St Louis Cardinals To Be Next MLB Dynasty?
Oct 18, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals players from left Daniel Descalso , Carlos Martinez and Jon Jay celebrate after game six of the National League Championship Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Dynasty is a word that people try not to use very often. We judge harshly at the present teams, players, and organization when we compare them to their predecessors. Maybe it’s out of respect to those who came before us who can’t defend their legacy or because we don’t want to diminish the success that they had.
However it’s time to recognize that the St Louis Cardinals might become the next great dynasty in Major League Baseball.
Let’s take a look at the baseball dynasties that have occured and you will find some striking similarities between them and what the Cardinals are doing now.
1. Young players able to contribute immediately.
The last dynasty in Major League Baseball was the New York Yankees from 1996 until 2000 when the Yankees won 4 out of the 5 World Series in that time. The reason they were so good was because they had young players ready to contribute to the team. Derek Jeter is the most notable of the young players on the Yankees. In the 1996 season, Jeter batted .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBIs. It was his first full season in the pros but his second overall season. Andy Pettitte was also in his second season in the majors and he won 21 games and had an ERA of 3.87. Mariano Rivera also made his major league debut in 1995.
In the Cardinals dynasty where they won 3 titles in 5 years from 1942-1946, the Cardinals had a young prospect that made his debut in 1941 and played his second season in the majors. That player was Stan Musial.
The Cardinals will have a number of players ready to contribute in their second season in the majors. Michael Wacha will be in his second season in the majors and is the biggest name for the Cardinals entering his second season. Michael Wacha has the potential to be a hall of fame player. Others like Matt Adams, Shelby Miller, and Trevor Rosenthal will be in their 3rd year of Major League Baseball. These young players are going to start to come into their own and will play major roles on the 2014 St Louis Cardinals.