It's okay to appreciate Chris Carpenter, but only since the Brewers lost
by DanUpBaby on Jun 26, 2009 6:45 AM EDT
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PrintAny time Carpenter comes out and lets loose with his fragile arm in a losing effort it feels like one that got away, but sometimes they're just hit, repeatedly, where they ain't. Or in this case, hit where they is not in a position to quite make a play on a ball, and then deflected where they ain't.
It's hard to stomach when games turn on moments like that. I guess most 3-2 games do—even a three run homer is, to some degree, one bad pitch—but the botched double play, especially when it's combined with the wrong-headed pitcher deflection, fills me with a very particular kind of dread.
That said, this was yet another remarkable outing from Carpenter. At this point in the season he's thrown 66 innings, which is itself remarkable. He's got a 1.78 ERA, which is great. But I think the most emblematic number, of all his great ones, is this: he's averaging just under 12 pitches an inning. Four pitches per out. Even Joel Pineiro, who considers it a personal failure to get past 0-1 in either direction on any given hitter, averages 14 pitches an inning. The league average is up around 17.
There are pitchers who pitch with intensity; the sportswriter's favorite ace is the one who stomps and acts fiery, who intimidates. And there are other pitching "personalities" too; the pathetic fallacy works as well on people who don't talk and can't explain what they're doing as well as it does on trees and animals, and pitchers have been declared to work smugly, or calmly, and so on. To this closet of unsupported inferences I add my own: Carp pitches like somebody solving a Rubik's Cube for the thousandth time. He doesn't make mistakes, he doesn't get caught off guard, and he follows the pattern, and all the while he looks bored while he's doing it and unsurprised when it works out. When a hitter gets behind, and he usually does, and Carpenter puts him away, and he usually does, the pitch seems in hindsight to be the only logical choice. It's a marvel to watch.
It's amazing that he's pitching at all, after spending two years on duty as the team's official Symbol of What Might Have Been. Now I'm trying to appreciate that he's pitching amazingly.
I don't know who else has been watching Fangraphs's Skip Schumaker page for updates on his year-to-date defense, but an encouraging thing happened recently: for the first time all year, his UZR/150—a stat that shows defensive contribution as the runs saved (or not saved) per 150 games at the position—has pushed past the -20 mark. It's spent much of the year at -30, then dipped to -25 around the end of May. Now: -19.9. Small victories.
I don't mean to get ahead of myself. By UZR/150 Skip is still the worst defender to spend significant time at second since Jeff Kent (-18.3 in 2007) and Jose Vidro (-23.6 in 2006) at the very end of their careers. But combined with his recent offensive hot streak it means that, for the first time all year, Fangraphs considers him exactly as good as a replacement-level second baseman (hereafter Jarrett Hoffpauir.) 0.0 WAR; a clean slate.
Where does that number have to be for this experiment to be considered a success at the end of the season? In some loose ways it already is; for one thing, the other team's announcers, always a useful barometer of what baseball at large thinks about Your Team, have almost forgotten about him entirely out there. Rick Ankiel moving to the outfield? Still interesting. Khalil Greene's anxiety? Captivating. A guy with no pro experience moving to the infield? I'm not even sure they know it happened. So Schumaker is at least not so embarrassing out there as to arouse their suspicions.
But since we are concerned more with the Cardinals' success than their sense of propriety, the fair thing to ask, whenever you're ready to ask it—at the end of the season? Now?—is whether the Cardinals could have done better. The minor leagues are a pretty solid no, now that Schumaker is trending past replacement level. Hoffpauir seems like a useful hitter but is apparently a defensive non-entity, and top positional prospect Daniel Descalso, presently raking at AA Springfield, could not have been predicted then or relied upon now.
Adam Kennedy, the Cardinals' other option, is currently hoping nobody in the Oakland organization has found the splits feature on Baseball-Reference. After that big May—
Cardinals Fan A: Have you seen Adam Kennedy's line so far? Hoo boy.
Cardinals Fan B [painfully cheerful]: Yeah, it's hilarious, ha, ha.
Cardinals Fan A: I know, right? Ha, ha.
Cardinals Fan C: Hey, have you guys seen—
[Cardinals Fans A + B leave the room quietly, firmly]
—Kennedy's tailed off severely, but at this moment in time he is still hitting .298/.368/.474. But the hilarious thing, ha, ha, is that his defense has been awful this year, at -14.0 per 150 games—nearly as bad as Skip's. Right now Kennedy's provided one win above a replacement player, but he's doing it so uncharacteristically that it's a hard win to trust.
For me the main thing Schumaker will compete with, at the end of the season, is his own value as a trade chit. Turning outfield depth into a middle infielder is something baseball teams have done before, but it's rarely done so literally. But since I can't know what he would have brought in trade, my small-area hope is that Schumaker passes at least one of the more conventionally bad offense-first second basemen, a Dan Uggla or an Ian Kinsler, on the UZR anti-leaderboard before the year is out. If he does that, I'll consider the experiment a success.
#
As Future Redbirds noticed, the Cardinals appear to have closed in on Wagner Mateo, who is one of the top two or three Latin American talents in this year's non-draft. He's the 16 year-old center fielder, if you haven't yet kept them straight; this month-old Goold piece has a video and a somewhat reserved scouting report. (From the two videos I've seen his swing is nice and clean but won't exactly make you go all Roy Hobbs or Toe Nash on the kid.)
Meanwhile, in today's P-D, Goold has a paragraph targeted at allaying the fears of everyone who read about Luhnow's early draft hemming and hawing and have looked at the international signings with a degree of hesitation ever since:
Mozeliak said what the Cardinals spend in bonuses for international players is "completely independent" of how much they can spend to sign first-round pick Shelby Miller. The Cardinals selected the Texas high school righthander with the 19th pick, and though negotiations have been slow to develop, the Cardinals expect to pay over slot to sign the fireballer.
If that's true the whole thing's unreservedly great news; we may not know much about Wagner Mateo, but this is, if you will, like getting another first round pick without having to sign and then offer arbitration to Russ Springer—it really is. He seems more distant, because he's playing in an academy and he's so young, but given the worthlessness of high school statistics it's just as easy to scout Wagner Mateo as it is your local all-state shortstop. And if the international spending is separate from the draft bonuses, it's better to spend it on one player with first round talent and a matching price tag than it is to spread it out among fringier types.
