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For me, Goldy has earned his pay but mainly for his play at 1B. He has caught more balls and made more plays there than Carpenter could ever dream of. His bat is coming around and I think next season will see a lot of improvement in that area. He has always been strikeout prone so don’t expect to see that radically cut back. Actually when the infield consists of Edman, DeJong, Wong and Goldy it is one of the best in MLB.
It appears that Dylan Carlson will, indeed, spend the entire season at AA Springfield if he has not been moved up this late in the season. Yesterday he once again outperformed expectations with two home runs and two steals. He also had one homer the day before. Assuming he will be in Memphis next season I would not be surprised to see him with the big team late in the 2020 season. Problem is that he is an outfielder and it appears that the Cards are pretty well stocked out there especially if they extend or offer a new contract to Ozuna. Bader, ONeil, Fowler and Thomas are also playing the OF which makes it rather crowded. It is starting to appear that the Cards youth have a bright future in MLB.
Yadi did not do well with the bat on his rehab but, afterall, I think his mission was to see if he could catch and bat with that thumb problem healed.
Black Hills Card wrote
<You really don’t know what you’re talking about, which isn’t a surprise. I’ll say the same thing to you, MM3, that I said to GameCard. You obviously don’t understand the argument against Tommy Edman. >Oh believe me I understand it well and I think I was probably playing baseball when you were still kicking the slats out of your cradle. Tommy Edman did just fine when he was in the OF (sorry you have no room to gripe) and also today in the IF. Lane Thomas was a hero today and is catching up with Edman but since he doesn’t play IF, it will be hard to equal him on IF plays. In short, despite your sour disposition, BOTH Edman and Thomas played today and both did well. Maybe, just maybe, it is you who doesn’t know his butt from third base but since all I ever see is negative stuff I can already imagine the response. I think I have about had my fill of responding to your posts.
Is MCarp injured? Taking him out in the 7th last night and keeping him out today makes one wonder. But then Sunday is usually a bench day so it may be nothing.
Looking at the radar it does appear that a rain delay during the game or at the start might be imminent. May be a good game to use an ‘opener’ before Mikolas gets burned with a long delay but whom am I to forecast weather?
Educate me. How many MLB starts has Thomas had vs Edman. How many singles, doubles, triples, home runs? And just to be mean – how many grand slams? You see I am an ‘eye’ guy. Stats only say what somebody has done and not what they will do. In essence stats only serve to raise (or lower) the expectations of the viewer. I prefer to not have my mind polluted with 10 bazillion stats but there are others that do so have at it.
I have a fond memory of my first day in the Statistics course in college. The professor walked in and said: “Take a note. Liars figure and figures lie.” I took that note and have never forgotten it. So when I see something called WAR, I just smile and keep looking for anyone that has proven a WAR. Other things I just flat do not comprehend and it seems like the stat boys invent more every day. But Dan McLaughlin has them all memorized and spews them out for 9 innings every night regardless if they pertain to the game at hand or to a player from 40 years ago.
Sounds like Harry’s Son and Tyler ONeil will be returning soon. Any guesses as to who goes down? Or maybe the recalls after Sept 1st will help the team. That is when I see the BP being beefed up and the Arozarena type guys being called up. As I understand it this is the last year when you will be allowed 40 men in September and that next season, 26 active players will be the new season number. How many will be allowed in September?
Dave, has it occurred to you that maybe the elite teams are better than the Cards. The NL Central is a division that beats up on each other but not so much on others. Your 3-8 record included the Dodgers, Astros and A’s, all of whom I consider to be a better team than the Cards. But better teams are known to have lost to lesser teams.
As for Mike Shildt, I have a high opinion of him because the players almost to the man seem to have a high opinion of him. But he cannot control how they play and when they swing the bat. All he can do is to take what he sees in the clubhouse and on the field in consultation with his coaches and make the decisions as to who plays. He is given the deck of cards that he has to play by the FO. I think his 100th win on his 51st birthday was well deserved. If he can get the offense to operate at peak I would say he is a magician but I don’t fault him for trying. I don’t mind saying that I don’t see the Cards in the playoffs (or not going very far if they should make them). Just too many better teams in MLB this season.
Thanks to excellent (NOT) MLB scheduling the Cards get to play 26 games in 27 days starting with the KC series this coming week. There have so many weird things in the 2019 schedule it would take a month to list them all starting with playing one team 10 times in the first month of the season. MLB once said that it’s goal was to get every team one day off per week but they seem to think that if they can slip in two days in one week and none for several more that is good enough. There are two total days off in September and one of those is on the road. The Cards are surely not the only team being subjected to lousy scheduling but I am surprised we don’t hear more complaints from the teams to MLB.
