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Since the Cards clinched at least some playoff spot yesterday in Chicago, I figured it would be worth discussing who we’d like to see in the rotation and roster for October. Obviously, whether that is (hopefully) for the NLDS or the Wild Card game remains to be seen.
Thoughts?
For some background, the projected starters the rest of the regular season
9/23-Waino
9/24-Flaherty
9/25-Wacha9/27-Hudson
9/28-Mikolas
9/29-WainoWild Card game would be Oct 1. NLDS would start October 3 with games on the 4th, 6th, 7th and 9th.
September Roster
C-Yadi, Wieters, Knizner, Hudson
IF-Goldy, Ravelo, Wong, Dejong, Sosa, Edman, Carp, Muñoz
OF-Fowler, Bader, Ozuna, Jmart, O’Neill, ArozarenaRHP-Flaherty, Hudson, Waino, Mikolas, Wacha, Cmart, Ponce, Leone, Helsley, Gallegos, Gant, Brebbia, Fernandez, Mayers
LHP-Miller, Webb, CabreraLot’s can happen between now and then. Plus we don’t know the status of Wong until later in the week.
I would assume you’d like Flaherty and Mikolas as your starters in games 1 and 2 and Hudson and Waino in games 3-4.
I think I would prefer Flaherty and Hudson to start on the road then have Mikolas and Waino do the home games.
Well by the numbers it’s pick you poison on the road. Figure you’d like you rookie in the home environment and your veteran starter on the road piggybacking Flaherty in game 2. Both have pretty bad road numbers. I’d trust Mikolas in that bandbox more than Hudson.
Here are the home/away ERA splits for 2019.
Flaherty: 2.55 home
3.38 awayHudson: 2.89 home
4.13 awayMikolas: 3.01 home
5.40 awayWaino: 2.08 home
6.03 awayMikolas was good at Wrigley yesterday but for the most part has been very bad on the road this year. I can see your idea about Hudson’s lack of experience might play better at home though. It will be interesting assuming we nail the division down.
Interesting, I’ll go with:
3-C-Yadi, Wieters, Knizner
5-IF-Goldy, Wong, Dejong, Edman, Carp
4-OF-Fowler, Bader, Ozuna, Jmart10-RHP-Flaherty, Hudson, Waino, Mikolas, Wacha, Cmart, Helsley, Gallegos, Gant, Brebbia
3-LHP-Miller, Webb, CabreraI like the way you think, Oquendo. That would be close to what I’d like to see, but I suspect it won’t be quite that.
For the rotation, I like Flaherty starting Game 1, obviously. To me, Game 2 should either be Mikolas or Hudson. I’d go Miles for his veteran-iness. Then Waino Game 3. He’s so good at Busch and fits as a stopper or tie breaker. Then Hudson Game 4. He’s the rookie but I sense that he’s got ice in his veins. Then Flaherty in case of Game 5. The Braves, you assume, will go with Soroka, Kuechel, Teheran and one of Fried or Folty.
C-Yadi, Wieters
IF-Goldy, Wong, DeJong, Edman, Carp, Munoz
OF-Ozuna, Bader, Fowler, JMart
Starters- Flaherty, Hudson, Mikolas, Waino (in that order)
Relievers- CMart, Miller, Gallegos, Gant, Brebbia, Helsley, Wacha, Webb, Cabrera1. Fowler
2. Wong
3. Goldschmidt
4. Ozuna
5. DeJong
6. Edman
7. Molina
8. BaderCarpenter, Munoz, O’Neill, Martinez, Wieters
Flaherty, Hudson, Mikolas, Wainwright
Martinez, Gallegos, Miller(L), Gant, Brebbia, Helsley, Webb(L), ???
I think I actually lean towards Fernandez for the 8th pen spot. Wacha isn’t a reliever. Cabrera hasn’t shown much. Poncedeleon hasn’t pitched since 9/7. I like Leone when he’s “on”, but that hasn’t been very often in 2019. Mayers hasn’t been getting outs, or game action in 2 weeks.
