If there ever was a year for the 23-year-old right hander to break out, this is it. The loss of Adam Wainwright for the season due to a ruptured Achilles was a devastating loss for the Cardinals. The club also traded away Shelby Miller in the offseason, who is having a career year for the Atlanta Braves where he has already thrown two complete game shutouts. The Cardinals were looking for a true number one pitcher in the rotation to replace Wainwright, and so far Michael Wacha has been the man. In eight starts this season, Wacha has posted a 6-0 record with a 2.13 earned run average. An even more amazing stat is that the Cardinals have won all eight games he’s started regardless if he received a decision or not. Opponents are hitting just .216 against him, and he has given up just 41 hits in 50 and two-thirds innings pitched. For the birds on the bat to continue their high level of play, Wacha will have to continue to pitch the way he has game in game out. If he can keep his level of play constant, an all-star selection is inevitable and a Cy Young award is possible. He has proven this year that he is going to be a feared pitcher for the Cardinals for years to come, and the scary thing is he’s only 23.