Game 30 Open Thread: May 5, 2006

by lboros on May 5, 2006 4:55 PM EDT in St. Louis Cardinals News

suppan mitre
2-2, 5.19 1-3, 3.82

the cardinal offense by batting-order position:

	main hitters (ab)	avg	obp	slg	hr	rbi	runs
#1	eckstein (115)	.299	.376	.368	1	7	18
#2	j'cion (46) luna (20) taguchi (16)	.258	.292	.300	0	9	15
#3	pujols (92)	.315	.475	.848	15	33	28
#4	edmonds (55) rolen (34)	.271	.363	.477	5	21	14
#5	rolen (33) j'cion (26) edmonds (24)	.266	.314	.477	4	25	14
#6	taguchi (30) j'cion (17) molina(16)	.225	.277	.396	5	9	14
#7	molina (70) luna (20)	.204	.230	.278	1	10	6
#8	miles (50) taguchi (16)	.305	.411	.432	1	10	14
#9	pitchers, phs	.161	.263	.287	2	9	11

these are correctable problems. move encarnacion out of the #2 slot and let him hit 6th, and you improve both positions; obp in the #2 hole improves no matter who you put there , while encarnacion starts generating some rbi production in the #6 slot. and who should bat #2? i still think it should be edmonds, but since it probably won't be say rodriguez vs right-handers, luna vs lefties (hec has a .340 career obp vs southpaws) -- at least, until the big "impact trade" goes down . . . . if the cards can just post a .330 obp in the #2-hole the rest of the way, it will improve the offense by about 25 runs moving forward. translates into 2 or 3 wins, which the cardinals will probably need.

i wouldn't expect much more out of #s 3-4-5 as a group, and while performance out of the #7 hole (ie molina) can only go up, #8 can only go down; seems like those two cancel each other out. but #2 and #6 can both improve, and almost surely will even if the cards don't make a move.

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Gall is Definitely in the Doghouse:

This from Leach's blog regarding the decision to use Bennett last night:

"I asked the manager this very question, and I gave him the easy out if he wanted it -- because if they'd gone to Gall, they still had to use Bennett, because Molina had already been pinch-hit for. So they would have been out of position players. But instead, he simply said Bennett was the guy he wanted up.

I quote: "I thought he was the best chance. What's Gall done here that he gives us a better chance?""

Seriously, I like Gall and I would like to see them let him go somewhere where he has a chance. He has no future as a Cardinal with the current regime. I suppose he will be sent down for Bigbie.

OC Cards Fan

by OCCardsFan on May 5, 2006 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

ouch...

"I knew it was you Fredo..." Man, What a kiss of death.

Righty up tonight... Let's here it folks-

J to the Rod.

I have an El Hombre ManCrush

by Schnake on May 5, 2006 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Dump him

Seriously, do Gall a favor and get trade him, give him away, cut him, something. He has manager that has no confidence in him and as a two-time minor league player of the year for Cards, Gall has nothing left to prove at AAA level. At least for the Cardinals. I just don't see any point in keeping him on the 25 or 40-man roster. Just try to get what you can for him or include him in what is hopefully a forthcoming trade this summer for a big bat and bigger talent than "core" player Juan Encarnacion, who should be platooning with J-Rod instead of Taguchi.

Baily

by Baily on May 6, 2006 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Amen

EOM

by knieriemd on May 5, 2006 5:43 PM EDT reply actions

so it shall be

STL
eck'n ss
rod'gz lf
pujols 1b
edmonds cf
rolen 3b
en'cion rf
bennett c
miles 2b
suppan p

FLA
ramirez ss
uggla 2b
cabrera 3b
will'ham lf
borchard rf
jacobs 1b
ab'crombie cf
treanor c
mitre p

by lboros on May 5, 2006 6:55 PM EDT reply actions

that lineup

looks good (in the post as well as Tony's official) i realize he's not benching Molina, but a little time there might not hurt - certainly not at the plate

Cardinals Diaspora

by Ryan Van Bibber on May 5, 2006 7:02 PM EDT reply actions

just no production

from the catcher position thus far. i'd still take Yadi, just for defensive purposes, but yeah, maybe Bennett can do something. It's sorta weird that Bennett is Suppan's personal caddy..sorta like Mirabelli w/Wakefield. Only without the knuckleball, of course. I wonder why..does Yadi not work well with Supp?

Reverend Redbird

by erik on May 5, 2006 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

as i understand it...

suppan needs to be able to shake off his catcher, and it's better to shake off bennett as a backup catcher than yadi as a starter.

by gthedamned on May 5, 2006 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Why does it matter?

Shouldn't a pitcher be able to shake off whomever he wants? It's his ball.

The 26th Man

by 26thMan on May 5, 2006 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Edmonds in the 2-hole

I'll take Edmonds over the majority of this year's 2-hole platoon every day, but I do have a problem with him as a regular in this spot because of his consistency. Edmonds is awesome when he's on a streak, but it seems to me like you'd want someone more consistent batting before Pujols every day and we all know that Edmonds isn't very consistent.

by rob is back on May 5, 2006 7:31 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

I second that. I'm not a fan of Jimmy in the No. 2 hole for many of the same reasons given above. Plus, I just feel he's more valuable and more 'threatening' hitting behind Pujols and/or Pujols and Edmonds.

Baily

by Baily on May 5, 2006 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions