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I haven’t seen much mention of him on this forum, but I’m rather happy with Matt Wieters. I know there is little on which to base any judgments, but with just a couple of appearances he strikes me as an excellent acquisition, particularly in light of the frequent criticism (often justified) of the front office. It wasn’t an “impact move,” but in the long run I think it will turn out to be a smart one. Perhaps even Yadi will appreciate the competent relief as the season goes on.
Well, folks probably hope it will not be an impact move, because that would mean Molina got hurt. Still, there was no doubt when he was signed that Wieters was a major upgrade over Pena and he has already proven that in his first month.
Wieters already has five RBI while Pena had just eight all of last season (142 PAs).
This signing is an example of the Cardinals being patient and Wieters dropped into their lap. 😉
This was a great move by the FO. I hope Shildt gets him in the lineup a little more and dose not run Molina into the ground by early August.
There seems to be some misinformation about the backup catcher and when he plays. Late last season after Shildt’s takeover and Yadi’s return from injury it was stated pretty bluntly to the press by everyone from the owner to the manager that Yadi plays when Yadi wants to play and there is no discussion — and so it was. This season I suspect the same rules will apply but perhaps Shildt can be more convincing to Yadi that a days rest now and then makes for a good season. We shall see.
Minuteman, that unwritten rule may have been reiterated after Shildt took over, but it was in place long before then.
Yes they were in place, no doubt, but they were never publicized as they were then with direct statements to the press. I think Yadi will eventually be a manager but I am not sure it will be for the Cardinals because of timing.
Well, if you recall the incident a few years back when Matheny suggested Molina looked tired as a reason for giving him a day off and the catcher then called his manager out on social media, the situation was highly publicized and well understood. Public statements or a press release affirming that Molina expected to play every day were unnecessary.
It will be interesting to see where Molina’s post-playing career goes. I do not question his baseball acumen, but other aspects of being a major league manager I am less sure about.
I suspect Yadi will ask for and receive a two year extension like Carp did which could result in Knizer being shipped out like Kelly.
gscottar, how soon do you predict this extension will occur? Molina still has almost two seasons remaining on his current contract.
On the other hand, Carpenter was in the last guaranteed year of his prior deal and is more than three years younger than Molina. I don’t consider the two situations to be that comparable.
I predict Yadi’s extension will happen in the upcoming offseason or the early part of next season.
When he signed the current extension he was adamant about retiring after the contract expired. Since then I think he has backed off those comments.
“Yadi in 2023 might need a walker to get to 1st base.”
There are days when I think he needs one now. On double plays it is not good when, on the throw to 1B, Yadi is not even in the picture yet. But he does hustle at times when he thinks there is a chance. Whatever.
It will be sad day for me when Yadi retires. He’s definitely not what he used to be, but he’s still good enough for me. And him in his prime was a sight to behold.
Was thinking about Wieters in last night’s game against the Mets where we needed to get a run in form third and less than two out, and failed a couple of times. I was thinking that Shildt should have brought Weiters up in one of those situations.
His value as a pinch-hitter could be real good. I wonder if management would consider cutting back to 12 pitchers, and bringing in a third catcher, making Wieters more useful.
Wieters is still looking like a good move on the part of the FO. Nice to have a positive among the ocean of negatives.
CIF, yes it’s good to see Wieters deliver as often as he has. Who knows if a spark somewhere might ignite the team? Even when down 9 runs, it feels good to see a guy perform well at his job. Unfortunately, backups to Yadi aren’t likely to move the needle very much.
I like Yadi but Knizner projects to be a much better hitter. If Yadi gets an extension he should ride the bench as a backup/mentor to Knizner and the other young catchers.
I like Yadi but Knizner projects to be a much better hitter. If Yadi gets an extension he should ride the bench as a backup/mentor to Knizner and the other young catchers.
I’d like to see more of a platoon next year and see where it goes. At least get Knizner 50 starts and a handful at 1B and see where he sits. He seems like a good bet to hit .300 and that’s not a bad thing to have.
Folks may forget that Molina was very much like Knizner offensively during the heart of his career. He has five full seasons hitting more than .300 in the majors. In recent years, Molina seems to be selling out for more power, which is what some would like to see from Knizner now.
Still, Molina is doing just fine…
Yadier Molina's @MLB ranks among catchers:
1st, SB (4)
1st, RBI (32)
1st, Hits (49)
1st, Doubles (13)
1st Games at Catcher (49)
1st, Starts at Catcher (48)
1st, Innings Caught (408.2) pic.twitter.com/xZA4AsTblw— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 29, 2019
Yadi can play 1b and so can Wieters right? If Goldy can’t show up consistently, sitting him more often might still allow us to utilize Wieters a bit more
IMO, if the Cards get to the point that playing Wieters over Goldschmidt on any kind of a regular basis seems like a good idea, this team isn’t going to make it.
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