- This topic has 35 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 5 days, 3 hours ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Well as was said on yesterday’s game thread, the hopes for a surprise run at a post season berth this year are likely dashed. Still a lot of great moments over the first half, although we were benefiting from our share of good fortune.
A lot of baseball left to be played and theee will be some fun times ahead. But overall it will be more of an audition for future success than a work towards this year’s prize.
You have to hand it to the Brewers organization. They have really put together a great club, with a terrific manager. I hope they can get past the Big Blue juggernaut this year and get to their first World Series since we knocked them off in ‘82.
It’s not often when you can lose the first 3 games in a series, but at its conclusion, still feel good. Take these next 2 and all is good. Our home record over the past few weeks has to be abysmal…….so much so that I’m afraid to look it up.
The Brewers are the kind of organization the Cardinals are trying to become. A bunch of low paid, low name recognition players, who are fundamentally sound and figure out a way to win what seems like almost everyday.
We still have a ways to go obviously. And when we get there hopefully we will have have that little bit of additional payroll juice that the Brewers don’t have that could make the difference in a trip to the world series or not.
Facing a tough lefty makes it likely that we are down 0-4 in the series after this one. Hopefully McGreevy can spin a gem.
We’re only two games back of Miami for the last wildcard, though there are four teams (Pittsburgh, San Diego, Arizona, and Washington are within 2.5 games of us). We still have the same strengths (strong beginning of the lineup, good D, decent if not overpowering rotation, closer) as we had 5 days ago. I could still see us on a run for that last wildcard spot. But if we lose, say, 4 of the next 5, I might feel quite different. Win, say, 4 of the next 5, and that might limit the sell-off and increase the chances of a playoff run. Lose, say, 4 of the next 5, and I would bet they trade away a bunch of currently effective pieces.
Putting this differently…Before this stretch of 14 games began, I had a target for us of going 7-7. Right now, we are at 4-5. If we go 3-2 in the next five, we’ll have hit that target, and winning 3 of 5 seems well within the realm of possibilities.
The mathematical possibility is still there for post season, but you get the sense that we are so far inferior to the top teams that we would be a quick 2 and out in a post season opening series. The watered down playoffs do give more-or-less average teams that hope though.
These are steady state assumptions. Variables that change things include which contenders suffer key injuries, which teams add difference-making players and which unload difference-making players.
The Cardinals are expected by most to be in the latter group, which would not help their immediate post-season chances, whether just getting there or actually advancing once there.
Three weeks from now if we are still within a game or two of a playoff spot it will be interesting to see what the Cardinals do. Standing pat really makes no sense for a rebuilding club. They should either sell or buy and if they buy they aren’t going after rentals. It would have to be for a player who they foresee being a part of the future.
I still think they most likely sell but I could see a scenario where they try to acquire a youngish player ready for the big leagues now with multiple years of control. It doesn’t matter if they are capable of making noise in this year’s playoffs or not if that player will be here for multiple years. You could look at it as getting a head start on the offseason plans (if there is an offseason).
Pretty sure May won’t be a Cardinal in August; and Stanek won’t stand in our pen at that point either. And we will likely see Jo Jo get back to Philly, or some other location not named St. Louis.
SS Masyn Winn R
DH Ivan Herrera R
RF J. Walker R
LF N. Velazquez R
1B A. Burleson L
2B Jose Fermin R
3B Blaze Jordan R
CF L. Nootbaar L
C Pedro Pages R…and we have Burly. An interesting situation as his value is real high right now, and he still has two years of team control. I think he is a big part of our team’s chemistry as well. But then he is kind of a platoon player. If we could get a haul for him, or a highly touted youngster he would be a guy I would not be afraid to let go.
Checking the weather situation about an hour before first pitch.
All seems to be clear in the greater St. Louis area. There are some scattered showers and storms just south and east of the St. Louis area but they should not be a hindrance. They are, however, starting to hit us here in SW Indiana. Tonights game should not be impacted.
And din-din today was the weekly trip to the Gasthof, the Amish restaurant.
r/Esteemed Rat
Din-din here are fabulous fish tacos. We took breaded fish sticks, and Cole slaw, guacamole, and mango salsa and set it out. Fill up soft corn tortillas and squeeze some lime juice on and you got a refreshing tasty din-din! Tortilla chips to round things out.
I grabbed a cold, frosty one to wash it down.
gscottar said:
I still think they most likely sell but I could see a scenario where they try to acquire a youngish player ready for the big leagues now with multiple years of control.
In that case, the player would probably have six years of team control remaining. That would be a wonderful acquisition but perhaps difficult to pull off. A contender might prefer to just slot that MLB-ready player into their lineup now vs. acquiring a veteran who will leave sooner.
It might play if it was a Herrera or Burly or Walker being traded, but what the Cardinals are probably offering in trade is a step down. Would May, JoJo, etc. score a top prospect in return? Maybe if they are bundled?
I saw that the reason for Wetherholt not being in the lineup is in order to get him some much needed rest. The Cardinals could really use a W tonight, but seeing as how the Redbird 2B’man is getting precariously close to the ripe old age of 24, it’s probably best to sit him down for a game or two in order to reduce the chances of wrinkles or memory loss…
Looks like Michael has had someone demonstrate the proper pitching response to inheriting a 2 run lead.
Based on how this series has played out so far, do you bring O’Brien in to pitch the 7th?
Just kidding but dang it would be nice to hold a lead for a change.I don’t want Walker in the home run derby. He just seems like a guy whose mechanics are still a work in progress, and the derby would mess him up.
Maybe I am wrong on that. Who knows, maybe it would help him as he would need to focus on contact and launching the ball.
But my gut instinct is don’t mess with him. Maybe in a year or two he can participate, but not now.
Whoa, this guy challenges Stanek for the longest hair on our club.
Why is it only pitchers have the hippie hair? You never see a position player with it. Maybe it just does not work for position players, whereas for pitchers the way it flies out when pitching can be sort of dramatic – maybe a little intimidating.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.