The Skip Schumacher Experiment
by Ghosty on Mar 11, 2009 7:57 PM EDT
103 comments
...is failing, at least in Joe Strauss' opinion from the Post-Dispatch. It's even up on mlbtraderumors.com.
I am shocked I haven't seen more discussion on this site about Skip's errors. He just made his fourth today. It's getting to the point where something's gotta give, and according to Strauss, Tony's considering having Skip as the DH tomorrow.
I've been excited throughout ST because of Skip at 2nd. The thought of having his bat in the lineup everyday and also having Ludwick, Ankiel, a platoon of Duncan/Barton/Rasmus in the outfield having their bats in the lineup everyday is a great thing. However Tony is dissapointed in how Skip's doing so far.
I have attached a poll to this post because I am curious as to what you all think the next step should be. Personally, I want to keep Skip at 2nd because I still feel the good outweighs the bad. I'm probably in the minority on that one, however.
Keep in mind though; if Skip goes back to the outfield then you can bank on Colby Rasmus being the starting CF for AAA Memphis for certain where they will probably keep him until September, hoping to groom him to be Ankiel's full-time replacement in 2010 when Ankiel's contract is up.
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MLB Trade rumors
also slightly suggests us trading for Dan Uggla — something which I would not be opposed to at all.
On with the (good) youth movement!
by aet15 on Mar 11, 2009 8:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I like that idea
I mean, he’s gotta be better at D than Skip, and he has more power. why not? guess it depends how many prospects/who they want.
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 11, 2009 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno
Uggla boots alot of balls, or at least I remember the ASG last year and I heard he had some trouble on the radio today. But I would absolutely take Dan Uggla.
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by jd is legend on Mar 11, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
obviously
the all star game was an outlier
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If we're taking errors seriously
Uggla’s got four errors in 12 fewer innings afield than Skip and he’s been playing the position for more years than Skip has weeks.
It’s not going to be a pretty situation for a while, but Skip’s doing everything possible to help the team—I applaud him for it and we should all have more patience with him.
And Strauss should stop editorializing in his news articles. This is the sports page, where professionalism is still expected of the beat writers.
by liam on Mar 11, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I'm sorry...
But Joe Strauss doesn’t break the news, he is the news, damn it!
(It’s amazing the guy can have an ego like his when he’s between a hall of famer and one of the best young writers in the game on the beat — and both of whom are level headed — but he does write for the same paper as Jeff Gordon, so why in the world should Strauss be held accountable before Gordo’s millions of pieces of ridiculousness.)
I think Skip should start at 2B every game until March 30th before they even think about pulling the plug and letting Ryan/Thurston/Barden take it. Make it work, man.
hecanthithecanthithecanthithecanthit
by Alxfritz on Mar 11, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Struass hates the idea of Skippy at 2nd too
he’ll do anything he can to sabotage this. he’s ego is that big to think he can.
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1
I’m fairly new to following PD writers, and I already hate his writings and style. When I read this article, I smelled the sabotage. Its not like this whole thing was expected. Its going to take him a few reps to become an infielder- we all knew it- Skip knew it- Tony knew it.
by WyoCardsFan on Mar 12, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
sabotage?
i think strauss was just writing what people are thinking. he has connections to higher up — people who not larussa. read this by welley and tell me hes making a mountain of a molehill.
“During the season it’s not acceptable. It’s all there is to it. I don’t think (manager) Tony (La Russa) will have it,” Wellemeyer said.
here’s the article
by averagejoe on Mar 12, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is the original story that we were barking about last night.
I still think Strauss’s prematurely getting his panties in a bunch, but the article that made the paper has a much different, and better, tone.
I don’t think it helps Skip any to be judging him at this point when opening day is further away than his first grounders at the position, in any event.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ditto
on making skip play every game until end of spring training
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
For those late to the party
The version of the story up now doesn’t suffer from the problems that the original did, by the way.
It’s a perfectly fine story.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see nothing good from Skip at 2B...
If this were a baseball video game, yes. But in real life, the danger to Albert is just too great, and Albert is basically the team and lifeblood of the franchise. Nothing should be done to endanger him.
The Cardinals were lucky to have him fall in their laps, essentially a gift from the baseball gods. Without him, this franchise would be the Pirates. Okay, maybe not that bad, but he is the best player in baseball.
