Cardinals know what they want this offseason. They’re just in no hurry to get it.

The first day of the 2019 MLB Winter Meetings wound down on Monday with the Cardinals finding themselves in an unusual position for this time of year.

They know what they’re after. They’re just not in a hurry to go get it.

Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak met with members of the media on Monday evening to discuss the team’s desire to find more flexibility for the lineup in the person of a left-handed hitter. That player, who Mozeliak conceded is more likely to be found on the trade market, may not find themselves joining the Redbirds by the end of the week’s activities at San Diego’s Manchester Grand Hyatt.

“One of the takeaways for us is the finish line is not necessarily on Thursday,” Mozeliak said. “We don’t want to look at this (like) we have to have something done by the end of these meetings.”

Despite having left-handed hitting infielders Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong and switch hitter Tommy Edman on the roster, Mozeliak moved swiftly to correct a question about the search for a lefty “outfielder” to the search for a lefty “bat,” thus implying that the team doesn’t intend to be limited by position in their search.

“When you really look at our club last year, very few slots in that lineup were overachieving,” Mozeliak said. “So I think for us we feel like have some internal options to (play), and if you’re one of those players, it’s really about, ‘will I get that opportunity?’”

Has Dylan Carlson’s time arrived?

The offer of access to consistent playing time is a hurdle the Cardinals would have to clear in their pursuit of players on the free agent market.

“We’re really open to anything, but it’s hard to go out and sign somebody if you’re not guaranteeing them playing time,” Mozeliak said. “That’s the biggest task.”

Perhaps the most exciting internal option for finding more swings from a left hander is Dylan Carlson, the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year. Though Carlson has been discussed as a candidate for the opening day roster, Mozeliak tamped down those expectations on Monday evening.

“I do feel like there are some players ahead of (Carlson) at the moment that are still looking for their opportunity, so I feel like trying to make that jump is a bit unfair,” Mozeliak cautioned. “But given the success he had last year, that was certainly great to see.

“If he were to go down to Triple-A and do that for a short period of time again and we were having struggles, then clearly that path could be a lot quicker.”

If not Carlson, then the path to the opening day roster would, at present, seem to favor players such as Randy Arozarena and Lane Thomas. Neither is left handed and either could be an option in centerfield if Harrison Bader were to struggle.

Another left-handed hitter?

Mozeliak was open about the need for Bader to improve his pitch recognition and handling skills, particularly when facing breaking balls from right-handed pitchers, as he consistently struggled against those offerings at the plate in 2019.

The Cardinals’ insistence that the lineup requires additional balance will raise eyebrows when viewed through the lens of their returning hitters.

In addition to Carpenter, Edman, and Wong, Dexter Fowler is also a switch hitter who is historically stronger from the left side. Those four players would likely comprise at least three spots of the team’s regular lineup, leaving the question open as to the desired role and experience of the players the Cardinals may seek.

“I think it’s really about creating at bats for people, but not necessarily in a platoon,” Mozeliak said. “If people feel like they’re a little too left handed, then it might make sense for us to be talking. But then you have to match up if the trade actually makes sense for controllable, what are they making financially, and we just haven’t come to a meeting of the minds on that.”

Cardinals trade chips

Another challenge for the Cardinals is in creating a trade market for players like Adolis Garcia and Tyler O’Neill who, along with Arozarena and Thomas, have limited exposure in the major leagues. That variable is likely to create hesitancy among potential trading partners.

“I do think some of the players we’re talking about now, their performance has been mostly earned or viewed from a Triple-A level, so it is tougher to make a decision based on that,” Mozeliak said. “Whoever goes after these types of right handed bats are likely going to be inserted right into their outfield, so they’ll find out right away.”

The underlying message from the St. Louis front office is one of patience and stability.

The Cardinals believe they have built a roster comprised of players who project to greater success than they’ve shown thus far. Turning those projections into reality will, ultimately, be the rubric on which the front office’s offseason strategic is graded.

“I feel like most winter meetings we’ve tended to have something we were chasing,” Mozeliak said. “And this year — I think it’s a compliment to our club, really — we like the players we have, and it’s a good thing.”

This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 9:55 AM.