****The Official 2019 STL Cardinals Thread****

[BigRedChief]

Cardinals announce 25-man Opening Day roster for the 2019 season.

Spoiler!

The Cardinals today announced their 25-man Opening Day roster that includes four first-time Cardinals and 13 players that were developed within their organization.

PITCHERS (12): 60 – John Brebbia-RHP, 22 – Jack Flaherty-RHP, 53 – John Gant- RHP, 49 – Jordan Hicks-RHP, 43 – Dakota Hudson- RHP, 55 – Dominic Leone-RHP, 59 – Mike Mayers- RHP, 21 – Andrew Miller-LHP, 39 – Miles Mikolas-RHP, 29 – Alex Reyes, RHP, 52 – Michael Wacha-RHP, 50 – Adam Wainwright- RHP;

CATCHERS (2): 4 -Yadier Molina, 32 – Matt Wieters;

INFIELDERS (6): 13 - Matt Carpenter, 12 – Paul DeJong, 46 – Paul Goldschmidt, 34 – Yario Muñoz, 33 – Drew Robinson, 16 – Kolten Wong;

OUTFIELDERS (5): 46 – Harrison Bader, 25 - Dexter Fowler, 38 – José Martínez, 41 – Tyler O'Neill, 23 – Marcell Ozuna;

DISABLED LIST (5): 27 - Brett Cecil (10-day, left hand Carpal Tunnel syndrome), 44 – Luke Gregerson (10-day, right shoulder impingement), 18 – Carlos Martínez (right shoulder cuff strain), 3 - Jedd Gyorko (10-day, right calf strain), 67 - Justin Williams (10-day, right hand 2nd metacarpal fracture).

2019 Opening Day Line up

Spoiler!

Starting lineup
Matt Carpenter 3B
Paul Goldschmidt 1B
Paul DeJong SS
Ozuna LF
Yadier Molina C
Dexter Fowler RF
Kolten Wong 2B
Harrison Bader CF

Won the Central Division. Won the NLDS.

NLDS Playoff roster

Spoiler!

Pitchers (12): Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson, Genesis Cabrera, Tyler Webb, Andrew Miller, John Brebbia, Daniel Ponce de Leon, Ryan Helsley, Giovanny Gallegos, Carlos Martinez.

Catchers (2): Yadier Molina, Matt Wieters.

Infielders (6): Paul Goldschmidt, Kolten Wong, Paul DeJong, Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman, Yairo Munoz.

Outfielders (5): Marcell Ozuna, Harrison Bader, Dexter Fowler, Jose Martinez, Randy Arozarena.

NLDS Playoff Game 1 starting lineup

Spoiler!

1. Dexter Fowler, CF

2. Tommy Edman, 3B

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Marcell Ozuna, LF

5. Yadier Molina, C

6. Paul DeJong, SS

7. Kolten Wong, 2B

8. Harrison Bader, CF

9. Miles Mikolas, P

NLCS Game One Starting lineup

Spoiler!

1. Dexter Fowler, CF

2. Kolten Wong, 2B

3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

4. Marcell Ozuna, LF

5. Yadier Molina, C

6. Matt Carpenter 3B

7.Tommy Edmond RF

8. Paul DeJong, SS

9. Miles Mikolas P

[Frazod]

Thanks for the near heart attack Carlos. ****.

But I’ll take the win.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Thanks for the near heart attack Carlos. ****.

But I’ll take the win.

we are just to have to get use to his lack of focus. Ever since his rookie season he could walk the bases loaded, then strike out the side.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

we are just to have to get use to his lack of focus. Ever since his rookie season he could walk the bases loaded, then strike out the side.

It was just blind luck that that ball didn't go out. Another foot and it would have.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Frazod

It was just blind luck that that ball didn't go out. Another foot and it would have.

he let’s that ball roll foul, that AB probaly doesn’t happen.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

he let’s that ball roll foul, that AB probaly doesn’t happen.

That was a bad play, but I can't really fault him for trying. It's just instinctive. Definitely seemed to take the wind out of his sails, though.

[Marco Polo]

A victory is a victory. Let's sweep them out tomorrow!

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Thanks for the near heart attack Carlos. ****.

But I’ll take the win.

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

he let’s that ball roll foul, that AB probaly doesn’t happen.

I swear to christ this happens to him every game.

Look - Carlos doesn't handle adversity very well. I'll grant anyone that; he bobbles more than I'd like.

But FFS, the guy was nails yesterday. The DP grounder was a perfect pitch and his AB to Cain was a thing of beauty (I have no idea how Cain took the backed up slider and then didn't swing at the running fastball right after it; those pitches were perfectly tunneled and perfectly placed and Cain managed to survive them both; I honestly think he was so badly beaten that he just kept the bat on his shoulder and hoped).

His 2 out walk was one where he got too cute; he was literally missing everywhere but not necessarily by a ton. Yadi should've stopped having him try to dance around the strike zone at that point.

