The Cardinals have seen a two-year power drain. They masked it one year with an uncanny .330 average with runners in scoring position. They couldn't hide it the next year because their RISP slipped back to, oh, normal. They just need too many hits for a rally when they're cranking out only singles and working for only walks. That has to change. Does that mean being more aggressive? Well, that's the talk when it comes to Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward. Does that mean returning to career norms? Well, that's how they see it with Matt Holliday and, in another direction, Matt Adams. If you believe in a regression to the mean, then the Cardinals offense will improve. But this two-year trend of reduced power can not be dismissed so easily. That has to change. They've got to thump to be better.
It is true for the majors. And that bench makeup may be discussed.
We are working on ways to continue toe podcast, though we are no longer in the same zip code. We have plans. Some of it involves me getting a better handle on the technology needed. I joked about a Kickstarter campaign. After looking into some prices, maybe I shouldn't have been joking.
It would be Heyward and possibly another player depending on the direction the team takes with its internal players or the direction they take with their production. I.e., Wong, Adams, Grichuk ...
None appear to be in the works. The players with less than three years of playing time are agreeing to deals at this point of spring. Rosenthal, for example, has a contract set for 2015.
Suppose it depends on the expectations. Michael Wacha does unless those inflated expectations from 2013 October are still floating around.
I'm not sure what is happening, but there appears to be some deleting of answers going on. I apologize for the technical glitch and if it's making it difficult to read the chat here. I hope to figure out what happened and also make sure it doesn't happen to the other items posted. Thanks for your patience.
Not very much. They knew he could get more elsewhere.
The thing that people miss by not coming to spring training until the games start are days like this. You can see the live pitching practice sessions and watch close as other pitchers look for tipping pitches and also when the catchers and pitchers meet to discuss the rounds. You're not going to get closer to the action than those moments. Also, there's always the chance of an intersquad game, and as far as theater and just fun for the fans the spring doesn't get better and the view doesn't get closer.
Strong. He's ahead -- and purposefully so. I thought one of the most telling comments of spring was how Jaime described that most pitchers get ready for April and he was getting ready for March. Too soon to tell if he's a buy or sell, but I think you can buy on his health. It's the durability, again, that's the question.
It seems like that time has gone with Peralta in place and Heyward on deck as core option.
Rawlings has expanded its use of defensive metrics greatly and encouraged its voters to do the same. They have also split up the outfield awards and they have set some parameters in place for who is eligible for the award based on innings played at the position. All of these things have stripped the GG of being an offensive award and even changed how it always went to the incumbent. Rawlings should be applauded for the work its done to advance the Gold Glove.
Most don't see much of a difference save for fine-tuning of rules in place. These are the obvious steps.
I haven't had a chance to research the WAR for the other lineups in the division, but I will suggest to you that WAR really likes Heyward's defense and that is going to tilt the measure the Cardinals way without really showing how that lineup might be effective or more explosive offensively.
Because both sides know that figure now, too. What they don't know is a) will Heyward be a fit, b) will Heyward have that breakout year expected, and c) if Heyward even likes it with St. Louis at all. Those are questions that cannot be answered today. So if there's now discount and no answers, what's the rush?
Length will be fluid here, and these kind of deals all have opt-out clauses after a few years, right? So, you're still talking about a deal in excess of $20 million annual average value. It's going to be the largest in team history, by a stretch, if all of that happens.
Hard to tell at this point about the starter part. Going to depend on the pitchers ahead of him. Long relief, unlikely. He'll be a late-inning factor if he's a reliever at all.
I don't really think about it in those terms. I will say that I learned a lot about baseball from Dave Duncan. There wasn't a conversation that we had that I didn't walk away from with some additional bit of info or understanding about the game, and it wasn't always pitching. He just had a deep, innate feel for the game. Being a young baseball writer around TLR and Duncan was very valuable.
I've just seen him hit in BP. It's there. He's getting more lift against coaches. It makes a lot of sense what he was trying to do -- and by any measure available now it's working for him. Time to take it into the game right and see what happens there. Mayers has been solid. Not much has been said about him. He hasn't really been in a spot to make an impression yet. I think he'll get a turn in a game or two, and that will be worth noting.
