Baseball College

Please Tony, contain yourself, spring training hasn’t even started.

If you were Tony LaRussa, how would you set your opening day lineup if you had to choose right now? We all know that LaRussa will throw out about 154 different lineups throughout the course of the year, but who would you start in
game 1 of the 2006 season? Note: We’re at Philadelphia, which means that we’ll probably see Jon Lieber (R) on opening day. Here’s what I think:

Eckstein SS
Spivey 2B
Pujols 1B
Rolen 3B
Edmonds CF
Encarnacion RF
Bigbie LF
Molina C
Carpenter P

I really think that Spivey is going to show the organization that he’s the right man for the job at 2b. If Luna hangs around with the Cardinals, his time will come, but I think Spivey will show he’s the better player, at least for the time being.

I think it’s very possible that J-Rod will win the starting LF position as well. I know the organization is high on Bigbie, but I think J-Rod will give Bigbie a real dogfight in spring training.

I had trouble with the two hole. I don’t know if I like Spivey there or not, but I didn’t really want to put Edmonds there. He doesn’t seem to feel as comfortable in the 2 spot as he does a little bit further down in the order.

Anyway, let me know what you would do, and we’ll compare lineup cards.

I think it will be fun to do this again at the end of spring training, and see if our lineup differs at all from the one we create now.

-Joe

Viva El Birdos has an interesting article about the Cardinals improvement (or lack thereof) and the possibilities of the team we have right now being of a championship caliber.

Here’s the full text of that article.

VEB had this to say about the Cardinals of 2006: “I still think this looks like a playoff team. the cardinals have a strong lineup core and a very good rotation, and they play with intelligence and intensity. i thnk they’re prob’y a 90- to 95-win outfit even if they don’t make any other changes. what i do not see, however (bah humbug), is a championship team.” I agree with this article to an extent, but I don’t think we can be so quick to write off this 2006 squad. I believe that 90-95 wins is reasonable for this team, and I believe that will get us into the playoffs.

Unfortunately, in 2004 and 2005, the Cardinals won 100+ games and really have nothing to show for it in the playoffs. What do we have to do to win a World Series? I personally feel that we need to get rid of the players that aren’t playoff performers, for starters. I’m taking a look at the 2005 NLCS only, because let’s face it, the San Diego Padres weren’t an outstanding team. Take a look at the pitching and hitting statistics of the players that have left the Cardinals in the offseason in the 2005 NLCS:

Matt Morris - 1G, 0-1, 5.06 ERA
Julian Tavarez - 3G, 0-0, 5.40 ERA
Mark Grudzielanek - .227/0/2
Abraham Nunez - .385/0/0
Reggie Sanders - .167/1/2
Larry Walker - .158/0/1

As you can see, Nunez is the only player that really hit well in the NLCS, and we have Rolen replacing him in ‘06. Obviously, we don’t have much of a clue how the new additions to the Cardinals will perform in the playoffs (if we reach them), but I would hope that they couldn’t do a whole lot worse. Here’s what a few of our current players did in the NLCS in ‘05:

Albert Pujols - .304/2/6
Yadier Molina - .318/0/0
Chris Carpenter - 2G, 1-0, 3.00 ERA
Mark Mulder - 2G, 0-2, 3.09 ERA - no run support!
Jeff Suppan - 1G, 0-0, 1.80 ERA

Eckstein gives you a great at bat every time, and Edmonds had a .375 OBP in the LCS last year. These additions make four position players (Pujols, Molina, Eck, Edmonds) that are going to be a tough out in the playoffs. Before we count this team out, let’s see what Encarnacion, Spivey, Rolen, and the platoon in left (Bigbie, Taguchi) can do for this team in crunch time. If VEB is correct in saying that the Cardinals will win 90-95 games and can make the playoffs, I have confidence that this new group will compete just as well, if not better, with the top teams in both leagues.

Merry Christmas all!

-Joe

Is Diddy right? Is it all about the benjamins, baby?

It seems that in today’s game, winning has taken a back seat to money. Has it always been like this? I remember a line from the Field of Dreams in which Shoeless Joe Jackson said, “shoot I’d a played for nothin’.” I guess it hasn’t always been like this, but the title of game is slowly being replaced by business. Why can’t it be like that in today’s game? I feel like I’m almost stating the obvious in this article, but I just can’t help it. It still boggles my mind that the thrill of winning a World Series isn’t as important to some players as that extra million dollars they can make in a given year.

