Holliday, far away to stay
by DanUpBaby on May 7, 2010 6:00 AM EDT
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Nature abhors a bad news vacuum. The Cardinals have seen minor improvement from Brendan Ryan, have not yet begun to worry about Skip Schumaker or Matt Holliday, and have found their rotation and bullpen to be considerably more sturdy than their March counterparts. So pending any structural disasters the bad news has come in its most amorphous fashion—terrible hitting with runners in scoring position.
The Cardinals extracted a vaguely winnable line from Roy Halladay—ten baserunners in seven innings, not counting the errors that got them their first run—and found themselves without dingers, or even doubles, with which to drive them in. The getaway game lineup was awkward; it was unfortunate, for instance, to see Nick Stavinoha stepping to the plate when La Russa's Double Leadoff Man system paid off in its purest way and two baserunners were on with one out for the nominal meat of the order.
Maybe that's the best way of explaining yesterday's game, as against the two losses before it—it was frustrating but not very surprising. This is true of almost every team that's playing five starters out of eight, but it bears, I guess, personalization: Without Ryan Ludwick, Yadier Molina, and the production that was expected before the season from Brendan Ryan, this is a flawed lineup, especially with two of the Cardinals' more exciting bench options momentarily off the roster. Jason LaRue took care of his most pressing runner in scoring position, and is thereby exonerated, but Stavinoha's strikeouts with Tyler Greene and Jon Jay on the precipice were uncomfortable to watch. Lineup construction is stretched pretty thin as a topic of discussion, because it's one of the few managerial moves we can see every day, but it is difficult to sit through the rare instances when a misstep comes so obviously into play.
But Matt Holliday will come in for the most criticism, and justifiably so. Going 1-4 will not always get a player run out of a gamethread on a rail, but it is crucially important to not go 1-4 with the wrong 1; a groundball single to lead off an inning, followed up with two strikeouts and a fielder's choice courtesy the backup catcher, is the wrong 1.
Holliday's season to this point is underwhelming—his seasonal line looks a little like Ryan Ludwick's 2009, another adequate letdown—but he's also been playing underwhelming baseball in the most frustrating ways possible. If I had to give one reason why his middling OPS looked so bad that didn't involve substituting dollar signs for the letter S, it'd be this: He's a bandwagon jumper. A Red Sox-grade bandwagon jumper. He just found out about Lost the other day. His favorite Weezer song is Beverly Hills. In high school he only played Ken Griffey Jr's Winning Run as the Mariners.
As a group the Cardinals have hit for a .623 OPS in losses and an .847 OPS in wins. (That's actually stabler than last year's team, as wild as this one has seemed.) Matt Holliday, though... due in part to his torrid start coinciding with the team's torrid start, he's had a .941 OPS in wins and a .558 OPS in losses. Only Schumaker, Ryan, and Colby Rasmus have hit worse in losses; Schumaker and Ryan have hit badly all the time, and Rasmus has hit so well in wins that it hasn't been an issue. In all the roles for which he's been anointed—Protector of Albert Pujols, Second Pillar of the Team, Guy Who Must Be Pitched To—hitting well in losses is a job description. When no one else is hitting, he must. He hasn't.
And like all bandwagon-hoppers, he can't even get on when he's supposed to; the one thing on which he inevitably goes his own way is getting a base hit. If people have done it before him it's no longer cool, and as a result his batting average with runners in scoring position is .135, almost 90 points below the team average.
I don't believe any of this to be a lasting problem. For his career he's got an .879 OPS with runners in scoring position, and a .717 OPS in losses. There's nothing in his tenure as a public figure that suggests he wilts under pressure, although he does occasionally lose a ball in the lights under pressure. But when a slow start—April, at the end, resembled his Oakland tenure, and the changeover to May has coincided with his second-worst slump of the season—combines with these frustrating elements it makes for ugly baseball.
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who
are the two of the Cardinals’ more exciting bench options momentarily off the roster? I presume Floppy is one, but do you mean Allen Craig is the other, or?
by kkkkathmandubirdsview on May 7, 2010 7:11 AM EDT reply actions
hey, haven't seen you in a while!
wassup! esp. since I think there was an earthquake in the intervening time.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
nothing much
no earthquake here, just a national shutdown called by the maoists to unseat the government. Something like what has been going on in Thailand, only more extreme, no vehicles allowed to ply the roads, shops not to open, schools closed, etc. Now in its 7th day. So far relatively peaceful, but the general population is getting exasperated, so it may not end quietly.
by kkkkathmandubirdsview on May 7, 2010 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I did a fanpost on this
The only pertinent part from that, iirc, is that Holliday’s quotes were always to the tune of “great being on this team that is so good”, like the Cards were a hot hand, contrasted with Everyone’s Favorite Clubhouse Enabler DeRosa’s “I love being a part of this team”. Semantics, albeit repeated semantics, like Smoltz constantly mentioning he wasn’t thinking about the storyline to the point where we all knew he was (till the playoff run, in fairness to the current golfer.) It’s pretty much a given that Matt was being fed his lines by Boras, anyway, so it’s probably immaterial to the current phlegmatic dry-humored, Creed-plugging, Phanatic-fancying, pretty consistently defending incarnation.
That fanpost is irrelevant to the present. I only mention it because I hope it’s wrong.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Qualifier is Monday, 5/10
So, he’s tied for the lead right now.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
how'd Mark Mulder do?