Will be interesting if Wong is ready for the postseason and how the pitching shakes out. I think you could make an argument with Ponce or Wacha being on the roster as a long man in case someone gets taken out early.
They need 2 lefties and unfortunately our options don’t give me much confidence outside of Miller.
If Wong is back… who do you sit?
A. Carpenter
B. Fowler
C. Bader.Edman (has to start) can start at 2B-3B-RF. Probably SS-LF-CF too.
John Gant, from the start of the season until June 6: 32.2 IP, 4 ER (1.10 ERA), 35 K, 9 BB
John Gant, June 7-now: 32 IP, 23 ER (6.47 ERA), 22 K, 24 BB
I’m not sure he can really be trusted on the playoff roster. He hasn’t given up homers but that’s about all he’s done well.
NyQuist…if Wong is back, I’m probably sitting Bader against RHP and Carp against LHP. But I’d also not be afraid to pinch hit for Bader or Carp early if it matches up better. That’s why I’d like to see O’Neill on the roster, although he never plays so it seems unlikely.
About bullpens, I have a theory. If you go to enough relievers during a game, you’ll likely get to one that won’t have it that day.
well since it appears we are facing a left hander the first game, I would start bader that game. now you can never tell with playoffs, sometimes your lesser players rise higher for a series than your regulars. so if bader does well in first game, I might stay with him but if he struggles, I might give carpenter a shot with edman moving to outfield. all predicated that wong is healthy and playing. I wouldn’t start carpenter cause I lean toward defense and I don’t think carpenter is offensively much better than bader at this point outside of maybe a given situation but I can understand why some would go with carpenter.
If Wong is at 80% on Sunday, as he said, the extra 4 days should surely put him close to 100 percent.
1982willie said:
well since it appears we are facing a left hander the first game, I would start bader that game.
Bader vs. LHP this season: .177/.255/.385
Carpenter vs. LHP this season: .217/.343/.337
Wong vs. LHP this season: .288/.333/.405
My Preferred Roster:
C-Yadi, Wieters
IF-Goldy, Wong, Edman, Dejong, Carp
OF-Ozuna, Bader, Fowler, Jmart, ArozarenaSP-Mikolas, Flaherty, Waino, Hudson
RP-Cmart, Gallegos, Helsley, Brebbia, Miller, Webb, Fernandez, Ponce, CabreraI suspect that we will see Munoz rather than Arozarena and Gant will be there. I’m not sure who of the group of Fernandez, Cabrera and Helsley will actually be on the roster. I’d guess they’ll go with Helsley and Cabrera because he’s a lefty.
stlcard25, given his almost non-existent usage, why do you consider Ponce de Leon a lock? Especially with nine relievers and all of the extra days off in the playoffs, having a traditional long man is not that important. My guess is that he is the one who will be out in favor of Gant (in your scenario).
I also agree with you about Munoz over Arozarena – in terms of what the team will likely do. Munoz appears to be the preferred shortstop reserve. Arozarena’s best hope would be if Wong is not ready. Even then, I am not sure he is ahead of O’Neill in the team’s pecking order.
stlcard25, given his almost non-existent usage, why do you consider Ponce de Leon a lock? Especially with nine relievers and all of the extra days off in the playoffs, having a traditional long man is not that important. My guess is that he is the one who will be out in favor of Gant.
Hmm. I suppose that’s a fair point. I was thinking with Wacha probably out (I think?) they’d go with Ponce. I’m not sure at all why he’s gotten so little run lately but it hasn’t been because he’s been bad. I felt like he could have been pretty useful for the team down the stretch. Maybe he was nicked up.
I don’t understand the notion that because its a LHP Bader has to start. Bader’s starting regardless because the organization loves his defense and the pitchers like having him in CF. That’s it. If it had anything to do with stats, Arozarena would be getting starts in the OF against LHPs.
If Wong is back I would play Edman at third, Bader in CF and have MCarp on the bench. This team is built around pitching, defense and baserunning. MCarp might be a better pitcher than he is defensively or a baserunner, but I’d opt to keep him out of all three situations as much as possible. Good lefty bat off the bench.
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