monday roundup

by lboros on Mar 3, 2008 8:48 AM EST in News Comment 66 comments

a few programming notes before i get started. first, i'm a bit behind on the tournament updates; got one up late last night, will try to have another up this evening. (we're on track --- i think --- to wrap this thing up just before opening day.) second, i still don't have a firm date for the SBN 2.0 migration date. i'll lodge an inquiry today and report back ASAP.

finally, a reader inquired via e-mail recently about the VEB t-shirt design contest. you might recall this idea was floated back in january; i ran a poll, and there was overwhelming support for it. since then, alas, it has slipped down the priority ladder and is now buried on the grab-bag portion of my to-do list --- aka the "will never happen" portion. i should have asked if anybody wanted to volunteer to ride herd on this project. so, belatedly, i'll ask now: if you want to be the t-shirt design contest czar, send me an e-mail and we'll figure out how to get that initiative off the ground.

that takes care of the preliminary bits. onward, then, to the main-course bits.

i begin with the Hardball Times Season Preview book, my copy of which arrived late last week. THT ran its own set of projections, the second consecutive year they have done this; by and large their numbers agree with the ones coughed up by CHONE, ZIPS, PECOTA, etc etc. THT did something new with the projections this year --- they ran the data through a simulation program and played the season 100 times. that experiment yielded the following finish in nl central:

	W	L	RS	RA	DIV	WC
brewers	88	74	826	752	43.0	11.8
cubs	87	75	852	785	35.0	7.0
reds	82	80	833	724	12.5	6.5
cards	78	84	790	830	5.5	0.0
astros	73	89	762	858	4.0	2.0
bucs	70	92	720	837	0.0	0.0

those results are in general agreement with BP's PECOTA-derived team projections (just to clarify, BP's results are generated via a completely different method --- there's no simulation program involved). THT has the cardinals finishing 8th among nl teams in runs scored and 12th in runs allowed (vs 14th- and 9th-place finishes, respectively, in BP's telling). i don't know what simulator THT used, nor how they allocated the cardinals' playing time. because it's a maiden voyage, i trust this exercise less than i will the annual Diamond Mind Blowout, which ought to appear at Replacement Level Yankees Weblog within the next couple of weeks. the bottom-line estimate --- ie, the cards are about 18:1 longshots to make the postseason --- strikes me as a pretty reasonable. in this telling the reds have a 1 in 8 shot to win the central and a 1 in 5 shot to play in october --- if anything, those seem like underestimates to me. i'd give them slightly better odds.

'nother Hardball Times item: i'll be writing the annual "5 Questions" article for the website again. i ask of the community: which 5 questions should i ask / answer for that article? take a look at last year's iteration, if'n you're not familiar w/ the trope. it strikes me that 5 questions aren't nearly enough for this year's cardinal team. just off the type o' me head: was ankiel a fluke? is rasmus ready? how much / how well will the injury reclamations be able to pitch this year? will they miss rolen's glove? how bad will the middle infield suck? who leads off? will youngsters trump scrap-heap veterans, or is that just lip service? i could add another 7 questions if i gave it some thought. list your top 5 questions below --- you don't have to answer them, i just want the Qs.
ted simmons and rick hummel, together again --- just like old times.
did anybody see dave pinto's article last week about batting the pitcher 8th? i've long been an advocate; wrote about the subject at length 3 years ago at the old site. pinto's article (with input from tom ruane) gibes with mine (with input from james click) and others too numerous to cite; it's fairly certain by now that batting the pitcher 8th adds a few runs over the course of a year, perhaps as much as a full win. i'm glad the idea has got its first copycat; i wouldn't have expected ned yost to be that guy, but i commend him for being willing even to contemplate the idea publicly. it'll be an important crack in the orthodoxy if yost follows through and writes the pitcher 8th on a lineup card--- the idea will be less easily dismissed as an attention-getting ploy by one smarter-than-thou manager, and a little more akin to a trend. c'mon ned --- be brave.
finally, am i the only one who took note of the last line of derrick goold's postgame entry at Birdland yesterday? after assuring us that st louis has no serious interest in sidney ponson (even though a team scout will watch ponson throw in the near soon), he concludes: "The Cardinals' stance on Ponson and other free agents -- David Wells or Jeff Weaver or Sidd Finch, for that matter -- has not altered. Though the time when they will reconsider their patience is approaching." i wonder what that last sentence means? is goold suggesting there's already a drift toward signing somebody, or merely that an evaluation will occur once clement faces hitters (probably live BP) later this week? my guess is the latter. pineiro's shoulder might factor in here as well; he's due to make his first start friday after missing yesterday's outing with a stiff shoulder. once those returns are in, we may know whether or not to expect a move.

