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Hey howdy hey! Daniel Guerrero here. Welcome to today’s Cardinals chat at STL Today dot com. The Cardinals are 3-0 to begin the season. The kids are swinging the bats and the pitching (starting and relieving) kept the Twins' bats silenced. The Angels come to town today for a three-game set. Lots to talk about, so let’s get into it.

(BTW, I’ll do my best to add a real-time transcript below.)

redbird fanatic: I realize that Siani gives us a good late inning defensive replacement and can be used as a pinch runner, but Koperniak is a good fielder as well and gives us a pinch hitter option. He burnt up the ST pitching. When will be get a chance to play in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½? Thanks for the chat.

Guerrero: Pulling from the 40-man roster throughout the season is inevitable, so I’d think there’s a good chance Matt Koperniak gets the call for his MLB debut if he continues to hit, which he’s done at every minor league level he’s appeared at.

Guerrero: When you look at the two (Siani and Koperniak), Siani has been a premier center fielder at the major league level. While a good defender, Koperniak’s upside is with his bat and I don’t think the role off the bench would yield enough at-bats to maximize Koperniak’s value on the current roster.

JB: Any update on the nature of Tink Hence's injury and how long the Cardinals expect him to be out?

Guerrero: When I reached out to Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak about Hence's injury, I was not given an ETA for how long the righty may be out with the right rib cage strain.

Ken: Hi Daniel. Well the team looks energized. The hitting approach looks much different than the last few years. They seem to be fouling off unhittable pitches and laying off the outside pitch in the dirt. Are you seeing the same thing ? I really like their approach.

Guerrero: I think the team’s approach does look different. I think it’s fair to say that could be traced to the difference the team’s new hitting coach Brant Brown is making. There have been some interesting tidbits and buzzwords used that provide a window into how Brown talks of hitting with his team. A good example was Victor Scott II talking about himself being a “hit collector,� and then saying that was a phrase from Brown. Brown has talked about guys having “superpowers� unique to them at the plate. As a team, it feels like each individual has a strong sense of the role they can fit into this team and are showing that with how they approach their at-bats.

South City Steve: What is your concern level with Winn given the hitting issue is a carryover from spring training and September of 2024?

Guerrero: The level of concern I’d place on Winn’s showing at the place is still low in mind considering we’re just three games into the season, but I think the five strikeouts through his first nine at-bats of the season make the quiet start feel even more quiet.

Ud: I have read a couple national sports outlets that describe the Cardinals as trying to avoid an "inevitable" rebuild. I for one never thought the roster needed a rebuild. There is plenty of talent on our 40 man roster and in the minors, the trick is getting performance from the roster. I know you can't read other writers' minds but, do you think this first series will quiet the critics or will they still talk about how much the Cards will get for Arenado, Helsley and Fedde at the trade deadline or before? Do you think this first series should quiet that talk, even if it does not?

Guerrero: I don’t know if it quiets talk/speculation on how active the Cardinals could be on the market. But I think a more sustained stretch of success brings up the question of what the Cardinals do if they are competing for a playoff spot. Sure, a three-game win streak to begin the season gives us a sense of what this team can be when everything is clicking, but we still have 159 games to go.

Marc: Daniel, what do you make of the new "torpedo" bats being used by several Yankees players?

Guerrero: I think the “torpedo� bats certainly are interesting. I joked with other writers this weekend that players customized the knobs of bats before they messed with the barrels in such a way that the “torpedo� bats do. From what I’ve seen and read, the bats are legal and those several players on the Yankees aren’t the only players using it or looking into it. I saw in an MLB dot com article that Junior Caminero from the Rays used a torpedo bat for an AB this past weekend. If that’s the case, then I’m interested to see if its one of those things that makes its way across MLB clubhouses and into batter’s boxes.

Johnnynou: Daniel are you surprised at the Card’s fast start and do you think that this team could surprise some teams enough to put together an above average to good record in the first 50-odd games?

Guerrero: How quickly the Cardinals as a team flipped a switch on offense after a lowly spring training is a bit of a surprise. Seeing how they pounced on Pablo Lopez and continued that throughout the weekend has been interesting, especially considering the production has come from top to bottom and without Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn getting into the hit column. Based on what we see with teams on paper, the front end of this March/April for the Cardinals is one to capitalize on before you face Philadelphia, Atlanta, and the New York Mets halfway through April. Even with the transition/reset talk and the possibility of trading Nolan Arenado, I thought this team could be competitive in the first half if the young guys stepped up. And based on what we’ve seen, a lot of them have.

Phil: I know Victor Scott II said home runs are "an accident" for him, and ST plus one series are still a small enough sample size to allow for a hot streak with 5 of these happy accidents not necessarily indicating anything larger (I wonder what Jeremy Hazelbaker is up to these days....). But do Scott and the team see this as more representative of his offensive potential, that his ceiling could be a regular 20/20 threat without necessarily turning into a true power hitter?

Guerrero: You know, Victor Scott II joked about the home run yesterday and really downplayed it. I think that goes back to Scott knowing who he is as a “hit collector� and base stealer. I wouldn’t say the home runs are any indication that he or the team thinks he can potentially be a 20/20 guy down the line. As Scott joked, the homers are “accidents.� I think the home runs are more representative of the adjustments and growth Scott has made as a hitter.

Craftyrighthander: Thanks for your coverage. Great job. Please tell me that Oli/Mo won't panic over Winn's first three games.

Guerrero: I can tell you with certainty that the manager and POBO are not panicking over Winn's start.

