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St. Louis Cardinals fans hoping for a speedy recovery from a rare bad season may get their wish fulfilled quickly in 2024.

Jet-propelled rookies Masyn Winn and Victor Scott II hold the key. Should they run their way into starting roles atop the batting order, sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado likely would get such a boatload of RBI that even the Cardinals’ still shaky pitching staff could cruise.

Though poor pitching was the main reason for St. Louis’ 71-91 record last year – its’ worst since 1995 — an overall lack of speed and contact hitting did not help.

There’s an opening at shortstop and Winn, 21, has the skills to fill it. Scott, 22, has a tougher road to gain an outfield berth despite an astounding 112 stolen bases in 155 minor-league games in 2023.

Many scouts consider Winn a five-tool player. Drafted at No. 54 overall in 2020 as a two-way high school star, his skills touched off a debate in the team’s hierarchy. Should he pitch, play shortstop or do both?

PROMOTED

St. Louis Cardinals v Baltimore Orioles
BALTIMORE: Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals runs to second base against the Baltimore Orioles … [+]GETTY IMAGES
“I’m not a pitcher because the Cardinals and I decided that’s the easier route to go,” he told David Laurila of FanGraphs a year ago. “Hitting … I mean, it’s a lot easier to pick the glove back up and go back on the mound than it is to pick a bat back up.”

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It has been a Winn-Win decision. Winn batted .283 with 18 homers and 99 runs in 105 games at Triple-A Memphis in 2023. He also went 17-for-19 in steal attempts, giving him 92 in 104 tries overall in the minors. In the field, the arm that flung fastballs in the upper 90s in high school played well at short. In the 2022 All-Star Futures Game, one of his throws to first base was clocked at 100.5 mph. His soft hands were quick enough to snag everything within his fine range.

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Winn’s offense will determine if he opens 2024 in St. Louis. He hit only .172 (21-for-122) in a 37-game trial last year. If he struggles, veteran Tommy Edman would regain the spot he shared in 2023 with the departed Paul DeJong. The switch-hitter has 106 steals in 123 tries in the majors and is usually good for 12 homers. He also can play second base and the outfield.

Scott really can play the outfield. Picked in the fifth round in 2022, he made four errors in 409 chances in center-field in 2023 and saved dozens of runs with his exemplary range. At bat, he went from being strikeout-prone at West Virginia University to a second-year pro batting .303 with 9 homers, 95 runs and 94 steals across High A and Double A. In 23 more games in the Arizona Fall League, he flashed great glovework, batted .283 and stole 18 more.

American League Fall Stars v. National League Fall Stars
MESA, AZ: Victor Scott II runs out a double in the first inning of the 2023 Arizona Fall League … [+]MLB PHOTOS VIA GETTY IMAGES
“He’s going to be a fun guy to watch,” John Mozeliak, the club’s president of baseball operations told Tom Ackerman of KMOX radio last month. “When you’re looking at someone that has that type of elite speed and knows how to use it, that is a powerful tool. We are very excited about him.”

Unfair To Compare
Don’t run off to conclusions, however. This will not mirror manager Whitey Herzog’s El Birdos of Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, Ozzie Smith, Tommy Herr, Andy Van Slyke and Terry Pendleton. Those six pilfered 512 of the 574 bags stolen by the Cardinals in 1985-86.

By improving their on-base percentages to truly become running threats, Winn and Scott along with Edman and outfielder Lars Nootbaar could set the RBI table for not only Goldschmidt and Arenado, but hard-hitting Nolan Gorman, Willson Contreras, Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson.

That’s how some of the greatest RBI seasons were achieved by Hack Wilson, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg and Manny Ramirez.

Getting His Hacks
Wilson’s all-time record 191 RBI for the 1930 Chicago Cubs was sparked by Woody English and Kiki Cuyler in the lineup in front of him. English was third in the National League in runs (152) and walks (100), seventh in on-base percentage (.430) and batted .335. Cuyler led in steals (37), was second in runs (155), sixth in walks (72), eighth in on-base percentage (.428) and hit .355.

Members of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs (left to right) Riggs Stephenson and future Hall of Famers Kiki Cuyler, Rogers Hornsby … [+]GETTY IMAGES
It also helped that batting behind Wilson were Gabby Hartnett (.339, 37 homers, .404 on-base) and Riggs Stephenson (.367, .421 on-base). Wilson also led the NL in homers (56), walks (105), was fourth in runs (146) and third with a .454 on-base percentage.

The Best Lineup Ever?
One year later, Lou Gehrig set the American League RBI record of 185. Many say the 1927 New York Yankees had the most potent lineup ever. The 1932 version, despite finishing second to the pitching-rich Philadelphia Athletics, may have been better. The ’27 Yanks were led by Babe Ruth’s magical 60 homers and 165 RBI. The 1931 team had six men score 100 or more runs and four driving in 100 or more.

Yankee Baseball Players Before Playing First Game in 1931
NEW YORK: Left to right, Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri and Babe Ruth before the 1931 season … [+]CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES
Gehrig and Ruth tied for the AL homer title with 46 apiece. Gehrig had an AL-leading 163 runs. Ruth was next with 149. Fellow Yankees Earle Combs and Ben Chapman tied for fourth with 120, Joe Sewell scored 102 and Lyn Lary scored 100. Chapman’s 61 steals led the league; four other Yanks also were in double figures. Ruth drove in 162, Chapman 122 and Lary 107.

Hammerin’ Hank … Of Detroit
Hank Greenberg tied Gehrig with the 1937 Detroit Tigers. He hit .337 with 40 homers, 49 doubles, 14 triples and scored 137 runs. Surrounding him in the lineup were Pete Fox (.331, 116 runs), Charlie Gehringer (.371, 133 runs), Gee Walker (.335, 23 steals, 105 runs, 113 RBI) and Rudy York (.307, 35 HR, 101 RBI).

Manny’s Many RBI
It would be 52 years before anyone got within 20 RBI of Greenberg. Manny Ramirez did it amidst driving in 100+ runs in 12 of 14 seasons at the peak of his career. For the 1999 Cleveland Indians, he batted behind three good, speedy hitters to total 165 RBI with 44 homers, 131 runs and .337 average.

Cleveland Indians batter Manny Ramirez watches as
CLEVELAND: Manny Ramirez (with Jim Thome behind him in on-deck circle) watch his two-run homer … [+]AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Ahead of Ramirez, Kenny Lofton hit .301 with 25 steals and 110 runs; Omar Vizquel batted .333 with 42 steals and 112 runs and Roberto Alomar had 37 steals, 138 runs, 24 homers, 120 RBI and hit .323. All of them were gold-glove fielders, too.

Batting behind Ramirez were Jim Thome (33 HR, 108 RBI), Richie Sexson (31 HR, 116 RBI) and David Justice (21 HR, 88 RBI).

Incredibly, Ramirez, Greenberg, Gehrig and Wilson all failed to get to the World Series in their spectacular seasons.