As Spring Training continues, from what I have read over at the PD, in the last few days Skip at 2B has been struggling. I am still firmly on this band wagon with a round trip ticket. I remember last year when we had no real leadoff hitter, and the Sports talking heads and commentators wrote Skip off. We found out quickly that this guy could be put under the great pressure of leading off, as a table setter for one of the true greats in all of baseball history no less, and find success and prove that he belonged on the team for a full season and that he IS our lead off hitter.
This is a prime example of the organization’s movement to solving problems from within. Skip is one of those guys who just seem to love playing baseball, and who are willing to put in the work to make the team stronger. I am still in his corner.
It will be a rough go the next few weeks, and also early in the season but I would rather have Skip out there giving his all than singing a stop gap one year guy to keep the recent revolving door spinning.
Have a look at this from the PD on the competition for the expected two infield utility spots: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/7A935BBEF6F2289086257575000D5651?OpenDocument
TLR is the king of the double switch and moving player’s positions mid game. All four of those guys bring exciting skill sets to the table (I like the sound of T. Greene and Thurston) and I think any combo would be a surprising upgrade over Miles. Don’t get me wrong, I was a big Miles fan, be he will be over exposed with the North- siders the next two seasons.
Think of how this team could shift in the most LaRussian of ways: send your 2B to the OF for a defensive upgrade while keeping your leadoff guy, bring in a speedy utility guy to cover 2B adding a speed threat in the later innings with a defensive upgrade at the keystone, move the current 3B placeholder (Matther) to the OF for a 3B defensive upgrade with more speed but still keeping the power bat of “Joey Bombs”, if Albert is hurting you could give him a slight rest by shifting an OF (Duncan) to first which is a better fit defensively for him than the OF and he is still a strong bat and left handed so TLR can still play his leftie/righty matchups with the player off the bench. Doesn’t that sound like TLR will be happier than a kid in a candy store? Imagine him doing most of those things in the same inning all at once or between opposing at bats…he will either look like he is nuts and/or like a genius. I think that could throw any major leaguer off their game by getting in their head and forcing them to try to recall all of the scouting game plan stuff from locker room meetings, all the while they are flying solo in the batter’s box so they wouldn’t have the option of whispering with the guys in the dugout.
Current Bottom lines: Don’t bet against Skip and the Utility Competition will be fun to watch develop.
Showing posts with label St. Louis Cardinals Baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. Louis Cardinals Baseball. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
New Arm Left of the Mississippi
Yesterday the cards signed Dennys Reyes a LHP for the bullpen. He will be a Card through next season for $3 Mil total on his 2 yr deal. Last year he pitched for an ERA of 2.33 in 75 appearances and 46.1 total innings. His record was 3-0, and he allowed 40 hits, 15 BB, and struck out 39. The PD reports that over the last three seasons he has the lowest ERA of Southpaws in the Majors at 2.14.
The only downside to this signing is that Reyes is pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic and that will keep him out of camp for the next few weeks.
It looks like the left side of the bullpen is set with Miller and Reyes (and should be a huge upgrade over last season).
Not to brag, but I called that a player would be brought in the day before this signing happened. I told you (As I have said before I have been aggressively following the team on-line for the last three off-seasons) I am starting to pick up on the rhythms of the FA thus my long winded open letter back when the blog started. I think the move of an outfielder comes in the next week and a half for either a proven middle infield utility guy or a back of the rotation starter.
If you get the chance look at the forums over at the PD’s site; the same people who were bitching that we needed to sign more lefties for the pen are now up in arms that Reyes is here the quotes still out there are that our two new lefties aren’t “good” some how. I still don’t get it, and we also have Ring as depth in addition to that handful of other LHPs. This is a nice time to introduce the term “VIs” to this blog this term comes courtesy of my dad and little brother and their observations of overheard conversations at Rams games. VI stands for “Village Idiot(s)” the logic being that when dumb people gather together, who are not the most deft at handling the English language when it comes to matters concerning professional sports, that some villages are without their resident idiot. The VIs these days are having a convention in their new convention center at the PD please give it a look if you need a good laugh. http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=612058
Here are the links to Reyes’ MLB profile page and then the PD’s coverage
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=121096
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/120EB5E7F1A535C3862575710010E309?OpenDocument
The only downside to this signing is that Reyes is pitching for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic and that will keep him out of camp for the next few weeks.
It looks like the left side of the bullpen is set with Miller and Reyes (and should be a huge upgrade over last season).
Not to brag, but I called that a player would be brought in the day before this signing happened. I told you (As I have said before I have been aggressively following the team on-line for the last three off-seasons) I am starting to pick up on the rhythms of the FA thus my long winded open letter back when the blog started. I think the move of an outfielder comes in the next week and a half for either a proven middle infield utility guy or a back of the rotation starter.
