What we know about the Cards after the first series

With the St. Louis Cardinals first series officially in the rear view mirror, we've learned a handful of things about this team.

To say this is a small sample size would be the understatement of the century, but a few things have become quickly apparent. Nothing is ever definitive in early April, or in late September for that matter, but that's the beauty of baseball.

Following is a brief list of what we know about the Cardinals so far.

5. Trevor Rosenthal still throws...hard

While rookie fireballer Trevor Rosenthal has only made two appearances so far, we already know that his rocket for an arm has survived the winter. He's hit triple digits on the radar gun several times already and clearly throws hitters for a loop.

He's thrown only 52 pitches in his three innings of work, but his average fourseam fastball clocks in at about 98 mph according to data from Brooks Baseball.

Rosenthal's best trick is to follow his fast ball with either his curve or changeup. His curveballs clocks in at about 80 mph and, following his fastball, are extremely deceiving.

As the season goes on, expect to see more of his off-speed stuff as he continues to grow as a pitcher. He has the potential to go far and what we've seen so far barely scratches the surface.

4. Pete Kozma's bat looks a lot like it did in Sept./Oct.

When Pete Kozma arrived in St. Louis in 2012, his bat was far more vicious than anyone could have anticipated. Without Kozma in the lineup, the chances are slim the Cardinals would have played as deep into October as they did.

It was also widely believed that Kozma's reign would be short-lived. Few would have argued that his newfound offense was the Pete Kozma of the future.

But, is it?

At the start of Spring Training he looked no different than when we last saw him. He finished the spring batting .359 with 3 HR and 15 RBI.

Now the season has begun and he's hitting 4-for-14 with a .308 BA. How long keep he keep up at that pace? Will he come back down to earth or is Kozma a legitimate .300 hitter?

That question could answer itself in the next month or two. If the Cardinals aren't shopping for a shortstop at the trade deadline, then that's your answer.

3. Jon Jay will be covering a lot of ground from centerfield

In the Monday night season opener, it was quickly obvious that Jon Jay is going to be covering a lot of ground in centerfield this season.

Whether the cause is Carlos Beltran's fractured toe or his aging knees, he clearly isn't moving like he did even last season.

Jay has good defensive range and is still learning about where to play certain batters, but he will continue to grow. With that said, he's only human.

The biggest hang-up for Jay, as has been the case for quite some time, is his arm. His ability to make throws to the plate from deep in the outfield has long been my only concern with his defense.

2. Allen Craig is apparently extremely tough

When Allen Craig smashed his knee into a concrete barrier in Arizona, I was sure he was gone - and not just for the night.

The gash, and ensuing blood puddle on his pants leg, looked like an injury that could require stitches. Instead of heading for the clubhouse, Craig fought it off and followed up with a pair of doubles.

The pain in his eyes was clear, but he never hobbled, stumbled or hobbled. Instead, he went to the plate eight times in a 16 inning marathon. Kudos to Craig.

That's the kind of fight the Cardinals want to see from Craig. They need his bat in the lineup for 140-plus games in 2013. If that means playing through pain, then so be it.

1. The Cardinals need Motte

Possibly the most important lesson the Cardinals learned through their first series is the fact that they need Jason Motte back in the bullpen.

This isn't a knock to Mitchell Boggs, who is a far better pitcher than he is often given credit for, it's about stability. The Mujica-Boggs-Motte trio got the Cardinals deep into the Postseason in 2012 and messing up that formula could be a recipe for problems.

The bullpen has the depth to weather the loss of most anyone, but I would hate to see that 7-8-9 combo take a very extended shift.

Boggs is needed in his eighth inning role. He absolutely owned it last season and there's no reason to expect less in 2013.

Jason Motte picked up every single one of the Cardinals saves in 2012 and that consistency needs to be in place for another Postseason run.