Sunday, July 7, 2013 - At Busch Stadium III (Lance Lynn - Starting Pitcher) - Opponent: Miami Marlins (Jose Fernandez - Starting Pitcher) - Attendance: 43,741
Exactly one year after beating the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium by a score of 3-2, the Cardinals beat the Marlins at Busch Stadium by a score of 3-2. What a coincidence. Last year, all the scoring in the game had concluded after the fourth-inning - which is exactly what happened in this game.
The manner in which the runs scored had changed, along with a change in the sequential order. For example, last year Matt Holliday did not hit a two-out first-inning home run to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead; but he did this time around.
Last year, the Marlins didn't score a run in the second-inning to tie the game at one run apiece, since they actually scored two runs in the second to take a 2-0 lead.
And last year, the Cardinals did not score two runs in the third-inning to take a 3-1 lead; they scored three runs in the fourth-inning to take a 3-2 lead - and that's how it ended.
Returning to the reality of 2013, Holliday did indeed hit a two-out solo home run in the first-inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
And the Marlins did indeed tie the game in the second-inning, on a Derek Dietrich double and an Adeiny Hechavarria run-scoring single.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the third-inning. Leading off, Matt Carpenter was hit by a Fernandez fastball - then Carlos Beltran laid down a perfect bunt, enabling him to reach base safely on the infield hit, as Carpenter advanced to second. Fernandez then walked Holliday to load the bases for Allen Craig - who scored Carpenter with a long sacrifice fly to center field, as Beltran also moved up to third.
The next batter - David Freese struck out on a 3-2 fastball while Beltran was busy stealing home - and Holliday was sliding into second. The double steal - with the lead runner hampered by a bum knee - caught everyone off guard; but it gave the Redbirds their third, and final run of the game.
Miami scored a run in the fourth-inning, and threatened to score in the eighth-inning - but Trevor Rosenthal was able to get the final out on a ground ball to second, with the bases loaded with Marlins.
Edward Mujica pitched a perfect ninth-inning to record his 23rd save of the season, as Lance Lynn improved to 11-3 - and rookie sensation Jose Fernandez dropped to 5-5.
Imagine that. Beltran - bad knees and all - stole home. Lou Brock - 938 career stolen bases - yet not a single solitary theft of home. Go figure.
Showing posts with label carlos beltran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carlos beltran. Show all posts
Monday, July 7, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
This Day in St Louis Cardinals History - June 9, 2013 - 10th-Inning 7-Run Fun on ESPN
Sunday, June 9, 2013 - At Great American Ballpark: In a nationally televised game on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds were dead-even after nine innings - all tied at four runs apiece. By the time the Cardinals completed their half of the tenth-inning, the Reds were simply dead.
Not many extra-inning games are decided by as many as seven runs (11-4 final score) - and not many pitchers making their major league debut enter a game with the bases loaded, only to have the first pitch they throw in that situation travel about 450 feet in the other direction. That was all part of the fun for the Redbirds, as they tore into Reds pitching like Louie Anderson at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Simply put, the Cardinals had quite a feast tonight - and the main course was Cincinnati pitching.
Lance Lynn started this game for St Louis (6 IP - 5 H - 4 R - 3 BB - 6 SO) - then four Cardinal relievers held the Reds scoreless over the final four innings - with Trevor Rosenthal's well-timed two perfect innings of work earning the rookie his first major league win.
For the Reds, starter Bronson Arroyo allowed just two runs in six innings of work, but the bullpen failed to preserve a 4-2 sixth-inning Cincinnati lead, which ultimately sent the game into one-inning's worth of ERA-inflating overtime - for the home team, that is.
Offensively, the big blow came off the bat of Matt Holliday - a tenth-inning grand slam - on the first pitch ever thrown in a big league game by some kid named Curtis Partch. But that was just the icing on the Cardinals' cake. St Louis had already sent eight men to the plate - scoring three runs - before Holliday's parting shot.
Allan Craig's lead-off walk started the festivities off Reds reliever, J.J. Hoover. One out later, David Freese grounded a single to right - then Daniel Descalso began the run-scoring barrage with a double to plate Craig. An intentional walk to Jon Jay loaded the bases for pinch hitter Pete Kozma - who struck out.
With two out, Matt Carpenter's two-run double (1 RBI previously) essentially put the game out of reach. A walk to Carlos Beltran (HR, 2 RBI previously) ended Hoover's night - although he was still responsible for the three runners on base - who later scored on Holliday's ESPN-broadcast grand salami.
Not many extra-inning games are decided by as many as seven runs (11-4 final score) - and not many pitchers making their major league debut enter a game with the bases loaded, only to have the first pitch they throw in that situation travel about 450 feet in the other direction. That was all part of the fun for the Redbirds, as they tore into Reds pitching like Louie Anderson at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Simply put, the Cardinals had quite a feast tonight - and the main course was Cincinnati pitching.
Lance Lynn started this game for St Louis (6 IP - 5 H - 4 R - 3 BB - 6 SO) - then four Cardinal relievers held the Reds scoreless over the final four innings - with Trevor Rosenthal's well-timed two perfect innings of work earning the rookie his first major league win.
For the Reds, starter Bronson Arroyo allowed just two runs in six innings of work, but the bullpen failed to preserve a 4-2 sixth-inning Cincinnati lead, which ultimately sent the game into one-inning's worth of ERA-inflating overtime - for the home team, that is.
Offensively, the big blow came off the bat of Matt Holliday - a tenth-inning grand slam - on the first pitch ever thrown in a big league game by some kid named Curtis Partch. But that was just the icing on the Cardinals' cake. St Louis had already sent eight men to the plate - scoring three runs - before Holliday's parting shot.
Allan Craig's lead-off walk started the festivities off Reds reliever, J.J. Hoover. One out later, David Freese grounded a single to right - then Daniel Descalso began the run-scoring barrage with a double to plate Craig. An intentional walk to Jon Jay loaded the bases for pinch hitter Pete Kozma - who struck out.
With two out, Matt Carpenter's two-run double (1 RBI previously) essentially put the game out of reach. A walk to Carlos Beltran (HR, 2 RBI previously) ended Hoover's night - although he was still responsible for the three runners on base - who later scored on Holliday's ESPN-broadcast grand salami.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Pujols & Fielder Have Much in Common
The two biggest winners in MLB's free agent sweepstakes - Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder - have much in common, aside from all the money. Both are power-hitting first basemen who once played for rival NL Central teams - the St Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers. Both were widely revered - even idolized - by their legion of fans. Both chose to leave. Both signed massive long-term contracts with American League teams - the LA Angels of Anaheim and the Detroit Tigers. Both are under the employ of very generous owners who are trying very hard to put together a winning team for their fans. Both will finish their careers as Designated Hitters.
One was expected to help his new team reach the postseason for the first time since 2009. The other was expected to help his new team easily win a second straight division title. The fans in both cities - LA and Detroit - were deliriously happy; their new teammates were absolutely giddy when the news of their signings broke.
Both teams already had capable first basemen - Mark Trumbo and Miguel Cabrera - that have been forced to play other, less capable defensive positions. Cabrera willingly made the move to third base where he has performed significantly worse, as expected, than incumbent Brandon Inge, who was subsequently released, as the odd-man out. Ironically, Inge's career has since been revitalized as the new third baseman for the Oakland A's; hitting home runs and driving in runs like Lou Gehrig in his prime, until recently sidelined by a trip to the DL.
Trumbo has been the Angels' most productive hitter since breaking in with the team last season. No longer considered a viable option at first base, Trumbo has proven to be a defensive liability at third base, while a log-jam in the outfield has kept him out of the Halos' anemic lineup far too often. To help give him more playing time, the team released veteran Bobby Abreu, who subsequently hooked on with the Dodgers, and is playing quite well; naturally.
Meanwhile, as the season reaches the Memorial Day milestone, both teams are playing significantly below their expectation level - losing more often than not - and have more than just a few disgruntled fans wondering if the price of admission for future games is going to be worth it.
Both teams have a myriad of problems that need to be resolved for the remaining 70-75% of the regular season, if they hope to make it into the expanded postseason mix. For the kind of money these guys are making, there are more than just a few casual observers who think neither one is earning their keep. Pujols got off to the worst start of his career - one of the most well-publicized slumps in MLB history - but has slowly begun to dig himself out of the abyss; especially after Friday night's three-run bomb in Seattle, which helped rally the Angels to a come-from-behind victory. He then added a solo shot in Saturday's win over the Mariners, so perhaps he's on the way to producing more "Pujols-like" numbers this season, although his 0 for 4 Sunday knocked his career batting average down to .325; three points lower than he began the season.
Fielder has maintained a very respectable batting average all season long, but hasn't quite produced the overwhelming power numbers the Tigers organization was hoping to see. With Albert's recent power surge, he's very close to matching the run production which Prince has quietly accounted for so far this season. The batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage is another story. Through Sunday, here are their latest stats:
G HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
Pujols 48 7 26 .227 .271 .387 85
Fielder 47 7 28 .317 .379 .489 138
162 Game Projections: Pujols - 24 HR - 88 RBI; Fielder - 24 HR - 97 RBI.
How does this compare to the typical offensive production each player has generated during their careers? Well, if Albert goes on to only hit 24 home runs this year, he will establish a new career low (so far, 32 home runs has been his lowest total). Fielder has slugged as many as 51 home runs in a season, so his current pace would yield about half that total.
Here's what Arte Moreno and Mike Ilich were probably hoping for when they made those large commitments to both sluggers:
162 Game Career Averages (Through 2011):
Pujols - 42 HR - 125 RBI - .328 BA/.420 OBP/.617 SLG - 170 OPS+
Fielder - 37 HR - 106 RBI - .282 BA/.390 OBP/.540 SLG - 143 OPS+
Fielder has been hitting for a slightly higher average since joining the Tigers, but is drawing fewer bases on balls, so his OBP is off a bit from his career average. The big concern, which should be no big surprise, is this year's diminished slugging percentage. Quite simply, Fielder's power numbers were inflated by playing half his games at hitter-friendly Miller Park; at least compared to pitcher-friendly Comerica Park where he now plays half his games. That's understandable. Pujols is another story.
Not only has Albert never hit less than 32 home runs in a single season, last year was the first time in his career he failed to drive in 100 runs, although he came close with 99. While he may be able to muster up enough power and enough playing time to avoid new career lows in those categories - he is almost certain to fall well short of these previous "career worst" totals, set just last year: .299 BA/.366 OBP/.541 SLG.
Despite his recent heroics, the thirty-two year-old Pujols is clearly experiencing a rapid decline in his batting skills. If this continues for another nine years, it's likely his career batting average will fall below .300, his on base percentage below .400, and his slugging percentage well below .600; perhaps closer to a mere mortal .500 SLG.
If that sounds blasphemous, consider that his career batting average since joining the Angels has already dropped from .328 to .325; his career on base percentage is down from .420 to .416; and even more alarming, his career slugging percentage has dropped seven points, from .617 to .610. As it stands, Pujols is one of only seven players in MLB history with a career slugging percentage over .600. He still ranks fourth all-time, behind Ruth (.690), Williams (.634) and Gehrig (.632), but now he's just one point higher than Foxx (.609). Bonds (.607) and Greenberg (.605) also figure to go up a notch as Albert slides further down the ladder, under that magical .600 plateau; probably before the end of the season.
When he fades from that elite slugging status, his reputation as one of game's all-time greatest players will surely be tarnished. Of course, no matter what happens for the remainder of his career, Albert Pujols will still be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, when the time comes. Somehow, it's hard to picture him being enshrined at Cooperstown wearing anything but a Cardinals jersey.
Fielder, who is four years younger than Pujols, may have already reached his peak, although he should continue to be a fairly productive hitter for the bulk of his nine-year stint with Detroit. Whether or not that body will have enough batting skill left inside to warrant another contract somewhere remains to be seen. If not, perhaps he'll begin a new chapter in his life as a batting instructor somewhere; maybe the Angels will need another one by that time; someone who could possibly help a 41-year old Albert Pujols get out of another season-long slump.
In the meantime, it appears the Cardinals found a significantly better replacement for their departed slugger than the Brewers were able to scrounge up for their lost power source. Here's their comparison:
G HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
Carlos Beltran 46 15 41 .290 .388 .605 169
Aramis Ramirez 43 3 25 .238 .310 .402 91
With the Cardinals as banged-up as they are at the present time, they can ill-afford to lose the services of the amazing Beltran - who currently leads the NL in home runs and runs batted in - for any extended period of time. He has a history of knee trouble which has already held him out of the lineup for a few games; Cardinal Nation is hoping the baseball gods will manage to keep him healthy for the duration of what they hope will be a very long postseason run.
