardinals will need to make some cost-effective adjustments to their roster this winter.

Big spending is out of the question. Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. hasn’t operated like that since he took the reigns of the organization in 1996.

However, expect the Cardinals to make some low-key moves to patch up a few minor leaks. The Cardinals are responsible for just $82.8 million in contracts for next season, according to Baseball Reference. That leaves a good amount of wiggle room for the general manager John Mozeliak to work with. 

Re-signing reliever and former closer Jason Motte should be near the top of Mozeliak’s offseason to-do list. Motte spent the better part of the last two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. The righty struggled this season with a gaudy 4.68 ERA. His velocity wasn’t there, nor his punch-out power.

In fairness to Motte, it is not unusual for pitchers to struggle after returning from reconstructive elbow surgery.

During spring training 2011, Adam Wainwright was lost for the season after blowing out his right elbow. Following surgery and extensive rehab, Wainwright returned to the mound in 2012 but was hardly the same. His compiled a 4.56 ERA in his first 17 starts. He finished the season with a record of 14-13 and a 3.94 ERA.

It’s also paramount to realize how big of a factor Motte was for the Cardinals in 2011-12. He was dominant in the 2011 postseason and saved five games, including Game 7 over Texas to clinch the Cardinals’ 11th title.

Motte followed that remarkable playoff run by tying Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel for the National League lead in saves with 42. The Cardinals rewarded him with a two-year, $12 million deal following the 2012 season.

Obviously Motte didn‘t live up to the contract because he was shelved. But the Cardinals shouldn’t give up on him. Instead, they should re-sign Motte to a short-term deal and see how he performs. 

A utility infielder is another area the Cardinals need.

The Cardinals received nothing from Mark Ellis, whom they signed to a one-year, $5 million deal last winter. Ellis was to provide insurance in case Kolten Wong struggled at second base.

Things didn’t go Ellis’ way. He dealt with an injury early in the season and never got going. Still, Ellis remains an above-average fielder with seven defensive runs saved, according to Fan Graphs.

Wong took off and became a staple of the lineup during the second half of the season. Ellis was excluded from the playoff roster in favor of Pete Kozma, who spent the majority of 2014 with Triple-A Memphis. Ellis is a classy guy, a grizzled veteran with poise and wisdom. He’s a good clubhouse presence. But the Cardinals can look elsewhere for another infielder.

One name that comes to mind—if the price is right—is Rickie Weeks, the longtime second baseman for Milwaukee. The Brewers declined Weeks’ $11.5 million option for 2015, making him a free agent.

Obviously, the interest in Weeks all depends on cost. It wouldn’t hurt to gauge the temperature on Weeks, who is in the downside of his career. 

Otherwise the Cardinals could opt to go with Kozma or another look outside the organization for infield help. Though, the market for middle infielders at a controlled price is rather slim. 

Elsewhere, Yadier Molina isn’t getting any younger. Additional off-days will be in order next season to avoid injury, and the Cardinals need to find a reliable and productive option to spell the future Hall of Famer.

A.J. Pierzynksi’s production as a member of the Cardinals was anything but convincing. In 95 plate appearances (including postseason), the veteran managed a skinny .239 average with a .295 on-base percentage and stranded 40 runners.

Defensively, Pierzynski was vulnerable. After joining the Cardinals, opponents were a perfect 13 of 13 in stolen-base attempts.

Pierzynski’s edgy personality never came into question while with the Cardinals. In fact, the club needed some flare and Pierzynski provided it.

But the Cardinals will be better off going a different route for next season.

Geovany Soto, who spent time with Texas and Oakland this season, is a free agent. Last season Soto posted a caught-stealing rate of .435 percent in 24 games. By comparison, stealers were 50 of 61 off Pierzynski last season. 

The sample size for Soto is small in terms of production last season but all isn’t lost on the veteran backstop. Also, Soto missed 10 weeks of the season with a torn meniscus in his knee. The Rangers traded Soto to Oakland for cash in late August. With the Athletics, Soto batted .262 in 42 at-bats. 

Finally, the Cardinals will look for left-handed relievers. Kevin Siegrist was injured during the postseason and stumbled a bit after a stellar rookie season in 2013. Internally, the Cardinals have Sam Freeman, the 27-year-old hard thrower. But Freeman will have to earn confidence from manager Mike Matheny in 2015.

