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The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray Mileur<h3>A Rotation Takes Shape</h3>&nbsp; For years, the Cardinals talked about building a modern pitching identity.This spring, they finally acted on it.After weeks of competition, evaluation, and internal debate, St. Louis has finalized its 2026 starting rotation — a group that reflects not just who pitched the best in March, but what the organization now believes a rotation should be.This isn’t a staff built on reputation. It’s built on conviction.Some springs end with unanswered questions.This one ends with clarity.There is no innings-eating placeholder. No veteran kept around “just in case.” No compromise decision.Every arm earned its way here. Every name carries purpose.As one evaluator put it late in camp, “We didn’t pick the safest five. We picked the right five.” That alone marks a shift.Matthew Liberatore: The New Center of Gravity Naming Matthew Liberatore the Opening Day starter wasn’t just a baseball decision — it was a declaration.The Cardinals are no longer waiting on potential. They’re investing in ownership.Liberatore’s spring showed a pitcher in command — sharper breaking pitches, quicker tempo, and a visible confidence that had been inconsistent in past seasons. The raw ability was never in question. The consistency was.Now, the organization believes that line has been crossed.“He’s taken ownership of his career,” one staff member said. “This is his rotation now.”For a franchise searching for a homegrown anchor, this isn’t symbolic. It’s foundational.&nbsp; Dustin May: The Impact Arm If Liberatore provides stability, Dustin May provides impact.The stuff is back — explosive life, uncomfortable angles, and late movement that forces hitters into decisions they don’t want to make. There’s still risk, and the Cardinals know it. His workload will be managed.But expectations won’t be.May gives this rotation something it has lacked in recent years — a legitimate difference-maker.If he stays healthy, he changes the equation. If he doesn’t, the club finally has the depth to absorb it.Either way, his presence signals intent.&nbsp; Michael McGreevy: Quiet Stability In a rotation full of youth, Michael McGreevy has quietly become the steady presence.He represents the balance the Cardinals have been chasing — attacking the strike zone without becoming predictable, pitching to contact without becoming passive, and missing enough bats to avoid trouble.He won’t dominate headlines. He will win trust.And in a staff built on upside, that matters more than ever.&nbsp; Andre Pallante: A Role Finally Defined Andre Pallante has worn just about every label in recent years.Reliever. Long man. Emergency starter.Now, he has something he hasn’t had before — clarity.Pallante earned a full-time rotation role with improved command, a more complete pitch mix, and a maturity that matches his competitiveness. He gives the staff a different look and a dependable baseline.He’s not here to overpower. He’s here to compete — and to keep his team in games.That role has value.&nbsp; Kyle Leahy: The Spring That Couldn’t Be Ignored Every camp produces one name that forces the conversation.This year, it was Kyle Leahy.He didn’t benefit from circumstance. He created it.Leahy consistently executed, filled the strike zone, and handled every opportunity with poise. In a camp built on competition, he made the decision unavoidable.As one coach put it, “He made it for us.”For an organization searching for internal success stories, this one matters.&nbsp; Richard Fitts: Development Over Convenience Richard Fitts didn’t lose a job.He was assigned a role.By sending him to Memphis, the Cardinals made a forward-thinking decision — prioritizing development over short-term flexibility. They want him starting every fifth day, not waiting for innings in a crowded bullpen.The belief in his future hasn’t changed. The plan simply reflects it.&nbsp; A Rotation With Identity For the first time in several seasons, the Cardinals’ rotation has shape.A young anchor stepping forward. A high-ceiling arm capable of changing games. A stabilizing presence. A competitor who keeps the game under control. A breakout arm who earned his place.This is not a group built on past résumés. It’s built on present performance.And more importantly, it’s built with the future in mind.As one voice inside the organization said late in camp, “We finally look like the staff we’ve been trying to build.”Now comes the real test, the 2026 regular season.&nbsp; The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.&nbsp;

