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Cardinals chat with Rick Hummel

Bring your Cardinals questions and comments, and talk to Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel in a live chat starting at 11 a.m. Monday.

3rd & 7 37yd

Tigers aren't close enough to take on high-priced veterans like Gyorko and Carpenter. You always ask about Goldschmidt.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:06:59 PM
Can this team stand another year of the this FO? After all, it is their obligation to put the best team possible on the field and that hasn't been done for a number of years. I'd much rather spend my money on the Gateway Grizzlies. Cheaper seats, lower priced fare, no or little player hype, and the play is about the same as I would see at Busch 3.

by Stanky 10/1/2018 7:07:38 PM
Go for it. The Grizzlies will appreciate your business.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:08:06 PM
I have great appreciation for Wainwright and his career with the Cardinals. His acquisition was one of the finest by Walt! It is my hope however that he can move on gracefully and that the Cards will fill his rotation spot with a more sure bet player, Corbin?

by Kevin 10/1/2018 7:08:13 PM
Corbin would be a big addition. But a healthy Wainwright has value, and, for the first time in years, I believe that he is healthy. You never can have too many starters, as they say..

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:10:46 PM
Yadi was really good offensively, but then September came around. Was that "just" a slump, or the warning sign of an aging catcher?

by JJ 10/1/2018 7:11:09 PM
Being Molina, I'm sure his hamstring was bothering him more than he let on. He also hit a number of balls hard that turned into outs.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:12:19 PM
Why are pitchers always monitored on an "innings limit"? Shouldn't it be a "total pitches" limit? During a game, the metric is measured by total pitches, not by innings pitched. If two guys both make 30 starts an average 6 innings/start, they both throw ~180 innings. However, if Player A averages 15 pitches/inning vs Player B at 16 pitches/inning, Player A throws ~2,700 pitches while Player B throws ~2,880, for a difference of 180 pitches. That's basically 2 whole starts of wear and tear on Player B but people will say they pitched the same amount of innings so they should be good to go. What is your opinion on how to monitor young arms or arms recovering from injuries so our staff doesn't burn out the last 3-4 weeks of the season?

by Noho 10/1/2018 7:15:16 PM
Pitches thrown probably is a metric that would have more importance. A lot of innings have more stress, and perhaps more pitches are needed, than in others. But I would not get too hidebound with what the numbers tell you. Does a pitcher look tired? Or does he look fresh? Let your eyes judge if you are the manager or the pitching coach. .

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:17:31 PM
Speaking of innings limits, even if Reyes comes back completely healthy, wouldn't he be able to approach his innings limit just working out of the pen? I still believe in Carlos as a starter. Known floor. Cy Young winning level ceiling. Reyes & Hicks could be a potent combo handling late innings.

by Jhohnnhy 10/1/2018 7:18:50 PM
Reyes could be that type of pitcher, I suppose, but I've always seen him as a starter. Until they decide how that looks, Martinez still is my closer. Reyes will be monitored closely early in the season and I doubt he would be used as a closer in that instance. Hicks is a little too wild, yet, in that role.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:20:47 PM
Corbin was just mentioned. And with Keuchel and Price (opt out), even Kershaw (ope out) potentially being signed this upcoming year.......would you agree that the Cardinals need another experienced starting pitcher? Wacha/Martinez are unknowns to a degree as starters......Flaherty has potential and Mikolas is in rotation....then there is Waino and all the other youngsters. But, it was Hamels that propelled the Cubs to at least hand on to a tie for the NL central......not some rookie.

by Grant 10/1/2018 7:21:12 PM
One more veteran starter, especially if you can get a lefthander, would help. But I think Wacha will be all right. It's not his arm and he will be a free agent after next season. He is primed for a big year. With Mikolas, Flaherty and Wacha, you need only two more from Gomber, Gant, Hudson, Wainwright, Weaver or Mr. Y, where you could leave Martinez in the bullpen.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:25:04 PM
Thanks for the chat, Commish!
Here's an interesting idea, and I apologize if this has already been mentioned today. (I'm late to the chat.) If the STL front office had never signed Fowler or Holland or Gregerson or Cecil (the latter three combined for 70 innings and an ERA over 7.00 this year) the owners would have saved $138,000,000 and the Cards would have won between 5 and 11 MORE games this year, depending whether that quartet were replaced by "replacement level" players, below average guys, average guys, or above average ones. (They didn't need to substitute any all-stars to win 11 more games. Just guys within the system like Tyler O'Neill and Dakota Hudson and Daniel Poncedeleon, for the full season or nearly full season.)

