Earlier this season I expressed some frustration with the disconnect between the front office’s message of “youth as a weapon” and the usage of those young players on the field. Namely that they weren’t really being used at all. That problem has evaporated since Mike Shildt took the helm, with youth seemingly the driving force to the Cardinals’ resurgence in the standings (along with an absolutely ridiculous performance from Matt Carpenter). Yes, some of the correction on that front had to be created by the front office through roster moves, but the bulk of it was born out of a “trust your guys” approach that left younger players—especially pitchers—sitting on the bench for the bulk of the games.
The Youth Movement is Working
