June 2006
Not really saying anything new here
We’re just a couple of games from being half way through the season. Who would’ve thought the Reds would be just a game back? Things have changed from a year ago. We’re no longer the winningest team in the NL, that would be the Mets. And we’re not way ahead in the division, the Reds (the Reds?) are just a game back. Here’s a quick look at some team stats and where we rank-
- The Cardinals are scoring 4.96 runs per game, 4th best behind the Dodgers, Mets and Reds. How are they doing it?
- Part of it is the Cards have the second best team batting average of .278 (second to LA).
- They also have the 2nd best OBP of .345, 9 points behind the Dodgers.
- The bad news is they are tied for the 2nd worst team ISO in the NL. (.145) Only the feckless Cubbies are worse, and the team we’re tied with (the Padres) play in a hitter’s ****. Only three Cardinals are in double-digit numbers in their HR totals. Pujols w/26, Rolen and Encarnacion each have 10. Jocketty is probably pretty wise to seek a power hitting left fielder before the deadline.
The Pitching
- Did you ever think the Rockies’ pitching would allow less runs per game then the Cardinals? Well they do. Opponents have scored 4.71 runs per game, league average is 4.87.
- Jason Marquis and Mark Mulder are an evil duo when it comes to serving up the longball. They are 1st and 2nd highest HR/9 in the NL and the team is tied for 4th in the highest HR/9 totals, tied with the Phils with 1.2.
- The team is 15th in K’s per 9 with 5.9. Welcome the Anthony Reyes days, and now the free Wainwright movement has begun.
- 2nd last w/FIP, (4.81) only behind the Cubs. This says the defense is good, and the pitching, well the pitching just isn’t dominating anyone right now.
This team needs to address some issues to be considered a real contender.
Mark Hamilton and the rest of the night around the farm
Mark Hamilton homered twice tonight for the State College Spikes, his 5th of the year in only 34 at bats. Hamilton was the 76th pick in the draft, and Bryan Smith at Baseball Analysts had this to say about the young slugger.
"Unfortunately for Hamilton, being drafted here means he enters an organization for which he has no future. Fortunately, he immediately becomes the system’s best power hitter, and profiles to move quickly. Hamilton would have led the nation in home runs if not for Hurricane Katrina, which kept Hamilton playing in a pitcher-friendly "home" ballpark. Earlier in the year we read about Hamilton’s big power showing on Friday nights, indicating he should transfer to the next level better than power collegiate competitors Aaron Bates and Matt LaPorta. Finally, Hamilton was solid in the Cape last summer, so wood bats won’t be a problem, either. Expect Hamilton to get more respect in the trade market in 2008, when he is ready for the show."
Smith says he has no future with the Cards, as he’s going to be blocked by another 1st baseman, um, what’s his name? But in 05 Hamilton did play 32 games in left field as a sophmore, so he’s not certain trade bait. If he keeps slugging I’m sure the Cards will find a position for him. Also for the Spikes, first rounder Adam Ottavino pitched 4.1 solid innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 4.
Elsewhere in the farm system: Colby Rasmus hit his 11th HR of the season, but the Swing lost in extra innings 3-2. Ex-Nebraska Husker and power hitting 1st baseman Brandon Buckman hit a double and a homerun in a losing cause for Johnson City. Buckman was selected in the 19th round. (He also took AZ 1st rounder Max Scherzer deep earlier this year.) Nick Webber was roughed up pitching for Palm Beach, giving up 6 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings. Amaury "the Body" Marti went 3 for 4, including a double and a HR, his 3rd of the season, but the Cards still lost at the fins of the Manatees. (Barbara Manatee, Manatee…you are the one for me, one for me!…some of you with small children know what that’s about!)
Springfield was off tonight and Memphis, well, honestly who really cares about how Memphis fared? The highlight of the game from my standpoint is that Josh Kinney went had a perfect inning and a third, fanning 3 and Junior Spivey had a pinch hit RBI single. Memphis 5, Nashville 1.
What the? A win?
Is Seat Cushion night a lucky promotion or what? In ’87 it was Tommy Herr, in ’06 it was the Indians’ shoddy defense. Here’s the summary of the bottom of the 9th from Gamecenter, just in case you still are in shock and disbelief.
| Eckstein safe at first on shortstop Peralta´s throwing error, Miles scored. | |
| Spiezio grounded out to first, Miles to third. | |
| Scott Spiezio hit for Jason Isringhausen. | |
| Miles doubled to center, Taguchi scored. | |
| Molina sacrificed to pitcher, Taguchi to third. | |
| Taguchi safe at first on catcher Shoppach´s fielding error, Taguchi to second. | |
| Bob Wickman relieved Fausto Carmona. |
Nice hustle by Taguchi. Nice hitting by Miles. W 1. Thank God.
Edit: In case you wanted to see it, here’s the WP graph from Fangraphs.com 
L7 Weenies
Okay,this really is not funny anymore! You can’t leave that many runners on base, but even more so you just can’t pitch like that. Jason Marquis has given up 19 homeruns, and we’re not even half way through the season. Click here to see the lowlights of the league taking Marquis to the woodshed. (Hollandsworth’s HR last night was only the 2nd longest)
The last time the Cardinals lost this many games in a row, I had a kool-aid mustache and was shooting people with my wiffle bat rifle.
Part time Jimmy
Tony La Russa has taken to pretty much completely platooning Jim Edmonds now, limiting the number of at bats he’s getting. Sure, he’s not the player he was and his decline appears to be more rapid then expected. His struggles are due largely in part due to his injuries he’s suffering this year. But is Jimmy Ballgame really nothing better then a platoon player anymore?
Well, in his 56 at bats verses lefties this season, he does. .196/.221/.321. Yikes.But it’s just 56 at bats. That’s just a pretty small sample size. Just looking at the previous three seasons (which were pretty stellar) Edmonds doesn’t look like a platoon player at all.
If you can’t read the font on the graph, red is right, green is left, blue is both. Looking at his last three seasons before this one, Edmonds batting average was better verses lefties in 05 and 04 by a good margin.
His slugging verses lefties last season was better, and in previous years they compared quite well with his stats verses righties.
Outside of 2003 and 2006, he doesn’t strike out much more verses lefties then verses righties either. I just don’t like the idea of strictly platooning Edmonds. I know they are trying to get Luna some at bats and let Taguchi play center. I’d sooner see Taguchi in left and Edmonds get some more at bats verses lefties. I know he’s been struggling, but let’s give him more then 50 ab’s to decide whether or not he can hit lefties still or not.
(Graphs from www.fangraphs.com )
Latebloomer
Terry Evans homered again for Springfield, his 7th for Springfield in 50 at bats, and his 22nd homer between Palm Beach and Springfield this season. (Eat your heart out, John Rodriguez.) Evans (25) was drafted in the 47th round in 2001. In his past 4 minor league seasons, he’s only hit 40 HR and has hit .239/.303/.394. I don’t know what’s changed with Evans’ approach, but it’s working. A few other added bonuses: He stolen 25 bases out of 27 attempts, and he plays corner outfield. He strikes out a bit too much (65 times in 288 at bats) and he could stand to walk a bit more (21 BB’s, 1 walk since coming to AA) but with the punchless trio of Timo, Tagu, and Roderwiffle, Evans should be starting to intrigue the F.O.
just a couple of thoughts…
Sidney Ponson pitched a great game yesterday,apparently the kick in the pants worked. His location and velocity was working very well, and he induced a lot of groundballs. And he finally worked deep into the game. But what does this do when Mulder returns from the DL? That could be a while, but you still wonder Someone, you would hope, would have to go to make room for Reyes. Reyes pitches Tuesday, still with a lot to prove.
With both Ponson and Reyes fighting to stay in the rotation, it could make for some better pitching.
Lastly, Brad Thompson has got to go. Since the end of April he has an ERA of 6.26, and it seems any runners he inherits come around to score. I know his sinker hasn’t been working, maybe he needs to figure it out with a couple of starts for Memphis. EDIT: Courtesy of the terrific site, fangraphs.com Brad Thompson’s Win Probability Added is -17.5%. So, yes he is certainly a liability right now. Hancock hasn’t fared much better with a -16.9%. Just another hole in this swiss-cheezy Cardinal club.