In the meantime, both Pujols and Fielder have avoided injury this season, keeping them in the lineup day in and day out. At least they've proven to be highly durable athletes in 2012; another common denominator.
The Cardinals could have used a little of that quality for their growing list of walking wounded this year; proving that good hitting ability without good health is good for nothing.
Both teams have a myriad of problems that need to be resolved for the remaining 70-75% of the regular season, if they hope to make it into the expanded postseason mix. For the kind of money these guys are making, there are more than just a few casual observers who think neither one is earning their keep. Pujols got off to the worst start of his career - one of the most well-publicized slumps in MLB history - but has slowly begun to dig himself out of the abyss; especially after Friday night's three-run bomb in Seattle, which helped rally the Angels to a come-from-behind victory. He then added a solo shot in Saturday's win over the Mariners, so perhaps he's on the way to producing more "Pujols-like" numbers this season, although his 0 for 4 Sunday knocked his career batting average down to .325; three points lower than he began the season.
Fielder has maintained a very respectable batting average all season long, but hasn't quite produced the overwhelming power numbers the Tigers organization was hoping to see. With Albert's recent power surge, he's very close to matching the run production which Prince has quietly accounted for so far this season. The batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage is another story. Through Sunday, here are their latest stats:
G HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
Pujols 48 7 26 .227 .271 .387 85
Fielder 47 7 28 .317 .379 .489 138
162 Game Projections: Pujols - 24 HR - 88 RBI; Fielder - 24 HR - 97 RBI.
How does this compare to the typical offensive production each player has generated during their careers? Well, if Albert goes on to only hit 24 home runs this year, he will establish a new career low (so far, 32 home runs has been his lowest total). Fielder has slugged as many as 51 home runs in a season, so his current pace would yield about half that total.
Here's what Arte Moreno and Mike Ilich were probably hoping for when they made those large commitments to both sluggers:
162 Game Career Averages (Through 2011):
Pujols - 42 HR - 125 RBI - .328 BA/.420 OBP/.617 SLG - 170 OPS+
Fielder - 37 HR - 106 RBI - .282 BA/.390 OBP/.540 SLG - 143 OPS+
Fielder has been hitting for a slightly higher average since joining the Tigers, but is drawing fewer bases on balls, so his OBP is off a bit from his career average. The big concern, which should be no big surprise, is this year's diminished slugging percentage. Quite simply, Fielder's power numbers were inflated by playing half his games at hitter-friendly Miller Park; at least compared to pitcher-friendly Comerica Park where he now plays half his games. That's understandable. Pujols is another story.
Not only has Albert never hit less than 32 home runs in a single season, last year was the first time in his career he failed to drive in 100 runs, although he came close with 99. While he may be able to muster up enough power and enough playing time to avoid new career lows in those categories - he is almost certain to fall well short of these previous "career worst" totals, set just last year: .299 BA/.366 OBP/.541 SLG.
Despite his recent heroics, the thirty-two year-old Pujols is clearly experiencing a rapid decline in his batting skills. If this continues for another nine years, it's likely his career batting average will fall below .300, his on base percentage below .400, and his slugging percentage well below .600; perhaps closer to a mere mortal .500 SLG.
If that sounds blasphemous, consider that his career batting average since joining the Angels has already dropped from .328 to .325; his career on base percentage is down from .420 to .416; and even more alarming, his career slugging percentage has dropped seven points, from .617 to .610. As it stands, Pujols is one of only seven players in MLB history with a career slugging percentage over .600. He still ranks fourth all-time, behind Ruth (.690), Williams (.634) and Gehrig (.632), but now he's just one point higher than Foxx (.609). Bonds (.607) and Greenberg (.605) also figure to go up a notch as Albert slides further down the ladder, under that magical .600 plateau; probably before the end of the season.
When he fades from that elite slugging status, his reputation as one of game's all-time greatest players will surely be tarnished. Of course, no matter what happens for the remainder of his career, Albert Pujols will still be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, when the time comes. Somehow, it's hard to picture him being enshrined at Cooperstown wearing anything but a Cardinals jersey.
Fielder, who is four years younger than Pujols, may have already reached his peak, although he should continue to be a fairly productive hitter for the bulk of his nine-year stint with Detroit. Whether or not that body will have enough batting skill left inside to warrant another contract somewhere remains to be seen. If not, perhaps he'll begin a new chapter in his life as a batting instructor somewhere; maybe the Angels will need another one by that time; someone who could possibly help a 41-year old Albert Pujols get out of another season-long slump.
In the meantime, it appears the Cardinals found a significantly better replacement for their departed slugger than the Brewers were able to scrounge up for their lost power source. Here's their comparison:
G HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
Carlos Beltran 46 15 41 .290 .388 .605 169
Aramis Ramirez 43 3 25 .238 .310 .402 91
With the Cardinals as banged-up as they are at the present time, they can ill-afford to lose the services of the amazing Beltran - who currently leads the NL in home runs and runs batted in - for any extended period of time. He has a history of knee trouble which has already held him out of the lineup for a few games; Cardinal Nation is hoping the baseball gods will manage to keep him healthy for the duration of what they hope will be a very long postseason run.
In the meantime, both Pujols and Fielder have avoided injury this season, keeping them in the lineup day in and day out. At least they've proven to be highly durable athletes in 2012; another common denominator.
The Cardinals could have used a little of that quality for their growing list of walking wounded this year; proving that good hitting ability without good health is good for nothing.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Injuries Becoming a Concern for Ailing Redbirds
The good news: The Cardinals have more than just a few players who are absolutely raking this season.
The bad news: Most of them are injured; from day-to-day hamstring and/or knee issues to major shoulder issues which have them on the DL.
The latest casualty is Allen Craig, who got a late start to the season to begin with; in just 13 games, the unheralded Cardinal slugger had already driven in 19 runs; featuring five home runs and these amazing slash stats: .373 BA/.424 OBP/.765 SLG.
That type of production is ridiculous, which if played out over 162 games, would produce a mere 237 RBI and 62 HR. Unfortunately, Craig and that potent bat is heading back to the DL with hamstring issues, so Hack Wilson's 82-year old MLB-record 191 RBI seems secure. Maybe.
Meanwhile, after splitting a two-game series with the Giants in San Francisco, the Cardinals lost the first game of a three-game series Friday night in LA (6-5) with a Dodgers team that rarely loses at home; even without all-world slugger Matt Kemp in the lineup (bad hamstring). Obviously, if ever there was a time to capitalize on a very good Dodger team playing at Chavez Ravine, this weekend would seem to be the best opportunity available. Chances are, a healthy Allen Craig in the Cardinals lineup may have provided just enough extra offense to turn that unsettling defeat into a victory. I'm not complaining; just making an observation which millions of Cardinals fans have already made by now. I also realize had Matt Kemp not been hurt, he probably would've made that one-run loss a two or three-run loss.
Despite their recent struggles, the Redbirds have in fact, displayed remarkable resiliency in the early going; first, overcoming Chris Carpenter's absence from the starting rotation with Lance Lynn's nearly flawless work more (in his first six starts) than taking up the slack; his two most recent outings have been not-so-hot; proving that he is human, after all.
For the most part, pitching has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals in the early going; although showing signs of weakness lately. Without a healthy and effective Carp added to the equation pretty quickly, the second half of the season could be filled with peril; to say the least. Yet the reality is, even if he returns sometime around the All Star break, chances are he'll be less than sharp. Chances are he'd need several starts before he regains any semblance of the form he's had throughout his career. In other words, this may be a lost season for the 37-year old Redbird pitching icon.
If the Cardinals have any realistic chance of defying the odds to repeat as World Champions, it may be the result of out-slugging their postseason opponents. That's never an easy task when facing the best two or three starters on the top teams in baseball. Certainly, the type of offensive production the Cardinals have displayed so far this year has been jaw-dropping; to say the least. Thanks to the depth and versatility on the roster, the Redbirds have been able to maintain that strong offensive pace, even as the injuries to key players begin to mount; almost on a daily basis.
Manager Mike Matheny has already been faced with the on-going challenge of juggling his lineup, to fill the voids when the regulars are out of commission. For the most part, these temporary substitutes have performed admirably. However; sooner or later, the big guys will have to step up and grind it out, day in and day out, if the Cardinals are going to continue their potent offensive attack. Heck, Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman* could probably roll out of bed on Christmas Day and hit a 95-mile-per-hour fastball out of any MLB ballpark. However, if they're physically unable to run the bases, or field their positions because their legs just won't allow it; St Louis could be facing nearly insurmountable odds this time around; perhaps even longer odds than they were able to overcome last season.
*Just to validate this supposition, Berkman entered Friday's game as a pinch hitter, with the Cards trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth-inning, and promptly hit a game-tying home run. Strangely enough, this was the third time within a week that the Cardinals rallied to tie a game, only to lose it in the end.
Getting back to the issue at hand; I truly believe this team has the potential of not only repeating their World Series success from last year; they have the potential of being regarded as the one of the best teams in franchise history.
That's saying a lot. However, this is a team loaded with talent; possibly the best talent in MLB; all they need to do is keep their core players in the lineup on a consistent basis. Easier said than done; but I'm always an optimist, when it comes to the Redbirds; especially after witnessing all those improbable events from last season that led to Number Eleven.
There's little doubt about it; injuries are becoming a concern for this somewhat battered bunch of Redbirds as May gradually runs into June. There are many unanswered questions concerning the long-term health for several key players. If those questions are answered favorably -and only time will tell - this team could be fulfilling Cardinal Nation's long-standing rallying cry: "12 in '12!"
If not; then they'll still give it a good run. Regardless of how this season plays out in the standings, one thing is certain: The Cardinals are a team of character; a team of resolve. They'll play hard every inning of every game. Win or lose, their fans will appreciate the ride; as always.
I just wish we could have a little more luck with injuries over the remaining 75% of the schedule. That's not asking for too much, is it?
The bad news: Most of them are injured; from day-to-day hamstring and/or knee issues to major shoulder issues which have them on the DL.
The latest casualty is Allen Craig, who got a late start to the season to begin with; in just 13 games, the unheralded Cardinal slugger had already driven in 19 runs; featuring five home runs and these amazing slash stats: .373 BA/.424 OBP/.765 SLG.
That type of production is ridiculous, which if played out over 162 games, would produce a mere 237 RBI and 62 HR. Unfortunately, Craig and that potent bat is heading back to the DL with hamstring issues, so Hack Wilson's 82-year old MLB-record 191 RBI seems secure. Maybe.
Meanwhile, after splitting a two-game series with the Giants in San Francisco, the Cardinals lost the first game of a three-game series Friday night in LA (6-5) with a Dodgers team that rarely loses at home; even without all-world slugger Matt Kemp in the lineup (bad hamstring). Obviously, if ever there was a time to capitalize on a very good Dodger team playing at Chavez Ravine, this weekend would seem to be the best opportunity available. Chances are, a healthy Allen Craig in the Cardinals lineup may have provided just enough extra offense to turn that unsettling defeat into a victory. I'm not complaining; just making an observation which millions of Cardinals fans have already made by now. I also realize had Matt Kemp not been hurt, he probably would've made that one-run loss a two or three-run loss.
Despite their recent struggles, the Redbirds have in fact, displayed remarkable resiliency in the early going; first, overcoming Chris Carpenter's absence from the starting rotation with Lance Lynn's nearly flawless work more (in his first six starts) than taking up the slack; his two most recent outings have been not-so-hot; proving that he is human, after all.
For the most part, pitching has been a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals in the early going; although showing signs of weakness lately. Without a healthy and effective Carp added to the equation pretty quickly, the second half of the season could be filled with peril; to say the least. Yet the reality is, even if he returns sometime around the All Star break, chances are he'll be less than sharp. Chances are he'd need several starts before he regains any semblance of the form he's had throughout his career. In other words, this may be a lost season for the 37-year old Redbird pitching icon.
If the Cardinals have any realistic chance of defying the odds to repeat as World Champions, it may be the result of out-slugging their postseason opponents. That's never an easy task when facing the best two or three starters on the top teams in baseball. Certainly, the type of offensive production the Cardinals have displayed so far this year has been jaw-dropping; to say the least. Thanks to the depth and versatility on the roster, the Redbirds have been able to maintain that strong offensive pace, even as the injuries to key players begin to mount; almost on a daily basis.