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
I hope he still has
the proper arm slot for his golf swing…..also, Seattle.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
i walked into that tee
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
At this point we are missing Floppy
Im not so sure the 17 million dollar man would garner the same sentiment.
godspeed mr. lopez
godspeed
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Over the last two offseasons
The cardinals have given huge contracts to two Boras clients…both clients were potentially Boras’ top free agents on the market…this is not great business
"Albert hits good pitches hard and bad pitches even harder. And when he gets in the batter's box, if you pray, then you start praying. And if you don't pray, you think about starting."--Brian Bannister
Lego's K with the bases juiced
was the point in which I gave up yesterday. C’mon, dude. Serve your purpose. Put the ball in play.
I remember the 2008 season being particularly excruciating in the LOBster department. It seemed like we couldn’t exit a game without leaving a dozen men on. I’m still rather noobish when it comes to sabermetrics, and there doesn’t seem to be a good way to show LOBs – better yet, RISP LOB – any help?
I specifically remember thinking, “Geez, how many scoring opportunities are we gonna pass up, and how many wins is it costing us?”
(This must be Maine because there are LOBsters everywhere!)
@aaronjscott
If I were an opposing pitcher
I would just throw Lego a low outside curve, off of the plate. He cant seem to lay off.
by Macarver hater on May 7, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions
I would just throw the ball in his general direction, He can't seem to lay off.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Him swinging at ball four on the 3-2 count annoyed me
You can’t help Roy Halladay. Doing so is ill-advised.
he did that earlier, too, didn't he?
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
ot-ish: photos from a year ago
very nice gallery from Cards-Mets May 25, 2009. (or 55th of Albert.)
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Yup
They’re both struggling right now, particularly with RISP, and have been for a while. I wondered if Tony might consider flipping Matt and Albert in the order in an effort to jumpstart Holliday, the thinking being that “batting in front of Albert will result in seeing better pitches to hit.”
And it wouldn’t upset me terribly to see Colby “protecting” Albert batting 5th.
Dunno…just a thought. I doubt TLR would ever do such a crazy thing as have his most dangerous hitter hit cleanup.
situational hitting
here
So, less than 2 outs, runner on third. Wanna guess who’s dead last in the league at successfully driving that run in? Want more good news? Runner on second, no outs, who do you think is second to last in the league at successfully advancing that runner? Now, I think a lot of these situational stats can be highly aberrational so they don’t necessarily tell us anything more than the mere fact we’ve sucked so far in clutch hitting situations, which we already knew. But when we’re always saying, “man it seems like we can never score that guy on third,” its nice (well, nice is not the word) to have something to back it up so I don’t feel like I’m taking crazy pills. BP is doing their part to kill lobsters, let’s do ours dammit!
And we're still 18-11
OK, so we don’t match up well against PHI and SF right now. But I think patience is the best course. By June 1, the 2B situation will be clear (Skip/Floppy or trade), Holliday will be a hero/goat. Albert will be fine.
If Mo/TLR don’t think we have a playoff team by June, moves will be made.
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
Our second base situation is already clear.
We signed Skip to a two-year extension this winter. He is the starting second baseman (at least against righties) this year and in 2011. I’ve noticed this trade talk to find a second baseman springing up over the last few days. Skip Schumaker is the second baseman. If he isn’t starting, then Felipe Lopez will be in there. And, if Felipe’s injury proves serious, the next option is already under team control and he is honing his skills down in extended Spring Training.
"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 May 7, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions
You really know how to cut to the bone.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, not sure about why people are talking about 2B versus talking about SS.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
And to be clear.
I’m not advocating talking about either yet.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
Because we're actually getting value from our SS.
Boog has value defensively. Skip doesn’t, which means if Skip isn’t hitting he’s a replacement level player.
Now he’s been very good for two full seasons, so I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt, but you’re kidding yourself if you think that we can have a leadoff hitter with a .609 OPS for a full season and be successful scoring runs. I don’t think that people are accounting for how incredibly bad that start is for a leadoff hitter. I mean, thank the GOB for Atlanta’s struggles in the leadoff spot, because that would be the worst mark in the NL otherwise.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Thank you, fourstick
Boog has value defensively. Skip doesn’t, which means if Skip isn’t hitting he’s a replacement level player.
I’m just saying: wait a bit longer to see what happens. If there’s no improvement management won’t stand pat.
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
I swear if we could just have zombie Cardinals
and attach one guy’s stats to another’s…
(technically in a teaching-centric org it can and has been done, but it’s more apparent among the pitchers – teaching pitches to each other is slightly easier than teaching fielding instincts or passing on plate discipline.)
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Okay, Victor Franklinstein, M.D.
"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
this sub-thread grows progressively scarier!!
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
For sure
he’s always been a slow starter, but at some point (read June 1st) something has to give. He either needs to move down in the order or sit. My preference would be to have him sit in favor of Lopez, but I fear he’s going to be sitting with Aaron fucking Miles at the top of the lineup manning the keystone, which scares the living shit of me.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Between you and bgh,
I’m not going to sleep at night.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Boo!
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
his number is free.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
we call it a Stav now.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Ya know, before I discovered the VEB,
I could live with a guy like Miles(not Miles from last year or the year before). I was always happy with the guys that could make the occasional good play and at least looked like they were trying. Mostly because I didn’t get to see many games and was just too damn happy to get to watch them. Now I still don’t see that many games, but I can’t stand the thought of somebody like Miles in BoB red.VEB has stolen my innocence and I don’t know how to get it back.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Ignorance is bliss
So says Joe Morgan.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
by totalloser on May 7, 2010 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
just don't mentally picture anything on VEB
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Judging by last night you don't have to...