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Note that Pinto mentions that it also helps

to put a power guy in the 2 slot.

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 9:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

TShirts

I am tempted to pick up the TShirt contest for you, but I would have to do it in the evening only, and I wouldn't know how to go about doing the TShirts themselves only the contest. Does VEB have picture hosting capabilities or would we have to use imageshack or some other type of hosting site for the ideas? What I am thinking is that we can set up a deadline for the contest submissions (15 Mar or something like that) and then run the contest in either a Diary or the main page. I would probably run it as multiple votes too, so if you start with 10 ideas you vote once on all 10, the top 5 or so stay around and the others get dropped off, then you vote again on those 5 and keep the top 2 then vote for the winner. That way you don't have to worry about your vote not counting as much. Let me know if you would like that, like I said I can do it mostly in the evening since I can't do all that from work.

by StLHugo on Mar 3, 2008 9:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Could it be...

The remaining pitchers are going to reconsider their patience and take more reasonable offers than what they have bee nholding out for?

by Beware the Molinas on Mar 3, 2008 9:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

It could'nt, could it?

If that happens, it might mean having to give ownership way to much credit.

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Mar 4, 2008 6:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My guess is

the Birds will sign another starter only if Clement or Piñiero are unable to start the season and if the signee is on a one-year deal for cheap...

Whatever Scott Boras is asking for his clients (I'm looking at you, Jeff Weaver) is obviously more than anybody is willing to pay. At what point does a player tell his agent, "Get. Me. A. JOB!!!" I kinda doubt that guys like Weaver and Lohse want to sit out until somebody gets desperate, but teams are playing NOW, and they're NOT!!!

"In this game, don't nobody know nuthin' about nuthin'." -- attributed to Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra

by The Ol Goaler on Mar 3, 2008 10:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The pitcher probably tells Boras that

after he gets back from vacation on his small island and the tens of millions he's accumulated over the years starts to run out.

So a 50 year old JEff Weaver will be contacting us down the road.

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

44 million before deductions for 93 wins against 114 looses, figured that out last week when I realized I didnt wanna see him back ever, not when Parisi or someone of his stature might get you the same results for MLM. Leave Jeff on the island.

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Mar 4, 2008 5:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Five questions

How many games will Kyle Loshe win for us this year?

Will the average age of the Memphis Redbirds be over or under 30?

Will Jason Isringhausen waive his no trade clause mid-season?

Will Jose Oquendo be the next manager?

Will there be riots in the streets of STL if Sidney Ponson is signed?

Hope that helps.

"Do what you want to the women and children but leave me alone"-George Carlin

by That's a Winner on Mar 3, 2008 10:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

5 questions...

Can Chris Duncan get 500 plate appearances?
Will Brendan Ryan become a younger, faster version of the 2006 Scott Spiezio?
Where is Rick Ankiel on the learning curve -- early, middle, or late?
Will Colby Rasmus make a legit impact on the 2007 Cardinals?
Which Cardinal minor league pitcher will emerge and contribute?