If you get the chance look at the forums over at the PD’s site; the same people who were bitching that we needed to sign more lefties for the pen are now up in arms that Reyes is here the quotes still out there are that our two new lefties aren’t “good” some how. I still don’t get it, and we also have Ring as depth in addition to that handful of other LHPs. This is a nice time to introduce the term “VIs” to this blog this term comes courtesy of my dad and little brother and their observations of overheard conversations at Rams games. VI stands for “Village Idiot(s)” the logic being that when dumb people gather together, who are not the most deft at handling the English language when it comes to matters concerning professional sports, that some villages are without their resident idiot. The VIs these days are having a convention in their new convention center at the PD please give it a look if you need a good laugh. http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=612058
Here are the links to Reyes’ MLB profile page and then the PD’s coverage
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=121096
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/120EB5E7F1A535C3862575710010E309?OpenDocument
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Back from my Off Days for Today's Off day
As I am writing this, I have WGN on in the background with Len Casper and Bob Brently calling a spring training game between the Cubs and the White Sox and I sit here thinking about our guys in the birds on the bat. I have had some issues with the internet being down the last few days so I am sorry that it has been so long between posts.
MLBTradeRumors had a post today saying that the cards were looking at free agent lefties which was expected (at least in my book). I still think they have 1-2 moves to make before the season starts and I think pitching will be the focus.
From what I have read, it sounds like Duncan has returned to form so we either a) have another offensive option or b) have a strong trade chip to an AL team needing a DH. If they move an outfielder as expected, I think it will be Dunc. I really like all of our outfielders for different reasons, but Dunc or Ankiel would be the two I would look to deal first. Luddy, Rasmus, Mather, and Batron would be a fun group to watch. John Jay seems to be having a strong spring so, maybe he and Ank would be out the door, and then you keep Dunc as the 5-OFer. I think I have talked about our OF before, but what a great area to be a backseat GM.
Tomorrow Wellemeyer starts against the Dominican Republic WBC team, and that game should tell us a lot about how the guys are progressing. Let’s see how Skip handles second against J. Reyes, H. Ramirez, D. Ortiz, and M. Tejada. The Cards play an All-Star team and we aren’t even in April this should be fun.
MLBTradeRumors had a post today saying that the cards were looking at free agent lefties which was expected (at least in my book). I still think they have 1-2 moves to make before the season starts and I think pitching will be the focus.
From what I have read, it sounds like Duncan has returned to form so we either a) have another offensive option or b) have a strong trade chip to an AL team needing a DH. If they move an outfielder as expected, I think it will be Dunc. I really like all of our outfielders for different reasons, but Dunc or Ankiel would be the two I would look to deal first. Luddy, Rasmus, Mather, and Batron would be a fun group to watch. John Jay seems to be having a strong spring so, maybe he and Ank would be out the door, and then you keep Dunc as the 5-OFer. I think I have talked about our OF before, but what a great area to be a backseat GM.
Tomorrow Wellemeyer starts against the Dominican Republic WBC team, and that game should tell us a lot about how the guys are progressing. Let’s see how Skip handles second against J. Reyes, H. Ramirez, D. Ortiz, and M. Tejada. The Cards play an All-Star team and we aren’t even in April this should be fun.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Grapefruit Goings-On
It is tough to judge games from here in the windy city without a box score, highlights, or radio broadcast but today in the grapefruit league opener the cards played to a 5-5 tie with the Marlins.
From the recap on the official Cardinals site: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090225&content_id=3880104&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl
It looks like Skip is really hustling to earn that 2B job with two singles and a stolen base on the offensive side of things, and according to the PD: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/commishs-hot-stove/commishs-hot-stove/cardinal-beat-updates/2009/02/conflicting-signs-cardinals-strand-14-in-5-5-tie/ he didn’t see a ground ball.
The other thing that excites me about what I am reading on today’s events is the success of Royce Ring. Two strikeouts against the heart of the Marlins roster. Maybe that Mo guy knows a thing or two…
Here is a fun read from Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/02/25/larussa/index.html
TLR: Love him or hate him either way he still loves this game.
From the recap on the official Cardinals site: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090225&content_id=3880104&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl
It looks like Skip is really hustling to earn that 2B job with two singles and a stolen base on the offensive side of things, and according to the PD: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/commishs-hot-stove/commishs-hot-stove/cardinal-beat-updates/2009/02/conflicting-signs-cardinals-strand-14-in-5-5-tie/ he didn’t see a ground ball.
The other thing that excites me about what I am reading on today’s events is the success of Royce Ring. Two strikeouts against the heart of the Marlins roster. Maybe that Mo guy knows a thing or two…
Here is a fun read from Sports Illustrated: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/02/25/larussa/index.html
TLR: Love him or hate him either way he still loves this game.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Let the Games (ST) Begin
Are we all excited yet? Spring Training games start tomorrow. So far the reports from FL I have caught over at the PD website sound very encouraging, and the skeptics seem to be dying down. Thus far carp seems ready to go, and Duncan has faith in him so let’s keep our fingers crossed that our Cy Young winner is back to his old self.
Also, if further evidence was needed to illustrate the leaps and bounds our farm system has made in the last few years Baseball America just put out their annual list of Top 100 Prospects. Give it a look: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2009/267698.html
Colby Rasmus (OF) #3
Brett Wallace(3B) #40
Chris Perez (RHP) #91
We still have the best possible problem in our OF, how do we get all of these guys playing time? Ludwig, Ankiel, Rasmus, Mather, Duncan, Wallace (I have read from multiple sources that a position shift to the OF might be in his future) with Barton and Jay down in AAA there is something to like about all of these players and the first five on my little list all bat with power. If Skip sticks at 2B, with the reporting from the PD it sounds like he will, that at least clears up some OF at bats. I hope Wallace can up his defense and stick as the everyday 3B later this season. Mather is learning 3B and has played some 1B and he was drafted as a SS and we know he played in the bigs last year in the OF, so he could be the new super sub and would provide lots of power off the bench.
