ST. LOUIS - July 27, 2018 was a day that the St. Louis shuffled the chairs on the deck of the Redbird Titanic, and the effect affected their pitching lineup more than anything.
There's just one thing: Mozeliak and General Manager Michael Girsch need to bring back the Redbird hulk. His name is Tyler O'Neill and he smashes things, mostly baseballs.
Greg Holland and Tyler Lyons were given plane tickets out of town, while young guys such as Daniel Poncedeleon and Austin Gomber got to exchange their coffee cups for a maker in the clubhouse locker room. President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak pulled the trigger on a youth movement shift, and the dividends produced an impressive 5-2 win over the National League Central Division leading Chicago Cubs on Friday night at Busch Stadium.
Change is good, but more change is what the Cardinals need, especially in the lineup.
Let's put it this way. O'Neill has cranked six home runs in his last five games for the Memphis Redbirds, including a three-homer game. He has a total of 29 home runs this year split between 79 games at the minor league (70 games) and Major League (19) level. That's right, injuries have held him back from hitting 40 home runs before August 1. It must be that car he deadlifted in the parking lot outside Auto Zone Park.
The Cardinals have an outfield hitting problem. Marcell Ozuna hasn't hit a home run since late June, and 80% of his hits are singles. Tommy Pham has crashed back to Earth and while he has risen slightly off the canvas, his extra base hits count stands at three in the past three weeks. Dexter Fowler is still trying to climb over the intimidating Mendoza line, so let's not set sail on his comeback prospects just yet.
Overall, the outfield needs a boost. A thumper who will strike fear in the hearts of other pitchers. O'Neill did experience trouble at the MLB level after a raucous beginning, striking out 20 times in 44 total at-bats. However, he has made adjustments at Memphis and is still finding ways to mash baseballs. He deserves a second cup of coffee that will hopefully turn into a few pots over the rest of the season.
O'Neill can also play all three outfield spots when needed, but he can cover the corners the best. Unlike Ozuna, O'Neill can throw a guy out at the plate without bouncing it three times. He can track some ground for a guy who looks like he snatches 415 pounds in his sleep. There's incentive on each side of the game with this guy.
The Cardinals can use some firepower in their lineup. Someone who doesn't chip away at pitches and simply try to reach base. They need O'Neill to be what Ozuna clearly isn't: a thomp artist who hurts baseballs.
Here's another reason: other teams are watching. According to Daniel Russell of the SB Nation website Drays Bay, Tampa Bay could be looking for a healthy young bat to filter their lefty-heavy outfield lineup. Since the Cardinals have googly eyes (for a good reason) for starting pitcher Chris Archer, the 23-year-old O'Neill could serve as a juicy piece in a potential trade. The Cardinals have a plethora of outfield prospects, so they won't be sacrificing much to acquire some pitching that will be needed. Bring him up and showcase the kid for three games before the deadline.
Most of all, O'Neill is fun to watch. I don't care if his bat serves as a deterrent for the August humidity at Busch Stadium. As long as he hits a few home runs and serves his purpose, O'Neill will make a potentially lost season a whole lot sexier in an instant. Lines such as, "hey, the game stunk, but Tyler hit a ball off the AT&T Rooftop Deck" may be uttered as fans walk back to their seats.
Like the Ponce feel-good story, the O'Neill mash party could make Cardinals games wash down a whole easier in the final two months of the season if the kid indeed sticks around.
Bring him up and don't push pause on that youth movement. Spread the fever throughout the entire roster, and see where it takes you.
A little Tyler O'Neill goes a long way.