I want to talk about a couple of examples that drive me up the wall.

First, AJ Burnett. In Burnett’s case, he declined a 4 yr / 40 mil contract to play with the Cardinals so he could take a 5 yr / 55 mil contract to play for the Blue Jays, a team that even with the addition of BJ Ryan, is still probably going to wind up in 3rd place this year. This means that he will be earning an extra $1 mil a year, effectively increasing his yearly income 10%. My question is this: why is that extra million dollars so important? Is that 8th bathroom in your house really that important to you? You can already piss in a different bathroom each day of the week, what does it matter if you have another one? Why can’t you give up a million dollars to play for a real contender?

Second, Mark Grudahkakljnek - I know St Louis lowballed Grudzy, and I really wish we hadn’t, but Kansas City? Talk about a change in mentality; when you come to the park in St Louis, you expect to win, when you go to the park in KC, well, the odds are against winning. Yeah yeah, he doubled his salary by picking KC’s offer over STL’s, but I really feel like he’s going to be miserable there. Why would you waste a year of your baseball career on a team that’s going nowhere but the cellar?

These are just a couple examples, and there are plenty more out there. I remember when I was younger I dreamed of playing in a World Series, and I would imagine that as kids, many MLB players dreamed of the same thing. Why has that dream turned to mansions and ferraris? Sure, money can buy a lot of great things, but it can’t buy you a World Series ring, the ultimate prize for a true baseball player.

Since I’ve just recently started this blog, I’ve had no chance to reminisce on the years of joy that Busch Stadium has brought to my life. I thought I’d give my top 5 Busch Stadium memories, games that I’ve been to and have stuck in my mind throughout the years. I’d love to hear some of your Busch Stadium memories as well (if any of you out there are still reading this.)

5. Game 1 - 2000 NLCS - The Cardinals got smoked by the Mets and Mike Hampton in game 1 of the 2000 NLCS, 6-1, but it was the first ever postseason game I’d attended. The atmosphere in (and outside) of Busch Stadium was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, and I still get chills thinking about the sea of red shouting at the top of their lungs as the first pitch was thrown. There was a pep rally before the game to give the fans more of a chance to get revved up (or intoxicated) for game 1.

4. McGwire’s first home run - Ok, it wasn’t his first home run ever, but it was his first home run as a Cardinal. He doinked it off the foul pole against the Phillies if I remember correctly, and it was the first of many historic home runs as a Cardinal. Whether the dude was on steroids or not, he was still a joy to watch when we were oblivious as to his pill-poppin ways.

3. Game 2 - 2005 NLDS - This was a game against the barely .500 Padres, but it was also the first postseason win I’d ever witnessed, and it was also at a time when there would only be 3 more games played in the now deceased Busch Stadium. I went with my dad, which makes it that much more special, and we were able to upgrade our SRO tickets to a seat when Jake and his dad phoned us and let us know there were vacant seats in front of them. We watched Mulder pitch a great game and real domination without the long ball from the Cardinal offense. At that point, I felt like we were unbeatable, and was absolutely on top of the world after this victory.

2. Game 4 - 2004 W0rld Series - Calling the Cardinals ticket office for a solid 3 hours straight paid huge dividends when we were able to get SRO tickets to Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. As I’m sure almost all of you Cardinal fans know, this game wasn’t exactly exciting, and the Cardinals were all but dominated as they had been all series. Going to a game where an 86 year “curse” was broken makes it more than worthy of being on my list, regardless of who broke the curse.

1. Edgar’s walk-off - This game was priceless for so many reasons, probably the most significant was the fact that it was against the Cubs. This was a Sunday night game in the middle of the 2002 season… July 28th to be exact (thanks Jake). It was also a day in which my favorite baseball player of all-time, Ozzie Smith, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Cubs were absolutely destroying the Cardinals through 8 1/2 innings, leading 9-4 going into the bottom of the 9th. I was at the park with 3 of my friends, 2 of which were Cub fans. Needless to say, they were giving me a hard time because of the lopsidedness of the game. The Cardinals were able to string a few hits together in the bottom of the ninth and plate 3, putting the score at 9-7. Runners were on 1st and 2nd for Edgar Renteria. The Cubs brought in their ugly closer, Antonio Alfonsixa, and on the second pitch, Renteria deposited a ball into homer’s landing, sending the remaining fans at the park into an absolute frenzy. My Cub fan friends still haven’t heard the end of it from me, and I’ll never let them forget it.