Why take needless risks? It would be great to have a 2b that hit like skip, but there’s a reason 2b don’t hit that well and corner outfielders generally do
Felipe Lopez - next year's Joel Pineiro (on another team, thank you Mo!)
by DiscoJer on Mar 11, 2009 9:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
just put Albert at 2nd
solves a lot of problems
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 11, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm probably underestimating how much arm strength is needed
don’t want him throwing too much I guess
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 11, 2009 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
His elbow will flare up so fast that all the power in it will make his arm explode. (Not really, but a really interesting image nonetheless) :)
My avatar is 3 years into the future for sure...
by Taskmaster on Mar 11, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He played one inning last year. Yadi was on first. . . . Nice job, TLR , using the reserves. . . .
An optimist is a man who upon discovering that a rose smells better than a cabbage concludes it will make better soup.
HL Mencken
by akaitori on Mar 12, 2009 1:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I kept getting the feeling last year
that TLR was screwing around
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that was an interesting game
damn prince fielder
Chuck Norris hit a Home Run
with his beard
by bearcatcardfan on Mar 12, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Has Skip made several bad throws this Spring...
or just the one? Are we all getting ahead of ourselves here? Give him sometime. He’s been playing 2B at game speed for all of TWO weeks now.
Sometimes I wonder,
"Why is that frisbee getting bigger?"
...and then it hits me!!
by cardzfanbub on Mar 12, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
can somebody explain this to me?
sure, it was worth trying. but it doesn’t seem to be working. The only reason to put skip there is to have his bat and hope his defense doesn’t drag him down. But check these OPS projections for 2009.
Skip
Chone: .736
Marcel: .757
ZIPS: .732
Oliver .728
T. Greene
Chone: .610
ZIPS .636
Oliver .688
Barden
Chone: .698
Marcel: .719
ZIPS .666
Oliver .684
Thurston
Chone: .732
Marcel: .726
ZIPS .709
Oliver .709
Hoffpauir
Chone: .719
ZIPS .689
Oliver .701
Ryan
Chone: .681
Marcel: .711
ZIPS .642
Oliver .671
Now, these are only projections, and everybody’s welcome to think they are useful or useless as the case may be. But it really seems we’re chucking a totally untried second baseman out there who will be worth maybe 30 to 50 OPS points more than his potential replacements. Defensive stalwarts Barden and Thurston have pretty striking projections; you could be forgiven for thinking that Ryan and T. Greene are not the best offensive candidates. Hoffpauir has nice-ish numbers, but his defense has some questions.
But so often the case for schumaker gets posed as if we’re keeping the aforementioned dan uggla in the mix. Skip’s just not really an exceptional hitter; he will probably hit about .300, for little power, and will be useless against lefties. He’s nice but about the eighth best hitter on the team. if he really took to the position quickly and suddenly, then I would have been ecstatic. but it increasingly looks like too little offensive gain for too much defensive sacrifice.
by tom s. on Mar 11, 2009 9:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yup
Still, I think it’s too soon to give up. Strauss has never believed skip could do it, and is just letting his pre-conceived notions come out.
Skip’s still just been doing this a couple of weeks. If a trade comes available, by all means, make it, but if it comes down to it Ryan and Thurston will make a fine platoon without trading anyone. They both know the position just fine, so worst-case we just fall back to them.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
by SleepyCA on Mar 11, 2009 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's a pretty dire worst case...
First off, Ryan does not know the position just fine. He was a SS in the minors and his times at 2B in the majors have been pretty bad.
I don’t know why people think 2B is a position that requires no skill or experience, that people can be plugged in there with no problem…even SSes.
Thurston actually has played a lot of 2B, so should be the top candidate, except he wasn’t that great a 2B defensively in the minors (-14,8,-4,-5 according to minor league splits) and has yet to prove he can hit even as well as Ryan in the majors (which is pretty terrible), though he really hasn’t gotten much of a chance
Felipe Lopez - next year's Joel Pineiro (on another team, thank you Mo!)
by DiscoJer on Mar 11, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well, ryan's defense hardly makes or breaks sleepy's case.
given that ryan is almost sure to be better than skip. and he’d be almost sure to hit left-handers better than skip. if you played thurston against righties and ryan against lefties, the only variable there is thurston — who’d be playing in place of skip. there is a zero percent chance of skip starting games against left-handers. so whether ryan is good or not is immaterial in a platoon.
i would personally rather see barden in the right-hander’s role. but you could probably make a case for ryan or even hoffpauir or tyler greene.
by tom s. on Mar 12, 2009 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'll admit
i have an emotional investment in seeing skip make it. I’ve been pushing for him to be played at second base for a long time, and now that it’s happening, I’m shocked and amazed and i’ll really upset me if they just give up.