But back to what happenes every game - there's ALWAYS some crappy little mis-hit that finds a hole against him. I say it every outing but if the guy could ever just get those weak-ass grounders that he gives up to go to people, he'd just cruise. His stuff in this role is vile, man. It's darting and diving and for the most part all guys can do is hit it into the ground or strike out.

I'm gonna continue to back Carlos here because his stuff is just a clear notch above anyone else we have and while he doesn't always pitch as well as I'd like when he gets in trouble, he almost always dances his way out of it and the trouble he gets into is often created by some simple shitty luck.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

All this is doing is another year of Shit and Mo keeping their jobs...

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

All this is doing is another year of Shit and Mo keeping their jobs...

Shildt is very possibly the best manager in the NL.

Your hand-wringing over this guy has been asinine from the start. He's truly stellar.

Now as for Mozeliak - yes, I'd rather see us miss the playoffs than retain Mozeliak. He's garbage.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Lulz

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

Lulz

From one of the 4 worst teams in baseball in utilizing the shift over Matheny's time in STL (a total of 6 runs saved via the shift over his entire tenure) to the absolute best since (28 since he took over last year).

From the 4th worst baserunning team in baseball over the Matheny's tenure to the absolute best since (a staggering -36 base runs lost under Matheny vs. 18 created since Shildt took over).

The 2019 Cardinals have the 2nd best bullpen ERA in baseball despite losing Hicks and feeling all season for ANY lefthanded reliever that doesn't suck dicks. This is after the bullpen ERA improved a quarter of a run after he took over last year despite the same crew.

This is a team who's collective win shares should yield a 67-64 team when it's actual record is 73-58; they're 15 games above .500 when their true talent says they should be three games over. Six games in the standings that you're hand-waiving.

There is NO objective criteria whereby you can say that the areas that a manager has the most impact over aren't at/near an elite level for the Cardinals.

Let's hear your argument to the contrary. Or are you just gonna type "LoL" again like the mouth-breathing half-wit you've exposed yourself as on this thread hundreds of times in the past?

[Marcellus]

Shildt's only flaw at this point is running Carpenter out there over the younger guys, the biggest problem he faces the lack of talent he has to deal with in starting rotation (looking at you Wacha).


His press conferences annoy me when he is being all positive after almost being no hit about 3 times in a week but he is a positive guy.

BTW I guess they fired the right hitting coach.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Shildt's only flaw at this point is running Carpenter out there over the younger guys, the biggest problem he faces the lack of talent he has to deal with in starting rotation (looking at you Wacha).


His press conferences annoy me when he is being all positive after almost being no hit about 3 times in a week but he is a positive guy.

BTW I guess they fired the right hitting coach.

And regarding Wacha, since his return to the 'rotation' the Cardinals have gone 2-2 in his outings with the two losses being games where they scored 0 and 1 runs respectively. Those are likely losses with Flaherty on the mound. Hell, those are likely losses if Verlander's making those starts.

Shildt's running with a real talent disadvantage quite often and he's managing to milk .500 baseball out of Wacha starts by getting his ass out of there pretty quickly and letting Helsley do some lifting for him. It's a terrible position to put Shildt in but one he's handling very admirably.

As for Carpenter - I think Shildt is predisposed to giving Carpenter every chance he can, yes. But I also think he gets a LOT of pressure from on high to put Carpenter out there and try to justify that extension. If the Cardinals could just decline his option this off-season and move on, I think Carpenter would've been a bench bat weeks ago.

I don't think Shildt is completely without blame, but it's probably an even 50/50 split between him and the front office. And even at that, Edman appeared to have supplanted him as the starting 3b before Wong took the foul ball off the toe. I think going forward you'll see that alignment far more often than not.

Carpenter's season is winding to a close. His Cardinal career should be as well but $$$ dictates that they'll give him every chance to keep that 3b job (because he'll be gifted it to start the season) next year.

[bdj23]

I like Shildt outside of the Carp use, but I feel it's dictated from the FO some too. Sometimes he does something boneheaded and we are quick to get pissed because we are still dealing with shellshock from Matheny.

As for Mo? Catapult him into the sun for all I care.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by BDj23

I like Shildt outside of the Carp use, but I feel it's dictated from the FO some too. Sometimes he does something boneheaded and we are quick to get pissed because we are still dealing with shellshock from Matheny.

As for Mo? Catapult him into the sun for all I care.

Every manager of every team in every sport is going to do things that piss you off. Routinely.

If your favorite manager/coach/whatever took over the team you root for daily, you'd see a whole lot of warts you didn't see when you weren't watching them like a hawk.

I learned my lesson after Matheny took over for LaRussa and I realized what a true mouth-breather looked like. After years of focusing primarily on what LaRussa did poorly rather than what he did well, we ended up with a manager who ONLY did things poorly. And I can't help but think we kinda deserved that.

So with Shildt I have taken a more relaxed approach and really the one I should've taken with LaRussa more often than I did. I have to give him a fair, 1,000 mile view of his overall body of work. And with that in mind, occasional gaffes notwithstanding, it's hard not to conclude that he's done an outstanding job.