IMAGE: Sep 17, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of a St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images \/ Imagn Images<\/div>\n
The St. Louis Cardinals gave fans a spark of hope after taking back-to-back series from the Cubs and Dodgers.<\/p>\n
For a minute there, it looked like they might be pulling themselves into the thick of the playoff picture. But then came the series against the Rockies-a two-out-of-three stumble that felt all too familiar for a team caught between flashes of promise and frustrating inconsistency.<\/p>\n
So the question hangs in the air like a slow-breaking curve: What\u2019s missing? Why does momentum vanish as soon as it shows up?<\/p>\n
Veteran play-by-play voice Chip Caray thinks he has at least part of the answer. In a recent interview, Caray pointed straight to the Cardinals\u2019 clubhouse dynamic-or specifically, what it lacks.<\/p>\n
It’s not talent, he says. It\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n
The kind that steadies young players, sets the tone, and teaches the big-league level beyond just what’s in the scouting report.<\/p>\n
Caray highlighted Nick Markakis as the kind of veteran the Cardinals are missing. During his time with the Braves, Markakis wasn\u2019t a rah-rah guy, but teammates knew where he stood.<\/p>\n
He went about his business the right way, held teammates accountable, and created an environment where young stars like Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman could thrive. According to Caray, that’s the sort of presence this Cardinals team needs to support its young core.<\/p>\n
Now, in theory, St. Louis already checked that leadership box.<\/p>\n
Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt were brought in, in part, to be the culture-changers. On paper, they\u2019re the ultimate lead-by-example veterans-hard-working, talented, respected across the league.<\/p>\n
But as Caray pointed out, neither one is particularly vocal in the clubhouse. They\u2019re more likely to lead with actions than with speeches-and while there\u2019s nothing wrong with that, it doesn\u2019t always fill the void when the locker room needs someone to jolt the young guys out of a funk.<\/p>\n
To his credit, Arenado seemed to sense that himself. He reportedly pushed for the team to bring in some edge-guys who wouldn\u2019t just lead quietly, but who could hold others accountable.<\/p>\n
The Cardinals responded with the additions of Brandon Crawford and Matt Carpenter, two veterans and close friends of Arenado\u2019s who\u2019ve seen it all in the majors. They were supposed to be the boots-on-the-ground leadership crew.<\/p>\n
But here we are. That veteran injection didn\u2019t stick the landing.<\/p>\n
Of course, leadership on a roster isn\u2019t something you can just manufacture with a midseason signing, especially if those players aren\u2019t contributing consistently on the field. That\u2019s part of what\u2019s complicated the situation for Arenado, who\u2019s had one of the toughest seasons of his career. Between underperformance and time spent on the injured list, it\u2019s been a slog-and it\u2019s hard to lead loudly when your bat is quiet and your body won\u2019t cooperate.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Willson Contreras. Now here\u2019s a guy bringing that emotional energy the Cardinals need.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not catching every day, but his presence still echoes. Contreras plays with fire, speaks his mind, backs his teammates, and hits the ball hard.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s become a rare bright spot in a season full of ups and downs, and he’s the kind of tone-setter who can influence a young team culture.<\/p>\n
Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II-both brimming with potential and athleticism-can learn a lot from watching how Contreras carries himself. These are players who could become faces of the franchise in the years to come, and their development won\u2019t be defined by numbers alone. It\u2019ll be shaped by the voices around them in the dugout and what kind of expectations are set inside that clubhouse.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also Brendan Donovan, who\u2019s carved out a versatile, steady presence. Donovan may not be the first name you throw out when discussing team leaders, but he\u2019s part of that veteran layer that’s supposed to help bridge the experience gap between the young prospects and the demands of Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n
So the Cardinals are in an interesting spot. They\u2019ve got some good clay-talent, veterans, promise-but the mold is still taking shape.<\/p>\n
The question, really, is whether this current group can evolve into the kind of leadership core every contending team needs. Because adding aging vets for the sake of \u201cveteran presence\u201d doesn\u2019t automatically fix chemistry.<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t force mentorship. And a locker room doesn\u2019t change just because someone with a ring walks through the door.<\/p>\n
Right now, the pieces are there. The personalities exist. It\u2019s about finding a rhythm within the chaos of a long season-where leadership isn\u2019t prescribed, but earned and embraced.<\/p>\n
If the Cardinals are going to stop this cycle of momentum followed by collapse, it won\u2019t come solely from external additions. It\u2019s going to have to come from within.<\/p>\n
From players like Contreras stepping up. From young stars like Winn and Scott II taking that next step.<\/p>\n
From Arenado, if healthy, rediscovering his voice along with his swing.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no single fix. But there\u2019s still a foundation. And that counts for a lot more than one would-be savior veteran sitting on the bench.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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