The tough get going.
Or at least that's how it is for some players on the team.
Randal Grichuk was demoted to Palm Beach today. At first, before learning of the location, I was at peace with the decision because I thought he would be coached by Mark Budaska in Memphis. Learning of the decision to demote down to Palm Beach is still a concern for me. Last season, Grichuk showed noticeable progress after working with Buddha in Memphis. He returned to the majors and had a very successful run down the stretch of August and September, putting up some of the best numbers on the team.
I figured a two week stay or so under Budaska's instruction would go a long way to return a rejuvenated Grich to a struggling lineup. Instant jolt. Palm Beach may need a longer time, but possibly help his career more in the long run with the greater number of at bats and the less developed pitching giving him a little more discipline with which pitches to swing at and which to lay off. I still fall on the side of attempting a Memphis reboot. I do see both sides of this coin though.
After returning in August of last season from Memphis, finding help with Budaska, Grichuk went on to slash 284 BA/294 OBP/731 SLG/1.025 OPS for the month. He followed up with a September slash of 269 BA/303 OBP/ 490 SLG/793 OPS. Either of these lines would boost our lineup immediately, especially when you sprinkle in the 12 home runs and 31 runs batted in during that time (171 at bats).
To refresh, as of yesterday, Grichuk was 4th on the team in hits with 37, tied for 3rd on the team with runs batted in with 19, and he had a team leading 14 doubles. I realize that he was leading the team in strikeouts and that needed attention. However, Carpenter is following closely behind with 43 strikeouts, Fowler with 42, Gyorko with 37. We then have a further 4 players with 20 or more. Grichuk's walks might be on the low side, but he was tied with Gyorko at 12 (5th highest on team). That's 3 more walks than Molina and Diaz. Finally, I realize that his average at .222 isn't carrying the team, but when Fowler is also at .222, Carpenter is at .226, and Piscotty is at .224, he is clearly not the only cause for concern on this team. With only 2 people driving in more runs than he has, and only 3 people having more hits, one has to wonder if the production will be made up.
In the past week to two weeks, the team has allowed Carlos to pitch 9 innings of shutout ball, only to lose the game in extras. Starting pitching allowed 4-5 runs total during a stretch of a week and we lost all of the games. The offense is not bringing guys home when in scoring position, they're swinging at first pitches and getting out, and they are hitting solo home runs (which can't always be helped, I realize). There have been games where the guys left on base are well into the double digits. In a loss. Today they were letting Rich Hill take a no-no into the 5th.
To pretend that our offense is fine to have one's head in the clouds. No one on the team is necessarily a threat. Pitchers aren't intimidated when they know strikeouts are piling up and the words "1 pitch, 1 out" are flying out of Dan's mouth. The team isn't executing and they've forgotten the words "plate discipline" even exist. Sure, they've had glimpses or hitting streaks, weeks where they flash greatness. But when you look at the bottom line, the numbers totaled for the season, there's reason to be concerned.
I don't have the answers. Personally, I'd love to see Mark Budaska offered a job with the big club. I don't know that he'd accept the offer. I do feel that new blood in the hitting coach department would go a long way. Pham didn't start the season in the bigs...he was in Memphis with Buddha and continued a tear up here. Grichuk and Kolten have made huge strides after time spent under his instruction. Dex is new to our team...what happened to his numbers from last year? After two full months, things should have started to fall in place by now, at least a bit. Piscotty has looked completely lost all season save for a few games here and there, and we all know he was working with Mabry in the offseason to tweak his swing. One has to question why at this point. Carpenter is off at the plate as well. Shouldn't their hitting coach be able to find ways to help all of them?
The team's offense is in need of a boost in a big way. More guys have to hit with runners in scoring position. They need to be more patient at the plate. Walks need to go up and strikeouts need to go down. I don't personally care if they all hit home runs...as long as they can bring runners home safely, singles, doubles and triples are fine. The hitting coach needs to help all of them find solutions to their problems. Sooner rather than later, as it's never "just one game."
I will at least leave you with a great song that can put a smile on anyone's face. Enjoy. I know I always do. And yes that's Danny DeVito and the cast of "Romancing The Stone." This is 80s goodness and I make no apologies. Good luck Grich! I'm still believing in you back here in St. Louis!
"When The Going Gets Tough" by Billy Ocean
Monday, May 29, 2017
Monday, May 22, 2017
We've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
We've all watched the Cardinals this season. We've seen some fun games, some good wins that felt like THE turning point, some losses that stung and losses that we all felt were hard fought despite the outcome. If you pay attention to twitter and have looked through the past week, it seems many of us have our lost the lovin' feeling for our Cards and their brand of play this week...for some, this season.
The Boston series was a testament to the way we lose this season. Lots of men left on base, bad baserunning, starting pitching wasted, bullpen struggles, lack of timely hitting, defensive miscues and errors...we got a dose of all of that in a short and sweet (not) 2 games series.
We followed the Boston series with a 1 win out of 3 series against the struggling Giants.
In that time we squandered excellent starting pitching, including wasting a brilliant 9 inning outing of shutout baseball from Carlos. Adam Wainwright pitched in our only win over the past 5 games on Sunday, allowing only 1 run over 6 innings.
Bob Gibson was in town to celebrate the 1967 team this week and he graced us all with his presence in the broadcast booth. Listening to him straight shoot his way through a conversation about how the game should be played was inspiring. He said he loves watching the Cardinals and he only watches the Cardinals. Dan asked him if anyone stood out to him and he said he loves the whole team. However, he added that when they do things like getting picked off and giving up home runs, he doesn't like any of them. Brutal honesty...sometimes it's needed!
The 1967 team was a sight to behold, or so I've heard and read. They were the definition of a well oiled machine. Fired up on and off the field, ready to play their best every single game of the season.
Our team could make Bob cringe on a daily basis. Our baserunning, defense, hitting, bullpen...they all need attention and I have some suggestions.
Issue #1: "The Danger Zone"
Matt Carpenter made the 9th inning baserunning blunder heard around the world on Saturday night. He tried to turn a sure double into a triple, with the play getting him out by a mile. He is slow on the base paths and his instincts always lead him to the wrong decision. He is not alone in this. Outs on the base paths always seem to happen and are never surprising. I suggest a new coach for this area. We missed out on Vince Coleman, but is there no one more qualified than our current base coaches? I find that difficult to believe. Something is running amok with the base running approach and I feel like it could be fixed with a tweaking of the teaching.