Zach Duke appears to be a good fit for the Cardinals. Duke enjoyed a solid season with the Brewers. In 74 appearances, Duke crafted a 2.45 ERA while holding left-handed hitters to a .198 average. He also held right-handed hitters to a .242, which is impressive from a left-handed reliever. 

Mozeliak and his staff will be busy this offseason, and these are a few cost-effective moves the Cardinals can make as free agency begins.

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A prospect-churning player development system is a luxury every organization throughout Major League Baseball would like to have. In St. Louis, the pipeline begins in Palm Beach, Florida, and ends under the Arch in front of the best fans in baseball. The Cardinals are loaded with prospects. 

Ranking all of them would be impossible. However, ranking the most major league-ready prospects for 2015 is doable. Based on stats from this season coupled with raw talent and need, here are the Cardinals’ top five prospects that will compete for a roster spot in February.

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Baseball in September represents a time when teams on the outside looking in make one last effort to secure a playoff spot. Other clubs fight for positioning. And yet, roster spots for the playoffs remain up for grabs in St. Louis, where a few of the Cardinals’ call-ups are making their case.

Some of the late-season call-ups have already displayed the ability to provide this club with a spark. Starting pitcher Marco Gonzales heads the group. 

Here are three things we’ve learned about the Cardinals’ September call-ups:

Manager Mike Matheny has something special in Gonzales, the young left-hander with a filthy changeup. Since being recalled, Gonzales has made four appearances, including one start.

Two of his starts have come against Colorado, the team he grew up rooting for. It was his most recent start against the Rockies that carried more importance, and the 22-year-old delivered with an outstanding effort that earned him the win on Sept. 14. Gonzales pitched into the sixth inning, surrendered one run and struck out nine in the process.

“It was a terrific outing,” Matheny said, according to ESPN.com. “We needed that. He really came up big”

Gonzales will surely be a member of the roster when the playoffs begin.

There was a lot of optimism when the Cardinals promoted power-hitting first baseman Xavier Scruggs earlier this month. Scruggs, a minor leaguer for the majority of his playing career, finally earned his chance in the big leagues.

So far, Scruggs hasn’t done much at the plate to really impress (.231 average), but he’s certainly capable of making an impact off the bench.

Scruggs hit 27 home runs and tallied 87 runs batted in at Triple-A Memphis this season before being promoted. It was good to see Scruggs come through with an RBI single that tied the game 1-1 against the Reds Sunday night. That will do wonders for his confidence going forward.

While we haven’t been able to get a good read on Tommy Pham or Greg Garcia, left-handed reliever Tyler Lyons is trying to build confidence, while fellow reliever Nick Greenwood remains a long-relief option for Matheny. Greenwood worked 1.2 scoreless innings Sunday night against the Reds, which was an encouraging sign. 

Not so encouraging is the performances of right-handed reliever Sam Tuivailala. He’s is simply not ready for the big leagues, which comes as no surprise.

No disrespect to the kid, his stuff is nasty, and he has a lot of upside to his game. He’s a hard thrower (97 strikeouts in the minors this season) who needs to tune his mechanics and work on a secondary pitch to accommodate his heater. By the way, according to FanGraphs, Tuivailala’s fastball averages 96.9 mph.

His fastball lacks movement, which was evident Sunday night against the Reds. Tuivailala worked a third of an inning, allowed two runs off three hits, walked a man and watched his ERA soar to 36.00 in two combined relief appearances. 

The Cardinals will need the presence of Gonzales and Scruggs in the playoffs. They have the luxury of waiting on the development of their other September call-ups.

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With less than a week until rosters expand from 25 to 40 on September 1, the St. Louis Cardinals will welcome a handful of reinforcements as they enter the final month of the regular season in a jam-packed National League Central Division race. 

A club looking for an extra jolt will benefit from the added depth and talent when rosters expand. 

Manager Mike Matheny isn’t going to balk at an opportunity to fortify his roster. 

“I think everybody is pretty clear in our system what the priorities are, and the priority is winning here,” he told Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. “If we have need, we go get players who can come and help us. They do a great job of adapting in our system to fill holes.”

The Cardinals certainly have need for players who can provide a spark of energy. The most glaring void is the bench, where Cardinals pinch hitters rank 13th in the majors (sixth in the NL) with their combined .234 average. 

