There is a big difference between Trout level and top 5 prospect. You realize Trout was drafted when he was 17 years old, right?

Trout entered MLB at age 19. You know who else entered the league at 19? Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez... generational talent level players.

Russell had all of like 70 something games of at least AA ball experience and there were some worrying signs to his game at that level before being called up to the majors. Every one was surprised when he was called up because no one thought he was ready. Most people didn't think he would be in the majors until maybe roster expansion time or the following year. Ever since he was called up its been trying to get his bat up to speed for MLB pitching. It hasn't caught up yet. He's been defense first from day 1.
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Oh the irony.:-)
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Viva le Birdos article on Matheny failure:
The answer to failure, in Matheny’s worldview, was always to just believe harder. Matt Adams can’t hit left-handed pitching, you say? Well first off, that’s profoundly insulting to my guy, and yes he can. What evidence do I have? I don’t need evidence, you nerd/reporter/satanist/whatever; I have belief! I believe Matt Adams is good, and should play every day, and so it will be.

Baseball is a game of failure, as they say. Managing that failure is perhaps the most important aspect of the game, of the job. Players have to fail, and fail, and fail again, 60% of the time or more, and still go right back up to the plate with confidence they can get the job done, even when we have an overwhelming body of evidence telling us that no, in all likelihood, you won’t. You’re probably going to fail. Because you usually do.

Managers have to understand that failure, and figure out how to get around it, how to counsel their charges through it, and how to minimise the likelihood it happens again. Managers have to understand that failure is not the same as being a failure, and that understanding how often players fail is not the same as condemning them. Front office people, general managers and the like, have to understand failure is the null state of the game, and look past that, past the limitations, and ask that all-important question of how can this player help us. Limitations are not the same as failure, but rather opportunities to fit the puzzle together in ever-tighter, more productive ways.

When you view the world the way Mike Matheny seemed to, I’m not sure you can succeed in a game like baseball. When you write a manifesto telling parents essentially to shut up, never question your authority or your knowledge, and just trust that you know what’s best at all times, I don’t think you’re cut out for a job like this. A worldview based on blind faith, and just believing harder every time someone questions your beliefs, is going to lead to Matt Adams hitting against lefties over and over again, when that’s not what he’s good at, and Kolten Wong sitting on the bench, marinating in his own frustrations, for reasons no one is ever quite sure of.

All of this is really just a very long-winded way of saying that I’ve been thinking a lot about the state of the Cardinals, and where they are, and where they’re going. And more than anything, trying to figure out whether the future really is so much brighter now than it was just a couple months ago.

I think it is. I really do. And that leads me to another question, one which I have not yet been able to answer for myself in any sort of satisfactory way: why did it take so long for the Cardinals to see what we all saw?

I wish I could answer that. I’ve heard things, things about how much certain people in the organisation liked Matheny, largely for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball, and how he was very much a blind spot for some of those people. But I’m not sure that really satisfies me. An organisation that did so much to make the game smarter over the past fifteen years being so blind, so stubborn, so...dumb about their choice of manager feels almost inconceivable to me. I really don’t know how it happened. Why it continued to happen for so long.

Then again, maybe just believing harder in something, thinking that if you close your eyes hard enough and believe things will get better then they certainly will, wasn’t a problem confined to the dugout.

Things seem better now. We should focus on that.
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Whatever happened to that crazed Cubbie on here who bragged that they got a steal on Yu Darvish? Bwahahahha
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It went the way of Es co bar cheesy fan made highlight reels lulz
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I thought the Cubs had an easy schedule the rest of the way. Maybe they should be concerned........just a little :-)


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From STLToday


The Cardinals and Cubs each play nine more series before the Cubs host the Cardinals for the regular-season finale at Wrigley Field.

For the Cardinals, seven of those nine series come against teams that have more second-half series losses than wins. And five of those seven series will be played at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals own the NL’s best home winning percentage (.714) since the break.

For the Cubs, only four of their nine series will be played against teams that, as of Monday, had more second-half series losses than wins. And just two of those four series will be played at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs were 42-23 entering Monday night’s game against the Mets.

The Cubs have a cushion, and they are hot once again. The Cardinals can’t afford to let their focus stray up north just yet. They must continue their trajectory to make the finale a compelling one.
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The Cardinals got through a pretty rough stretch of games with an amazing record and won every series in that span. There is a legit fear that they will let down once they start playing losing teams but 1) the team has an actual manager now and 2) the players seem to be having a blast and both of those things help guard against a letdown.

The Cubs now enter a tougher stretch of games after their recent stretch of cupcakes. They also have to play something like 23 days in a row, which is a big deal at this point in the season. It's crazy to think, but we will see where the Cards stand in the race after this coming week. With the last 3 games against the Cubs to end the season, anything can happen if the Cards keep playing well.
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Yeah, the Cards took just a little starch out of their tough schedule by cranking through a long series of tough opponents.

Now they need to keep the pedal down and not let up. A little regression is coming either way, but win 4 of 6 against the Pirates and Reds and you are holding serve nicely. Even 3-3 wouldn't be disastrous if it teaches them a bit of a lesson about coming up for air.

I hope they realize that they left themselves with no net by playing like balls through the first 95 games or so of the season. I think they probably do.
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They need a 6 game sweep here. Keep the hammer down.

"Mitch HOlthus".
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JD is scurred as all hell :-) pissing pants level
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Seriously scurred.

The Cubs are 6-0 since the entire NL decided to pass on Daniel Murphy and Kris Bryant just started his rehab assignment in Iowa.

I'm really not sure what will calm my nerves during this trying time. I guess I'll just have to live with knowing Mo will use this run of overachieving to stay the course.
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Yes, tough competition - the Reds and the Mets at home. We should just award you ladies the WS trophy now! :-)
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On the surface its not tough competition but the Reds still have the 3rd best offense in the NL and the Cubs starters gave up only 4 runs in a 4 game series against them and the offense is still scoring against guys like Syndergaard.

We'll see what they do against deGrom tonight.
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Park adjustment actually shows that the Reds have the 6th best offense in the NL, behind the Dodgers, Cubs, Braves, Cardinals, and Nationals.
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Wherever they stand they still field a good offense and its nice to see the Cubs pitchers producing what they looked like on paper to start the season. They still have the 3rd highest avg and 2nd OBP in the NL with like 5 guys in their lineup with a .800+ OPS.

I still worry about Lester and Quintana, though. They both still have that one inning that just ruins everything.
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