I will miss you Busch, you’re all I’ve ever known.

Since Jake has been hogging all the air time, I haven’t even been able to write an article for this blog. Here’s the first of hopefully many filler articles when the Cardinals news is slow (besides the signing of loogy Ricardo Rincon and of course, a dying lady’s wish granted by Walt Jocketty himself).

Today’s topic is speed. Some of you may be thinking, the drug (although I would hope that’s not the first thing to enter your mind)? No, I’m talking about baseball’s lost art, an art that in its true form can be absolutely mesmerizing. Sure, there are a handful of players left in the majors who can steal 50+ bases in a year, but how many of these players actually get a look unless they hit .375 in single A ball, or can hit 20+ home runs in addition to being lightning quick? Today’s game is all about how far you can hit the ball, and while I think that’s not a bad thing, I think managers are forgetting how deadly (and inexpensive) speed can be.

I’m so envious of all you Cardinal fans that were able to witness Whiteyball in the ’80s. I was just a little boy back then, but I’ll never forget names like Vince Coleman, Willie McGee, and of course, the wizard. Now I realize that the turf was a big help in the success of these speedsters, but a solid contact hitter than can get on base some way in today’s game 34-38% of the time can really change the complexion of a game. I also realize that a good pitching staff is needed in order to stay competitive, because some days runs may be hard to come by, but with the money you save on position players, you should be able to invest that much more into pitching. I think it’s become fairly evident that good pitching can take a team to the top.

An example of what I’m talking about: The closest thing to Whiteyball that I can remember in recent memory is the combination of Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo. In the 2003 playoffs, they had quite an impact; the two produced OBP’s of .411 and .323, respectively. I know, I know, .323 is a pretty weak OBP, but with Pierre’s outstanding OBP, Castillo’s main objective was to move Pierre over in whatever way he could. He did this in two ways: sacrifice bunts, 2 of them, and working deep into counts, allowing Pierre a chance to swipe a bag. Castillo was patient enough to draw 8 walks in the postseason, not bad for a guy that was hitting ahead of Ivan Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, and Derrek Lee. One would expect that Castillo would get quite a few good pitches to hit.

I think it’s also the intangibles here that make speed so valuable. Pretend you’re Kerry Wood for a minute (We’ll assume at this point, you’re actually healthy). Juan Pierre just slapped a single to left, and now you’re facing Luis Castillo. You now have to keep Pierre close while worrying about a sacrifice bunt, a bunt which Castillo could very well beat out if you don’t get your ass of the hill. Don’t forget, you also have to worry about making good pitches at this point. Now, let’s put Pudge Rodriguez on first base. Chances are slim that the Marlins will send Miguel Cabrera to the plate with the intention of bunting, so that doesn’t even enter your mind. Keeping Pudge close isn’t really necessary, since he likes to drag a piano around the bases with him. At this point, all you’re focused on is making good pitches. Quite a relief after those first two hitters, right?

I get nervous every time a Juan Pierre or a Wily Taveras comes to the plate, because they can beat out an infield hit, turn a double into a triple really easily, bunt for a single, or work a walk. (Yes Jake, even with Molina behind the plate, I get nervous when speedsters get on base.)
I’m not saying that speed is the be all end all in major league baseball, and it must be incorporated for teams to be truly competitive. All I’m saying is, I hope managers don’t completely forget about speed in the future, because speed is one aspect of this great game that never slumps.

-JoE

Off-season moves got you down Cards fans? Jocketty and ownership starting to frustrate the crap out of you? Well fear not, because here are nine guaranteed reasons to smile next year (plus a personal memory or two for each one).