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Mar 3, 2008 11:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

#5

seems unlikely mulder, clement, and carpenter will all be pitching effectively in september, so i'd say the development (or not) of the pitching staff in memphis is the biggest question to answer this year. may be kind of out there for where the big team finishes, but it seems this is the single most critical outcome. if the AAA staff doesn't show well, the rest matters little. not just for next year, but probably for how this year finishes out. i don't see the point in ponson, lohse etc. when the predictions for runs scored is so disappointing. to win even this year will require better pitching than those guys can offer, which can only come from the farm, long shot or not.
second would be how the outfield pans out. so many unanswered questions in terms of ludwick and ankiel (flukes or late bloomers), duncan (healthy and real or??), barton and schumaker (true leadoff potential or just situational, late inning guys).
not concerned about the MI, it won't be very good offensively no matter what, couple of notches behind the outfield in terms of making a positive impact on runs scored. suspect adequate defensively. only interesting question (or curiosity maybe) is if any of the younger players push kennedy, iz, or miles off the 25 man.
more directly for this year, how do albert and troy hold up physically.
will the whole ped thing go away, or will it linger, particularly over the cards, all year. these guys don't need any additional distractions.

by sportsman on Mar 3, 2008 11:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Questions

Out of soooooo many:

Will the Cardinals score 800 runs?

How many pitchers will start 20 or more games?

When will Rasmus start?

Albert's health?

Izturis? Why?

by madridbend on Mar 3, 2008 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good to hear

...that McClellan is doing well. As a local kid, I've always rooted for him.

I really like Goold. He and Hummel are clearly the class of the PD baseball staff. I have found his blog both informative and interesting. I hope they manage to keep him around for awhile.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 3, 2008 11:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

My 5 Questions

How will the middle infield shake out and will there be ANY positive production from that area of the field?
How will Ankiel do given his new role as an everyday player for the big club?
What role will Rasmus play with the big boys, and when will this role begin?
Albert and Carpenter's elbows...'nuf said.
How will the patchwork-quilt pitching staff do, and who will go on the DL when?

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 3, 2008 11:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Potential Questions...

Is STL's future too dependent on the success of Colby Rasmus?
Can STL win without production up the middle?
Was the Carpenter contract a mistake?
Ryan Franklin - Looper role swap? With Looper's peripherals set to take a huge step back, could rotating relievers into the rotation every other year be successful?
Should STL focus more on OBP or HRs?

by sdelek on Mar 3, 2008 11:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yost

He isn't batting his pitcher 8th in some sabermetric copycatting, he's batting his pitcher 8th because he has his worst hitter, Jason Kendall, batting 9th.

Cheeseburger in paradise.

by joker24 on Mar 3, 2008 11:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Haha

I damn near spit on my computer screen when I read that...The sad thing is that it's the truth.

Remember back when Kendall was considered a very good player, like the second best catcher in the NL? Back when he used to hit first or second b/c he was pretty fast and got on base well and all that? So much for that.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 3, 2008 11:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

redbird and Joker

Do you realize that Kendall is probably being used as a 2nd lead off man?

He is not that bad, look at all the Cardinals lead off options people have been throwing around. Jason Kendall had a better 2007 OBP than any of them and he has a better career OBP than any of them.

I would not call Kendall terrible.

by ICbirdfan on Mar 3, 2008 11:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I wouldn't call him terrible, either

In fact in his career he's posted a good OBP, and has shown the ability to hit for a relatively high average...but that is pretty much all he brings to the table now.

His power is utterly gone, he doesn't throw guys out anymore, and his OBP is starting to become tied more and more to his batting average. As a post later in the comment section said, he's very similar offensively to Eckstein.

So no, he's not TERRIBLE, but he's certainly not very good. To be honest, he's approaching backup status in my mind.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 3, 2008 3:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agree

I agree he is a defensive liability behind the plate, unless he is playing STL since no one seems to steal bases on the Cardinals.

He is an OBP guy only and it's not like he can play another position. I would say he is a good part time player at this stage in his career.

by ICbirdfan on Mar 3, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He had on OBP of .362 last year.

Think our leadoff hitter will do that?

