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Ben Frederickson Live

Bring your Cardinals, Blues, Mizzou and STL sports questions, and talk to Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson in a live chat starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

3rd & 7 37yd

Greetings, chatters. Coming to you live from Busch Stadium today. Let’s take in a game together. Mike Matheny is set to chat at 11 or so. I’ll have some updates from there. Lineup is as follows.

Carp, 2B
DeJong
J Martinez, 1B
Ozuna
Fowler
Bader CF
Garcia 3B
Pena
C Martinez

I’ll plan on keeping the chat rolling through the game — if there is an audience for it. Reminder: We don’t have to stick to Cardinals baseball. Away we go ...

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:02:10 PM
Wait a minute, what day is it? October? It's BenFredLive day!

by David 5/8/2018 4:02:58 PM
Indeed. It’s ... lit.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:03:42 PM
This tendency for the offense to be worthless against a pitcher they have little video on... does any of that fall on the hitting coach, that they just can't adjust on the fly?

by Mark 5/8/2018 4:05:44 PM
A pitcher is going to have the advantage when he has never faced a lineup before. That Cards have a pretty predictable pattern of struggling against new-ish arms. Sometimes I wonder if less might be more. Instead of trying to find out what a guy has, when evidence is thin, go find out. That is the approach Paul DeJong used against Kingham in Pitt. Kingham was recently sent down, by the way. It’s a bit baffling how cool the bats get against the relative unknowns. Yesterday’s starter is a good pitcher though. Don’t take that away from the discussion.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:10:21 PM
Why didn’t the Cards send down Gant after the game and bring up a bench player for today’s game?

by Jack 5/8/2018 4:12:49 PM
Mozeliak explained it as they were wary of getting caught thin when it came to available arms. A pitcher has to stay in the minors 10 days when he is sent out. Sending out Gant might have left them thin since Flaherty starts in the minors tomorrow. Gant could pitch in relief Friday. He’s dual purpose guy. The Cards are choosing protecting accessible pitching depth over prioritizing offense off the bench.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:16:20 PM
Cards need a cleanup hitter, and a good OF glove. I think Mookie Betts would put them over the top. Would Fower, Wacha, and one of Bowman/Leone/Tui get it done?

by JJ 5/8/2018 4:16:44 PM
An org that prioritizes finding internal solutions might not prioritize a trade that adds another option at their greatest position of depth.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:18:53 PM
Well since Paul also got a couple hits last night, perhaps others should try that strategy.

by Mark 5/8/2018 4:19:20 PM
I’m not sure what his approach was last night. In Pittsburgh, he skipped the thin film evidence and went on the fly, and hit better than his teammates, though that wasn’t saying much. Might be something others should consider, sure. Why not try?

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:21:13 PM
Update: As of now, it still sounds like Tommy Pham will avoid a DL stint. Matheny compliments Bader for his play on both sides of the ball. He’s increased his stock, even when Pham comes back.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:22:28 PM
Do you really see Zo leaving the last scholarship open and starting the year with only 9 guys available?

by DrunkTruman 5/8/2018 4:23:33 PM
If he doesn’t have a recruit he thinks can help his team, he will leave spots open for transfers or late opportunities. Playing a bit thin is not ideal. Giving 4 years of scholarship to players who are not deserving is always worse

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:25:41 PM
One second. Need to relocate to press box from field, then will really get rolling.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:28:30 PM
Just put Pham on the DL already and get some healthy outfielder up to help out.

by Double D 5/8/2018 4:30:09 PM
Pham’s close. Be patient.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:32:13 PM
C'mon Ben, tell us: Was Yadi wearing a cup? Don't most catchers wear one? Seems like a lot of risk for the family jewels. But maybe it's just impossible to do the job with one on? I've never played a sport where it was needed, so I'm not sure.

by NJ fan 5/8/2018 4:35:39 PM
Yes, he was wearing a cup. It would be, by definition, insane for him to not be wearing a cup. I know he was wearing a cup, because I asked his brother Bengie if the throw broke his cup. Bengie did not know, but was interested in the same. Bengie said he had multiple cups broken, yes, broken, during his career. Some guys don't wear cups. It's wild when you hear of a third baseman who declines. But catchers wear cups. It's like a helmet and a mitt.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:36:57 PM
Waino had a solid rehab start, when can we expect him to rejoin the major league rotation?

by Ben Wagner 5/8/2018 4:37:31 PM
He did. Things could still change, but I would not be surprised to see him start this weekend. Saturday would make sense.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:39:03 PM
Any news on how well Molina got through the surgery?