Issue #2: "I'll fire when I'm good and ready"
Our hitting is off. Carlos Martinez pitched 9 innings of shutout baseball on Saturday only to never factor in the decision, which ended up as a loss in extras. The collective offense of our team had 8 hits over 12 of those innings, and it was against a struggling pitcher and a team off course with a record of 19-26. In the other games of the home stand, the offense managed to hand losses out like candy to starters who were going above and beyond the call. It's long past the time to light the fires. I've been questioning if we need some new blood in the hitting coach department since last season. It feels like too many of the players are working on their approach all the time, and many are off to very slow starts. On the current roster, we have 5 players batting over .261, and one of these players is Adam Wainwright. Everyone else is hitting .261 or lower. Our best hitter right now is Jedd Gyorko and he's running away with the lead at .331, 7 homers and 18 runs batted in. When players such as Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler are down near the bottom on a list ordered by descending batting average, there is reason enough to be concerned as May comes to a close. Ideally, I would love to promote Mark Budaska, "Buddha", to the big league team. Many of the players on the current roster have found success after working with him in Memphis, as well as former Cardinals such as David Freese. It might go a long way to light the fires if we had someone who some of our younger players have an excellent rapport with and have found success with to be around every day.
Issue #3: "I feel the need, the need for speed"
Magneuris Sierra was called up from the minors when our outfield piled up injuries with Dexter Fowler and Stephen Piscotty at the same time. This kid could flat out fly around the bases and everyone noticed...and LOVED it. He was definitely going Mach 2 with his hair on fire. On this team, speed isn't something you find up and down the lineup. Fowler, Grichuk, Wong, Pham and occasionally Diaz are the fastest players on the team. No offense to them, Sierra would have them all beat in any race. Speed can change the game, putting pressure on pitchers and pressure on defense to get the outs. It would be great to have Sierra back up here sometime soon and with our low bench, 13 pitchers and seemingly endless amount of "sore" this and "tweaked" that, I think we'll see him again soon.
Issue #4: "Bodies working overtime, money don't matter, time keeps ticking, someone's on your mind"
On our current roster, we have multiple players who could have used a DL stint to work through their injuries/issues. Dexter is still sore from a fall in the outfield, and he never went on the DL. His throws have taken the blow of the fall and in one case, Sierra made a throw for him. Kolten "felt something pop" in his elbow on Saturday and is day to day. He "was scared more than anything" according to Matheny and "popping" isn't exactly comforting. Piscotty ran into a wall to make a catch, after tweaking his knee in his rehab stint, which he was completing due to being on the DL for his hamstring pull. Siegrist has had some decent outings mixed in with some less than stellar outings while pitching through a sore shoulder and sore neck. Rosey is out there requiring an extra bullpen arm to back him up because "if something doesn't look right or feel right, we don't use him," per Matheny. This is a long way to play a season. I'm much more of the belief that if we gave them all the proper rest with a DL stay, they might all be playing at 100% instead of "he's almost there." We do have outfield help available in AAA (or clearly lower levels with Sierra). From the sounds of it, Weaver is pitching well and others are turning in solid numbers and could help with pitching. If a club is in the fight to win, they need to be putting their best players on the field every day. If it requires some of them to get rest to be at 100%, then that's the step that needs to be taken. Is it necessary to keep putting the players out there, somewhat injured, risking their long term careers if they make things worse? No.
Issue #5: "You can be my wingman anytime"
This lineup needs some good 1-2 punches throughout it. Our players aren't scaring the opponent when they step into the box. They could figure it all out and become solid hitters. However, I'm leaning towards looking outside of the team for help in the middle of the order. I don't know if this will happen, but our players are wingmen needing a leading hitter.
Issue #6: "One of life's simple joys is playing with the boys"
If they all play the game the way they were taught as boys, their defense and natural instincts for the rest of their play will all come rushing back. In little league, they learned how to catch a ball, where to throw the ball, how to run the bases and how to hit. Honestly, if they just took the time to think about when they were younger, they'd probably get a little reset. This is the game they grew up loving. Sometimes it's good to remember why you loved something in the first place. Remembering the pure love for the game and how they wanted to do their best might help them get on track and focus more. Baseball players get to play the game we all love...sometimes I think they just need a reminder.
I'd love for Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Bob Gibson, Vince Coleman, Tim McCarver, Chris Carpenter, Lou Brock and any of our legends to be around these players as much as possible. The way they all played is why they have the red jackets. Our players need to have them around to mentor...a good sounding board for questions, great advice to follow...there's no such thing as too much time spent with these living legends. While they can't always be around, their lessons need to be put into action. Bob Gibson said he had notes for Matheny and he may have been joking, but those notes would be priceless. Can you imagine if Matheny used those notes? What a beautiful thought.
The Cardinals need to play their hearts out...bring it all to the field. Play like they're 10 years old again. Make the plays, speed their way around the bases (intelligently) and hit the ball like in the days of Whitey. Make it exciting and fun to watch! Play so great we all say "goodness gracious, great balls of fire!"
The Boston series was a testament to the way we lose this season. Lots of men left on base, bad baserunning, starting pitching wasted, bullpen struggles, lack of timely hitting, defensive miscues and errors...we got a dose of all of that in a short and sweet (not) 2 games series.
We followed the Boston series with a 1 win out of 3 series against the struggling Giants.
In that time we squandered excellent starting pitching, including wasting a brilliant 9 inning outing of shutout baseball from Carlos. Adam Wainwright pitched in our only win over the past 5 games on Sunday, allowing only 1 run over 6 innings.
Bob Gibson was in town to celebrate the 1967 team this week and he graced us all with his presence in the broadcast booth. Listening to him straight shoot his way through a conversation about how the game should be played was inspiring. He said he loves watching the Cardinals and he only watches the Cardinals. Dan asked him if anyone stood out to him and he said he loves the whole team. However, he added that when they do things like getting picked off and giving up home runs, he doesn't like any of them. Brutal honesty...sometimes it's needed!
The 1967 team was a sight to behold, or so I've heard and read. They were the definition of a well oiled machine. Fired up on and off the field, ready to play their best every single game of the season.
Our team could make Bob cringe on a daily basis. Our baserunning, defense, hitting, bullpen...they all need attention and I have some suggestions.
Issue #1: "The Danger Zone"
Matt Carpenter made the 9th inning baserunning blunder heard around the world on Saturday night. He tried to turn a sure double into a triple, with the play getting him out by a mile. He is slow on the base paths and his instincts always lead him to the wrong decision. He is not alone in this. Outs on the base paths always seem to happen and are never surprising. I suggest a new coach for this area. We missed out on Vince Coleman, but is there no one more qualified than our current base coaches? I find that difficult to believe. Something is running amok with the base running approach and I feel like it could be fixed with a tweaking of the teaching.
