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, and there’s a lot of excitement right now at this club,” Mozeliak said.
St. Louis returned to the box on Saturday for the first time in 17 days after his season derailed due to a coronavirus outbreak. The Cardinals started the weekend after betting five games this season, winning two.
The National League Central Division champions they defined scored four times in the first inning of a doubles game against the Chicago White Sox, kicking off an end at Windy City and a busy end to the season shortened by the pandemic.
“It’s simple to complain. It’s the simplest thing in the world to complain about. But the winners find solutions,” said manager Mike Shildt. “And that’s the mindset of this organization, and collectively. Yes, there have been a lot of demanding situations for this organization over the last two weeks, you know, 3 weeks, but we settle for them and move on.”
The Cardinals looked very different from the team they lost 3-0 to Minnesota on July 29 in their last game. Catcher Yadier Molina’s star and framer Paul DeJong were among 10 players and 18 members of the organization in general who showed cases of coronavirus, which shook the list 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.
Cardinals also added José Oquendo and Roberto Espinoza to their training squad, 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.
Carlson, a replacement boxer, decided through St. Louis in the first circular of the 2016 draft. Hit Array292 with 26 house races last year. He was in the starting line-up for the first double header, beating sixth and betting in the left area on his major league debut.
“You can’t wait to go, ” said Shildt. “He trains and takes it, plays, runs, throws and hits, so let’s check it out and we can’t wait to see it.”
St. Louis also placed left-hander Austin Gomber on the disabled list. Gomber has tested positive for COVID-19, but has emerged as a possible fear in contact-seeking.
“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.
“It brought me back to a few pivotal days, you know, Legion Ball and, you know, drive 3 hours to playoffs and tournaments and all sorts of fun stuff,” Shildt said. “So I’ve got it really well.”
Shildt also took this time to reflect on how he will lead a breakneck season finale that includes 21 games in the last fortnight of August and 32 more in September. After Sunday’s playoff against the White Sox, the Cardinals on Chicago’s north side for five games opposed the division’s leading Cubs, adding the most sensitive doubles on Monday and Wednesday.
But after what they faced as their absence, the Cardinals looked the bright side. After all, they bet again. 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.