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
I'm not clicking on that.....
they could have at least covered the ass cheeks.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
That was bad enough the first time around.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions
That's hilarious.
"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 May 7, 2010 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
noooooooo
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
How about this?
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
That's not funny either.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Also
I hope your realize that we could be paying Kelly Johnson and his 1.048 OPS and same below average defense the same amount of money we’re paying Skip right now to lead off for us.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
My knowledge of Johnson has gone from
Who the F is Kelly Johnson ?
to
Why did Atlanta let F’in Kelly Johnson go?
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
Because he couldn't play second base
and they didn’t think he could hit enough to play LF. Their best performing hitter thus far is Prado, who’s currently manning the keystone for them.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
I see your point, Bgh
but I also remember what happened to AK.
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
What happened to AK will not happen to SS
Skip is one of TLR’s pets, Adam could not get out of the doghouse.
shut up shut up shut up!!!!!
There is no one in Jupiter, it’s just a figment of your imagination……
/slowly rocking in corner.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
Aberrational?
Looking at % of runner on 3rd and scored w/<2 outs
The confidence interval is mean+/-t*s/sqrt(n) = 49.2 at 5% significance level.
The Cards = 38. League average = 53. Aberrational? You betcha. It’s an aberration from the rest of the league. So I think it’s safe to say that this is not just a random aberration, but probably a systematic difference. The sample size and deviations are considered in the confidence interval calculation. This is based on distribution of sample means, e.g. average team performance.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
You can't use a formal standard error on a thing like % of runners scored with runners on 3rd and less than two outs
That’s a very situational stat that I can almost garauntee you will have larger standard errors than other bernoulli trials.
Try doing a split season correlation. Look at how hitting with runner on third and less than two outs in the first half predicts that number in the second half.
Maybe we are not saying the same thing
Since we are talking about the sampling distribution of the mean (or % which is actually equivalent to the mean since it is team %), the central limit theorem applies. So no matter what the shape of the original distribution, the sampling distribution of the mean approaches a normal distribution. Look at the following distribution for National League:
I see no problems with saying that STL is outside the confidence interval. This data includes on the average 67 situations per team to a total of over 1000 situations. dof=15 for number of teams. BTW, I used the font “Albertus” in the figure which is the preferred font in Albertostan.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
Over the last 3 years
Holliday has posted a .874 OPS in April and a final season OPS of .958. He’s a bit of a slow starter.
Think; It's not illegal yet.
Ok...
So this year he had an .814 OPS in April. Does that mean we can expect a .898 OPS at the end of the year?
Because I’m guessing there aren’t going to be a lot of people too happy with that, especially if he continues his multitude of total suck with runners in scoring postion. Currently, with RISP, Holliday is .135/.238/.162/.400 with more strikeouts than hits. I think his inability to come through in run scoring situations is really leading the charge of fan discontent thus far. If he has an .814 OPS but was hitting .340/.364/.528/.892 with RISP (which happens to be what he’s hitting with the bases empty, FYI) I don’t think he’d be perceived to be “struggling”.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
You can't subtract 60 OPS points from the one month sample
and do the same to the full year sample. That’s a math fail.
But, quibble aside, Holliday has a history of being a bit tenuous at the beginning of the season. I could care less what his RISP is (since clutch is, largely, non-existent). If there’s any reason to be concerned it’s his overall production but I don’t think it is that big of a deal . . . yet.
Think; It's not illegal yet.
You also can't compare what he's done the past three years in places other that St. Louis
in terms of starting and finishing, and then imply that he’ll do the same thing here. If you want to use crappy logic, az, then don’t complain when others do the same.
since clutch is, largely, non-existent)
After reading the latest Bill James stuff and some things that Tango has to say on the topic, um, I’m not inclined to believe that there’s no value to being clutch. A lot of saber people have turned around their opinion on this in the last couple of seasons.
We’re dealing with extremely small samples here, but when you continually strike out with the bases loaded or runners on second and third and nobody out, people are going to be pissed, especially when you’re being paid more than anyone else in club history.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
The point being
If you say “well he’s always been a slow starter and he’s always ended up with this” you’re implying that he’s going to make the same improvement this year. Why then, is it a “math fail” for me to simply tack the improvement on to his April OPS for this year? Both use shitty logic and don’t work mathematically, so why the double standard? I’m just pointing out the if he improves the same as in past years he will end up with a sub-.900 OPS and will be getting paid $17M to do so.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
You're taking a 60 OPS drop from a one month sample
and saying that his projection should be 60 points power for the rest of the season. That’s dumb and you know that no projection works that way. You’re too smart for that kind of shallow assessment.
I’m saying he’s shown a trend of being a slow starter and that trend, appears, to continue to hold true. His numbers to date will likely bring down his seasonal line below the 3 year average seasonal line but not by a linear amount. I never said he was going to match career rates (because this April has been worse than usual), I’m saying people should try not to get jazzed up about a historically good player having one bad month in a month where he’s always been a little worse historically.
Think; It's not illegal yet.
Kinda hard not to get jazzed when he's got the shiny new contract.
And that’s probably the whole issue. It’s not him, it’s me.