Issue #2: "I'll fire when I'm good and ready"
Our hitting is off. Carlos Martinez pitched 9 innings of shutout baseball on Saturday only to never factor in the decision, which ended up as a loss in extras. The collective offense of our team had 8 hits over 12 of those innings, and it was against a struggling pitcher and a team off course with a record of 19-26. In the other games of the home stand, the offense managed to hand losses out like candy to starters who were going above and beyond the call. It's long past the time to light the fires. I've been questioning if we need some new blood in the hitting coach department since last season. It feels like too many of the players are working on their approach all the time, and many are off to very slow starts. On the current roster, we have 5 players batting over .261, and one of these players is Adam Wainwright. Everyone else is hitting .261 or lower. Our best hitter right now is Jedd Gyorko and he's running away with the lead at .331, 7 homers and 18 runs batted in. When players such as Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler are down near the bottom on a list ordered by descending batting average, there is reason enough to be concerned as May comes to a close. Ideally, I would love to promote Mark Budaska, "Buddha", to the big league team. Many of the players on the current roster have found success after working with him in Memphis, as well as former Cardinals such as David Freese. It might go a long way to light the fires if we had someone who some of our younger players have an excellent rapport with and have found success with to be around every day.
Issue #3: "I feel the need, the need for speed"
Magneuris Sierra was called up from the minors when our outfield piled up injuries with Dexter Fowler and Stephen Piscotty at the same time. This kid could flat out fly around the bases and everyone noticed...and LOVED it. He was definitely going Mach 2 with his hair on fire. On this team, speed isn't something you find up and down the lineup. Fowler, Grichuk, Wong, Pham and occasionally Diaz are the fastest players on the team. No offense to them, Sierra would have them all beat in any race. Speed can change the game, putting pressure on pitchers and pressure on defense to get the outs. It would be great to have Sierra back up here sometime soon and with our low bench, 13 pitchers and seemingly endless amount of "sore" this and "tweaked" that, I think we'll see him again soon.
Issue #4: "Bodies working overtime, money don't matter, time keeps ticking, someone's on your mind"
On our current roster, we have multiple players who could have used a DL stint to work through their injuries/issues. Dexter is still sore from a fall in the outfield, and he never went on the DL. His throws have taken the blow of the fall and in one case, Sierra made a throw for him. Kolten "felt something pop" in his elbow on Saturday and is day to day. He "was scared more than anything" according to Matheny and "popping" isn't exactly comforting. Piscotty ran into a wall to make a catch, after tweaking his knee in his rehab stint, which he was completing due to being on the DL for his hamstring pull. Siegrist has had some decent outings mixed in with some less than stellar outings while pitching through a sore shoulder and sore neck. Rosey is out there requiring an extra bullpen arm to back him up because "if something doesn't look right or feel right, we don't use him," per Matheny. This is a long way to play a season. I'm much more of the belief that if we gave them all the proper rest with a DL stay, they might all be playing at 100% instead of "he's almost there." We do have outfield help available in AAA (or clearly lower levels with Sierra). From the sounds of it, Weaver is pitching well and others are turning in solid numbers and could help with pitching. If a club is in the fight to win, they need to be putting their best players on the field every day. If it requires some of them to get rest to be at 100%, then that's the step that needs to be taken. Is it necessary to keep putting the players out there, somewhat injured, risking their long term careers if they make things worse? No.
Issue #5: "You can be my wingman anytime"
This lineup needs some good 1-2 punches throughout it. Our players aren't scaring the opponent when they step into the box. They could figure it all out and become solid hitters. However, I'm leaning towards looking outside of the team for help in the middle of the order. I don't know if this will happen, but our players are wingmen needing a leading hitter.
Issue #6: "One of life's simple joys is playing with the boys"
If they all play the game the way they were taught as boys, their defense and natural instincts for the rest of their play will all come rushing back. In little league, they learned how to catch a ball, where to throw the ball, how to run the bases and how to hit. Honestly, if they just took the time to think about when they were younger, they'd probably get a little reset. This is the game they grew up loving. Sometimes it's good to remember why you loved something in the first place. Remembering the pure love for the game and how they wanted to do their best might help them get on track and focus more. Baseball players get to play the game we all love...sometimes I think they just need a reminder.
I'd love for Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Bob Gibson, Vince Coleman, Tim McCarver, Chris Carpenter, Lou Brock and any of our legends to be around these players as much as possible. The way they all played is why they have the red jackets. Our players need to have them around to mentor...a good sounding board for questions, great advice to follow...there's no such thing as too much time spent with these living legends. While they can't always be around, their lessons need to be put into action. Bob Gibson said he had notes for Matheny and he may have been joking, but those notes would be priceless. Can you imagine if Matheny used those notes? What a beautiful thought.
The Cardinals need to play their hearts out...bring it all to the field. Play like they're 10 years old again. Make the plays, speed their way around the bases (intelligently) and hit the ball like in the days of Whitey. Make it exciting and fun to watch! Play so great we all say "goodness gracious, great balls of fire!"
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Can't Help Who You Love
In life, people say that you can't help who you love. Often, it's a parent or concerned friend who is telling you this because you love someone who may not be in everyone's good graces. The person you love may not be everybody's favorite. Your love might frustrate, confuse, irritate, annoy or depress your family and friends. Sometimes people in your life won't understand your love.
I'm here to tell you that even if not genuinely accepted, it's all okay. You can't help who you love and that's alright.
The same is true for baseball.
I write this as we head into another Adam Wainwright start.
Adam is my favorite player of all time. I know this, you know this, everyone who knows me knows this. I don't hide it. I'm not ashamed. I've definitely shouted it from "rooftops." I quote that because I would never be on a rooftop. Not ever. But I've shouted nonetheless.
My second favorite player, although not near all time favorite yet, is Randal Grichuk.
I've written at length about both of my favorites. If you like them too, "Love Letter of Sorts" is about Adam and "Force To Be Reckoned With" is about Grich.
I'm not here to write anymore about them. I am here to write about how it is okay to choose whoever you want to be your favorite player. Your fandom of anyone is fine. You don't need me to tell you that though.
I wanted to say this because fans of Kolten Wong have been through the wringer this season and I assume some of last although I wasn't around much back then. I know how it feels because of both Adam and Grich. Being on social media is less than ideal when your favorite player has a lackluster night on the mound, out in the field, at the plate or all of it combined.
All I'm saying is love who you love. Your favorites are your favorites and sometimes things won't go their way. I'm emotionally invested in baseball, so my emotions are always present, every game. And sure, they're present all the other times of the day too. I'm slowly learning to shrug off the negative and not feel the need to get entangled into lengthy arguments. Different opinions are part of life. Social media isn't a place to go if you want to live in a sheltered, protected existence.
Even through their worst moments, love who you love anyways. No judgements here. No apologies necessary for loving who you love or defending them.
