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Cautiously optimistic that pitching and offense are improving, but rest of the month vs. Cubs, Mets, Pirates will give better trend information. Nonetheless, it’s pretty clear who’s carrying this team offensively right now:
BA OPS
Molina .268 .829
Pham .327 .930
J-Mart .373 1.067
DeJong .246 .769
Ozuna .288 .703Fowler .196 .621
Carpenter .174 .703
Wong .162 .441I do hope they play today to keep the momentum going.
All on Wong that they didn’t score w/bases loaded. He needed to drive the ball to the outfield. Easier said than done, I know, but any pro hitter should be able to get the ball to the outfield against an average pitcher. Poor at bat, again, for Wong. And I think most of his few hits so far are bunts or infield singles.
T-Card, I’m totally with you on Weaver. 85 pitches and putting up zeros, yet they pull him. Matheney confounds me with his early use of the pen. This is shades of last year — starters posting quality starts and the bullpen giving it up in late innings. I agree with Mike Shannon as well, way too much reliance on pitch count. Lose a game to “save an arm?” I don’t buy that logic.
That’s a good observation and I think you’re right. And as pressure mounts to raise his BA, he may have even more of a tendency to chase those bad pitches. I hope Mabry is helping him through that, but have my doubts about his approach.
Weather in STL is low 40s, cloudy. Rain/snow not expected till this evening, so they will get the game in. Tomorrow high 40s, fair.
I expect the D-Backs don’t know much about Weaver, and with his pitching improvements over the last year, advantage Cards.
I’m very interested in Wong and DeJong today at the plate for different reasons. Wong needs to figure out how to hit again for his own survival. Nice guy, good infielder but if he can’t produce offensively we need to find someone who can. DeJong is more of a case study of a good hitter who needs to correct his own mistakes. Much like a golfer correcting a slice. His timing is off, he just needs to adjust hand-eye coordination.
Interesting comments on Pittsburg. By all accounts they should be struggling after releasing McCutcheon and Cole. My guess is a quick start then fade because their pitching staff may not keep up the pace. Looking forward to our first series with them.
his comments are unfortunate and he should keep them to himself. Tommy, remember you’re not the only one who had a tough childhood and tried to make it in pro sports. I wish you well and hope you stay on the team as a top performer, but don’t let your legacy be your attitude, let it be your play on the field.
Flaherty will be back probably sooner than later given this team’s injury history, but it’s Waino’s slot and Jack knew that. I wouldn’t have had anything to say either. One good outing early in the season doesn’t earn you a spot on the roster. If that were the case, Sierra would still be on the team.
Leone with a good interview post-game. Admits his poor execution on those two pitches to Yelich and Braun. They need to forget this one quickly and move on. Holland needs to shore up this bullpen or it will be another season of losing in late innings after quality starts. Looking forward to Thursday and a winning record at home this year.
Good win today. Had to watch without sound in the office, but appeared our pitching was finally up to the challenge. Norris looked really good. The Brewers batters looked lost at the plate, but can’t tell if that’s our pitching or their hitting. Maybe a little of both. Gyroko had a hammie pull late last year too as I recall – not a good sign 4 games in. J-Mart has to improve at 1st. it’s not like he hasn’t watched a slew of 1st basers in his 8(?) years in the minors. C’mon man!
Only two games in but already looking like 2017 redux. We may have had a few spring training heroes this year who don’t bring their level of performance into the regular season, Wacha for one. Matheney will say it’s a long season, but I’d say those early losses in March are very hard to make up in Sep. Does Ozuna have an arm problem? Please don’t tell me we have another outfielder who can’t throw home.
1 down, 161 to go, but 9-4 loss with 10 walks is not a good way to start. Shake it off and get after #2.
Mo also said they had reserve cash for additional acquisitions should they get any options. They better because Gregerson isn’t the answer.
Not really disappointed STL didn’t get Stanton. He’s had a bad history of injuries and isn’t getting any younger. He’ll face tougher pitching as a Yankee than he did as a Marlin, I believe, so his performance may have peaked as well with this trade, but we’ll see. He will now get to play at Fenway several times a year, so that will offset some of the tougher pitching. I’m glad he didn’t end up in Houston, which I think was one of his top 3, because they would be unbeatable w/him on the roster.
Pads, you are correct about Mabry’s OPS of course. I was only pointing out McGee’s credibility as a hitter. Mabry, unfortunately, was fairly ineffective at improving talent — Grichuk, Piscotty, Carpenter, to name three, plus the team’s overall situational hitting. A change in batting coach would be welcome IMHO.
Positive coaching changes. Maybe McGee can take over as batting coach (.295BA/.729OPS) and let Mabry pine tar bats for a year. Couldn’t hurt. Oquendo will certainly help with base running and defense. So far, so good.
Love seeing a visiting team grand slam at Wrigley. Hope those idiots threw the ball back like they always do. Hernandez wants that!
Feels really strange rooting for the Dodgers for the first time in 59 years. New territory. Although Kirk’s HR in ‘88 is still fun to watch and was good for the game.
Agree they should start Kershaw tonight. All hands on deck.
MM had a bad year for sure, and it appears to be trending that way again barring a few trades or acquisitions that put a knee in the curve. Playoffs in his 1st three years including a WS appearance, then an ugly playoff in ‘15 and no appearance in ‘16 or ‘17. As a Cards fan, I expect to see more than an entertaining product on the field, I expect to see a winning product, and we don’t have that now. Not entirely MM’s fault—players, managers and owners are all accountable.
But MM made many questionable calls throughout the year, particularly with relievers, that cost the team several games. He needs to be accountable for that. Is he a bad manager? No. Is he an above average manager who needs to rethink pitching strategy? Yes.
I’ve been critical of MM all year but am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt if they give him a few new faces and rethinks how to utilize the pen. Maybe the new pitching coach will help with that.
EW, good points. Darling can’t have it both ways, he apparently wants the rule tossed, but also wants to avoid Posey-like collisions. He didn’t offer any alternatives either, as I recall. Poor commentary on his part. What he also failed to mention was the great athletic play Culberson made–playoff level base running for sure. The owners have brought this on themselves in an effort to protect their investment in players. If you complicate the game too much, this is what you get. has Joe Torre commented yet?
Love seeing the Cubs lose a lead, and Lackey in relief now. Hope the Dodgers put up a crooked number against him. Culberson scores after reversal on catcher blocking play and Maddon goes apoplectic then gets tossed. Take it up with the League, Joe. You know the rules.
Good win tonight. Could have used a few more of these during the year. Would have made all the difference.
Elimination game and 17 strikeouts. That’s a team that just doesn’t have the desire to win. Tonight’s loss is not unexpected, it’s merely the culmination of the flaws we’ve been noting since spring training. Big changes needed in all phases of play and team management if we don’t want another 5 years of this nonsense.