/yeahgoaheaditeeditupforyou
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
And my point, which you glossed over....
Currently, with RISP, Holliday is .135/.238/.162/.400 with more strikeouts than hits. I think his inability to come through in run scoring situations is really leading the charge of fan discontent thus far. If he has an .814 OPS but was hitting .340/.364/.528/.892 with RISP (which happens to be what he’s hitting with the bases empty, FYI) I don’t think he’d be perceived to be "struggling".
….is that his struggles have been amplified by the fact that he’s REALLY struggling with RISP, when that’s exactly how his signing was sold to the general public. He was going to come in and “protect” Albert Pujols by doing damage when they walk him. Turns out, a lot of this is perception, which is what I’m trying to point out. Doing the math, he’s hitting .307/.348/.667 in 43 PA’s where a man in on first, since those would be the instances after a Pujols walk or single (not all of them are obviously, but I am not Elias, so I can’t track all of these). It would be interesting to see what his numbers are after a Pujols walk.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Holliday after a Pujols walk
2-16, 5K, BB, good for a .153/.176/.188
"I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order. Like they should be."
Oh, and a GIDP for good measure
"I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order. Like they should be."
And on clutch
I know it exists. I know there’s value in it. The value is small. The repeatability or classification of it as a “skill” is sketchy. It varies a lot from year to year so that most players are true talent nuetral in clutch situations. I’ve read the information.
And I know that it may upset people because he’s been bad in that situation to date. I’m saying that isn’t important because moving forward it isn’t something you should project out.
Think; It's not illegal yet.
I am still on the fence on this
One article that addressed this is Ruane’s In Search Of Clutch Hitting: Ruane
I can understand why folks agree with Ruane. But he does throw out walks and HBP, and I also have some other reservations about his methodology. And he said,
this doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t some real differences buried in all that noise, only that I’m not sure I found them
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
one problem with the idea of clutch hitting
is that it ignores the idea of clutch pitching.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
don't forget clutch coaching decisions
It’s not anything quantifiable, but I do think some people are more predisposed to deal with high pressure situations than others. Even in slow pitch softball there is definitely a different level of adrenaline flowing when there is somebody on base in a close game than when the bases are empty. Some players are better at controlling that adrenaline than others. Doesn’t mean they’ll always get a hit, but in a game of failure, they probably give the team a better chance. (see Molina, Yadier)
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
It would be neat to see a counter-part study on clutch pitching to
see if there is evidence. I think the data is richer for pitching because of pitch FX. Great idea, Sleepy.
born Dodger blue, now dyed Cardinals red
Nobody says that there is not value to being clutch
Yadi’s been incredibly valuable as a hitter because he’s been so clutch, for example.
The thing is that 50 at bats worth of unclutch performance is not predictive AT ALL. That’s not to say that clutch doesn’t exist, just that it takes many more at bats before you can make that determination based off of his stats alone.
I said nothing about it being predictive
I simply said he’s been awful so far, and the stats prove it.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Zips for Matt
preseason – .399
current – .384
That’s a bit over a half win difference in value over the course of a season (depending on playing time).
Think; It's not illegal yet.
What stat?
wOBA?
"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
yeah
i said this a day or two ago, but i’ll be happy if he just carries the team in the second half and (presuming we are in it) hits well in the playoffs. other guys need to step up now when he’s slumping, colby was doing that but he seems to be in one of his slumps too.
at this point we’re really missing Lopex, sucks that his elbow got hurt. thanks for pitching him two innings, tlr
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
He only pitched one inning.
And Lopez kept his elbow soreness from the team, probably so he wouldn’t miss playing time. Remember, he’s on an incentive-laden deal. His omission sure backfired on him.
You can read it in any tone you like.
oh yeah
that was mather that pitched two innings, I was just hoping at the time that lopez pitched two instead of mather. I guess we’re lucky he didn’t.
and it’s another case of a cardinal hiding an injury. grrrreat
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm going to guess that most baseball players hide minor injuries.
You can read it in any tone you like.
The fine line between playing hurt,
and playing injured.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
so he should be back pretty soon, eh?
hope so
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
according to strauss
the cards’ FO is hopeful he will be out weeks, not months.
i expect an announcement of TJ surgery by the all star break
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
If that's the case, at least he was cheap.
Still a tough pill to swallow.
You can read it in any tone you like.
yeah
he seemed to be the missing link for the offense (although hopefully Holliday will prove to be that)
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
all star break?
I was thinking more like August
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
Just curious about the Bandwagon comment
Did a lot of Red Sox fans suddenly spring up in the Midwest? I can’t imagine there being more Red Sox fans in Missouri than Yankees fans. In my experience, the biggest bandwagon populations are Yankee, Laker, and Dallas Cowboy “fans”.
But in reality, I don’t know what the sports landscape looks like in the Midwest. The only indication I’ve gotten that the Red Sox have become a bandwagon team on par with the Yankees is when they introduce Little League teams from Kentucky or Texas and almost every kid is a Yankee or Red Sox fan. So maybe you’re right.
You are correct in that the Red Sox did experience one very large local bandwagon moment in its history, namely in 1967 with “The Impossible Dream” team. (And we know what happened to them in the WS.) Now the local fanbase had the rise of the “pink hats” in the last decade, a population well-ridiculed on sports radio, namely by asking simple questions about the team to Pink Hats and Drunk Fans filing out of Fenway after a game.
