CHICAGO – After weeks of uncertainty, John Mozeliak saw the St. Louis cardinals leave their rental cars and put themselves in a position to work. Your mobile phone was filled with encouraging baseball messages instead of worrying questions.
For Mozeliak, the club’s president of baseball operations, it was a very smart day.
“Today is very similar to the inaugural St. Louis Cardinals Day,” Mozeliak said.
St. Louis returned to the box on Saturday for the first time in 17 days after his season derailed due to a covid-19 outbreak. The National League Central Division champions swept a double against the Chicago White Sox, starting an unfinished tenure in Windy City and a busy end to the season shortened by the pandemic.
The Cardinals the weekend after betting five games this season, winning two.
“I think it’s all a tuning game,” said pitcher Adam Wainwright, the first-time underwout pitcher who opposes the White Sox. “Obviously, we had to adjust the shipment a lot, but the guys were looking to do the right thing sooner. You know, we sat inside the game, looking to stay out of the dugout. Everyone wore their mask and used hand sanitizer and stuff, but unfortunately this is very contagious. It’s easy to understand.”
The Cardinals looked very different from the team they lost 3-0 to Minnesota on July 29 in their last game. Star catcher Yadier Molina and framer Paul DeJong were among 10 players and 18 members of the organization with cases shown, shaking up the roster and training staff.
Dylan Carlson’s most productive prospect came at the team’s choice practice facility in Springfield, Missouri, along with first baseman John Nogowski, right Seth Elledge and left-handers Ricardo Sanchez and Rob Kaminsky. Sanchez named the 29th player for Saturday’s double title.
Carlson, 21, a fielder who pressed the switch, doubled in the second game for his first primary league hit. Max Schrock made his major league debut in Game 2 and hit two hits. Jake Woodford at the time of the game and pitched three innings of a race in his first appearance in the primary league.
Cardinals also added José Oquendo and Roberto Espinoza to their training team, a day after Willie McGee announced that he had retired from the rest of the season. McGee in his third year as a coach with the team.
“I think we all know that we are on a historic stage here, but we are also very present. We still are,” manager Mike Shildt said. “It’s easy. We recognize that this is obviously unprecedented on many levels.
“But the fact is, we’ll stay present. We’re going to stay together. We’re going to what we’re doing and we’re going to have after the moment.”
Left-hander Austin Gomber is on the disabled list. Gomber has not tested positive for covid-19, however, it has emerged as a possible fear in the search for contacts.
“Now you’re going to take credit for the weekend to start over,” Mozeliak said in a conference call. “Yesterday officially cleared, so he was able to get to the camp.”
Cardinals were able to exercise five times while waiting to play again, adding 3 individual exercise sessions. They intended to open the series opposite the White Sox on Friday, but the opening game was postponed for one day.
The team traveled to Chicago in 41 rental cars as a precaution. Shildt was the last to hit the road, becoming a Yukon GMC because it was the only vehicle left.
“I mean, at this point, you almost laugh at everything you have to do,” Wainwright said. “It’s just a sign of the times. We’re in a phase right now. We just have to do what we have to do, so that everyone has an intelligent attitude about it, honestly.”
[Doesn’t the gallery load up? Click here for more ‘arkansasonline.com/816cardinals/ photos]
Shildt said he spent part of the holiday thinking about how he would lead a breakneck end to the 21-game season in the last fortnight of August and 32 more in September. After the end of today’s series against the White Sox, the Cardinals sideways chicago for five games against the division’s most sensitive Cubs, adding up the most sensitive doubles on Monday and Wednesday.
But after what they faced with his absence, the Cardinals looked on the bright side. They’re playing again, after all. They will also face their final series with expanded active rosters, adding 29 for their doubles in seven rounds.
“Do I think it’s feasible? Yes. Do I think it’s intimidating? Yes. Am I satisfied that I have the opportunity to do so? Yes,” Mozeliak said.