Cardinal fans, oh no we suck again

[PineGroveBully]

Could be that some major changes are coming. Here are a couple really good articles on what's going on and what may be to come from the Post Dispatch. As far as a change at hitting coach, here is a name I haven't heard mentioned but I think he could be fantastic. I haven't liked our hitting approach since McGwire left, he understood hitting as well as anyone I've seen. My suggestion has a similar mind. I love listening to him on the broadcasts bc he is as smart of a baseball mind as I've ever saw. Plus he already resides in St Louis. Jim Edmonds. I think he would be an intriguing option. Sadly it seems Mahoney could be in on the swap up. I'd like to see him move back to first base coach, he's a great mind to have around. I still think we really miss the secret weapon, Jose Oquendo. But he has bought a house in Jupiter to work full time at the Cardinals minor league complex. Seems we've saw the last of him in St Louis. I still think we made a major mistake in not hiring Terry Francona, he really wanted the job. I always respected Matheny as a player, he has great respect of his teammates and now players, but his management of the pitching staff has been atrocious. It's cost us 10-12 wins already. We have lost 14 games in which we've had at least a 2 run lead. Statistically up til a couple days ago we had the best rotation in baseball. We are really missing Luhnow also, just look what he has done with the 'stros. Sorry for the length, there is just so much to be said about this club and most of its not positive. Here are those articles, they are great reads.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_5bf28f63-ac29-584b-9f54-375b310f95bb.html

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_c39ff937-2789-52dd-85eb-ba7257443ab4.html

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...ion_7b588776-7ebb-55c3-9441-7cc414a7b2a3.html

 

[Todd4State]

They need to fire the GM that put this team together. Too many bad contracts and pieces that don't fit. Mo should be getting as much blame as anyone because the coaches can only make so much chicken salad out of chicken crap.

 

[missouridawg]

2 PM press conference called today according to their beat writer. No clue what it's about.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

you get no sympathy from this Braves fan. I still dream of the 90s.

 

[msstate7]

you get no sympathy from this Braves fan. I still dream of the 90s.

Things looking good for us going forward

 

[PineGroveBully]

No offense but unless you were a braves pre 1991 then I couldn't give

2 craps about your sympathy. I have been a cards fan since the early 90s before Jockety made us the class of the NL in 2000. That said I do think the future is bright for the bravos. I really like your new stadium, although the ball seems to really jump out to right field. Outside Busch, PNC, Kauffman, and Dodger Stadium its one of my favs. Not sure your pitchers are gonna like that. I think if they can stay healthy you have excellent young talent, and I think your manager is an excellent baseball mind.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Former bulldog Maloney out as 3B coach

We have lost way to many men on the base paths here lately, but that's a long way from solving our problems. One reason I think he's gambled so much sending runners is because of how enemic we've been with RISP. Peralta also given his walking papers. Not surprising, I've been saying for a month this would happen prior to the ASB. Word is we are also a favorite to land the Marlins Ozuna.

 

[BlueRidgeMtns]

I was born in '86 to a Braves family... so pre 1991, I doubt I was too in depth into the Braves other than knowing they need to win haha.

I do think they have an opportunity to be great down the road, but it has been rough going for a while.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Gotcha, give you a pass since you didn't join the bandwagon either

The Cardinals actually won the World Series on the day I was born in 1982.

 

[Dr. Funke.sixpack]

Excited to see Newcomb Saturday. The first real wave of prospects is close.

 

[Todd4State]

That sucks for Maloney- but I also understand why they did it.

It's pretty obvious that some people throughout the organization are in trouble. Mo should be the first one fired- he hired Matheny who has been average at best. He put this team together with a bunch of guys that don't fit. Mo also has been pretty terrible at pulling the trigger in negotiations and has consistently come in second for potential impact players like Luis Robert recently. And then the moves he has made have resulted in bad contracts and deals for players like Brett Cecil and Kolten Wong. And not to mention he had a scouting director who the FBI probed under his watch in an incredibly embarrassing situation for the entire organization.

If I were the owner of the Cardinals after I fire Mo, I do everything I can to hire Lunhow back. And I hope he doesn't feel betrayed by the FBI issue.

The second thing I do is fire the entire coaching staff and Matheny and bring in someone with legit managerial experience. The first two guys I would look at would be Terry Francona and Ned Yost.

The starting rotation has been pretty good- but the bullpen has killed the Cardinals. What's sad is I thought they should go after Greg Holland before the season and it looks like I was right. And he would have been fairly reasonable sign. Reyes should be back next year and that will help. I would try to add an LHP to the rotation and then move one of the starters to bullpen or trade one of them- probably Wacha since Lynn probably will not be back- and see what I could get back for him. Weaver, Marco Gonzalez, and Jack Flaherty should be ready by next season and should be called up September. They should be able to help somewhere.

I actually like signing Molina even though it's a bad contract- I don't mind it if it's a truly iconic player to the franchise and Yadi qualifies as that. I would have Carson Kelly up with the team next year to mentor under him. They might want to add a third catcher or just keep Fryer to that Kelly can get some AB's in pinch hitting roles from time to time and not have to worry about Yadi going down and not having a catcher behind him.

The Cardinals lack of flexibility is a huge problem. The only guy that I like where he is- Jed Gyorko at third base. I'd be open to trading anyone else on the infield- yes, even Matt Carpenter. I doubt I would be able to get rid of Wong with his contract (Thanks Mo!). They need a SS bad- and Delvin Perez is at least 3-6 years away depending on how he progresses. If Carpenter left, I would be fine with moving Piscotty to first base. I'd also be fine trading Piscotty too- which is probably more realistic than trading Carpenter.

Speaking of the OF, Magneuris Sierra needs to be the CF and Fowler needs to move to LF. I'd just release Grichuk if I couldn't trade him. Tommy Pham is a decent fourth OF. I'm fine trading Piscotty- but I'm also not sold on Harrison Bader either. At least not yet.

Lot of things need to be done right now- but I'd start at the top if I was DeWitt and go from there, see what I could get in trades and be active on the free agent market.

 

[Ace-Leroy]

Very strange year for sure.....

Started out looking horrible at 3-9. Then went on a hot streak of 18-6 only to follow that with one of the worst stretches ( 5-17 ) I can remember in my life from the Cardinals. Yet they are only 4 games out right now.

The starting pitching has been very good with 3 guys in the top ten in NL ERA.

I think the key is if Fowler (.225) and Carpenter (.222) ever start hitting , and I believe they will , this team will stay in the race.

I am all in with Todd's opinion on Mo. He needs to be canned.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Been as streaky of a year as I've ever saw

Our starters are gonna keep us in games, if we can get middle relief figured out. I agree that Fowler and Carp will come around, they have to much of a track record. I'd like to see Sierra back if Pham can't stay consistent. Our D might suffer a little, not that it could get much worse but we could even bring Sierra up to play center, move Fowler to left, move Carp back to 3rd, Gyrko can play 2nd, and Piscotty can play first if Pham continues to hit. Mo was alright at the top when he had stellar guys like Luhnow under him. I don't think the Peralta and Broxton release and the Mahoney move fixed the problems in themselves but it might have kinda showed everyone from Matheny down that the status quo wasn't going to cut it and no one was safe if things didn't improve. But boy I love watching tsunami pitch when he is on. He may be as exciting of a young pitcher when he's on his game as we've had since Ankiel. Matty Mo, Waino, and Wacha were good pitchers early on but they didn't have the electricity that Ank and Martinez had/have.