You can't help who you love.
I'm here to tell you that even if not genuinely accepted, it's all okay. You can't help who you love and that's alright.
The same is true for baseball.
I write this as we head into another Adam Wainwright start.
Adam is my favorite player of all time. I know this, you know this, everyone who knows me knows this. I don't hide it. I'm not ashamed. I've definitely shouted it from "rooftops." I quote that because I would never be on a rooftop. Not ever. But I've shouted nonetheless.
My second favorite player, although not near all time favorite yet, is Randal Grichuk.
I've written at length about both of my favorites. If you like them too, "Love Letter of Sorts" is about Adam and "Force To Be Reckoned With" is about Grich.
I'm not here to write anymore about them. I am here to write about how it is okay to choose whoever you want to be your favorite player. Your fandom of anyone is fine. You don't need me to tell you that though.
I wanted to say this because fans of Kolten Wong have been through the wringer this season and I assume some of last although I wasn't around much back then. I know how it feels because of both Adam and Grich. Being on social media is less than ideal when your favorite player has a lackluster night on the mound, out in the field, at the plate or all of it combined.
All I'm saying is love who you love. Your favorites are your favorites and sometimes things won't go their way. I'm emotionally invested in baseball, so my emotions are always present, every game. And sure, they're present all the other times of the day too. I'm slowly learning to shrug off the negative and not feel the need to get entangled into lengthy arguments. Different opinions are part of life. Social media isn't a place to go if you want to live in a sheltered, protected existence.
Even through their worst moments, love who you love anyways. No judgements here. No apologies necessary for loving who you love or defending them.
You can't help who you love.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
It Takes a Village
In Monday night's game, oh so many things didn't go in favor of the Cardinals. We tied the game, only to lose it in late innings. Our closer, Seung-hwan Oh, gave up a 3 run homer and as it turns out, that would seal our fate.
In this game, as in many games so far this season, many things could be the culprit for the loss. We again did not bring runners in scoring position home. We had 13 hits with 17 runners left on base. Four of our 5 runs were solo homers. Wacha did not look as sharp as he so far this season, allowing 4 runs before his exit.
Again a familiar sight, there was a baserunning blunder and an error. We have few games without those. Unfortunately in this game, they were both done by one player...Kolten Wong. And if you did not see Twitter Monday night or Tuesday morning, consider yourself lucky. Kolten was the center of a pure firestorm.
Was his baserunning blunder a welcome sight? Absolutely not. However, after seeing the replay multiple times and reading what others had to say, the fault isn't 100% on Kolten. He was being waved home far down the third base line until he all of a sudden was being shown a stop sign, far too late to stop all that momentum. Kolten flat out flies around the bases. Most likely, he was thinking he had to score on this opportunity. And aggressive baserunning is preached in our organization, often to the detriment of the players and the box score.
Was the error made at an opportune time? No. There's never a great time for an error to occur and often in this season, the errors have resulted in runs scored. This particular error paved the way for 2 people to be on base when Shaw came to the plate, and he then hit a 3 run shot off Oh. 7-5 would be the final score of the game.
As often happens, in Tuesday night's game, Kolten ended up as the Player of The Game, making spectacular plays and providing the game winning RBI.
The Cardinals played a very 2017 Cardinals game again on Tuesday night. Nowhere near enough offense to keep anyone comfortable and almost not enough to back up stellar pitching. We also had an error. Baserunning went smoothly, but there were few opportunities on the base paths, so luck was in our favor there.
Baseball is a team sport. No loss is ever on one player. Batters have to get hits, preferably of the timely variety. Runs have to be put on the board. Pitchers have to get the outs. Plays have to be made. When on base, baserunners have to be smart and fast. Management and coaching staff have to make the right decisions. In losses, all of these things can be pointed to at least once.
In wins, it's a warm fuzzy feeling to be able to point to a team effort...multiple positives existing in one game.
Monday's loss was not all on Kolten Wong. No one player ever decides a loss in its entirety.
Tuesday's win was not all on Kolten Wong. No one player ever decides a win in its entirety.
It takes a village.
In this game, as in many games so far this season, many things could be the culprit for the loss. We again did not bring runners in scoring position home. We had 13 hits with 17 runners left on base. Four of our 5 runs were solo homers. Wacha did not look as sharp as he so far this season, allowing 4 runs before his exit.
Again a familiar sight, there was a baserunning blunder and an error. We have few games without those. Unfortunately in this game, they were both done by one player...Kolten Wong. And if you did not see Twitter Monday night or Tuesday morning, consider yourself lucky. Kolten was the center of a pure firestorm.
Was his baserunning blunder a welcome sight? Absolutely not. However, after seeing the replay multiple times and reading what others had to say, the fault isn't 100% on Kolten. He was being waved home far down the third base line until he all of a sudden was being shown a stop sign, far too late to stop all that momentum. Kolten flat out flies around the bases. Most likely, he was thinking he had to score on this opportunity. And aggressive baserunning is preached in our organization, often to the detriment of the players and the box score.
Was the error made at an opportune time? No. There's never a great time for an error to occur and often in this season, the errors have resulted in runs scored. This particular error paved the way for 2 people to be on base when Shaw came to the plate, and he then hit a 3 run shot off Oh. 7-5 would be the final score of the game.
As often happens, in Tuesday night's game, Kolten ended up as the Player of The Game, making spectacular plays and providing the game winning RBI.
The Cardinals played a very 2017 Cardinals game again on Tuesday night. Nowhere near enough offense to keep anyone comfortable and almost not enough to back up stellar pitching. We also had an error. Baserunning went smoothly, but there were few opportunities on the base paths, so luck was in our favor there.
Baseball is a team sport. No loss is ever on one player. Batters have to get hits, preferably of the timely variety. Runs have to be put on the board. Pitchers have to get the outs. Plays have to be made. When on base, baserunners have to be smart and fast. Management and coaching staff have to make the right decisions. In losses, all of these things can be pointed to at least once.
In wins, it's a warm fuzzy feeling to be able to point to a team effort...multiple positives existing in one game.
Monday's loss was not all on Kolten Wong. No one player ever decides a loss in its entirety.
Tuesday's win was not all on Kolten Wong. No one player ever decides a win in its entirety.
It takes a village.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Force To Be Reckoned With
If you follow me at all, you've probably been wondering why this post hasn't been written already. After all, he's one of my very favorite Cardinals and I've yet to write about him. Well, wonder no more. My Grich post has finally arrived.
I'll forewarn you, I have never and will never refer to him as Stallion. Or a Lamborghini. Grich is neither an animal nor a car, so I had, we'll just say, a strong dislike for both nicknames. To be honest, I think most of the disdain for the nicknames came from my dislike of Matheny and his use of said names. It was his fault "the stallion was pent up in the stable" or "the lamborghini was left in the garage." Last year, Matheny couldn't say much that thrilled me, but these nicknames took the cake.