My thought, trade Duncan and Ankiel later this spring for pitching depth and/or a SS prospect with an ETA projected for 2010.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
Also, if further evidence was needed to illustrate the leaps and bounds our farm system has made in the last few years Baseball America just put out their annual list of Top 100 Prospects. Give it a look: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2009/267698.html
Colby Rasmus (OF) #3
Brett Wallace(3B) #40
Chris Perez (RHP) #91
We still have the best possible problem in our OF, how do we get all of these guys playing time? Ludwig, Ankiel, Rasmus, Mather, Duncan, Wallace (I have read from multiple sources that a position shift to the OF might be in his future) with Barton and Jay down in AAA there is something to like about all of these players and the first five on my little list all bat with power. If Skip sticks at 2B, with the reporting from the PD it sounds like he will, that at least clears up some OF at bats. I hope Wallace can up his defense and stick as the everyday 3B later this season. Mather is learning 3B and has played some 1B and he was drafted as a SS and we know he played in the bigs last year in the OF, so he could be the new super sub and would provide lots of power off the bench.
My thought, trade Duncan and Ankiel later this spring for pitching depth and/or a SS prospect with an ETA projected for 2010.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Spring time
Spring Training has started for the 2009 season and it will be exciting to watch unfold on many levels. Carpenter has had four throwing sessions and told the PD that he was already at about 75-80% of being game ready. Duncan also told the post that he would be comfortable sending Carp out into a game as is. He is due for a full season, and if he stays healthy the Cubs will fall faster than an investment bank.
This bullpen excites me. The kids will bring great energy to the team, and having Kinney back will be huge. Please remember when thinking about the 08’s pen blowing 31 saves that: a) you can have more than one blown save per game, and b) some of those blown saves turned out to be wins. I don’t have the time or energy to look up all of the games in question, but winning in extra innings after blowing a save still equals a win.
Skip at 2nd! I really want this to work, I really do. He stepped into the leadoff role quite nicely last year when people were worried about the team lacking the one slot. He was drafted into the cards system as a shortstop so he does have some middle IF work experience in his past. If he can get the foot work down, then he should be the guy. He also plays every OF position so he becomes a very valuable super-sub, and TLR told the post this past weekend that he thinks at a minimum Skip will be an average 2B by the time the team breaks camp, the guy is working with the secret weapon after all.
I still think there is a move to be made, and over at MLBtraderumors they think so too.
http://www.springtraining09.com/features/spring-training-trade-candidat.php
This year should be fun.
This bullpen excites me. The kids will bring great energy to the team, and having Kinney back will be huge. Please remember when thinking about the 08’s pen blowing 31 saves that: a) you can have more than one blown save per game, and b) some of those blown saves turned out to be wins. I don’t have the time or energy to look up all of the games in question, but winning in extra innings after blowing a save still equals a win.
Skip at 2nd! I really want this to work, I really do. He stepped into the leadoff role quite nicely last year when people were worried about the team lacking the one slot. He was drafted into the cards system as a shortstop so he does have some middle IF work experience in his past. If he can get the foot work down, then he should be the guy. He also plays every OF position so he becomes a very valuable super-sub, and TLR told the post this past weekend that he thinks at a minimum Skip will be an average 2B by the time the team breaks camp, the guy is working with the secret weapon after all.
I still think there is a move to be made, and over at MLBtraderumors they think so too.
http://www.springtraining09.com/features/spring-training-trade-candidat.php
This year should be fun.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Cards on the Table dollars and cents
Let’s take a look into the Cardinal’s finances and the “money coming off the books”.
Here is the link to my source for the figures
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/st-louis-cardinals_111971260115041890.html
I went through and here are the departing players:
Mulder $6.5 Mil $1.5 Mil buyout this year
Flores $1Mil
Izzy $8Mil
Villone $600K
Springer $3.5Mil
Miles $1.4 Mil
Izturis $2.85Mil
Looper $5.5Mil
Total: $30,850,000
Kennedy $4mil
Total after Kennedy: $34,850,000
Raises:
Carp +$3.5Mil
Pineiro +$2.5Mil
Lohse +$2.875Mil
Greene +$6.5Mil
Wellemeyer +$3.05Mil
Yadi +$1.5Mil
Wainwright +$2.1Mil
Franklin +$250,000
LaRue +$100,000
Ankiel 08=$900,000 Arb. Ank wins +$2.4Mil Cards win +$1.45Mil
Duncan +$386,000
Thompson +$236000
Miller +$500,000
Ring =$475,000
Ludwick 08=$411,000 Arb. Lud wins +$3.839Mil Cards win +$2.389
Schu +$140,000
Total (before Ankiel and Ludwick arb.) = $22,222,000
Total if both win= $28,461,000
Total if both loose= $26,061,000
Total if Ludwick wins and Ankiel looses (what I think happens) = $27,511,000
So, the Cards have $7.339 Mil to equal last year’s payroll (assuming that my arb. guess is correct)
Ben Sheets post surgery in June ?
