With a new year bringing renewed hope for the Cardinals, Joe Roderick and Brendan Schaefer zero in on one glaring issue holding St. Louis back: the complete lack of a true middle-of-the-order power bat. The duo points out that Wilson Contreras led the team in home runs last season with just 20 — an alarmingly low number that highlights how far the Cardinals have fallen from their recent playoff years, when 30-plus homer seasons from Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado, and others were the norm
They break down how St. Louis has steadily drifted away from being a dangerous power lineup, noting that the last time the Cardinals made the playoffs (2022), they also had multiple hitters topping 30 homers. Since then, the team has relied on scattered, modest power totals rather than a true game-changing slugger. Joe and Brendan discuss whether Nolan Gorman, Iván Herrera, or even Alec Burleson could realistically become that 30-home-run threat, while expressing skepticism about projection systems that underestimate Herrera’s power potential despite his loud contact and limited playing time so far
The conversation also explores whether the Cardinals should seek an external solution — a “Jed Gyorko-type” trade or bargain free agent who could unexpectedly become a home run machine — or fully commit to evaluating their young core in 2026, even if it means living with growing pains. Ultimately, the show frames the Cardinals’ power drought as more than a stat quirk — it’s a defining weakness that will continue to limit the team’s ceiling until St. Louis finds (or develops) a legitimate middle-of-the-order thumper.
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