Introducing the brand new Birds on the Chat Podcast. All Cardinals talk, all the time.
MLB
This Bud’s a Closer
Greg Holland made his debut for the Cardinals walking 4 over 1/3 of an inning eventually earning the loss. The Cardinals signed Holland for the pressure situations during the season but to expect him to come in and make an impact right away is unfair to him and unfair to the fanbase. The Cardinals have an answer for the closing role but Mike Matheny for some reason wants to fight it and force Greg Holland into the role. That answer is former Cardinal killer Bud Norris.
Bud Norris converted to the bullpen full time last year while with the Los Angeles Angels. Norris began the season as the Angels closer and found some immediate success. Norris’s 2017 strikeouts per nine spiked dramatically, going from just under eight to well above ten strikeouts per nine innings, mostly due to his developing cutter. Before suffering the knee problems Norris was very comparable to Holland in nearly every statistic according to fangraphs.
While Norris was finding his niche in the bullpen Greg Holland was also finding success as closer for the Colorado Rockies. But similarly to Norris an injury caused second half trouble for Holland. While Holland finished the 2017 season tied with Kenley Janson for the most saves in the National League there was still some issues with arm fatigue. Holland throughout the year was showing signs of velocity loss in his fast ball which scared off many potential suitors during the offseason. Cardinals management signed Holland to a 1 year $14million contract because they felt they saw a need that would put them over the top in the NL Central, but they cannot force Holland into the role with a couple of Palm Beach appearances. Holland needs time to get comfortable both on the mound and with his new team. That does not mean that Cardinals have to lose. Use Holland in situations that are stressful but do not set him up to fail until he is at full strength.
Bud Norris has been great over the first two weeks of the season getting a hold and a save in two of the four Cardinal wins. He has shown the ability to handle high leverage situations early and has a veteran presence on the mound. I understand that Greg Holland is the closer the fanbase wants and he will eventually be the guy they want, but he needs time to work on his mechanics. He is not a fireball closer like Aroldis Chapman or Wade Davis. Holland’s game is about movement and location similar to an aging Mariano Rivera.
The signing of Holland made sense on multiple levels for the Redbirds but again this has turned into a case of Mike Matheny making a bad decision with the bullpen. Relievers live a life of ups and downs, confidence is a huge part of the game. Putting Holland in a tough situation to start the year is the exact situation that needs to be avoided. Ease him into the role early in the season. I am not saying he should get special treatment but his ego had to take a pretty big shot taking this long to sign with a team. Matheny and new pitching coach Mike Maddux have a tough task ahead of them trying to fit new bullpen pieces into the puzzle. They have to let the new arms develop there role.
Bud Norris isn’t a flashy name he probably isn’t even the guy for the job in the long run, but right now with a bullpen of uncertainty he is the only one that has been certain. The Cardinals have a team ready to win right now and he gives them the best chance to finish off games. Don’t look at this as a game with defined roles based off of projections. Look at the guy that right now gives you the best chance to win. His name is Devin “Bud” Norris and he should be the closer.
Wainwright or Flaherty? The Debate
Adam Wainwright has been the backbone of the St. Louis Cardinals rotation since he became a full time starter in 2007. 146 wins over his career has earned him the respect of players and fans alike, but as he steps on the mound Thursday for the Cardinals home opener the fan base has been split on whether this is the right decision.
Jack Flaherty has been a top prospect in the Cardinals system for the last few seasons. Reaching as high as #38 on MLB.com’s prospect rankings. The former first round pick carried his spring training momentum into the regular season striking out 9 over 5 innings against the vaunted Milwaukee Brewers lineup. Flaherty had the misfortune of being the odd man out of the rotation with the return of Wainwright. The question for Flaherty is, What happens next?
Flaherty will continue to make starts in Memphis. While he has nothing more to prove in the minors sending Flaherty down was the only choice to the Cardinals. Wainwright may one day be an option for the bullpen but as of now you have to see if he still has anything left in the tank. If he does have the ability to get outs it can be a huge asset to a playoff run with his veteran presence on the mound. No one will debate that Flaherty was great in Milwaukee, but has not yet earned the confidence to say that he is the answer in the rotation. 2017’s 6+ ERA may be a thing of the past but it still lingers in the mind of Cardinals management.
The reason the move has caused such a backlash from Cardinals Nation is really due to Cardinals management giving mixed signals to its fanbase. During the offseason John Mozeliak made it clear that the Cardinals were set with their young arms. They planned to move forward with the young arms rather then spend money on a veteran like Jason Vargas or bringing back long time Cardinal Lance Lynn. After making such a bold statement in the offseason they seem to contradict themselves by sending down the young arm before you are sure your veteran is ready to go.
