We do not need to panic about Jhonny Peralta's injury - A Hunt and Peck

When news of Jhonny Peralta's thumb ligament tear reached me, I was immediately stunned. All players can become injured at any given time, but for some reason, the thought of Peralta missing time had not really occurred to me. When I had to look into the future and see our bleak, Jhonny-less existence I initially did not like what I saw. The options left at the position, while palatable, still will not replace the production Jhonny Peralta would ultimately provide, production that will be essential in the dogfight that will be the NL Central.

For this, I got called a "pessimistic asshole".

Technically, they called Viva el Birdos as a whole that, but it was in response to something I wrote, so really it was me. And I take umbrage.

I am not pessimistic. I never been called such in my life. And today, I shall prove it.

The Cardinals will survive the two to three months without Jhonny Peralta. It appears that John Mozeliak is looking for external options, but if he is unable to find some low-hanging fruit, the Cardinals will still survive. Aledmys Diaz was acquired for such an instance like this. Now is the time to put him to the test. Jeff Sullivan from Fangraphs agrees with me:

But it's Diaz, I think, who should have this opportunity....

I don't think this is a situation that calls for, say, a Jurickson Profar blockbuster. I think it calls for staying in-house, playing Diaz and mixing in some Gyorko, and then re-evaluating if you have to in June or July. Something tells me there's going to be an Alexei Ramirez on the market.

Diaz's play seems to back up Sullivan's faith in him. Per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch:

Diaz reclaimed a spot on the 40-man roster this offseason with a strong finish last season. Acquired two years as the Cardinals' first stride into the Cuban market, Diaz struggled through his first 1½ seasons with an arm injury and general rust. He had not played competitively in more than a year, and his timing and body lagged. After July 2015, he soared. Diaz hit .337 with a .402 OBP and a .584 slugging percentage in his final 199 at-bats of the minor-league season. Include his .616 slugging percentage in the invitation-only Arizona Fall League, and the righthanded-hitting Diaz slugged .552 as a shortstop in his final 277 at-bats of 2015.

To borrow a line from the delightful Dick Vermil: The Cardinals can rally around Aledmys Diaz, and they can play good baseball.

[grumbles] Call me pessimistic.

The Cardinals Already Have an In-House Shortstop | FanGraphs Baseball

Cardinals weigh options with Peralta out | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com

what else is going on in baseball...

• Injuries testing Dodgers' rotation depth | dodgers.com
• Mets' Shannon Forde dies of breast cancer | mets.com
• Today in Baseball History: Larry Hisle becomes the first DH in Major League history | MLB.com
• Brian Bannister on Changeups | FanGraphs Baseball
• The 5 most interesting players in the NL West | SBNation.com
• The Rockies carried on Troy Tulowitzki's tradition of hosting pediatric cancer patients even though he was traded | SBNation.com

what the cardinals are up to...

• Cardinals' Wainwright poised to lead Cards | cardinals.com
• Burke Badenhop got Aledmys Diaz to roll over a ball so hard, the seams popped | MLB.com
• Jhonny Peralta Potentially Out for 2-3 Months | FanGraphs Baseball
• The Cardinals Already Have an In-House Shortstop | FanGraphs Baseball
• Cardinals weigh options with Peralta out | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• Holliday makes debut at first base | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the nl central

• Brewers' beloved Hank the Dog not replaced | MLB.com
• KATOH Projects: Milwaukee Brewers Prospects | FanGraphs Baseball
• Munenori Kawasaki gave the Cubs sweet headbands and the gift of song | MLB.com
• The Cubs and Jake Arrieta disagree on years for 'mega extension' | SBNation.com