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 12:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Kendall part Robot

He had lasic this off season and now claims to be a cyborg with the power of 18 year old eyes...or some such nonsense.

He's not terrible, but he sure isn't good.

by mwinf12 on Mar 3, 2008 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well played sir, well played

You raise a tremendous point.

"Your Holiness, I'm Joseph Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal."-Joe Medwick, to Pope Pius XII.

by redbirdnation8206 on Mar 3, 2008 1:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not quite

He had a .301 on the year. The .362 was with the Cubs...he was that bad with the A's.

Regardless, he's got anti-power and is basically the really slow version of Eckstein. And not that it matters for lineup construction, but he threw out 5/57 runners with the Cubs; 3 of those were on pickoffs in which he had nothing to do with the play, so he was really 2/54. Yikes.

Cheeseburger in paradise.

by joker24 on Mar 3, 2008 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Because it utilizes the power of crowds. . .

I'm starting the community projections over at Future Redbirds this week. First up, Jarrett Hoffpauir. Feel encouraged to stop by and drop your 2cents in.

If you were on the "Free John Gall" campaign from a few years ago or you're skeptical of "unproven prospects" -- we need a nice conglomeration of optimists, realists and pessimists so everyone is welcomed.

by azruavatar on Mar 3, 2008 11:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

my five questions

If relievers can become starters shouldn't the market for "our kind of starters" be deep and cheap?
What Stl player/manager/coach/executive will next fall victim to public substance abuse misbehavior?
Is Mo to Stl what Selig is to MLB?
Do Boras and the Cardinal front office even bother returning each others calls?

by Hinkster on Mar 3, 2008 12:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Just for fun...

I'll ask Hinksters #5 question just for fun!!

5. What if Miguel Cairo is released by the Mariners on the last day of spring training while on the same day, a Cardinal backup infielder breaks a leg?

WAIT, never mind! Thats not fun! Please, no!!

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Mar 4, 2008 5:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

...or?

And I'd add (if this was re: the Crew)

5. How long before Simba roars his way off the Milwaukee bench!

Congrats to Ted and the Brewers on this great move, Ned's paying back an old debt!

Ted and Ned will make a good pair and Hummel got to write it up. Have a party!

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Mar 4, 2008 6:47 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

5 Questions

Do the Cardinals figure out what they have in the outfield? (i.e. is LaRussa and management committed to youth and picking the best 4 of Duncan, Ankiel, Barton, Ludwick, Skip, JuanGone, and Mather for the future?)
Does another minor league hitter step up to give the Cardinals some offensive depth in the minors behind Rasmus?
Who got the better of the challenge trade? (Rolen vs. Glaus)
Chris Carpenter's rehabilitation?
Albert's Elbow?

by JMedwick on Mar 3, 2008 12:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Add

Rasmus to that list of outfielders too...

by JMedwick on Mar 3, 2008 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My 5 questions

Will TLR '08 be his typical self (in terms of too much reliance on low-upside veterans) or, given the obvious limitations of this team, will he adopt the more risk-oriented style he took during the 2006 post-season?
Will Aaron Miles get another 400 ABs (thus destroying what's left of the mental health of half the VEB readership) or will he be used only in his most useful role, as the 2B against lefties?
Will Ankiel and Izzy (both always injury-prone) each last a full season? (BTW, if both of them do play full-time, I expect big years from both.)
Is Reyes really a "new man" or just a slightly trimmer version of his 2007 self?
Apart from Colby Rasmus, is there any Cardinal prospect who will unexpectedly become a hero for the parent club in 2008?

by MdRedbirdFreak on Mar 3, 2008 12:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

A gameday link for todays game

would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Unofficial President of the Skip Schumaker Fan Club

by stltrav09 on Mar 3, 2008 12:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Game Day Link

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/y2007/gd.html?2008_03_03_slnmlb_wasmlb_1&brand=mlb

by CardsWin on Mar 3, 2008 12:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

5 questions/5 dates

When does Carpenter come back?
When does Mulder come back?
When does Pujols have the surgery?
When does Rasmus come up?
[can't think of a fifth]

by tdawg on Mar 3, 2008 12:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

How about

5. When does Juan Gone get hurt?

"Do what you want to the women and children but leave me alone"-George Carlin

by That's a Winner on Mar 3, 2008 12:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I can think of many fifths

Oh wait, QUESTIONS.

