The gloves in St. Louis are glazed with gold.
Heck, you could make a sensible argument that the greatest defender to ever play shortstop, third base, catcher and first base were all Cardinals — Ozzie Smith, Nolan Arenado, Yadier Molina and Keith Hernandez. And then consider that St. Louis also fielded the likes of Jim Edmonds and Curt Flood, Scott Rolen and Ken Boyer, Red Schoendienst and Kolten Wong.
It’s expected excellence. For some players, “The Cardinal Way” can weigh, but the 2022 club is living up this — and they’re stealing outs and because of it, this leather-laced larceny. In August alone, we’ve seen two game-saving plays in right by Lars Nootbaar, an implausible backward “basket” grab by Arenado (and perfect throw to keep the runner from advancing) and, while writing this column Wednesday at Busch Stadium, a galloping grab by Dylan Carlson in center.