Spring Training trade taking on more salary?
Dry Powder for the Deadline?
Or, was it all really just a bunch of talk?
I am excited to see the competition but I won’t be surprised if any of the following happen: we sign Grudz to a 1yr deal, make the big trade for Roberts from Baltimore, trade with Atlanta for either their SS or 2B (their SS started in the Majors at 2B), or trade for Left handed relief from Toronto. I figure the core of any of the above trades would be from our OF depth most likely Ludwick or preferably Ankiel. Depending on Carp's spring a FA Starter might be in the picture as well.
We shall see.
Here is the link to my source for the figures
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/12/st-louis-cardinals_111971260115041890.html
I went through and here are the departing players:
Mulder $6.5 Mil $1.5 Mil buyout this year
Flores $1Mil
Izzy $8Mil
Villone $600K
Springer $3.5Mil
Miles $1.4 Mil
Izturis $2.85Mil
Looper $5.5Mil
Total: $30,850,000
Kennedy $4mil
Total after Kennedy: $34,850,000
Raises:
Carp +$3.5Mil
Pineiro +$2.5Mil
Lohse +$2.875Mil
Greene +$6.5Mil
Wellemeyer +$3.05Mil
Yadi +$1.5Mil
Wainwright +$2.1Mil
Franklin +$250,000
LaRue +$100,000
Ankiel 08=$900,000 Arb. Ank wins +$2.4Mil Cards win +$1.45Mil
Duncan +$386,000
Thompson +$236000
Miller +$500,000
Ring =$475,000
Ludwick 08=$411,000 Arb. Lud wins +$3.839Mil Cards win +$2.389
Schu +$140,000
Total (before Ankiel and Ludwick arb.) = $22,222,000
Total if both win= $28,461,000
Total if both loose= $26,061,000
Total if Ludwick wins and Ankiel looses (what I think happens) = $27,511,000
So, the Cards have $7.339 Mil to equal last year’s payroll (assuming that my arb. guess is correct)
Ben Sheets post surgery in June ?
Spring Training trade taking on more salary?
Dry Powder for the Deadline?
Or, was it all really just a bunch of talk?
I am excited to see the competition but I won’t be surprised if any of the following happen: we sign Grudz to a 1yr deal, make the big trade for Roberts from Baltimore, trade with Atlanta for either their SS or 2B (their SS started in the Majors at 2B), or trade for Left handed relief from Toronto. I figure the core of any of the above trades would be from our OF depth most likely Ludwick or preferably Ankiel. Depending on Carp's spring a FA Starter might be in the picture as well.
We shall see.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Stranger Things...
Consider the following:
Ankiel from pitcher to Outfielder
Looper from the pen to the rotation
Wellemeyer from the pen to the rotation
The pitcher hitting eighth
Go Skip Go!
If this works, and I REALLY hope it does, that would be great!
Ankiel from pitcher to Outfielder
Looper from the pen to the rotation
Wellemeyer from the pen to the rotation
The pitcher hitting eighth
Go Skip Go!
If this works, and I REALLY hope it does, that would be great!
Getting to Second Base
I was working on a comparison between the money coming off the books from our now departed players, and the raises due to our current players and I noticed that we cut Adam Kennedy.
This is an odd move to me, on the field he would have been fine, we were going to be rid of him at the end of the season anyway.
On the other hand, I wanted them to cut him loose early last year. But…
Arizona had an interest in him back in Dec, but wanted us to eat some of his contract, and we didn’t want to; so now we get nothing.
This is the first move by Mo that I am not sold on, why now? TLR must have pushed for getting AK out asap back at the end of last season, and he wanted to be sent out in the first place.
I like the idea of giving Skip a look at 2B as has been reported, I really like that idea and hope it works. It does look like our minor league depth could keep us stable here (I prefer Barden if the team stays as is) but a trade for a starter or FA back-up would make sense. It will be interesting to see what they do.
I trust TLR about the club house and if wanted him gone, then he should be gone. Rolen departing before last season wasn’t missed, and I think his bitching would have stalled the team’s forward progress and growth.
Spring is all most here.
This is an odd move to me, on the field he would have been fine, we were going to be rid of him at the end of the season anyway.
On the other hand, I wanted them to cut him loose early last year. But…
Arizona had an interest in him back in Dec, but wanted us to eat some of his contract, and we didn’t want to; so now we get nothing.
This is the first move by Mo that I am not sold on, why now? TLR must have pushed for getting AK out asap back at the end of last season, and he wanted to be sent out in the first place.
I like the idea of giving Skip a look at 2B as has been reported, I really like that idea and hope it works. It does look like our minor league depth could keep us stable here (I prefer Barden if the team stays as is) but a trade for a starter or FA back-up would make sense. It will be interesting to see what they do.
I trust TLR about the club house and if wanted him gone, then he should be gone. Rolen departing before last season wasn’t missed, and I think his bitching would have stalled the team’s forward progress and growth.
Spring is all most here.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Stuck in the Middle
After reading some of the responses to my “letter” over at the Post’s website and posting a response of my own, I got to thinking. I think a big thing playing out right now in redbird nation is the change (and battle in some cases) in organizational philosophy.
