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We're almost there. Almost. Don't watch the clock nor the calendar or it may seem interminable, but we are less than a week away from real, live, meaningful baseball.
As such, VEB is ripe with posts, game threads, projections, comments, and an endless supply of baseball content. In case you were too busy over Easter weekend to read everything, here's what you may have missed.
Projection results
VEB community projections are being unveiled at an increasing rate, and there were quite a few over the weekend. Randal Grichuk came on Friday. First on Saturday was Yadier Molina, followed by Brandon Moss and finally by Michael Wacha. On Sunday, the morning brought Jaime Garcia and the afternoon brought Carlos Martinez.
Game threads
Catch up on the community's real-time analysis of the Cardinals' weekend Spring Training games: Friday's game thread for a game which ended as a tie to the Mets, Saturday's game thread for a 7-0 loss to the Nationals, and Sunday's game thread for a 4-2 loss to the Marlins.
An ace-less rotation
On Friday, I wrote about the myth that MLB teams need a true "ace" to win the World Series, as no World Series champion this decade has included a top ten pitcher in baseball for that season. Although some took umbrage with the claim that Adam Wainwright and/or Carlos Martinez and/or Michael Wacha are not aces, this takes a pretty optimistic view of the Cardinals and that they don't need an ace. Of course, if one (or three, or five) Cardinals pitcher(s) can emerge as a bona fide ace, that would be a cool thing and I would approve of that.
The Adam Wainwright bobblehead
Lil scooter asked very nicely that you give her the Adam Wainwright bobblehead. Come on, guys. She was polite about it. Could she have said "please"? Yes. Should she have said "please"? Probably. But it's been a long offseason and people can grow restless sometimes.
Ruben Tejada
Ben Markham broke down the statistical track record of likely Opening Day starting shortstop Ruben Tejada. Although he has been a relatively unexciting player in his time in MLB with the New York Mets, Tejada seemingly is a safer option at shortstop than the Memphis-bound Aledmys Diaz.
It's almost here. Actual, tangible, relevant baseball. Just be patient. Well, try to be patient. And if you just need little tastes of baseball before the actual games start, be sure to check VEB throughout the week for more previews of the 2016 St. Louis Cardinals.