Or is this shot just to show we all still bitter about a superior Red Sox team sweeping Woody Williams and Jeff Suppan out of the World Series in 2004?
Red Sox fans in Iowa.
There are a lot more than you would think. Kids from Atlantic, West Des Moines, and Sioux City—who have no family connection to the Northeast—are Red Sox fans. It’s unbelievable.
"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 May 7, 2010 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions
04-07 I've never seen so many B hats...
to the point I bought this shirt:
Since the yanks took back over and Tampa Bay came out of nowhere I’ve seen much much fewer B hats.
"How depressing is it being you? Would you equate it to being a lifelong Cubs fan?"
by rocKStark5 on May 7, 2010 10:05 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I see a lot of red sox fans in chicago
I’m not sure if they are cubs fan defectors, since they really started to crop up after they swept us years ago in the WS, or if they are actually people from Boston mostly. I’m thinking both.
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
after the 04 ALCS suddenly every person i knew was a red sox fan.
in arizona. and then they all acted so condescending to me when the cardinals lost. its the most pissed off i’ve ever been for an extended period of time. like, its bad enough my team got swept in the first world series they played in since i became a fan, and then you have to go rubbing it in my face like you’ve been following this team since before you were born when 2 months ago you were a fucking orioles fan who grew up in d.c. and hated all of the AL east.
/rant
/deep breaths
"Did you just grow a mustache?"
"While SPINNING."
My fiance and I have had some interesting discussions concerning the pink hats.
She’s from Maine and grew up Sawx fan and she can’t stand the pink hats herself. And yes, we have had some very interesting discussions concerning the 04 WS.lol
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
a friend of mine became a sawx fan in '04
at the beginning of the season because they were the best team on the MVP video game at the time. Then they win the WS and he acts like he’s a die hard fan. BS.
There’s another guy I know in Chicago who’s from michigan and is a Sawx fan. BS.
"...football games always make me thankful for two things:
1. Teams that pass the ball downfield.
2. Baseball games. "
--DanUpBaby
We really can’t give Holliday that much heat. Remember how bad he was at the begenning of the season last year with the A’s? At least he’s not playing that poorly
by The Real Da'Rick on May 7, 2010 9:54 AM EDT reply actions
The only difference is that last year he had an excuse beyond just being a slow starter.
New tteam, new giant-ass ballpark, new league. Nothing here is new. He’s just looking like somebody that’s not giving in production, what they are getting in money. I hope that it changes fairly quickly. I’m sure he will comeback eventually, but I’m sharpening my pitchfork just in case. Just playing the part of the average disgruntled fan here.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions
how close are they to Bristol?
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Busch Stadium is very rough on right-handed batters.
"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
Since last year, he's been traded to St. Louis
Hit well initially, Dropped a fly ball in the playoffs, Signed a big contract, and is Slumping with RISP.
I know the odds say he’ll get going, but right now…ugh. The season is six months long, but we could have used something from him yesterday.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
Maybe my memory is wrong, but wasn’t he trying to hit without his leg kick or not as much leg kick based on advice from a hitting coach or similar and when he went back to it, he went back to hitting more his norm?
Guess who was the one who gave him that advice and where that person is employed now.
by Tom_Lawless_Bat_Flip on May 7, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
IIRC, it was Holliday that approached McGwire about the change
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
The same guy who told him
to start using the leg kick in the first place?
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
Goold wrote a post on this subject
after Boras inferred that McGwire as hitting coach would not help the Cardinals re-sign Holliday because McGwire gave bad advice. Here are some parts from Goold’s post:
Denver Post baseball writer Troy Renck explained it back in 2007 as Holliday was putting together a season worthy of the National League MVP award. (It went to Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins; Holliday finished second.) Renck writes about how Holliday embraced the leg kick as the best way for him, and how it was McGwire who encouraged it.
…
The idea behind ditching the leg kick was, according to Holliday, to keep him from committing on a pitch and to give him better coverage of the plate by starting his swing a microsecond later. McGwire suggested and Holliday agreed that he had been doing it long enough that it was time to try and see if his head stayed still and his timing was there without the leg kick. In hindsight, it wasn’t. Holliday returned to the flamingo of his best seasons and he started taking off from there.
…
McGwire giveth the leg kick. McGwire taketh away. And Holliday will tell you that McGwire forced nothing upon him and that he, and he alone, is responsible for his swing. Holliday was adamant when we talked about the return of his leg kick: His swing. His decision.
And, for what it’s worth, I don’t think Holliday is slumping today because of leg kicking or not leg kicking.
"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 May 7, 2010 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
this last series was just... bad.
but hey, we’re playing the pirates now. shouldn’t be a problem, right?
…right?
and i realized that my fantasy team is the only undefeated one in the yahoo league right now – and i hardly check it.
Best moment I've ever seen at a Cards game in person
Felipe Lopez for closer!
Revive the stache, Boog.
i wanna see Ludwick back in a run producing spot!
He was hitting the ball well in the #2 spot (prior to his 3 0-fer games) but i dont think thats the right spot for him.
He drives in runs!!! He should be back hitting 5th.
Milt Thompson FTW!
Then who hits at #2?
Rasmus is the next choice, but TLR isn’t going to put both lefties back to back.
I like Ludwick at #2, and it sure seems like he likes it there as well.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
...Freese?
/free association
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
but then Pujols will be distracted by Holliday's big head as he studies the pitcher
sounds good to me
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Holliday is being paid to be The Protector of Albert.
