Card book: Fowler's speed out at the top of the charts | St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals 'right field player made two goals and a hat-trick in the Cardinals' 9-5 win on Friday night, and spring training coverage became a reality in the first three games of the season. Throughout the grapefruit league games, the Cardinals urged Fowler not to look at the results of the swings, but to consider his approach and his speed of exit. They pointed out to him that the average of his hard-hit balls was higher than all those of the previous season. The Cardinals, as well as other teams, use the exit speed as a measurable indication of the speed of the bat. The more the number of strikes is difficult, the higher the percentage of hits received.

The single at 111.1 mph was 4 mph faster than his toughest touch of last season, and he only had five last season faster than 104.0 mph. While he was struggling throughout last season with injuries and what he described as a depression, his bat was lagging behind, his speed was decreasing and he was only 19 strokes away. stronger than 100 mph.

He has already played two games out of three this season, including a 101-mph line-up in his first game on Saturday at bat.

"We are able to validate the subject we are talking about," said manager Mike Shildt.

For Fowler, the most encouraging numbers of the first games are not measured in mph, but in OBP. In the match against Goldschmidt, Fowler made his second and third steps of the season. In his second appearance in front of the plate on Saturday, Fowler fell behind in the 1-2 countdown and missed a total of four shots before making a run. The four walks in three parts are twice as numerous as the 52 appearances on the plate this spring. It's because he went to swing – to find the moment, to prove his health.

"You take these criticisms in the spring, as if I were trying to get shots, I was trying to hit, I'm here to hit," Fowler said. "For me, it's almost like living BP. It's 3-2 (count), let's go. I will try to start. At the end of the day, you can hit hard and sometimes, fortunately, these are strikes. But when you see the ball well – and I see it well. Now, it's about putting a barrel on it. "

One of the ways that Tyler O'Neill can separate on the bench and gain extra time is to prove his mastery of the center of the field, where he started Saturday. The night match leading up to Sunday's escape gave Shildt reason enough to swap field center player Harrison Bader every day and score goals for O'Neill. With Jose Martinez also on the bench and an option left and right, O'Neill can stand out with Yairo Munoz in manipulating center – and spelling Bader.

O 'Neill was 0 for 4 on Saturday, with three strikeouts.

O'Neill had several races at the center during the spring training and he started three games in the Cardinals center in 2018. The center was sometimes a challenge that could influence the flower beds where Shildt sends O & # 39; Neill or who started when. he plays there.

"We are still a work in progress," said Shildt. "We hope he does not have a lot of activities with Dakota (Hudson). He works there. He settles more and more. The reports have always been favorable to the fact that he is a confident full-fledged player. "

Both stars Jack Flaherty and Shildt described the start of the right-handed race on Friday night by explaining that he "was fighting against himself". He was chased out of the game by consecutive singles and the final final on his line was Yadier Molina, who pitched a runner to second base.

Three of the four races he allowed were won by Ryan Braun's striker and the other by a sacrificial fly. But during his 4 1/3 inning, Flaherty said it was the least comfortable he's felt since "my first outing in the spring."

He lacked sense for his throws, but was trying to keep control of the game.

"I'm proud of my mental approach to everything – that nothing in the game changes," said Flaherty, whose next start will be the home opener Thursday at Busch Stadium. "Whether we pass from a bridge or three decks (stands), the dimensions do not change, the terrain does not change, everything around it changes. It's always me and the guy in the box. … There are good things in there, good things to take away and others to fix.

Matt Carpenter's single on Friday night was the 1,000th of this career. He is only the sixth player to have at least as many shots and all with the Cardinals. The other five: Molina (1,850), Marty Marion (1,402), Terry Moore (1,318), Pepper Martin (1,227) and Stan Musial (3,630). … While Bob Uecker was watching from his broadcast stand at Miller Park, the three Goldschmidt circuits had equalized Uecker's career points as a cardinal, Saturday's game scores said. … The Cardinals created Hudson to start the third game of the season to manipulate the rotation between holidays. This will allow the Cardinals to stage more favorable matches in the next round for Michael Wacha, Hudson and other starters. … For the first time, the Cardinals wore their new powder blue jersey ("victory") that will be featured for all Saturday games on the road this season, with the exception of one. When the Cardinals travel to Mexico in April to face Cincinnati, they will wear gray for Saturday's game.