This is a fair point. Make the most of him at his best while you've got it. I wonder just how lights out he'd have to be at that point, but if he is then expect this question to be asked. The team will have to consider it. I'm trying to present the questions about Garcia as they are right now. With each outing he has a chance to completely upend and rewrite the plan.
I've written (often) about how the Braves had interest in Martinez and that the Cardinals offered Miller, essentially choosing to keep Martinez over Miller. In fact, Mozeliak said as much in several interviews over the winter, repeating a similar opinion at the winter meetings. So, yes, that is the case. It's been verified and double checked, by officials and sources. That's not to say that the Braves "settled" for Miller. They got Miller and Jenkins. They got a big-league starter and a potential one. As far as the stubbornness. That was something that Miller said -- and he was referencing earlier in his career. He's told us that before.
Are we talking about the same Cardinals here?
I would have a hard time coming up with 98 players better than Pujols.
He could be Game 3 by the end of all this.
The 24/7 news cycle. The blogs. The chats. The social media aspects. All of those things add layers to the day so that you're not just focused on writing for the next day's paper or building a piece for the Sunday reader. You're spinning more plates and the online coverage -- like the chat here, or the blogs written earlier today -- take the precedent during the day and then about the time folks close their laptops and head home from the office we start focusing on the next day's paper coverage.
They have a type. They got pitchers who fit that type, and that has worked out for them. It was luck -- bad luck? -- that they also had openings for both of them early in the season and had a place to start them. Wacha needed the opening the take off, and it took someone else faltering or an injury to open it up.
Your best bet is to mail it to the Cardinals c/o Roger Dean Stadium. Include a self-addressed envelope. That's always the way to go. Neshek's suggestions.
Lots. They provide classes, and I know of several players who have used Rosetta Stone as well. Martinez does well with English. I've had an interview with him already this spring where a translator was not present. Sometimes the cameras and the number of media members present make it better and more comfortable to have a translator there, just in case.
He is the only one in major-league camp. But, to borrow from Obi Wan, there is another.
Not a repeat question at all. It's an interesting one that preoccupies the Cardinals. Adams and the Cardinals believe that he's got another step in him -- and they point to the postseason or they point to September 2013 as proof. Makes sense. He's had some really strong stretches and it does appear like he's got to pull his early 2014 game together with his late 2013 power to be the hitter he projects to be and the Cardinals profess he can be.
There is no such thing as too much talent. It can be traded. It can be taught another position.
There's always a chance. Pitching is hard. Injuries happen. Trades are required.
The list is long. The Cardinals are not ... beloved. Let's go with the Nationals. I could see Washington getting really drummed up about knocking the Cardinals out. Closer to home: Pittsburgh.
Time is on their side, yes. Let's see if talent is, too.
They will consider it absolutely. Kozma is the likely beneficiary of this because he would avoid going through waivers and he'd be in the majors as the true backup shortstop. That would leave Reynolds to play the corners, Grichuk to get plenty of playing time in Class AAA and come back when an outfielder is needed at length, and then Kelly, Pham, Anna, Garcia and perhaps Scruggs would be in a pell mell for the final spot with each offering very different traits. That to me is the most fascinating part about this. They aren't similar. They all bring something different to the role. Could be a real interesting evaluation process for the Cardinals as a result.
The Cardinals have seen a two-year power drain. They masked it one year with an uncanny .330 average with runners in scoring position. They couldn't hide it the next year because their RISP slipped back to, oh, normal. They just need too many hits for a rally when they're cranking out only singles and working for only walks. That has to change. Does that mean being more aggressive? Well, that's the talk when it comes to Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward. Does that mean returning to career norms? Well, that's how they see it with Matt Holliday and, in another direction, Matt Adams. If you believe in a regression to the mean, then the Cardinals offense will improve. But this two-year trend of reduced power can not be dismissed so easily. That has to change. They've got to thump to be better.