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It seems the dislike of analytics has turned it into the root of all evil. It just isn’t that simple.
It should be both, analytics and experienced field management to provide the needed game adjustments, but it’s not. It’s my way or the highway, just ask Schildt.
Once the game diverts from the FO pre-script, chaos sets in. Look no farther than WC game 1 vs PHI. Our closer can’t make a two inning save and the team looks lost. An experienced manager slows that game down. Lol, an experienced manager defies the script, goes with his SP longer and doesn’t require a two inning save. But, I don’t blame Oil for doing what he’s been told. He was front row center for the last manager canning.
One of many things that make being a fan of Big League baseball fun and interesting is that everyone is perfectly entitled to complain until the cows come home if their favorite team doesn’t win the WS every single season. You’ll just have to take my word for it when I say you could do a whole lot worse than that. I do my fair share of complaining about both the current condition of my favorite team and the state of the game in general…However, I just finished watching bits and pieces, including the illustrious half-time show, of the season crowning event in another major American sport. I won’t venture to bother anyone with any wearisome details concerning this event, but I can state with entire confidence to be happy you’re a baseball fan…
Exactly jj. Philosophical differences means you do not buy into the proposition that analytics can do it all. I think that is what ran Maddux and Albert off. There was no longer an avenue for application of their kind of knowledge and experience.
Considering Dusty Blake as a good fit is informative. No pro ball playing experience, and 2 years pro experience in coaching, entirely in the Cardinals system, is apparently adequate for the role of major league pitching coach as that role is presently defined.
Ward is a less telling fit. Maybe getting fired by the Reds is a feather in his cap.
You don’t wish this on anyone, but it seemed like for some years, it was the Cardinals who had bad pitching news on reporting day. As an aside, this is also a cautionary tale about acquiring veteran arms with miles on them already…
Right-hander Frankie Montas, the biggest acquisition for the New York Yankees at the trade deadline last year who was expected to be a big part of their rotation this year, will undergo shoulder surgery on Tuesday that could cause him to miss the season, manager Aaron Boone said.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 15, 2023
I think the Mozeliak should get some credit for not sending four promising prospects to the A’s for Montas like the Yankees did.
Well you can look at the Yankees deal as a sign that you should avoid these type deals. If you are the meek and not so bold type, that is what you would see. However I see it as fortune favors the brave. Sure sometimes things go awry but that’s ok, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
As an aside, this is also a cautionary tale about acquiring veteran arms with miles on them already…
I would not characterize it that way. At the time of the trade Montas was 28 and his arm had been subjected to a full season of a starter’s workload once, in 2021, the season prior to the trade, plus the partial season that year before he came over to the Yankees.
Neither Montas’s age nor the amount of wear and tear on his arm was cause for concern. Yet he is out and the Yankees are screwed anyway. That is really the lesson here.
I wonder if they will resign Mikolas or Montgomery. There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about the 2024 rotation. Now Graceffo or Liberatore being solid parts of the rotation could change that urgency.
bling said:
Neither Montas’s age nor the amount of wear and tear on his arm was cause for concern.
Not so. Just days before the trade, while he was still with the A’s, Montas had an issue with his shoulder and sat out several weeks. The Yanks acquired him anyway. Now he needs surgery on that same shoulder.
https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-not-concerned-frankie-montas-recent-shoulder-injury
I just don’t see Liberatore as a solid part of the rotation… He fits better as a #5 guys, or long relief.
Watching him pitch the last few years, he just doesn’t strike me as a confident pitcher and his stuff really needs alot more work in AAA. Command is a big issue. Not only him, but Cabrera and Hudson as well.
Of these guys, Woodford should be the first guy to get some starts and or be long relief. His stuff plays very well and his command, if it stays the same as last season, no reason it shouldn’t, has been very good.Agreed Lee. Libby not as good as the hype. I would go with the following:
starters: Monty, Miles, Jack, Matz, Waino.
pen: Hels, Gio, Thompson, Pallante, Woodford, Hicks, Stratton, Cabby. and as soon as Cabby fails, bring in Romero or Packy.. then VerHagen.
Hudson… Trade for a good bat/Outfielder.