OTOH I’d rather see the cardinals win than be right. and there’s always ray durham.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
by SleepyCA on Mar 12, 2009 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Barden, Barden...
wherefore art thou? Why should Ryan be higher on the depth chart than Barden? Just because he has ML experience? Barden’s projections are better, he had an excellent year at AAA last year, and plays solid defense at second, short AND third. He’s also had a good spring thus far.
FWIW I haven’t given up on the Skip to second project, but I think he’ll have to platoon with one of Barden or Ryan.
Sometimes I wonder,
"Why is that frisbee getting bigger?"
...and then it hits me!!
by cardzfanbub on Mar 12, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Barden vs. Ryan
Ryan’s got the speed, so he can PR off the bench
Barden’s got more XB powah, so he can PH off the bench.
Both are about the same in terms of getting on base.
Barden’s much better at third.
I like Barden to start the season as the super-sub, seeing as Mather’s the starting 3B for April and a plus defender at third would be handy for late innings.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trade Skip
Sign Grudz
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 11, 2009 10:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
YES
I was going to demand it myself had no one else already made the point.
Seriously people, it was a mistake that the Cardinals ever let Mark Grudzielanek walk out the door to begin with. They’ve spent far more money trying to replace him than they ever would have paid him outright.
by mynameistyler on Mar 12, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I haven't seen skip play 2nd
I’ve seen errors for him in a box score. But I haven’t seen how he moves and reacts to balls. If he looks uncomfertable by the end of Spring Training then it’s time to put him back in the outfield and go with one of the younger guys. If he looks comfertable let him play and lets not worry to much about the errors just yet.
by Evilfrog on Mar 11, 2009 10:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ever since Sunday when he almost got Albert really hurt
i’ve been thinking he needs a year at Memphis to hone his skills. and i still believe this. i also believe he can get through wavers without any problems. they did it with Rick i’m confident the same thing can be done with Skip.
i think the pressure is getting to him. the last thing we need is another player who gets the yips & can’t hit the broad side of a barn. the best thing for everyone involved if they are going to keep in at the keystone position is send him to the minors for a year & let him work on it there. and bring in a one year rental. if after a full season he’s still all mr butterfingers, then i think he should go back to the OF.
i don’t think we are taking into account just how big of a move for Skip this is. this is not an easy move. and it’s really unfair for the Cards & us fans to expect him to be able to do it & do it well after only two months of on the job training at the highest level possible.
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 11, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Rick made it through waivers
After his second year in an extremely unlikely conversion from pitcher to outfielder, splitting time between A and AA the year before, and recovering from surgery that sidelined him for that whole season.
The only concern was that a team would claim him to force him to pitch, which Boras did a pretty good job defending against.
Skip Schumaker is a completely different animal at this point, where inferior hitters like Willy Taveras are signing six million dollar contracts.
by liam on Mar 11, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Taveras isn't exactly paid to hit
just to get on base and grab a crapload of steals.
My avatar is 3 years into the future for sure...
by Taskmaster on Mar 11, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dusty Baker's his manager now
How can he get on base unless he hits his way there?
cite!
by liam on Mar 11, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
all true, but do you really think another team will grab Skip if he's a 2ndbaseman?
if he & his agents all say he’s not going to be an OF, i don’t think anyone will want him.
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not his or his agents' choice where he plays though
That all falls on the team’s manager. I’d take it that Skip would rather play OF than no baseball at all.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 12, 2009 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah but he's still guaranteed to play for the Cards, just at AAA till he's ready for the show
with that being said, i don’t get what you are saying. the Cards want & need him at 2nd. i don’t really think any other team out there does. they will want him as an OF. if he & his agent says he won’t play the OF, why would another team bother grabbing him then?
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure he would refuse to play OF
is the point. And why would he?
by spants on Mar 12, 2009 1:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
To answer your rhetorical question...
It’s pretty clear in the quotations you get from Skip that he’d be a whole hell of a lot happier if he were seen as just a defensively gifted outfielder with some contact ability.
He’s working his tail off to play 2B to unjam the outfield and taking some risk to his career in the process.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 4:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's a huge risk, and i applaude him for doing it
i guess i neglected to take into consideration his happiness. if another team told him he’d go back to the OF, he’d probably would jump at the chance. i just thought he’d be a good company guy & say no, he’s going to try & be the Cards 2ndbaseman
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I disagree with that statement
He’s working his tail off to play 2B to unjam the outfield and taking some risk to his career in the process.