I am a guy who sees value in both the traditional baseball mindset (a la Tony LaRussa) and also the newer evaluations and statistical tools (Moneyball and Bill James) so I am excited by what others could see as the problems of the club.
TLR might not be back after this season, and that will be a big loss. He is a great manager and finds ways to keep his team in every game. He really is one of the best minds in the game but he also is set in his ways and those ways want “proven big name” players; a “legitimate closer” or “another Big Bat” if you will. I understand he thinks that is why he is successful, but I don’t think he gives himself enough credit.
The club is moving towards a youth movement which will be a continual pipeline to the big league team. I think that is smart and makes perfect sense. I also think we are shifting towards this model later than other teams, but at the right point in the team’s history. The guard is changing, and that is good, bad, and bittersweet all at once.
Soon TLR will be gone and will leave big shoes to fill, but his push back to the front office will also be gone so the organization can get everyone on the same page. The youth movement is 100% smart baseball and business especially in the current economy. I am excited to watch players develop and play with the club for longer stints than a typical free agent would. The downside, the youth movement could push TLR out the door faster than might be desirable. I could see him leaving after this year, but I could also see him sticking around for two more years as his final contract. I think a lot of that rides on the season, but I think the former becomes the lock if the kids falter and moves aren’t made.
In a perfect world TLR would get wise to the fact that he can make a better lasting impact on the young players. Last year at the deadline the big name didn’t come, but 2008 was still one of if not THE best TLR managed teams ever. No one else keeps the team on track with a group that saw far to many injuries and had something like ten players make their MLB debut. I remember 08 as the year we were unexpectedly in the mix until early September. I always forget that in the end we finished 4th. I never really think of 4th place teams surprising as much as last year’s Cards and TLR needs much of the credit. We have been a trade and sign free agents ballclub through the Jocketty years and now we are in the second year of Mo's player development driven one. I think the fan base has gotten so accustomed to the old model that the merits of this new one are lost or dismissed. It is a big change for all of us, the entire country is also changing in new and exciting ways, and I am glad to team is moving forward.
I am a guy who sees value in both the traditional baseball mindset (a la Tony LaRussa) and also the newer evaluations and statistical tools (Moneyball and Bill James) so I am excited by what others could see as the problems of the club.
TLR might not be back after this season, and that will be a big loss. He is a great manager and finds ways to keep his team in every game. He really is one of the best minds in the game but he also is set in his ways and those ways want “proven big name” players; a “legitimate closer” or “another Big Bat” if you will. I understand he thinks that is why he is successful, but I don’t think he gives himself enough credit.
The club is moving towards a youth movement which will be a continual pipeline to the big league team. I think that is smart and makes perfect sense. I also think we are shifting towards this model later than other teams, but at the right point in the team’s history. The guard is changing, and that is good, bad, and bittersweet all at once.
Soon TLR will be gone and will leave big shoes to fill, but his push back to the front office will also be gone so the organization can get everyone on the same page. The youth movement is 100% smart baseball and business especially in the current economy. I am excited to watch players develop and play with the club for longer stints than a typical free agent would. The downside, the youth movement could push TLR out the door faster than might be desirable. I could see him leaving after this year, but I could also see him sticking around for two more years as his final contract. I think a lot of that rides on the season, but I think the former becomes the lock if the kids falter and moves aren’t made.
In a perfect world TLR would get wise to the fact that he can make a better lasting impact on the young players. Last year at the deadline the big name didn’t come, but 2008 was still one of if not THE best TLR managed teams ever. No one else keeps the team on track with a group that saw far to many injuries and had something like ten players make their MLB debut. I remember 08 as the year we were unexpectedly in the mix until early September. I always forget that in the end we finished 4th. I never really think of 4th place teams surprising as much as last year’s Cards and TLR needs much of the credit. We have been a trade and sign free agents ballclub through the Jocketty years and now we are in the second year of Mo's player development driven one. I think the fan base has gotten so accustomed to the old model that the merits of this new one are lost or dismissed. It is a big change for all of us, the entire country is also changing in new and exciting ways, and I am glad to team is moving forward.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
MY STLtoday Forum Open Letter to Fans
I said that I was motivated to start this blog because of what I was reading over at the forums on the Post's website. I just posted an open letter to other fans. Here it is.
An open letter to my fellow fans:
Cards Fans,
Spring Training is almost here and I wanted to share some thoughts and pose some questions to you, my fellow fans. I am concerned for our national reputation with what I have read in various forums for much of this offseason. People both inside and outside of the game refer to us as, “the smartest fans in baseball” lately some of us have given reason for that honor to be reconsidered. It is time for some frank and honest talk.
“Management is being cheap”, “Mo can’t do his job and he needs to go”, “The division has gotten better”, “We need to sign a big name or else”, “I’m boycotting games until things change”, etc these are just a few of the many criticisms I have seen recently. Let’s go through them one by one.
“Management is being cheap.”
In this game does money guarantee success? If it did, couldn’t we just have a two team league of the Mets and Yankees play each other all season? Wouldn’t the series always come down to that? In fact we could just scale everything back to a best of seven in October and still keep the name “World Series” and watch NY go crazy. I am sure the owners would love it, they wouldn’t need to pay anyone (except for the NY owners) and the demand for advertising would go through the roof! With so many unused stadiums the series could travel each year to, “better serve the fans and to keep them happy” I can see Selig practicing that line in the mirror as we speak with visions of dollar signs dancing in his head.
