Cards News and Notes: Big Win, Albert, Matheny

First up yesterday, I looked at Matheny's choices with regard to the reliever usage. He's done well, as the highest leverage situations have went to the best pitchers, and the best relievers are no longer being used at league-leading rates like they were last year.

Lil Scoot, in her Hunt and Peck, shares a highlight reel of some classic Albert moments as a Cardinal. Ozzie Smith was a big part of my childhood and making me want to play baseball, but I also only saw the tail end of his career. Watching Albert Pujols' Hall of Fame prime has certainly been one of the best aspects of my Cardinals fandom, and I can't thank him enough for that. And I can't thank him enough for turning down the Cardinals' best offer.

Next up was Craig with a piece on Matheny's continued insistence on hitting Aledmys Diaz eighth. Lineup order doesn't mean all that much, but let me tell you it is getting more and more ridiculous the longer it continues. Matheny's rationale is that Diaz is comfortable in the eighth spot and he doesn't want to change that but the implication that he might struggle hitting in a different spot in the order is silly in my opinion.

Craig was busy today, with another piece on why the Cardinals should destroy the Angels. OK, that's what he says about every series, but the Angels right now are basically about as bad as a team with the best player in baseball at a discount and a payroll right up against the luxury tax can be. They have no farm either, so I guess Angels fans get to have Trout as a consolation prize for their absolutely terrible short and long term outlook.

True to Craig's word, the Cardinals indeed did destroy the Angels. Check out the game thread for VEB's takes as they happened and here is StlCardsFan4's post-game breakdown.

Tomorrow is Jaime Day! Jaime Garcia takes on Matt Shoemaker, who has not been good at all in 2016. He holds a 9.15/6.75/4.94 ERA/FIP/xFIP in 5 starts in which he's accumulated just 20 2/3 IP, or just over four IP per start. Hopefully, with the weak starter the Cards continue the "feast" part of the "feast or famine" offense narrative. Cards enter the day two back of the second Wild Card, though if you mentally eliminate the Phillies who aren't really good, they're just a half game back of the Pirates and Marlins for that play-off spot. Go Cardinals!