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OK.
8. Nunez
9. Torres
10. MonteroI did like what I saw of Thomas and Arozarena. Mejia looked good against Durham. But, Thomas and Arozarena hit with authority, controlling the ball.
I kind of wish I hadn’t said anything. It really isn’t broken. I guess we should move rapidly to fix it, —-if there is no problem.
Wong isn’t that bad against lefthanders (234). If you look at his splits, he should be at leadoff or #2. He is a really good hitter if he hits early in the count. He is horrible if he hits 1-2, 3-0, or 3-1. Hits well with men on base.
Don’t go deep in the count.
Baseball had its most prestige when the Yankees seemed to win every AL pennant, there were only eight teams in the league, and everyone knew that the Pirates would finish last. But, they also went to see the game because it only cost kids a dime and adults a quarter or fifty cents.
The shift isn’t a long-term problem. IF you have hitters so stupid that they refuse to learn to hit against an obvious shift, they need to go back to the minors. Learn to bunt and make them pay. It’s funny that women’s softball sees shifts often and makes them pay just as often. If you are dumb enough to give me a hit, I’ll bunt. How right Drysdale was, “hitters are stupid.”
I always thought it was a bit cheesy for a first half champion to play a second half champion while the season-long winner sat on the sidelines. Is this the same as “give everyone a trophy?” Maybe we should just shorten the season, pay everyone less, and make it easier on the fans. Games in April and May are just exhibitions. It’s bad enough that we reduce a season schedule to a single game wild card playoff.
Get better managers and let it all work itself out. Hitters that move runners around tend to beat home run/strikeout hitters. Teach people the fundamentals of baseball again. Where is Whitey Herzog? I’m still reminded of the reporter who asked John McGraw why he wasn’t playing a rookie who had hit 400 in Spring Training. “Because he also fielded 400.”
I see outfielders throwing home rather than keeping the runner on first every game. Doesn’t someone fine these guys for letting winning run get to second? But, then, nobody hits to right rather than strikeout any more either.
I do agree that there is a problem with using the minor leagues as an extended bench. Every time I saw a really great pitching performance by an unknown (to me), the next day he would be in Memphis. There needs to be some sort of limits, and it appears that they have been relaxed. If Memphis has ten guys who are better than anyone that Philadelphia starts, they need an opportunity to start at Philadelphia. Are three times all you can send someone down? Is that off the table? Cafeteria planning seems to have gone overboard: pitchers from Memphis, who do we have at Peoria that can play third? Maybe we should rotate Gorman, Nunez, and Monero between St.Louis, Memphis, and the Florida State League.
Names to examine:
Jim Bottomley
Chick Hafey
Walker Cooper
The Wild Horse of the Osage, Pepper Martin Hit 500 and 385 in two World Series.
Tim McCarver
Bill White, 7-time Gold Glover
Steve Carlton, was good when he was with the Cards. We traded him for Wise? (Also traded Cuellar for Whisenant, ouch)(two makeups for the Broglio/Brock trade)
Look at Brock and Flood together, tandem at the top of the lineup.Like I say, I have been wrong before. But, BA has been a key indicator of value for a hundred forty years.
I’m not sure why it is necessary to consider the number of doubles of Wong or Bader. They can still get home as easily as Carpenter or more so since they have speed on the basepaths.
The key is that they are young. Carpenter is 32 and shouldn’t be going through these long-term slumps. Generally, maturity teaches you how to be valuable as you get out of it. Carp kind of stalls everything. Doesn’t advance runners. He either doubles, hits a home run, or does exactly what? Will he be zero for September?
I expect more from maturity than from kids.
A great number of Carpenter’s walks have been of the intentional variety. When he is hot, it is often wise not to pitch to him, especially with nobody hitting behind him who can hit. How many intentional walks does he have, and are they of benefit to us?