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The botched double play aside
you can hang yesterdays loss on Ryan Ludwick and his pathetic effort to catch the fly ball he let land right in front of him. That was a very catchable ball with any effort at all. He just had his head up his butt, nothing else to say.
That's silly
No single play lost the game. For every Carp double play ball deflection or ball that dropped in front of Ludwick, there’s an Albert Pujols fly out to the warning track with the bases loaded or Yadier Molina flying out to deep left with the tying run on second in the ninth or Rick Ankiel flying out to left with runners on first and second in the first inning.
Do I think that Ludwick should have caught that ball? Maybe. Do I think that he could have caught it? Yes. However, to hang the loss in a nine-inning game on that play alone is silly. Baseball is a game of opportunities and seven out of ten times, an opportunity becomes missed. We had multiple opportunities to knock Santana out of that game and we missed them. The club’s missed opportunities collectively led to the loss yesterday.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Jun 26, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Thank you for the lecture BGH
but I was talking about “should haves” not “could haves” and and a most times in close games you can go back find some “should have” that cost you the game. I was just trying to point that out not blast Ludwick.
In fact I would like to see Ludwick played regular for an extended period rather than how he is being used. I don’t think Ludwick is the type of hitter to really find his stroke unless he plays every day. I would like to find out if he can regain it.
I agree
TLR should start him for two weeks straight in the cleanup slot and see if the Silver Slugger is renaissance’d.
On that play, I think that Ludwick pulled up because the go-ahead run was on first base when the pitch was thrown. He didn’t want that runner to score if he dove, missed, and had the ball squirt by him. It was an overly cautious play, probably, but, if he does dive and the worst case scenario happens, then we’re all talking about how he should have been more cautious. That play led to runners at first and second with one out. With Carp on the mound, a strikeout and then a retired batter or simply a double play ball were each as probable as a double. In fact, Carp induced a tap out to the pitcher for the second out. Who thought Nick Evans would strike a double over Ludwick’s head to make it 3-1, Mets?
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
if you can, watch the repaly
Luddy was playing super deep. there’s no way he gets to that ball. he pulled up because he was about to dive & realized if he did, he’d miss it & everyone on base would score.
so imho, it was not his fault. his bat let the team down more than his glove yesterday.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
what sucks is
were still paying Kennedy right?
Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat
yup
also, it just occurred to me today, the indians are looking for starting pitching for DeRosa and ANOTHER guy we let walk for absolutely no reason related to baseball this year was Tyler Herron, who was pitching pretty solidly at AA and (I guess) could be a back-of-the-rotation starter in MLB in a year or two. Maybe he could’ve been the piece we threw in with Chris Perez to land DeRosa. Heck, we could’ve even given them one of Barton/Boyer as a throw in (both of whom we let walk for nothing, for no reason).
This is an organisation that seems to like wasting resources (i.e. talent). I know other ballclubs do it but there’s really no excuse not to get something back for the players we (for one reason or another) fall out with.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Jun 26, 2009 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Much scratching of the head
The handling of Luis Perdomo also makes me wonder what the F.O. is thinking with its roster maneuverings.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Oh, and for all of you saying Kennedy has not been good,
or he’s going to drop off, or he has dropped off, just understand one thing for one minute. The A’s second base position was vacant. Yes, VACANT. They will probably flip him when Mark Ellis returns. They got him for nothing. He was a pleasant surprise for them. Next stop? Don’t be surprised if he ends up on an NL team that can use some second base help. Um, that could be the Cubs or the Brewers, Nationals, or maybe Pittsburgh so they can sit Sanchez.
All I’m saying is that this could come back to haunt us in ways more painful than wasting money.
She isn't crazy, she's just not impressed.
Paying someone's salary to play for another club is always somewhat painful
It usually demonstrates poor long-term thinking by the F.O. (In this case, I’m looking at you, Walt). Or, it could demonstrate a lack of professionalism from your field manager. Not that players are ever run out of the Lou by our manager or anything. He was free, which is why clever, small market (and payroll) GMs acquired him. First the Rays did so (just as they did with Izzy) and then the A’s because he was about as low in cost of an insurance policy as they could hope for at second base. Given his cheap salary, I highly doubt that the A’s will move him. I suppose that depends on how far they fall in the standings. But, if they do move him, I doubt it will be to either the Nats, Pitt, or Cubs. The Nats should not acquire anyone only under contract for a single season. Pittsburgh should not do so either, even if they are intent on the nefarious plan to deny Sanchez PAs and therefore a bonus. The Cubs have internal options in the form of Blanco and Fontenot (once Aramis returns). The Brewers are a possibility, but they are in desperate need of pitching.
Furthermore, AK is hitting .229/.302/.406 over the last month of baseball (and this with a relatively good last seven days). So, I’m not really having chills go up my spine at the thought of AK joining an NL Central rival. Just like my being thrilled at the Cubs’ signing of ol’ Grit Miles.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Kennedy's line for the last month is .229/.302/.406....
so you’re saying his line is better than any STL outfielder not named Colby over the last month? Absolutely patehtic that a bad month by Adam Freaking Kennedy still looks gaudy compared to the month our starting outfielders have been having. Last 28 game stat lines for Dick, Dunc, and Luddy:
Dick: .226/.265/.409
Dunc: .222/.305/.306
Luddy: .182/.264/.299
Get these clowns out of the lineup (except Luddy – I still have some faith in his ability to turn it around). Move Schumaker to left, pick up a Derosa or Beltre, and put the best defense out there in the MI. Sadly, that’s the best we can realistically hope for.
Yes
Especially when we know that AK can play the OF.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
eh
I wasn’t making a one-to-one comparison. Your post just motivated me to look up the numbers on Dick, Dunc, and Luddy to see what they were by comparison. I figure in terms of setting the bar low, you can’t do too much worse than “horrible month by Adam Kennedy.” And our outfielders have still failed to measure up to that ignominius distinction.
I understand
I just never like to miss bringing up the fact that TLR played Adam Kennedy in the outfield last year.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Series vs. the Mets
Per Goold’s daily must-read 10@10, the OFers were 2-for-40 vs. the Mets. Ugh.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Remember last year when we argurable had the best OF in baseball?
WTF has happened?
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Jun 26, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Herron's release, just because it wasn't directly due to suckitude on the field,
isn’t necessarily a waste of resources or them just throwing a prospect away. To think that Luhnow would release a player without a valid reason (even if it may be “off the field” or only tangentially related to his pitching) is ignorant of the way he operates.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
Just wondering...