1. Albert Pujols. We still have the BEST player in baseball. Barry Bonds, A-Rod, Vladimir Guerrero, you can keep em. Give me Albert to start any franchise. The thing that always brings a smile to my face about Albert is how giddy he was after David Eckstein hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th to win a game against the Braves this past season. He was like a little kid, and I’m sorry, that’s how the game is SUPPOSED to be. You think Barry Bonds would have reacted like that? No way…Pujols plays the game because he LOVES it, not beacuse he’s getting paid 100 million dollars (that may be a secondary reason). The other memory I have about Albert is the 3 HR game in Chicago in 2004. Matty Mo put us in a 7-0 hole (I think it was 7-0, maybe 7-1) and then it was 8-2..and the Birds come back and win the game because Albert said, “Ok guys, get on my shoulders and ride me to victory, cause I’m not going to let us lose this game.” One of the best performances I’ve ever seen by any player. Enjoy watching Albert Pujols for the next 10 years Cards fans, because you won’t see another player like him in a Cards uniform for the rest of your lifetime.

2. Scott Rolen. Remember him? Our all-star 3B who was hurt all of last year is BACK next year, and even if he’s a fraction of himself, he’s STILL the best defensive third baseman in the game and STILL a guy who will come to the ballpark and bust his butt all 9 innings. The thing that brings a smile to my face about Scotty is Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS. I remember that the radio was about 4-5 seconds ahead of FOX’s telecast, and I couldn’t get myself away from the radio, so I knew before the rest of my family did that Scott had gone yard, and I just screamed at the top of my lungs and jumped up and down, and they all got upset at me because they weren’t listening, so I gave it away that he had done something good (that was a long sentence). The best part about that HR? No showboating, the way it oughta be. He did what he had done all year, put his head down and ran his butt off to get around those bases, when it was BY FAR the biggest HR he had ever hit (or probably ever will hit) as a pro. Scott Rolen is the consummate pro, and he’s a St. Louis Cardinal. Be proud to have him on your team Cards fans.

3. Jim Edmonds. Our “Mr. Show.” The best CF in the game (Cards fans that are depressed about this off-season, have you noticed the first three reasons to smile about have been the best player in the game, probably the best 3B in the game, and the best CF in the game? We still got a pretty good core.) His offensive production might be down a little, but no one questions his desire nor his defensive prowess. The thing that makes me smile about Jed is a game I was at in Cinncinati in 2003. He made two AMAZING catches in the OF that were just ridiculous, in the same game. One was to rob Ryan Freel of a HR and the other was to rob Adam Dunn of a HR, and he did them in the same game…the best performance I’ve ever seen (in person) by a defensive player. The other memory I have of Jim is the catch he made (also in Cinncinati) to rob another Red of a HR last year, and he was SO shocked that he caught it himself, that he held up his glove and just had this awesome expression on his face like “HOLY SH!T I just CAUGHT THAT!?” I didn’t even MENTION the game 6 HR in 2004 NLCS or the game 7 catch in 2004 NLCS, and those were the two obvious ones. Jim has givin us SO many great memories..be thankful he’s a Redbird (and stop trying to trade him Cards fans!)

4. David Eckstein. The guy a lot of Cards fans loved to hate last year (how many teams will it be in 3 years now for Mr. Renteria? And how much money does he make compared to our little Eck?) The little guy with the rag arm and the inconsistent bat gave us a LOT of memories in his first season with the Birds, but none more dramatic then the already mentioned grand slam to beat the Braves in the 9th. To see the look on those guys faces when Eck was coming in to touch home plate…priceless. We all remember that HR he hit in Game 3 of the NLDS right? In one of the worst hitters parks in the league no less…(O yeah, he also had fewer errors then that Renteria guy). The thing that makes me smile about Eck is going to a game and watching him warm-up, slowly backing up and doing everything he can to get that arm strength bigger and bigger. That, and the way he jumps up and down and swings those arms around right before a game is about to start. Find me a player in the majors who wouldn’t want Eck on their side, and I’ll find you a player that needs to have their head examined.

5. Yadier Molina. That smile alone should bring a smile to your face. Is this kid going to be fun to watch develop or WHAT!? I have a lot of memories about Yadi, but I’ll only share three (btw, I’m asking for a Molina jersey for Christmas this year…not a Pujols, not an Edmonds, not a Carpenter..but a Molina….he’s my favorite Cardinal folks). The vicious hit he took from Ty Wigginton in the 2004 season. Oh my god that was like a train wreck (visions of Ray Lankford and Darren Daulton came tumbling into my head). But the young kid held onto the ball, and he walked away unscathed. Second memory of him is standing up to Manny Ramierez in the 2004 World Series. No one knows what was said, but Yadi got right in his face and let him know whatever he was doing wasn’t appreciated. This was a rookie going up against MANNY! That takes balls, and guts, and I loved it. The other memory I’ll share is from a game I was at this past season. The first game against the Red Sox, where Matty Mo pitched a CG and the Birds won. It was so special to see Yadi come out and give Matt a big hug, because Matt needed that CG, and the Birds needed a little payback. The best part about Yadi? It’s yet to come.