Randal Grichuk is a polarizing player with Cards fans. There are those that love the guy and believe in what he brings to the table. Then there are those who have decided after 301 games and only in his age 25 season, that he will never cut it.
Starting with this season, early as it may be, I have much reason to hope, as well as be completely fine with where he is at this moment, especially when compared to the rest of the team.
In 19 games/69 plate appearances: 8 R, 15 H, 6 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 22 SO, 231 BA, 275 OBP, 415 SLG, 691 OPS, 87 OPS+, 317 BAPIP
Sure, some numbers aren't great--here's looking at you, strikeouts. However, in case anyone might not know, he is tied with Dexter Fowler for the lead there, with Matt Carpenter closing in on them at 17, Stephen Piscotty at 14. At the opposite angle, with walks, sure, it doesn't seem like he takes many. Again, you may be surprised to know that 4 is the same number or more than Jose Martinez, Yadier Molina, Aledmys Diaz, Greg Garcia, Eric Fryer, Jhonny Peralta and Matt Adams. No one on the team is practicing much patience, as our highest amount of walks for one player is 11, and the rest are single digits, mostly in the 2-5 range.
Grich is tied for second on the team in runs batted in with 8. Out of his 15 hits, 8 are extra base hits. By the way, only one person has more hits this season and that is Aledmys Diaz. Randal's 231 batting average, if you take out Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha, puts him at 7th highest on the team. Below him are Wong, Piscotty, Fryer, Adams, Fowler and Peralta. Carpenter is only at 236.
Honestly, I'm not sure how anyone is feeling negatively about him at this point anymore, but I'll continue.
Given how he is fitting in fairly well with the team's offense right now, as well as the team's defense, both of which are running on the low side, there really shouldn't be more concern for Grichuk over others this year.
Now I'll take you on a little trip down Memory Lane.
In 301 games/1013 plate appearances: 238 hits, 64 2B, 11 3B, 46 HR, 131 RBI, 10 SB, 59 BB, 304 SO, 252 BA, 275 OBP, 489 SLG, 790 OPS, 110 OPS+, 322 BAPIP
Out of those 238 hits, 121 were for extra bases. Over half! In 2016, it became a running commentary on Twitter that he hated first base because he was never there...he seemed to only be able to hit for extra bases.
Some fun offensive highlights through the years for all the warm fuzzies:
Grand Slam against Cubs
Walk Off Home Run Against the Cubs
Grich's First Major League Home Run
Opening Night 2017 Grich Home run and walk off hit
I'll dive a bit into the defensive side of things, if only to show my favorite defensive highlights of Grich...amazing plays.
In 19 games/12 complete games: 2 errors and -5 defensive runs saved with 943 fielding percentage
Numbers aren't great, and I can't necessarily put a sunny spin on them for this year specifically for Grich. However, I can say that defensively speaking, our team is last or almost last across all of baseball in all defensive categories. In all honesty, numbers won't stay at this level and with continued daily play in left field, he'll continue to improve. Most likely he will probably end up in the top 10 in the MLB again after the season is done as he did last season in center field.
Over his career, however, things are much brighter.
In 258 games/186 complete games: 8 errors, 14 defensive runs saved, 984 fielding percentage (these include 2017)
For a brief comparison, in those same years, Dexter has 13 errors and staggering -33 defensive runs saved (402 games/364 complete games). Piscotty has 6 errors and -3 defensive runs saved (in 228 games/184 complete games). Randal Grichuk can't possibly look like he's struggling out there when compared to our other outfielders. And I love Dex, but bear in mind that is only going back to 2014 to stick with comparable years as closely as I can. The negatives dive deeper. Defensively, it is somewhat of a wait and see if he is much better than Grichuk out there.
I'm well aware that these defensive stats do not cover everything, but they do paint a bit of the picture. In a fairly comparable amount of playing time, Grichuk has proven he is not the one we should be overly concerned about out there in the outfield.
Now, for those beautiful defensive highlights:
Diving Double Play
Home Run Robbery-Kendrick Dodgers
Grichuk Diving Catch
Home Run Robbery-Rizzo Cubs
All in all, after these warm fuzzy videos, in many of which he is showing his love for beating the Cubs, I hope I've turned a few naysayers over to my side. All I ask is that Grichuk gets some time to prove himself. While his friends all are receiving millions, avoiding arbitration or getting extensions, the front office and seemingly fans have reservations about Grichuk. He's only 25 and has only played in 301 games until now. I don't think it's time to definitively say anything about Grichuk with much conviction. Grich needs more time and with consistent daily play (no bus to Memphis gassed up and waiting in the parking lot), he can very possibly end up performing much like his second half numbers from last year. He was given the opportunities then to play daily without any concerns of being benched and he lit up the box score. If he keeps playing every day, any strikeouts will be overshadowed by the power. Keep in mind too, he had 24 home runs in the majors last year, 30 total for the year. His speed and athleticism help round out the qualities he brings to the table.
Give Grichuk a chance. Give him some of the time you may have given to others over the years. I promise fireworks and highlight reels. Give him a small slice of your patience. Randal Grichuk is a force to be reckoned with.
I'll forewarn you, I have never and will never refer to him as Stallion. Or a Lamborghini. Grich is neither an animal nor a car, so I had, we'll just say, a strong dislike for both nicknames. To be honest, I think most of the disdain for the nicknames came from my dislike of Matheny and his use of said names. It was his fault "the stallion was pent up in the stable" or "the lamborghini was left in the garage." Last year, Matheny couldn't say much that thrilled me, but these nicknames took the cake.
Randal Grichuk is a polarizing player with Cards fans. There are those that love the guy and believe in what he brings to the table. Then there are those who have decided after 301 games and only in his age 25 season, that he will never cut it.
Starting with this season, early as it may be, I have much reason to hope, as well as be completely fine with where he is at this moment, especially when compared to the rest of the team.
In 19 games/69 plate appearances: 8 R, 15 H, 6 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 22 SO, 231 BA, 275 OBP, 415 SLG, 691 OPS, 87 OPS+, 317 BAPIP
Sure, some numbers aren't great--here's looking at you, strikeouts. However, in case anyone might not know, he is tied with Dexter Fowler for the lead there, with Matt Carpenter closing in on them at 17, Stephen Piscotty at 14. At the opposite angle, with walks, sure, it doesn't seem like he takes many. Again, you may be surprised to know that 4 is the same number or more than Jose Martinez, Yadier Molina, Aledmys Diaz, Greg Garcia, Eric Fryer, Jhonny Peralta and Matt Adams. No one on the team is practicing much patience, as our highest amount of walks for one player is 11, and the rest are single digits, mostly in the 2-5 range.