Has it ever been stated what Herron’s off the field problems were? Drinking? Drugs? An incurable sweet tooth? I’ve seen it alluded to a few times, but never seen anything specific.
Pogs.
The guy loved pogs.
"I usually don’t read other peoples sigs." -Cuttah
by Alxfritz on Jun 26, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Don't we all
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn't love pogs as much as I loved the slammer.
Or does that count as a pog? Kind of like the thumb-finger thing.
"In the wake of Michael Jackson's passing, all of the players in yesterday's games wore one glove in his memory."
- Craig Calcaterra
thumba?
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on Jun 26, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Pogs
was a serious hobby
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "5.7 WAR" years.
by mattybobo on Jun 26, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't miss that fad as a child.
I imagine my pog maker is still in my parents attic somewhere.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
No.
Strauss was the only one that I recall explicitly stating that it was off the field issues here. Otherwise, the mainstream media has simply repeated Luhnow’s and Warner’s comments on the situation.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
Yea.....
Maybe if we just send ALOT of junk to Cleveland, we could have overwhelmed them with the amount of our offer.
Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan
by SoonerfanTU on Jun 26, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions
In the wake of Michael Jackson’s passing, all of the players in yesterday’s games wore one glove in his memory.
-Craig Calcaterra
"It starts at the top with the manager."
-- Clint Hurdle, when asked what's behind the Colorado Rockies winning 17 of 18 games
by all4tookie on Jun 26, 2009 9:09 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Pirates 3, Indians 2. Cliff Lee has to be looking around that locker room and feeling like Michael did while looking around the Jacksons’ dressing room circa 1979. He’s better than these guys, they’re doing nothing to help him, and they bring nothing to the party. In fact, I’m going to call Ben Francisco “Tito” for the remainder of the season.
-Craig Calcaterra
"It starts at the top with the manager."
-- Clint Hurdle, when asked what's behind the Colorado Rockies winning 17 of 18 games
by all4tookie on Jun 26, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
A wonderful blog
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
Reminds me of a joke
that was told in the Baltimore area in 1988, the year the Orioles started out the season 0-21 and finished with around 55 wins.
Q. What do the Orioles have in common with Michael Jackson?
A. They both wear a glove on one hand for no apparent reason.
by Youneverknow on Jun 26, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions
heh
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
i don't get it
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
they wore a glove in memory of mj
but they always where a glove!
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I only wore one batting glove in honor of MJ
at my softball game
whether or not that has any relation to the bad hop that bounced off my face, I’ll never know…
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
depends on how badly it damaged your nose.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
haha, I never thought of it that way
luckily I turned my head in time and took it off the jaw. the sound that came out of my mouth might have sounded like an MJ song though
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
hopefully you didn't have to grab your crotch!
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Watching Carpenter pitch is
like watching a unicorn jump over a rainbow not once but twice. I saw it before, and it looked completely perfect. Then I was saddened by the thought that I would never see it again. But loe and behold, I look into the sky, and there it is again.
Baseball's only fun if you're playing it, watching it, or thinking about it.
From your description...
it sounds like you might actually be seeing a pegacorn. Are you sure it was jumping and not flying? That would go a long way in determining whether it’s truly a repeatable skill.
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "5.7 WAR" years.
no thread is complete without a pegacorn
And Albert Pujols is ridiculous.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Jun 26, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions
visual proof of said ridiculous
she’s glorious
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
I like how the tip of the horn is glinting
ridiculous!
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions
That fourth paragraph
is a fine piece of prose, DanUp.
Guys like Bradley are exactly why we can't have a pumpkin patch anymore.
Often I can't believe
that DanUp turns these things out for free: “To this closet of unsupported inferences I add my own…” I wish I could teach my students to back into a sentence with this much swagger.
it really is
And based on this paragraph, I can see Carp as a Spock logically solving the next hitter while suppressing all emotions.
Logic dictates a curve ball be thrown here.
by creativereason on Jun 26, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
botched double play
I know, as a pitcher, you’re told to let ground balls like that through, but it’s natural instinct to react to ball hit towards you. Anyone who’s been in the situation would surely understand. With the way Johan was pitching, there is no way that they should have been held to less than 3 runs. Series like the one in KC are only going to delay the FO in aquiring a much needed bat.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Does anyone know....
these 16 year old latin kids playing in acadamies…do they use wooden or aluminum bats?
I just caught a video that erik posted on Future Redbirds
Looks like he at least takes BP in the video with a wooden bat. Probably in-game too, but the bat he used was dark so I’m just guessing there.
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "5.7 WAR" years.
I hate bat-profilers like you.
This is what is wrong with America. Telling a bat he can’t be something just because he is a certain color. Shame on you.
"In the wake of Michael Jackson's passing, all of the players in yesterday's games wore one glove in his memory."
- Craig Calcaterra
You call it bat-profiling, I call it protecting our future.
Everybody knows which bats are suspect and which aren’t. This nambly pamply, PC urge to treat all bats the same is just baloney. I for one don’t care if I have “othered” the bat otheringly, smothering it in other-ness. I say treating aluminum bats the same as wooden ones is just another form of discrimination. What say you to that, huh?
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "5.7 WAR" years.
I say...
That I have no problem with unequal treating of bats made of different compounds with different CORs. What I do have a problem with is assuming that a bat is one way based solely on its color.
If you had your way you would categorically deny cows the opportunity to be valuable VeB contributors.
"In the wake of Michael Jackson's passing, all of the players in yesterday's games wore one glove in his memory."
- Craig Calcaterra
NEED for improvement
It is nearly July and the Cardinals don’t seem supermotivated to make a trade that will significantly improve the offense. I realize that there isn’t much to be had, but from a baseball point-of-view, they must view this season as ‘win now,’ because they can win the division. The pitching (excluding major meltdown/injury) is sufficient, the bullpen is ok, but the team is made up… Albert, Molina (defensively), maybe Rasmus, and a revolving cast of character parts. If a trade isn’t made or Ludwick/Ankiel don’t begin hitting effectively, this team is doomed for a long fade in the standings, beginning in early August.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
i am
starting jump on the trade Ludwick bandwagon, just because i was so against trading Duncan during his breakout year, and i dont want to feel like i stuck up for someone for nothing, Ludwicks trade value to me seems like its only going to decline, and i dont think we could get anything for Duncan now anyways, not that TLR would want Dunc gone anyways….