A Rotation Takes Shape

A New Number, Arsenal, &amp; Role: Liberatore Takes the Hill The Cardinal Chronicle&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurOpening Day Belongs to LiberatoreMatthew Liberatore isn’t just getting the ball on Opening Day—he’s taking ownership of it.The 26-year-old left-hander from Peoria, Arizona has earned the assignment, and the St. Louis Cardinals have made it official: Liberatore will start the home opener at Busch Stadium. It’s a moment that carries weight in this town, and for the first time in his career, he looks ready to carry it.Originally selected 16th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Liberatore entered professional baseball with expectations already attached. Tampa Bay doesn’t miss often when it comes to pitching, and they saw frontline potential early.That belief followed him to St. Louis.In January 2020, the Cardinals acquired Liberatore in a deal that sent Randy Arozarena to Tampa Bay—a trade that has been debated ever since. Arozarena became a postseason star, while Liberatore spent his early big-league career searching for consistency, moving between the rotation and bullpen.Fair or not, the comparisons lingered.This spring, Liberatore changed the conversation.Over 18.1 innings, he delivered a dominant 24-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, showing a level of command that had previously been inconsistent. His fastball sat comfortably at 94–95 mph, but more importantly, he pitched with purpose—working ahead, finishing hitters, and controlling the pace of the game.In his final tune-up against the Mets, Liberatore threw five shutout innings, allowing just one hit while retiring 13 consecutive batters. It wasn’t just effective—it was convincing.The biggest difference may be his expanded arsenal.This spring, Liberatore introduced a splitter to neutralize right-handed hitters, a group that has given him trouble in the past. He also refined his changeup into a “kick-change,” blending movement profiles, while adding velocity to his cutter to attack early in counts.The result is a seven-pitch mix—fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter—that keeps hitters from getting comfortable.There’s also a quiet signal of intent. Liberatore switched from No. 52 to No. 32 this spring, honoring Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax. It’s more than a number—it’s a mindset.Last season, Liberatore showed flashes, including an eight-start stretch where he allowed two runs or fewer from mid-April through late May. He finished with eight wins and a 4.21 ERA—solid, but not the profile of a traditional Opening Day starter.This year is different.The command is sharper. The confidence is visible. The approach is more mature. And for the first time, the opportunity feels earned—not given.Opening Day starters don’t always come with the biggest résumé. Sometimes they’re the pitcher who’s ready when the moment arrives.Right now, that pitcher is Matthew Liberatore.And next Thursday at Busch Stadium, the moment belongs to him.&nbsp;

A New Number, A New Arsenal, & A New Role

The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurIt’s Time to Go to ChurchThere’s an old baseball saying that’s been passed down through generations: “When a young player forces your hand, you play him.”Right now in Jupiter, Nathan Church isn’t knocking on the door… he’s standing in the doorway.Church leads all Cardinals rookies with 39 at-bats this spring, and he’s making every one of them count. A .313/.436/.469 slash line with a .905 OPS isn’t noise—it’s production. Real production. The kind that gets a manager’s attention and keeps a front office honest.And here’s the truth of it: the opportunity is there.With Lars Nootbaar set to begin the season on the injured list, the Cardinals didn’t need a placeholder—they needed someone to step in and play. Church has done more than that. He’s made a case to stay.Church’s journey hasn’t been rushed, and that matters. An 11th-round pick out of UC Irvine in 2022, he’s taken the long road—one level at a time. No shortcuts. No hype train. Just steady progress. By mid-2025, he was in Triple-A Memphis, and all he did there was hit .335/.400/.521 over 53 games. That’ll get you noticed.It earned him a late-season call-up, where he got his first taste of the big leagues. The numbers (.179, .504 OPS) weren’t pretty—but they rarely are the first time around. What mattered was the exposure. The adjustment period. The education.Now he’s back—and he looks like a player who learned something.If you like flash, Church may not be your guy.If you like old school baseball, he might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.His approach is simple, almost old-fashioned: put the ball in play and make the defense work. At Triple-A, he struck out in just 10.3% of his plate appearances. That’s not just good—that’s elite in today’s game.He’ll take a walk. He’ll drop a bunt. He’ll beat out a grounder. He understands pressure baseball.Now, there’s a flip side. That contact-first approach can lead to chasing pitches, and we saw that in his first stint in St. Louis. Big-league pitchers don’t miss their spots often, and they’ll test your discipline in a hurry.That’s the adjustment. That’s the next step.The glove travels, here’s where Church separates himself—and why he’s not going away. He can play all three outfield spots, and he plays them well.Efficient routes. Closing speed. A plus arm. In a limited major league sample, he already posted 4 Outs Above Average, which tells you everything you need to know.That glove will keep him in the lineup. That speed will keep him on the bases. And if the bat continues to come around… now you’re talking about something more than a fourth outfielder.Scouting Snapshot Hit: 50 Power: 35 Run: 60 Arm: 60 Field: 65 Overall: 40 That’s not a superstar profile.That’s a ballplayer.And sometimes, especially in a season where you’re trying to rediscover your identity, that’s exactly what you need.The Cardinals h ave made it clear—they’re willing to take a hard look at the next wave.This isn’t about filling a spot for two weeks. This is about seeing who belongs.Church has already shown he can hit at Triple-A. He’s showing now that he can compete in big-league camp. If he gets off to a strong start in April, the math gets real interesting when Nootbaar returns.Because when a young player proves he belongs… you don’t send him back.&nbsp; My old school take is, you don’t build a club on projections. You build it on players who show up and perform when given the chance. Nathan Church has done that this spring.He’s not loud. He’s not flashy. But he plays the game the right way—and he’s making it harder by the day to take his name out of the lineup card.And around here, that still means something. Photo Credit - FoxSports&nbsp; The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future

It's Time to go to Church

The Cardinal Chronicle Game Day Recap Cardinals 5, Nationals 1 Jupiter, FloridaThe Cardinals put together one of their more complete efforts of the spring Thursday afternoon, knocking off the Washington Nationals 5-1 in Jupiter. It wasn’t flashy—but it was efficient, and this time of year, that’s exactly what you want to see.Velázquez Keeps Knocking If there’s a name that refuses to go quiet late in camp, it’s Nelson Velázquez.Velázquez continued his strong push for a spot on the Opening Day roster with two hits, including a run-scoring single. He’s doing what veterans respect most—producing when decisions are being made. No talk, no noise, just results.Burleson Steady as Ever While some are fighting for jobs, Alec Burleson is quietly reinforcing his place.Two more hits pushed his spring average to .323, and his approach remains consistent—short, controlled swings, using the whole field. He may not grab headlines, but he’s become one of the more dependable bats in camp.Pitching Sets the Tone The Cardinals’ pitching staff handled business from start to finish, limiting the Nationals to just one run and keeping traffic off the bases.It wasn’t overpowering—it was disciplined. Strike throwing, working ahead, and letting the defense do its job. That’s the kind of outing that earns trust heading into the final roster decisions.Final thoughts, my old school take; This one looked like Cardinals baseball. Clean defense. Timely hitting. Pitchers throwing strikes. No wasted motion.And maybe more importantly, you’re starting to see who wants those last roster spots. Velázquez has made it a conversation. The young guys are pushing. The front office has some decisions to make—and not all of them will be easy.That’s a good problem to have.

Cardinals 5, Nationals 1

The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThrowback Thursday: 20 Years of Busch Stadium III — Where It All Began Again As the Cardinals pack up camp and head north, the rhythm of spring gives way to something familiar — Opening Day in St. Louis.This season carries a little more weight than most.It marks the 20th anniversary of Busch Stadium III, a ballpark that has already seen its share of October moments, franchise milestones, and memories that still echo through Cardinal Nation.But to understand what this stadium means, you have to go back to where it started.When Busch Stadium III opened its gates in 2006, it wasn’t just the beginning of a new season — it was the beginning of a new era.The old Busch was gone, and with it, decades of history. In its place stood a modern ballpark built with a nod to the past, framed by the St. Louis skyline and designed to carry the next generation of Cardinals baseball.There was excitement, no doubt.But there were also questions.Would the new stadium feel like home? Would the history carry forward? Would the Cardinals write new memories worthy of the ones left behind?The 2006 Cardinals didn’t look like a championship club for much of the year.They battled injuries. They struggled with consistency. They finished the regular season with just 83 wins, the lowest total of any playoff team that year.And yet, they found a way.Led by veterans who understood October baseball and a roster that refused to fold, the Cardinals slipped into the postseason and began to build something unexpected.What followed remains one of the most improbable postseason runs in franchise history.They outlasted the Mets in a dramatic NLCS that came down to the final out — a moment Cardinals fans will never forget as Adam Wainwright froze Carlos Beltrán with a curveball for the ages.And just like that, the Cardinals were headed to the World Series.In a season that never quite made sense, they kept winning.The 2006 World Series brought the Cardinals face-to-face with the Detroit Tigers.Pitching, defense, and timely hitting carried St. Louis through the series, and in five games, the Cardinals captured their 10th World Series championship.It was a title that surprised the baseball world — but not the clubhouse.They believed.And in the first year of a brand-new ballpark, they gave Busch Stadium III its first championship memory.Now, two decades later, Busch Stadium III stands as more than just a ballpark.It is home.It has seen division titles, postseason runs, and generations of fans pass through its gates. It has carried forward the traditions of Cardinals baseball while building its own identity along the way.And it all traces back to that first season — a year that reminded everyone that in baseball, the story isn’t always written the way you expect.Sometimes, it’s better.As the Cardinals return to St. Louis to begin another season, the 20th anniversary of Busch Stadium III offers a moment to pause and remember.A new stadium. An uncertain season. And a championship that few saw coming.Twenty years later, that story still stands as a reminder of what makes Cardinals baseball what it is — resilience, belief, and a history that continues to grow with each passing season.&nbsp; The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future

Busch Stadium - Where it all Began Again 20 Years Ago

The Cardinal Chronicle Blewett’s Strong Spring Not Enough St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals trimmed the roster again on Wednesday, reassigning right-hander Scott Blewett to minor-league camp, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.&nbsp;For Blewett, it is a disappointing ending to what had been one of the quieter success stories of Cardinals camp.In a spring full of bullpen auditions, Blewett did about all a non-roster invitee could do. He kept runs off the board, threw strikes, and made the decision-makers take a long look. His Grapefruit League line — a 1.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 7 strikeouts against 3 walks in 6 innings — gave him a legitimate shot to force his way into the conversation. (CBS Sports)But in the end, “good camp” and “Opening Day roster” are not always the same thing.That is the hard truth of March baseball. Blewett’s reassignment says less about failure and more about the numbers game. The Cardinals are down to the final stages of sorting out a crowded bullpen, and every remaining decision now carries weight. With Blewett out of the mix, the path appears clearer for Rule 5 selection Matt Pushard and offseason acquisition George Soriano as the club finalizes the relief corps for March 26.&nbsp;There is no shame in the way Blewett leaves major league camp. He made a real push. He opened some eyes. And more importantly, he may have positioned himself to be one of the first names the Cardinals consider when bullpen help is needed during the season.That is how this game works sometimes. A man can do nearly everything right and still get squeezed by timing, roster rules, and circumstance.Blewett did not win a job out of camp, but he may have won something nearly as important: a place near the top of the call-up list.Image - Cardinal Chronicle -&nbsp; The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

Blewett’s Strong Spring Not Enough

The Cardinal Chronicle 

The 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.