That said, here are five players the Cardinals will promote come September based on their success at Triple-A Memphis this season: 

Randal Grichuk, Outfielder

Randal Grichuk spent nearly a month with the parent club and never found his groove at the plate. He hit just .136 in 19 games. However, the 23-year-old outfielder has made the most of his time in Memphis this season. He’s hitting .259 with 71 RBI and a .311 on-base percentage in over 100 games with the Redbirds. More impressive is Grichuk‘s team-leading 25 home runs this season.

The Cardinals could use Grichuk‘s bat in late-game situations. Matheny could also utilize Grichuk by giving him a chance or two to keep starting outfielders Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos fresh. 

Pete Kozma, Shortstop  

With Jhonny Peralta, Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong eating up innings in the Cardinals infield, Pete Kozma was the odd man out. He eventually landing in Memphis. 

But with Mark Ellis on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle, the Cardinals need depth in the infield. 

For the season, Kozma has 30 extra-base hits to his credit, including eight home runs. 

Kozma may only be hitting .253 at Memphis this season, but he brings playoff experience. And that’s always a plus for any team. 

Stephen Piscotty, Outfielder

Stephen Piscotty is the most major league-ready outfielder in the Cardinals organization, and he’s more than deserving of a promotion in September. 

The 23-year-old has a knack for getting on base with his .348 on-base percentage this season. He’s also gone deep eight times and driven in 65. 

When it comes overall production at the plate, the Cardinals need Piscotty‘s presence on the bench, if not in occasionally in the lineup. 

Xavier Scruggs, First Base 

With Matt Adams the everyday Cardinals first baseman, Xavier Scruggs won’t be called up permanently for the foreseeable future. However, his overall stats this season at Triple-A Memphis warrant a well-deserved promotion. At the very least, the Cardinals should give the 26-year-old minor leaguer a few at-bats in September.

Scruggs, who is hitting .280 for the Redbirds this season, has launched 20 homers and driven in 83. Moreover, over his last 10 games, Scruggs is hitting .297 with a pair of homers, four RBI and eight runs scored.

Tim Cooney, Pitcher  

You can never have enough pitching, which is why the Cardinals need to take a long look at 23-year-old lefty Tim Cooney.

Cooney (13-6, 3.55 ERA) is having a stellar season for Memphis. He leads the team in wins and innings pitched (152).

The Cardinals could utilize Cooney by putting him in the bullpen to eat up innings in order to keep the other relievers fresh. 

“We just push forward with the best that we have,” Matheny told Langosch. And these five players will certainly help the Cardinals in the final month of the regular season. 

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Down on the farm, a vast majority of the St. Louis Cardinals‘ top 10 prospects are having noteworthy seasons.

Earning a spot on the big league roster is the ultimate goal for these young players, and the future certainly looks bright with the vast assortment of raw talent the Cardinals boast in their minor league system.

Outfielders Oscar Taveras and Stephen Piscotty are among the Cardinals prospects that are flourishing this season at Triple-A Memphis.

A handful of other prospects are also producing at the lower levels of the minor leagues.

Here’s how the Cardinals’ top 10 prospects fared during Week 9.

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Few if any would’ve envisioned the St. Louis Cardinals to be hovering around .500 a month-and-a-half into the regular season. The Cardinals are the reigning National League champions, the team many picked to run away with the Central Division.

Yes, the season is young, but the Cardinals’ unexpected slump to begin 2014 is reason enough to believe general manager John Mozeliak could make a few moves at the trade deadline.

Sitting at 21-20, and five games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals’ mediocre game is cause for concern, especially for Mozeliak, whose patience is growing thin.

“Having a belief in it is far different than actually getting it done,” Mozeliak told Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “It’s still early in the season where we can’t hit the panic button, but you’ve got to see the trend line changing.”

Even though Mozeliak insists he hasn’t hit the panic button just yet, it isn’t too far-fetched to believe he is looking at other alternatives outside of the organization to spark his club.

Here are three potential deals Mozeliak should propose at the trade deadline.

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With the new year vastly approaching, we’re inching closer and closer to spring training, where the St. Louis Cardinals will rev up for what they hope to be another red October.

As Rodger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. awaits, the Cardinals lineup has been modified with raw talent, stunning power and lightning speed. The additions of free-agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta and utility infielder Mark Ellis give manager Mike Matheny more flexibility in the infield. And the arrival of Peter Bourjos from the Los Angeles Angels adds a ton of speed and even more depth to what has now become a crowded outfield.

That said, there are always alterations to make before spring training gets underway. The Cardinals must learn from the mistakes that haunted them against the Boston Red Sox in last October’s Fall Classic, and adjust. After watching Fenway Park celebrate a World Series championship, the Cardinals will surely be motivated to produce better results in 2014.