Pujols takes out "I" in BIG and "A" in MAC, previously considered to be an unyielding, consonant threat
Ludwick's trade value isn't exactly high right now either
And what exactly do you think we could get for him? He is our 2nd best outfielder (Rasmus) – why get rid of him? Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to get rid of someone good and cheap for a 1/2 season rental of Holiday/DeRosa + their bigger salary.
"In the wake of Michael Jackson's passing, all of the players in yesterday's games wore one glove in his memory."
- Craig Calcaterra
Great piece at The Hardball Times
Joel Pineiro’s Scorched Earth Policy
(I’m cross-posting this as a Fanshot, too.) But, really, I’m thrilled at the idea of Duncan as the Stalin in the implementation of this policy. Complete with mustache.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
I was just about to link to that
Great stuff.
"In the wake of Michael Jackson's passing, all of the players in yesterday's games wore one glove in his memory."
- Craig Calcaterra
I was listening to Bernie's show a few days ago
He had Strauss on. Strauss was very positive that the cardinals would either sign Shelby or give a bonus to Mateo. He believed there was no way they would do both. Glad to hear he was wrong. And I hope we can do both.
Payroll on the Big Team may be down. But if this is true than DeWitt is opening the wallet nicely. And fans can stop whining about it. {please?}
They won't without a tangible symbol of success
Bernie and Strauss are there to fan the flames about the MLB club’s payroll. What’s more, big league payroll is the most readily tangible. How do you explain investing millions in a Latin America presence as being necessary to succeed years before the fruits of that tree have ripened? In five years, I suspect we’ll all be lauding the long-term vision of the ownership and F.O. as to building up the farm system via the American amateur draft and Latin America.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
I'm interested
In what the team’s record is when Duncan and Ankiel both start.
Not so interested as to look it up. I just know that I groan audibly when I see that in the lineup.
better than you would think
Through 74 games this year:
When Duncan and Ankiel both start, the team is 20-13
When they do not, the team is 20-21
Part of the perception vs. reality disconnect here is that the team was 11-3 in April when they both started.
I am very excited about Wagner Mateo
I’d love to see them make a play for Sano, too. Add two first or supplemental round type talents to a solid draft.
top "unsolved mysteries" per Stark
Yeah, yeah. I like reading the anonymous quotes. Points of note: the Cubs’ second half, DeRosa, an intriguing list of the Rays’ needs (hey, don’t we have a surplus of that…?), and this:
Finally, here’s yet one more way to measure the greatness of Sir Albert Pujols: He just went through an 0-for-15 funk this month — matching his longest oh-fer since 2001 — “and I bet the teams he was playing didn’t even notice,” quipped one NL executive.
“Let me put it this way,” the exec said. “Even when he was 0-for-15, they sure weren’t walking the guy in front of him to get to him.”
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
wow, blockquote fail
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on Jun 26, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
OT
Homeless man hits other homeless man in face with skateboard because of quantum physics
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
to continue the string of OT subjects
Don’t have a link, but read somwhere that Brendan Ryan is the 2nd highest rated defensive SS so far this season, according to the fielding bible.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
yeah
just checked Bill James Online to confirm it; Ryan’s listed at 13 plays (not runs) above the average shortstop. The amazing thing, though, is that seventh place is Tyler Greene.
too bad they can't combine
Ryan’s possible breakout year (relatively speaking) with an average year from the OF.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
How can 13 base hits = 10 runs?
I don’t understand. I mean, you probably know stats better than me, but it doesn’t make sense.
A ball in play converted to an out
is worth (loosely) .8 runs. That varies depending on position and the exact nature of the outs but otherwise it’s a decent barometer.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
Then, it's official
Against LHPers, Ryan should start at 2B and Greene should start at SS.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
nice
I thought he looked like a top-notch SS this season
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn't have a link
and bringing up anyone, not named pujols or pitcher, that is doing well, just doesn’t seem to mesh well with the season thus far
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Carp threw another brilliant game
less one inning that had some not stellar defense.
What is really frustrating about that is that tonight we are primed for a 4-1 loss after we squeak in one run in the 8th after being shut out, once again, by a left hander coming into the game with a losing record and >5.0 ERA.
When I saw the Twin’s starter’s record/ERA on the PD’s pre-game box this morning, I immediately thought “Oh no, I bet he’s a lefty.”
We’re sunk!
I thought the exact same thing
crappy lefty > (Cardinals lineup – Pujols)
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
A Few Notes
- Chris Carpenter outpitched Johan Santana yesterday. In fact, Santana was not particularly sharp for the first few innings, command wise. I’ll say this about Santana though…he found a way to make what he had work. That, and he was pitching against Albert and the .700 OPS dwarves.
- Per the roto-bot, Ludwick is 2 for his last 40. I’m just going to throw this out there, but I doubt that will cut it. I’d be willing, if i were the manager of the BOB, to simply pencil Dudwick into the lineup every single day until he turns into either Moredudwick or Thudwick. I don’t think Studwick has another appearance in him this season, but this team could use Thudwick.
- Michael Jackson died yesterday. Anyone here about that? Well apparently it nearly destroyed the internet. No, seriously. In any case, I’m not sure how i feel about this. On one hand, he was a very strange person with some serious pain and who probably didn’t try to heal said pain in constructive ways. However, if you’re my age you just couldn’t escape MJ. He was THE star of all stars. I know for a fact the world would have been dramatically different without him…I’m not sure if it would be better or worse, but definitely different.
- Oh, Chris Carpenter is a really good.
- I was watching the NBA Draft last night and the Thunder used the 25th pick in the draft to pick some guy I’ve never heard of from a made-up place.
- I’m excited to see the Twins. That’s a team that the Cards haven’t played in interleague in some time. I remember they played in the Metrodome and Matt Lawton hit a bomb. Matt Lawton was a ’roider. He needs his money back if you ask me.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions
"Santana was not particularly sharp for the first few innings, command wise"
But that’s the problem. Our hitters aren’t making struggling pitchers work. We aren’t taking walks off of guys who are having trouble finding the strike zone. You cited the first few innings. We made Santana throw 57 pitches in the first three innings, but 16 batters came to the plate. That’s a whopping 3.56 P / PA, on a struggling pitcher who, let’s face it, we needed to get out of the game as soon as possible. Over the whole year, the WORST team in MLB as far as team P / PA goes is San Francisco, at 3.62. That means, when we were doing our best against a pitcher struggling with the strike zone, we still saw fewer pitches per PA than the worst team in MLB. The Cards rank 28th overall, but as we play more and more games in months not named April, I imagine we’ll drop all the way.