by JimTheCarpetLintGuy 5/8/2018 4:39:52 PM
Surgery went well in that he was up and walking around the next day. The players' FaceTimed him from the clubhouse after the 14-inning thriller against the Cubs. He's been told to shut things down for a while, to rest. But I don't imagine he will be away from the ballpark for long. He would be valuable in the dugout as catcher's coach for Pena and Kelly until he is cleared.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:41:14 PM
Waino could have said no to the DL or the rehab and forced the team into a bad spot. Good for him putting the team first

by Mark S 5/8/2018 4:41:44 PM
If this suggests that Wainwright had ulterior motives when he pitched without a previous rehab stint before, that's wrong. Players want to play. Doctors give green or red lights. Players who hold themselves back when doctors say go don't build careers like Wainwright's.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:43:27 PM
Hi Ben!

by JimTheCarpetLintGuy 5/8/2018 4:43:53 PM
My man. Sup,. Jim.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:43:58 PM
Did Kolten Wong read your chat 2 weeks ago? He must of heard the complaints and wailing from us fans and decided it would be a good time to start hitting. Max Shrock just keeps plugging away on AAA though

by JimTheCarpetLintGuy 5/8/2018 4:44:17 PM
Kolten Wong doesn't read the chats. He's too busy creating chatter from Cubs fans, and loving every minute of it.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:44:36 PM
Why did the Cards call up Kelly instead of Knizner? Is Knizner not on the 40 man roster?

by JimTheCarpetLintGuy 5/8/2018 4:45:06 PM
Knizner is not on the 40-man. And Kelly is the heir apparent until he is not. Mozeliak was asked if the club considered calling up any catcher not named Kelly. He said, flatly, no.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:45:54 PM
@BenFred Wong will get credit for adding fuel to the fire to an already storied rivalry and I love every bit of it. His post game interview will go down as one of the best post game interviews for years to come.

by Ben Wagner 5/8/2018 4:48:08 PM
Agreed. I told him it was one of my all-time favorites. I thought it was exactly what this fan base needed to hear, and it came at the right time, when he had a window of opportunity: after a sweep of the rivals. This wasn't Blues fans whining about Jake Allen receiving Bronx cheers. It was a, hey, let's get in this all together rallying cry. Thought he nailed it.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:49:17 PM
How long is this going to go on with Carp? He is hitting .158. I really like him but he is simply not getting it done. He is not a good third baseman and Wong is a MUCH better second baseman. What is to be done with him?

by Matt 5/8/2018 4:49:46 PM
The Cardinals still view Carpenter as a starter. If his bat continues to lag, that belief is going to be challenged. His average is bad but his on-base percentage (.315) is better than the average suggests, as it often is with Carpenter. At some point this might have to turn into a true rotation instead of Carpenter starts and everyone else fills in around him. The Cardinals are not there yet.

Personally opinion: It's hard to sit Jedd Gyorko and Kolten Wong when they are playing like this. And that's accounting for the fact that Gyorko's numbers are boosted by favorable match-ups that call for him to be in the lineup. I understand the desire to show loyalty to Carpenter, not for loyalty's sake but for the realization that he is a good player who makes this team better when he plays like he can. The second month of the season is a good time to see that. Because his defense and arm don't exactly scream every-day starter, especially anywhere but first base.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:55:56 PM
this is Wainwright's last year with the Cardinals, right? Holding my breath every time he takes the mound, hoping he can make it through 5 1/3 innings without giving up five runs, or worse, injuring himself again. Frankly, it's exhausting.

by Jay 5/8/2018 4:56:13 PM
I would be surprised if the Cardinals extend Wainwright as a starter.
Could be be a reliever? Could he have a bounce-back season that makes him desirable on the free-agent market on a short-term deal? Could he finish his career with the Braves?
Who knows. But with the young depth the Cardinals have, it's hard to see them going down that road with Wainwright.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:57:35 PM
Is the lack of production for Carp and Ozuna related to their shoulder issues?

by jake 5/8/2018 4:57:43 PM
They say no.
I don't have access to their medicals, and those medicals are not stopping them from playing.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:58:09 PM
Is Jose Martinez going to DH when the team goes to the Twin Cities?

by JimTheCarpetLintGuy 5/8/2018 4:58:34 PM
He's the best fit. Too bad the National League doesn't have that role.

by BenFred 5/8/2018 4:59:01 PM

Live Chats

Ben Frederickson Live

Bring your Cardinals, Blues, Mizzou and STL sports questions, and talk to Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson in a live chat starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

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