| | ESPN.com
The Cardinals spent this winter adding arms in the hope they could make better use of all those home runs Mark McGwire keeps hitting.
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CARDINALS LOWDOWN |
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|  | | Dave Veres had 31 saves for the Rockies in 1999. |
1999: 75-86
Runs: 809, 10th in NL
Allowed: 838, 10th in NL
Key facts
Mark McGwire hit .356 with runners in scoring position in 1999.
The key to Fernando Tatis' improvement at the plate? Patience. He saw 4.10 pitchers per plate appearance, fifth-highest total in NL.
Dave Veres becomes the team's fourth closer in four years (Dennis Eckersley, Jeff Brantley, Ricky Bottalico).
Tim Kurkjian's scenarios
Best-case: Matt Morris returns before June and becomes the ace of a much improved staff, which carries the Cards back to the playoffs.
Worst-case: Newcomers Darryl Kile, Pat Hentgen and Andy Benes aren't what they used to be, St. Louis finishes third.
Prediction: 3rd in NL Central
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Darryl Kile and Pat Hentgen are innings eaters who will get a chance to revive their once flourishing careers. Andy Benes was always a Cardinal at heart even during his two seasons with the Diamondbacks in the desert. Rick Ankiel is the preseason favorite to win Rookie of the Year honors, and Matt Morris' rehabilitation is going so well that the Cardinals felt they could deal Kent
Bottenfield, their leading winner last year, to obtain outfielder Jim Edmonds.
The rotation looks good. McGwire is complemented by tremendous talent at every position except catcher.
It appears that all the pieces are in place for the Cardinals to win their first division title since 1995, and that's why Dave Veres is so important. The Cardinals tried a variety of guys in the closer role last year, but never found one they were comfortable with. Ricky Bottalico blew eight of his 28 save opportunities, and Rick Croushore botched seven of 11 save attempts.
That was enough of a concern this winter that GM Walt Jocketty nearly added two closers. Before acquiring Veres in a deal with the Rockies, the
Cardinals had serious negotiations with Mike Jackson. They eventually backed off Jackson over medical concerns, leaving Veres to prove his elevated ERA (5.14) was a byproduct of the elevated ballpark in Denver.
There is evidence to support that theory. Veres' ERA was 7.40 in Coors Field last season and 2.52 on the road. He also converted 20 of 21 save
opportunities away from Coors Field, but blew six of 18 attempts at home.
Although last year was his first as a full-time closer and his worst in terms of ERA, Veres has a history of pitching well. In 63 games with the Rockies in 1998, he had a 2.83 ERA, unheard of for a Colorado pitcher. He has had an ERA above 3.50 only twice in his six-year career.
Veres' devastating sinker should be more effective pitching in his latest stadium named after a famous beer brewer. And if it does, he should be able to make some more of those McGwire bombs hold up.
-- Bob Brookover
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Lineup comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Player
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Comment
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Grade
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F. Vina, 2B
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Tough, hungry to win. Best leadoff man Cards have had in 10 years
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B
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E. Renteria, SS
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Starting fifth ML season, but only three months older than J.D. Drew
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B
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M. McGwire, 1B
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More HRs last five seasons (284) than Roger Maris had in his career (275)
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A
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R. Lankford, LF
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Bum knee that robbed him of pop is still sore; 140 games would be a huge plus
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B
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F. Tatis, 3B
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HRs jumped from 11 to 34 in ?99. BB from 36 to 82
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A
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J. Edmonds, CF
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Hit .250 in injury-plagued 1990, but has .290 career mark
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B
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J.D. Drew, RF
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Remember what we said he was going to do last year? Well, we meant this year
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C
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Eli Marrero, C
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Only non-P in ML history named Eli. His .192 topped by 14 P's (min. 40 ABs)
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D
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Pitching comments and grades from ESPN The Magazine
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Pitcher
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Comment
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Grade
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P. Hentgen, SP
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Can't blow hitters away upstairs anymore. Learning to use finesse
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B
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Darryl Kile, SP
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Forget about Coors! Forget about that 6.61 ERA! The future lies ahead
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C
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Andy Benes, SP
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Still feels he has to throw hard as he can to get outs. Memo to AB: You don't
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C
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Rick Ankiel, SP
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Is he ready? Yes
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I
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H. Slocumb, RP
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Always great stuff. Always a heartbreaker. Mike James is the backup plan
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C
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Dave Veres, RP
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Forget about Coors! Forget about that 5.14 ERA! The future lies ahead
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C
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