The St. Louis fanbase lives for their Cardinals. They are allowed to question the decisions by management. But when you look at this situation, this was the only move that made sense. Adam Wainwright is not going to the bullpen, Jack Flaherty makes no sense moving to the bullpen. By sending Flaherty down now it also allows him to continue his regular rotation spot. Flaherty has to stay positive – especially with the injury histories of Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright – the uncertainty of Luke Weaver and Miles Mikolas there will be a spot for the young hurler to make an impact in the 2018 season.
Jack Flaherty is going to be a good, possibly great starting pitcher on the major league level but he has to be patient and mature during this process. Go talk to Carson Kelly about how to handle this situation. Don’t ask Pham.
Former Grizzlie makes MLB start
When you are a kid playing little league you dream of making it to the big leagues. You imagine yourself on the mound with thousands of people cheering your name. The reality is most players never live that dream. Thousands of players play professional baseball for pennies in stadiums that are falling apart, eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and dinner. The lucky few that do get signed by professional organizations never actually make it on to a Major League Baseball mound. But they continue to play, they continue to hold on to their childhood imagination.
Former Gateway Grizzlies pitcher Trevor Richards, 24, was one of those that held onto to the dream and it paid off on Monday Night in Miami. Richards made his major league debut just 21 months after his signing by the Marlins organization. The local product from Aviston, Illinois (about an hour from St. Louis) didn’t get the win but he did inspire the baseball community. Richards struck out 5 allowed 5 earned runs while going 4.1 innings. The biggest impact he made was on the world, social media blew up seeing the kid that came from obscurity to the majors.
Richards played his college ball at Drury University a division 2 school in Springfield, Missouri. Never touted highly by pro scouts he went undrafted after his graduation. Not willing to call it quits yet he signed with the Gateway Grizzlies in 2015. Richards did not disappoint immediately taking a leadership role with the team at the top of the rotation. His ability to mix up his pitches and locate made him an asset to Manager Phil warren. In 2016 Richards continued his role at the top of the rotation for the Gateway Grizzlies. While he was pitching well in the Frontier League scouts were still not taking notice. It was shear luck that a scout was able to see Richards pitch. The scout that signed Richards, David Espinosa, was actually at a game to look at two relievers from the other team. “His changeup is an anomaly,” Espinosa said. “According to analytics, the spin rate on a changeup is slower than it is for a fastball. We call it a ‘white ball.’ But the spin rate on his changeup is almost as fast as it is with his fastball.” Richards changeup and poise was enough for Espinosa to pay the $3,000 contract buyout from the Gateway Grizzlies. It small price to pay for the potential that he saw. Richards rewarded Espinosa by pitching his way right through three different levels of the Miami system eventually being named 2017 Marlins Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Richards followed in the footsteps of guys like Scott Patterson former Gateway Grizzlie turned Yankee reliever and St. Louis Cardinal First Baseman Jose Martinez. Before Martinez was hitting in the middle of the beloved Cardinals order, he was hitting dingers for the Frontier League Rockford Aviators. Richards is just one of the examples of players that have made it from obscurity. The Frontier League is one month away from beginning its historic 26th season. While this league may not have . the affiliations of a major league team, they do have players with real ability. Trevor Richards start was not only a great moment for him and his family, but a great moment for the league as a whole.
The Gateway Grizzlies will look to honor Trevor Richards this season as they host a bobblehead on Friday July 20th.
Come see the next wave of hungry athletes, the Grizzlies season begins on May 11th when the Grizzlies take on the Schaumberg Boomers.
Game 1: Recap Cards vs Mets
Opening day has come and went for the St. Louis Cardinals losing to the New York Mets 9-4. Game 1 of 162 is usually not considered a problem , but Cardinals fans watching the game had to feel as if they were seeing a lot of similarities to the team of 2017.
The Negatives
Martinez’s Control
Card’s starter Carlos Martinez, whose emotions can sometimes impede his ability came out finding issues throwing strikes. Martinez lasting just 4.1 innings, walking 6 Mets while throwing 90 pitches. The Cardinals chose not to resign innings eater Lance Lynn or add a veteran starter in the offseason. They will need their ace to be the leader emotionally and physically as the season progresses.
Matt Bowman- Still Tired?
The bullpen got off to a shaky start as Matt Bowman came in and gave up 3 runs over just 1/3 of an inning. Bowman is Mike Matheny’s work horse. Matheny was ridiculed all last season for over working Bowman. Despite Bowman’s second half struggles, he is still one of Mikes “guys”. He will be relied upon in big situations this year no matter how many pieces Cardinals management brings in.