Bretto: Does the team set up a "report time" at home and on the road. Obviously they have to ear, so does the team provide lunch dinner and an after game meal or is it up to each player to figure it out?

Guerrero: Yes, players have report times throughout spring training and the season. Meals are also provided to them.

DCG: why is the chat format so tiny today? Looks like it does on my phone.

Guerrero: I'm not sure what the case is with that, but I'll see if there's an answer to the issue. In the meantime, I'll have a transcript of the chat below the text box to make it easier to read.

v: Could you please explain the requirements for a save that allowed Matz to be credited with one even with a big lead?

Guerrero: A relief pitcher can earn a save if they enter the game with their team leading and they pitch at least three innings while finishing the win. Matz's four innings to close out the win qualified him for the save.

Lu: ~26K on the first Sunday game of the year...I'm truly worried about this. If we can't get to 2.5M this year it could really hinder our ability to spend moving forward. I don't have a ton of sympathy for DeWitt's pocket book, but he's said they can't spend if attendence isn't there. Here's hoping better weather and decent play brings the crowds. Its sad, man

Guerrero: I figured the uncertain weather could keep people home, but I didn’t the announced paid attendance for the first Sunday day game would be below 27,000. In a way, that feels somewhat reflective of the fan response coming into the season after back-to-back seasons without playoff appearances and a season that was announced as the start of a “reset.�

Guerrero: *I didn't think. …

ICCFIM: How do the Cards work Nolan Gorman's bat into the line-up more often? Everyone is hitting so far.

Guerrero: The at-bats for Gorman that we thought would be there at the beginning of spring training, and even at the beginning of this past offseason, really don’t seem clear at the moment, but he will get playing time. Remember, he is one of the young players the Cardinals were looking at as a key part of this youth movement. He’ll get playing time at second base when Brendan Donovan is in left field or resting, time at third bases when Nolan Arenado gets a breather, and some DH at-bats as well. It will take some moving part for Gorman to get in there, but he will have playing time.

v: Given the DG (see what I did there?) mantra that there is no such thing as too much pitching I suggest nothing. However one has to wonder about some of the contenders that seem to be light on starting pitching to begin the year. Has there been any hint of Mo's phone ringing about Matz?

Guerrero: I’m not sure how active any teams are at the moment in checking in on Matz. But if Matz’s spring training results and his effectiveness out of the bullpen on Sunday are any indication of what he could provide on the mound, my guess is that the phone line would get busy once the market heats up later this summer.

pugger: HeyDaniel, thanks for the chat and your always solid work on covering the Cards, including the minor leagues.. Thank you!!! Let's say the Cardinals have a decent 1st half, within striking distance of 1st place-- What do they do at the deadline? Buy? Sell? And will that affect potentially the playing time the young guys get?? Thank you

Guerrero: I wanted to make sure I had this right, but last year Walker did talk about working with Memphis hitting coach Howie Clark and the club’s minor league hitting coordinator Russ Steinhorn. To address your questions, the biggest changes in the atmosphere and staff have been with the organization as a whole and not just specific to Memphis. The Cardinals added bench coaches at each minor league level and brought in additional coordinators in positions that were not previously filled. Having the additional staff was a big need. I spoke with a few different prospects -- on the hitting and pitching side -- in the organization and the reception has been positive. Some players pointed to the feedback they’ve been able to give to the coaching staff as a highlight of what the work has looked like with the new and returning faces. I hope that answers the question.

Phil: Help! We're three games into the season and I'm not nervous yet; what do I do??? Really though, considering we haven't seen a 3-0 start in nearly 20 years, it really is quite unfamiliar territory as a fan. No game-1 bullpen breakdown, no immediate offensive malaise, no SP still shaking off ST sluggishness......other than some annoyance at Gray not getting a 6th inning, it's been a weekend free of fan hostility towards the players and coaches. I could get used to this!

Guerrero: *insert Michael Scott everybody stay calm gif

Guerrero: again, the GIFs are not working...

saytreykid: If the Cardinals perform better than expected and the trade chips do the same, this will help "kickstart" the rebuild along with having the #5 pick in the coming draft. Fedde & Helsley not being extended are signs of this, but Matz and Arenado performing at a higher level will increase the ROI on those trades too...the Cards really need to load up on pitching prospects/young studs to turn the corner. Can't rely on what we have..What's your take...Have you seen any speculation on who they would draft at #5 overall too?

Guerrero: The best ROI for those trade chips (if deals end up coming to fruition) definitely kickstarts the transition/reset if you get a strong haul in terms of prospects in return. Adding starting pitching prospects, especially those who are nearing the majors. When you look at the Cardinals starting pitching pipeline and who is nearing the majors, there are some question marks for guys like Tink Hence, Tekoah Roby, and Cooper Hjerpe, who have had injury setbacks the past few seasons, and others, like Gordon Graceffo and Max Rajcic, are looking to regain the form from previous seasons.

Guerrero: As for the No. 5 pick in this year’s MLB Draft, college and high school seasons are still going on so it feels a bit early to tell. But, in a recent Baseball America mock draft that had picks from anonymous major league scouts, the publication had the Cardinals taking SS Ethan Holliday, the son of Cardinals HOFer Matt.

Alright folks, I’ll need to end the chat here and head to the ballpark for some more baseball. The Cardinals welcome the Halos to town for three games. Thanks for your participation and for continuing to follow our coverage here at STL Today dot com and in the pages of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Post-Dispatch. We have a long season ahead of us and we’ll have you covered here and on newsstands. Take care! -- Daniel Guerrero

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