Come on, in any business finding a model that is cost effective and keeps you competitive is the key to thriving. It is the same for us and our families. If we could all eat out at the best restaurants every night wouldn’t we? Me, my family started shopping at Aldi for some of our groceries when the economy went south. We found a way to lower our expenses while keeping our meals as tasty as they have always been. That being said, we still buy good meat and the best produce we can from nicer stores. So, save the cash where you can while keeping quality as high as possible and then spring for the occasional premium goods. Should the Cards be different? Keep things in perspective, reality is reality. St. Louis isn’t NY, LA, or Chi and it will never be. Cost of living in STL is lower than those other cities, and there are fewer people in the area. Locally major companies are cutting jobs; look at the Brewery as the prime example. The team is operating in reality but still being committed to winning; STL is someplace between 25-30 in national market size but the teams payroll is consistently in the top third of all MLB teams. I could understand all the complaints of not wanting to win if the owners spent like a team from the 25th to 30th market, but they haven’t and still don’t. They keep things in perspective and get creative with the business model to keep us in the mix year after year.
I see the “cheap” argument as, frankly, plain jealousy of rich people. Fact: all MLB owners are rich, richer than most of us will ever be, richer to astronomical levels; they have tons and tons of cash. There are thirty ownership groups, all with tons of cash, but even in that small elite club some owners have more cash than others it’s just a fact.
I am a college educated guy with a wife and daughter; I have been a stay-at-home dad for the last year and a half so we are a one income family. I no longer live in STL (was born and raised there and DuBourg to answer THE question) I’m now in Chicago. I am throwing that out there to preemptively cut off the expected, “You must be rich, and aren’t you holier than thou” comments. I’m not.
“Mo can’t do his job and he needs to go”
Short answer, yes he can, and no he doesn’t. I hope in 10 years when he is recognized as one of the top GMs in the league that he is still with the Cards, and that idiots like the ones who were plain disrespectful in his recent online chat with the Post don’t get to him.
If you read the post everyday and have for the last several years you may remember the stories back in 2007 where it was reported that as Ast.GM Mo was the one who pushed for and handled the deals of both Luddy and Springer. Do the last two seasons look the way they do with out those moves no they don’t; they look really bad.
Glaus for Rollen, Lohse, Freese for Edmonds, extending Wainwright for a steal all great smart forward thinking moves. I can’t even begin to mention the value of his not making dumb moves that others had pushed for.
Remember when the forums were filled with people being all upset that we didn’t get Juan Pierre then a year later it was Soriano, this year it is Manny. Look at how the first two contracts played out, and watch Manny this coming season then I will be glad to listen to your case if you still want to make it.
Also, for those who want the good old Jocketty days, resigning Mulder, trading for Mulder in the first place, Kennedy at 2nd, Pineiro in the birds on the bat (Mo did resign him when he was the interim GM), Mike Maroth, Kip Wells, etc. We did have a nice ride with Walt for awhile, but would you have kept him with that track record his last few years? I take Mo’s first year for Jocketty’s last hands down and for the record both were working for the same owner.
“The division has gotten better”
No, it has gotten a lot worse. Have a look at this from the Sporting News: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=cardskidscouldtrumpcubsv&prov=tsn&type=lgns
Remember I mentioned that I now live in Chicago? Think of me as a sleeper agent. DeRosa was one of the Cubs top two players last year in value (Soto was the other). They traded him, and as we well know while a lot of fun to watch and a seemingly great guy Miles isn’t DeRosa. He fades with over exposure, and while he is a great bench guy he shouldn’t be a starting player on a daily basis. That was a big hit. Wood in Cleveland another hit. Marmol as the only good option in the bullpen, another hit. D-Lee getting worse year by year, that’s a hit. The $136 Million man in left and his annual injury, a costly hit. Big Z’s injuries last year and his being a head case in general, a hit. Harden needing all of the last three years combined to pitch his last 200 innings (Carp pitched 232 innings in that same timeframe if you need a barometer) in reality Harden’s presence is not as scary as it looks on paper so it’s a hit. Paying Milton Bradley way to much to get hurt again a hit and a really dumb one at that. Dempster remembering that he is Dempster, another. Selling off their farm system, yet another.
The Cubs are a tattered and beat up expensive punching bag pure and simple. Larry Rothchild as a pitching coach kills pitchers. We are stacked with Cy Youngs compared with the big name rag tag bunch in the Windy City and if we have a problem we have depth, a lot of depth, probably more depth than we realize before we see the younger kids play.
Even my Cubs fan friends see the weakness of their 2009 team, and it takes a lot to make a Cub fan think the team sucks BEFORE the season starts; usually at this time of the year they only think that this is the season and we know how that turns out.
Need more proof? Let’s just isolate HRs as that is typically seen as a sexy stat. Here are just the OF HR numbers from last year looking at players currently on each team’s active roster.
Luddy 37 Ank 25 Schu 8 Barton 2 Mather 8 Dunc 6 Strat 1MLB total: 87
And now the Cubs
Bradley 22 Fukudome 10 Gathright 0 Johnson 6 Soriano 29 Fox 0 Fuld 0 Robnett 0 Snyder 0 MLB total: 67
Then think about the Cubs having 4 guys on their active roster( Fox, Fuld, Robnett, and Snyder) all with 0 MLB at bats last year and the last two have no MLB experience.
