Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Miles Mikolas finish a workout at Busch Stadium. (Post-Dispatch photo by Christian Gooden)
QUESTION: Offense remains to be seen, defense seems pretty solid, and pitching is looking very promising. Commish, just how good do you think Cardinals pitching is in light of a 60-game season? Can you rank it within the division and within the league?
COMMISH: The offense still is a big question in my mind, notably the outfield. But pitching is where the 60-game champions will be decided, and if and when the Cardinals return Gallegos, Reyes and Cabrera to what they already have, they will have the most depth in the division and perhaps the league.
I would not be surprised at all if the Cardinals win the division. The Dodgers may be better, though, because they can pitch AND score.
Follow-up: Key Cardinals pitchers seem to have arrived at summer camp fit and ready, given their separated circumstances since March. Do you see similar pitcher-readiness among other teams?
COMMISH: Hard to tell so far but the Cubs, except for losing Quintana with a hand injury, have everybody in camp who they expected to have. But the Cubs probably have less depth than the Cardinals so they can’t afford to lose anyone else of value.