Here are three changes the Cardinals should make before flying south come February.

Speed

The Cardinals have lacked true speed on the basepaths over the last few years. They haven’t had one or two guys who can cause nightmares for opposing catchers with their legs.

Take the last three years, for example.

In 2013, the Cardinals were last in the National League with 15 stolen bases and 29th in all of baseball, ahead of only Detroit. In 2012, the Cardinals ranked 13th in the NL and 25th in the MLB; and in 2011, they were 16th and 29th, respectively.

There’s reason to believe this will change in 2014, considering the added talent and quickness the Cardinals will have in Borjus and the young Kolten Wong.

Cardinals fans should be ecstatic about the arrival of Bourjos, who swiped 22 bases in 2011. For his career, Bourjos is 41-54 in stolen base attempts.

Wong, another speedster, will surely get the nod as the everyday second baseman for the Cardinals in 2014. Last season, Wong stole three bases, including one during the postseason.

For a team that has lacked speed, the Cardinals will have plenty of it in 2014.

Consistency at the bottom 

The Cardinals struggled to get any consistency from the bottom tier of their lineup throughout the postseason.

Hitters seven, eight and nine in the order went a combined 23-for-167 (.137) during the 2013 postseason. That must change in 2014, and I believe it will.

Freese is no longer with the team, and barring another late-season injury, Allen Craig will be healthy and ready to go for Opening Day. Also, Matt Adams figures to be an everyday player, which will give the Cardinals even more power and consistency throughout their lineup. 

Approach vs. left-handed pitching

Generally, if the Cardinals went up against a left-handed pitcher, they struggled. The reasoning behind the Cardinals’ struggles against lefties was puzzling.

In 2013, the Cardinals hit .238 against LHP, 13th in the NL. To put that into context, the Cardinals led the NL with a .280 average against RHP. 

That must change. The Cardinals need to focus on spraying the ball to all fields against lefties, which would make their lineup even more dangerous. 

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St. Louis was shoved into the blistery winter without its 12th World Series championship, falling to Boston in the Fall Classic. General manager John Mozeliak entered the offseason knowing he had a glaring hole to fill for 2014: shortstop.

Mozeliak was patient in finding the perfect fit for the future. Options were numerous, but the solution arrived in the form of Jhonny Peralta, whom the Cardinals nabbed during free agency.

Mozeliak also enhanced his club’s depth by landing Peter Bourjos, the center fielder whom the Cardinals received from the Los Angeles Angels in the David Freese trade last month.

In terms of “smarts,” Mozeliak outsmarted the competition and flashed his brilliance within the span of a few days by shipping Freese and signing Peralta.

First, the upside of the Freese trade and Peralta signing.

Freese will forever be remembered for his heroics that lifted the Cardinals to their 11th championship in franchise history in 2011.

However, after a subpar 2013 season which saw Freese hit just .262 with nine homers and 60 RBI, the Cardinals were in a dilemma: Hand Freese a contract between $4 million and $4.5 million next season, or let him walk and get nothing in return.

Mozeliak simplified the equation by using proper judgment; he opted to trade Freese and get a reliable resource in return.

With Freese out of the fold, Matt Carpenter will shift over to his natural position at third base, making room for the young and green Kolten Wong at second.

Also, the addition of Bourjos will prove highly beneficial for the Cardinals. The Cardinals ranked last among National League teams in stolen bases (45) last season. Bourjos is a speedster. He was successful 22 times in 2011.

National media pundits gave the Cardinals a thumbs up for the Freese trade:

Carpenter moves to 3B, Wong moves to 2B, Bourjos takes over CF and Cards now better defensively at all three positions

— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) November 22, 2013 

Stan McNeal of Fox Sports Midwest and USA Today:

Scout on Bourjos: “The perfect player for St Louis. Great makeup, plays with same intensity throughout every game… And he can fly” #stlcards

— Stan McNeal (@stanmcneal) November 22, 2013 

The Peralta signing drew widespread criticism, which was partially deserved. Peralta was suspended for 50 games last season as a result of Major League Baseball’s investigation concerning the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic.

His poor judgment came into play. Questions arose surrounding his suspension, and backlash soon followed. 