Our no MLB experience guy (Rasmus) had 11 at AAA in an off year for him and one where he missed time with an injury.
Man those Cubs got so much better.
Still want more proof that we are in a good place to win the division? Albert no last name needed!
“We need to sign a big name or else”
No, we need to be smart and let the market work its self out. There are still big name free agents on the market, after they sign. Then the trade market will heat up in Spring Training. We need to some OF depth so Rasmus can play. Dunc has a nice spring, he and Schu are dealt for a pitcher. In less than 10 days we will start to get a better picture of our rotation and bull pen. We can add pitching depth if we need to as there are lots of pitchers looking for work. We are in a strong smart place. Even if no more moves are made we are in a good place.
Still need a big name? You know MLB sells customizable jerseys. No one is stopping you from buying a Manny Jersey with the Birds on the Bat.
“I’m boycotting games until things change”
Do you even like baseball, are you really a fan? So, if we don’t make any moves but the team is fun to watch and runs away with the division can I hold you to your word? I hope so it will mean I can go to more games. Come on everybody, we follow baseball because it is fun, it is a great game, it is the national pastime, the more you learn about the game the more fun it becomes, our team is the best team to be a fan of, Albert, we “Go Crazy Folks, Go Crazy”, the economy is pretty rough right now shouldn’t we enjoy the simple pleasure of kicking back with a Budweiser and watching the Cards play a hard nine? Do you remember that great childhood dream of some day playing in the big leagues? Our team is set up to let a talented bunch of kids fulfill that dream and I know their excitement will carry over into their performances on the field. For me as a fan, I am more than happy to share that excitement with them and cheer them on and hang in there when they hit a slump. That is what St. Louis Cardinals baseball is about, and that’s why I am proud to be a fan.
Here is the link to the Post's site with all of the comments.
http://www.stltoday.com//forums/viewtopic.php?p=6655850#6655850
An open letter to my fellow fans:
Cards Fans,
Spring Training is almost here and I wanted to share some thoughts and pose some questions to you, my fellow fans. I am concerned for our national reputation with what I have read in various forums for much of this offseason. People both inside and outside of the game refer to us as, “the smartest fans in baseball” lately some of us have given reason for that honor to be reconsidered. It is time for some frank and honest talk.
“Management is being cheap”, “Mo can’t do his job and he needs to go”, “The division has gotten better”, “We need to sign a big name or else”, “I’m boycotting games until things change”, etc these are just a few of the many criticisms I have seen recently. Let’s go through them one by one.
“Management is being cheap.”
In this game does money guarantee success? If it did, couldn’t we just have a two team league of the Mets and Yankees play each other all season? Wouldn’t the series always come down to that? In fact we could just scale everything back to a best of seven in October and still keep the name “World Series” and watch NY go crazy. I am sure the owners would love it, they wouldn’t need to pay anyone (except for the NY owners) and the demand for advertising would go through the roof! With so many unused stadiums the series could travel each year to, “better serve the fans and to keep them happy” I can see Selig practicing that line in the mirror as we speak with visions of dollar signs dancing in his head.
Come on, in any business finding a model that is cost effective and keeps you competitive is the key to thriving. It is the same for us and our families. If we could all eat out at the best restaurants every night wouldn’t we? Me, my family started shopping at Aldi for some of our groceries when the economy went south. We found a way to lower our expenses while keeping our meals as tasty as they have always been. That being said, we still buy good meat and the best produce we can from nicer stores. So, save the cash where you can while keeping quality as high as possible and then spring for the occasional premium goods. Should the Cards be different? Keep things in perspective, reality is reality. St. Louis isn’t NY, LA, or Chi and it will never be. Cost of living in STL is lower than those other cities, and there are fewer people in the area. Locally major companies are cutting jobs; look at the Brewery as the prime example. The team is operating in reality but still being committed to winning; STL is someplace between 25-30 in national market size but the teams payroll is consistently in the top third of all MLB teams. I could understand all the complaints of not wanting to win if the owners spent like a team from the 25th to 30th market, but they haven’t and still don’t. They keep things in perspective and get creative with the business model to keep us in the mix year after year.
I see the “cheap” argument as, frankly, plain jealousy of rich people. Fact: all MLB owners are rich, richer than most of us will ever be, richer to astronomical levels; they have tons and tons of cash. There are thirty ownership groups, all with tons of cash, but even in that small elite club some owners have more cash than others it’s just a fact.
I am a college educated guy with a wife and daughter; I have been a stay-at-home dad for the last year and a half so we are a one income family. I no longer live in STL (was born and raised there and DuBourg to answer THE question) I’m now in Chicago. I am throwing that out there to preemptively cut off the expected, “You must be rich, and aren’t you holier than thou” comments. I’m not.
“Mo can’t do his job and he needs to go”
Short answer, yes he can, and no he doesn’t. I hope in 10 years when he is recognized as one of the top GMs in the league that he is still with the Cards, and that idiots like the ones who were plain disrespectful in his recent online chat with the Post don’t get to him.