Just getting on base is not necessarily a good thing. Can you get into scoring position? Carpenter is not especially fast, and we do go from base-to-base a lot. Wong and Bader might both be excellent leadoff candidates since a leadoff walk may be the same as a double with speed. Carpenter is 24. They are young enough to become effective in time. Defense is a plus for both. Teach Bader to lay off of low curveballs, and he might be an ideal layoff.
Carpenter has hit 241 and 263 the past two years. 241?
Three shots and never hit 200? If someone didn’t think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread, he would have been gone after two. Thus far, he hasn’t taken advantage of any opportunity, maybe to hit a key home run or to pinch hit successfully. Have to show something sometime.
2016: 10 games, hit 154
2017: 34 games, hit 174
2018: 19 games, hit 114He hasn’t exactly stepped up to take advantage of his opportunities. A lot of prospects don’t get three shots this good.
The fact that Carpenter seems unable to work his way out of these slumps somewhat quickly suggests something other than just a mechanical problem. He isn’t that good on defense to cover a 270 hitter. That’s not high enough for leadoff. He has had freakish power numbers this year, but all in one month or so. The rest of the time, he has been a liability.
I’d rather take a chance on being able to teach Martinez to play first, or maybe Goryko as we bring up a third baseman. May need to find a place for O’Neil. Carpenter may have more value to others than to us.
I will be surprised if Kelly makes it with the Cards. He has hada three years of attempts, never once hit 200. Has only four doubles in 117 at bats. Can he hit major league pitching at all?
When we really needed a good catcher to replace Molina when he had surgery, we used Pena, hardly a world-beater. Kelly got only thirty-five at bats in what should have been his Lou Gehrig moment. He is now 24. Do you really see him hitting well enough to replace Molina in a couple of years? You can’t put a 200 hitter out there who has exhibited no major league power.
He is reaching the end of the days in which he can be considered a prospect. He has to make some noise soon. If he is still valued, I would be considering a trade.
I have been wrong before.
6.26 ERA? 4.10 career ERA. He hasn’t exactly been reliable or effective. At some point, you have to learn to throw strikes and show up every day.
Based on his performance this year, I was ready to retire Wainwright until he shut down LA while looking like he did six or seven years ago. I think you have to give a rookie a little leeway in adjusting to mistakes. They have to work their way through it, and we have no alternatives.
It is a fact that Munoz can’t play defense.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/munozya01.shtmlHis fielding percentages:
LF: 1000 (two chances)
RF: 1000 (ten chances)
2B: 976 (85 chances)
SS: 938 (130 chances)
3B: 929 (28 chances)
CF: 714 (7 chances)OF: 895 (19 chances)
overall: 938Can you play someone who makes so many mistakes? The only versatility exhibited is the ability to make a lot of errors at multiple positions.
I agree with NyquisT. Flaherty, Hicks, and Gomber should be untouchable.
There is a young core that I would like to keep around:
Wong
DeJong
Bader
McNeil
Nunez
Montero
Gorman
C. Martinez
Gomber
Gant
Flaherty
Poncedeleon
Mikolas
Hicks
Hudson
OzunaIf you want to trade someone, why not Carpenter, Gyorko, Adams, Munoz, Garcia, J. Martinez, Fowler.
Young team that wins because of youngsters, not veterans.
If we have a runner at third with fewer than two outs three times in a game without scoring, I consider it a bad loss. That is NOT Cardinal baseball.
Wainwright and Weaver aren’t pitching well. Flaherty, Gant, Gomber, Poncedeleon, and Mikolas are. Martinez seems better in relief where he can go all out for twenty pitches. Hicks is a bit hit and miss, but he is 22.
I think the only time I would have Wainwright and Weaver on the field is if we get an early 5-0 deficit.
Carlos may be a closer. We have starters. Well, at least we didn’t walk a lot tonight. Gave up hits. the walk did score. Hudson is erratic.
Good night for Ozuna. Wish he could have had a hit the last at bat.