Grich is tied for second on the team in runs batted in with 8. Out of his 15 hits, 8 are extra base hits. By the way, only one person has more hits this season and that is Aledmys Diaz. Randal's 231 batting average, if you take out Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha, puts him at 7th highest on the team. Below him are Wong, Piscotty, Fryer, Adams, Fowler and Peralta. Carpenter is only at 236.
Honestly, I'm not sure how anyone is feeling negatively about him at this point anymore, but I'll continue.
Given how he is fitting in fairly well with the team's offense right now, as well as the team's defense, both of which are running on the low side, there really shouldn't be more concern for Grichuk over others this year.
Now I'll take you on a little trip down Memory Lane.
In 301 games/1013 plate appearances: 238 hits, 64 2B, 11 3B, 46 HR, 131 RBI, 10 SB, 59 BB, 304 SO, 252 BA, 275 OBP, 489 SLG, 790 OPS, 110 OPS+, 322 BAPIP
Out of those 238 hits, 121 were for extra bases. Over half! In 2016, it became a running commentary on Twitter that he hated first base because he was never there...he seemed to only be able to hit for extra bases.
Some fun offensive highlights through the years for all the warm fuzzies:
Grand Slam against Cubs
Walk Off Home Run Against the Cubs
Grich's First Major League Home Run
Opening Night 2017 Grich Home run and walk off hit
I'll dive a bit into the defensive side of things, if only to show my favorite defensive highlights of Grich...amazing plays.
In 19 games/12 complete games: 2 errors and -5 defensive runs saved with 943 fielding percentage
Numbers aren't great, and I can't necessarily put a sunny spin on them for this year specifically for Grich. However, I can say that defensively speaking, our team is last or almost last across all of baseball in all defensive categories. In all honesty, numbers won't stay at this level and with continued daily play in left field, he'll continue to improve. Most likely he will probably end up in the top 10 in the MLB again after the season is done as he did last season in center field.
Over his career, however, things are much brighter.
In 258 games/186 complete games: 8 errors, 14 defensive runs saved, 984 fielding percentage (these include 2017)
For a brief comparison, in those same years, Dexter has 13 errors and staggering -33 defensive runs saved (402 games/364 complete games). Piscotty has 6 errors and -3 defensive runs saved (in 228 games/184 complete games). Randal Grichuk can't possibly look like he's struggling out there when compared to our other outfielders. And I love Dex, but bear in mind that is only going back to 2014 to stick with comparable years as closely as I can. The negatives dive deeper. Defensively, it is somewhat of a wait and see if he is much better than Grichuk out there.
I'm well aware that these defensive stats do not cover everything, but they do paint a bit of the picture. In a fairly comparable amount of playing time, Grichuk has proven he is not the one we should be overly concerned about out there in the outfield.
Now, for those beautiful defensive highlights:
Diving Double Play
Home Run Robbery-Kendrick Dodgers
Grichuk Diving Catch
Home Run Robbery-Rizzo Cubs
All in all, after these warm fuzzy videos, in many of which he is showing his love for beating the Cubs, I hope I've turned a few naysayers over to my side. All I ask is that Grichuk gets some time to prove himself. While his friends all are receiving millions, avoiding arbitration or getting extensions, the front office and seemingly fans have reservations about Grichuk. He's only 25 and has only played in 301 games until now. I don't think it's time to definitively say anything about Grichuk with much conviction. Grich needs more time and with consistent daily play (no bus to Memphis gassed up and waiting in the parking lot), he can very possibly end up performing much like his second half numbers from last year. He was given the opportunities then to play daily without any concerns of being benched and he lit up the box score. If he keeps playing every day, any strikeouts will be overshadowed by the power. Keep in mind too, he had 24 home runs in the majors last year, 30 total for the year. His speed and athleticism help round out the qualities he brings to the table.
Give Grichuk a chance. Give him some of the time you may have given to others over the years. I promise fireworks and highlight reels. Give him a small slice of your patience. Randal Grichuk is a force to be reckoned with.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
What's Love Got to Do With It?
The incomparable Tina Turner was on the radio today and I immediately thought of my whole blog post on my drive. Then my favorite song of all time came on and when the Cards go on some sort of extended streak of playing well, you'll get treated to more 80s goodness with that one. Hopefully you're still reading.
"It may seem to you that I'm acting confused
When you're close to me
If I tend to look dazed I've read it someplace
I've got cause to be
There's a name for it
There's a phrase that fits
But whatever the reason you do it for me"
I thought of Cardinals players and the coaching staff when I listened to this verse. On the base paths, the players look like they're trying to reenact a Three Stooges skit as opposed to actually following any sound base running rules. They are getting picked off at first and second base at what feels like an astronomical clip. Then there's the base stealing attempts. Who is telling them to run? I'm half convinced there's a cartoon character or comic trying to get some laughs standing in the dugout or at first or third, saying "Run!! Go! Do it!" and the players fall for it every time. There are times when it's not even close. We're watching, sometimes yelling, "Why?!" A last base running issue is running into outs (too aggressive) or not running fast enough (not aggressive enough). Who is running these drills? What drills are they running? Today during the broadcast, it was mentioned that our Quality Control Coach is a firm believer of George Kissell's teachings. I had to let that sink in for a minute. Is there another George Kissell? Surely, this cannot be the same George Kissell. Or if it is, he's read the intro only. Or Matheny replaced the cover of "The Cardinal Way" with the cover of "The Manifesto." Something is getting lost in translation.
The same goes for fundamentals in every other aspect of the play we're seeing on the field. It would be tough to see us get to a point where we don't even try to catch base stealers or try pick offs because the first and second basemen can't handle the throws. The rundown on Saturday night was almost an all hands on deck moment and that's not even legal, but it felt like the entire bench was going to jump in on the action. Cut off men apparently don't exist. And our pitchers have had some extra work this season based on how many times we hear "and he'll get the out at ..." instead of "it's a double play!"
Clearly, the players are dazed and the phrase that fits is "Matheny is your manager, so this is life." The players have to find a way to get around these problems and practice sound fundamental baseball. Sooner rather than later is preferable. It might be scary at first, but the new direction of sound fundamentals will definitely protect their jobs moving forward.
