MIAMI -- The scope of the Cardinals' youth infusion came into focus Monday, when they filed into the visiting dugout at Marlins Park. The Majors' most overtly rebuilding team waited across the field. And yet, due in large part to injures to key veterans, the Cardinals sport a pitching staff more than a year -- on average -- younger than the Marlins do. No active member of St. Louis' rotation owns more than two years worth of big league service time.
These are circumstances that qualify Luke Weaver, who took a tough-luck loss in Monday's 2-1 defeat, as a de facto staff elder, of sorts.