Note: I didn’t get to watch/listen/follow on Gameday yesterday, so I’m taking you at your word when you made the statement in the subject line.
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
But that’s the problem. Our hitters aren’t making struggling pitchers work. We aren’t taking walks off of guys who are having trouble finding the strike zone.
I couldn’t agree more. I remember reading La Russa’s comment about his hitters needing to be more aggressive at the plate, and whether we’re talking about correlation, causation, or simple regression to the mean, Cardinals have turned into hacking hitters who get themselves out more often than not. It’s greatly distressing. This team’s offense is brutal right now, and I think a lot of that can be attributed to a complete unwillingness to make a pitcher throw hitter’s pitchers.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I think if this year's Pineiro faced off against this year's Cardinals batters
His final line would be something like 9 IP 1 H 0 R 0 BB
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions
73 pitches
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions
but would he have to pitch to himself?
thus making it 3 hits and 78 pitches?
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
I'm going with 51 pitches
I’m only half kidding.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions
what upsets me most about MJ dying
was that he died on a Thursday in which the baseball game was played in the morning. That is, his death caused the networks to show Michael Jackson Trial footage from however many years ago instead of 30 Rock, and there was no baseball game to watch instead of watching Michael Jackson Trial coverage all night long.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
srsly
i was at the bar before my softball game last night and even there they had the angels game on but play audio of headline news drone on about MJ….sigh.
at least a tall fat tire helped me ignore the noise
Mmmmmmm.....Fat Tire......
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I was going to watch an hour of The Office
However they bumped the two episodes up for the Dateline coverage of both his death and Farah Fawcett’s. I missed that intentionally. I ended up having to watch some show on Discovery about these monster fish that kill people. Now THAT was wild!
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Gee Whiz!!!
Would the face of entertainment be different without the presence of Michael Jackson? Yes.
Would the world be different in that whole butterfly-effect sort of way? Yes
Would the world be dramatically different without Michael Jackson? Not at all when you compare him to the Apple founder, Bill Gates, virtually anybody that worked at IBM in the 80’s, Ronald Regan, Michael Gorbechev, Margaret Thatcher, etc….
Baseball's only fun if you're playing it, watching it, or thinking about it.
your talking 3 different areas
Music: Michael Jackson
Computers: Bill Gates ect
Politics/world peace: Reagan ect
depends on which one you personally value more.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
michael jackson sucked
he was the most overrated performer of all time not involved with the beatles. not to mention a freak who should have spent his final days in jail rather than a mansion in bel air.
it’s bad enough you can’t turn on the radio or tv without people tripping over themselves saying how awesome he was. but to come here, my sanctuary from the norm, the one place i was sure this wouldn’t be talked about because we all have superior musical taste. to have to read about it here too, is very depressing. you let me down VEB.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
overrated or not
denying his influence—like denying the Beatles—is a futile, intentionally contrarian gesture. The Michael Jackson/Quincy Jones sound basically created the pop idiom for an entire decade—it’s understandable that there’d be so much coverage of his death.
Also, for what it’s worth, I think Thriller is just about a perfect album.
The key to avoid overcoverage like this is just to never watch cable news, which is a good idea in general.
"Thriller" is OK
Save for a few songs, “Filler” would be a more apt name.
by Anonymous Communist on Jun 26, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions
yes, thank you mike for giving us justin timberlake, spears, simpson, aguilera, etc
those stars, and the others like them really have made music much more enjoyable.
no offense to anyone, please don’t think i’m trashing you or your musical taste because i’m not. but i just don’t get it. i never have, and i never will. and i had just hoped this was the one place that this wouldn’t be a topic.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
but isn't this the place
where ANYTHING can be a topic?
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
MJ
and JT are fun to dance to. And I don’t even like dancing!
"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs. That is a fact." - Chris Carpenter
I like JT
his music is good and he’s great on SNL!!!
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
He is
But he’s done pretty much the same show for like 3 straight times. In other words, the skits he did the first time he hosted were hilarious. Since then, they’ve pretty much stuck to the same skits though.
Also, for the record, I like his music. It’s catchy. Sue me.
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 27, 2009 4:35 AM EDT up reply actions
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I love Cup ‘o Soup (or whatever variation they go with) and Jimmy Fallon’s return to do The Barry Gibb Talk Show with JT each time. Both are great skits. This last time he hosted, they did a skit with Irish immigrants sailing across the Atlantic to America talking about what their Great grandchildren would be like. His character (a Timberlake) talked about his great grandson and how he’d be a great pop singer and would date the top female pop singer of their time. And “while they’d both claim they were virgins, secretly he’d been hittin’ if for quite some time”.
I laughed my ass off when he said that.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
thriller is SO overrated
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I always get in trouble because I hate pop music
and Michael Jackson just freaks me out. I have expect him to rise from the dead and do things
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't partictulary(sp?) like pop music
but it couldn’t be called “popular music” if people didn’t like it more than hate it.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
guess I'm sort of Nietzschean in philosophy
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I hate pop music too, gdm
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions
we are clearly in the minority
i never meant to offend anyone though, honest to God i didn’t.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
You're right, I suck at life for thinking that Michael Jackson revolutionized mainstream music
God damn me. I mean, I never said I loved what he did (I like it, not love it) but the fact of the matter is that he was THE musical star of the late 80’s, and before that he was the voice that absolutely carried the Jackson 5. Were you alive for that? Because I was, and I can’t fully explain how ubiquitous MJ was then. I was 14 when Thriller came out. His music was at baseball games I went to, it was at Proms and Homecomings, it was played over the radio at stores. It was EVERYWHERE. HE was everywhere. It wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking. It was a matter of existing, and by existing you could not escape the man. Not many people have that kind of fame or impact or whatever you want to call it. He was, as another semi-wacko American icon Dick Clark puts it, part of the soundtrack of our lives. More than that, he was part of the soundtrack of my life. I don’t have any particular like of his music…tell you the truth I’m a classic rock guy: Stones, Zeppelin, CCR, Skynyrd, AND Eric Clapton…but that doesn’t make it NOT worth mentioning. I mean shit, his death nearly set off an internet wide meltdown! If that’s not a sign of, well, something, then I don’t know what is.