If he’s truly able to make it as a middle infielder, he’ll be helping himself out in the long run because his bat is going to be above average there. It was always going to be below average in the corner outfield and he doesn’t play CF well enough to play there everyday. There’s untold millions of dollars waiting for him in free agency if he’s able to stick at second base.
In 2008 he would have been the 7th best second baseman in the big leagues, just ahead of Kelly Johnson, but he would have been the 42nd best outfielder, which is still ahead of some notable names, but I’d rather be the 7th best in the league than the 42nd best, wouldn’t you?
"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 13, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just because there's the potential for great reward
Doesn’t mean it’s not a risk. Lots of bad things can happen playing out of position all Spring and into the season.
by liam on Mar 13, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Such as?
I don’t see his injury risk going up that much moving from the outfield to second base, unless you’re one of those people like Hank Steinbrenner who think that you’re players shouldn’t do anything outside of their “normal” range of motion, whatever that is.
I didn’t say there wasn’t risk, but you made it sound like his career is in jeopardy because he decided to take a chance at making it as a second baseman. I disagree with that. If he doesn’t make it, he can always go back to being an outfielder and have some value there. I’d say the potential for reward FAR outweighs the potential for risk in this situation, and Skip must agree with that or he wouldn’t be doing it.
"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 13, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
But that's the thing
He wouldn’t say he won’t play the OF. Even if we’re trying to convert him to 2B and he and his agent say that’s where he wants to play, that does absolutely nothing in terms of preventing another team from claiming him off waivers and putting him back in the OF. I guarantee that if we tried to put him in the minors someone would claim him.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 12, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i don't know man, i honestly don't know
with all the talk around the league that the Cards over value their players, i’m really not convinced another team would jump at the chance to grab Skip
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see Skip making that claim.
Skip is too old to be considered a prospect, and if this guy wants any hope of reaching the 10-year pension he needs to play. I don’t think he’ll reach that, so he needs to make the most of his chances in the bigs. I don’t see him going to AAA to learn a position if a team offers him an MLB contract to play in the OF, a position he already knows well.
It was different with Ankiel. He quit pitching for his own reasons. Skip was moved from the OF as his best chance to stay with the big club. If he is willing to do this just to stay in the bigs, why would anyone thing he would CHOOSE to go back to AAA rather than change teams? It doesn’t make sense.
by etp_stl on Mar 13, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and it's not his choice
If the cardinals try to send him down, he’ll have to pass thorugh irrevokable waivers. That means any team could claim him, and we can’t oull him back. He doesn’t have a choice about changing teams, if it comes to that.
Trying to send him down will almost certainly end his cardinals career.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
by SleepyCA on Mar 13, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he'd never clear waivers, it would end his cards career
not a chance he clears. he’s in his last 0-3 slave year, being extremly affordable in 09. when he goes to arb before 2010 he brings leadoff stats, low in hr and rbi totals, hence the reason he could add soooo much value to our org the next 4 yrs.
too many teams need a quality leadoff guy. reds, white sox, astros etc., and then we’d have to find a leadoff guy from the replacement level players skip currently has behind him. yuck.
just stick it out w/skip and see who we can pick up in june or july, without costing ourselves a #19 type pick.
in 06 we started the season w/miles and luna. that’s the 06 version of miles, and wound up winning it all, after making a vanilla acquistion in belliard.
by ball in play on Mar 15, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He needs a year at Memphis
But he doesn’t have any player options. Folks just have to accept that he will be a strong bat / weak glove for the first year.
by JWO on Mar 11, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can he hit lefties though
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 11, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no he can't, at least not very well
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
which means 2B will be a platoon anyway
so Skip’s defense is less of an issue. I’m still hoping for the Schumaker/Barton leadoff combo
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
In a platoon
Any right-hander who can play all the infield positions: Barden, Ryan, or Tyler Greene.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 4:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yup
our infield bench guy
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Small sample size
Based on the same sample size, it looks like Colby can’t handle major league pitching (.242/.342/.364 in 38 PA) and Piniero (6 ip 1 unearned run) should be our ace. There are still 22 games left in ST so calling the experiment a failure seems a little premature.
