- This topic has 101 replies, 22 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
6:45 p.m. CT
LHP Steven Matz vs. LHP Dylan Dodd
Bally Sports Midwest and KMOX
(and Bally Sports South/Southwest)We are 2-2, so as of now we are an 81 win team. I know that feasting on doormats and going .500 vs good teams is a recipe for making post season, but it shouldn’t be good enough. Its not good enough for the good teams. I know the argument is its early, but its early for everybody else too. We will settle in and so will they. We have Matz and then Mikolas for these last two, so lets keep our fingers crossed and hold on to our hats.
Well, the first 6 games of the ’23 season are against two teams that were a combined 62 games above sea level last season, so the starting gate certainly doesn’t swing open to the pleasant greeting of doormats as we get underway. But yeah, you sure don’t want get slapped around in your own house by two very talented teams to start the season. Especially the Braves, in the sense that they represent a NL team that could very possibly be an obstacle in the post-season. In any event, I’m sure the fellas want to win every game, but a 3-3 split of this homestand vs. these two teams wouldn’t be the death knell of a 3-3 showing vs. the Reds and Pirates. If that were to happen, it’d be high time to deep six it and begin a 5 year plan to rebuild for the future…
Maybe this Cardinals offense will have a different personality than in the past. Hope so since the Braves’ starter is not only making his MLB debut, he is a lefty!
I’ve noticed that, Euro, and I genuinely wish that feeling would rub off on me, but my only recurring image of Steve Matz has him fielding a weak GB to the right side in front of Goldy an instant prior to featuring what may well be the most clumsy and unothodox step on to the 1B bag that I’ve ever witnessed…Haha! He looked like a blind baby billy goat stepping into a pothole…
Yep 1td, I said at the time that Matz just might’ve made the single goofiest looking play I’ve ever seen a big leaguer make. Ironically it was that game that made me think he was going to do some good things. He had just gotten off the IL after missing a couple months, but I saw him making some pitches that impressed me, until poof, he was injured again and missed another couple months.
Then I liked what he said afterwards, especially this Spring. He owned up that the Cards didn’t get what they paid for, he was sorry about that, and has worked hard to be ready to make amends this season. He said he feels good. It’s not much, performance is what counts, but attitude is crucial.
Maybe this Cardinals offense will have a different personality than in the past.
Lefties and guys just promoted with 4.50+ ERAs from AAA always carry Cardinal kryptonite in their pockets.
Yep, Matz has never burned it up, but average pitching would be a welcome addition to the team, especially at the #4 or #5 spot in the rotation.
Yeah Euro, I remember watching that game as he was featuring some really nice work in his first turn after coming off the IL. I remember thinking he was snakebit, but at the same time, I couldn’t understand for the life of me as to why he attempted to field that baseball with a GG 1B’man standing right there for the simple and easy put-out. At first glance it didn’t make anything that resembled sense or sanity, but the simple fact is that his athletic instincts took over and got the best of him. He’s a competitior. He saw the out in front of him and unfortunately, he pounced on it. At any rate, it wasn’t at all funny when seeing it in real time and it looked a lot worse at the instant it occured. I thought he had scattered a knee ligament. At any rate, I’m pulling for him and I hope he doubles your forecast for success. And oh…I hope he never tries THAT again…Haha!
1. Tommy Edman (S) SS
2. Dylan Carlson (S) LF
3. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
4. Nolan Arenado (R) 3B
5. Willson Contreras (R) C
6. Tyler O’Neill (R) CF
7. Jordan Walker (R) RF
8. Juan Yepez (R) DH
9. Taylor Motter (R) 2BMotter getting the start at 2B seems beyond odd. Even at the prospect of facing a LHP’er, I see no reason either Donovan or Gorman shouldn’t be manned up at 2B. On the upside, there’s two good LH’ed bats on the bench once ATL deploys any of the RH’ed members of their BP. Still though, Gorman’s seeing and ripping it pretty well. I’d hate to see him sit and think too much.
Whenever I see Motter’s name I think of our former closer Jason Motte, who we called “Motter” quite often.
Yeah, Yepez was called up when Nootbaar was IL’d. He was pretty much terrible in AAA, so let’s hope he suddenly turns it around and goes 3 for 4 with a homer and double, driving in 5.
I hate this fiddling around with the lineup. Just settle on something and let these guys get comfortable with their positions.
I agree on being puzzled about Motter. Sure the pitcher is a lefty, but as a manager I would want to show confidence that the lefty is going to be out of there by the middle innings. Keep Gorman in there the way he is crushing it.
Story posted yesterday on the front page about the Nootbaar-Yepez move. Good stuff for free here on the site… if you read it…
A lineup of all righties is dumb. I hope the guy goes 1 inning and they bring in a righty, just to teach Ollie not to do whatever the computer says. The ideal R-L-R-L lineup is time honored for a reason. It not only works now, but throughout the game whoever they bring in.
Yeah, Mrperkins, I always thought it was nonsense to shelter LH’ed hitters from LHP’ers for the simple reason being that if they never get any looks at a LH’er, how in the heck do you expect them to form an approach to facing one when they step into the box? I can just hear it now…”There’s a lefty SP’er today Stan, so you’re not in the starting line-up, but be sure to be ready to hit later in the game if we can work our way into their BP”…Haha!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.