Now, was he a profoundly disturbed individual? Clearly. Instead of using his pain and whatever for good or at least musical inspiration, he turned himself into a mutilated circus freak who lived in a never-never land that he literally dubbed Neverland and probably destroyed the lives of many a child. As someone who watched the entire disgusting display, I will tell you that it was shocking, horrifying, and appalling. The man became a creep who should have been in a mental hospital or a prison when he died, IMO.
With all of this said, I stand by noting MJ’s death in my previous comment. Dan’s OP was sort of a grab bag of comments. I made a couple of replies regarding Carp’s pitching yesterday and the ineptitude of the Cardinals offense, but at the end of the day I’d say that the death of a cultural symbol of what is right, wrong, and mostly horrifying about celebrity culture in our world is probably a tad more news worthy than what happened in Cardinal world yesterday. Oh, and again I noted those baseball related-issues too.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Damn that was a long post
It sounded shorter in my head.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions
eh, it was well written
i think im getting used to long verbose posts. in fact, if you can say it in less than 2 lines its probably not worth posting..
my posts are, of course, the expection
rec'd.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
the expectoning
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I have to say
I disagree with everything you said in the subject and first paragraph of that post.
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I stopped reading after see The Beatles and overrated in the same sentence
that is flagging worthy all by itself buddy
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
Stevie Wonder is over-rated as a musician!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!11!!111!!!
eh, it doesn’t surprise me much to see people use the most outlandish examples for “effect”.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
holy crap
that is the best sig EVER! Even better than the sig on Deadliest Catch
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
are you sure?
in the last episode he fought off a heart attack and basically said, “hmm…that was strange”.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
I haven't seen the last one yet,
so I guess if Sig dies, it is definitely better than him.
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
That was pretty wild
My wife’s reaction, and I’m not kidding, was this…
“If you ever have a heart attack and shake it off like that, I will kill you for not being more worried about having a heart attack.”
Yeah.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Hell, it took Phil like a couple of days
to tell his condition to his crew and sons last season. What he thought was a cracked rib turned out to be a blood clot that damn near killed him!!!
I do have to say, those asshole are the toughest assholes I’ve ever seen.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
I thought about really taking this sub-thread off on a tangent with my views on MJ
but i will save that for the game thread if things get boring.
All i am gonna say here is that I hope the Cardinal offense is a Wanna Be Startin Somethin tonight.
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
I have respect for the Beatles
just find most of their songs to be boring
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I go away for a few days
and when I come back, VEB has gone all crazy. I can let all the other stuff go, but besmirching The Beatles is going over the line. I still love you all though (except GDM).
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
I've besmirched the beatles on here before
nothing new
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions
flagged!!!!!!!!
my apologies to everyone. i didn’t realize i hit such a sensitive a nerve. that was not my intent. i should have been more careful with my words & how i used them.
like chitown, i don’t like the beatles songs. like he said i find lyrics of them boring. but at least i know they had talent & i respect them for that. i can’t say the same for mj
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
you are forgiven
I still haven’t decided if I love you like the rest of VEB though( honestly GDM, cut off the damn mullet already!).
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
can i keep the jorts on?
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
dig if you will this line up
1. jones
2. mateo
3. pujols
4. wallace
5. rasmus
6. molina
7. greene
8. ionno some 2b
that’s a prettyfun top 5-6 to ponder for 2012 or 13
Eh
Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket. According to the percentage people, you should be perfectly comfortable." - Manager Bobby Bragan
i think greene can be decent
oh
the cardinals would make the biggest failure in possibly the history of baseball
how can you miss out n the greatest right handed hitter (possibly best hitter period) of all time?
seeing the huge disparity between last year's Adam Kennedy
and this year’s, according to UZR/150, make me doubt the validity of it a bit.
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions
Not validity, but value
Many have opined that you don’t have reliable UZR data until about 3 years worth of it develops. So, maybe last year and this year are flukes for AK.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
can't wait for a defensive metric that doesn't have to be like 3 years of data for it to be accurate
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
It's a matter of sample size, I think
I can’t remember the articles off the top of my head. I read them a while ago. But, I think it’s a question of getting enough fielding opportunities to be truly reflective of true ability. Part of this, also, maybe the valuation. For instance, with my eyes, it seems to me that Skip is getting better as a second baseman. UZR’s rating of him has seen him get better. Thus, I feel safe saying that Skip is improving as a second baseman and by the time he hitting free agency at Age 33 (I think this is when he leaves our control), he might be league average or so with the glove.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
it's nice to have all of these defensive metrics,
but I’ll take the eyes of someone who knows baseball over a calculation.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Which begs the question
If it takes a 3 year sample, how sure can you be that the defensive ability hasn’t already changed by that time? After that length of time, it still would not be as predictive as we’d like.
by Merry CRasmus on Jun 26, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Defensive Metrics
I think they should be used to go hand-in-hand with scouting. They compliment scouting and scouting compliments them. Their greatest accomplishment is disproving the deservedness of Gold Glove winners like Nate McLouth, Bobby Abreu, and Derek Jeter. To put it another way, they have shown that which we already know: the BBWAA is made up of many ignoramuses. (Ryan Howard’s MVP award over Pujols is another example, and one that the stats flesh out.)
Also, the +/- rating system for plays works differently…
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
"quiet frankly"
Hilarious
St. Louis relievers... defying win expectancy since 2008
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/
by vivaelpujols on Jun 26, 2009 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
whoops "frank quietly"
St. Louis relievers... defying win expectancy since 2008
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/
by vivaelpujols on Jun 26, 2009 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
You really, really, really can't judge any stats in a small sample size
He only had a half season of data last year, and even less so far this year. That isn’t the point of UZR either. A lot of it is tied up in subjective batted ball codings, which even out over time, but not neccesarily in the span of two months. Also, fielders can have slumps and hot streaks too. UZR is best used as an estimate of a players true talent level after a couple of seasons of data.
St. Louis relievers... defying win expectancy since 2008
http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/
by vivaelpujols on Jun 26, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions
maybe 2008 is the outlier
and not 2009, 2007, and 2006, which all suggested him to be average at best. At some point that has to be considered, I think, considering he’s a second baseman over thirty.
wow.
