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The Cardinal Chronicle This Date in Cardinal History St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFebruary 27, 2024 — Cardinals Sign Veteran Shortstop Brandon Crawford On this date in 2024, the St. Louis Cardinals signed veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford to a one-year contract.It wasn’t a headline-grabbing move built on hype. It was a move built on experience.Crawford arrived in St. Louis with two World Series rings and a reputation forged over more than a decade with the San Francisco Giants. Known first and foremost for his defense, he represented something the Cardinals clearly believed they needed — steadiness on the left side of the infield.At the time, the organization was recalibrating. Run prevention had become a priority. Fundamentals mattered again. The signing of Crawford wasn’t about nostalgia or star power. It was about reliability.Throughout Cardinals history, the shortstop position has carried weight. Defense up the middle has always been part of the franchise’s backbone. When the club turned to Crawford, it signaled a return to that principle — that championships are often built as much on gloves as on bats.The move also reflected something else: humility. When an organization recognizes areas that need strengthening and addresses them directly, that speaks to accountability. Crawford’s presence brought leadership, postseason experience, and a veteran’s understanding of the daily grind.Some transactions echo louder over time than they do in the moment. February 27, 2024 was one of those days — a reminder that not every important move comes with fireworks.Sometimes it comes with a glove. “AI-generated illustration via Durable.”

This Date in Cardinal History

The Cardinal Chronicle Trust in the Cardinal Way St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurAt a time when the noise suggests decline, the composition of this camp tells a different story. The Cardinals are not abandoning their identity. They’re doubling down on it.The 2026 Major League Spring Training roster tells a story that doesn’t fit the popular narrative.Sixty-eight players are in camp. Twenty-eight are non-roster invitees. And 49 of the 68 were signed, drafted, and developed by the organization.That’s not patchwork. That’s not scrambling. That’s not a franchise in panic mode.That’s a system still very much intact.Even more telling? The last seven first-round picks are all in camp:• Nolan Gorman (2018) • Zack Thompson (2019) • Jordan Walker (2020) • Michael McGreevy (2021) • Cooper Hjerpe (2022) • Chase Davis (2023) • JJ Wetherholt (2024)Seven consecutive first-round selections. All present. All progressing on schedule.Organizations on their deathbed don’t look like this.They look thin. They look desperate. They look like they’re signing names to cover holes. They look like they’ve lost faith in their own pipeline.This roster composition says the opposite.It says the Cardinals still believe in their scouting. Still believe in player development. Still believe that sustained success comes from within — not from chasing headlines in December.Now, that doesn’t mean everything is perfect.Nolan Gorman is entering the “prove it” phase. Jordan Walker is at the “next step” moment. Michael McGreevy and Cooper Hjerpe are pushing toward rotation relevance. Joshua Baez&nbsp; and J.J.&nbsp; Wetherholt represent the next wave applying pressure.Development isn’t instant. It’s layered. It’s uneven. And sometimes it’s frustrating.But the presence of this many homegrown players in camp tells you the infrastructure is functioning.The frustration many fans feel isn’t about identity. It’s about results. And those are two very different conversations.For decades, the Cardinals survived downturns because they trusted their player development model. They adjusted, they refined, but they never abandoned it.This spring suggests they aren’t abandoning it now.The question isn’t whether there’s talent in the system.The question is whether this wave matures together at the right time.If even half of this group hits its ceiling, the narrative changes quickly.At a time when the noise suggests decline, the composition of this camp tells a different story.The Cardinals are not abandoning their identity.They’re doubling down on it.— The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future

Trust in the Cardinal Way

The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray Mileur<h3>Dustin May, MIA? Not Exactly</h3>When the Cardinals signed free agent right-hander Dustin May this winter, the move was viewed as one of the more intriguing additions of the offseason. A power arm with frontline upside, May immediately slotted into early spring projections for the rotation.So when his name didn’t surface in Grapefruit League action — and no visible bullpen sessions were attached to his schedule — the question became inevitable:Where is Dustin May?According to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, there is no cause for alarm.Jones reported that May is currently on an individualized throwing program designed to have him ready on time. Manager Oliver Marmol compared the approach to the one the club used with Sonny Gray over the last two seasons — a method that did not require early spring game action prior to March.That comparison matters.The Cardinals have shown a willingness to tailor ramp-up schedules for veteran arms, especially those with specific workload considerations. The organization’s priority is readiness for the regular season, not box scores in late February.Meanwhile, left-hander Quinn Mathews is scheduled to start tomorrow in what appears to be May’s projected rotation slot. As Jones noted, a fair assumption is that May could slide into that spot the next time through the order.In other words, this looks less like a mystery and more like a calculated pacing strategy.Spring training often creates noise where patience is required. The Cardinals are clearly taking a long-view approach with May, and until there’s evidence otherwise, this appears to be a structured build-up rather than an absence.For now, Dustin May isn’t missing.He’s simply on his own clock

Dustin May - MIA?