6. Chris Carpenter. I didn’t forget about our resident Cy Young award winner. I just decided I’d do position players first and pitchers after. How about this guy signing the deal he did to stay a Cardinal thru 2008? Cards showed him loyalty by sticking with him thru his injuries, and Carp shows it right back by signing a VERY discounted deal to stay with them for a few more years..(a guy whose 49-50 career gets 11 mil in the market, what would the recent CYAW have gotten? Scary thought). My favorite memory of Carp is the game he pitched against the Blue Jays, where he faced the minimum and was, well, perfect. It was the night after Roy Halladay just blew the Cardinals away with his stuff, and the Cards needed a win. Carp came out and just flat DOMINATED the game, and it was by far his best performance of the year (and he had a LOT of good ones). And, for the record, I drafted Chris in everyone of my fantasy drafts before this season started, and in every draft room I said he was the sleeper pick for the Cy Young, and they all laughed at me. Laugh now boys! Mark it down, Carp stays healthy, he wins 20 again next year…that’s gotta make you smile

7. Mark Mulder. We’ll have him for one more season…at least (I hope we’re working on that extension). Some of you weren’t (and aren’t) happy with the trade we made to bring Mulder in, but he’s probably one of the top 2-3 #2 starters in baseball, so you really can’t argue that. Look no further then the 10 inning shutout he pitched against Houston early this year. The guy has terrific stuff, and he’s fun to watch. My favorite memory of Mulder is that 10 inning game in which he just made the Astros hitters look silly….that’s the way to be efficient and effective in a baseball game. My other memory of Mulder is opening day in St. Louis. I was at the game, and he didn’t have his best stuff, but he kept battling and the Cards ended up winning the game. Trust me Cards fans, Carp and Mulder make a terrific 1-2 punch, and they will again next year.

8. Jeff “Soup” Suppan. What’s NOT to love about this guy! Jeff Suppan’s word of the day on WB telecasts (always makes me laugh, no matter how much you hate Carpenter and Horton, that’s a funny segment). Jeff’s a warrior folks, and he’s the Cardinals Mr. Consistent. My favorite memory of Soup is when I took my parents up to a game in Milwaukee in 2004. Soup was pitching, and my mom pronounced his name brutally and asked if he was Asian. Now she always says his name the way she said it that first day she heard it. You show me a guy whose making 5 milion bucks whose as effective as Suppan is and I’ll pat you on the back…(a guy whose a veteran, rookies like Felix Hernandez don’t count cheaters). Anyone remember Game 7 of the NLCS in 04? The guy basically outpitched the greatest RHP of all time….warrior folks, he’s a warrior.

9. Jason Isringhausen. The 9th has ALWAYS been his, so, here he is at number 9. He scares the hell out of us, and makes us have the Pepto on hold at all times, but the guy (for the most part) just goes out there and closes the door. If you were to have a ranking of the best closers in the game, Izzy would have to be in the top 5-7 guys (sorry, but look at the numbers, he should be right there). My favorite memory of Izzy is the last out of the 2004 NLCS, when him and Albert embraced and it was finally official that we were NL champs. It’s easy to remember all of the blown saves, but no one talks about all the saves that Izzy has racked up in a Cardinals uniform. All you need to do is remember the 2003 debacle when Izzy got hurt and we had to live with replacements for the better part of 3-4 months..want to do that again? I sures hell don’t. Look at this way, if Izzy’s in the game that usually means we have a lead late, which HAS to put a smile on your face

There you go Cards fans, if those 9 guys who are guaranteed to be Cardinals next yeardon’t make you smile, I don’t know what will. So smile, it could be worse, we could be without any one of these 9 guys, which would, in my mind, make us a much weaker baseball team then what we are today.

–Jake