So much for six perfect innings.

artie_fufkin wrote:

Three hits in an inning and no runs. 
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2018 St. Louis Cardinals!

If it aint a hr they are not scoring.

artie_fufkin wrote:

At what fucking point do you drill Suarez in the wallet?

Hey now, he's the 3rd baseman of my 12th place fantasy baseball team

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

At what fucking point do you drill Suarez in the wallet?

Hey now, he's the 3rd baseman of my 12th place fantasy baseball team

I'm in 10th place, but only because there are 10 teams in my league.
 

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

Hey now, he's the 3rd baseman of my 12th place fantasy baseball team

I'm in 10th place, but only because there are 10 teams in my league.
 

There are 14 in our league, so my team is clearly much better than yours.

It's been all downhill since I decided to keep Greg Holland.
 

Gas Can Gregerson puts another game out of reach ...

artie_fufkin wrote:

Gas Can Gregerson puts another game out of reach ...

It really is amazing how bad the bullpen has been.

I had this conversation with someone the other day, but every year there's talk about the front office's commitment to improve the team.  More often than not, that conversation centers around who they might add to the mix.  For me, the front office could evidence its commitment by subtraction. If you can't move players like Cecil, Gregerson and Fowler, then release them.  Continuing to force whoever the manager to play bad players simply because you're paying them is going to (in my opinion) drive away the fans.  

The schedule the rest of the way is brutal.  They have 60 games left and 41 of them are against teams with a record over .500.  That doesn't include 7 games against Washington, who's currently 2 games below .500.  If I had to bet money right now, I'd bet this team finishes the season below .500.

I understand that a complete overhaul is complicated, but this isn't a situation where one or even two players are going to turn this team back into a legitimate contender.  Some of the changes can come from within the system, but if they don't come back in 2019 with 2-3 different players in the batting order, 3-4 new arms in the bullpen and probably a new starting pitcher, why should anyone care?  

And I'll say it right now--the first guy I'd shop would be Matt Carpenter.  He's having a career season.  I heard Jayson Stark this morning call him a potential MVP candidate.  Carpenter is 32 years old.  He's under contract for 2019, plus an option for 2020.  The return for Carpenter will never be higher.  It won't happen--but it should.

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

Gas Can Gregerson puts another game out of reach ...

It really is amazing how bad the bullpen has been.

I had this conversation with someone the other day, but every year there's talk about the front office's commitment to improve the team.  More often than not, that conversation centers around who they might add to the mix.  For me, the front office could evidence its commitment by subtraction. If you can't move players like Cecil, Gregerson and Fowler, then release them.  Continuing to force whoever the manager to play bad players simply because you're paying them is going to (in my opinion) drive away the fans.  

The schedule the rest of the way is brutal.  They have 60 games left and 41 of them are against teams with a record over .500.  That doesn't include 7 games against Washington, who's currently 2 games below .500.  If I had to bet money right now, I'd bet this team finishes the season below .500.

I understand that a complete overhaul is complicated, but this isn't a situation where one or even two players are going to turn this team back into a legitimate contender.  Some of the changes can come from within the system, but if they don't come back in 2019 with 2-3 different players in the batting order, 3-4 new arms in the bullpen and probably a new starting pitcher, why should anyone care?  

And I'll say it right now--the first guy I'd shop would be Matt Carpenter.  He's having a career season.  I heard Jayson Stark this morning call him a potential MVP candidate.  Carpenter is 32 years old.  He's under contract for 2019, plus an option for 2020.  The return for Carpenter will never be higher.  It won't happen--but it should.

For some reason, I thought you and I would be farther apart on this issue.  In fact, I think I'm completely on board with everything you wrote -  especially where Carpenter is concerned.
 

Last edited by Mags (7/25/2018 8:55 pm)

I'm not sure what this means but Dakota Hudson gave up a walk and a single to the first two batters he faced in the second inning and was taken out of the game.  I'm not sure, but I have my fears. The guy who replaced him promptly gave up a three run homer.

Mags wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

If I'm Mo, I'm holding a garage sale this weekend.

Unfortunately, I suspect the most we can expect is that he will settle for trading some his best new suits for some worn out duds with famous designer labels at a neighborhood yard sale.
 

He can start by trading those stupid damn bow ties.

I want almost all these players gone.  I could make 2 list, an unload and a sell high list.  I could put over half the roster in one of those two list. 

I know this club has a phobia against having an uncompetitive year but i think they can reboot and still be interesting.  I think the haul they recieve from some of these players could make a near instant impact on the 25 man roster as well.

APIAD wrote:

I want almost all these players gone. I could make 2 list, an unload and a sell high list. I could put over half the roster in one of those two list.

I know this club has a phobia against having an uncompetitive year but i think they can reboot and still be interesting. I think the haul they recieve from some of these players could make a near instant impact on the 25 man roster as well.

The good news is, as we've seen this week, the strength of the organization is it's young starting pitching. That's a good place to begin. 
Shildt is a decent fellow, and I'm thrilled the Reign of Christian Error in the Cardinals' clubhouse is over, but it seems like this group of players needs a someone a little bit more authoritarian than what they've experienced in the past.