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6:15 p.m.
LHP Steven Matz (2-7, 4.06) vs. LHP Ty Blach (1-0, 4.22)
BSM // KMOX // WIJR
(and Bally Sports South/Southwest Extra)Can Matz keep it rolling?
There is literally zero pressure on him. He’s under contract for 2 more years and the season is wrecked.
If he can’t perform at a high level for the rest of the year then he never will.
I won’t trust him no matter what he does until he does well next season in games that actually matter.
I won’t trust him (Matz) no matter what he does until he does well next season in games that actually matter.
There are also some position players who have taken off since the pressure of being in it bled off. Gorman, Burleson, Knizner. As with Matz, enjoying success in this low pressure environment might help build confidence and firm up their skill set heading into next year. Maybe the same could be said for Walker trying to build defensive ability and maybe even Contreras trying to integrate and settle in. With them all, it bares watching what happens next year when there will be considerable pressure to perform and win.
The big assumption being made is that there is a real cause and effect – rather than correlation via coincidence. My guess is that some other players have declined “since the pressure of being in it bled off.” Does that mean they are slacking? I highly doubt it.
There are plenty of possible explanations as to why guys’ results ebb and flow. For example:
Maybe Gorman has benefited by hitting between Goldy and Arenado.
Maybe Matz needed time off to correct a mechanical problem or recover from a minor injury…
etc…Or maybe it is just the simple fact that more repetitions can help those still developing, such as Walker in the outfield.
Me and Whitey Herdog will be tuning in to the Nationals and Reds game today from Crosley Field. We will be having din-din at the time of the first pitch.
Din-din today will be some Hormel Beef Tips, some mashed potatoes/gravy, an ice cold slushy Mt. Dew, and some Prairie Farms Vanilla Bean ice cream. Then a 7×50 Palma Real cigar.
Then after the Nationals/Reds game it will be time for the Rockies/Redbirds game. Me and Whitey Herdog will be on the couch for this one too. Along with at least one, maybe two, 7×50 Palma Real Presidente cigars. And probably a late night snack in the late innings consisting of a cheeseburger and some M&Ms.
Then later tonight it will be time for Mannix and another 7×50 Palma Real cigar. And as a side note, there is a chance of some rain and storms here in SW Indiana later today.
r/Esteemed Rat
SS Tommy Edman S
1B P. Goldschmidt R
3B N. Arenado R
C W. Contreras R
2B Nolan Gorman L
LF T. O’Neill R
DH J. Walker R
CF D. Carlson S
RF L. Nootbaar LIt sounds like you are living the dream Rat, a tip of the cap to you and Whitey.
Our din din is home made deviled ham, hopefully with sourdough bread. We usualy just have potato chips and dill pickle spears with it. My wife hasn’t been able to get Nehi grape for a good while now. I think it has finally gone the way of Ozark Style BBQ potato chips. I’ve tried a couple other grape sodas, the same as I had tried a couple other BBQ chips. Sometimes you just have to let go.
Looking forward to a fine performance by Matz, din-din tonight was cold melon, followed by a green salad with garden tomatoes, Armenian meatball soup, and a dish of ice cream. Rah Cardinals!
“since the pressure of being in it bled off”.
What pressure? Pressure of being demoted? That can still happen.
After 5 games we were 2 games back in 4th place.
After 10 games, 4 games back and in the cellar.
After 20 games, 6 games back.
After 30 games, 10 games back.
What pressure?What you are seeing is the highs and lows of a players season and attributing it to a non-existent factor.
With a lefty on the mound both Gorman and Noot are starting, perfect, we need them to be everyday players.
Walker at DH with our best D outfield starting. Again, perfect.
I want to see Winn in at SS yesterday to get him a head start for 2024. Every day he’s not in StL and in the lineup is a wasted opportunity.
Taking a gander at the out-of-town scoreboard today:
The Nationals win over the Reds by the score of 7-3 at Crosley Field.
The Cubs down the Braves 8-6 at Wrigley.
The Pirates and Brewers are scoreless in the top of the 1st at County Stadium. No word yet on whether or not Front Row Amy is in attendance. Fingers are crossed.
Time for me and Whitey Herdog to grab a cigar and head to the couch.
Rats’ late night snack of a cheeseburger and M&Ms remind me of my teen years. One summer, I think it was the summer when I was 18, I always stayed up late and after my parents and sisters went to bed, I would wait until close to midnight and quietly sneak out to the kitchen and grill up a couple of cheese sandwiches and have potato chips with them.
I was lucky enough to have a television in my bedroom back then, and would watch “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, as a local station carried a a rerun episode at midnight.
I agree with Brian as I don’t think pressure on or off is a reason for anyone to be playing better or worse. Just the nuances and ebbs and flows of a season. Gorman has played pretty well all year. He has had hot and cold spells, but is really pretty darn good. The kind of talent you should let play every day and just let him work through the rough stretches. The reps and experience will pay off. What did Ollie say, “This will really help us in September” or something like that? Well it can work that way for individual players too. Going through tough times can benefit them later in their career.
After the fact, but with that horrible throw from RF, all 3 baserunners could have advanced on that Walker fly ball.
It’s still difficult to believe he uttered such nonsense in front of a room full or pressers. I think it was after a walk-off loss to the Giants relatively early in the season. I had to back up the TV several times to make sure I wasn’t hearing things…If Jack Buck were still around, he’d have supplanted, “heard” for “saw” in a similar call of the Gibson HR.
Ollie has not had the best of seasons. Lots of mistakes. It looks like having veterans around last year like Pujols and Maddux, and probably Schumaker as well, helped him a lot. This year he has appeared to be over his head. Of course had we had good pitching, that would have cured a lot of ills.
Matz gets through the 6th. He can pitch now. Its like magic. If he is fixed now, it will be a big help next year, assuming he stays fixed.
Mautz with 5 innings, no runs, no walks, and 7 strikeouts tonight. Robberse getting beat up bad in his Memphis debut. However, note that Mautz is pitching at Low A and Robberse is at AAA . . . And Mautz is a year older.
Matz’ ERA is under 4 now. He is really putting together a nice stretch of starts.
Ty finding the power stroke again. A healthy O’Neill is a pretty good player – perhaps even real good. But he might just be too buffed for his own good. Or whatever the reason, he is fragile despite being so macho.
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