"I've been taking on a new direction
But I have to say
I've been thinking about my own protection
It scares me to feel this way"
If I tend to look dazed I've read it someplace
I've got cause to be
There's a name for it
There's a phrase that fits
But whatever the reason you do it for me"
I thought of Cardinals players and the coaching staff when I listened to this verse. On the base paths, the players look like they're trying to reenact a Three Stooges skit as opposed to actually following any sound base running rules. They are getting picked off at first and second base at what feels like an astronomical clip. Then there's the base stealing attempts. Who is telling them to run? I'm half convinced there's a cartoon character or comic trying to get some laughs standing in the dugout or at first or third, saying "Run!! Go! Do it!" and the players fall for it every time. There are times when it's not even close. We're watching, sometimes yelling, "Why?!" A last base running issue is running into outs (too aggressive) or not running fast enough (not aggressive enough). Who is running these drills? What drills are they running? Today during the broadcast, it was mentioned that our Quality Control Coach is a firm believer of George Kissell's teachings. I had to let that sink in for a minute. Is there another George Kissell? Surely, this cannot be the same George Kissell. Or if it is, he's read the intro only. Or Matheny replaced the cover of "The Cardinal Way" with the cover of "The Manifesto." Something is getting lost in translation.
The same goes for fundamentals in every other aspect of the play we're seeing on the field. It would be tough to see us get to a point where we don't even try to catch base stealers or try pick offs because the first and second basemen can't handle the throws. The rundown on Saturday night was almost an all hands on deck moment and that's not even legal, but it felt like the entire bench was going to jump in on the action. Cut off men apparently don't exist. And our pitchers have had some extra work this season based on how many times we hear "and he'll get the out at ..." instead of "it's a double play!"
Clearly, the players are dazed and the phrase that fits is "Matheny is your manager, so this is life." The players have to find a way to get around these problems and practice sound fundamental baseball. Sooner rather than later is preferable. It might be scary at first, but the new direction of sound fundamentals will definitely protect their jobs moving forward.
"I've been taking on a new direction
But I have to say
I've been thinking about my own protection
It scares me to feel this way"
"What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken"
The love I think of here is the love for the sweet old fashioned notion of baseball. Our players need to remember why they're playing...that is the love of this wonderful pastime we all love too...baseball. When they remember the days when they played little league and were all heart and hustle, they'll try their hardest to play the game how it's supposed to be played. They'll remember how great it feels to make the plays and help lift each other up...how great it feels to win because of the hard work put in and the fun they had out there.
They'll never break my heart. My heart is very much here and with them. I only hope they find their heart and love for the game and play like they love every second of being out there, playing at their best.
What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken"
The love I think of here is the love for the sweet old fashioned notion of baseball. Our players need to remember why they're playing...that is the love of this wonderful pastime we all love too...baseball. When they remember the days when they played little league and were all heart and hustle, they'll try their hardest to play the game how it's supposed to be played. They'll remember how great it feels to make the plays and help lift each other up...how great it feels to win because of the hard work put in and the fun they had out there.
They'll never break my heart. My heart is very much here and with them. I only hope they find their heart and love for the game and play like they love every second of being out there, playing at their best.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Damaged Armor
I'll start with me. My armor is damaged. I do the usual repairs and maintenance...duct tape, super glue, safety pins, bubble wrap. None of it ever keeps damage completely away from heart, but it's good to know I can lessen the damage of the hit, patch it up, and try again.
My armor took a few hits during Adam Wainwright's start last Sunday. It was his third start of the season and things weren't going necessarily well. I will not write specifics, but will simply say it was my least favorite night watching the games with twitter people. Alternatively, it was one of the best. While there were those truly being their worst, some of the best messaged me to make sure I was alright. My armor took a lot of hits that night, but some wonderful people provided all the duct tape, super glue, safety pins and bubble wrap I needed to repair the damage. A good friend of mine reminded me essentially not to even take the hits in the first place. I do my best every day to try to heed his advice.
While a long introduction, this leads into the damaged armor of our team. We have a full spectrum of damage to much of our armor, both of the physical and mental variety. Dex is hurting with a nagging heel issue. Siegrist is showing slower velocity and experiencing shoulder issues. Peralta is on the DL with a "respiratory infection." Moving on to the mental approach of the game, we have Piscotty, Grich, Diaz, Fowler, Carp and Adams all having problems at the plate. Lastly, we have Carlos working on mechanics and command, as well as having a newfound issue getting through the first inning of games unscathed.
Our offense is struggling to put more than 2 runs on the board per game. Our numbers with runners in scoring position are abysmal. Situational hitting is practically non-existent. I'm not sure how to work on this beyond more practice, focus and work. I never doubt the work ethic is there, but I always question the coaching involved at these times. Ability, talent, skill, strong work ethic...these players all have those qualities in abundance. However, it's a concern to have well over half of the starting players hitting 250 or below, strikeouts piling up and seemingly all concept of situational hitting having flown back south to Florida.
Defensively, we're not winning any trophies. I don't know if they would even give us participation trophies for our efforts thus far. Numbers aren't pretty and the eye test fails as well. I sometimes close my eyes when throws to a base happen and during Saturday's run down, when all 25 men seemed to be throwing and catching the ball.
I mentioned Saturday night after Matt Adams pinch hit that Matheny broke him. I've written at length about Adams and his struggles. For the Cardinals, he has only played close to a full season once...in 2014 he played in 142 games. This year Matheny decided to give him opportunities in left field, which only hurt his chances of success further. We have a left fielder (who was simultaneously affected by this experiment) and behind our starting left fielder, we have a back up outfielder. Adams was put into opportunities that displayed defensive weaknesses, and it's possible he took that lowered lack of confidence to the plate as the struggles piled up there. The reason to put him in left field was supposedly because "the bat plays." It has now reached a point where his biggest strength in years past, pinch hitting, has soured...he is making unproductive outs almost every time now. His career, especially in 2017, has been colossally mismanaged. At 28 and in the best shape of his life, he is warming the bench, not even getting opportunities at his actual position of first base when an injury occurred to Carpenter. He didn't forget how to play baseball, but mentally he is in the midst of a perfect storm of lack of confidence, questioning his role, trying to stay prepared and probably wondering what he did in a former life to deserve this treatment. I am well aware that he needs to play well to secure a role, but he is getting no help in that department and it is painful to watch.
On his Instagram this morning, Carlos posted a picture of himself on the mound and listed a bunch of zipped lip, thinking, sad face emojis as the caption. If you have followed him on Instagram, you would know this is the complete opposite of his usual shirtless, smiling, singing Instagram stories. He has always been joyful on there, so to see his frustration out there for the world to see, even if only expressed through emojis, it did nothing to calm my concerns for him. He is working through a lot right now and I hope he leans on his mentors and teammates in the clubhouse to help him through everything.