Strikeouts
The Cardinals struck out 15 times Thursday afternoon. Met’s ace Noah Syndergaard was able to fan 10 of those 14 over his 6 innings pitched. The Cardinals have power up and down the lineup but they at lack the ability to make contact way to much. While I would love to credit opening day jitters and a dominate pitcher on the mound this team is full of veteran hitters that have to make adjustments as the game gets into the later innings. You know Paul Dejong and Kolten Wong tend to have issues with strikeouts but having 9 strikeouts in a game from the top four in your lineup cannot be a trend that continues.
Jose Martinez Defense
It’s not good. I will cover that more in the positives.
The Positives
Jose Martinez
I told you I would get to Jose. Martinez was the bright spot at the plate for the Cardinals going 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. His bat has to be in the lineup everyday, the man has proven himself as an impact bat. The negative of Martinez is that while he can hit he is not a stellar defender. His throwing error in the first allowed the first run of the season to score. He also forces the Cardinals to move Matt Carpenter to 3rd which takes arguably your best infielder defender Jedd Gyroko out of the lineup. This will be a problem all season long for the Cardinals. Do you sacrifice offense for defense? That usually is not the way it works.
Jordan Hicks
The rookie is electric. Certain pitchers have the ability to cause everyone to stop what they are doing to watch when they are in the game. Trevor Rosenthal was one of those guys when he first came up and now Hicks looks to be the next. With the signing of Greg Holland, there is talk either Hicks or Mike Mayers will be sent down. Unless Mike Matheny was not watching this kid throw today, the choice is very simple. Hicks needs to stay!
Summary
Game one was not what fans were looking for. This team still has way more talent then last year. My message to St. Louis fan is please don’t panic over game one.
The Cardinals will have a chance to even the score between these two teams Saturday at Citi Field when Michael Wacha (Cardinals) looks to out dual Jacob Degrom (Mets). First Pitch at 12:10PM.
Cardinals Roster: Munoz and Mayers make sense
Opening day is right around the corner and the St. Louis Cardinals have made moves to finalize their roster. The 2018 Redbirds will have a few new additions to their everyday team, including some new and surprising names.
Yairo Munoz, a piece of the deal that sent Stephen Piscotty to Oakland has emerged as the diamond in the rough. While addressing its outfield clutter, the Cardinals were also able to upgrade their infield depth. Munoz gives the club an above-average defender who can play multiple positions, including shortstop. Munoz will take on a role that has become important on contending teams the super utility man. Players that can function in multiple spots on the field as well as the lineup have become essential to winning organizations. Ben Zobrist, Marwin Gonzalez, Kiki Hernandez are all recent examples of players that have played multiple positions and have made an impact on the roster. Munoz 2017 season showed the potential he can bring on the minor league level, blasting 13 homers while keeping his average at .300. The Cardinals are taking a bit of a gamble keeping up Munoz and essentially naming him as their 5th outfielder behind Fowler, Pham, Ozuna and presumably Jose Martinez. Munoz has shown the athletic ability to play the outfield, he has been primarily an infielder his professional career. Manager Mike Matheny made the choice of keeping Munoz on the team despite his history of sticking to “his guy”, Munoz’s spring training numbers were impossible to ignore, luckily for Cardinals fans they were not.
Mike Mayers, entered 2018 spring training still remembered in the minds of Cardinals fans for his infamous Dodgers game debut in 2016, giving up nine runs over 1 1/3 innings. Mayers, used primarily as a starter in the minors has found a role in the bullpen that seems to fit him. With an injury to projected closer Luke Gregerson, the Cardinals were able to keep the now triple digit throwing Mayers in the bullpen., still unproven on the major league level, will have to earn the trust of the skipper but if successful could move into a role that current bullpen mainstay Matt Bowman has mastered over the last two seasons. The added development of Mayers will allow Bowman to have a few more days off in the early part of the 2018 season. Mayers development of a stronger mound presence has led to 12 scoreless innings in the spring as well as a new philosophy to pitching
“I’m not just here to be here,” Mayers said. “I’m here to dominate.”
The common Cardinal fan will see Mayers on the Opening Day roster and remember the awful beginning to his career, but this is not the same Mike Mayers. This is the evolution of the pitcher formally known as Mike Mayers, now a fireballer that has no fear. Again the Cardinals have modernized their bullpen, utilizing former starters in their bullpen similar to Andrew Miller and Wade Davis.
Mike Mayers and Yairo Munoz may not factor into the Cardinals season in the longterm but the decision to have them both on the roster shows that the Cardinals are open to changing the way they build their roster, they are beginning to evolve.