“Carp pitches like somebody solving a Rubik’s Cube for the thousandth time. He doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t get caught off guard, and he follows the pattern, and all the while he looks bored while he’s doing it and unsurprised when it works out.”
that is exactly how i’ve always felt about carp pitching, i just didn’t know how to describe it until now. thanks for giving me the words to my thoughts.
capital letters suck.
I also liked that line a lot
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Tonights game
will be a good opportunity to see the long range effects of a “farm fed” organization.
I will say this, their hitting approach is far superior to the Cardinals. Notice the symmetry, Feet , hips, shoulders all squared to the plate. No stupid step-in type of games or other ineffective McRae inventions. They will hit with power to all fields. They will hit the curve ball. They will take the ball deeper. They will be less likely to simply distort the swing plane, flipping the bat head for meaningless contact just to avoid a strike out. Think Duncan, Ludwick , Ankiel. They will take there cuts, and then do it again if necessary.
They will come in as a bunch of kids to a new stadium filled with fans, and they will be up. If Wainwright is sharp, we will need 5/6 runs to win. If we lose the opener, we will be swept…………………….. these are just my feeling of course.
I will be interested
in seeing how the Twins deal with the STL heat and humidity. You know, since they play all their home games in that stupid, but climate-controlled, dome.
Soooo
what you’re saying is that the Twins are actually a bunch of emotionless cyborgs that are all programmed to play baseball in the exact same manner.
No wonder it doesn’t take a lot of payroll to keep them going .
Baseball's only fun if you're playing it, watching it, or thinking about it.
Kids coming to a new stadium cyborgs?
They’re farm boys. Try another reading. Think Morneau with a straw hat and a toothpick in his mouth.
kind of agree
if we don’t win tonight, with our young franchise pitcher against their #5, Welley will have to beat their ace tomorrow and then Pineiro will have to beat Liriano.
A sweep is a real possibility if we don’t win tonight, even though Liriano has looked bad this year (and he threw 117 pitches last time out, so his command will be off on Sunday).
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
blackburn
who pitched last night, so never mind; I got the two confused. Slowey isn’t a slouch, though.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
glad we are missing Blackburn...
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I think a lot of people were predicitng a sweep by the Tigers about a week ago.
Based on the pitching matchups.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
The way I see Carpenter pitching
is Clint Eastwood, crawling across the desert after having been left for dead. Dehydrated, cramping up, skin feeling like it is crawling off his body he stands there at the edge of the town staring down the main street. He’s pissed. He doesn’t care if you were the one that left him in the desert, you just happen to be the one dumb enough to be standing in front of him. He squints. He wipes the massive amount of sweat from his brow. His shoulders hang as if he couldn’t move another inch. Then, he kills you. Sorry, you aren’t the first and you won’t be the last. As long as his body keeps moving forward, more poor saps like you are going to die.
by Hardcore Legend on Jun 26, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 8 recs
kudos
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm going to rec this
I like the analogy.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe not.
A macho “stoic”? I don’t think so. An economist maybe. This guy has a good contract. He knows why he is here and is thankful. He will shake your hand if you can hit is stuff. If he were vengeful and “Pissed”, who is he going to be pissed off at, the ones that beat him, or the ones who can’t find enough game to back him. This man is one of the great competitors. He is in constant exploration of what that means. He loves the arena that is provided for that exploration. He probably understand the needs of the timid who need him to seem more. That would make him compassionate not vindictive.
Clint Eastwood no…………. Gary Cooper in “Hight Noon” more likely.
Fantastic analogy, but it
actually reminds me of Roland, the gunslinger from Steven King’s Dark Tower series.
Baseball's only fun if you're playing it, watching it, or thinking about it.
per MLBTR
FRIDAY, 2:42pm: ESPN.com’s Jorge Arangure reports that the Cardinals will sign Mateo for $3.1MM. GM John Mozeliak solidified the agreement at Mateo’s house. The Giants nearly offered him $3.5MM, but backed off at the last minute.
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
this is probably posted somewhere else
unfortunately, I’m very narrow minded
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
nothing
marajuana isn’t considered a performance enhancer
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
i didn't realize the policy
was just limited to PEDs. Honestly I could care less if an athlete smokes pot. The last three Presidents have…
would it be considered a PED
if it calmed Greene’s anxiety enough to allow him to perform at his highest level?
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
wouldn't be surprised if the last 5 have
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions
You really think G.H.W. Bush smoked pot?
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Obama
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Obama what?
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
yeah
I’m not sure why he posted that
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Smoked pot
He said the last three presidents have smoked pot. You probably thought of GWHB, Clinton, GWB. Obama admitted to smoking pot back when he was running for president.
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions
He said "last 5".
Obama, GWBush, Clinton, GHWBush, and Reagan.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Oh whoops
I guess I thought he was the one who wrote Evilfrog’s comment above
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
by jd is legend on Jun 26, 2009 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions
reagan could have saved the country $50B
if he had lit up a joint during the State of the Union Address one year.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
no
awesome
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions
his daughter?
yeah, she’s smoking hot
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
she is hot
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
he would definitely be the least likely
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions
just wouldn't be surprised if he at least tried it at some point
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions
he's said he drank & did other drugs right?
at least i thought he did. so it’s reasonable to think he did pot too. i mean come on, who hasn’t tried pot once?
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
what "other" drugs did he admit to?
are we still talking about George Herbert Walker Bush?
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
No suspension from MLB.
Maryjo doesn’t violate the drug policy.
come to think of it.
If it didn’t violate the policy then why the hell is it news? I hate ESPN sometimes*
* and by sometimes I mean any time they are not currently showing webgems on baseball tonight.
yeah but for how long is the question
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
that's a governmental cash cow waiting to happen
plus it would probably clean it up and control the thc levels
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
and it would make some of these ball games much easier to take
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
does this mean that Piniella is in some sort of natural state of permabake?
Piniella admitted he “smoked dope one time in my life and it didn’t do a [darn] thing for me and I never tried it again.”
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Yesterday he said he didn't know the diff between weed and PEDs
he’s mailing it in. I think he’s tired of players who don’t try or something.
You know who else was getting himself hopped up during the WBC?
The lovely and talented Sidney Ponson, who for some inconceivable reason still has a pro baseball career.
by BTown Birds fan on Jun 26, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions
How about that...