Manager Mike Matheny has already been faced with the on-going challenge of juggling his lineup, to fill the voids when the regulars are out of commission. For the most part, these temporary substitutes have performed admirably. However; sooner or later, the big guys will have to step up and grind it out, day in and day out, if the Cardinals are going to continue their potent offensive attack. Heck, Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman* could probably roll out of bed on Christmas Day and hit a 95-mile-per-hour fastball out of any MLB ballpark. However, if they're physically unable to run the bases, or field their positions because their legs just won't allow it; St Louis could be facing nearly insurmountable odds this time around; perhaps even longer odds than they were able to overcome last season.
*Just to validate this supposition, Berkman entered Friday's game as a pinch hitter, with the Cards trailing 5-4 in the top of the ninth-inning, and promptly hit a game-tying home run. Strangely enough, this was the third time within a week that the Cardinals rallied to tie a game, only to lose it in the end.
Getting back to the issue at hand; I truly believe this team has the potential of not only repeating their World Series success from last year; they have the potential of being regarded as the one of the best teams in franchise history.
That's saying a lot. However, this is a team loaded with talent; possibly the best talent in MLB; all they need to do is keep their core players in the lineup on a consistent basis. Easier said than done; but I'm always an optimist, when it comes to the Redbirds; especially after witnessing all those improbable events from last season that led to Number Eleven.
There's little doubt about it; injuries are becoming a concern for this somewhat battered bunch of Redbirds as May gradually runs into June. There are many unanswered questions concerning the long-term health for several key players. If those questions are answered favorably -and only time will tell - this team could be fulfilling Cardinal Nation's long-standing rallying cry: "12 in '12!"
If not; then they'll still give it a good run. Regardless of how this season plays out in the standings, one thing is certain: The Cardinals are a team of character; a team of resolve. They'll play hard every inning of every game. Win or lose, their fans will appreciate the ride; as always.
I just wish we could have a little more luck with injuries over the remaining 75% of the schedule. That's not asking for too much, is it?
Monday, May 14, 2012
Furcal & Beltran Have Much in Common
I don't care how good a baseball team is, they are going to have more than a few bad stretches of play during a 162-game schedule. The Cardinals are currently experiencing one of those unsettling runs, which began with that discouraging twelve-inning fiasco last Friday night at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. Inspired by their resilient victory over their nemesis, the Braves polished off the Redbirds on Saturday and Sunday to complete the three-game sweep. Things didn't get any better for St Louis on Monday night; the best pitcher in baseball to have no wins to his credit - Ryan Dempster - pitched well enough to keep the Cardinals in their funk. Fortunately, Yadier Molina's walk-off ninth-inning single in Tuesday's finale vs the Cubs salvaged an uneven 7-6 win, to close out the home-stand with a 1-4 record.
With the Redbirds beginning a West Coast swing in San Francisco on Wednesday, Jaime Garcia will try to get his act together after a couple of recent less-than-stellar starts, as he squares off against the Giants' Madison Bumgarner. Perhaps the pitcher-friendly environment in San Fran will give the Cards lefty a boost.
Although the offense has been a bit inconsistent lately, the Cardinals still lead the NL in runs scored (198), home runs (148), batting average (.285), on base percentage (.356), and slugging percentage (.469). A big part of that success has been the remarkable performances of both Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran; a couple of free agents signed by the Cardinals after the 2011 season, who are doing quite well in the early going of the 2012 season; to say the least.
This talented duo, teammates for the first time in their careers, have much in common. The thirty-five year-old Beltran was the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year as a member of the Kansas City Royals; the thirty-four year-old Furcal was the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Beltran, a career .283 hitter with excellent power, has averaged 106 RBI per 162 games throughout his career; while Furcal, a career .284 hitter with excellent speed, has averaged 108 runs scored per 162 games throughout his career.
With the Redbirds beginning a West Coast swing in San Francisco on Wednesday, Jaime Garcia will try to get his act together after a couple of recent less-than-stellar starts, as he squares off against the Giants' Madison Bumgarner. Perhaps the pitcher-friendly environment in San Fran will give the Cards lefty a boost.
Although the offense has been a bit inconsistent lately, the Cardinals still lead the NL in runs scored (198), home runs (148), batting average (.285), on base percentage (.356), and slugging percentage (.469). A big part of that success has been the remarkable performances of both Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran; a couple of free agents signed by the Cardinals after the 2011 season, who are doing quite well in the early going of the 2012 season; to say the least.
This talented duo, teammates for the first time in their careers, have much in common. The thirty-five year-old Beltran was the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year as a member of the Kansas City Royals; the thirty-four year-old Furcal was the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Beltran, a career .283 hitter with excellent power, has averaged 106 RBI per 162 games throughout his career; while Furcal, a career .284 hitter with excellent speed, has averaged 108 runs scored per 162 games throughout his career.
Unfortunately, both have had a history of knee problems; both have had seasons shortened due to those problems, at one time or another. Furcal, who joined the Cardinals late last season to help the franchise achieve its NL-best eleventh World Championship, became a free agent at season's end, and was quickly signed to a two-year deal by the St Louis front office. A good move for both parties.
Beltran was also a free agent at the conclusion of the 2011 season, and agreed to a two-year deal of his own to play for the Redbirds. Still another good move for both parties, which probably would not have happened had another free agent - Albert Pujols - decided to stay in St Louis; rather, the former Cardinal icon chose the deal which gave him the most money; a deal he probably now wishes he'd never made.
While Albert Pujols languishes as a non-productive member of the LA Angels of Anaheim - a moniker team owner Arte Moreno adopted to generate more revenue for his franchise - his replacement, Carlos Beltran thrives as the most productive member of the St Louis Cardinals; and that's quite an accomplishment, since the entire team has been hitting like the 1927 New York Yankees so far this year. Carlos has been doing a great impression of Babe Ruth to this point, as evidenced by his team-leading 13 home runs and 32 RBI. If he keeps up this pace, Beltran will have belted about 60 home runs and driven in about 150 for the season; just like the Bambino, himself did in '27. Okay, he actually drove in 164 that season; but this is the Sultan of Swat we're talking about.
Unlike the Sultan of Swat, manager Mike Matheny often uses the versatile Carlos in the number-two spot in the lineup, batting behind his new pal Furcal, who has been doing a nice job getting on base in the early going; so nice in fact, he's either leading the league in hits on any given day, or very close to it. Rafael has also shown enough plate discipline to draw bases on balls with remarkable frequency, keeping his OBP well above .400. In short, he's been the ideal lead-off hitter for the Redbirds, with these numbers to support that claim: .359 BA/.425 OBP/.486 SLG.
Beltran has been the ideal power hitter on a team that has been at or near the top of the NL in home runs, since Day One of the 2012 season. A remarkably smooth hitter with a beautiful swing from either side of the plate, Carlos has proven how well he can still play, when healthy; and so far, he's been relatively healthy (although knee trouble has flared up recently), which has enabled him to post these very healthy numbers: .295 BA/.403 OBP/.648 SLG
Likewise, the ability of Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal has never been in doubt, as long as he can avoid those nagging injuries which have frequently grounded him in the past. Well, so far so good this year.
Although the Cardinals have been struggling lately, the big picture still looks good; Mike Matheny has used the running game with refreshing regularity; while Furcal and Beltran are no longer speed demons at this stage of their careers, they still run quite well. Rafael, who has stolen as many as 46 bases in a single season (2005), already has seven, in eight attempts; while Carlos, who has stolen as many as 42 bases in a single season (2004), has already swiped five out of six; another encouraging trend for both players, and for their new team.
So yes, both Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran have much in common; both long-time veterans have had great success in their careers, along with troubling injuries. Both are working under two-year contracts, and both have gotten off to a tremendous start this year, playing at an unprecedented level of excellence; and that's saying a lot. The concern, especially for Beltran, is how well his knees hold up for the long haul. Admittedly, it's a dicey issue; Cards fans are keeping their fingers crossed.
If Furcal and Beltran stay healthy, there's little doubt the Cardinals will be making a return engagement for postseason play. For the Cardinals, this was money well spent, considering the combined income for both players is a mere twenty million dollars per year. In today's environment, getting the services of two highly productive star players for millions less than the price of one fading superstar is quite a bargain.
I still like this team and I still like this one-two punch their free agents are delivering. After all, there are lots of reasons the Cardinals are still in first place; Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran just happen to be two of them. Let's hope they can continue making their contributions on a regular basis for the balance of the season.
While Albert Pujols languishes as a non-productive member of the LA Angels of Anaheim - a moniker team owner Arte Moreno adopted to generate more revenue for his franchise - his replacement, Carlos Beltran thrives as the most productive member of the St Louis Cardinals; and that's quite an accomplishment, since the entire team has been hitting like the 1927 New York Yankees so far this year. Carlos has been doing a great impression of Babe Ruth to this point, as evidenced by his team-leading 13 home runs and 32 RBI. If he keeps up this pace, Beltran will have belted about 60 home runs and driven in about 150 for the season; just like the Bambino, himself did in '27. Okay, he actually drove in 164 that season; but this is the Sultan of Swat we're talking about.
Unlike the Sultan of Swat, manager Mike Matheny often uses the versatile Carlos in the number-two spot in the lineup, batting behind his new pal Furcal, who has been doing a nice job getting on base in the early going; so nice in fact, he's either leading the league in hits on any given day, or very close to it. Rafael has also shown enough plate discipline to draw bases on balls with remarkable frequency, keeping his OBP well above .400. In short, he's been the ideal lead-off hitter for the Redbirds, with these numbers to support that claim: .359 BA/.425 OBP/.486 SLG.
Beltran has been the ideal power hitter on a team that has been at or near the top of the NL in home runs, since Day One of the 2012 season. A remarkably smooth hitter with a beautiful swing from either side of the plate, Carlos has proven how well he can still play, when healthy; and so far, he's been relatively healthy (although knee trouble has flared up recently), which has enabled him to post these very healthy numbers: .295 BA/.403 OBP/.648 SLG
Likewise, the ability of Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal has never been in doubt, as long as he can avoid those nagging injuries which have frequently grounded him in the past. Well, so far so good this year.
Although the Cardinals have been struggling lately, the big picture still looks good; Mike Matheny has used the running game with refreshing regularity; while Furcal and Beltran are no longer speed demons at this stage of their careers, they still run quite well. Rafael, who has stolen as many as 46 bases in a single season (2005), already has seven, in eight attempts; while Carlos, who has stolen as many as 42 bases in a single season (2004), has already swiped five out of six; another encouraging trend for both players, and for their new team.
So yes, both Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran have much in common; both long-time veterans have had great success in their careers, along with troubling injuries. Both are working under two-year contracts, and both have gotten off to a tremendous start this year, playing at an unprecedented level of excellence; and that's saying a lot. The concern, especially for Beltran, is how well his knees hold up for the long haul. Admittedly, it's a dicey issue; Cards fans are keeping their fingers crossed.
If Furcal and Beltran stay healthy, there's little doubt the Cardinals will be making a return engagement for postseason play. For the Cardinals, this was money well spent, considering the combined income for both players is a mere twenty million dollars per year. In today's environment, getting the services of two highly productive star players for millions less than the price of one fading superstar is quite a bargain.
I still like this team and I still like this one-two punch their free agents are delivering. After all, there are lots of reasons the Cardinals are still in first place; Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran just happen to be two of them. Let's hope they can continue making their contributions on a regular basis for the balance of the season.
Friday, May 11, 2012
2012 Cardinals Impersonating 1927 Yankees?
After the first thirty-one games of the 2012 season, the St Louis Cardinals are even hotter than they were over the final thirty-one games of the 2011 season, when they were by far, the hottest team on the planet. But are they merely "hot" or are they just incredibly good? At what point do we conclude this team is for real; that they are clearly the best team in the National League - quite possibly the best team in either league?
Taking it one step further, this particular Redbird edition is performing at such a ridiculously high level, it may well be regarded by Cardinal baseball historians as the best team in franchise history.
Far better than the fabled World Champion Gas House Gang of 1934 - featuring 30-game winner Dizzy Dean and fearsome slugger, Joe Medwick.
Far better than the '42 St Louis Swifties, who won 106 regular season games en route to an easy World Series title over the New York Yankees - featuring the greatness of rookie Stan Musial and the hard-nosed Enos "Country" Slaughter.
Far better than that great World Championship '67 team - featuring the electrifying Lou Brock and intimidating Bob Gibson at the peak of their careers.
