Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I don’t think Bernie’s constant criticism of Matheny is all that level-headed. Who does he want to replace Matheny with, and why? There are certain things that I don’t like about Matheny as a manager, particularly, his apparent belief that players need to be babied instead of led forward, and the way he seems to zone out during a game so that he doesn’t get what’s going on. But Bernie, and a few others are relentless, in their criticism without really proposing something better. I’m going to guess that Matheny said or did something to cause, as they say, ‘bad blood’ between himself and Bernie.
Their pitching, including bullpen, could be among the best in MLB, certainly better than what the Cubs have, IMO.
Their outfield defense should be among the best in MLB, and they ought to put up a combined OPS of around 2400, IMO. Why woulnd’t they?
Jose Martinez can hit. No doubt about it. Not sure about Wong. Not sure about DeJong, but no reason to give up on him yet. Carpenter/Gyorko ought to be able to bring enough to make third base above average, IMO.
Molina is still one of the best.
I still think they are pretty good, and ought to win 90+ games unless several players continue to underperform like they are now. The talent is there.
Its surprising that the offense has not done better. The players had the whole of spring training to rest up and get ready for the season, including an extra hour of sleep each day since the report time was pushed back an hour.
The change that Maddux brought to the pitching staff in St. Louis is overtly telling his pitchers that its fine to pitch up in the zone. IMO, Mikolas and Leone, just to name two pitchers, would be a lot better off if they would keep the ball down. They’re both losing balls by throwing too many pitches in the top half of the zone. If they don’t start keeping the ball down, they won’t ever have much success.
Also, from what I can see so far, Munoz is not a reliable defender. His catches are not always clean, and his throws are not that accurate.
I’m not sure that Yadi bumped the umpire. They made contact, but that was because the ump was being aggressive in trying to hold Yadi back. That’s all.
You’re spinnin’ it a bit Forsch31. Norris threw 12 pitches in Monday’s game, and none during Sunday’s game. Norris was ready to pitch. Either Matheny did not realize that Leone was struggling, or he didn’t care if we won the game, or not.
Leone’s slider wasn’t working and he couldn’t spot his fastball. That was obvious while it was happening. So how stupid is it to bring him back for the ninth?
This loss is on Matheny, and nobody else. I don’t thing he understands what he’s looking at during a MLB game. Leone was clearly struggling to get the last out in the bottom of the eighth, yet MM brings him back for the ninth. I think any other manager in the game would have brought the veteran Bud Norris into the game to close it out. If Norris failed, at least the manager could blame the front office, but with Leone, who’s barely past rookie status, and who obviously didn’t have his best stuff, the loss has to be on Matheny who looked like a fool for giving this game away. IMHO, the problem with MM is that his stated first priority is ‘protecting his players’ (presumably from the fans and the media), and not winning. I’m not sure winning even really matters to him.
I think its okay to just let Tommy Pham be Tommy Pham. Sometimes that kind of talk is just nerves talking. As big as his talk is, he has to feel insecure at the bottom of it with all that has happened to him. The things he’s been saying sound kind of like he’s ‘talking smack’ to me. Talking smack is generally considered acceptable behavior nowadays for athletes. Its just too early to lay big judgements on Tommy Pham. He doesn’t even have a full season at the MLB level yet. Also, folks, we have to face the fact that these Millennials just take longer to grow up. Also, I think he’s been a positive influence on the clubhouse, not a negative one, and that tells you something.
CC – Cecil was not decent regardless of what his numbers say. He came in time and time again and blew leads, big leads and small leads. IMO, if he alone had been nearly as good as what he is getting paid to be, we would have won the wild card.
I apologize for not providing data to support what I’m saying. But I listened, or watched, enough games to say for sure that Cecil was a disaster last year. Even Tim McLaughlin commented while doing the play-by-play over the weekend that the best word to describe Cecil last year was ‘erase’. He said ‘erase’ was appropriate because the year was so forgettable. I know his numbers don’t look that bad, but the numbers are lying. Cecil was crap last year.
Now that you mention it, at the time, I thought Pham was trying to show off, also. I’m willing to chalk that up to a lesson for himself.
It seems to me that Leone and Tuivailala, and maybe, Mayers or Helsley could all be closers. I’d just as soon see Hicks continue to develop as a starter. Also, I’m really tired of Carlos Martinez’ behavior.
None of the outfielders are making throws like I thought they would….so far. Pham should have gotten at least one out with a throw from the outfield over the weekend. And Fowler didn’t impress with his throws, either. I can’t believe this is going to be happening all season. I think that none of them have hit their groove yet is all that’s wrong.
I’m kind of worried about Mayers, too. His fastball to me looks like it is coming in straight and flat. I guess he can get by with that as long as he ‘paints’ the corners with it. But if he ever lets it drift out over the plant, I’m afraid someone is going to lose it for him.
Bowman gets lit up. Cecil allows another inherited runner to score. (Who scouted this clown!?) Mayer’s takes 19 pitches to get through one inning. Tuivailala gives up a run and takes 20 pitches to get through his one inning of work. What a way to start the season!
Anybody remember ‘The Redbird Review’? It was a monthly magazine with glossy color pictures of Cardinals’ prospects that was published in the early eighties. I subscribed to it for a year, and received maybe two or three issues, but no more. I read somewhere after that that the place that was producing it burned down. Needless to say, I never got any of my money back.
The last few years their focus has been on pitching. I expect the same this year unless the best pitchers are already gone and there is a very highly regarded position player still on the board. I wish they could find a true defensive shortstop that can hit. They’ve tried several times during the last twenty years and have always failed.
Two years prior to that trade Sixto Lescano was playing for the Brewers and hit .321 with 28 HR’s at the age of 25. Many of us thought that Lezcano would reach those numbers again in St. Louis. He was part of the trade along with a very promising young pitcher named Luis DeLeon. We got Smith, a local kid named Al Olmstead, and a slowball pitcher named Steve Mura. When Whitey Herzog, who was the GM at the time, got back to St. Louis has most memorable comment on the trade was ‘I thought he (Ozzie Smith) was untouchable’. Many of us thought Herzog was blowing smoke, and that the real reason Templeton got traded was because of his outburst at a fan in St. Louis that wound him up in a hospital here for treatment of a mental condition. I always thought that he didn’t really get, or need, treatment, but that Herzog came up with that idea in order to save Templeton’s career with the excuse that Templeton was sick and needed treatment. BTW, what Templeton did was grab his crotch and yell an expletive at a fan during a Sunday game that was also Ladies’ Day. In 1982 that could have been enough to get a player banned, especially when you take into consideration that Gussie Busch was still active in the game.
bccran – Mayers looks like he has that bulldog attitude, also. Our bullpen looks like a strength coming out of spring training. What did you think about Hicks?
Matheny was once quoted as saying that Hicks had the biggest arm in camp.bccran – Mayers looks like he has that bulldog attitude, also. Our bullpen looks like a strength coming out of spring training. What did you think about Hicks?
I agree that Brebbia earned a spot last year. It’s a shame there isn’t room for both Brebbia and Mayers. Mayers has been so very impressive this spring. I guess Norris was signed because they figure he won’t crack under pressure and Mayer’s, or Lucas, might.
This ‘rumor’ that the Cardinals are interested in Holland is just Boras trying to get the Cubs to make an offer for Holland that would be good enough to let Boras save face. He probably already has offers. But they’re probably for a year or two and under $10M.