Well Rats he isn’t up to par with Scooter who hit 4 against us so maybe we are ahead of the game huh…..LOL
BHC wrote:
<You really don’t understand what the argument is against him in RF do you? Its obvious you don’t because you can’t even refute what others are saying.>Gee and I thought (and have been told many times) that we are all entitled to an opinion here and should not be criticized for it. uh huh, chuckling. All I know is all the arguments and stats against Tommy Edman in RF have fallen flat on their face. The go-ahead run last night was a result of his bat and stupid Pittsburgh play. I think I will stick with Shildt’s choices. He is the guy being paid to make them and he is the guy who lives in the clubhouse and knows what goes on in there. As for Edman in RF, he seems to have the speed and eye to do the job. Perhaps when ONeil comes back, things will change. Until then let the game results be the judge.
Oh yeah. I also favor extending Ozuna. That should stir up the natives.
We have 4 games with the Reds coming up. It is going to be a tough task to even get a split. That new guy Aquino hit 3 home runs last night. I guess he replaces Scooter whom they got rid of – but then Scooter hit 4 against us……LOL
Just found this thread but I have to say I agree with Shildt on his use of Edman. You can spout all the stats you want – the guy delivers in either the IF or OF and at the plate. I was particularly impressed that he was put at 3B in the 7th and, at least for me, that was a defensive move as he has shown to be a much better defender than Carp. As of the OF play, when ONeil comes back, Edman will probably be limited use in the OF but for now I prefer him to be in the lineup as much as possible.
Just for fun I would like to see a foot race between Edman, Carp, Molina and Wieters from home plate around the bases. Edman would be in the club house showered and shaved before the next one crossed the plate. My order of finish would be TE, MC, MW and YM.
<gscottar wrote:
MM3, this is something that you and I agree on. THE FSM broadcasts can be tedious to watch. They tend to get so easily sidetracked by a bunch of trivial nonsense that has nothing to do with the game. I usually end up just watching the game with the TV muted.
I will also add that Danny Mac is fortunate to have this job. I am all for redemption and second chances and maybe even third chances but a lot of people wouldn’t have been brought back if they had pulled some of the off the filed shenanigans he has pulled>
Boy do we ever agree 100% on your post. Thompson and Horton are both chatty kathys but Danny Mac is the one who seems to lead them on and takes off prattling incessantly. He is extremely fortunate to have that job. I don’t know many ‘personalities’ who have survived two DWIs and still have their jobs. With Fox Sports Midwest I find that sometimes the mute button is my best friend and last night turned into one of those times. I particularly object to his managing from the booth with his ‘could haves’ and ‘should haves’. Announce the damn game and give your opinions to your kids Danny.
<Shildt decided to let JMart pinch hit anyway, which again caused either Mac and Edmonds to speculate about Hudson having a blister. >
Later story said that Hudson actually did have a open slice on this pointer finger which he said didn’t bother him. Good move on the pinch hit regardless of the strike out by JMart. Hudson is about our least reliable pitcher at the moment.
I like that Shildt is keeping Edman in the lineup even if he has to play RF. The guy is super fast and swings a good bat and his OF work has been totally good.
Enjoyed seeing Matt Holliday but the interview went nuts with the camera constantly on him and McLaughlin and almost totally ignoring what was going on in the game. A triple by Edman and a review of the play was not good enough to deserve much of a mention but the most aggravating thing was the fact that they insisted on keeping the camera on Holliday and McLaughlin instead of the field. I don’t mind listening to Matt but know full well what he looks like. But then Edmonds and McLaughlin kept talking about the interview for another inning. I know I am in a minority but I think McLaughlin is a total showoff who insists on showing how smart he is an how his memory is so photographic but he is getting a lot of stats fed to him through his earphones.
Carson Kelly, OPS 907, BA .268 hit the game tying 2 run homer for the Dbacks and then followed up with the game winning homer in the 11th inning to win 3-2 over the Dodgers. That’s one less walkoff for the Dodgers this season.