Far better than any of them. Certainly, the 2012 St Louis Cardinals have the talent, but also have the usual caveat: They need to stay healthy to accomplish this historic potential. If they can avoid an over-abundance of those season-shortening injuries (they've already had their share), I like their chances. In fact, if this team is as good as they appear to be after thirty-one games - they may well be regarded as one of the most dominant teams in MLB history.
Believe it. The sample-size is still only about 19% of the 2012 season, but these Redbirds are putting up some staggering numbers in three key (saber-metric) measurements of performance that boggle the imagination:
*Run differential - +75 after 31 games. Aside from the Texas Rangers, no other MLB team is even within striking distance. What this means is the Cardinals are scoring - on average - nearly two and a half more runs per game than their opponents (actually, 2.42).
*OPS+ - Forget batting averages, slugging percentages, home runs, and all those other traditional measurements of offensive production. This number summarizes everything. Keep in mind that a score of 100 is "average". On a broader scale, even a few ticks higher than average can result in lots of extra wins. After 31 games, the Cardinals' composite total is a whopping 128.
*ERA+ - Forget the traditional earned run average, strikeouts, hits allowed, and all those other traditional measurements of pitching effectiveness. The same rules apply as above. After 31 games, the Cardinals' composite total is a very strong 119.
The Father of Saber-Metrics - Bill James - devised a very complicated formula (PYTHAGOREAN WINNING PERCENTAGE) for determining a team's winning percentage, if "luck" - good or bad - were removed from the equation. Here's the formula, which of course, makes absolutely no sense to me:
(RUNS SCORED) ^ 1.83
__________________________________________
(RUNS SCORED) ^ 1.83 + (RUNS ALLOWED) ^ 1.83
Let's suppose the Cardinals maintain their current pace for a full season; let's compare those projections to how the previous eleven World Championship Cardinal teams performed (as shown below). It's no contest; the 2012 Redbirds has all those other great Cardinal teams outdistanced by a fairly wide margin. They're on a pace to win 105 games in 2012; according to Bill James' Pythagorean winning percentage, the Redbirds should be winning more like 120 games this season.
It's interesting to note, the only team in MLB history that compares favorably to the early-season Cardinals of 2012 are the 1927 New York Yankees - considered by many baseball historians (including this one) to be the greatest team ever. They weren't called "Murderers Row" for nothing. Ruth and Gehrig were the featured attraction.
YEAR ACTUAL W-L (RUN DIFFERENTIAL) PYTHAGOREAN W-L OPS+ ERA+
1926 89-65 817 - 678 = 139 90-64 101 107
1931 101-53 815 - 614 = 201 97-57 98 116
1934 95-58 799 - 656 = 143 90-63 97 115
1942 106-48 755 - 480 = 275 107-47 103 135
1944 105-49 772 - 490 = 282 107-47 107 134
1946 98-58 712 - 545 = 167 97-59 99 115
1964 93-69 715 - 652 = 63 88-74 94 112
1967 101-60 695 - 557 = 138 97-64 101 108
1982 92-70 685 - 609 = 76 90-72 95 109
2006 83-78 781 - 762 = 19 82-79 97 98
2011 90-72 762 - 692 = 70 88-74 112 99
2012 STL 105-57 909 - 517 = 392 120-42 128 119
1927 NYY 110-44 975 - 599 = 376 109-45 127 122
Statistically speaking, the 2012 Cardinals of Freese, Molina, Beltran and company are almost identical to the '27 Yankees of Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri and company. There may have been previous seasons in St Louis Cardinals history that began as robustly as the current one; however, that seems unlikely. Whether or not this team can maintain this torrid pace for an entire 162-game schedule remains to be seen.
Regardless, the 2012 season to this point has been one of great satisfaction for Cardinals fans. Yes, it's still early; however, there's a very good chance this team is only getting better; that's almost a scary thought.
Taking it one step further, this particular Redbird edition is performing at such a ridiculously high level, it may well be regarded by Cardinal baseball historians as the best team in franchise history.
Far better than the fabled World Champion Gas House Gang of 1934 - featuring 30-game winner Dizzy Dean and fearsome slugger, Joe Medwick.
Far better than the '42 St Louis Swifties, who won 106 regular season games en route to an easy World Series title over the New York Yankees - featuring the greatness of rookie Stan Musial and the hard-nosed Enos "Country" Slaughter.
Far better than that great World Championship '67 team - featuring the electrifying Lou Brock and intimidating Bob Gibson at the peak of their careers.
Far better than any of them. Certainly, the 2012 St Louis Cardinals have the talent, but also have the usual caveat: They need to stay healthy to accomplish this historic potential. If they can avoid an over-abundance of those season-shortening injuries (they've already had their share), I like their chances. In fact, if this team is as good as they appear to be after thirty-one games - they may well be regarded as one of the most dominant teams in MLB history.
Believe it. The sample-size is still only about 19% of the 2012 season, but these Redbirds are putting up some staggering numbers in three key (saber-metric) measurements of performance that boggle the imagination:
*Run differential - +75 after 31 games. Aside from the Texas Rangers, no other MLB team is even within striking distance. What this means is the Cardinals are scoring - on average - nearly two and a half more runs per game than their opponents (actually, 2.42).
*OPS+ - Forget batting averages, slugging percentages, home runs, and all those other traditional measurements of offensive production. This number summarizes everything. Keep in mind that a score of 100 is "average". On a broader scale, even a few ticks higher than average can result in lots of extra wins. After 31 games, the Cardinals' composite total is a whopping 128.
*ERA+ - Forget the traditional earned run average, strikeouts, hits allowed, and all those other traditional measurements of pitching effectiveness. The same rules apply as above. After 31 games, the Cardinals' composite total is a very strong 119.
The Father of Saber-Metrics - Bill James - devised a very complicated formula (PYTHAGOREAN WINNING PERCENTAGE) for determining a team's winning percentage, if "luck" - good or bad - were removed from the equation. Here's the formula, which of course, makes absolutely no sense to me:
(RUNS SCORED) ^ 1.83
__________________________________________
(RUNS SCORED) ^ 1.83 + (RUNS ALLOWED) ^ 1.83
Let's suppose the Cardinals maintain their current pace for a full season; let's compare those projections to how the previous eleven World Championship Cardinal teams performed (as shown below). It's no contest; the 2012 Redbirds has all those other great Cardinal teams outdistanced by a fairly wide margin. They're on a pace to win 105 games in 2012; according to Bill James' Pythagorean winning percentage, the Redbirds should be winning more like 120 games this season.
It's interesting to note, the only team in MLB history that compares favorably to the early-season Cardinals of 2012 are the 1927 New York Yankees - considered by many baseball historians (including this one) to be the greatest team ever. They weren't called "Murderers Row" for nothing. Ruth and Gehrig were the featured attraction.
YEAR ACTUAL W-L (RUN DIFFERENTIAL) PYTHAGOREAN W-L OPS+ ERA+
1926 89-65 817 - 678 = 139 90-64 101 107
1931 101-53 815 - 614 = 201 97-57 98 116
1934 95-58 799 - 656 = 143 90-63 97 115
1942 106-48 755 - 480 = 275 107-47 103 135
1944 105-49 772 - 490 = 282 107-47 107 134
1946 98-58 712 - 545 = 167 97-59 99 115
1964 93-69 715 - 652 = 63 88-74 94 112
1967 101-60 695 - 557 = 138 97-64 101 108
1982 92-70 685 - 609 = 76 90-72 95 109
2006 83-78 781 - 762 = 19 82-79 97 98
2011 90-72 762 - 692 = 70 88-74 112 99
2012 STL 105-57 909 - 517 = 392 120-42 128 119
1927 NYY 110-44 975 - 599 = 376 109-45 127 122
Statistically speaking, the 2012 Cardinals of Freese, Molina, Beltran and company are almost identical to the '27 Yankees of Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri and company. There may have been previous seasons in St Louis Cardinals history that began as robustly as the current one; however, that seems unlikely. Whether or not this team can maintain this torrid pace for an entire 162-game schedule remains to be seen.
Regardless, the 2012 season to this point has been one of great satisfaction for Cardinals fans. Yes, it's still early; however, there's a very good chance this team is only getting better; that's almost a scary thought.
Friday, April 20, 2012
First-Place Cardinals Defy Conventional Wisdom
The 2012 season is barely two weeks old, and the Cardinals continue to find themselves perched atop the NL Central with a record of 9-4; that's not surprising, based on the team's impressive overall performance in both hitting and pitching. How they got there; that's the big surprise.
Indeed, the Cardinals' early success in 2012 seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, but as we discovered in 2011, that's nothing new for these high-flying World Champion Redbirds.
First of all, St Louis was not supposed to maintain their status as an elite MLB team when free agent superstar Albert Pujols abandoned his eleven-year Cardinal legacy in favor of the bigger payday Angels owner Arte Moreno offered. After all, when a team loses the face of its franchise - particularly of the magnitude of King Albert - they're not expected to easily recover from that loss. The signing of free agent Carlos Beltran was considered to be a step in the right direction, at best; not the solution.
Meanwhile, Tony LaRussa's surprising retirement, along with pitching coach Dave Duncan's indefinite leave of absence to tend to his ailing wife, was considered to be another insurmountable obstacle for the team to overcome; especially with an "inexperienced" manager - Mike Matheny - taking over the helm.
As the Cardinals were getting the kinks out during Spring Training, the ace of the pitching staff - Chris Carpenter - experienced a reoccurring shoulder problem which will keep him out of commission for an indefinite period of time. Forced into the starting rotation was the promising right-handed hurler, Lance Lynn, who displayed remarkable postseason poise coming out of TRL's bullpen, which the Cardinals hoped would translate into becoming a successful starter for Mike Matheny; at least until Carp's return to health.
With an aging core of veterans who have had a history of health issues, it wasn't long before one of those aging veterans - Lance Berkman - came up lame in the fifth game of the season, with a slightly torn right calf muscle. After missing the next five games, Berkman's return to the starting lineup was short-lived; a re-aggravated calf muscle while chasing after a foul pop fly now has him on the 15-day disabled list.
Yet, through all the preceding turmoil, as of April 19, the post-Albert Pujols-Redbirds have compiled MLB's second highest team batting average (.293) and slugging percentage (.496) - trailing only the Texas Rangers - to go along with a third best on base percentage (.354) - trailing only Texas and the New York Yankees. Their home run total (19) and run production (73) is also third best in all of baseball. What makes all this seem even more remarkable is the slow start from perennial-slugger Matt Holliday, whose current batting average is barely above the Mendoza Line (.203) - although he has contributed three home runs and seven RBIs to the cause.
What shouldn't have surprised anybody was the immediate impact David Freese provided in the heart of the Cardinals lineup; his first at bat of the new season drove in two runs, and he now has 13 RBIs to lead the team; although he's missed a handful of games with a sore finger, causing obvious concern about his durability for a full season.
Still, for the rest of this potent St Louis lineup, the beat goes on; the sweet swing of Carlos Beltran has already produced five home runs; twice, in a span of three days, the Redbirds slammed three home runs in the same inning; proving there is plenty of power up and down that lineup, despite the absence of Albert Pujols from that lineup, who has yet to connect for his first regular season home run while dressed up like an Angel (He did have seven long balls during Spring Training, however).
Perhaps even more startling than the Cardinals' power surge is how well the Cardinals pitching staff - minus the disabled-Chris Carpenter - has performed in the early going; surviving not only the loss of Carpenter, but the ineffectiveness of Adam Wainwright (0-3 - 9.88 ERA), who is still trying to regain the form that made him a twenty-game winner in 2010, before undergoing Tommy John surgery in early 2011.
Aside from Waino, the only other pitcher to sustain a loss this season has been Mark Rzepczynski (0-1 - 3.00 ERA). The rest of the staff has been perfect; absolutely perfect, in accounting for the team's nine wins thus far in 2012. In fact, their pitching line resembles something out of the Dead Ball Era, or 1968's Year of the Pitcher:
W-L ERA OPP BA WHIP
Jake Westbrook 2-0 0.64 .146 0.86
Kyle Lohse 2-0 0.89 .149 0.59
Lance Lynn 2-0 1.50 .146 0.75
Jaime Garcia 2-0 3.06 .338 1.64
Jason Motte 1-0 1.80 .176 0.60
Of course, Adam Wainwright will soon start getting his share of wins, while some of these guys may even lose a few games along the way. However, based on what we've seen in the early going, the quality of the Cardinals' starting rotation is excellent; it's for real. Assuming a healthy and effective Chris Carpenter joins in on the fun, the Cardinals appear to be a championship-caliber team ready to defend their title.
