SAN FRANCISCO -- The numbers bear it out that Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Alec Burleson is good at hitting curveballs, but this one caught him looking, and, quite frankly, he never saw it coming.

Informed before the game that manager Oliver Marmol considers him to be one of the building blocks around which the Cardinals should construct their roster going forward, the usually loquacious Burleson was somewhat in shock. As someone who has usually had to fight for his roster spot in Spring Training, Burleson was delighted to hear the praise that the Cardinals skipper had for him before the final week of the 2025 season.

“Wow, that’s kind of the first time I’ve heard that from someone who … maybe he doesn’t make the decisions, but helps with them,” a somewhat stunned Burleson said b

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