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Miles at SS today

It is assinine that TLR would put Miles at SS at all, when it is already clear how inadequate (to put it mildly) Miles is at that position. Why not give Jiminez or Barden a start to get a better read on their preparedness at this point to play that position? Or give Ryan another start to give him a chance to continue showing he deserves a place on the team? Or give Izturis another start to see if he can find his batting stroke, after hitting several balls very hard yesterday and finally getting his first hit, a triple? ANYBODY but Miles. Sheesh....

by CardsWin on Mar 3, 2008 12:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Probably because Miles needs the ABs

and Tony can't sub him in late innings out of pride, I'm sure.

Still looking for 1985 Regular Season games on DVD/VHS

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 3, 2008 1:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Loopers Picture

I'm sorry, but he looks like Edgar the bug man creature from Men In Black.

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. ~George F. Will, Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball, 1990

by RosevilleRedbird on Mar 3, 2008 1:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

LaRue the day...

Did LaRue really just get doubled off of second on a fly ball to the CF?

Man, I'm glad it's still spring training...

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

by Mr Clean on Mar 3, 2008 1:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Marquis already in Lou's doghouse for 2008...

Did you guys see this AP article carried on stltoday.com?

http://tinyurl.com/2d6mdf

Excerpt:

A relatively sleepy Cubs camp exploded into a war of words Saturday when Jason Marquis said he'd rather be traded than go to the bullpen, prompting an angry response from manager Lou Piniella.

"Well, if that's the case, he can go somewhere else," Piniella said. "Win a spot in the rotation, you don't have to worry about it. ... I've got seven starters here for five spots. It's a little bit too early to start talking about what he wants to do or not do."

This oughta be fun to watch!

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

by Mr Clean on Mar 3, 2008 2:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Pienella has already back off

n/t

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

but for how long...

I think once the fire has been lit?...it's going to just be a matter of time till those two go head to head... plus it would appear that the Brian Roberts deal is heating up again between the Cubbies and the O's....and that Marquis's name is being mentioned as one of the guys who would go over if they include Jay Payton in the deal... would LOVE to see him pitch in the AL east, Poor Betty.....

by Timbo02 on Mar 3, 2008 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd imagine it won't come back up

Hendry probably told Piniella something to the effect of "it's harder to deal this guy if you're calling him an idiot in the press."

by sdrone on Mar 3, 2008 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Small Bears

Brian Roberts would look much better in red than blue...how good would he look leading off and playing second?........but, he's a talent that we won't get.

The problem in Chicago stems from the 7 starters they have in camp - Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Dempster, Marshall and Lieber.

Nice problem to have. Surely the Northsiders will find a way to screw it up.

by Hinkster on Mar 3, 2008 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

5 Questions

What will Ankiel produce?
What will we get from our injured pitchers (Capr and Mulder?)
Is it time for Rasmus?
Will Albert win his annual battle with injuries?
Is Wainer on his way to being an elite pitcher or is he leveling off at a very nice pitcher?

by Harknights on Mar 3, 2008 2:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Rasmus has 13 pitch AB to end the game

I'm sure Tony just woke up and said "Did I leave Miles in? Who is this scrappy young fellow?"

Still looking for 1985 Regular Season games on DVD/VHS

by Hardcore Legend on Mar 3, 2008 3:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm, I have an idea

I'm officially pushing for the Viva El Birdos to list Rasmus as being "scrappy", "a winner" and of course "clutch".

Of course I've actually only seen him play once in the Future's Game, but from looking at his stat lines and in that one AB in a meaningless all-star game that I saw: I think it's self evident that he scraps for every play, knows what it takes to win and will come up with the big hit when his team needs it. Oh and he's a natural leader. He oozes intangibles. In fact, his intangibles are so awesome they're practically tangible.