Postcard from Port St. Lucie Cardinals 6, Mets 0 — Power and PoiseThe Cardinals turned in one of their most complete efforts of the spring with a 6–0 win over the Mets, pairing timely power with steady pitching and a bullpen that never wavered.JJ Wetherholt continues to get looks all over the diamond, this time starting at shortstop. The organization clearly wants to see how his game translates in different spots, and these innings matter. Spring reps aren’t just about numbers — they’re about comfort, instincts, and tempo. Wetherholt keeps checking boxes.Right-hander Richard Fitts earned the win with two innings of work, but his first inning told the story. A couple of infield misplays put him in a jam early. Instead of unraveling, Fitts settled in, trusted his stuff, and worked his way out of trouble. That’s what you want to see — not just stuff, but composure when things break down behind you.Nolan Gorman provided the thunder. His third-inning, three-run homer traveled 386 feet and left the bat at 102.7 mph — and it came on a quality pitch. That’s an important detail. Driving good pitches, not just mistakes, is what separates streaky power from mature production. If Gorman builds on that, it changes the outlook.From there, the bullpen shut the door. The Cardinals’ relief corps kept the Mets — a lineup that included Juan Soto — off the scoreboard all afternoon. Potential closer Matt Svanson added a clean, scoreless frame of his own, continuing to strengthen his case in the ninth-inning conversation.Pitch. Hit. Hold the line.On this day in Port St. Lucie, the Cardinals did all three

Cardinals 6, Mets 0 - Power and Poise

The Cardinal Chronicle In the Spotlight: LHP Nick Raquet - Beating the Bushes St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurSome players take the straight highway to the big leagues. Others take the back roads, step away for a season — or two — and come back stronger.Nick Raquet fits squarely in that second category.The 30-year-old left-hander (6-0, 215) made his Major League debut in Seattle on September 8, 2025, delivering two scoreless appearances on consecutive days. No fanfare. No theatrics. Just clean innings and quiet effectiveness.Originally selected in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, Raquet’s path wasn’t linear. After grinding through the system, he stepped away from organized baseball for two full seasons (2021–22), working as a consultant for Ernst &amp; Young. That’s not something you often see on a pitching résumé.But the arm didn’t disappear — and neither did the ambition.In 2023, pitching for the York Revolution of the Atlantic League, Raquet went 13-7 with a 3.71 ERA across 24 starts. He was named York’s Pitcher of the Year and shared Atlantic League Co-Pitcher of the Year honors. It was a comeback season that put him back on the professional radar.The Cardinals signed him as a minor league free agent in January 2024.By 2025, Raquet was more than organizational depth. He tied for the Cardinals’ minor league lead with 10 wins and became the first Cardinals minor league pitcher to post double-digit wins in relief since 2016. He provided steady innings, flexibility, and a dependable left-handed option capable of working in multiple roles.At 30, Raquet is not a prospect chasing projection. He’s a pitcher who understands opportunity, appreciates it, and competes for it. For a club that values resilience and internal depth, his story is a reminder that development doesn’t always follow a straight line.Sometimes it takes a detour to arrive ready. The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

LHP Nick Raquet - Beating the Bushes

The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFray Peniche Honored with 2025 George Kissell AwardThe St. Louis Cardinals organization announced last night that Dominican Summer League Cardinals (R) manager Fray Peniche has been named the 2025 recipient of the George Kissell Award — one of the highest honors in the club’s player development system.Since 2008, the award has been selected by a vote of Cardinals minor league staff and is presented annually to a staff member who exemplifies excellence in player development — not merely in wins and losses, but in teaching, mentorship, and organizational impact.Peniche, 52, enters his 16th season as a coach in the Cardinals organization — his 28th overall in professional baseball — and has spent every one of his Cardinals seasons as manager of the DSL Cardinals at the club’s academy in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. Hired in 2011, the Dominican native has compiled a 449-462 record in the Dominican Summer League, but his influence reaches far beyond the standings.At the Cardinals’ Dominican Academy, Peniche serves as far more than a field manager. He is often the first professional voice young Latin American prospects hear after signing. For many 16- and 17-year-olds adjusting to professional expectations, cultural shifts, and the grind of daily baseball instruction, Peniche has been a steady hand guiding their development both on and off the field.The award bears the name of George Kissell, long regarded as one of the foundational teachers in Cardinals history — a man whose emphasis on fundamentals, discipline, and doing things “The Cardinal Way” shaped generations of players and coaches. That Peniche is recognized by his peers for carrying forward those same values speaks volumes about his impact.The Dominican Summer League rarely draws headlines. There are no large crowds, no televised games, and no box scores that dominate social media feeds. But in Boca Chica, the foundation of the future is laid. It is where raw talent is shaped into professional habits. It is where character is tested. It is where the first steps toward Busch Stadium quietly begin.Peniche’s tenure spans waves of prospects — some who have climbed the organizational ladder, others who have not — but all who passed through his clubhouse experienced the standard and structure the Cardinals pride themselves on.In an era when player development is increasingly data-driven and performance-focused, the George Kissell Award remains a reminder that teaching still matters. Development still matters. People still matter.Fray Peniche has spent nearly three decades proving exactly that.

Fray Peniche Honored with the 2025 George Kissell Award

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.