Descalso needs to go.

Hell Wainwright can hit a little bit, wasn't he available?

artie_fufkin wrote:

If the bench is weak it's not because of Descalso.

I don't think it's because of Descalso, but he definitely does not help.

My point wasn't to say that Descalso was the weakest guy on the bench, but rather, if he is your BEST option, then the bench is pretty darned weak.  

But yeah, Artie's point is a good one, strong starting pitching can not only mask a weak bullpen, but also a weak bench.  Matheny had already used Wiinginton, who came through.

It takes a lot of courgae--and job security--for a GM to give up on a guy he signed, as quickly as we should have upgraded Wigginton.  

When "baseball issues" conflict with "personal issues" for players, the memebers of FO are ideological lions.
When the same conflict arises for themselves, they are wusses who play "CYA".

Descalso is a late inning defensive replacement who can start once a week against a right-handed pitcher. I seem to remember him flousrishing in that role in the 2011 post-season, and he came up with a pretty big hit in Washington last year.
If he's a poor option with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th inning, it's because the other four spots on the bench after taken up by a player who can't play any position but first base, a fourth outfielder who can't hit the ball over the fence from second base, a backup catcher who has about a dozen at bats so far this season and won't play until the starter drops dead, and a useless waste of a roster space on Ty Wigginton.
To say nothing of the rationale of having six right-handed relievers in the bullpen, two of whom never get the ball after the seventh inning unless the Cardinals are ahead or behind by a half-dozen runs.

artie_fufkin wrote:

Descalso is a late inning defensive replacement

For second base, and for maybe SS owing to a predicatble injury.

The Cardinals have had some surprising success by jettisoning all pretence of any interest in the defensive capabilities of their starting players, but one of the down sides of this is that we could justify having a "late inning defensive replacement" for pretty much every position except catcher, a position that needs a back-up anyway. 

If the team is going to put so much pressure on their bench positions, it might help to find guys who are versatile, can play a few positions and get on base, maybe run the bases with a little bit of speed.  Just sayin'
 

Last edited by Max (5/19/2013 6:12 pm)

He's not Bo Hart. Bo Hart was out of the major leagues in less than one calendar year. Descalso has already played in 26 post-season games, so he's been on the field for more than "a couple of key instances." He's leading the league in range factor/ 9 innings among second basemen this year and had a better range factor last year than the guy who won the Gold Glove at second base.

forsberg_us wrote:

I wish I knew what Ryan Jackson did to piss off Matheny. He's basically a right-handed version of Descalso (which would probably come in handy) and happens to have an OPS of .920 at Memphis. The team damn near released Kozma last year in favor of keeping Jackson, yet in less than 12 months, Jackson has found himself relegated to Siberia. 

It's Wigginton's fault ...

http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/cardinals-analysis/2013/5/18/4343304/pete-kozma-ryan-jackson-cardinals-2013
 

Yada, yada, yada . . . each time I bring up Bo Hart as a metaphor, someone has to take the argument literally.  Bo Hart and Joe McEwing were David vs. Goliath feel good stories.  David Freese was, too, but that doesn't mean his career has to be as short as was Bo Hart's in order to make the comparison.  It's not just that, like the lawn gnome, they play hard and disciplined on the field, but that they came through in a big way at a visible moment.  As if to prove the point, you dredge up his performance in the post season from two years ago, which is exactly what I was referring to in my original rant.  When a career .241/.313/.645 guy comes up big in a key spot, it's called luck.  

He is decent on defense, he's very dependable, and 'Scal would make a serviceable utlity infielder the way Skip Schumaker would've made a servicable utility outfielder.  But the guy can't hit for average, power, nor does he have any speed to speak of.  He's OK.  But his name on the roster should be written in pencil, not etched in granite.  

And, yes, I would agree that his position on the roster looks worse because Wigginton is also there.  Wigginton is supposed to be the John Mabry / Scott Spezio of the bench, but so far he appears to be a complete waste.

 

Last edited by Max (5/20/2013 11:42 am)

"each time I bring up Bo Hart as a metaphor, someone has to take the argument literally"

Sorry. I wasn't aware Bo Hart was a concept.