…Go figure. Geovany Soto smoked pot in the WBC. Sort of a random revelation, I guess.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions
sort of a who gives an F revelation
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions
apparently pot makes you fat
because the biggest criticism of his by cub fans has been his being over-weight all year.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Why in GOD's name are we playing the TWINS?
Can’t we just play, say, a home and home with the royals and maybe 1 other team and be DONE with interleague play? This is getting silly.
ugh, I am tired of the home and home with the Royals every year
can’t we just play one series against them?
oh yeah, the other team should be the Tigers
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
1987 rematch, yo
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not sure which offense is more pathetic
Cardinals or White Sox
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
I'm hoping the Twins offense is even more pathetic
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't bet on it
they have that one guy who’s hitting like .800
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
but we have that one guy he is hitting like one million
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions
true
we win the one vs one battle. but their supporting cast isn’t dwarf-ish
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
therein lies the problem
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions
OT, but i read this last night about camera angles
and even though it’s from slate, it’s a pretty good read & it does explain why the center field camera is off centered. we have talked about it before, not in a long time though, so i thought this might interest you. if for nothing else it looks like the Cardinals are finally doing something right.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
Personally,
I have favored the old offset view for the specific reason of being closer to the action and having a better height. My biggest gripe when espn did this was too many times the camera for the dead-on view was way too high. Not only were you forever away from the pitcher with tons of dead space on each side, but balls that looked like they were at the knees were called high.
As long at they can get the camera low enough and have the zoom in close enough, I’ve got no problem.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
yeah the WWL's dead center cam was always too high
that’s why it didn’t work. i hated it actually. you couldn’t tell what was going on.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
Sox just scored twice.
5-4 cubbies, bottom 8. 1 outs. runners on 2nd and 3rd.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
intentional walk
bases loaded.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
I'm guessing K
with Marmol on the mound. either that or a walk, HBP, or wild pitch
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
just took him out.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
AJ pinch hitting
bringing in Marshall (i think).
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
ah hah
I’m only following via the internet, since I haven’t left work yet
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Leave already!!!!
It’s Friday!!!!!!!!!
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
if only I could
deadlines to meet and golf tomorrow morning is going to cut into my saturday work time
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Surprise surprise
Marmol threw his glove against a Gatorade cooler. Haven’t seen a cubbie do anything like that before.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
3-2-3 DB on the first pitch.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
DB = DP
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
I thought for sure AJ would at least get under something
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
Wonder if Lou will bring in Gregg for the 9th?
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
I can only hope
Getz – Anderson – Beckham doesn’t get me too excited though. that was the game in the 8th
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
I'd pinch hit
that dude in the first row behind home wearing a sleeveless t-shirt with a rubber goat’s head attached to the front.
That’s right. No it’s not an iron on or a decal. It’s a rubber goat head.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
i wish i had a tv
I enjoy the Cell much more than Wrigley
How did the pig corner the breakfast market?
It's being reported that
Milton Bradley and Lou “got in to it” with “heated words” and has apparently “left the park” and was seen walking to his car “in his street clothes”.
Per Len Kasper.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Here's the link
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
so who had June 26th in the pool?
I figured this would have happened by May.
Lou better watch out, though- the Cubs need Bradley a lot more than they need him.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
According to Lou in the post-game
He was tired of players throwing fits in the dugout (throwing helmets, attacking Gatorade coolers, etc.) so when Bradley came off the field after an at bat and he threw his helmet and “smashed” a water cooler (sending water flying everywhere), Lou had had enough. He told Milton to take off his uniform and go home. He then said he followed Milton up the runway and “exchanged some words”.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Is Sweet Lou...
…really the right guy to tell his guys not to throw shit fits?
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions
The thing is.
I really don’t expect Lou to be with the cubbies next year, but they’ll still have Milton for another year or two after this one. Arguing with Bradley never makes things better.
It might make Lou happier or satisfied, but this is going to just be another issue that Bradley will never get over making a huge headache for Jim Hendry. But then again, when you sign this malcontent, you get what you get and I ain’t gonna feel sorry for you.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Hendry is a mental midget
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions
how anyone K's looking with 2 outs in the 9th amazes me
Pods should be fined.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Lineup -- Boo Thurston at 3B
Skip Schumaker 2b
Colby Rasmus cf
Albert Pujols 1b
Ryan Ludwick rf
Rick Ankiel lf
Yadier Molina c
Joe Thurston 3b
Adam Wainwright p
Tyler Greene ss
Scouts must see something!!!!
I expected Ryan at second, Shu in the outfield again. Brilliant surprise by Tony? Or ritualistic Sepuku?
where's boog at dammit
at least tony is a democratic dictator. wait, is that even possible? at least he believes in equality (except for Albert and Yadi, who are clearly better than everyone else)
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions
i think the word you are looking for is "egalitarian"
anyway, rasmus is playing, luddy is playing, I’m not too cranky about the lineup tonight. Though Greene and Thurston should be switched.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
probably just a day off
He’s started 7 days in a row and has gone 0-11 over the last 3 games. A breather was possibly necessary.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
ah
good point
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions
oh, I meant switch tyler greene and thurston in the batting order
but agree, K Greene should definitely be playing, especially against the LHP. Last 11 PA be damned.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
You might disregard 11 plate appearances
but Khalil Greene might not. A day off isn’t the worst thing.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
Well, at least the decision worked out.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
I believe
what’s best for Khalil is what determines if the decision worked out. No one ever argued that sitting him was the best way to win the game….although, it very might well could have been the best decision in that regards too.
I have a very, umm...photographic brain. A lot like Ansel Adams but in color and with a lot more, uh.....insertion and pubic hair.
damn your logic & reason!
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
Lineup math...NOTE: ALL NUMBERS PULLED FROM BUTT
Rasmus playing…+1
Ludwick playing…well, for now, +.33
Albert Pujols playing…+27,035
Pitcher 8th…+13
Joe Thurston playing 3rd…-whateverislistedaboveand3600more
I’ll say it again…Joe Thurston WILL kill Albert Pujols before the season is over. I just don’t know how many weak faders into a charging baserunner El Hombre can survive. I’m betting on not many more, machine or not.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Jun 26, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions
holy crap
Matt Cain is having himself a season… shut down the brewcrew dude
4B - beer baseball bands blog
history tells us again and again how GOB points out the folly of man
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 26, 2009 7:26 PM EDT reply actions
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