2017 NL CENTRAL DISCUSSION

[navamind]

@Clayton
@scoutyjones2
@BrockForBroglio

St. Louis Cardinals Top 20 prospects for 2017: Mid-season review

 

[Clayton]

@Clayton
@scoutyjones2
@BrockForBroglio

St. Louis Cardinals Top 20 prospects for 2017: Mid-season review

Reyes needs to come back from TJ and Weaver needs more starts and is the big loser from Lynn not getting moved. Molina is also apparently going to be a huge pain in the ass to Kelly developing if he want to somehow pad his resume for a potential HOF career and I dont think thats going to work out well for Yadier.

Dejong might be overachieving right now but he looks really good. I think Bader could be a solid player moving forward.

The projections that were making the Cardinals finish 10 below .500 at the start of the season that seemed nuts seem to be closer to a sadly likely .500 season which is basically a total GM fail. The Cubs wildly underachieving gave the Cardinals hope when they should have been selling. Cards maybe have a 10% shot at the playoffs at best which...tough sledding.

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Just so DeJong doesn't get mired in the Sophomore slump that Diaz is in. Bader needs to be sent back down to save his confidence, he is over-matched and striking out alot lately.

 

[Clayton]

Just so DeJong doesn't get mired in the Sophomore slump that Diaz is in. Bader needs to be sent back down to save his confidence, he is over-matched and striking out alot lately.

Yeah, Bader got sent down to bring up Piscotty.

Eyeball test tells me that the Cardinals are trying to hope that they can generate a power hitter somewhere from one of these guys and keep Lance Lynn and they are punting on competing this season but too proud to sell. Baseball markets are leaning super heavy towards pitching so maybe thats a smart move. Its not like they are getting Bryce Harper in the offseason.

Gyorko and Molina in the 4/5 spots is something that can't happen in the future, though. Gyorko at the 5 and Molina should be a 6 or 7 hitter. This issue becomes even more compounded because Matheny has lost control of Molina and Matheny lost the confidence from the fanbase a long time ago. You basically have the GM, the Head Coach and the most respected player on the team all with a different agenda which is total dysfunction. I know Tony La Russa rubbed some players the wrong way but it was generally known that he knew what he was doing.

I wouldn't be shocked if Matheny was fired within a week whether he is a scapegoat or not

 

[LambeauLegs]

I thought this was quite funny

Steve Bartman gets a ring — and the win

 

[navamind]

 

[JohnU]

The Cubs wildly underachieving gave the Cardinals hope when they should have been selling. Cards maybe have a 10% shot at the playoffs at best which...tough sledding.

This is a spot-on comment.

 

[Clayton]

This is a spot-on comment.

Whats interesting is that everything they've done suggests that they were trying to buy. They have logjams in the outfield and infield and no super stars. The rumor is that they were going after Sonny Gray with Piscotty a pitcher like Weaver and some other mystery players but I'm guessing that at some point it became too rich for the Cardinals.

There were also rumors that the Cardinals were trying to move Lynn to the Astros but something tells me that never had a chance. Cardinals are going to need Lynn moving forward and I wouldn't be shocked if they paid him. Cardinals will likely be one the most profitable teams in sports again next year so they'll have money to spend.

 

[thedddd]

Pirates Acquire Sean Rodriguez From Braves

Why? Maybe a Kang replacement next year (since this year they are basically out of it), do they assume he will be the same player he was? Really odd deal for the Pirates.

 

[LambeauLegs]

22 shut outs innings in a row not sure when that happened last and first ever major league start by Woodruff was fantastic

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Pirates Acquire Sean Rodriguez From Braves

Why? Maybe a Kang replacement next year (since this year they are basically out of it), do they assume he will be the same player he was? Really odd deal for the Pirates.

He showed his usefulness today.

 

[navamind]

Contreras has been on a tear as of late. Now batting .281/.349/.532 on the year.

 

[bksballer89]

Just looked at the NL Central standings. Where the fuck did the Cards come from @Clayton ? LOL

Tied for 2nd place and 1.5 behind the Cubs for 1st

 

[Clayton]

Just looked at the NL Central standings. Where the fuck did the Cards come from @Clayton ? LOL

Tied for 2nd place and 1.5 behind the Cubs for 1st

They're getting a lot of big innings which is probably unsustainable but the bullpen is better and maybe that's something pretty good.

Also the Reds and Royals might not be very good at pitching.

The rally cat thing is fun, though.

 

[JohnU]

I said all along that the Cardinals rotation was good enough to get them there.
Obviously a lot of head-to-head games in the division are left so creeping up or falling back won't be quite the same. You can make up a lot of ground by winning outside your division or league. Comes down to who has the confidence into September.
NL-C winner has to win it, not finish 2nd. There's pressure there.
I saw this week that the elimination number for the Reds is still higher than it is for the D-Backs, who are in 2nd place. That's not relevant, just interesting.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Reports here in NY are that the Brewers just acquired Neil Walker from the Mets. No deets as of yet

 

[bksballer89]

 

[packerzrule]

helluva start to a pivotal road trip for the Brewers

 

[Clayton]

I said all along that the Cardinals rotation was good enough to get them there.

I'm going to say its not good enough anymore barring some collapse from the other teams. Lynn usually struggles late season, Wainwright just might be done in general which would be a shame, Leake had a good run there for a bit but he has been struggling. Rosenthal is probably going to get the news that he needs TJ surgery today or something almost as bad and the bullpen is so very bad without him.

Brewers had a big win streak
Cubs had a big win streak
Cardinals had a big win streak

but things have settled back to about what you'd expect. The Cardinals just dont have the pitching right now and they never had great defense so they arent really built for a playoff run. The hitting surge is nice and it shows that there really was some potential with this roster which is what I thought at the start of the season. Its just not coming together late this year.

Its hard to see this team beating the Nationals in a series, the Dodgers/Dbacks in a series and then the Indians/Astros/Red Sox in a series.

 

[scoutyjones2]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Cards are exactly what they have shown. A mediocre team full of average players. They will finish in 3rd place and I blame the front office for putting this meh on the field.

Cards pitching is so blech...Lynn is your stud says it all. CMart can't get out of his own way, Leake is a solid 5. Wacha is a shoulder away from being done, Waino is past history, and Lynn is gone this offseason for another useless draft pick/prospect from the F.O.

The Cards need a middle of the order bat in the worst way. That would transform their lineup. Just think, DFlower is your cleanup hitter! DFlower...sometimes Jedd freaking gyorko!!!

Next year better see Reyes, Weaver and/or Flaherty pitching. Use the vast number of pitching and OF prospects on the big squad or as trade pieces. Quit hoarding them for a rainy day...the rainy season has come and gone. Bring up the proper talent (Montgomery, not Mayers!)