If you read the post everyday and have for the last several years you may remember the stories back in 2007 where it was reported that as Ast.GM Mo was the one who pushed for and handled the deals of both Luddy and Springer. Do the last two seasons look the way they do with out those moves no they don’t; they look really bad.
Glaus for Rollen, Lohse, Freese for Edmonds, extending Wainwright for a steal all great smart forward thinking moves. I can’t even begin to mention the value of his not making dumb moves that others had pushed for.
Remember when the forums were filled with people being all upset that we didn’t get Juan Pierre then a year later it was Soriano, this year it is Manny. Look at how the first two contracts played out, and watch Manny this coming season then I will be glad to listen to your case if you still want to make it.
Also, for those who want the good old Jocketty days, resigning Mulder, trading for Mulder in the first place, Kennedy at 2nd, Pineiro in the birds on the bat (Mo did resign him when he was the interim GM), Mike Maroth, Kip Wells, etc. We did have a nice ride with Walt for awhile, but would you have kept him with that track record his last few years? I take Mo’s first year for Jocketty’s last hands down and for the record both were working for the same owner.
“The division has gotten better”
No, it has gotten a lot worse. Have a look at this from the Sporting News: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=cardskidscouldtrumpcubsv&prov=tsn&type=lgns
Remember I mentioned that I now live in Chicago? Think of me as a sleeper agent. DeRosa was one of the Cubs top two players last year in value (Soto was the other). They traded him, and as we well know while a lot of fun to watch and a seemingly great guy Miles isn’t DeRosa. He fades with over exposure, and while he is a great bench guy he shouldn’t be a starting player on a daily basis. That was a big hit. Wood in Cleveland another hit. Marmol as the only good option in the bullpen, another hit. D-Lee getting worse year by year, that’s a hit. The $136 Million man in left and his annual injury, a costly hit. Big Z’s injuries last year and his being a head case in general, a hit. Harden needing all of the last three years combined to pitch his last 200 innings (Carp pitched 232 innings in that same timeframe if you need a barometer) in reality Harden’s presence is not as scary as it looks on paper so it’s a hit. Paying Milton Bradley way to much to get hurt again a hit and a really dumb one at that. Dempster remembering that he is Dempster, another. Selling off their farm system, yet another.
The Cubs are a tattered and beat up expensive punching bag pure and simple. Larry Rothchild as a pitching coach kills pitchers. We are stacked with Cy Youngs compared with the big name rag tag bunch in the Windy City and if we have a problem we have depth, a lot of depth, probably more depth than we realize before we see the younger kids play.
Even my Cubs fan friends see the weakness of their 2009 team, and it takes a lot to make a Cub fan think the team sucks BEFORE the season starts; usually at this time of the year they only think that this is the season and we know how that turns out.
Need more proof? Let’s just isolate HRs as that is typically seen as a sexy stat. Here are just the OF HR numbers from last year looking at players currently on each team’s active roster.
Luddy 37 Ank 25 Schu 8 Barton 2 Mather 8 Dunc 6 Strat 1MLB total: 87
And now the Cubs
Bradley 22 Fukudome 10 Gathright 0 Johnson 6 Soriano 29 Fox 0 Fuld 0 Robnett 0 Snyder 0 MLB total: 67
Then think about the Cubs having 4 guys on their active roster( Fox, Fuld, Robnett, and Snyder) all with 0 MLB at bats last year and the last two have no MLB experience.
Our no MLB experience guy (Rasmus) had 11 at AAA in an off year for him and one where he missed time with an injury.
Man those Cubs got so much better.
Still want more proof that we are in a good place to win the division? Albert no last name needed!
“We need to sign a big name or else”
No, we need to be smart and let the market work its self out. There are still big name free agents on the market, after they sign. Then the trade market will heat up in Spring Training. We need to some OF depth so Rasmus can play. Dunc has a nice spring, he and Schu are dealt for a pitcher. In less than 10 days we will start to get a better picture of our rotation and bull pen. We can add pitching depth if we need to as there are lots of pitchers looking for work. We are in a strong smart place. Even if no more moves are made we are in a good place.
Still need a big name? You know MLB sells customizable jerseys. No one is stopping you from buying a Manny Jersey with the Birds on the Bat.
“I’m boycotting games until things change”
Do you even like baseball, are you really a fan? So, if we don’t make any moves but the team is fun to watch and runs away with the division can I hold you to your word? I hope so it will mean I can go to more games. Come on everybody, we follow baseball because it is fun, it is a great game, it is the national pastime, the more you learn about the game the more fun it becomes, our team is the best team to be a fan of, Albert, we “Go Crazy Folks, Go Crazy”, the economy is pretty rough right now shouldn’t we enjoy the simple pleasure of kicking back with a Budweiser and watching the Cards play a hard nine? Do you remember that great childhood dream of some day playing in the big leagues? Our team is set up to let a talented bunch of kids fulfill that dream and I know their excitement will carry over into their performances on the field. For me as a fan, I am more than happy to share that excitement with them and cheer them on and hang in there when they hit a slump. That is what St. Louis Cardinals baseball is about, and that’s why I am proud to be a fan.
Here is the link to the Post's site with all of the comments.
http://www.stltoday.com//forums/viewtopic.php?p=6655850#6655850
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