WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- When Tyler O’Neill put his foot in the revolving door that has long been the Cardinals' left-field position and simultaneously delivered a season dynamic enough to earn National League MVP votes, he hoped the organization would jump at the chance to sign him to a new contract and possibly negotiate a long-term extension.

However, the 26-year-old O’Neill learned this week that perception and reality can differ greatly when it comes to baseball franchises committing long-term to players still in their infancy as middle-of-the-order boppers.

“I’m not going to lie; I was a little surprised, and I thought there was going to be a little more urgency in the matter, but unfortunately there wasn’t,” said O’Neill, referring to the $750,000 difference between the contracts his negotiators and the Cardinals submitted on Tuesday. “So we’re in the situation we are.”

The situation in which O’Neill finds himself is possibly having to worry about arbitration hearings during what he hopes will be a championship-contending season for the Cardinals. Because the 99-day lockout between the players and owners shelved all offseason business, MLB now will hold some arbitration hearings during the 162-game regular season. O’Neill knows that could lead to some awkward situations between two parties that should be pulling in the same direction.

"It’s an unorthodox scenario," O'Neill said, "but that’s what we’ve got.”

O’Neill’s Cardinals saw their 4-0 start to Spring Training come to an end on Wednesday, when they lost, 10-3, to the Astros. Six of Houston's runs came in the ninth off Jake Walsh and Kyle Ryan. Ace Adam Wainwright allowed a two-run home run to Pedro Leon in the second inning but was otherwise sharp, throwing 44 pitches (34 strikes) and striking out three.

“Curveball, outer half and a hair above the knee, maybe. Not a pitch I’m expecting to get hit out,” Wainwright said of the homer. “Sometimes a guy just puts a good swing on it. Two games in a row, one pitch costs me two runs. But if I pitch like that all year, I’m going to have lots of success.”

O’Neill had plenty of success last season, hitting .286, slugging .352 and compiling a .912 OPS. The short but muscular left fielder smashed 34 home runs -- 13 more than he hit in his first three MLB seasons combined. He also benefited from batting between stars Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, driving home a career-best 80 runs. He was key to the Cardinals’ 17-game winning streak late in the season, and his stellar play allowed him to finish eighth in MVP voting.

O’Neill’s big jump, manager Oliver Marmol said, was the result of his discipline and preparation meeting his opportunity.

“If you looked at Tyler O’Neill 12 to 18 months ago and where he’s at with his routine now, he’s at an elite level,” Marmol said. “He’s taken his game to a completely different level when it comes to his preparation, video work, how he approaches pitchers and his work in the cage. That’s allowed him to have more confidence.”

O’Neill and center fielder Harrison Bader were two of a record five Cardinals to win Gold Gloves last season, and they are the two players with whom St. Louis could not reach deals, setting the stage for potential arbitration hearings. The Cardinals ($3.8 million) and the 27-year-old Bader ($4.8 million) found common ground on a contract last season but are far apart this time around.

O’Neill, Bader and promising 23-year-old Dylan Carlson have helped shore up an outfield that has seen the Cardinals audition Dexter Fowler, Marcell Ozuna, Lane Thomas, Steven Piscotty, Randall Grichuk and others in recent years. O’Neill said that he and Bader have discussed the possibility of going through the season at the same time as they are negotiating contract figures.

What the contract situation won’t do, O’Neill insisted, is affect his intense preparation for the season ahead and the confidence he has in his abilities. After all, if he backs up what he did last season, monstrous paydays are ahead.

“My confidence is that X-factor and the sixth tool you can’t grade,” said O’Neill, who admitted that he would happily discuss a long-term extension if the Cardinals show interest. “I’ve taken strides in that [confidence] department. I really belong, I can hit in the middle of this order, do damage for this ballclub and help us win games.”