Point being, even though fans don't want to hear it, sometimes spending dough on the free agent market can really really hurt a team. And contrary to what some baseball writers like to say, there CAN be such a thing as a bad one-year contract.

The club averaged 4.4 runs this year with Mabry and Fowler, then it increased to 4.9 runs post-Mabry, and then an amazing 5.3 with neither Mabry nor Fowler. So with Mabry gone (or blame Matheny if you prefer) the lineup is not the problem, once Fowler is traded or released. And despite getting just 40 starts and 250 innings combined from Carlos Martinez, Wacha, Reyes, and Waino, the rotation for the season was 2nd to the Dodgers in the N.L. in earned run average!

That leaves the awful bullpen. And I wish we *could* leave the bullpen. So I say trade Jose Martinez to the DH league for relief help. And trade Kelly or Knizner for relief help. And go to Japan, where the Redbird scouts are outstanding at recognizing talent, and grab the best reliever possible. And that's it. Just do those three things. And you'll have a 95-win team next year. As long as Gregerson, Cecil, and Fowler are no longer in the organization.

But it won't happen, that narrow and inexpensive and incredibly productive offseason. Because the front office knows that would drive the fans nuts, because it would involve a reduction in player payroll.

Thanks so much for letting me rant, Rick. And I'd love to hear your thoughts, on my own thoughts.

by Don 10/1/2018 7:26:20 PM
You certainly are welcome and, always room for one more rant. Your point on the amount of money spent being an inclusive answer is a good one. They've notably had bad luck in investing in free-agent relievers, so they are unlikely to go too far down that road again. Had some of the young players been up earlier, things might have been different but you generally side with the players who have track records. Sometimes that goes on too long. However, I still have hope for Fowler and Gregerson. Not as much for Cecil.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:30:49 PM
Thanks for another HOF Season Commish; Call me crazy but I think a 7th, 8th & 9th 3-headed monster of Reyes, Hicks and Cmart make me salivate, I would think Wacha, Flaherty, Mikolas, Gomber, and someone from Gant, Hudson, Weaver, Ponce completing rotation or an outsider to complete 5 like Corbin. Add in Harper and a healthy Ozuna and the stadium is full, everyone is happy!

by WashMoJeff 10/1/2018 7:31:09 PM
And thank you. Reyes, Hicks and Carlos would make for an exciting end-of-the line if you have enough starting pitching to do it. I would prefer ultimately to have Reyes in the rotation and perhaps have Hudson be that seventh-inning man.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:32:45 PM
As always, love your chats, Mr. Hummel. Thanks as always. I know this is extremely unlikely, but since they have so many lefties in their line-up and rotation already, could the Cards persuade the Dodgers to give up Cody Bellinger for a right-handed starter?

by Mark 10/1/2018 7:33:06 PM
The Dodgers would only have interest if that conversation started with Flaherty. And then continued.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:33:53 PM
Why are you personally insulted when some of the most knowledgeable fans in baseball express their (justifiable) frustration with this organization?

by Billy Jack 10/1/2018 7:35:48 PM
I'm not insulted at all. That's what these chats are all about _to include views from all sides. I'll let you know when I'm insulted.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:37:20 PM
Mr. Hummel..thanks as always for your thoughtful answers. You've made some really important macro points about this team (too many 7s and 8s and too few 3s and 4s). Is "identity" something you think is important in creating a team? Example: starting pitching is your identity thus defense is most important to optimize that identity? It just seems like the organization keeps trying to fit square pegs in round holes either desperation, creativity...not sure.