Strauss is cherry picking quotes and responses from LaRussa to fit Strauss’ commentary. LaRussa is getting frustrated at the constant questions not at Skip’s progress. Like LaRussa has said several times in the last few days, gather information on the team over the next two weeks and make decisions (roster, closer, 2B) during the last week of ST.
by ubeddie on Mar 11, 2009 10:52 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Folks are too impatient
He’s only played in about a dozen games as a 2B. He’s got another month’s worth of games to get comfortable.
OF COURSE, he’s making errors. What did you expect? The more important question is to assess whether the number and type of errors decreases as Spring Training Progresses.
Lay off a bit. Remember, these games don’t count.
by JWO on Mar 11, 2009 11:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah its not the all star game
Chuck Norris hit a Home Run
with his beard
by bearcatcardfan on Mar 12, 2009 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd sure like to see
links to the Strauss article and to the mlbtraderumors link attached to the body of this post so that we can read each and credit those who deserve the credit.
by chuckb on Mar 11, 2009 11:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
edited: just for you
well I just put in an edit to insert the link in my original post although it’s not showing up.. wonder if it takes a minute. i’ll check back later. in the meantime here it is:
by Ghosty on Mar 11, 2009 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's my little blurb I left over there
Just play Schumaker at second all of spring training. If he accumulates a lot of errors, can’t turn double plays, or throws poorly, then trade him if possible. If not, he can at least play second when TLR constructs another variation of one of his many lineups. It’s so early no one can tell… although this has been the most memorable spring training that I can remember. kudos to innovative ways to play the game.
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So Strauss expected him to play second without experience,
and not make any errors?
Space.
It's a problem we face.
So we never go anywhere.
We just stay in one place.
by hazel on Mar 12, 2009 12:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joe wants this to fail. there's no doubt about it
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
by gdm426 on Mar 12, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
maybe not not make any errors.
but four? only three other players have four or more errors so far this ST: two of them are minor leaguers, and one is dan uggla. i realize it’s a small sample size, but four errors seems concerning.
sure, give skip the rest of ST, as long as he agrees not to kill albert, or albert agrees to let those wild throws go, or we just put craig at 1b for the rest of skip’s starts. but i think skip’s defense is a legit question.
by tom s. on Mar 12, 2009 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely a legitamate question
But the answer is still up in the ether for another two weeks, as La Russa said, and Strauss chose not to hear. Skip’s a different defender at 2B than he was two weeks ago and will be a different defender there in another two weeks.
This isn’t the time to be calling the experiment a success or a failure.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 4:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Schumaker is fine.
and if not Hoffpaiur/Barden will be fine.
by Czechguardsman on Mar 12, 2009 1:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Schumaker is NOT fine, right now.
You can’t bury your head in the sand about his struggles anymore than one should be hyperventilating about an errant throw to first killing Albert. Schumaker has been poor defensively, so far, from the reports. His own comments say that the routine plays are his issues, and that he seems to be doing better on the purely athletic plays. That indicates that he will probably be okay with more repetitions (a point that I notice was not made in Strauss’ article). The question is, how many reps? Can the other guys ramp up quickly enough if Skip can’t get to serviceable in the next few weeks?
I have no emotional stake in this one way or another. I want the best option for the team. If one of the other guys takes the job by the horns, then I would rather see the best competitor win.
by etp_stl on Mar 13, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grudzie, Grudzie, Grudzie, Grudzie, Grudzie, Grudzie, Grudzie
Make it happen.
by mynameistyler on Mar 12, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Only if Ray Durham doesn't want to play here
They should be trying to sign Durham to platoon with Schumaker anyway.
"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 12, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good retort
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 12, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the re-sign grudz banter has been going on
since he left. which i agreed when he left, but at some point it is going to get old…like him but anything is better than skip.
I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punch and judy hitter-major league 2
by punchinjudy on Mar 12, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd like Grudz actually
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 12, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of getting old...
grudzie.
Space.
It's a problem we face.
So we never go anywhere.
We just stay in one place.
by hazel on Mar 12, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grudzie
turns 39 in a couple of months.
by liam on Mar 12, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
SUPER awesome.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 13, 2009 6:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Any change at 2B must
include discussions regarding filling the lead-off spot and the #2 spot. In my opinion, the Cards only have a couple of guys who are worthy of consideration for leadiing off -Schumaker and Rasmus. The number #2 spot is equally important in the Cards line-up and there also seems to be a shortage of candidates to fill this spot. It seems feasible to think that any discussion of a 2B replacement must likewise factor in the need for a top of the order hitter. Most of the 2B alternatives being discussed do not seem to be leadoff or #2 type hitters.
by Warcard on Mar 12, 2009 12:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The "traditional" view
of a typical lead-off/#2 hitter (fast guy, high average) is bull. They just need to be able to get on base.