Granted baseball has it backwards, as the protectors are behind the protectee, but still.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
IMO, it should not make him magically exempt from Because Tony La Russa.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Sooooper Genius
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
Interesting...
(Forgot about him.)
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
How about Molina?
I prefer Ludwick in terms of likelihood to GIDP, but Molina can surely go 1st to 3rd on a Pujols double. That’s probably the best place for his legs, in front of the thumpers and where there’s rarely a rationale to steal.
Guys like Bradley are exactly why we can't have a pumpkin patch anymore.
Yadi's not hitting into as many this year though, is he?
Last year, he was damn near the most automatic DP machine I have ever witnessed. If the runner was on second or third, he would get a good hit, but if there was a man first, it was a week grounder to SS or 2B every time.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
*weak
The internet is killing my spelling and grammar.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
That would cut down on the chance of it happening then.
And since Yadi’s a contact hitter, it’s a safe bet that there won’t be a strike em out, throw em out. As long as he doesn’t hit it in the air right at somebody.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Remember the argument we were having a couple weeks ago....
about which outfield you’d rather have? The Dodgers or the Cardinals?
Anyone backing the Cardinal outfield want to revist this now?
Dodgers OF: .307/.371/.543/.914 (and that’s with Manny on the shelf for the last 2 weeks)
Cardinals OF: .265/.349/.460/.809 (and that’s with no significant injuries)
I think we can also put away the ridiculous assertion that Ludwick (105 OPS+) = Ethier (209 OPS+) as well.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
How about the MIF disparity?
Dodgers: .302/.392/.393/.784
Cardinals: .208/.297/.277/.574
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
Thank goodness for Dave Duncan! :))
good point, fourstick. I’m dreaming of the LAD MIF production in front of AP, Freese, CR, Yadi, and yes Holliday. What a force!
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
I'll swap Kelly Johnson for Skip
Same cost, same below average defense, much better bat.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Isn't Skip more expensive with his new contract?
"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
Not this year
He’s only making $2M this season ($2.7M in 2011). Johnson’s making $2.35M on a one year deal, and will surely get a large raise if he’s able to keep this up.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Also
I believe he will still be going to arbitration next year because he doesn’t have enough PT. Hell of a good deal.
In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.
In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)
that's a big part.
Of course, the defense of our corner outfielders and other defensive gems in the field make up some of that difference.
It’s hardly fair to ludwick to compare him to ethier and not mention ludwick’s defensive value.
Off the top of my head, ludwick was worth 2.0 wins last year and ethier 2.5, mostly because the two players defense offset their offensive value.
"We were men - flesh and blood - and we played baseball in the sunshine. We hit doubles off the wall, slid hard into second base. We had fights, and we made love. We sang songs and prayed on Sundays. . . . We felt pain. And we felt joy. There was a lot wrong with the world. But we weren't sad, man. We had the times of our lives." Buck O'Neil, from "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America."
by tom s. on May 7, 2010 12:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
To be fair to Ethier
He’s a LF playing in RF because they have Manny Ramirez. TBH, the Dodgers should look to add a Ludwick type RF in the offseason when Manny leaves so they can put Ethier in LF where he belongs.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
to be fair
i think you and me could go out there tonight and start at second and short and hit just as well or better than boog and skip have to this point.
the fact that floppy has gotten some start at those two positions as well and hit well and the numbers still look that bad is just nasty.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm just trying to have a little fun here
Stop being so, you know, LOGICAL!
I just wish we could have traded for the last 2 weeks, that’s all.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
fangraphs WAR (just for good measure)
luddy: .5 colby: 1.2 holliday: 1.0 TOTAL: 2.7
either: 1.2 kemp: -.2 manny/other dudes: .6/0 TOTAL: 1.6
i know Manny has been hurt, but would he be worth an additional .9 WAR at this point? maybe. even then, the OFs would be even.
defense has a lot to do with this, obviously, but its an important factor, IMO.
"Did you just grow a mustache?"
"While SPINNING."
by IHeartBoog on May 7, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Don't forget defense
Dodgers OF UZR: -16.7 (last in MLB by far, 7 runs below the second-worst team)
Cardinals OF UZR: +10.1 (3rd in MLB, 0.6 runs out of first)
That’s almost 3 wins, on defense alone, over the course of 25 games. And it would probably not be any closer if Manny was out there every day.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
it would probably be worse.
holliday’s defense has been pretty solid thus far.
i’ll take our OF over theirs. the RISP BA will improve.
"Did you just grow a mustache?"
"While SPINNING."
ot: cj beatty is excited about
Before anyone compares
Brett Wallace’s 1.007 OPS for Toronto’s AAA squad vs. Holliday’s .780, <a href=“http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?pl=477165”Brett’s luck-neutralized MLE is .768…
Just sayin’.
Guys like Bradley are exactly why we can't have a pumpkin patch anymore.
Let's also mention
that a WAG guess on Brett Wallace’s defense in LF has him worth -1,468 runs over 150 games.
Just sayin’.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
this.
i could really do without the brett wallace comparisons until he’s, you know, on a major league team.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
which should, you know, happen pretty soon
Numbers for Toronto first baseman in 2010
And we thought WE had problems…
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
oh wow that's ugly
i used to like lyle overbay too. remember when he first came into the league with the d-backs then got traded to the brewers. that was back when i could stand the brewers.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I've secretly been hoping he was going to suck
For a couple of reasons:
- I have Brett Wallace on my reserve roster for my dynasty league.
