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Heartbreak city for Mikolas but what a great outing! He was terrific and saves our bullpen also.
Brendan Donovan is a hitting machine and Paul Goldschmidt is having a career year. He looks like a young Albert Pujuols out there.
Great job by mikolas. I thought bader was going to catch it but like Goldy’s, it just kind of kept going. Nice to see the crowd give him lots of applause, well deserved.
Wonderful effort by Mikolas, and whale of a day for Goldy (again). But 129 pitches is an awful lot, no-hitter or not.
In real time, I admit I was in favor of leaving Miles in; I thought it was a grey area decision. But now, as I examine his 4-year Cardinal career, I see that he never once threw even 110 pitches in a game until two weeks ago. (And then it was only 115.) Knowing Miles’ history, the manager should have pulled him after 7 innings when the count was 98.Well, get plenty of rest, Miles. You earned it, and I’m sure you need it.
And call this retroactive praise for both Matheny and Shildt, for never once pushing Mikolas to an unhealthy degree from 2018-2021.
I was at this game sitting next to the Cardinals’ bullpen. No one in my section talked about the no-hitter but they reacted with applause for the 8th and 9th innings like they knew it. I recognized the possibility around the 5th inning. Definitely a sparse crowd in that heat.
Bader gave a great effort on the hit over his head. I thought he might get it but knew it was trouble. I hate it when the defense plays shallow to prevent a bloop hit to break up a no-no.
I didn’t have a good enough angle to see the strike zone but it sure seemed like Mikolas was squeezed in the 9th. You could tell he was gassed when he came out of the game.
The game has changed. No pitcher is averaging as many as 102 pitches per game this season. Mikolas is third at 98.5. Wainwright is eighth at 96.2.
If the Cards had more than three reliable relievers, I could be more critical of starter usage.
“If the Cards had more than three reliable relievers, I could be more critical of starter usage.”
Well, I think it could be argued that the roster provided the manager with five reliable relievers, and he has chosen to jettison one (Woodford) and kinda sorta convert the other to starting (Naughton). When I say “jettison,” I don’t refer to his being demoted to AAA. I mean removed from any meaningful role within the bullpen, and reduced to garbage-time guy.
Be that as it may, going forward if Flaherty & Liberatore are in the rotation, then Pallante and Naughton are multi-inning guys out of the pen in support of the Big Three. That’s a real fine foundation for an MLB relief roster. If Marmol sticks with Pallante as starter, then Liberatore can remain in the majors and until needed to start, he can be a 2-4 inning reliever a la The Earl Weaver Method.
Anyway, upon even further reflection, I wanna retract half of my previous complaint. I’m not sure that 15 pitches per inning for 8.2 innings (129) was much more stressful for Mikolas’ arm than the 20 pitches per inning for 5.2 (115) that he threw two weeks ago. As Forschy said, I’m sure Miles was gassed by the end. But at least a portion of that had to be the heat/humidity. I have heard that sometimes it gets humid in St. Louis.
I have heard that sometimes it gets humid in St. Louis.
That’s an understatement for yesterday’s game. It was a day that would sap the energy from a player.
The starting lineup featured eight players in the field who all debuted as Cardinals. Goldy was the DH.
Forsch31, not saying you are wrong about playing shallow cause it’s an opinion but I disagree. Mikolas even said he was glad they were playing shallow cause he didn’t want it ended on a bloop hit. It usually is a bloop hit that does it too or it feels that way. Bader was playing 24 ft closer, if he had been back 24, feet he probably makes the catch though. Apparently there was a 20 percent catch probability which makes it a five star catch rating. Like I said, on that play there the only way he catches it maybe is to keep running full speed and basket catch it with back to plate like Mays did. Only thing is this bal was a lot closer to wall and I think bader would have run right into it. So it’s ok, doesn’t discount a great try and a great pitching performance.
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