Outfield is a mess… Carlson needs to figure it out early in the season, or needs to be sent back to AAA. Still not sold on Lars.? seems to be more flash than anything else. If O’Neil can stay healthy and regain his bat, he can be a good one. Anyone one of these guys start to fail, don’t hesitate with Walker, this kid is the real deal. (at least we think so.?).. kind of how Carlson was coming in from AAA, he was to be the next Big Star..? hasn’t happened.
Maybe some of these kids are being rushed and should get more reps in AAA.2 thoughts on Montas!
1) I think the A’s should have some splaining to do on the shoulder issue! They obviously knew he was damaged and I understand buyer beware but still it seems wrong to trade a guy you know is damaged as healthy!
2) so the Montas trade looks bad for 2023 but if he comes back and wins 18 games in 2024 and 16 in 2025 maybe a great trade! We will have to wait and see! When we traded Alcantara and Gallen for Ozuna they trade looked way better the year it happened than it does now!I wonder if they will resign Mikolas or Montgomery. There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about the 2024 rotation. Now Graceffo or Liberatore being solid parts of the rotation could change that urgency.
I think Mikolas is a good bet to sign an extension. I am not so sure about Montgomery. Supposedly his agent is Boras. If that is the case then an extension seems very unlikely.
Just days before the trade, while he was still with the A’s, Montas had an issue with his shoulder and sat out several weeks.
I can agree that hiring a pitcher with a bum shoulder is high risk. So is relying on the ones you already have. Not that you shouldn’t necessarily, just that it must be recognized a high risk. Never use ink in those cases.
I think Mikolas gets extended and somebody on the board here suggested that it will possibly happen before the end of spring training. I think that makes sense. If Boras insists on 5 or 6 years for Montgomery, then he’s gone, IMO. I doubt if the Cardinals will offer him more than 3 years, or maybe 4 years if he pitches like he did in 2020. But they’re not going to give him 5-6 years on a new contract. His history is decent, but not great, and he’s going to be 31 years old at the start of the 2024 season. That said, my guess is that Montgomery will become a free agent and some other ball club will give him 5-6 years, guaranteed money for the player, but not guaranteed return on investment for the organization and its fan base.
I was catching up on some Cardinals related articles on the Bellville newspaper’s site and came across one by Jeff Jones from Feb. 9th. I picked this out as comment worthy (bold added by me):
Thompson has the highest ceiling of the potential bullpen lefties and seemingly finished last year atop that depth chart, maintaining that spot through the winter. The Cardinals may yet prefer to give him a chance to start. Or, perhaps, he could be waiting to take over from Helsley, should the righty falter.
Read more at: https://www.bnd.com/sports/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/article271893287.html#storylink=cpy
That struck me as coming out of nowhere, but the BND Cardinals coverage always seems sober and well connected. Maybe Thompson’s ST usage will provide a hint.
The P-D’s site STLToday has been posting video from Jupiter and the pitchers are really working it up. Bullpens have turned into pitching to hitters in what is described as batting practice. Hard to tell if the pitchers are pitching batting practice or trying out their stuff. I haven’t seen any reports of sore arms yet and am keeping my fingers crossed. Health of the pitching staff is the key. Once games start this Saturday, starters will reportedly only be going a couple innings initially, so plenty of pitchers will get some action. Plenty to talk about once we get underway.
There was a bit of video of the new guy Rodriguez in what looked like a pen session. From what I could tell it looked like his delivery style was all arm and not much use of the rest of his body. But it didn’t look like he was cranking out 100 mph heaters either. The concern I have is that MLB hitters can hit 100 mph if that’s all the guy’s got going on. We will see how it goes.
–Pitching related, but not Cardinals related–Article including game action video clips of Mississippi State freshman pitcher who pitches with both arms well up into the 90s. Looked pretty good from either side.
I do not understand how someone is able to pitch with both arms.
Tony Mullane was the only tb bb player I ever found in the MLB register.
If he is pitching to a switch hitter who has to decide first which side to hit from or which arm to pitch with?
Can a switch hitter change sides of the plate during an at bat?
Heading to the game tomorrow, looking forward to seeing Waino and Woody pitch a couple innings each.
Waino has been messing around with his sinker, and I’m told Woody has his slider staying in the zone longer and then biting; I guess ask Carlson. ha. Again, haven’t seen it, all heresay.Anyone know if they released who else is pitching Saturday beside these two.?
They will cover 4-5 innings.
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