- I have Adam Lind, who would be more valuable if he got some starts at 1B.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
OT: JoePo's blogpost about Robin Roberts...
Having played ball in the park that bears Roberts’ name, I appreciate these stories.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
Do you think we go 2-2 if Carp throws against Philly?
That happened last,iirc. We ended up with Jo-el, Kyle, and Welle, pitching against Philly in Philly.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the failures in Philly are hitting related
8 LOB, 2-10 RISP (W)
10 LOB, 1-9 RISP (L)
6 LOB, 0-4 RISP (L)
9 LOB, 1-12 RISP (L)
4-35 RISP total. Sigh.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
I think this whole Philly debacle
is Monk’s fault.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
or maybe people watching Lost.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
Lost sucks
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
THIS.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions
my opinion is an error
heh
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
The stark light of reality sucks.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
And the heavy diet of lobster
Doesn’t help digestion either.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
while it sucks while it's happening,
Excess men left on base is a nice problem to have, because it’s likely to even out in the end. It’s better to have a good team that struggles to score because it leaves men on base than a bad team that struggles to score b/c it stinks and that isn’t going to get better.
Also, remember the LOB issue is a one-way psychological phenomenon but a two-way statistical phenomenon. Nobody notices when we get six baserunners and score four runs.
I would rather have an LOB issue than most other issues.
"We were men - flesh and blood - and we played baseball in the sunshine. We hit doubles off the wall, slid hard into second base. We had fights, and we made love. We sang songs and prayed on Sundays. . . . We felt pain. And we felt joy. There was a lot wrong with the world. But we weren't sad, man. We had the times of our lives." Buck O'Neil, from "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America."
by tom s. on May 7, 2010 12:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It's also one of the more frustrating things in baseball due to
the perception that teams who can’t get timely hits are “bad offensively”.
FWIW, our pitchers are 5th in the big leagues* with a LOB% rate of 76.8%, so we’re doing this as much or more to other teams as they are doing it to us, I would think.
Thing is, Fangraphs doesn’t list that stat for offense, which kinda sucks.
*I think the Rays might lead the majors in every statistical category right now. Even “nose hair”. They’re that good.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
You guys bring up some very good points.
And in the back of my mind I know, but it’s just tough to watch them flail away when there are runners right there just begging to be brought in and wins to be had.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
They're that good
And right now Zobrist, their #3 hitter, isn’t doing squat. What a beastly offense.
Neither has Carlos Pena
If those two guys get going and Price/Niemann/Davis don’t fall off of a cliff they’ll run away with that division, even with the World Champ Yankees playing in it.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
Philly's numbers
3 LOB, 1-2 RISP
6 LOB, 0-8 RISP
3 LOB, 0-1 RISP
9 LOB, 3-9 RISP
4-20 RISP total.
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
so we actually outpitched them by a wide margin
the bats just couldn’t get it done with RISP.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
What hurts the most
is that Game 3 was the worst of those starting pitchers, even though it looks like our club was less pathetic in that game.
We should be happy to have 19 baserunners in two games against Hamels and Halladay, we just need some timely hits in a couple of those games.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
...was being so close (to scoring runs)
Blaine Matthew Burns: Albert Pujols' biggest fan (his first words will for sure be "Albert Pujols is RIDICULOUS")
never has BA been proven
to be such an empty stat. We have three regulars hitting .300 plus, two more over .275. Yet we’re 8th in runs scored.
"They're so stunned they didn't even boo!"
John Rooney 5/3/10 referring to Philly fans on Cards 5-run 7th inning
We still have to score runs...
Maybe Carp instead of Lohse gives up 3-4 instead of 7. I mean, other than Kyle, you can’t be upset with any starter’s performance.
is there anyway to get BABIP for the team in ABs with RISP?
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 12:53 PM EDT reply actions
probably not without just doing the math
H / (AB – HR – K)
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
B-R splits
Answer is .247, vs .328 w/ bases empty.
Another interesting stat: besides having a terrible BABIP, we have just 3 SFs in 53 PA’s w/ man on 3rd, lt 2 outs. We have more GIDP’s in that situation (5) than SFs.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
the league as a whole
actually has a higher BABIP with RISP than with bases empty (.301 vs .294) and has 123 SF’s to 52 GIDP’s. Looking at past year data (2005-2009) the SF/GIDP ratio should be slightly over 2:1.
So our experience is highly untypical. We should be scoring a lot more runs than we have been.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
i figured this might be the case
so by luck alone, the cardinals should definitely be scoring more runs with RISP.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
of course, we also K a lot
5th-most in MLB, so far this year. That isn’t conducive to getting guys home from third.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
well
there are a lot of people on the club striking out at a higher rate than normal.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions
bernie wrote a nice little blog post yesterday on the holliday situation
he noted a few things that i think are relevant to this discussion:
*on may 10th, 2009, holliday was hitting .226/.282/.383
*before yesterday’s game, holliday was hitting .276/.333/.457
*his career OBP in april is .355 while his career SLG in april in .490, the lowest (by far) of his monthly averages
*after may 10th last year, holliday finished the year going .335/.419 /.547
obviously, we all notice that 4 for 36 (or whatever it is) with RISP. while some may factor in the clutch aspect (which yes, it does exist), there’s no way holliday is this bad with RISP. 4 for 36 is unsustainably bad, and the numbers are going to even out at some point. fourstick pointed out his slash line with the bases empty a little farther up in the thread, and that’s more of what i think we’ll see with RISP from holliday by the end of the year. he’s just not going to hit this bad for five more months.
anyway, that was my long way of saying i’m not worried.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 1:01 PM EDT reply actions
damnit, SBn'd
those *’s were supposed to be bullets. oh well.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
i have a cold and i'm still waking up
i’ll blame whoever the hell i want to blame. in this case, i guess i should probably just blame myself.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I guess we are about to find out if the pirates are streaking
or if the cubs are just not very good.
btw, the idea of pirates streaking is pretty disturbing
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 1:06 PM EDT reply actions
Didn't Albert use pink bats in the past on Mother's day?
