Articles written in April always carry the caveat that it's early and not much can be gleaned from such a small number of games. Still, players in spring training always talk about wanting to get off to a hot start, so there must be something to the idea. As the team sets out for its second road trip of the season, here are a few St. Louis Cardinals who have gotten out of the gate quickly in 2012.
Rafael Furcal, SS - It's appropriate to start with Furcal considering he starts the Cardinals offense. The Cardinals offense leads the league with 134 hits, of which Furcal has contributed 20, good for a .364 batting average. Furcal has six multi-hit games out of the 12 games in which he has batted.
Kyle Lohse, SP - Lohse has been nothing short of sensational. Only a late error in his most recent start has kept him from a 3-0 record. As it stands, Lohse is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.89. Lohse's WHIP is a microscopic 0.59, and he has walked just two in his three starts. With Chris Carpenter hurt and Adam Wainwright struggling to come back from arm surgery, Lohse is the unquestionable team ace at this point.
David Freese, 3rd Base - Freese has gotten off to the fast start that fans wanted to see. Freese is 5th in the NL with a .375 average and is tied for 3rd with 13 RBIs. If not for a couple of missed games with a finger issue and a couple of days off from manager Mike Matheny these numbers could be even better. With first baseman Lance Berkman out with a calf injury, the team needs Freese's production to continue.
Carlos Beltran, OF - Beltran looks like the knee injuries that dogged him in his last years with the Mets are a thing of the past. He is running again, with three steals already in 2012 (for comparison, he stole four bases in 2011 and three in 2010). Beltran is hitting second for St. Louis, and his .333 batting average and .444 OBP have helped drive the Cardinals' potent offense.
Jake Westbrook, SP - Having stated above that Kyle Lohse is the de facto ace of the team right now, it might seem odd to say that Westbrook has even better stats. Westbrook has also been terrific on the mound for the Cardinals, with a 2-0 record and an ERA of 0.64, which leads the NL. Hitters are managing a paltry .146 average against Westbrook. If Carpenter stays out for a long period of time, and Wainwright continues to struggle, Westbrook's good pitching will seem even more important to the club.
Sources A native of St. Louis, Brad Boeker has rooted for the Cardinals for over 40 years.
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