Small Upgrades for the Cardinals Could Pay Off in a Big Way

Although it may not be the most exciting off season for Cardinals fans, there have been a series of moves that greatly improve the team going into the 2016 season. 

1. Brayan Peña: Especially in the light of the Molina injury, a backup catcher was a must this offseason. Peña provides a reliable glove that comes with a much improved offense over Tony Cruz. 

2. Jedd Gyorko: Getting a player of Gyorko's caliber under team control for multiple years for Jon Jay was surprising. Gyorko can play multiple positions and spell the entire infield a day off here or there. He provides the versatility to be a super utility player with pop off the bench. The Cardinals lacked a reliable backup infielder in 2015, which became a major issue in the 2nd half of the season. Having a weapon like Gyorko should fill a major hole from a year ago. 

3. Seung Hwan Oh: Similar to the infielders, staying fresh was a huge problem for the relievers. Overuse of Seth Maness and Kevin Siegrist played an integral role in the collapse to end the season. Adding a polished veteran like Oh feasibly allows the rest of the bullpen more rest.  

4. Mike Leake: Leake is a competitor, an athlete, and has the potential to be a solid number 2 or 3. It took me a while to hop on the Leake train, but he has grown on me. His addition was a must after Lynn's season ending injury. When healthy, a rotation of Wainwright-Martinez-Garcia-Wacha-Leake looks pretty awesome. 

None of these names are flashy, but thats okay. Every major hole the Cardinals had in their 100 win campaign in 2015 was filled this offseason. Add an extra year of experience for the young guys like Grichuk, Piscotty, and Wong and we should see an improved team come opening day.