最新杏吧原创

Hearing over the years from Cardinals players, Cardinals fans, Cardinals beat writers and, notably, Cardinals opponents, it was as if there was an unavoidable inevitability聽鈥� Vince Coleman was going to create havoc.

I was only 5 in 1985, so I didn鈥檛 experience it. But 最新杏吧原创 sure did. In Vince Coleman鈥檚 first game that season, the rookie stole two bases. In his second game, he got four hits, including a triple. In his fourth game, he stole three bases. The heat was on.

Here in 2026, this feeling must be similar. At least Cardinals manager Oli Marmol explained it that way. After Thursday鈥檚 season-opening game, I asked the skipper to describe the impact made by Victor Scott II.

鈥淓xactly what you would want, just creating havoc as much as possible聽鈥� nothing you can do about it,鈥� Marmol said after the 9-7 win against the Rays. 鈥淗e can tell you he鈥檚 running, and he鈥檚 going to run. That's the style of play we need from him聽鈥� and he's committed to it.鈥�

In spring, Scott stole six bases in 16 games.

In the opener, Scott stole two bases. He鈥檇 done that four times in his first 191 games聽鈥� and he鈥檚 1 for 1 in 2026, entering Saturday's matinee.

Calling it now! Scott steals 50 this season.聽

He also essentially notched a third stolen base Thursday, though it's not in the stats.

See, in the eighth inning, with Scott on first, Rays pitcher Yoendrys Gomez disengaged twice to try to pick off Scott聽鈥� or, possibly, catch him already going to second. But in the modern game, three disengagements, and you鈥檙e out ... of luck. Gomez threw over a third time, thinking he could pick off Scott. Scott was safe at first 鈥斅燼nd thus got second for free.

鈥淣ormally, pitchers don鈥檛 do that, but I kind of had an inkling that he might do something like that," the center fielder Scott said. 鈥�... I got the extra bag. So that was cool.鈥�

Indeed, that was cool. It showed the power of intimidation and anticipation.

Oh, and Scott notched three hits in the ballgame 鈥� a bunt, a bloop and a bullet. The line drive was nice to see early because, man, Scott worked so hard this offseason on improving his swing.

And the bunt?

鈥淛ust trying to move the runner over first and second,鈥� he said of the sixth-inning at-bat. 鈥淭hat situation, it has to get done.鈥�

Except he bunted so perfectly, he beat the throw to first base.

That loaded the bases.

JJ Wetherholt hit a sacrifice fly RBI.

7-6, Tampa.

Vic stole second. Then Ivan Herrera hit a sacrifice fly RBI.

7-7.

And Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer, driving in Scott.

9-7, 最新杏吧原创聽鈥� which would be the final score.

As for the beautifully bunted baseball, 鈥淭hat's something I take pride in,鈥� Scott said, 鈥渁nd that I've prepared and routine-wise, it's implemented. So those situations mean a lot to me.鈥�

He worked diligently and, some days, endlessly on bunting at spring training.

鈥淎nd it started even before (spring training), with my dad feeding the machine in the offseason,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淛ust saying, 'All right, let's go, first and second. Runners on first and third.' I mean, those little things all come about in a game.鈥�

Such as the first of the games.

And while he鈥檚 in his third season, the 25-year-old Scott still counts as one of the 鈥測oung guys.鈥� His style of play is the 2026 Cards鈥� desired style of play: relentless hustle, sharp defense, applying pressure (and probably not homering a lot).

鈥淚 mean, I play a role,鈥� Scott said, 鈥渁nd my role is to get on base. So whatever way I can do that, I'm going to definitely prepare and try my best in doing that. ... I just try to be as in tune with my approach and swing as possible. And (Thursday) I just tried to do literally what I do best: go play free and bunt and run and just have fun. We'll try to keep it up.鈥�

Much has been written from this keyboard in the Busch Stadium press box 鈥� and the keyboards to my left and right 鈥� about Scott needing to improve his offense. He hit .179 as a rookie, .216 last season. And in 2025, his on-base plus slugging percentage was .601 鈥� yet he managed to swipe 34 bases (and was caught just four times).

So the bunt was fun and the broken-bat bloop was fine, but he鈥檒l need more well-hit balls like his first hit to, you know, get in a position to steal in the first place.

Thursday was a heck of show, though.

鈥淚t's not new to me 鈥� I've seen that for a long time back in college,鈥� said Wetherholt, his old West Virginia teammate. 鈥淭hat's him, playing free, just playing fun, doing things the right way. ... That's who he is: a menace on the bases. And just able to beat you at the bat, too, and play great defense.鈥