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
Does Dennys' pink bat
also come with a Grand Slam Breakfast?
If so, it should have a value of around $12.99 or so.
Can Colby round out our new MV3?
From that same article.....
The Rays are real good. Cards run diff is +34, good for 3rd in the NL.
Those surging Rays are by far the best in baseball, with a +83.
Asshattery: it's an epidemic.
Also, Dave Concepcion.
Rays pitching leads the league in LOB%
Their team wOBA is only .340, and their team xFIP is around 4.50 (albeit with a very good defense).
I wonder if they’re not off to a lucky start.
Its funny to me that Reyes and Miller are two of the Cards using pink bats
What are the odds that either of them gets an AB?
relievers best be taking BP!!
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
a completely random 'shop
stupid wiki. stupid lunch boredom.
→ black and white
→ in color
I don’t even agree with this, because the head and body shapes are all wrong, but reading here, you’ll get an idea of what sparked this.
Here’s the original old-timey headshot.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
needs more sepia
>Pitcher Change: Felipe Lopez replaces Ryan Franklin, batting 7th, replacing third baseman Felipe Lopez
black and white link
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
interesting
we’ve had two of four, at least. though I can’t recall any problems with them. so maybe it’s the incumbents?
for the record… crew chiefs, crew letter (team):
April
- Mike Reilly, M (Reds)
- Jeff Kellogg, G (Brewers)
- Gary Darling, P (Astros)
- Dana DeMuth, K (Mets)
- Gary Cederstrom, A (D-backs)
- Mike Reilly, M (Giants)
- Dale Scott, B (Braves)
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
other than this series
wasn’t there one other series we didn’t like the umpires?
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah
but it wasn’t as bad. can’t remember which series though
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
i thought the same thing
so i’m just going to go with that. so, we’ve had two of them and both have been fine. (new crew chiefs, that is).
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions
uhhh off the top of my head
SF for the strike zone, Braves for not calling the lightning downpour game, and there were some strike zone things in Milwaukee.
don’t quote me, though. the game threads might be more accurate.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
we've had Reilly behind home plate twice so far
his strike zone has been completely inconsistent both times
what a lame ump
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey
the crew that called the Pads/Brews series, West, Hernandez and I forget the other two, were calling stuff in the batters box. It was enormous. At the same time, pitches where the entire ball passed through the zone were called balls now and then. I think AGone got booted from his first game.
Goold has a nice piece
on redefining, or refining, the quality start. LINK
You can read it in any tone you like.
i read that as strauss at first
and the whole time i’m reading it, my jaw is hanging open thinking about how joe strauss wrote something like this
"Moneyball: It's kind of like communism."
take two unicorn and call veb in the morning
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
you're experiencing joe strauss flashbacks
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
The Gibson
That’s effin great.
You're the fail to my win?
"There is not a better feeling in the whole world than knowing that you are the best team in both leagues."- Bob Forsch on winning the 1982 World Series.
by MaytheForschbewithyou on May 7, 2010 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I wonder if Irish people searching the internet are annoyed by this baseball fellow
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
there's also one in Delaware
who apparently hits for power.
Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT
two people shot in old navy on state street
I know people who work around there, they are safe though. don’t know much more than that. also heard rumor that someone was shot on the dan ryan expressway.
goes back to working
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 3:10 PM EDT reply actions
Tonight Lineup via FSNMW Tweet
Schumaker 2B
Ludwick RF
Pujols 1B
Holliday LF
Freese 3B
Molina C
Rasmus CF
Carpenter SP
Ryan SS
....my quick smells like french toast...
Twitter: @mstreeter06
I'm sure this has been mentioned
but part of what’s happened the last few games may also be due to the guys just being exhausted. They’ve played 14 straight games across 3 time zones without a day off, which can’t be easy. By Sunday, it’ll be 17 straight games.
Good job scheduling, MLB.
Well the girls would turn the color of the avocado when he would drive down the street in his El Dorado... -the modern lovers
yeah
and it’s no fun playing in philly against the other really good team on short rest
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't even know how to respond to this...
"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 May 7, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
sounds similar to us signing holliday
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 4:35 PM EDT reply actions
says who?
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions
says who?
and you need to tweet more.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions
no one can tweet as much as you though
jk
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
this is true.
i’m unstoppable.
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn't realize that following you meant that I was subject to adopting your tweet-regimen.
You can read it in any tone you like.
really?
follow me on twitter @nickg105
by stlcardinalsfang on May 7, 2010 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions
hope it ends up being a better deal!
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
those ARE really bad sunglasses
he is a bit eccentric
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2010 5:52 PM EDT reply actions
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