by frontrange redbird 10/1/2018 7:37:57 PM
There have been some square pegs in round holes. And the starting pitching would be even better if the defense is better, especially at the corners. First base is a position that is harder than the Cardinals seem to think that it is. Not everybody _ or anybody _ can play there.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:40:17 PM
Commish the PD published a story today raising question about Carlos Martinez' training habits. Is it possible there could be a similar story about Brett Cecil? I guess there are all sorts of body types in baseball, but he just doesn't look like he is in shape to play big league baseball.

by MS Bird Brain 10/1/2018 7:41:01 PM
Cecil has had some injuries he's dealt with and I'm not so concerned about what relievers' bodies look like. Much of Cecil's problem steams between the ears. He has lost much of his confidence and so have they in him.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:42:47 PM
Here's a question from way out in left field -- do you think the Cardinals will take a chance on Rick Ankiel if indeed he decides to make a comeback as a pitcher?

by rdmj-1 10/1/2018 7:43:22 PM
I wouldn't be surprised if they sign him to a minor-league contract once they see him work out and if they like him. He already lives in Jupiter.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:44:06 PM
So, the Cardinals are negotiating with Harper and his agent this offseason, do the Cardinals say to Harpers agent when the talks are intense, only one caveat, you have to compete with Dexter Fowler in the spring for the right field job?

by AustinTx 10/1/2018 7:44:24 PM
I do not envision that latter conversation taking place.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:44:47 PM
To the person complaining about Shannon. Enjoy him while you can, he's a Cardinals institution. I live in Florida and subscribe to Sirius in order to get the Cards home game broadcasts. Grab yourself a frosty cold Mike Shannon approved beverage and listen to 60 years of Cardinals history.

by Dan 10/1/2018 7:45:00 PM
Hear, hear.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:45:10 PM
Thanks for the chat Commish,
How would you rate the 2018 Cardinals on a scale of 1-10? Also, will any free agent want to play in St. Louis after missing the post season 3 straight years? It seems like the interest in playing in St. Louis has gone down considerably.

by StlFan86 10/1/2018 7:45:40 PM
Cardinals were about 7, with 8 qualifying as playoff worthy. I would think some free agents might see themselves as the missing piece to an already pretty good team.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:46:43 PM
How do we address the rotation for next year? We have legitimately 11 guys vying for 5 spots. CMart to the closer role could help, but shouldnt we bracing ourselves for a few trades of some of these bright young pitchers we used so much this year? Memphis is only an option for a few i'd think and putting them in the bullpen seems a waste of many of their talents.

by offseason 10/1/2018 7:47:34 PM
If there is a deal, a Cardinal young pitcher or two is very likely to be a part of it.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:48:18 PM
Peralta is an interesting option. Lefty with pop. Idk much about his defense though. I’m sure he has a strong arm being a former pitcher but how is he on tracking the ball and routes. When Fowler or Martinez were in the outfield I always figured it was a toss up on whether or not they’d catch the ball or at least keep it in front of them.

by USMC 10/1/2018 7:48:34 PM
Peralta probably is better than in left than right but he might have to play there if Ozuna's arm still is an issue. There are not many perfect players but Peralta could be a lefthanded-hitting influence in the lineup.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:50:49 PM
sorry. make that a stellar .249

by zadfratz 10/1/2018 7:51:09 PM
On-base percentage is higher, though. Carpenter scored 111 runs and that's tough to do when you can't run.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:51:47 PM
Since some of these young pitchers only got regular starts from July onward and ran out of gas (Ponce, Gomber, Gant, Hudson, Flaherty) and many were injured or 'lost it' (Cecil, Leone, Norris, Weaver) how can we expect them to be starters or relievers for the whole year when no one can consistently perform or stay healthy. The kids ran out of gas after only 2+ months.

by Evil Calvin! 10/1/2018 7:52:49 PM
So did some of the veterans. The advantage the younger players may have gained is how long the season is and that they have to prepare to pitch or play into October and not just Labor Day.

by rhummel 10/1/2018 7:53:48 PM

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Cardinals chat with Rick Hummel

Bring your Cardinals questions and comments, and talk to Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel in a live chat starting at 11 a.m. Monday.

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