2018 STL Cardinals Thread

[BigRedChief]

Opening day lineup

Fowler RF
Pham CF
Carpenter 3B
Ozuna LF
Martinez 1B
Molina C
Dejong SS
Wong 2B
Pitcher

Edit:
Matheny fired 07/14/2018




Opening Day Roster

Spoiler!

St. Louis has opted to carry 12 position players and 13 pitchers to begin the new season, with a four-man bench and eight-man bullpen.

Outfielders:
Dexter Fowler
Tommy Pham
Marcell Ozuna

Infielders:
Matt Carpenter
Paul DeJong
Kolten Wong

Catchers:
Yadier Molina
Francisco Pena

Utility:
Jose Martinez
Greg Garcia
Yairo Munoz
Jedd Gyrko

Starters:
Carlos Martinez
Michael Wacha
Luke Weaver
Miles Mikolas
Jack Flaherty

Relievers:
Dominic Leone
Tyler Lyons
Bud Norris
Brett Cecil
Sam Tuivailala
Matt Bowman
Jordan Hicks
Mike Mayers

On the DL:
Adam Wainwright
Luke Gregerson

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

why the **** is he playing?
/Rams Fan

He's a defensive liability who is better suited for the AL.

[Jewish Rabbi]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

He's a defensive liability who is better suited for the AL.

He’s hitting .340 since last years All Star break, 3rd highest in baseball behind Altuve and Blackmon. He is in your lineup every day until he stops hitting, defensive liability or not.

[scho63]

Why did the Cards really do nothing in the offseason? Do they have payroll issues?

What kind of a farm system do you guys have? Never really hear much about the Cards having good young players that have come up through the ranks. Am I mistaken?

We have a LOT of young talent on our team this year but still think our bullpen is going to fail us much more than save us. Still too early to tell but they look a little weak.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by scho63

Why did the Cards really do nothing in the offseason? Do they have payroll issues?

What kind of a farm system do you guys have? Never really hear much about the Cards having good young players that have come up through the ranks. Am I mistaken?

We have a LOT of young talent on our team this year but still think our bullpen is going to fail us much more than save us. Still too early to tell but they look a little weak.

I wouldn't say they did "nothing". Maybe nothing earth shattering though they tried pretty hard to get Stanton.

On top of trading for Ozuna they traded away 1/3rd of the starting team from last year in Grichik, Piscotti, & Diaz, and they dumped Mike Leake.

They are going with their young guys and trying to keep some payroll flexibility for a big move if they can make it happen IMO.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

He's a defensive liability who is better suited for the AL.

He is still new at the position. He looks awkward at times, but good lord you find a place for a guy who is getting on base at better than a .440 clip and slugging over .600! Even Meathead can't screw up that decision.

[O.city]

He’s a defensive liability at first base. That’s not a big deal

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I wouldn't say they did "nothing". Maybe nothing earth shattering though they tried pretty hard to get Stanton.

On top of trading for Ozuna they traded away 1/3rd of the starting team from last year in Grichik, Piscotti, & Diaz, and they dumped Mike Leake.

They are going with their young guys and trying to keep some payroll flexibility for a big move if they can make it happen IMO.

Didn't realize that. They get little national press.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by scho63

Why did the Cards really do nothing in the offseason? Do they have payroll issues?

What kind of a farm system do you guys have? Never really hear much about the Cards having good young players that have come up through the ranks. Am I mistaken?

We have a LOT of young talent on our team this year but still think our bullpen is going to fail us much more than save us. Still too early to tell but they look a little weak.

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I wouldn't say they did "nothing". Maybe nothing earth shattering though they tried pretty hard to get Stanton.

On top of trading for Ozuna they traded away 1/3rd of the starting team from last year in Grichik, Piscotti, & Diaz, and they dumped Mike Leake.

They are going with their young guys and trying to keep some payroll flexibility for a big move if they can make it happen IMO.

This.

Getting rid of under-performing players = Addition of better players. Thats not usually a move they make. And then adding an All-Star clean up hitter cant be construed as "nothing".

Scho, its all about next year when we can start to realisrically challenge the Cubs for the division and win playoff games.

Main reason, our top shelf young cost controlled quality starting pitching arrive in the major leagues. Possible starters....

Martinez
Reyes
Weaver
Flaherty
Hudson
Hicks

And there are several other pitching prospects in the minors projecting to the major leagues in the next 2-4 years.