The Cardinals kick off their season Thursday March 29 as they travel to Citi Field to take on the Mets. First Pitch set for 12:10PM.
Good Job Astros
Lost in the madness of the NCAA tournament this weekend was the front office of the Houston Astros extending American League MVP, Jose Altuve to an astounding 7-year 163.5M deal.
Altuve, 27, has now been cemented as the cornerstone of a franchise that took home it’s first ever world series title in 2017. The Astros continue to make moves that will make them a powerhouse in the American League for the next 5 years. Fans of Houston were subjected to abysmal baseball, during a during a 3 year stretch 2011-2013 the Astros would lose over 100 games before they were able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
As the team began to develop so did the 5 foot star in the making. Altuve is more then just the numbers, he is the leader of a team with a young core and a bright future. His extension will lock up not only a great player but a leader of the organization. This contract could very well change the way that baseball evaluates its talent. Veteran DH of the Detroit Tigers Victor Martinez, teammate of Altuve onVenezuelan national team, commented on the signing. “I hope teams learn a lesson about evaluating players, It’s not how tall you are. It’s your talent. It’s your heart.”
Altuve’s statistics got him the money, his leadership got him the years. This is a move for the future, it is a move that shows Houston’s commitment to winning. The Astros head into 2018 to defending their title, their front office has already won.
March 6 2018 Podcast
March 6 2018 Podcast: ACC Tournament Breakdown, State of St. Louis Sports. Loser of the week: Dan Dakich.
NL Central Infield Rankings
Spring training has begun, before you know it the 2018 season will be upon us. Last week we took a look at the NL Central’s top outfields, the St. Louis Cardinals coming out on top of our rankings, now lets dip into the infields.
5.Pittsburgh Pirates 2017 WAR: 6.6
Projected infield: Josh Bell, Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Colin Moran
Potential Starter: David Freese
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the midst of a rebuild. Players like Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer will claim roles on this infield most likely until the trade deadline hits. Two players that can play multiple positions have become a hot commodity in the MLB.
The emergence of Josh Bell at first base has given this infield a bright spot for the future. Bell’s season went under the radar to most baseball fans, clubbing 26 Homers while driving in 90RBI’s solidified his place in the middle of the Pirates order for many years come. Bell very well could be the new face of this franchise, fans love the long ball and Bell will hit a lot of the them.
Mercer, Harrison and now Bell have become proven MLB players. The biggest question facing the potential of this infield will be at third base. Jung Ho Kang was set to be the 3rd baseman of this team for many years, until a drunk driving incident in his native Korea caused a loss of his work visa. This unfortunate event opened up the chance for veteran and former World Series hero David Freese to assume the starting job. Freese put up solid numbers last season, but ultimately the Pirates are hoping Colin Moran, acquired in the Gerrit Cole deal, will take over the starting spot. Moran, 25, will have a chance to be the starter right away. Projections show that he has the power of a major league player, but can he consistently hit. The main reason the Pirates rank last in our projections is that we don’t think 2/4 of this group will even be on the team by the end of the season.
There is some young talent here but overall it’s not great.
4. Milwaukee Brewers 2017 WAR: 7.8
Projected infield: Travis Shaw, Eric Thames, Oswaldo Arcia, Johnathon Villar
Potential Starter: Hernan Perez
The Milwaukee Brewers have a stacked outfield, but the infield has question marks. Third Baseman Travis Shaw and potential second baseman Hernan Perez had career years in 2017. Shaw’s power is for real, but he his lefty’s at a much more solid clip then he has in previous seasons. If Shaw can keep those splits where they are we could see a future star in the making. Perez on the other hand seemed to come out of nowhere for the Brew Crew in 2017. His 14 homers and 13 steals were a nice boost to the team in spots starts. He has to work on pitch selection though as his .289OBP is not something you want to see from a starter. My guess is he keeps his role as spot starter in 2018, leaving the door open for former hight level prospect Jonathan Villar.
Villar entered 2017 with some high expectations, moving over to 2nd base was going to help him with his defensive issue and allow him to focus on getting on base. The 2016 stolen base champ with a measly .293OBP, losing at bats the previously mentioned Perez as well as career backup Eric Sogard. Villar still stole 24 bases in 2017, that part of his game is going anywhere. But with uncertainty at the plate, expectations can’t and won’t be to high in 2018.
