Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
I have a hard time wrapping my head around how bad a defensive 1b Matt Carpenter is.
In the one game they lost in that series, Martinez gave up a 3 run bomb that happened because Carpenter simply missed a pick-off throw. It hit him right in the glove and skipped away to allow the runner to advance. The next pitch was a routine DP ball but it went to the vacated hole after the SS moved towards 2b to hold the runner. If the SS is at DP depth with the runner at 1b, it's an easy DP and the inning is over.
Carpenter's defense is killing us and the offense isn't coming around because he's a headcase who can't seem to perform in the 3 hole because he's wound so tight and puts pressure on himself.
I said it when they said they were moving him off 3b last year - they needed to trade him. The guy's a DH.
I don't want to move Fowler yet, when everyone isn't shitting the bed in this offense it is our best alignment. I would rather move Carpenter second and put Diaz third than move Fowler. If June arrives and Fowler and company are all .220 hitters it won't matter too much who we put where.
Carpenter seems mentally out of whack and I don't know why, but you are right, it probably would have been the right time to shop him over the winter. He is a man without a position, but for us it makes more sense for us to put him at 3B considering our options. [Reply]
Originally Posted by VAChief:
Leake had nothing yesterday and still survived. His upside is limited, but I have watched all of his games, and the depth on his sinker, coupled with what appears to be an uptick in velocity has been impressive. Unfortunately we don't have the Cubs infield defense.
Waino needs to scrap the cutter. If he wants to improve something go with a sinking two-seamer. His fastball has always been straight, but as he has lost velocity it is no longer missing bats unless he paints the corners or is consistently throwing his curve for strikes. If he could sink his fastball for strikes to get ahead, he could go up top with a 92-93 mph 4-seamer. When he throws his curve for strikes down in the zone, it is basically the same idea (changing the hitters eye level to the ball). It is just a lot tougher to consistently get ahead with your 12-6 curve, especially without hanging one.
He needs the cutter. It doesn't have a pitch that he can get to move that direction without it.
He has the sinker still, and the curve. He can tunnel the sinker, curve, cutter and 4-seamer to get 4 pitches that 'move' into all 4 quadrants of the zone. If he takes the cutter away, they can spit on the outer third and won't be forced to protect. So they'll speed up a bit and start wrecking pitches on the inner half.
Part of the reason he's struggling is that he DOESN'T have the cutter working. If he gives it up outright, it will make the rest of his arsenal that much less effective. It will be similar to 2-3 years ago when he lost his sinker for a season and spent the year wandering in the wilderness.
Tunneling and sequencing is VITAL to his success. If he loses a leg under the stool, he has no real shot at being a true top 1/2 of the rotation pitcher. If you scrap the cutter, he's doomed to 5th starter status. You can't do that yet. [Reply]
It would obviously be better if it was working. Really all of his pitches are not what they once were. If he keeps throwing a spinner instead of a true cutter, he will continued to get hammered on it.
Right now he is our 5th starter in performance. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
4 god damn errors. Unbelievable.
Amazing how shit defense gets worse when you do nothing to improve it.
But but but but, defense and athleticism were focuses in the offseason. Just ask Moe.
Martinez should start in LF or 1B until he gets hurt or goes 0-30. There is no excuse that both Windmill Grichuk and Used-to-be-Fatt Adams are both starting and he isn't. If it was a perfect world, Adams would be in Memphis or another club but we know that won't happen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
4 god damn errors. Unbelievable.
Amazing how shit defense gets worse when you do nothing to improve it.
When your ball club is as fundamentally poor as the Cardinals, you can't put that on the players. Their fundamentals are bad across the board, the don't know the zone, they don't field or throw well and they make bad base running decisions regularly. That's all on the management of this team. [Reply]
Originally Posted by raybec 4:
When your ball club is as fundamentally poor as the Cardinals, you can't put that on the players. Their fundamentals are bad across the board, the don't know the zone, they don't field or throw well and they make bad base running decisions regularly. That's all on the management of this team.
They dont do a damn thing well. Thats an organizational problem. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
They dont do a damn thing well. Thats an organizational problem.
And it's a shame too because that's not Cardinal baseball. I can recall some really lean years but fundamentals were never the issue. They used to love trotting out less talented scrappers but they were fundamentally sound. So Taguchi, David Eckstein, Fernando Vina, Tommy Herr, those are guys you can win with because they weren't stars but they were fundamentally sound baseball players. [Reply]
Originally Posted by raybec 4:
And it's a shame too because that's not Cardinal baseball. I can recall some really lean years but fundamentals were never the issue. They used to love trotting out less talented scrappers but they were fundamentally sound. So Taguchi, David Eckstein, Fernando Vina, Tommy Herr, those are guys you can win with because they weren't stars but they were fundamentally sound baseball players.
Playing good baseball was the hallmark of the Cardinals. They very very rarely beat themselves.
That appears to be their specialty since Matheny took over. [Reply]
Wong doubles, then promptly gets picked off with no outs and the pitcher up. Carlos then strikes out and of course Fowler singles, but is stranded.
Stupid is a word I use sparingly, but Wong I am afraid is stupid....which the way I am using it has nothing to do with intelligence. He knows better or should, but he keeps repeating the same mistakes.
Originally Posted by VAChief:
Wong doubles, then promptly gets picked off with no outs and the pitcher up. Carlos then strikes out and of course Fowler singles, but is stranded.
Stupid is a word I use sparingly, but Wong I am afraid is stupid....which the way I am using it has nothing to do with intelligence. He knows better or should, but he keeps repeating the same mistakes.
Cut him, cut Peralta.
That was as dumb as I've ever seen. He also booted a ball for good measure. [Reply]