We also have several outfielders that are getting close that could be a part of a trade. Best catching prospect in baseball thats expendable. Wacha. And one of our young pitchers to help get some more offense to make a run in the playoffs again.

[O.city]

Tinstapp

[DJ's left nut]

Sign up for The Athletic. Go on Twitter and find a discount link or something; it's around $25 for a year subscription and it's a steal.

Bernie wrote an incredible article today that may well be worth the cost for the year alone. I'm not a Bernie fan, but it's a truly outstanding piece contrasting the Cards attitude with the 'peak TLR' squads and how that's played a role in their decline, especially at home. Really good quotes from TLR, a current player and Berkman.

Here's a small snippet from it:

I spoke with a veteran National League player who requested anonymity because his team will face the Cardinals multiple times this season. The Cardinals are a respectable team, he said. But not an intimidating one. He recalled going into Busch Stadium for the usual three-game series, and always thinking his team would be fortunate to get out with one victory. The St. Louis fans were nice, he said. But the Cardinals were scary.

Scary?

The player laughed and cited Tony La Russa and his ability to mess up opposing managers and players with his relentless gamesmanship. The player cited Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Chris Carpenter and other intensely wound Cardinals — and how they always seemed to be on the verge of snapping.

The player said, “This is intended as a big-time compliment, but Tony La Russa was psycho, and a lot of his players were the same way. Tony would be standing at the edge of the dugout, wearing those sunglasses during night games, and (pitching coach) Dave Duncan was always by his side. And those guys just looked dangerous … you knew they were up to something. La Russa and Duncan were badasses. They would do anything to win a game, and it was draining to compete against them. It isn’t fair to Matheny, but it just isn’t the same way now.”

https://theathletic.com/312461/2018/...eld-advantage/

Rany has a great piece up as well for folks that keep an eye on the Royals. It's just outstanding sportswriting and well worth it. If you hate to see places like ESPN and Yahoo Sports with their 'pivot to video' philosophy, throw a few bucks at The Athletic and see what you can do to keep great sportswriting alive. Pretty much every baseball writer worth a shit is there now anyway and if you combine their content with Birdsontheblack.com, a relatively new Cardinals blog, you really don't need to go anywhere else.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Sign up for The Athletic. Go on Twitter and find a discount link or something; it's around $25 for a year subscription and it's a steal.

Bernie wrote an incredible article today that may well be worth the cost for the year alone. I'm not a Bernie fan, but it's a truly outstanding piece contrasting the Cards attitude with the 'peak TLR' squads and how that's played a role in their decline, especially at home. Really good quotes from TLR, a current player and Berkman.

Here's a small snippet from it:



https://theathletic.com/312461/2018/...eld-advantage/

Rany has a great piece up as well for folks that keep an eye on the Royals. It's just outstanding sportswriting and well worth it. If you hate to see places like ESPN and Yahoo Sports with their 'pivot to video' philosophy, throw a few bucks at The Athletic and see what you can do to keep great sportswriting alive. Pretty much every baseball writer worth a shit is there now anyway and if you combine their content with Birdsontheblack.com, a relatively new Cardinals blog, you really don't need to go anywhere else.

Thanks appreciate it.

And also, where the hell you been?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Thanks appreciate it.

And also, where the hell you been?

{shrug}

Kinda already said most of what I have to say I guess. I'm not sure how Clay has managed 100K posts; mindless repetition will do that I suppose.

I suspect the world will keep spinning either way...

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

{shrug}

Kinda already said most of what I have to say I guess. I'm not sure how Clay has managed 100K posts; mindless repetition will do that I suppose.

I suspect the world will keep spinning either way...

We're getting ready to start a season with the messiah at QB, been a crazy offseason, the Cardinals are sucking and you're no where to be seen.

Plus the mock draft has drug on.

dude

[O.city]

So this thread is as good as any so I royally pissed of a PITA patient of mine yesterday

I was polishing a temporary crown and getting ready to cement it and she turned around and said "man I really hate the dentist, you know?"

I looked up and said " well, he doesn't really care for you either" and chuckled a little.

She wasn't happy.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Sign up for The Athletic. Go on Twitter and find a discount link or something; it's around $25 for a year subscription and it's a steal.

Just did, thanks for the info.