Whilst I’d rather Schu lead off vs righties and Barton vs lefties, really it wouldn’t matter if we had Mather, Rasmus or even Duncan hitting in those spots. Traditional lineup construction is over-rated; all other things being equal, just put your best hitter at 4 (I know that’s not going to happen!) and put the rest of the best as near the top of the order as possible. It’s especially irrelevant to have a “typical” lead-off hitter if the pitcher’s hitting #8.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 13, 2009 6:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Schumaker
is going to be the leadoff hitter whether he plays at 2B or in LF. I just don’t see Tony benching him, which is why I hope that he can stay at 2B — then we can put Duncan in LF hitting second against right handed pitching and Barton in LF leading off against left handed pitching, with Skippy or Brendan Ryan moving to the 9th spot. That’s how I’d like to see it play out.
If Skip doesn’t work out, I’d like to see them sign Durham to lead off and play second base because he’s a switch hitter who gets on base. He’s not going to steal many bases at this point in his career, but as long as he can get on base that’s all that really matters with all the pop the Cardinal lineup.
"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 13, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmm
I don’t see TLR playing Skip in LF over a healthy Duncan, but his insistence on have a lead-off guy may win out. As far as I’m concerned, it would be wrong to play Skip in LF if Duncan is truly healthy.
Those Pilgrims ain't lookin' so proud now...
by giveml on Mar 13, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Skip won't start at 2B against lefties
Skip’s bat against RHP will offset his below average defense but I doubt Tony would start Skip against a LHP and add below average hitting to the below average fielding. If by the end of ST, Skip is can’t turn the dp or continues to botch routine plays, then plan B is implemented.
If Skip’s defense is able to improve to acceptable (TLR’s) level then he is targeted to play 2B against RHP. That will be about 65-70% of the starts, or 105 – 115 starts. He’ll end up being part of many late inning double switches to get a glove in the game as well. Some of these switches will put him back in the outfield depending on where the batting order is at the time of the switch. For simplicity sake, assume he moves 33% of the time after the 6th inning. This would mean the plan is to have Skip play 2B for about 875 innings or 60% of the time. For reference Kennedy played 635 innings at 2B last year, Miles 499, Lopez 157, Ryan 149, Barden 8, Rico 1 and our favorite Albert for 3.
The above projections don’t even factor in Tony’s mad scientist lineup construction. TLR will use Skip in LF once Duncan gets hot just to piss off the fans. Skip will sit even against some RHP and may make the occassional Sunday lineup start against a righty. Bottom line of this long post is, imo, Skip is not going to be the full time everyday starter at 2B.
by ubeddie on Mar 13, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only thing dumber
than trying to make this conversion for Schu during spring training would be to make a premature judgment as to whether he can handle it.
I have been very skeptical from the beginning that he could make the adjustment in 6 weeks, but to expect him to do it in 2.5 weeks is ridiculous. They should see this through because Duncan’s apparent health makes Schu superfluous anyway. The real question is who will bat lead off if Schu can’t hack 2B?
Those Pilgrims ain't lookin' so proud now...
by giveml on Mar 12, 2009 12:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Duncan's groin is hurting
I guess he’s been humping pinatas again
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 12, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We all knew he'd be a butcher in his first few games
He’s only been playing the position for about 2 weeks.
If they’re serious about this experiment they need to give him all of ST to improve, and if he’s still abysmal, get Grudzielanek or Durham (or even Counsell) on a 1-yr deal.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 12, 2009 2:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
nice way way to win
2 run walk-off bomb by Joe Mather
by _pistol_ on Mar 12, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Joey F. Bombs
raking this spring…
"There are only two seasons—winter and baseball."
by MUGATU on Mar 12, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Skip Schumaker
is the one that is finding it a struggle to find his way at 2B.
Skip Schumacher is going to be his name when he finally has it down! I like it!
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
and....BEN SHEETS!!! **
**not that BEN SHEETS might be involved in this comment, just BEN SHEETS!!!
(BEN SHEETS might be involved in this comment)
by mattyfrommo on Mar 13, 2009 11:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Skip had a good day defensively.
It’s a step in the right direction.
by TheBirds on Mar 13, 2009 7:51 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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