If you'll permit some patience. I will join shortly. Getting off a phone call interview right now.
Pretty much. Though if both are hitting well and one of the outfield is not, the Cardinals have said they'll consider Edman for a spot in the outfield.
He's getting a lot of time at first base as Goldschmidt's backup this spring. He was not listed in the outfielder candidates, for example. He was acquired to serve in a role similar to the one Jose Martinez had because of those Class AAA numbers and success against lefties. Could definitely see him in that role off the bench. A lot of it could come down to whether Justin Williams has an option or not and what that means for the bench.
Got to be honest -- we saw more of his warmup before taking the mound than his actual BP. Our angle was such that we could see the hitters, identify them by their batting stance (few wore numbers), and then get a semi-read on the pitches by their reactions. I have seen Hicks throw two bullpen, and the first one was what you'd expect for a first one -- sizzle was there, command was not. His second bullpen had both, and he has such ease and confidence in his velocity it was a stark contrast to some of the other pitchers who were not throwing with the same intensity or at the same speed. Early indications from his live BP outing were positive today.
Thanks, Dave. A late start. But we'll gain some speed.
One of the trickier elements for the new CBA to address and also essential that it does address is tanking teams. Tanking teams have warped the standings in some cases, and the new CBA has to undermine that approach because it is not only changing the quality of the game and the competition level it is also squeezing out the middle-class of players who in their mid-30s aren't finding offers from teams because they don't intend to be competitive, so why pay millions when they can be just as uncompetitive by giving young players the minimum. There's an argument to be made that some players have seen their development arrested too by a tanking team putting them in the majors just to save money.
He has indeed. He's added some size, some weight. Grew into his frame more. Moving well. Has shown there's a charge in his bat in BP -- and then in the sim game today got that triple that was hit well, hard and to the wall.
Yes. It's different than other superhero tales -- and in a good way.
Indications in spring sure seem to be Matt Carpenter. This is an interesting question. There are some in the Cardinals organization who believe that he could overtake one of the other players for playing time, possibly in center field. And yet his playing time or positioning so far in spring has not given that indication -- suggesting if he plays it will be because he's excelled and someone else has tumbled, not just that he has excelled past them.
It is not dictated that way, no. So there's more room for pitching than you suggest. Could be 14 pitchers, if the Cardinals want. It's not split 13, 13. The Cardinals will not trade from their depth for the sake of trading. They would far rather have a complete major league-ready bullpen at Class AAA than spreading around that talent to other teams just to do so. As long as those players have options, it makes sense for the Cardinals to keep as much pitching talent as possible, and enough of those players have options that they can do so.
Yes. He was an All-Star at the position. He's comfortable at second, and he's familiar with it. He can play it. And whatever you want to suggest his play at third base was above major-league average according to metrics.
Starting with most patience: Bader, Carpenter, O'Neill, Martinez (as a starter). They've already shown that with their actions, honestly. Look to the decisions made with the lineup in 2019.
Ownership has to make the call. The Red Ribbon Committee has lobbied on behalf of both of them, and several of us have made the formal request for Dave Duncan to be considered, having outlined his candidacy in meetings.
He was assigned two weeks ago to the Peoria Chiefs roster.
We're watching two different Jordan Hicks, you and I. One of the things that Hicks does well is he generates a lot of velocity with out looking like a max-effort delivery. He relies on his athleticism, his coordination, and leg strength to generate ferocious but easy velocity. You can watch some pitchers and it looks like they're springs of stress trying to uncoil violently to throw 100 mph. Hicks is more of a elegant slingshot. He's one of the most athletic players at the facility, and he's added strength and fitness during his time away from the mound, and you could watch him throw today and see a pitcher strolling through his inning and all of sudden 100 mph off his fingers. So, yeah, the plan is have him throw as hard as he can because that's his skill. That doesn't mean his arm is just going to fly apart again. Again, we're watching different pitchers, if that's the view.
His OBP when compared to the other options is one. Just as an example.
The Zoom conference calls are all recorded, and that changes the dynamics for all parties because you're one misspoken word or phrase away from having the tape reflect poorly on you or your place of business. So, naturally everyone is a little more guarded, and there isn't the chance to go sidebar and offer some background on an answer or think through an answer, or even offer context that isn't quoted but does give additional information. Some players like the Zoom. Some don't. It's a new twist on a whole truism in the clubhouse -- there are players who like the TV camera and some who don't, and there are conversations between a reporter and a player that change in tone and depth the moment a camera turns on. Well, with Zoom the camera is always on. And the team is always recording.
Really the wrong audience. The only football game I was watched this past year was the Super Bowl, and that was mainly because I was fascinated by the matchup of quarterbacks. In the past four, five years I've watched maybe five, six football games. I do read the coverage of the Bears in Chicago, as I grew up a Bears fan. I had no ties to St. Louis as a kid, and have no ties to either football team that called St. Louis home, outside of collecting the plastic helmet for the St. Louis Cardinals so that my cousins marveled at my complete set. I did enjoy covering the Super Bowl in 2001 because it was a chance to work with Jim Thomas and to explore some stories from a New Orleans point of view, including going back to a high school I covered there to do a story on Aeneas Williams, a graduate of Fortier High in New Orleans.
