Teams don't have to wait six weeks to make trades but it seems many deals don't come to fruition until late July. I firmly believe you won't get anybody better than Hicks anyway. It is just a matter of when he'll be ready. The other option is Pallante, and he was a good one. But that depends on Matz being healthy enough to join the rotation and we are a ways from that.
He still is at Memphis. For whatever reason, he doesn't register with the front office. He doesn't throw as hard as some of his peers but, in his limited time here in two seasons, Rondon has retired virtually everyone he has faced without walking the ball park.
That new schedule will mean some adjustments because the Cardinals haven't fared well against the American League teams other than the Royals for some time now. As of next year, interleague play will jump from 20 games to 46 games per team. There will be two fewer series with the Reds, Pirates and Cubs, and, of course, the Brewers.
I don't find a 15-18 record against contending teams to be all that bad, considering we are just 40 percent into the season. The key to winning a division or making the playoffs is to mop up on the bad teams, which the Cardinals and other clubs do, and play .at least .500 ball against the rest. Two more wins against the good clubs and the Cardinals would be over .500 against them at this juncture. A previous question, however, brought up a good point. The Cardinals are 2-6 against contending teams from the American League in Toronto, Tampa Bay and Boston. The American League has been stronger for years and the schedule will entail playing more AL teams next year.
I think the Cardinals can do some business running on the Brewers, if they can get on base enough.
You are correct on both counts. In the case of Pujols, there was a risk involved. He didn't hit right-handers last year either. But people still come to the ball park to see him play and the game is for the fans. It's a tough one but, again, his exposure to right-handed pitching should be limited more. However the front office changes two or three of its relievers--either internally or without--it has to be done.
If DeJong shows more consistency at bat, he has to be brought up. Or traded. Not fair to keep him at Memphis under that scenario.
I wouldn't be averse to bringing up Woodford but the staff wants him to work on his slider as an "out" pitch, which it wasn't when he was here before. If he can show better mastery of that pitch, he will be here because he was quite effective down the stretch last year.
If Hicks is as good as Reyes was for most of last season, I think that would be quite an addition. Reyes did make the All-Star team, you know.
The club hasn't helped Oviedo in this regard, i.e., bringing him up before he is ready. But he does look a little better now and may be worth a try in the middle. Otherwise, he shouldn't be just sitting out there in the bullpen.
The Cardinals' pitchers haven't offered much of anything on the record about the baseballs.
Just because Herrera fanned in each of his first three at-bats is no reason to abandon him. He's going to be the regular here in the next year or so. The need here is not for a .236 hitting journeyman catcher.
There is more need for Hicks now as a reliever than as a starter, which would take him longer to build up to in the minors. They don't need another starter right now. If Hicks' arm is around, then his command should be better and command is precisely what the Cardinals are looking for.
There must have been some sort of joke involved.
Several players have mentioned the help of Turner Ward. He and Jeff Albert might be a good fit.
I guess anybody is a candidate to acquire. But, with Pallante doing well as a starter, the Cardinals' need is more in the relief area.
I am suspecting that the pitcher wants a quick inning by his teammates, so he can get back to the mound as fast as possible and have less time to think about his fate.
I don't see any of the young players being traded yet, although Burleson could be a candidate. However, I would rather see him play here first. DeJong would be first on the trade list but who wants him? And for how much?
The season is calculated on 180 days. Any day on the big-league club counts as one day. So, sometimes, those players who may not have had three full seasons in might qualify for salary arbitration for the first time if they are close enough in days of service. .
I'm afraid the Cardinal Bullpen will not survive on internal candidates for 6 more weeks until the trade deadline. Mo's history and stated opinions indicate he is unlikely to make a move prior to the deadline. Yepez has TWO AB's since his misplay in LF during Mikolas bid for a No-Hitter. Has he become a defensive liability in the OF in Oli's eyes. Was Oli"s confession he succumbed to nostalgia starting Pujols Sunday an admission of a mistake. O'Neill falls prey to the greatest ability once again,. AVAILABILTY. Not sure Oviedo will be much of an improvement over VerHagen. Thompson should be better than McFarland. I view the 8 man pen as having 2.5 dependable arm with Cabrera being 50/50. Color me glass half empty for the next 6 weeks.