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| Monday, September 8, 2008 |
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Contender or pretender?
Posted Sunday, July 29, 2007, at 7:38 AM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
Getting blown out early in the day and with rumors starting to circulate about possible player movement, the St. Louis Cardinals season looked all but over yesterday afternoon.
But thanks to an improbable rally in game one of a day-night doubleheader and the first win of the season for Anthony Reyes in the nightcap, St. Louis stays alive, at least for a few more days.
A key seven-game home stand that started at out 1-3 is now at .500 with more one game to go. The Cardinals are seven games back of Milwaukee but only five back on the loss side. One month ago today, St. Louis was nine-and-a-half games back and eight on the loss side.
Yes, they really are making progress.
But it's still a massive longshot. The Cardinals have to climb over not one, but two teams. While the Brewers have struggled since their hot start, the Cubs are playing very well.
The Cardinals have played mediocre to poor baseball for quite some time. Over their last 162 regular season games, St. Louis is 73-89. At least last season, the team had an ace in Chris Carpenter. The club has no such luxury down the stretch this year.
The seven games against the Cubs and Brewers could have brought some clarity. Instead, with the trade deadline fast approaching, the picture is just as muddy.
St. Louis is in that netherworld between pretender and contender. Neither a borrower nor lender be, Shakespeare warned four-hundred years ago. The Cardinals, it appears, are taking his advice. Barring some last minute deal, the club doesn't appear to be a buyer or a seller (although the Phillies may have interest in Reyes).
So they'll limp to the finish line with what has gotten them to this point. And that, most likely, is probably not good enough.
Here's something to ponder. Even if a modest 86 victories could produce a division title, the Cardinals would have to go 38-23 over their last 61 games to do so.
Could a team that hasn't won more than four consecutive games all season (and that was in early April) pull of a stretch like that?
A win today will salvage the home stand and keep things interesting for a while. Whether the Cardinals can salvage their season is an entirely different question.
Death in the Family On a banner Cardinals weekend -- a sweep of the Brewers on Saturday, writer Rick Hummel inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today -- some sad news from St. Louis.
Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon hasn't been heard much lately. And for good reason. His wife has been battling cancer. On Saturday night, Judy Shannon passed away. She was 66-years old. Mike and Judy had been married for 48 years. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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Well, we all know that Cubs won't win the division. So why not let the Cards take a shot? With the DL as it is, we have nothing to lose.
Pretender, deal veterans you do not see as part of your long term plan aka(Encarnacion) and restock your farm system. Why limp home with players who aren't going to be your future in 3 or even 2 years and maybe shed a contract or two attached to players who are or will be past their prime before it expires but serve a use to a contender just looking for that final piece. Build up the credible young talent at your disposal so that Albert hopefully has a younger better cast around him in a few years and pick up a few pitching prospects in case *cross your fingers it doesn't happen* Carpenter and Mulder never return to form.
We do have something to lose. Our future. Don't trade good young prospects for expensive veterans that might not take the Cardinals to the postseason anyway. This team does not have the horses to compete come October.
www.whiteyball.com
Are you the same guy that said that last year? Some people are slow learners.
Agree with several comments above (Cubs won't win; don't trade good young prospects; why limp home with players who aren't going to be part of future). I do, however, think Juan, despite some negatives, is worth keeping, as if Rolen, Eckstein, Reyes and Izzy.
Edmonds, Maroth and Kennedy are generally hurting the team and should be traded (or not played). Walt's #1 goal at the trading deadline is to find a good starting pitcher to replace Maroth and to go with Wainwright, Looper, Thompson and Wells. Playoffs are still a longshot but possible.
Trade Reyes... Sat. night was a fluke. How in the world is he helping the team with a 1-10 record? If you trade him, you probably wouldn't get much from him.
I would go with Maroth over Wells and Reyes any day.
I'd much rather see Reyes than waste time with Maroth. Reyes at least has the ability & talent to become a top pitcher if he can put it all together. Maroth at his very best can be nothing more than a mediocre 4th or 5th starter.
Right now neither is very good, but we may as well use the one that has at least a slim chance of becoming an above average pitcher.
richiro,
the difference between this years team and last is that last years had Carpenter, Suppan, and Weaver.
www.whiteyball.com
Maroth has the ability and talent to pull himself out of the hole. Reyes is going the way of Ankiel (pre-OF days).
As long as Reyes refuses to listen to his coaches, he will stink. He has been let back into the rotation. Here is hoping that he doesn't blow it yet again.
Cubs will win the division...it's time for the Cards to get what they can via trades. Time to rebuild STL...
I will have see the Cubs win the division before I actually believe it. Remember Bartman? This year you have Marquis. It would be interesting to see what his record has been the past 3-4 years in Aug/Sept.
Something is bound to go wrong for the Cubs. Maybe Zambrano will join the DL Carousal with the other "star" Cub pitchers.
Any suggestions on specifically what the Cardinals could do, Falconman?
I'd like to see the Cards pick up Al Reyes. He did such a great job for the team before he had Tommy John's surgery a couple years ago. I heard last night that he may be dealt off of Tampa.
I think it would be nice to hold on to Percival and trade Izzy. We could get someone for him...
Posted this in another blog but thought I might get some feedback...Here's my trade idea: Cardinals should run a two for one special. Trade like this Wells/Encarnacion, Maroth/Eckstein, Reyes/Duncan (or any combination of those three pitchers and postition players) for three healthy reasonably young starters. Keep Ludwick in left field, bring up Ankiel for right field and Ryan at shortstop. I personally like all of the players that we would be trading (except Duncan is a pitiful fielder) but that could create a new pitchings staff, improve outfield defense, and maintain plenty of power at the plate...but let's face it Wells, Maroth, and Reyes are all potential good pitchers that may mess around and win thirty games the second half.
how soon you sunshine soldiers forget, IN DUNCAN WE TRUST!!
Maybe Duncan will be traded to Cincinnati. Which means that TLR and his gang will follow behind.
This will be the headline of the next tabloid by Mike Mitchell.
I don't know about you guys, but the Duncan I was talking about is the one that knocks the skin off a baseball...but... plays outfield like the little leaguer who sits the bench till the sixth inning when he gets put into right field with a prayer that no balls will be hit toward him. Not the pitching coach.
I know The Camp...but I am going into conspiracy mode. If Chris gets traded to Cincinatti, then it is all but certain TLR and his gang will be there next year.
Typically, you don't trade pitching coaches.