"Last season his splits against lefties were terrible (.169/.225/.477)."

His year-to-year splits against lefties have really been all over the place.
2013 - .264/.347/.801
2012 - .224/.280/.635
2011 - .192/.270/.577
2010 - .249/.356/.755

I agree he's going to play ~150 games if he's healthy. And you're not going to take him out late in games because of his defense. And you've essentially blocked either Grichuk or Piscotty from the major league roster, because it's unlikely you're going to carry six outfielders.

Last edited by artie_fufkin (11/17/2014 6:54 pm)

artie_fufkin wrote:

If you're looking for a backup corner infielder who hits right-handed, I presume you'd look at the available 3B first, because any jackass can play 1B.
Here's what's out there, according to Cot's: 
Wilson Betemit (s)
Alberto Callaspo (s)
Chase Headley (s)
Casey McGehee
Donnie Murphy
Pablo Sandoval (s)

Forget about Sandoval and Headley. McGehee had a revival last year and probably isn't looking to backup Matt Carpenter or anyone else. Betemit didn't play in the majors last year, and Murphy is pretty much a second baseman who got released three times. Callaspo is more of a defensive Swiss army knife who is coming off a season with a .580 OPS.
 

Promising options.

artie_fufkin wrote:

If you're looking for a backup corner infielder who hits right-handed, I presume you'd look at the available 3B first, because any jackass can play 1B.
Here's what's out there, according to Cot's: 
Wilson Betemit (s)
Alberto Callaspo (s)
Chase Headley (s)
Casey McGehee
Donnie Murphy
Pablo Sandoval (s)

Forget about Sandoval and Headley. McGehee had a revival last year and probably isn't looking to backup Matt Carpenter or anyone else. Betemit didn't play in the majors last year, and Murphy is pretty much a second baseman who got released three times. Callaspo is more of a defensive Swiss army knife who is coming off a season with a .580 OPS.
 

 
Kozma and descalso it is. Wasnt piscotty a 3rd baseman?

Heyward allows you to do all sorts of things with the lineup.  Unless he turns into a big rbi guy he doesnt help the middle of the order much.  That will be up to holliday, peralta and adams.  Hopefully having a good one two punch at the top of the lineup allows this team to be okay without hrs.  They simply are not going to get them in bunches.

"I like the thought of batting Heyward leadoff personally and having Carpenter go to the number two spot. Heyward can steal bases, at least 20 a year,  and Carp is a good enough hitter that i think that can turn into some small runs. It also gives you some freedom with Jay for when he's slumping (the regular season?)."

MM won't do it. Moving Carpenter to the leadoff spot made the 2012 team go, and hey, if something worked, why would you ever change it? I bitched pretty constantly last year that if you're not leading off Wong or Bourjos, you're wasting their speed, especially if you're batting them in the 8 spot, where Bourjos batted most of the time he played. What did he end up with, six stolen bases? Why is he even on the friggin' team if he's not going to run? 
With the way Carpenter takes pitches, he's perfect for the 2 hole behind a leadoff guy with speed. It almost makes too much friggin' sense.

artie_fufkin wrote:

"I like the thought of batting Heyward leadoff personally and having Carpenter go to the number two spot. Heyward can steal bases, at least 20 a year,  and Carp is a good enough hitter that i think that can turn into some small runs. It also gives you some freedom with Jay for when he's slumping (the regular season?)."

MM won't do it. Moving Carpenter to the leadoff spot made the 2012 team go, and hey, if something worked, why would you ever change it? I bitched pretty constantly last year that if you're not leading off Wong or Bourjos, you're wasting their speed, especially if you're batting them in the 8 spot, where Bourjos batted most of the time he played. What did he end up with, six stolen bases? Why is he even on the friggin' team if he's not going to run? 
With the way Carpenter takes pitches, he's perfect for the 2 hole behind a leadoff guy with speed. It almost makes too much friggin' sense.

It's actually under consideration.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cards-might-move-carpenter-from-leadoff/article_b1f97822-50d7-5170-ac87-d335c25d481b.html 

"It's actually under consideration."

The only person quoted in that story is Moz. I'd expect Matheny has a different take. He'd probably agree to learn Hebrew before he moves Carpenter out of the leadoff spot.

It does make alot of sense to move carp to the number 2 slot.  With the way he takes at bats and heywards speed on first you pretty much assure your self that anytime heyward reaches base with less then 2 out the 3rd place hitter would be batting with a risp.  But you guys are right.  Who wants that?  Also carp batting with a pitcher nervous about the runner on first is going to get him alot more good pitches to hit then he is used to.

The lineup doesn't have that one guy the other team will fear, but it also doesn't have an easy out.  It's a very solid 1 thru 8.

Here's a crazy idea (one that I would never expect Matheny to do, but let me throw it out there anyway), how about Jon Jay leading off and Matt Carpenter #2.  Jay had a .372 OBP last season, which was higher than Heyward's, and he had as many as 19 SBs in 2012.

Instead of using Heyward as a leadoff guy (since we're all hoping he brings some power to the lineup, let's put him in a spot to drive in some runs.  How about this for a lineup (against RHP):

Jay
Carpenter
Holliday
Heyward
Molina
Adams
Peralta
Wong
Pitcher

Also, this lineup alternates between LH/RH, except for the two at the top, both of whom hit LHP pretty well (at least last season).  

Again, I know there isn't a chance in hell Matheny does it, but this is the lineup I would strongly consider.  Particulary when Jay is on a hot streak.

My money is actually on gonzolas and carlos remaining in the pen.  Gonzolas looked more finished and stable.  Plus he gives them a lefty.  Carlos will play the bounce around guy again. Just my opinion.  It is clearly those two and whoever has the best ST.

My opinion is slightly bias because i dont really believe in martinez.  He is sort of a punk.  Has a big chaw in his mouth, acts cock.  There was that whole thing with trashy women on his twitter.  Not that i dislike slutty women. 

Not to look at it morbidly but maybe the death of taveras will make martinez grow up and focus,

APIAD wrote:

Fyi, vivaelbirdos has the 2015 payroll at 114 million.

Which is a little less than where they were in 2013. If they can dump Choate's salary, they could afford to sign Miller. They'd end up right around $120M