Mental hits are measured by the play as much as physical hits. I firmly believe that if each player knew his spot on the team and was allowed to work through issues that arise, our team would be firing on all cylinders. Grichuk is going to have strikeouts, but last night he went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and made a great catch in the outfield. The key to his success is being allowed to play every day, without worry of being replaced in the lineup at any given time. Kolten runs much the same way, and while he is finding himself at the plate, I worry he will still be on an up and down rollercoaster type trip in and out of the lineup, stopping his traction. Carlos is going through something that was visible to many fans over the past few starts. Adam was visibly upset in his outing last Sunday, clearly still working through things. Piscotty is in the midst of a swing over haul that some feel is involving too much mental focus, making him lack consistency instead of taking off at the plate...leading to infamous Earmuff moments with his colorful language choice.
As a team, we've taken a lot of hits to the armor over these first 3 weeks of the season. It's difficult to be looking up from 5th (4th after a Pirates loss, at least until results of today's games!) at the division rivals. While our pitching has largely kept us afloat, being a stabilizing force for the most part, we need to figure out how to fix things offensively and defensively. The players need to gain their confidence back and believe they can get the job done. They need to duct tape, safety pin, super glue and bubble wrap their armor and get on the field. It's high time to be playing their best baseball. When all armor is repaired, they need to be running out onto the field, knowing they can make the catches, make the plays and then run out of the dugout ready to bat when ready. They have to stay strong in the face of any adversity and maneuver their way skillfully through mixed messages, showing a confident, steady approach to their games.
Wins do help the positive vibes, but this team is still very much a work in progress. They honestly have to face more managerial disastrophes than the every day baseball player, and they need to do their best to overcome the decisions that put a roadblock up on their path to success. Armor fixed, game face on...let's go Cards!!
My armor took a few hits during Adam Wainwright's start last Sunday. It was his third start of the season and things weren't going necessarily well. I will not write specifics, but will simply say it was my least favorite night watching the games with twitter people. Alternatively, it was one of the best. While there were those truly being their worst, some of the best messaged me to make sure I was alright. My armor took a lot of hits that night, but some wonderful people provided all the duct tape, super glue, safety pins and bubble wrap I needed to repair the damage. A good friend of mine reminded me essentially not to even take the hits in the first place. I do my best every day to try to heed his advice.
While a long introduction, this leads into the damaged armor of our team. We have a full spectrum of damage to much of our armor, both of the physical and mental variety. Dex is hurting with a nagging heel issue. Siegrist is showing slower velocity and experiencing shoulder issues. Peralta is on the DL with a "respiratory infection." Moving on to the mental approach of the game, we have Piscotty, Grich, Diaz, Fowler, Carp and Adams all having problems at the plate. Lastly, we have Carlos working on mechanics and command, as well as having a newfound issue getting through the first inning of games unscathed.
Our offense is struggling to put more than 2 runs on the board per game. Our numbers with runners in scoring position are abysmal. Situational hitting is practically non-existent. I'm not sure how to work on this beyond more practice, focus and work. I never doubt the work ethic is there, but I always question the coaching involved at these times. Ability, talent, skill, strong work ethic...these players all have those qualities in abundance. However, it's a concern to have well over half of the starting players hitting 250 or below, strikeouts piling up and seemingly all concept of situational hitting having flown back south to Florida.
Defensively, we're not winning any trophies. I don't know if they would even give us participation trophies for our efforts thus far. Numbers aren't pretty and the eye test fails as well. I sometimes close my eyes when throws to a base happen and during Saturday's run down, when all 25 men seemed to be throwing and catching the ball.
I mentioned Saturday night after Matt Adams pinch hit that Matheny broke him. I've written at length about Adams and his struggles. For the Cardinals, he has only played close to a full season once...in 2014 he played in 142 games. This year Matheny decided to give him opportunities in left field, which only hurt his chances of success further. We have a left fielder (who was simultaneously affected by this experiment) and behind our starting left fielder, we have a back up outfielder. Adams was put into opportunities that displayed defensive weaknesses, and it's possible he took that lowered lack of confidence to the plate as the struggles piled up there. The reason to put him in left field was supposedly because "the bat plays." It has now reached a point where his biggest strength in years past, pinch hitting, has soured...he is making unproductive outs almost every time now. His career, especially in 2017, has been colossally mismanaged. At 28 and in the best shape of his life, he is warming the bench, not even getting opportunities at his actual position of first base when an injury occurred to Carpenter. He didn't forget how to play baseball, but mentally he is in the midst of a perfect storm of lack of confidence, questioning his role, trying to stay prepared and probably wondering what he did in a former life to deserve this treatment. I am well aware that he needs to play well to secure a role, but he is getting no help in that department and it is painful to watch.
On his Instagram this morning, Carlos posted a picture of himself on the mound and listed a bunch of zipped lip, thinking, sad face emojis as the caption. If you have followed him on Instagram, you would know this is the complete opposite of his usual shirtless, smiling, singing Instagram stories. He has always been joyful on there, so to see his frustration out there for the world to see, even if only expressed through emojis, it did nothing to calm my concerns for him. He is working through a lot right now and I hope he leans on his mentors and teammates in the clubhouse to help him through everything.
Mental hits are measured by the play as much as physical hits. I firmly believe that if each player knew his spot on the team and was allowed to work through issues that arise, our team would be firing on all cylinders. Grichuk is going to have strikeouts, but last night he went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and made a great catch in the outfield. The key to his success is being allowed to play every day, without worry of being replaced in the lineup at any given time. Kolten runs much the same way, and while he is finding himself at the plate, I worry he will still be on an up and down rollercoaster type trip in and out of the lineup, stopping his traction. Carlos is going through something that was visible to many fans over the past few starts. Adam was visibly upset in his outing last Sunday, clearly still working through things. Piscotty is in the midst of a swing over haul that some feel is involving too much mental focus, making him lack consistency instead of taking off at the plate...leading to infamous Earmuff moments with his colorful language choice.
As a team, we've taken a lot of hits to the armor over these first 3 weeks of the season. It's difficult to be looking up from 5th (4th after a Pirates loss, at least until results of today's games!) at the division rivals. While our pitching has largely kept us afloat, being a stabilizing force for the most part, we need to figure out how to fix things offensively and defensively. The players need to gain their confidence back and believe they can get the job done. They need to duct tape, safety pin, super glue and bubble wrap their armor and get on the field. It's high time to be playing their best baseball. When all armor is repaired, they need to be running out onto the field, knowing they can make the catches, make the plays and then run out of the dugout ready to bat when ready. They have to stay strong in the face of any adversity and maneuver their way skillfully through mixed messages, showing a confident, steady approach to their games.
Wins do help the positive vibes, but this team is still very much a work in progress. They honestly have to face more managerial disastrophes than the every day baseball player, and they need to do their best to overcome the decisions that put a roadblock up on their path to success. Armor fixed, game face on...let's go Cards!!
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