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1:20 p.m. RHP Jack Flaherty (3-1, 4.06) vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-4, 5.33) Fox Sports Midwest // MLB Network // KMOX
I am concerned with JMart in the outfield in Wrigley. Hate to bench him with him hitting like he has, but the wind and sun can play tricks on outfielders there.
Yeah Cards27, those tricky swirling spring winds can play havoc with fielders at Wrigley. But actually, those types of games at Wrigley is when you want to insert your poor defensive outfielders into the lineup. It’s the strangest thing….it’s almost as if the baseball Gods are getting their jollies on those terribly windy days in that park. I have seen it time after time where the defensively challenged fielders have their best games under those conditions. They will totally turn the wrong way on the ball, but the howling winds will magically direct the ball almost smack dab into their gloves. And your better defensive outfielders like Chicago’s Jason Heyward, will struggle on those kind of days.
Don’t think for a minute that this has been lost on other teams. Even if JMart has a scheduled day off this weekend, we may see him being inserted into right field during the late innings as a defensive replacement if weather conditions warrant it.Anybody else concerned about Carpenter? He just seems to be getting worse every year. And yes, I know he hit 36 dingers last year. But most of those were during his hot streak. Jeepers, he’s not even hitting .200 this year. He looks lost at the plate.
You men think he will turn it around this year like he did last year?
r/Esteemed Rat
Carpenter is a bit of an oddity. His fundamentals are not real good, yet he seems to have a strong reputation as a solid all-around player.
But after last year, you cannot write him off. He could turn it around tomorrow, or June 10th, or July 21st, and go on a tear. You just got to play him day in and day out and figure he will end up reasonably close to his career numbers.
Carpenter has such a good eye, and gets on base, but I like the Carp who hit .300, with 50 doubles, and got on base above .400. I do not agree with anyone who is so bullheaded not to take a stab or 2 at beating the shift.
O’Neill should be sent down to play more. Too bad Thomas can’t be brought up, but he is young and needs to play too. And let’s activate Gregerson Monday.
Two of three in this series would be huge. I’d really like to see it happen, as the Cards are playing really good baseball. Then again, the Cubs are playing well, too. Hopefully Flaherty can keep the ball in the park and the Cards can figure out Hendricks today.
Two of the hottest teams in baseball. Should be a heck of a series. I agree that we need to win 2 out of 3. I guess we could settle for 1 out of 3 and still be in first place.
The Cubs host the Marlins for four games next week so you have to assume they will win all four of those, therefore, we need to leave Chicago this weekend with a little distance between us and them.
1. Matt Carpenter (L) 3B
2. Paul Goldschmidt (R) 1B
3. Paul DeJong (R) SS
4. Marcell Ozuna (R) LF
5. Jose Martinez (R) RF
6. Yadier Molina (R) C
7. Kolten Wong (L) 2B
8. Harrison Bader (R) CF
9. Jack Flaherty (R) P1. Daniel Descalso (L) 2B
2. Kris Bryant (R) 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
4. Javier Baez (R) SS
5. Willson Contreras (R) C
6. Ben Zobrist (S) RF
7. Kyle Schwarber (L) LF
8. Jason Heyward (L) CF
9. Kyle Hendricks (R) PO’Neill goes down for sure. Keep JoMartinez in the lineup, if he didn’t catch Fowler’s flu from last night. Some may be calling for Carpenter to move down in the order but things are going well right now so hands off on that idea for now.
Hudson may have bought himself some time yesterday. With Gant performing so well in the bullpen, who is our 6th starter right now? Some one to cover more than one start? Gomber? Ponce? Woodford? Reyes is off the table again because a wall hit his pinkie finger, wall won. His trials will be tested again.
I’d assume Gomber and Ponce are the guys to cover starts and it’d probably depend on who had pitched last. Just a guess, but I’d think Gomber for replacing a starter for multiple starts.
As for O’Neill, I think he needs the consistent at bats so I’d send him down. He’s way more important to get right than a guy like Munoz.
We will be previewing the first #Cubs–#stlcards action of 2019, starting this afternoon at Wrigley.
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 3, 2019
You just got to play him day in and day out and figure he will end up reasonably close to his career numbers.
BikeMike,
The last two years those career numbers have been .257 and .241. And he’s struck out well over 100 times each of the last five years. If those are the career numbers that he’s trending toward I am not sure he’s worth having in the lineup. He’s only had one season where he hit over .300 and his career average is .272. I am just wondering if he gets there this year. Can we count on him having another hot streak like he did last year? Or will he finally just continue to flounder?Given his defensive shortcomings I wonder if we’d be better off with Gyorko at 3rdbase a lot more. Especially against lefties.
And yes, I know Carpenter has a 4.94 WBR, and a 12.19 BPIDU and a 3.1 ZRU, etc, etc.
r/Esteemed Rat
Two of three in this series would be huge. I’d really like to see it happen,
I agree that we need to win 2 out of 3.
REALLY? SERIOUSLY???
We will be very, VERY fortunate to even win one of these three games.
r/Esteemed Rat
REALLY? SERIOUSLY???
We will be very, VERY fortunate to even win one of these three games.
r/Esteemed Rat
The Cards have the better ERA for the starter going in two of the three games, and that’s against a much harder schedule than the Scrubs have played. That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it won’t take fortune to win 2/3. It will take the better team playing like it.
What we could use this series is for some Carp and Goldschmidt magic. Carp had been ice cold versus the baby bears in his career up until his explosion last year. I hope that trend continues. Goldschmidt has killed the Cubs. I see the Cards taking 2 out of 3.
No one watching this game? Jack Flaherty just fell apart. He struck Descalso out twice, only to get squeezed. Then walked Bryant on four pitches and gave up a gopher ball to Rizzo.
He’s an ok #3 starter, as he just can’t handle the mental side of pitching.
Flaherty is still only 23, so I wouldn’t say that is his ceiling. At this point in his career, he is probably a 3 starter though. Really wish we hadn’t given that last game to the Nats, but I do understand the need for rest
The most frustrating part is his pitch count too. In a lot his starts the pen has to go 4+
Hendricks the magician has stifled the Cards’ bats on 48 pitches through 5. Bader leads off the 6th with a single and then gets picked off.
It’s amazing… Hendricks gets abused by every other lineup but simply mystifies Cardinal hitters nearly every time out.
bader is just stupid. you cant get picked off first when the pitcher is up there to bunt you over. its one of those times when a manager should just totally get in a players face right there on the field and embarrass him. in fact just take his but off the field. im sorry you have to be focused all the time. any kind of bunt would get him over even with short lead. ill stop ranting now but its just stupid. I have to go but thought id check on the game and whoa first thing I see is bader getting picked off like he has never played baseball in his life.
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