The final pieces of the puzzle, Korea’s Godzilla Eric Thames and Oswaldo Arcia round out an high upside infield core. Thames proved to be worth the money handed out by the Brewers, bashing 31 homers in 2017, backing it up with a respectable .359OBP, Thames will most likely platoon for the Brewers in 2018, unless he figures out how to hit lefties, still not a bad option at first base. Finally rookie Oswaldo Arcia impressed in his first full season. Arcia, could very well be the best shortstop in the MLB one day, we don’t believe that will be in 2018 but very shortly we could see a version of Francisco Lindor on the National League side.
The Brewers have a lot of potential in the infield but with multiple platoon situations coming and the uncertainty of the 2nd base position, we can’t put them higher then 4th.
3. St. Louis Cardinals 2017 WAR: 10.5
Projected Infield: Matt Carpenter, Paul DeJong, Kolten Wong, Jedd Gyroko
Potential Starter: Jose Martinez
The St. Louis Cardinals made efforts this offseason to improve their offense. Reports of potential deals for Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado were being reported nearly everyday of the offseason. But by the time spring training began the only real additions to the infield were prospects, Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock. While Munoz has been a bright spot early in spring training the infield lineup seems pretty set.
Paul DeJong emerged from out of the shadows of the Cardinals prospect system taking over previous years rookie phenom Aledmys Diaz’s starting spot. DeJong, has power and a solid glove, but his pitch selection is similar to Diaz’s, he will have to work on the strikeouts to finalize his potential. While Dejong has the tools to be a star, his double play teammate Kolten Wong has slowly developed into a productive player with star potential. Wong, is coming off a steady 2017 season, nothing flashy about his numbers, .285BA to go along with .375OBP are both hug improvements for Wong. Both of these players should see a huge growth on the defensive end as well. The Cardinals have brought back 3rd base coach and “secret weapon” Jose Oquendo. Oquendo is well known for his ability to coach up players are the defensive end.
While the middle infield of the Cards is showing potential the real backbone of the organization is on the corners. Veterans Matt Carpenter and Jedd Gyroko both have there strengths and their flaws. Gyroko, has found a home at 3rd base, ranking in the top 3 in defensive runs saved, with the addition of Marcell Ozuna, Gyroko will also have less pressure in the lineup, moving down to a role that suits his attributes much better. Matt Carpenter is one of the best lead-off men in baseball, that’s really his only good attribute.
The Cardinals are good on the infield, but they are much better in the outfield. Third is a fair assessment.
2. Cincinnati Reds 2017 WAR: 13.3
Projected Starters: Joey Votto, Scooter Gennett, Eugenio Suarez, Jose Peraza
The Cincinnati Reds were a surprising second in total war for Central infielders in 2017 and this total was added up without All-Star Zack Cozart who left for California in the offseason. The Reds have built a very strong in field heading into the 2018 season. Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez are perfect fits for the hitter friendly confines of Great American Ballpark. Both supplied power in 2017 and there is no reason to expect anything less in 2018.
The question is can Peraza filled the void of Zack Cozart. Cozart not only brought production at the plate but he also brought it with the glove. Peraza has been a utility player for most of his career, establishing a position for him in 2018 could be the push he needs to make him a consistent major leaguer. With the long time troubles of Billy Hamilton to get on base, Peraza could be thrust into the leadoff role in 2018, while his OBP doesn’t make him the clear canidate, his speed and 30 point higher BA gifts has to make him the frontrunner over Hamilton.
Finally we have Joey Votto, arguably the best first baseman in baseball. Votto has every offensive tool. He alone, propels this group to the near top of the list. Such a shame he seems to be wasting away in Cincinnati, hopefully they begin the track back to the top. A player of this ability needs to have a chance at a World Series
1. Chicago Cubs 2017 WAR: 14.4
Projected Starters: Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, Addison Russell
Potential Starter: Ben Zobrist
The Cubs are the most talented defensive and offensive infield potentially in the league. Their ability to plug in a plus defender at any position is second to none. The Cubs may plan to use Ben Zobrist or Javy Baez and super utility men in 2018, rotating them as they see fit. The argument can be made that both players would be plus starters at multiple positions. We are going to assume they go with Baez at second base and Russell at short. Both players have limitation at the plate, but the upside far out weighs those limitations.
Russell and Baez make the best defensive middle infield in baseball, Baez took major steps on the offensive end in 2017, his 23 homers along with a .273BA showed a glimpse of his offensive potential. Baez’s continued emergencs along with a healthy Addison Russell could make the Cubs infield incomparable.
Rizzo and Bryant are MVP contenders every year. This team’s questions are on in the infield. The Cubs are the best in the Central, maybe the league.
Feb. 23 2018- Cardinals Outlook Podcast
Feb. 23 2018: Spencer Bogad and James Caldwell talk Card’s Baseball, Bubble Teams and Blues Hockey
I Talk Sports and That's It 