It's apparent this team, from top to bottom, is loaded with talent. Above all else, this team has displayed remarkable character and resiliency; a trait that became evident during last year's remarkable postseason run, and appears even stronger in 2012.
It's no wonder so many rabid fans of the Redbirds believe this team has what it takes to win back-to-back World Series Championships, with the familiar rallying cry: "12 in '12!" Why not?
Indeed, the Cardinals' early success in 2012 seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, but as we discovered in 2011, that's nothing new for these high-flying World Champion Redbirds.
First of all, St Louis was not supposed to maintain their status as an elite MLB team when free agent superstar Albert Pujols abandoned his eleven-year Cardinal legacy in favor of the bigger payday Angels owner Arte Moreno offered. After all, when a team loses the face of its franchise - particularly of the magnitude of King Albert - they're not expected to easily recover from that loss. The signing of free agent Carlos Beltran was considered to be a step in the right direction, at best; not the solution.
Meanwhile, Tony LaRussa's surprising retirement, along with pitching coach Dave Duncan's indefinite leave of absence to tend to his ailing wife, was considered to be another insurmountable obstacle for the team to overcome; especially with an "inexperienced" manager - Mike Matheny - taking over the helm.
As the Cardinals were getting the kinks out during Spring Training, the ace of the pitching staff - Chris Carpenter - experienced a reoccurring shoulder problem which will keep him out of commission for an indefinite period of time. Forced into the starting rotation was the promising right-handed hurler, Lance Lynn, who displayed remarkable postseason poise coming out of TRL's bullpen, which the Cardinals hoped would translate into becoming a successful starter for Mike Matheny; at least until Carp's return to health.
With an aging core of veterans who have had a history of health issues, it wasn't long before one of those aging veterans - Lance Berkman - came up lame in the fifth game of the season, with a slightly torn right calf muscle. After missing the next five games, Berkman's return to the starting lineup was short-lived; a re-aggravated calf muscle while chasing after a foul pop fly now has him on the 15-day disabled list.
Yet, through all the preceding turmoil, as of April 19, the post-Albert Pujols-Redbirds have compiled MLB's second highest team batting average (.293) and slugging percentage (.496) - trailing only the Texas Rangers - to go along with a third best on base percentage (.354) - trailing only Texas and the New York Yankees. Their home run total (19) and run production (73) is also third best in all of baseball. What makes all this seem even more remarkable is the slow start from perennial-slugger Matt Holliday, whose current batting average is barely above the Mendoza Line (.203) - although he has contributed three home runs and seven RBIs to the cause.
What shouldn't have surprised anybody was the immediate impact David Freese provided in the heart of the Cardinals lineup; his first at bat of the new season drove in two runs, and he now has 13 RBIs to lead the team; although he's missed a handful of games with a sore finger, causing obvious concern about his durability for a full season.
Still, for the rest of this potent St Louis lineup, the beat goes on; the sweet swing of Carlos Beltran has already produced five home runs; twice, in a span of three days, the Redbirds slammed three home runs in the same inning; proving there is plenty of power up and down that lineup, despite the absence of Albert Pujols from that lineup, who has yet to connect for his first regular season home run while dressed up like an Angel (He did have seven long balls during Spring Training, however).
Perhaps even more startling than the Cardinals' power surge is how well the Cardinals pitching staff - minus the disabled-Chris Carpenter - has performed in the early going; surviving not only the loss of Carpenter, but the ineffectiveness of Adam Wainwright (0-3 - 9.88 ERA), who is still trying to regain the form that made him a twenty-game winner in 2010, before undergoing Tommy John surgery in early 2011.
Aside from Waino, the only other pitcher to sustain a loss this season has been Mark Rzepczynski (0-1 - 3.00 ERA). The rest of the staff has been perfect; absolutely perfect, in accounting for the team's nine wins thus far in 2012. In fact, their pitching line resembles something out of the Dead Ball Era, or 1968's Year of the Pitcher:
W-L ERA OPP BA WHIP
Jake Westbrook 2-0 0.64 .146 0.86
Kyle Lohse 2-0 0.89 .149 0.59
Lance Lynn 2-0 1.50 .146 0.75
Jaime Garcia 2-0 3.06 .338 1.64
Jason Motte 1-0 1.80 .176 0.60
Of course, Adam Wainwright will soon start getting his share of wins, while some of these guys may even lose a few games along the way. However, based on what we've seen in the early going, the quality of the Cardinals' starting rotation is excellent; it's for real. Assuming a healthy and effective Chris Carpenter joins in on the fun, the Cardinals appear to be a championship-caliber team ready to defend their title.
It's apparent this team, from top to bottom, is loaded with talent. Above all else, this team has displayed remarkable character and resiliency; a trait that became evident during last year's remarkable postseason run, and appears even stronger in 2012.
It's no wonder so many rabid fans of the Redbirds believe this team has what it takes to win back-to-back World Series Championships, with the familiar rallying cry: "12 in '12!" Why not?
Monday, April 16, 2012
(The Other) Carpenter to the Rescue
After Sunday's 10-3 series-finale thrashing of the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals stand atop the NL Central with an impressive 7-3 record, displaying a remarkable offensive prowess combined with solid starting pitching from everyone in the rotation except their ace, Adam Wainwright.
Waino, who was roughed up for eight runs in just three innings during Friday's Home Opening loss to the Cubs - his worst outing since 2007 - is still trying to regain the form that made him a twenty-game winner before undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Meanwhile, Chris Carpenter is still out of commission with an ailing right shoulder; his status remains uncertain. Fortunately, Lance Lynn has pitched brilliantly while subbing for Carp; barring another unforeseen injury to someone else in the rotation, pitching shouldn't be a problem for the Cardinals.
Hitting doesn't seem to be a problem, either. Could it be the reigning World Champions have a bit of a chip on their shoulders after so many naysayers viewed them with such disdain in the wake of the Albert Pujols desertion? Or could it be the addition of free agent Carlos Beltran to the lineup has essentially replaced the 2011 version of King Albert? Or could it be David Freese's postseason heroics were no fluke; rather a sample of what lies ahead for the talented third baseman, barring injury?
Freese, of course, has had an uncanny propensity for getting hurt in his brief career. The general consensus is Freese will have a monster year, if he can stay healthy; he certainly wasted no time in getting off to a flying start by driving in two runs in his first AB of the season. His torrid hitting continued during the Cardinals' initial road trip through Milwaukee and Cincinnati; by the time it ended, Freese had slugged three home runs with eleven RBIs; while his batting average stood at a Ted Williams-like .406.
Freese has certainly had a little help from his friends; after feasting on Cubs pitching over the weekend, the Cardinals lead MLB in four offensive categories: BA (.299), HR (15), RUNS (57), and SLG (.504). What makes this even more impressive is Lance Berkman has been out of action after tearing his right calf muscle while legging out a triple in the fifth game of the season; a 7-2 win over Cincinnati, at Great American Ballpark on April 9.
Meanwhile, David Freese was a last-minute scratch from the lineup for the team's Friday Home Opener against the Cubs; experiencing "finger irritation" on his right ring-finger. Apparently, this strange injury prevents Freese from gripping the bat well enough to hit in a Freese-like manner. Hopefully, both Freese and Berkman will be back in the lineup by Tuesday, when the Cards square off at home for the first game of a three-game series against the Reds.
To complicate things even further, hot-hitting Carlos Beltran was nailed on the right forearm by a pitch in Sunday's rout of Chicago, and was quickly removed from the game for precautionary purposes; the Cardinals can ill-afford to lose any of these guys for any extended period of time; however, the rookie replacement for Lance Berkman at first base - Matt Carpenter - has posted some impressive numbers in his brief appearances, including a four-hit five-RBI performance on Sunday, which featured his first career major league home run - a prodigious blast to dead center field, not too far away from the spot David Freese deposited his iconic Game Six walk-off blast. Carpenter now has ten RBIs (as does Yadier Molina) in just 22 ABs, and now trails the sore-fingered Freese by just a single RBI for the team lead. Of his nine hits, five have gone for extra bases - a pair of doubles, a pair of triples, and one home run.
As a footnote to Matt Carpenter's Sunday performance, the five RBIs he collected in the game is one better than current Angel Albert Pujols has driven home in nine games. In addition to the four RBIs he has amassed, Pujols has raised his batting average to a robust .243. On a lighter note, Pujols has also established a new "personal worst record" by failing to hit a single home run in his first 37 ABs this year - the longest homer-less drought of his storied career.
Getting back the Cardinals - the way things are going, Mike Matheny is going to be penciling "the other" Carpenter's name in the lineup on a regular basis. Lance Berkman is so impressed with his replacement at first base, he said he'd "gladly continue sitting on the bench if Carpenter could pound out four hits every game." That's not likely; but the way the rookie's been stroking the ball in the early going, it's reassuring to know this particular contingency plan might work out quite well, if needed.
Waino, who was roughed up for eight runs in just three innings during Friday's Home Opening loss to the Cubs - his worst outing since 2007 - is still trying to regain the form that made him a twenty-game winner before undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Meanwhile, Chris Carpenter is still out of commission with an ailing right shoulder; his status remains uncertain. Fortunately, Lance Lynn has pitched brilliantly while subbing for Carp; barring another unforeseen injury to someone else in the rotation, pitching shouldn't be a problem for the Cardinals.
Hitting doesn't seem to be a problem, either. Could it be the reigning World Champions have a bit of a chip on their shoulders after so many naysayers viewed them with such disdain in the wake of the Albert Pujols desertion? Or could it be the addition of free agent Carlos Beltran to the lineup has essentially replaced the 2011 version of King Albert? Or could it be David Freese's postseason heroics were no fluke; rather a sample of what lies ahead for the talented third baseman, barring injury?
Freese, of course, has had an uncanny propensity for getting hurt in his brief career. The general consensus is Freese will have a monster year, if he can stay healthy; he certainly wasted no time in getting off to a flying start by driving in two runs in his first AB of the season. His torrid hitting continued during the Cardinals' initial road trip through Milwaukee and Cincinnati; by the time it ended, Freese had slugged three home runs with eleven RBIs; while his batting average stood at a Ted Williams-like .406.
Freese has certainly had a little help from his friends; after feasting on Cubs pitching over the weekend, the Cardinals lead MLB in four offensive categories: BA (.299), HR (15), RUNS (57), and SLG (.504). What makes this even more impressive is Lance Berkman has been out of action after tearing his right calf muscle while legging out a triple in the fifth game of the season; a 7-2 win over Cincinnati, at Great American Ballpark on April 9.
Meanwhile, David Freese was a last-minute scratch from the lineup for the team's Friday Home Opener against the Cubs; experiencing "finger irritation" on his right ring-finger. Apparently, this strange injury prevents Freese from gripping the bat well enough to hit in a Freese-like manner. Hopefully, both Freese and Berkman will be back in the lineup by Tuesday, when the Cards square off at home for the first game of a three-game series against the Reds.
To complicate things even further, hot-hitting Carlos Beltran was nailed on the right forearm by a pitch in Sunday's rout of Chicago, and was quickly removed from the game for precautionary purposes; the Cardinals can ill-afford to lose any of these guys for any extended period of time; however, the rookie replacement for Lance Berkman at first base - Matt Carpenter - has posted some impressive numbers in his brief appearances, including a four-hit five-RBI performance on Sunday, which featured his first career major league home run - a prodigious blast to dead center field, not too far away from the spot David Freese deposited his iconic Game Six walk-off blast. Carpenter now has ten RBIs (as does Yadier Molina) in just 22 ABs, and now trails the sore-fingered Freese by just a single RBI for the team lead. Of his nine hits, five have gone for extra bases - a pair of doubles, a pair of triples, and one home run.
As a footnote to Matt Carpenter's Sunday performance, the five RBIs he collected in the game is one better than current Angel Albert Pujols has driven home in nine games. In addition to the four RBIs he has amassed, Pujols has raised his batting average to a robust .243. On a lighter note, Pujols has also established a new "personal worst record" by failing to hit a single home run in his first 37 ABs this year - the longest homer-less drought of his storied career.
Getting back the Cardinals - the way things are going, Mike Matheny is going to be penciling "the other" Carpenter's name in the lineup on a regular basis. Lance Berkman is so impressed with his replacement at first base, he said he'd "gladly continue sitting on the bench if Carpenter could pound out four hits every game." That's not likely; but the way the rookie's been stroking the ball in the early going, it's reassuring to know this particular contingency plan might work out quite well, if needed.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Emotional Opening Day in Store for Redbirds
The World Champion Cardinals - fresh off a very successful (5-2) seven-game three-city road trip - will finally play their first home game of the 2012 season on Friday afternoon, as they host the Chicago Cubs, who are probably looking forward to escaping the Friendly Confines, after a disastrous (1-5) home stand that has even the most optimistic Cubs' fan already looking forward to next year. Well, this team is not as bad as most people think, folks.
