51黑料

This week in Philadelphia, it鈥檚 the Phillies vs. the Eagles.

See, the way the Cardinals are playing defense 鈥� stout up front and preventing penetration, while aggressive on deep balls 鈥� the best comp isn鈥檛 a baseball team but a football team.

The Cardinals are the Eagles of baseball 鈥� the league鈥檚 best defensive unit. And 51黑料 plays a brand of defense that shows some gridiron grit, be it the ball-hawking and fearless playmaking. Even the nastiest of Philly fans should tip their red (or green) caps to the Cards.

51黑料 entered Monday鈥檚 series in Philadelphia with the most outs above average in all of baseball. By, like, a lot. And per Sports Info Solutions, the Cardinals have the most defensive runs saved in the National League.

The most errors the Cards have made in a game this year? Two. And that鈥檚 only happened twice, entering the Philadelphia series.

It鈥檚 been exceptional 鈥� and it鈥檚 exceeded my expectations. Now, of course, I figured the likes of Nolan Arenado and Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II would fare well with the glove. But Jordan Walker? And Willson Contreras and Alec Burleson at first with Paul Goldschmidt gone?

There are plenty of reasons the 鈥渢ransitioning鈥� Cards are relevant 鈥� and entered Monday on an eight-game winning streak. But the defense is the glue. The guys prevent would-be base runners and shorten innings 鈥� which lengthens potential outings for starters and saves arms in the bullpen.

鈥淎nd they take away runs 鈥� often,鈥� said manager Oliver Marmol, who added former 51黑料 outfielder Jon Jay to his staff this offseason. 鈥淕osh, you look back to spring training, there鈥檚 a lot of emphasis in what we can control with our group, and one of those things was defense. We wanted to take a ton of pride in it, and the work being put in by infielders, outfielders has been really good. There鈥檚 a lot to be excited about with this group.鈥�

And for fans, the defense has been invigorating. It鈥檚 a reason to watch. A reason to believe. A reason to invest, emotionally and otherwise, in viewing a young team. The Cards have come a long way from 2023, when they were 24th in Fangraphs鈥� defensive rating (and a local columnist had the headline: 鈥淭he decay of the defense 鈥� the Cardinals are losing their way鈥�). Last year, the Cards were 17th out of 30. This year, they鈥檙e first.

鈥淒efensive mentality? I would say, no-fly zone in the outfield,鈥� said Scott, using a term NFL secondaries use. 鈥淎nd nothing gets through the infield. I mean, it鈥檚 pretty impressive to see the ownership that guys are taking in their defense.鈥�

Walker is arguably the most improved player in the field, though even Willie Mays out there probably couldn鈥檛 make up for Walker鈥檚 lack of hitting (.186 average and .514 on-base plus slugging percentage entering Monday). I emailed Mark Simon at Sports Info Solutions for any data about the Cards outfield 鈥� and he sent me back a whole spreadsheet. He explained that SIS awards 鈥済ood fielding plays,鈥� and the Cardinals have 20 of them related to 鈥渃atching fly balls and line drives.鈥� That鈥檚 the most in MLB. The spreadsheet included six plays made by Walker.

鈥淚 really appreciate how much the staff has really put an emphasis on getting our defense right,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淎ll the work that we go out there and do with different situations. Jon Jay out there with the outfielders, he鈥檒l give you every situation known to man. And then him coming in, talking with us in between innings, showing us video what we did right, what we did wrong, what we could do better next time. I think that all that little stuff, you know, helps us become great defenders. And I feel like we make good plays and make big plays when we need them to hold runs.鈥�

Scott, of course, has been Edmonds-esque. Along with stealing bases, the center fielder also steals extra-base hits.

Marmol was honest 鈥� last season, Scott鈥檚 speed made up for defensive nuances such as first-step direction and route running. But now, Scott has become sharper with his technique, and his center field defense ranks fourth-best in baseball per SIS.

I deadpanned to Marmol: 鈥淛on Jay is good at his job,鈥� to which Marmol replied: 鈥淛on Jay is exceptional at his job.鈥�

Post-Dispatch writer Derrick Goold recently described the Cardinals鈥� 鈥淪aran Wrap defense.鈥� There really is so much glove love to give. Brendan Donovan entered Monday with 39 straight errorless games 鈥� the fifth-longest streak in the NL. Even more impressive considering he鈥檚 started games at second base, shortstop and in left field this season. After an average 2023, Arenado worked his way back into the Gold Glove conversation last year 鈥� and could win the thing this year. And the fellows at first base have held their own by holding on to tough throws. And the footwork has been something out of an Arthur Murray lesson.

The Cards entered Monday with 16 errors 鈥� only four teams had fewer. And remember outs above average? The Cardinals entered Monday with 24 鈥� the most in Major League Baseball. How outstanding is their 24? Second place is Atlanta and Houston tied with 14. After that? It鈥檚 Kansas City with only eight.

If the Cards are going to even end up a .500 team 鈥� let alone a division-title contender 鈥� the 鈥淒鈥� must remain 鈥淕rade A.鈥� There鈥檚 optimism from this keyboard.

And as Arenado told reporters this past weekend: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe there鈥檚 a better defense out there than ours.鈥�

Well, maybe the Eagles.