(*note: my original line was "I can practically feel his intangibles"...but that just didn't sound quite right.)

Isn't this how guys get labeled like that? So from now on any time I mention Rasmus, I'm mentioning his clutchiness. It's my goal that he gets labeled as such regardless of the veracity of such.

Cheeseburger in paradise.

by joker24 on Mar 3, 2008 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Careful...

Sssshhh, you'll have Tony all wistful about Cairo, Gallego, Polonia and Stan Javier saying that.

From Cardinal Training Camp: "Mike Gallego makes comeback after brief eleven year hiatus!"

If we can't be good, can we at least be lucky?

by cardschinmusic on Mar 4, 2008 6:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but Rasmus IS clutch, can't argue with that

With no evidence to the contrary: Colby Rasmus is clutch.

by joker24 on Mar 4, 2008 11:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i for one, don't buy the projections

the flubs & the brew crew won't be as good as the experts think. and the red (despite dusty's best efforts) and the Cards will be better than the experts think. IF their rotation's hold up. if not, well then experts are probably right.

i firmly believe this. i have no numbers or stats, nor have i ran any simulated seasons to back up my belief. just call it a gut feeling if you will.

it's going to be a fun season. just you wait & see.

I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson And That's A Winner!

by gdm426 on Mar 3, 2008 4:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That is the thing about cobbling together a

rotation like this. It is possible to get lucky and have everything click á la 2001. Of course, it is possible to just get a replaying of last year. And there was probably more reason to expect something out of Hentgen/Kile/Benes/Ankiel/Morris during spring training then than there is to expect something out of b.Looper/Wainwright/Reyes/Wellemeyer/Thompson plus the injured guys.

But anything can happen. There is a small chance Mulder could come back in June and look like the Mulder that played for Oakland, and that Carp could come back at the ASB looking like his old self again.

I hate waiting for guys to come back form the DL

by Valatan on Mar 3, 2008 6:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And, right after posting that,

I remember that it was Stephenson, not Morris in the rotation that year. Which I guess is good for my point, since it makes the '01 rotation look worse.

by Valatan on Mar 3, 2008 6:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Questions

More than five. I figure you are just cherry-picking our questions for anything you find interesting.

If 2007 was the abrupt end of the road for the championship run that began in 2004, what is 2008 -- the on ramp to the highway called rebuilding or a time-wasting, pothole-filled detour?

Dave Duncan: Does he have any more of that old black magic left, or did Kip Wells doo-doo on the voodoo?

How many innings can the 2008 starting pitchers log?

This is one questions, just different ways of phrasing it:
Do the Cardinals have a plan?
Are all the key management players in the organization on the same page?
Who's running the place, anyway?

Does Adam Wainwright have a Cy Young season in his future?

Has LaRussa completed the transformation of the Cardinals into a bad Ameican League team?

Hard to resist some question related to Ankiel.

Personal opinion: It's premature to have Colby Rasmus the subject of one of the key questions of the season. Is he really that pivotal for 2008? Seems more appropriate to include his potential role in whatever question you discuss the much-touted youth movement. Just my opinion.

by Youneverknow on Mar 3, 2008 5:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Best question

"Did Kip Wells doo-doo on the voodoo?"

rotfl

The Rasmus question, I think, is not whether he can save the 2008 season by himself. Even Albert, in his blaze of rookie glory, could not magically make problems disappear.

How management treats Rasmus will show the strategy for development of young talent. Just as, I'm afraid, giving at at bats to Juan Gone and playing Miles at SS shows something very different.

by madridbend on Mar 3, 2008 6:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Matt Leach's mailbag

I know most people around here are pretty knowledgeable, but Leach, on the STLCArdinals website, has information about when a player becomes arbitration and free agency eligible in his current mailbag article.

