18-6!

Feels like when the law of averages comes crashing down it's going to lead to some pretty painful baseball, but for the time being, this is the most thrilling, frustrating beginning to a season I can remember. Right now this feels a lot like the 2005 Cardinals -- fragile and aging, but tough and relentless. There's a lot to like: Matt Carpenter becoming an elite player; Kolten Wong emerging; the steadiness of Jon Jay, Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta; Michael Wacha throwing up zeroes when he's making his 34th pro start in parts of three seasons and less than THREE years removed from being drafted; Lance Lynn and Carlos Martinez; John Lackey's saltiness; and the bullpen.

That said, I can rattle off a lot more things I'm concerned about: the fifth starter; Wacha's shoulder; Martinez's workload; the stress Matheny puts on Walden; the warning signs that Yadier Molina is now a shadow of his former self; the power outage from Matt Holliday; the suck that is Jason Heyward; and the peaks and valleys of Matt Adams.

It is mathenys job to make this last.  This team is going to hit some rough points.  Matheny needs to keep his pen fresh and not wear down his core players.  He has the pieces.  A 18-6 team isnt a fluke.  He just has to push himself to see the future and keep this aging team fresh.

forsberg_us wrote:

I wouldn't call their start a fluke, but it also isn't sustainable.  The team ERA is something like 2.20.  They can't possibly keep that up.  And as we saw this weekend, even just 1 run can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of a game.

My concern is where this team might be in June/July.  Martinez and Wacha will be approaching new career highs in innings pitched in a season. If Gonzales gets healthy, he may not be far behind.  This amazing start has made it much easier for Moz to avoid making a trade the organization would regret in 3 years.  But I suspect this team is going to need to add a veteran starter and probably a bullpen arm before the year ends.  Probably a bat also. 

 

It doesnt need to be sustainable.  A 20 game over .500 record will win the division.  They are over half way there.  Picking up a game here and there and not giving up ground should be the goal. 

Idk how the team limits injuries to marco or carlos.  If the team adds a starter how do you sit carlos if he is pitching like this?  Pitching has a way of lkmiting itself so im not to worried but im not sure what kjnd of starter they should add.  Top end or low end

"I'm looking for a veteran to help finish the season. Someone in a contract year who doesn't cost a major prospect and who walks at the end of this season."

Whazzup, Danny Haren?

Well, we're 18-6 but aren't the Cubs only like 3.5 games out? Treading water might not be enough to win this division. 

artie_fufkin wrote:

"I'm looking for a veteran to help finish the season. Someone in a contract year who doesn't cost a major prospect and who walks at the end of this season."

Whazzup, Danny Haren?

That might be enough to get Stan and Mags back to the board.