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Goold’s article today:
“…As a switch-hitter, Edman could get five starts every seven games just by being the complement at five different positions for the Cardinals – spelling Kolten Wong one day, getting Paul DeJong a break the next, and then moonlighting in left or right or center before starting at third on the day Matt Carpenter gets a break or a fierce lefty starts. Such a schedule would put him on pace for at least 110 starts, and he would easily get between 450 and 500 plate appearances that way…”
Of course, this is all speculation and theory until we actually see Shildt’s lineup cards.
He quotes “Of course, this is all speculation and theory until we actually see Shildt’s lineup cards”. I speculate the exact opposite. He starts 150 +.
Clearly keeping him down early in the year last year was Mo’s idea so we can get the extra year of control when he is a superstar. Ok, maybe not. But we may be thanking Robinson yet in a few years when we have the best utility guy in baseball an extra year.
Outside of Fowler and Carp, who make get longer earlier looks (not that I agree with it) the rest of our lineup will be based on performance, not because of switch hitting ability. I will say if Edman is our top rated player in 2020 we will continue to struggle to score runs, as players like Dejong and Goldschmidt should see better years. I hope Wong’s second half was a sign of improvement.
Edman will start the year as a super-sub unless someone gets hurt. I hope he can hit in 2020 like he did in 2019. However, like Bob pointed out, he had never hit that well before so I will error on the side of caution.
Shildt also said and I believe Shildt will play the productive players which is what Edmans is coming into the season.
Shildty doesn’t play the most productive players. I don’t know why some people even say that, and most people here know exactly who plays because of other circumstances.
Shildt benched Carpenter for Edman, but kept playing Fowler, but otherwise the most productive players played. I would have given Thomas, Arozarena, O’Neill more playing time, and benched Fowler but that is not the way Shildt managed. If Fowler hits .260, in 2020 with a .350/.360 OBP, 20 homers, 80 rbis then he should stay n the lineup, otherwise the young kids get a chance, I hope.
FWIW, Fowler was just fine in July (.806 OPS), but even better in August (.266/.381/.468/.849). 21 RBI and 15 runs scored in 25 games. Heading into the final month, there would have been absolutely no reason to bench him. Fowler slumped in Sept, but by then Thomas was out for the year. O’Neill had missed all of August and when he came back in Sept, he did not play much, but when he did, he batted just .100. Chasing a playoff berth in the final weeks, Shildt went with the veteran.
I guess I understand his inclusion because of the August hot streak, and veteran status, but he drove in 46 runs the other months combined. And what was he in September and the playoffs. Wasn’t he something like 8 hits in 72 at bats to end the year? Somewhere in there his playing time needed reduced.
The offense was struggling the final month. Here are five of the starters’ September OPSes:
Ozuna .622
Molina .682
Bader .646
DeJong .656
Fowler .637Unfortunately, Fowler was performing like most of his teammates. Goldschmidt, Edman and Carpenter were the team’s best hitters in that time (OPS).
P.S. Though I should have noted that Carpenter only played in about half the September games as he seemed to be starting only in certain matchups or situations.
Even with 20-20 hindsight, it is not clear what should have been done instead. That is my main point.
I know it is a rhetorical question, but the answer is the same way they won all year – pitching and defense.
IMO this is an excellent story revealing the Tommy Edman 2019 season and how other incidents gave him the opportunity to make a surprise and successful appearance in STL as part of the team’s 2019 NLC championship run.
It is by Skyricesq in today’s VEB site. This is a must read for those who see a lot of value in him and those that see him regressing in ’20. It has been a controversial topic for most of the hot stove period.
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