Every year, or at least every year since 2012, we’ve taken some time after the season was over to look at the past 162 games through the lens of the players that played them (and the management that was in charge of them). Last year, the Exit Interview series spent less time digging into splits and finding numerical oddities and more time reflecting on the player and their season. It was a style that seemed to work so we’re going to bring it back again this year. The legendary cardinalsgifs is back to bring us excellent series art, so it’s all downhill after you see that!
Player: Andre Pallante
Stats: 8-8, 29 G, 121.1 IP, 110 H, 8 HR, 48 BB, 94 K, 3.78 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 1.302 WHIP, 1.6 bWAR
Statcast: 3.3% barrel, 24.4% sweet spot, 112.3 max exit velocity, .293 wOBA, .289 xwOBA, 18.5 K%, 9.4 BB%
Grade: B
It might be easy to say that this was a season of two distinct halves for Pallante. His ERA in the first half was 4.21, in the second 3.47 even though he threw almost 20 more innings. Only eight of his 17 first half appearances were starts, all 12 of his second half ones were. He gave up five homers in the first half, three in the second. Pallante went from a fairly reliable bullpen piece to perhaps the second best pitcher in the Cardinals rotation. It was quite the turnaround.
And yet Pallante’s strikeout rate slipped a bit from 18.8% to 18.2%. The BABIP dropped by 40 points, which may have fueled a lot of the better success. His walk rate went from 8.7% to 9.9%. Given the differences in how he was used, it’s probably not fair to compare these, though. The approach as a reliever, which he was mainly in the first half, is going to be notably different from that as a starter. Worth noting, perhaps, but probably not worth drawing any conclusions from. The overall success as part of the rotation down the stretch is much more encouraging than any nitpicking of stats.
What’s in store for 2025: Pallante comes to camp assured of a rotation slot. Where he fits in may depend on who is still around after the winter dealing but he’ll be pitching in the first series of the year without much doubt.