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher and union player representative Brad Ziegler tweeted the following after the Cardinals signed Peralta: 

It pays to cheat…Thanks, owners, for encouraging PED use “@JimBowdenESPNxm: Peralta – Cards agree to 4-year deal: http://t.co/rkpdAO3QaL”

Brad Ziegler (@BradZiegler) November 24, 2013

Albeit, some may believe Peralta shouldn’t have been given another chance.

My question: Why? This is professional sports, a spectrum full of second chances.

Peralta served his suspension. He was reprimanded for his illicit and dumbfounded actions.

Mozeliak defended the addition of Peralta by saying the Cardinals aren’t the “morality police.” Per R.B. Fallstrom of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 

“Character and makeup are something we weigh into our decision-making,” said Mozeliak. “In his case, he admitted what he did, he took responsibility for it. I feel like he has paid for his mistakes, and obviously if her to make another one, then it would be a huge disappointment.”

For now, the Peralta signing upgrades the shortstop position for the Cardinals both offensively and defensively. The 31-year-old hit .303 with 11 home runs and 55 RBI in 2013. Moreover, he only committed four errors in 103 starts at shortstop for Detroit last season. 

If you want to label the Peralta signing as the “dumbest” offseason move by Mozeliak, be my guest.

But I have a hunch that Cardinals fans are ecstatic about their new shortstop. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals fell short of their 12th World Series title to Boston, but the National League champions will recharge their batteries and prepare for what many hope to be another deep run next fall. 

A number of Cardinals saw their seasons go awry as they failed to meet or exceed expectations. That said, here are three Cardinals who are destined to have bounceback 2014 seasons.

Daniel Descalso, Infielder

Last season was a disappointment for the Cardinals’ middle infield, particularly the shortstop position. Due to the sudden end of Rafael Furcal’s season because of elbow surgery, utility men Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma had to fill the void up the middle.

I’ll get to Kozma in a moment.

First, the 27-year-old Descalso was dreadful during the Cardinals’ run to the World Series; he went 4-for-26 for a .154 mark.

He wasn’t much better during the regular season, hitting .238 in 123 games played. More alarming is the fact that Descalso led the team with 14 errors, something he will certainly work on this offseason and during spring training.

Descalso made 48 starts at shortstop last season and turned in a .964 fielding percentage.

Even though he struggled in 2013, the future looks bright in 2014 for one important reason: There won’t be as much pressure on Descalso. At least that’s the common belief after the Cardinals traded third baseman David Freese to the Los Angeles Angels last month.

The move will allow Matt Carpenter to shift over to third base (his natural position), and with Kolten Wong likely penciled in as the Opening Day starter at second base, Descalso will serve an important role as a utility bat and glove off the bench for manager Mike Matheny.

Pete Kozma, Infielder

Pete Kozma is in the same boat as Descalso. He struggled mightily last season and never found his groove at the plate. At times, one could speculate whether a hole was in the middle of Kozma’s mitt. He committed nine errors during the regular season and was erratic in the postseason.

The biggest elephant in the room for Kozma was his porous season at the plate. With Descalso struggling, the Cardinals had no choice but to give the reeling 25-year-old Kozma over 400 plate appearances, in which he managed a slim .217 mark with 91 strikeouts.

What’s the spin on both Descalso and Kozma heading into 2014? Encouraging, really.

General manager John Mozeliak knew he had to make a move this offseason to land a big-name shortstop by free agency or trade.

He elected the former by inking Jhonny Peralta to a four-year deal that could be worth more than $50 million, according to Ben Walker of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Peralta will be the everyday shortstop for the next several years, leaving Descalso and Kozma as reserves.

The signing will benefit Matheny in the long run because the Cardinals’ bench now becomes more flexible.

Jon Jay, Outfielder

Jon Jay got off to a slow start last season, hitting .250 prior to the All-Star break. However, the 28-year-old center fielder revved it up at the plate by posting a .311 average following the Midsummer Classic.

That said, Jay was often streaky at the plate. His .370 slugging percentage ranked lowest of his four-year career.

Like Descalso and Kozma, Jay struggled during the postseason, going 10-for-25 (.192) in 17 games.

But reinforcements have arrived in the form of Peter Bourjos, who will likely start (or platoon?) in center field to start 2014, and Oscar Taveras, the talented rookie. I’d expect Bourjos to get the nod from Matheny on Opening Day. 

Jay would then become a bat off the bench, giving Matheny even more wiggle room during late-game situations. Jay will be better off with less pressure riding on his everyday performance with Bourjos and Taveras now in the fold.

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