These pretzels are making me thirsty
So…I was an extra in a movie yesterday afternoon. No, no speaking parts like "these pretzels are making me thirsty". I was just a face in a crowd, doing fake cheering for the Norway High School baseball team. The movie is called The Final Season, directed by David Evans, who also directed the baseball movie favorite, The Sandlot. I didn’t really stay around to get autographs from the actors, but I’ll be sure to publish a photo album of it soon. The movie is starring Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings), who plays the new coach of the Norway baseball team, a school of only around 100 from a tiny town here in Iowa, that won 20 State Championships here in Iowa. (Click here for more info on the story.)
Anyway, it was kinda cool to watch them film the movie. I stood in a crowd, did some clapping and cheering, some of it mimed clapping, some real. I got to hold up a sign. It was pretty neat to see some of the actors up close. Tom Arnold was there, Larry Miller was there, (the hairdresser guy from the Princess Diaries. Yes, I’ll admit I’ve seen the Princess Diaries.) and a host of others who’s names I can’t completely remember right now. (The kid from Sky High…what’s his name…) Yeah, it struck me as C and D lister type cast, too, but it still was pretty interesting. It was fun to watch the actors deliver some of their lines, as well as the director impatiently look at his watch and even throw off his headset as the daylight hours were being burned.
Anyway, the movie is coming to theatres in 2007, and from what I understand the story of how baseball is dying in small town America is something I can get behind. Hey, plus I got a free lunch and hold up a sign out of the deal. Yippee!
Edit:I forgot to mention also making an appearance there was ex-Oriole great Mike Boddicker, who hales from Cedar Rapids, IA.
The Frustration Continues
Say, who’s idea was it to start interleague play, anyway? What a disaster this road trip has been so far. While the foul ball hit off of Granderson’s foot was a terrible call, Izzy still made the mistake of leaving the ball up in the zone for Thames. You could almost just feel it coming.
This just ain’t the Cardinals we’ve grown accustomed to. It just seems like there’s no chemistry, and certainly not the confidence we’re used to seeing. You see flashes of it from time to time, but something isn’t quite right. Even when they are winning you can still sense it. That’s just my gut feeling, as far as chemistry or confidence go. It’s just a feeling like it could all break down quickly, and right now it is breaking down.
- The pitching staff which has consisted of so-so talent that has over-achieved now looks so vulnerable and weak. Only the Cubs have a worse team FIP.
- Veteran players that brought have brought steadiness to this team are gone or are struggling. Jim Edmonds has yet to fully regain form. Izzy isn’t dominant anymore.
- The mishandling of Reyes by leaving him in AAA for too long and only putting him in the rotation when need absolutely forced it.
- Mishandling Mulder, not seeing the problems he was facing and relating them to his health.
- The large, black hole that is left field is still left unfilled.
- The lack of power. Only the Cubs and the Padres have a lower team ISO in the NL.
What hurts is that there is no apparent help on the horizon on the trade market or in the farm. Well, with the exception of Reyes who should stay in the rotation for the rest of the season, that of course is great news. But I just don’t see any quick fixes as far as bringing in that slugging left fielder, or bringing a dominant arm into the rotation. I don’t think Reyes and Carpenter is enough when your 4 other starters are as incompetent as they have been.
I’m not trying to be all doom and gloom. Maybe this is just a June swoon. But honestly, do you really believe that this is the team to go all the way? It’s not. It’s a team that in my opinion looks good enough get more W’s then L’s, but not a champion. Glaring holes need to be addressed before the trade deadline. Because even if somehow we get past the Mets or whoever and get into the World Series, we just got the crud kicked out of us by two very good AL contenders.
Tommy Pham
Not sure if anyone noticed or cares, but 16th round draft pick Tommy Pham did sign with the Cardinals and is playing in the Appy League. He’s 6 for 13 so far for Johnson City, including a double, a triple, a walk and a stolen base. (And two errors.)
He’s a shortstop from Durango High School in Nevada, where he was the 4A Division Player of the Year, hitting .633 with 8 HR. He was considered by a Baseball America affiliate to be the top High School player in Las Vegas (big fish, relatively small pond, I know. But hey, Brad Thompson is out of LV.) BA also named him to their second team 2006 All American. He ran the 60 in 6.84 seconds and can throw 91mph. It looks like the Cardinals will have him play at short for now, but he has the arm to pitch.
Pham had already signed with perennial college powerhouse Cal State Fullerton, but the Cards were able to pry him. Of course it’s very early, but he may be one to keep an eye on. Yeah, the draft was very college, but here’s a pretty strong high school talent in Pham.
The Right Reverend
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