For the Cardinals - whose last appearance at Busch Stadium was the delirious Game Seven of the 2011 World Series, when they completed the most improbable championship run in franchise history - this homecoming will surely be an emotional event, as their fans show love for the Post-Albert Redbirds, which will no doubt include a long standing ovation for that legendary former-nemesis and newest-Redbird - Carlos Beltran.
Beltran, along with the rest of the heavy hitters on the team, has gotten off to a great start - almost too good to be true; but the fact of the matter is, Carlos has already hit more home runs (three) than the entire LA Angels team (two); and only one of those long balls was hit "long enough" to clear the fence (the latest, was of the "inside the park" variety, by the speedy Peter Bourjos). Strangely enough, Albert Pujols - who hit seven home runs for those Angels in Spring Training, has yet to connect in the regular season. Another oddity: Albert has just two RBIs in five games, and both came in losing efforts; whenever Pujols has failed to drive in a run, the Halos have won twice, while losing just once; proving once again that baseball is a funny game, especially when things like that happen to former Cardinal icons who suddenly leave town for a tad bit more money (in relative terms), from an owner they've never even met, face to face.
Of course, the season has just begun, so it's highly unlikely the Cardinals will maintain a .714 winning percentage for the entire schedule, to win 116 games; nor are they likely to maintain the same torrid home run pace, which projects to a new MLB-record of 278 four-baggers; but that would be something, eh?
Strangely enough, when Alex Rodriguez deserted the team that launched his epic career - the Seattle Mariners - after the 2000 season to pursue the riches free agency afforded him; those Mariners actually won 116 regular season games in 2001, to establish a new MLB record. However, proving how unpredictable the postseason can be, Seattle failed to get past the Yankees in a Five Game ALCS defeat.
As the giddiness of the weekend Cards-Cubs series envelopes Cardinal Nation, most fans will be anticipating a three-game sweep of the last-place Cubs by the first-place Cardinals. That could happen, but it won't be because Chicago is going to simply roll-over for their long-time bitter rivals. This team is much better than their won-loss record indicates; the only way the Redbirds will prevail is by executing the fundamentals flawlessly, every step along the way. So far, the Cardinals have done just that in their head-to-head meetings with three teams many baseball analysts felt were superior in their prognostications - the Miami Marlins, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cincinnati Reds.
No doubt, the Cardinals are motivated by this lack of respect; it's fueled their desire to prove what they accomplished last postseason was no fluke; that they are still a championship-caliber team even after losing the former-face-of-the-franchise; old what's his name. A new era of Cardinal baseball has begun, with a solid core of excellent players, such as David Freese, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, and of course, the newest addition - Carlos Beltran - who probably won't believe how passionately he is greeted by the fans, when first introduced.
It should be a very special moment, in what Cardinals fans hope - even expect - will be another very special season. The fun has just begun for this very talented Redbird edition, as they try to accomplish something for the very first time as a franchise: Back-to-back World Series Championships.
Why not?
For the Cardinals - whose last appearance at Busch Stadium was the delirious Game Seven of the 2011 World Series, when they completed the most improbable championship run in franchise history - this homecoming will surely be an emotional event, as their fans show love for the Post-Albert Redbirds, which will no doubt include a long standing ovation for that legendary former-nemesis and newest-Redbird - Carlos Beltran.
Beltran, along with the rest of the heavy hitters on the team, has gotten off to a great start - almost too good to be true; but the fact of the matter is, Carlos has already hit more home runs (three) than the entire LA Angels team (two); and only one of those long balls was hit "long enough" to clear the fence (the latest, was of the "inside the park" variety, by the speedy Peter Bourjos). Strangely enough, Albert Pujols - who hit seven home runs for those Angels in Spring Training, has yet to connect in the regular season. Another oddity: Albert has just two RBIs in five games, and both came in losing efforts; whenever Pujols has failed to drive in a run, the Halos have won twice, while losing just once; proving once again that baseball is a funny game, especially when things like that happen to former Cardinal icons who suddenly leave town for a tad bit more money (in relative terms), from an owner they've never even met, face to face.
Of course, the season has just begun, so it's highly unlikely the Cardinals will maintain a .714 winning percentage for the entire schedule, to win 116 games; nor are they likely to maintain the same torrid home run pace, which projects to a new MLB-record of 278 four-baggers; but that would be something, eh?
Strangely enough, when Alex Rodriguez deserted the team that launched his epic career - the Seattle Mariners - after the 2000 season to pursue the riches free agency afforded him; those Mariners actually won 116 regular season games in 2001, to establish a new MLB record. However, proving how unpredictable the postseason can be, Seattle failed to get past the Yankees in a Five Game ALCS defeat.
As the giddiness of the weekend Cards-Cubs series envelopes Cardinal Nation, most fans will be anticipating a three-game sweep of the last-place Cubs by the first-place Cardinals. That could happen, but it won't be because Chicago is going to simply roll-over for their long-time bitter rivals. This team is much better than their won-loss record indicates; the only way the Redbirds will prevail is by executing the fundamentals flawlessly, every step along the way. So far, the Cardinals have done just that in their head-to-head meetings with three teams many baseball analysts felt were superior in their prognostications - the Miami Marlins, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cincinnati Reds.
No doubt, the Cardinals are motivated by this lack of respect; it's fueled their desire to prove what they accomplished last postseason was no fluke; that they are still a championship-caliber team even after losing the former-face-of-the-franchise; old what's his name. A new era of Cardinal baseball has begun, with a solid core of excellent players, such as David Freese, Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday, Lance Berkman, and of course, the newest addition - Carlos Beltran - who probably won't believe how passionately he is greeted by the fans, when first introduced.
It should be a very special moment, in what Cardinals fans hope - even expect - will be another very special season. The fun has just begun for this very talented Redbird edition, as they try to accomplish something for the very first time as a franchise: Back-to-back World Series Championships.
Why not?
Saturday, April 7, 2012
The Road to 12 in '12
The Cardinals opened the 2012 season on Wednesday by helping the new-look Miami Marlins inaugurate their weird-new-exotic ballpark by handing the Miami-nine something they were quite used to in 2011 - another loss, by a score of 4-1.
After the bizarre pre-game ceremonies which looked more like a Latin-version of Cirque Du Soleil, the home team looked anything but comfortable being introduced to the curious throng like cheesy beauty contestants escorted out to the field by a weird assortment of scantily-clad feathered-babes who were clearly enjoying the festivities way more than the embarrassed players.
Perhaps still in shock from the outrageous extravaganza they had been subjected to, Ozzie Guillen's highly touted squad promptly fell behind after the first half inning when World Series hero David Freese knocked in two runs off Marlins ace Josh Johnson; and with Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse yielding nary a hit through six innings, that was all that was needed to beat the Marlins, although the Redbirds tacked on another couple of runs, anyway.
After spoiling the Marlins' bizarre home opener with the win which also gave new Cards' manager Mike Matheny his first as a big league manager, the Redbirds headed north, where they would play the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers in their Friday home opener. After spotting the Brewers an early 2-0 lead, the Cardinals played long ball to take command of the contest; in the second inning, an extremely fit-looking Yadier Molina hammered the first pitch he saw from Yovani Gallardo (now 1-8 in his career against St Louis) over the right field fence. It was the first of four home runs the Cardinals would belt in the game; in the third inning, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit back-to-back home runs to first, tie the game, then give the Redbirds a lead they would never relinquish. Then, with a man on, David Freese hit the third bomb of the inning deep to left field, extending the lead to 5-2, en route to an eventual 11-5 victory. Freese added another RBI later in the game, padding his two-game season total to five. In case anyone was wondering, that puts the red-hot and healthy Freese on pace to drive in 405 runs. Let's hope he stays healthy this year!
Cardinals starting pitcher, Jaime Garcia settled down nicely after yielding the two early runs; allowing no further scoring in his six innings of work.
The Cardinals, with a 2-0 record in the very early going of the 2012 season, have a two-game lead over the 2011 Cardinals, who dropped their first two games of the regular season, at home, to the San Diego Padres. As a footnote to that slow start, when the Redbirds went on to win the World Series last year, it marked the first time since 1946 the Cardinals lost their season-opener only to go on to win the Fall Classic.
Later today, the long-awaited return of Adam Wainwright to the Cardinal starting rotation becomes a reality, as Waino squares off against the goofy Zack Greinke, who went on record prior to last year's NLCS that "nobody on the Brewers likes Chris Carpenter because he yells a lot and stuff".
I hope Greinke adds Adam Wainwright to that "least-liked list" as the 2010 20-game winner tries to garner win number one against the Brewers at Miller Park.
After the bizarre pre-game ceremonies which looked more like a Latin-version of Cirque Du Soleil, the home team looked anything but comfortable being introduced to the curious throng like cheesy beauty contestants escorted out to the field by a weird assortment of scantily-clad feathered-babes who were clearly enjoying the festivities way more than the embarrassed players.
Perhaps still in shock from the outrageous extravaganza they had been subjected to, Ozzie Guillen's highly touted squad promptly fell behind after the first half inning when World Series hero David Freese knocked in two runs off Marlins ace Josh Johnson; and with Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse yielding nary a hit through six innings, that was all that was needed to beat the Marlins, although the Redbirds tacked on another couple of runs, anyway.
After spoiling the Marlins' bizarre home opener with the win which also gave new Cards' manager Mike Matheny his first as a big league manager, the Redbirds headed north, where they would play the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers in their Friday home opener. After spotting the Brewers an early 2-0 lead, the Cardinals played long ball to take command of the contest; in the second inning, an extremely fit-looking Yadier Molina hammered the first pitch he saw from Yovani Gallardo (now 1-8 in his career against St Louis) over the right field fence. It was the first of four home runs the Cardinals would belt in the game; in the third inning, Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday hit back-to-back home runs to first, tie the game, then give the Redbirds a lead they would never relinquish. Then, with a man on, David Freese hit the third bomb of the inning deep to left field, extending the lead to 5-2, en route to an eventual 11-5 victory. Freese added another RBI later in the game, padding his two-game season total to five. In case anyone was wondering, that puts the red-hot and healthy Freese on pace to drive in 405 runs. Let's hope he stays healthy this year!
Cardinals starting pitcher, Jaime Garcia settled down nicely after yielding the two early runs; allowing no further scoring in his six innings of work.
The Cardinals, with a 2-0 record in the very early going of the 2012 season, have a two-game lead over the 2011 Cardinals, who dropped their first two games of the regular season, at home, to the San Diego Padres. As a footnote to that slow start, when the Redbirds went on to win the World Series last year, it marked the first time since 1946 the Cardinals lost their season-opener only to go on to win the Fall Classic.
Later today, the long-awaited return of Adam Wainwright to the Cardinal starting rotation becomes a reality, as Waino squares off against the goofy Zack Greinke, who went on record prior to last year's NLCS that "nobody on the Brewers likes Chris Carpenter because he yells a lot and stuff".
I hope Greinke adds Adam Wainwright to that "least-liked list" as the 2010 20-game winner tries to garner win number one against the Brewers at Miller Park.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
MLB's Injury Epidemic
Recently, when St Louis Cardinals utility outfielder Skip Schumacher became the latest victim of major league baseball's trendiest injury - the strained oblique - I suddenly realized I never even knew what an "oblique" was when I was a kid (about 40 - 50 years ago); primarily since guys like Lou Brock, Billy Williams, Orlando Cepeda, Roberto Clemente, Tony Perez, Brooks Robinson, Pete Rose, Ron Santo, Kenny Boyer, or Carl Yastrzemeski never seemed to have a problem with that. In fact, each one of these great players averaged over 150 games played in the five-year span beginning with their age 28 season, through their age 32 season. Billy Williams actually spent that five-year stretch playing in every single game for his team, the Chicago Cubs; while his fellow Hall of Fame teammate, Ron Santo, played in nearly every game in that time frame, while privately battling diabetes. How's that for tough?
