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I am not superstitious, I am merely a little stitious. I cannot help but notice, however, that anytime I bring up something good about the Cardinals, the team or player immediately does the opposite of what I had praised them for. So today we are going to try something different. Today we are trying for the REVERSE JINX.
Matt Carpenter is not getting on base
Last week — three days ago, really — I wrote an optimistic note about Matt Carpenter. Well, I take it back! Since I wrote that Matt Carpenter went 0-9 with a walk and three strikeouts. Is that really evidence of anything? No, but I am going to nip this in the bud before it gets worse.
Marcell Ozuna has gone cold
On April 26 I discussed how the Cardinals had one of the best offenses in the National League. Since then, Ozuna has hit for a 59 wRC+, per Fangraphs, going 13 for 73 in the time with two home runs.
Ozuna isn’t the only Cardinal to cool since then either.
Paul Goldschmidt has gone cold
My jinx has gone beyond where I thought possible. I though Goldschmidt was untouchable by curses, but since my post on April 26 he has a 75 wRC+. He has gone 17 for 73 with one home run in that time. And that is with a .348 BABIP. Goldy has struck out 20 times in those 73 at bats.
One good thing!
I hesitate to bring up the good work I have done in reverse-jinxing the starters. I don’t want to jinx my reverse jinx. However, since I mentioned the starters proclivity to giving up homers, they have given up less homers. In the last two weeks the starters’ homers/nine innings is .88. For the season it is 1.63.
Hopefully the universe will accept my humble offering. I promise to be more careful in the future.
what else is going on in baseball...
Albert Pujols homers for career RBI No. 2,000 | MLB.com
Fan who caught Pujols' 2,000th RBI to return it | MLB.com
Yankees angry with hit by pitches from Rays | MLB.com
MLB players share memories for Mother's Day | MLB.com
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Team Defense So Far | FanGraphs Baseball
Are Starters Improving Relative to Relievers? | FanGraphs Baseball
Byron Buxton’s Slow Rise to Stardom | FanGraphs Baseball
FanGraphs Audio: Craig Edwards Lowers and Raises the Alarm | FanGraphs Baseball
what the cardinals are up to...
Cardinals give Mother's Day tributes | St. Louis Cardinals
Cardinals score 17 runs in offensive outburst | MLB.com
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
the nl central
Javier Baez's smooth slide into third base | MLB.com
Willson Contreras hits walk-off home run | MLB.com
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