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Is it safe to say that Holland should not be placed in any more high leverage situations for awhile? Of course who de we trust in those situations besides Norris and perhaps Hicks?
When do they DL Holland? They already DL’d two dead-weights the past couple of days.
I do know this, you can’t keep throwing Norris out there for multi-inning saves/wins.
Matheny’s bullpen script fails again.
And how disappointing has Ozuna been? Can he do anything right? Apparently not.
Well, what we saw the defensive alignment, did anyone believe otherwise?
It’s like we’ve abandoned defense altogether.
Cards lose 7-6 to fall to 24-19 on the season. The best they can do is salvage a series split with a win Sunday.
This loss is on Matheny in my mind. Can’t keep using Holland in high leverage situations and expecting better results. Would rather see Holland relieve first, and give the later innings to Tuivailala and Hicks. Anyone but Holland late
So to top off all the bad today, we burn Norris in what turns out to be a meaningless 4-out non-save situation. We just ran the table for ineptness.
This may be a first but here it goes…Matheny has to use Holland. It is not Matheny’s fault that Holland has been terrible. I understand missing spring training but today’s performance was bad.
I mean yesterday’s game would have been perfect for Holland but Matheny can only play the hand Mo deals him. Holland has to pitch at some point. With all the pitching injuries currently there are only 2 other pitchers available on the 40-man roster: Greene and Gomber.
Welp, that stunk. I’m glad I was busy this afternoon and couldn’t witness the meltdown. Holland has to be demoted in the pecking order but the pitchers just flat out need to get it done. Holland is making huge money and at this point it looks like we would have been better off paying Trevor Rosenthal this year (not a typo). He needs to get his act together.
The lack of defense on this team is killing me. Carp should only play 1B, Gyorko should only play 3B, Munoz/Garcia share SS, Wong at 2B, and JMart/O’Neill/Bader share RF.
It is a problem when you don’t have enough players good enough to justify everyday playing time. We have too many timeshare level players.
Nj315 – you are correct that MM has to use Holland. He just doesn’t have to use him as a closer in close games. Even Cecil would be a better option to close right now, and his performance has been improving. Last night was an aberration; this team is looking and feeling a lot like last year, unable to close out games in late innings and fundamentally unsound. I don’t think Holland’s problem was lack of spring training, because most of these players didn’t seem to benefit at all from spring training. Isn’t that where you’re supposed to learn how to throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the ball? 24-19 hides the fact this team is not that good.
My guess is Kapler was arguing the umps should have tried to go one more batter to possibly complete the 5th inning, making it an official game prior to covering the field. I think they were one out away, but it was clear the rain was about to pour.
With regards to defense, I have always said this. At least since I heard Whitey Herzog say this about 38 years ago. Here goes:
1) You need a catcher catching – we got one but he’s injured
2) You need a 1stbaseman playing 1stbase – we dont
3) You need a 2ndbaseman playing 2ndbase – sometimes we do with Wong
4) You need a 3rdbaseman playing 3rdbase – sometimes we do with Gyorko
5) You need a shortstop playing short – we don’t, even with DeJong we dont
6) You need a leftfielder playing leftfield – we do
7) You need a centerfielder playing centerfield – maybe
8) You need a rightfielder playing rightfield – we don’tThere’s an old saying here in Indiana with regards to high school basketball. “Defense wins Championships, but it also wins season games.” We need defense to win season games.
Anybody think its time to perhaps tear the current Cardinals down and start over with an emphasis on defense?
r/Rat
I think it is time for Mo to dictate to Matheny where players can play. If he hasn’t figured it out this far into the season, he isn’t going to figure it out on his own.
I mean where do you play Martinez if he can’t play 1st. I mean LF is an option because Ozuna has been garbage.
You want Greg Garcia getting extended run at SS. You know how that will likely pan out. Maybe a timeshare with Munoz depending on the
Gyorko is doing what he’s asked to do. Yeah we all know he’s sucks at the defensive end at SS.
Right now with so many black holes in the lineup. We got to figure out a way to get Gyorko and Martinez every day. Pham can’t even sit right now. That’s how anemic this offense has been.
I hate Matheny more than anyone here but the offense and injuries at times has lead to these questionable defensive lineups at times. However it still doesn’t excuse this brain dead moran for throwing that $14 million worthless pile of trash Holland out there. God he sucks!
1B – Platoon. JMart against lefties, Carpenter against righties
2B – Wong. Backups – Garcia, Munoz, Gyorko, Carpenter, in that order
SS – Garcia. Backups Munoz, Gyorko, in that order
3B – Gyorko. Backups Garcia, Munoz, Carpenter, in that order.
RF – Bader or O’Neill. Backup Fowler.
CF – Pham. Backup – Bader
LF – Bader or O’Neill. Backup Ozuna
C – Pena. Backup Baron.This isn’t really too hard to figure out.
Ozuna has made enough boneheaded plays to get benched for a few weeks to get his head back in the game. We have been dealing with Fowler’s inadequate defense for more than a year.
JMart really shouldn’t be playing the field at all, but he mashes lefties. Otherwise, he should be a pinch hitter.
I’m as frustrated about the offense as anyone, but it’s pretty unrealistic to expect Carpenter, Fowler and Ozuna to continue to OPS 200 points below their career OPS the rest of the year. Throw in Wong’s bad start and I still believe the pieces are there for an above average offense the rest of the season.
Same with the bullpen. There’s no reason not to expect an average to above unit by mid to late summer from the arms available.
The starting pitching is fine and some guys will move forward, some back. Getting Cmart back and Reyes up will be good. You think the Phillies score 7 runs with one of them pitching yesterday, regardless of defense?
Point is, this team looked to be an upper 80s/low 90s win team. Before the injuries and the major slump from the bats, it looked like they might be at least that or maybe more. Now it’s looking like another 85 win season. Such is the nature of small samples. I expect the pendulum to swing back in the next couple months.
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