Clearly, there are significant occupational hazards in baseball which cause injuries; some minor, some career-ending. These great players from my youth not only avoided straining their obliques or calves throughout the bulk of their careers, they also were fortunate enough - or smart enough - to steer clear of things like bone-breaking bean balls and outfield walls; and when sliding into bases, avoided bodily injury from their collisions with opposing players. In the case of Pete Rose, who played the game as hard as anyone who ever played the game; he was usually the guy doling out the pain on the base paths, as Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse could attest on that famous last bone-crushing play of the 1970 All-Star Game.
While Fosse fell victim to that vicious, but clean, hit delivered by Charlie Hustle, a young Cardinals catcher by the name of Ted Simmons was just getting his career off the ground. One of the greatest hitting catchers of all-time, Simmons was also one of the toughest. In a feat unlikely to be duplicated any time soon, Simmons appeared in at least 150 games as catcher for St Louis, for an astounding seven consecutive seasons - 1972 - 1978. In case anyone hasn't experienced the heat and humidity of St Louis in July and August, you don't know what you're missing. For the tough-minded and durable Ted Simmons, "missing" (as in games) simply wasn't a part of his vocabulary.
Durability is as important to a player's success as his overall ability. For every Cal Ripken Jr who grinds out every single game, year in, year out; seemingly forever; there are hundreds of of Grady Sizemores who seem to have everything going for them, except luck. Injuries may be a part of the game, but for some players, injuries have become the biggest part of their game. World Series hero David Freese is hoping for his first full injury-free season to prove what he accomplished last Fall was no fluke. If the Cardinals have any chance of successfully defending their World Championship, they need to get 150 games out of their rising star, and close to that out of their seasoned stars - Lance Berkman and his old Astros teammate and newly acquired free-agent, Carlos Beltran.
Nowadays, most players remain physically fit, year 'round, following a strict workout regimen that is intended to make them strong and agile. But are some of these guys overdoing it? I mean, when a 19-year old phenom - Bryce Harper - is sidelined with stiffness in his left calf, something's just not right.
Recently, I heard an interesting perspective from New York Mets color commentator, Keith Hernandez, on the rash of injuries plaguing so many players. Hernandez observed that many of the Mets players were going to the gym before the scheduled games; since pumping iron tends to restrict muscles, it hampers the ability to play baseball the way it's meant to be played - free and easy. His simple suggestion: Hit the gym after the games, instead!
I think he knows what he's talking about. I recall Hernandez, who was a superb defensive first baseman, spent a lot of time before games, stretching out the old muscles; with special emphasis on keeping the legs limber and flexible. His strategy seemed to work; with cat-like defensive agility, Hernandez revolutionized the way first base was played, and no one played it better.
It's unclear what caused the calf problem of Bryce Harper; is it possible he overdid the weight-lifting routine on his legs, just a bit? Was he so determined to make the Opening Day roster of the Washington Nationals, he spent a little extra time in the gym; instead of the batting cage? After an unimpressive 8 for 28 (.286) performance in 9 games, which featured a team-leading 11 strikeouts and no home runs, the club decided the gimpy-calved teen-aged phenom would be better served playing AAA ball instead; at least for a while.
In the meantime, as more iron-pumping ballplayers strain their tight muscles, perhaps they could learn a thing or two from the training regimen of former Heavy Weight Boxing Champion - the late Smokin' Joe Frazier - when he was in his prime. Frazier, who was known for his relentless style of fighting and ferocious punching ability, explained why he avoided lifting weights: "It makes me muscle-bound, and I can't afford to be muscle-bound."
Major league ballplayers can't afford to be muscle-bound, either; it's just not conducive to playing the game the way it's meant to be played. Nor is it conducive to being able to play the game on a regular basis, for any players who really want to help their teams win.
Clearly, there are significant occupational hazards in baseball which cause injuries; some minor, some career-ending. These great players from my youth not only avoided straining their obliques or calves throughout the bulk of their careers, they also were fortunate enough - or smart enough - to steer clear of things like bone-breaking bean balls and outfield walls; and when sliding into bases, avoided bodily injury from their collisions with opposing players. In the case of Pete Rose, who played the game as hard as anyone who ever played the game; he was usually the guy doling out the pain on the base paths, as Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse could attest on that famous last bone-crushing play of the 1970 All-Star Game.
While Fosse fell victim to that vicious, but clean, hit delivered by Charlie Hustle, a young Cardinals catcher by the name of Ted Simmons was just getting his career off the ground. One of the greatest hitting catchers of all-time, Simmons was also one of the toughest. In a feat unlikely to be duplicated any time soon, Simmons appeared in at least 150 games as catcher for St Louis, for an astounding seven consecutive seasons - 1972 - 1978. In case anyone hasn't experienced the heat and humidity of St Louis in July and August, you don't know what you're missing. For the tough-minded and durable Ted Simmons, "missing" (as in games) simply wasn't a part of his vocabulary.
Durability is as important to a player's success as his overall ability. For every Cal Ripken Jr who grinds out every single game, year in, year out; seemingly forever; there are hundreds of of Grady Sizemores who seem to have everything going for them, except luck. Injuries may be a part of the game, but for some players, injuries have become the biggest part of their game. World Series hero David Freese is hoping for his first full injury-free season to prove what he accomplished last Fall was no fluke. If the Cardinals have any chance of successfully defending their World Championship, they need to get 150 games out of their rising star, and close to that out of their seasoned stars - Lance Berkman and his old Astros teammate and newly acquired free-agent, Carlos Beltran.
Nowadays, most players remain physically fit, year 'round, following a strict workout regimen that is intended to make them strong and agile. But are some of these guys overdoing it? I mean, when a 19-year old phenom - Bryce Harper - is sidelined with stiffness in his left calf, something's just not right.
Recently, I heard an interesting perspective from New York Mets color commentator, Keith Hernandez, on the rash of injuries plaguing so many players. Hernandez observed that many of the Mets players were going to the gym before the scheduled games; since pumping iron tends to restrict muscles, it hampers the ability to play baseball the way it's meant to be played - free and easy. His simple suggestion: Hit the gym after the games, instead!
I think he knows what he's talking about. I recall Hernandez, who was a superb defensive first baseman, spent a lot of time before games, stretching out the old muscles; with special emphasis on keeping the legs limber and flexible. His strategy seemed to work; with cat-like defensive agility, Hernandez revolutionized the way first base was played, and no one played it better.
It's unclear what caused the calf problem of Bryce Harper; is it possible he overdid the weight-lifting routine on his legs, just a bit? Was he so determined to make the Opening Day roster of the Washington Nationals, he spent a little extra time in the gym; instead of the batting cage? After an unimpressive 8 for 28 (.286) performance in 9 games, which featured a team-leading 11 strikeouts and no home runs, the club decided the gimpy-calved teen-aged phenom would be better served playing AAA ball instead; at least for a while.
In the meantime, as more iron-pumping ballplayers strain their tight muscles, perhaps they could learn a thing or two from the training regimen of former Heavy Weight Boxing Champion - the late Smokin' Joe Frazier - when he was in his prime. Frazier, who was known for his relentless style of fighting and ferocious punching ability, explained why he avoided lifting weights: "It makes me muscle-bound, and I can't afford to be muscle-bound."
Major league ballplayers can't afford to be muscle-bound, either; it's just not conducive to playing the game the way it's meant to be played. Nor is it conducive to being able to play the game on a regular basis, for any players who really want to help their teams win.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Healthy Roster Could Make Redbird History
Albert Pujols' final season as a member of the St Louis Cardinals began ominously; before the team had even assembled for Spring Training, Adam Wainwright had already undergone season-ending Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, the contract negotiations between Pujols and the Cardinals front office were at a standstill, casting a further pall on a team in disarray. Not unexpectedly, most experts picked the Cardinals no better than third place in the NL Central; certainly not good enough to reach the postseason.
Pujols began the season poorly, clearly distracted by his uncertain future, and increasingly irritated by a relentless media's repetitious and mundane interrogations. Still, his presence in the lineup alone certainly had a positive effect on the team's fortunes. As opposing teams focused most of their attention on containing Pujols, perhaps they took the rest of the lineup too lightly. Newly acquired free agent Lance Berkman picked up much of the slack early on, rebounding nicely from an unproductive and injury-plagued 2010 season. In fact, the entire Cards lineup consistently generated enough offense to lead the National League in all the key offensive categories:
RUNS SCORED - 762
BA - .273
OBP - .341
SLG - .425
The fact that the Cardinals barely made it into the postseason with win number 90 in game number 162 made them huge NLDS underdogs squaring off against the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies; who were by contrast, coming off a franchise-record 102 regular season wins.
What the experts failed to grasp was how the Cardinals had dramatically improved their bullpen with several key mid-season acquisitions; turning its weakest link into one of great strength by the end of August. Even so, to understand how frustrating the season had been, the team had managed to save just 47 out of 73 opportunities. Only the Washington Nationals managed to blow more save opportunities, converting just 47 out of 77 chances.
Of course, the Cardinals didn't go on to lose all 26 of the games which they held a lead; they had merely allowed the opposition to "get back into the game" with a reasonable chance of sending the Cardinals to another galling defeat. Exactly how many times that happened is unknown (to me), although I'm sure there are bound to be some saber-metrics geeks floating around out there who know every mundane detail in each blown save, and can document the actual number of Redbird losses that resulted in those cases. For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume they could have won ten more games if they had the same bullpen that helped facilitate their late season and postseason success. In other words, they should have easily won 100 regular season games in 2011. That's how good they really were when they rolled through the last month of the regular season, and continued rolling all the way to a World Championship.
Obviously, losing Albert Pujols changes the dynamic of the Cardinals, heading into the 2012 season. For all those experts who felt the Cards were merely "lucky" to have won it all last season, they are quick to give the predictable knee-jerk reaction; no postseason play (again), guys. So what else is new?
A couple of weeks ago, Cards pitcher Adam Wainwright created a slight stir when he told reporters he thought the team would actually be a little better in 2012 than they were in 2011; even with Pujols gone. I agree; not only will the pitching staff be significantly better with Waino's return to the starting rotation, all the other "core" players will be returning, and at least starting the season in good playing condition (aside from Allen Craig's slightly delayed start).
Also, free agent acquisition Carlos Beltran should be able to at least come close to replacing the 2011 production Pujols generated; and that's not such a bad deal. Here's how both stacked up in 2011, along with a look at five other key players:
G R RBI HR BA OBP SLG
Pujols 147 105 99 37 .299 .366 .541
Beltran 142 78 84 22 .300 .385 .525
Berkman 145 90 94 31 .301 .412 .547
Holiday 124 83 75 22 .296 .388 .525
Craig 75 33 40 11 .315 .362 .555
Freese 97 41 55 10 .297 .350 .441
Molina 139 55 65 14 .305 .349 .463
It's interesting to note that none of these players appeared in as many as 150 games last season, so injuries were a bit of an issue, especially for Allen Craig and David Freese. If the Cardinals are going to silence the naysayers in 2012, both Craig and Freese need to avoid injury and pick up where they left off last postseason, with that lumber in their hands.
This is a team that could realistically win back-to-back World Championships for the first in franchise history - despite losing Pujols. Albert is still a great player and appears poised to have a monster season with his new team, and a good bet to win another Most Valuable Player Award. I think the Angels are clearly one of the elite teams in the American League now; I wouldn't be surprised to see them representing the American League in the World Series this time around.
That would be an interesting World Series, pitting the former Cardinal icon who apparently felt under- appreciated in St Louis, against his old team who would be trying to serve notice that they're still the best in baseball - with or without King Albert.
Pujols began the season poorly, clearly distracted by his uncertain future, and increasingly irritated by a relentless media's repetitious and mundane interrogations. Still, his presence in the lineup alone certainly had a positive effect on the team's fortunes. As opposing teams focused most of their attention on containing Pujols, perhaps they took the rest of the lineup too lightly. Newly acquired free agent Lance Berkman picked up much of the slack early on, rebounding nicely from an unproductive and injury-plagued 2010 season. In fact, the entire Cards lineup consistently generated enough offense to lead the National League in all the key offensive categories:
RUNS SCORED - 762
BA - .273
OBP - .341
SLG - .425
The fact that the Cardinals barely made it into the postseason with win number 90 in game number 162 made them huge NLDS underdogs squaring off against the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies; who were by contrast, coming off a franchise-record 102 regular season wins.
What the experts failed to grasp was how the Cardinals had dramatically improved their bullpen with several key mid-season acquisitions; turning its weakest link into one of great strength by the end of August. Even so, to understand how frustrating the season had been, the team had managed to save just 47 out of 73 opportunities. Only the Washington Nationals managed to blow more save opportunities, converting just 47 out of 77 chances.