This board would blow up completely if the Cardinals went into a total rebuild. Are you prepared to dwell in the NLC cellar for 3 seasons and then maybe creep up to 4th or 3rd place for a year or two an then MAYBE contend for a playoff space? That would be the best way I can think of to empty out Busch and Ballpark Village during games. Maybe the Blues would like to play some outdoor hockey there – it only took them 50 years to get to the top. Continue to humor me……….LOL
Ahh yes, polls that staple of our life that are never wrong – NOT. Reminds me of polls of RV owners about Camping World – about the same as the Cardinal poll but somehow the business survives and does so quite well.
As for political polls – we would be calling Hillary Clinton madam President if they were correct.
And somehow on a baseball poll I would like to know the number and makeup of those sampled. If it was Viva El Birdos I would think it is those who are deep into Cardinal operations and who are the constant whiners. Sorry but that’s my view. If you think that any sample for polling is representative of the 46K plus who attended the last 3 Cubs games then you are just delusional. In short the poll you cite is worthless as having more than an incremental impact on Cardinal operations.
I see polls every day where the sample size is 1000 or less and that is supposed to represent 330 million Americans. Living in fly over country I can say that in all of my adult years I have NEVER been contacted on any type of poll. But I do see them printed out on websites inviting participation. Those kind of polls tend only to attract the negative views. Again, JMHO.
Brian wrote:
<Again, I am not defending the front office for not getting help. But I am also not going to excuse the poor play of the players because they are supposedly heartbroken over no trades. They are all accountable.>Amen.
EuroWolf wrote:
< I heard more than one person say Eduardo Perez spoke on ESPN about how the Cards’ clubhouse was disappointed with the FO’s inaction at the deadline. I didn’t see that, so I don’t really know, but if what Perez said is true,>Anything out of ESPN gives me pause. They are paid to put out stories or embellish what they think are stories. There have been several interviews of Cardinal players since the deadline and none of them expressed any disappointment or even tried to hedge on the question. A couple of them were pitchers and expressed satisfaction that the FO thought highly enough of them to stand pat. Yes we needed a starting pitcher but people like Roark would not have been the answer. What we really need is a consistent offense, one that does not shrink when they see a rookie. For years the Cardinals have been unable to send opposing rookies to the showers early.
It was pretty apparent that one run would not be enough to win this game. The YouTube guys were pumping up the fact that the Dodgers have all those come from behind victories and that is one thing the Cards are sorely missing this season. Once again – lacking offense. I guess a summary would be: Our offense is offensive.
Will we make the playoffs. I am not counting on it but I also won’t be acting like the world is ending either. I like the games for the entertainment they provide but I will admit to once being a nut job on winning. Seems like advancing age has made things fall into perspective and put baseball where it belongs in the scheme of things.
<On a bunt in the air, runners should just take off for the next base!>
Yep, instant double play. I am not a Carp fan but he did the right thing on the bunt in the air. He was trying to avoid a double play. But the couch coaches seem to see the game in a different light.
gscottar wrote:
<I have a hard time believing we couldn’t have found an upgrade over Wacha/Ponce without gutting the farm system.>Names please (for the pitchers) that Mo should have pursued. Until recently Ponce was a hero and Hudson seems to still have a bright light shining on him despite some poor starting performances in which the offense and defense bailed him out.
gscottar wrote:
“Not trading for a pitching upgrade at the deadline while this team was in first place is a borderline criminal act but whatever. Mo must feel very very secure in his job is all I can take from that.”
So you and others say but there was not much to choose from without giving up far too many prospects. At least that’s what we are told and I take them at their word. I doubt there is anybody on this forum including our esteemed leader who knows exactly what was being bargained for and what was the demand for players in trade. So far the best I have heard is one SP for at least 4 prospects including some playing at the major league level now. We were never in on the Greinke trade (and I am glad). One SP who I would not mind seeing return is Lance Lynn. He is having his second coming with the Rangers and appears to be pitching the same stuff as he left here with. Is he a free agent this off season?
It wasn’t the loss to, arguably, one of the best teams in baseball that irks one. It was once again being made to look like a T-ball team to a guy pitching his 2nd game in the bigs. Unfortunately the Cards have a history of collapsing in the face of a rookie pitcher.
One difference noted in last nights game that may have accounted for only two hits. Dodgers did not do the tourist bit on pitches in the heart of the plate. Cardinals seemed to say – Oh gee, I should have swung. And that has been happening all season. I played ball for several years. It is hard to center up a ball on the bat but when it is in the center of the plate and one watches it go by that tells you they were guessing or hoping for something else and didn’t see it out of the pitchers hands.