I know it's the type of conversation thrown about on here fairly often, but I thought I'd bring up this article because it gives a good discussion along with specifics that are helpful for some of us that may not be aware of it yet.

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080303&content_id=2402338&vkey=spt20 08news&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl

by mtalken on Mar 3, 2008 6:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The most depressing thing about today's ST game...

"BB--STL: C Duncan."

One walk? In an early spring training game, where pitchers tend to not have their control?

Okay, it's only one game, but I would love to have a batting coach that emphasises the importance of getting on base (manager, too, for that matter).

Also, why isn't Rasmus playing more in spring games? Yesterday he had 1 PA, today he had 1 PA. Is this Tony's way of punishing him because he went 0 for 3 (with a walk) the day before that? Or is he hurt?

by DiscoJer on Mar 3, 2008 6:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

per mlbrtraderumors .com

trhe card looking at Ponson again? yuck

I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punchinjudy hitter-major league 2

by punchinjudy on Mar 3, 2008 7:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Just hosting him officially

Ponson needed a place to pitch, the Cards are letting him use their mound, and as such they will have a scout look at him since it wont involve travel, but no official interest beyond that.

by StLHugo on Mar 3, 2008 8:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

5 questions

#1- the real direction of the franchise: more playing time for vets or youngsters?

#2- Albert's elbow: if the season goes south, does he opt for surgery to be ready for 2009?

#3- is Mulder through?

#4- is Ankiel for real as a position player?

#5- who will look solid for 2009: Carpenter? Reyes? Piniero? Clement?

by vinniefromjersey on Mar 3, 2008 8:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

How about Noah Lowry's line for the Giants

today?

IP H R ER BB SO HR
1 0 4 4 9 0 0

The AP recap says he threw 24 pitches before a Texas batter even swung.

by BTown Birds fan on Mar 3, 2008 8:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Off subject,

but I'm glad we didn't trade for Noah Lowry: Link.

Juan Gonzalez actually doesn't know the meaning of the word "retirement."

by Alxfritz on Mar 3, 2008 9:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ha! I beat you by two minutes!

Take that, you dirty hippie!*

*Full disclosure - I have no idea if Alex is in fact either dirty or a hippie.

by BTown Birds fan on Mar 3, 2008 9:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am both.

Juan Gonzalez actually doesn't know the meaning of the word "retirement."

by Alxfritz on Mar 4, 2008 4:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tried to be a bit different

Tried to be a bit different...

Is Tony LaRussa the right man for the job? This is going to be a not so easy season - new clubhouse leadership, new skill sets, new players.
What's the job - retool, refit, or rebuild? Still haven't figured that one out yet, have we management?
Farm system: Are we seeing what's there, or are we seeing what we want to see. By that, I mean are we projecting our hopes instead of realizing that it's really not that good yet. Have we turned a corner is another way of saying it.
Don't care so much about leadoff - but what about the #2 hole? That's the best position in the lineup (hitting in front of AP) - who hits there? Need production and OBP to make AP, Glaus, and #5 see better pitches. Do we have it?
Is the pitching coach capable of pulling a jackrabbit out of the 2008 hat in terms of a starting pitcher?
Bonus: If we're between 5 and 10 games out at the deadline, do we make a deal or do we go with what we've got. To me, that's the best case scenario for this team - and a real question that may come up.
Bonus #2: Does Mo read his interviews? :)

"The Food Channel: Porn for fat people"

by bukowski on Mar 3, 2008 9:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Other people's 5 questions are excellent

and I'm not sure I can contribute anything new, but I'll try:

Is the franchise finally ready to start treating Memphis as the finishing school for young players rather than as the spare-parts junk yard for old ones?
Is Looper's considerably increased work load in 2007 going to hurt him in 2008?
Will anyone on this team steal as many as 10 bases?
Who's the designated 2008 resident of TLR's doghouse?
Will Mo find a way to translate the glut of major-league-average-or-better outfielders into trades that fill the sucking holes at 2B, SS and starting pitcher?

by StanTheManFan on Mar 3, 2008 9:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs