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The Cardinal Chronicle St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurBat First, Mask Second? Ivan Herrera Behind the Plate, Under the LensIván Herrera is penciled in to catch Sunday for the first time this spring, it won’t just be another Grapefruit League assignment. It’s a checkpoint, that could point to changes, if not this season, the next.Herrera’s bat is not in question. It may very well be the best pure offensive tool in the projected Cardinals lineup. He is, by profile and production, a hitter first. That’s not criticism — that’s clarity. The question this spring isn’t whether he can hit. It’s whether he can anchor the position defensively in a system that is suddenly rich in catching depth.Last season’s injury limited both his availability and his time behind the plate. Now he steps back into a competition that isn’t loud — but it’s real.The pipeline is coming.Rainiel Rodriguez (“Hulk”) brings rare power for his age and projects to open 2026 in Peoria with Springfield on the horizon. Leonardo Bernal sits near the top of organizational rankings with steady, well-rounded tools. Jimmy Crooks debuted late in 2025 and continues to push forward. At the major league level, Pedro Pagés and Yohel Pozo provide roster flexibility.That’s not a threat — it’s organizational health. But it does create decisions.First base appears settled. Alec Burleson is projected to handle everyday duties there following the departure of Willson Contreras, and his offensive production supports that alignment.If Herrera’s long-term home shifts, left field becomes the logical landing spot. His bat would profile comfortably there. The question is whether the Cardinals want to move him (we're not talking about trading him) — or whether he forces them not to.&nbsp;Sunday matters.Not for box score reasons. For trust. For his arm, his durability. For how he handles pitchers and controls the game. Spring training doesn’t define careers, but at times it does clarifies roles.The Cardinals have catching coming.Now we find out if Iván Herrera remains the answer behind the plate — or becomes something just as important somewhere else in the lineup, if not this year, maybe next year. AI-generated illustration via Durable./ Cardinal Chronicle

Herrera Bat First, Mask Second?

This Date in Cardinal History February 28, 1989Red Schoendienst Elected to the Hall of Fame On this date in 1989, Cardinals legend Red Schoendienst was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee, cementing his place among the immortals of the game.For Cardinal fans, it felt less like an announcement and more like a confirmation of what we already knew.Schoendienst signed with the Cardinals in 1942 and became one of the finest second basemen of his era. A 10-time All-Star, he helped lead St. Louis to a World Series championship in 1946. He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t loud. He just showed up, played the game the right way, and won.But Red’s legacy in St. Louis extends far beyond his playing days.As manager, he guided the Cardinals to the 1967 World Series title and a National League pennant in 1968. He later became a fixture in the organization for decades — coach, mentor, ambassador — a living link between generations of Cardinal baseball.When you talk about “The Cardinal Way,” you’re talking about men like Red. Fundamental baseball. Professionalism. Loyalty. Respect for the uniform.His election in 1989 wasn’t simply about numbers. It was about a lifetime of service to the game and to one franchise.Few men have ever worn the Birds on the Bat longer — or with more quiet dignity — than Red Schoendienst.&nbsp; The Cardinal Chronicle Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.

This Date in Cardinal History

<h3>In the Spotlight: Thomas Saggese</h3>"The Cardinals Swiss Army Knife" ~ ray mileurJUPITER, Fla. — Every spring, a name starts showing up in an unexpected place on the lineup card. This year, it’s Thomas Saggese.On Thursday in a Grapefruit League matchup with the Houston Astros, Saggese made his first-ever professional start in left field. Not in the minors. Not in winter ball. Not anywhere. And now he’s getting a crash course under the Florida sun.If that sounds familiar, it should.The Cardinals have a history of turning dependable infielders into valuable utility men. Think Tommy Edman. Think Jose Oquendo. Players who didn’t just fill in — they steadied the roster and gave managers options. Saggese is starting to look cut from that same cloth.He’s expected to see time in center field soon as well, before departing camp to represent Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. That’s not easing into versatility — that’s earning it the old-fashioned way.There’s a larger roster picture here, too.St. Louis has been searching for a right-handed-hitting outfielder. Instead of making a direct move to address that need, they signed right-handed infielder Ramon Urias. In part, that decision reflects confidence in Saggese — and José Fermín — to provide outfield flexibility this spring.With Lars Nootbaar managing heel issues and likely headed for the injured list to begin the season, there is a legitimate opportunity in left field. Not later in the year — now.Saggese doesn’t need to become a polished outfielder overnight. He needs to be steady. Take good routes. Make routine plays. Hit the cutoff man. If the bat continues to show up, versatility could become his path to early-season playing time.The Cardinals have always valued players who can move around the diamond without hesitation. It’s part of their identity — adaptable, fundamentally sound, team-first baseball.This may have started as a spring experiment.It may end up being something more. “AI-generated illustration via Durable.”

Swiss Army Knife: Thomas Saggese

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.”

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?

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.

Ray Mileur, Publisher

The Cardinal Notebook

Herrera Bat First, Mask Second?

This Date in Cardinal History

Swiss Army Knife: Thomas Saggese

This Date in Cardinal History

Trust in the Cardinal Way

Dustin May - MIA?