Of course, the Cardinals didn't go on to lose all 26 of the games which they held a lead; they had merely allowed the opposition to "get back into the game" with a reasonable chance of sending the Cardinals to another galling defeat. Exactly how many times that happened is unknown (to me), although I'm sure there are bound to be some saber-metrics geeks floating around out there who know every mundane detail in each blown save, and can document the actual number of Redbird losses that resulted in those cases. For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume they could have won ten more games if they had the same bullpen that helped facilitate their late season and postseason success. In other words, they should have easily won 100 regular season games in 2011. That's how good they really were when they rolled through the last month of the regular season, and continued rolling all the way to a World Championship.
Obviously, losing Albert Pujols changes the dynamic of the Cardinals, heading into the 2012 season. For all those experts who felt the Cards were merely "lucky" to have won it all last season, they are quick to give the predictable knee-jerk reaction; no postseason play (again), guys. So what else is new?
A couple of weeks ago, Cards pitcher Adam Wainwright created a slight stir when he told reporters he thought the team would actually be a little better in 2012 than they were in 2011; even with Pujols gone. I agree; not only will the pitching staff be significantly better with Waino's return to the starting rotation, all the other "core" players will be returning, and at least starting the season in good playing condition (aside from Allen Craig's slightly delayed start).
Also, free agent acquisition Carlos Beltran should be able to at least come close to replacing the 2011 production Pujols generated; and that's not such a bad deal. Here's how both stacked up in 2011, along with a look at five other key players:
G R RBI HR BA OBP SLG
Pujols 147 105 99 37 .299 .366 .541
Beltran 142 78 84 22 .300 .385 .525
Berkman 145 90 94 31 .301 .412 .547
Holiday 124 83 75 22 .296 .388 .525
Craig 75 33 40 11 .315 .362 .555
Freese 97 41 55 10 .297 .350 .441
Molina 139 55 65 14 .305 .349 .463
It's interesting to note that none of these players appeared in as many as 150 games last season, so injuries were a bit of an issue, especially for Allen Craig and David Freese. If the Cardinals are going to silence the naysayers in 2012, both Craig and Freese need to avoid injury and pick up where they left off last postseason, with that lumber in their hands.
This is a team that could realistically win back-to-back World Championships for the first in franchise history - despite losing Pujols. Albert is still a great player and appears poised to have a monster season with his new team, and a good bet to win another Most Valuable Player Award. I think the Angels are clearly one of the elite teams in the American League now; I wouldn't be surprised to see them representing the American League in the World Series this time around.
That would be an interesting World Series, pitting the former Cardinal icon who apparently felt under- appreciated in St Louis, against his old team who would be trying to serve notice that they're still the best in baseball - with or without King Albert.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Can Reshuffled Cards Do It Again?
After pulling off that improbable - actually, impossible - World Series triumph over the Texas Rangers a couple of months ago, the St Louis Cardinals will enter the 2012 season with a new manager - Mike Matheny - whose biggest challenge will be taking over a team that no longer has the Game's Greatest Player on its roster. The good news for the Cardinals' front office: The Game's Greatest Player is no longer on the payroll.
Certainly, losing a guy who usually drives in well over 100 runs each year is going to put pressure on the new lineup; but the Cards just signed 34-year old outfielder Carlos Beltran to a two-year-$26 million deal; an amount roughly one-tenth as much as the ten-year contract the Angels negotiated with King Albert Pujols - The Game's Greatest Player. Maybe Angels owner Artie Moreno can afford to shell out over a quarter of a billion bucks to a player who will more than likely be a DH or bench player in another five years or so.
The Cardinals offered a measley $210 million-10-year deal to the former Cardinals icon. What an insult. What were they thinking? Hmm. Maybe they were thinking/hoping he'd turn it down, figuring they could spend the money on other items, such as moderately-priced free-agents like Carlos Beltran. Or contract extensions on guys like David Freese and Adam Wainwright, among others. There are lots of possibilities for the frugal front office to keep the roster stocked with good, young ballplayers, in lieu of overpriced aging icons.
Obviously, with Pujols no longer a part of the Cardinals' lineup heading into the 2012 season, the challenge of repeating as World Champions becomes all the more difficult. Although the Redbirds have now won eleven titles - the most of any NL team - the franchise has never won back-to-back Fall Classics. In fact, the last NL team to accomplish the feat was the fabled Big Red Machine - the Cincinnati Reds, in 1975 and 1976. Prior to that, the New York Giants defeated Babe Ruth's Yankees in 1921 and 1922, before the Bambino and Company took care of business in 1923. Strangely enough, those lovable losers - the Chicago Cubs - were at one time hard-core winners, with back-to-back World Championships in 1907 and 1908. Great memories, eh Cubs fans? Sorry.
So, what are the chances of repeating for the Redbirds? Past history suggests it's unlikely. Losing the services of Albert Pujols suggests it's even more unlikely. Although the current roster is loaded with talent, it has also been injury-prone. Gambling on an aging player's ability to stay injury-free for an entire season is a risky proposition; but let's face it, not gambling on oft-injured free-agents like Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran has no upside potential. If they manage to stay healthy and play in 140 or more games in '12, that would bode well for the Redbirds' chances of winning back-to-back World Series titles. It wouldn't hurt if the Cards could also have the services of David Freese for an entire, injury-free season. Wow.
Every time I think of Freese, I think of Game 6 - the most miraculous victory in World Series history. The great sportswriter, Jason Stark, supplied us with some fascinating tid-bits of information about Game 6, in case anyone doubted the extent of the miracles that happened in that contest:
* The Cardinals trailed in that game five different times before finally winning it. No team in World Series history had ever done that. The Cardinals - in 19,387 regular season games - had never won a game after trailing five different times. Never.
* In the previous 1327 post season games played, no team had ever scored in the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th innings. Of course, in the 9th inning, St Louis was down to its last strike before extending the game with Freese's two-run game-tying triple. Likewise, they were down to their last strike in the 10th inning before Lance Berkman's game-tying single plated a jubilant, skipping Jon Jay. The last time any team was in that same situation was in the '86 World Series - the Miracle Mets in Game 6 - when the Red Sox managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, to perpetuate the Curse of the Bambino.
Of course, the Redbirds' unlikely post season berth resulted from an amazing stretch run, combined with the total collapse of the team they were pursuing - the Atlanta Braves. With just five games left to play, the Cards still trailed the Braves by three games. Incredibly, the Braves lost all five of those games while the Cards won four out of five. How often is that sort of thing going to happen?
It's interesting to note, the 1985 Cardinals won 101 regular season games, and never lost a game entering the 9th inning with a lead; that is, until Game 6 of the World Series. The 2011 Cardinals won just 90 regular season games, losing eleven games when they held a 9th inning or later lead. In other words, they should have won 101 games last season.
Had the Cardinals actually won 101 games last season, perhaps their five-game NLDS conquest of the Phillies wouldn't have been so shocking. Actually, the way they won Game 2 was quite shocking. Staked to a 4 - 0 lead, Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee wound up on the losing end of a 5 - 4 decision. In his career, Cliff Lee is now 94 - 2 whenever he's ahead by four or more runs. Strangely enough, the winning pitcher on both occasions was Octavial Dotel.
I don't know if all those miracles that happened for the Cardinals in 2011 will somehow balance out against them in some sort of weird cosmic-way in 2012. I always feel slightly uncomfortable whenever so-called experts predict St Louis to fare well in anything; they're usually wrong. As luck would have it, three analysts on the MLB Network - Larry Bowa, Dave Valle, and Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams unanimously picked the reshuffled Cards to win the NL Central in 2012.
It may be unrealistic to expect another trip to the World Series for the Cardinals in 2012, but after last year's non-stop barrage of miracles, it actually may be unrealistic for Cards' fans to expect anything less than another World Series championship. For those keeping score at home, that would be 12 in '12...
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
Certainly, losing a guy who usually drives in well over 100 runs each year is going to put pressure on the new lineup; but the Cards just signed 34-year old outfielder Carlos Beltran to a two-year-$26 million deal; an amount roughly one-tenth as much as the ten-year contract the Angels negotiated with King Albert Pujols - The Game's Greatest Player. Maybe Angels owner Artie Moreno can afford to shell out over a quarter of a billion bucks to a player who will more than likely be a DH or bench player in another five years or so.
The Cardinals offered a measley $210 million-10-year deal to the former Cardinals icon. What an insult. What were they thinking? Hmm. Maybe they were thinking/hoping he'd turn it down, figuring they could spend the money on other items, such as moderately-priced free-agents like Carlos Beltran. Or contract extensions on guys like David Freese and Adam Wainwright, among others. There are lots of possibilities for the frugal front office to keep the roster stocked with good, young ballplayers, in lieu of overpriced aging icons.
Obviously, with Pujols no longer a part of the Cardinals' lineup heading into the 2012 season, the challenge of repeating as World Champions becomes all the more difficult. Although the Redbirds have now won eleven titles - the most of any NL team - the franchise has never won back-to-back Fall Classics. In fact, the last NL team to accomplish the feat was the fabled Big Red Machine - the Cincinnati Reds, in 1975 and 1976. Prior to that, the New York Giants defeated Babe Ruth's Yankees in 1921 and 1922, before the Bambino and Company took care of business in 1923. Strangely enough, those lovable losers - the Chicago Cubs - were at one time hard-core winners, with back-to-back World Championships in 1907 and 1908. Great memories, eh Cubs fans? Sorry.
So, what are the chances of repeating for the Redbirds? Past history suggests it's unlikely. Losing the services of Albert Pujols suggests it's even more unlikely. Although the current roster is loaded with talent, it has also been injury-prone. Gambling on an aging player's ability to stay injury-free for an entire season is a risky proposition; but let's face it, not gambling on oft-injured free-agents like Rafael Furcal and Carlos Beltran has no upside potential. If they manage to stay healthy and play in 140 or more games in '12, that would bode well for the Redbirds' chances of winning back-to-back World Series titles. It wouldn't hurt if the Cards could also have the services of David Freese for an entire, injury-free season. Wow.
Every time I think of Freese, I think of Game 6 - the most miraculous victory in World Series history. The great sportswriter, Jason Stark, supplied us with some fascinating tid-bits of information about Game 6, in case anyone doubted the extent of the miracles that happened in that contest:
* The Cardinals trailed in that game five different times before finally winning it. No team in World Series history had ever done that. The Cardinals - in 19,387 regular season games - had never won a game after trailing five different times. Never.
* In the previous 1327 post season games played, no team had ever scored in the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th innings. Of course, in the 9th inning, St Louis was down to its last strike before extending the game with Freese's two-run game-tying triple. Likewise, they were down to their last strike in the 10th inning before Lance Berkman's game-tying single plated a jubilant, skipping Jon Jay. The last time any team was in that same situation was in the '86 World Series - the Miracle Mets in Game 6 - when the Red Sox managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, to perpetuate the Curse of the Bambino.
Of course, the Redbirds' unlikely post season berth resulted from an amazing stretch run, combined with the total collapse of the team they were pursuing - the Atlanta Braves. With just five games left to play, the Cards still trailed the Braves by three games. Incredibly, the Braves lost all five of those games while the Cards won four out of five. How often is that sort of thing going to happen?
It's interesting to note, the 1985 Cardinals won 101 regular season games, and never lost a game entering the 9th inning with a lead; that is, until Game 6 of the World Series. The 2011 Cardinals won just 90 regular season games, losing eleven games when they held a 9th inning or later lead. In other words, they should have won 101 games last season.
Had the Cardinals actually won 101 games last season, perhaps their five-game NLDS conquest of the Phillies wouldn't have been so shocking. Actually, the way they won Game 2 was quite shocking. Staked to a 4 - 0 lead, Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee wound up on the losing end of a 5 - 4 decision. In his career, Cliff Lee is now 94 - 2 whenever he's ahead by four or more runs. Strangely enough, the winning pitcher on both occasions was Octavial Dotel.
I don't know if all those miracles that happened for the Cardinals in 2011 will somehow balance out against them in some sort of weird cosmic-way in 2012. I always feel slightly uncomfortable whenever so-called experts predict St Louis to fare well in anything; they're usually wrong. As luck would have it, three analysts on the MLB Network - Larry Bowa, Dave Valle, and Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams unanimously picked the reshuffled Cards to win the NL Central in 2012.
It may be unrealistic to expect another trip to the World Series for the Cardinals in 2012, but after last year's non-stop barrage of miracles, it actually may be unrealistic for Cards' fans to expect anything less than another World Series championship. For those keeping score at home, that would be 12 in '12...
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
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