NL Central thread

[JohnU]

If Madison Bumgarner, comes available, via trade, should the Cardinals make a play for him to bolster the bullpen? Also would a move like that put them over the top to win the NL Central?

Bum is making a living pitching in bigger ballparks so he's going to be a step backward in the NL-C, if he goes there. Dependable, maybe. I don't think the Cards upgrade there unless they just want a lefty who can go out and pitch.

To be honest, I don't think anybody is going to be able to upgrade their rotation this year unless they pull off some kind of juggernaut trade. Those are hard trades to do now.

 

[BrockForBroglio]

Wow, Brian McCann actually bunted for a hit againt STL's shift. Maybe Cardinal hitters, Carpenter, can learn something.

 

[tomcat1]

Bum is making a living pitching in bigger ballparks so he's going to be a step backward in the NL-C, if he goes there. Dependable, maybe. I don't think the Cards upgrade there unless they just want a lefty who can go out and pitch.

To be honest, I don't think anybody is going to be able to upgrade their rotation this year unless they pull off some kind of juggernaut trade. Those are hard trades to do now.

John, I hear you but Bum is a deadly playoff pitcher, or at least he use to be when the Giants were winning it all every other year. I'm not sure what he has left but I do know the Cardinals need some left handed pitching. With that said I won't be disappointed either way on whether the Cardinals go after him or not.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

John, I hear you but Bum is a deadly playoff pitcher, or at least he use to be when the Giants were winning it all every other year. I'm not sure what he has left but I do know the Cardinals need some left handed pitching. With that said I won't be disappointed either way on whether the Cardinals go after him or not.

He's gotta approve the trade too

 

[tomcat1]

He's gotta approve the trade too

Yep!

 

[tomcat1]

It looks like every team in the NL Central is going down today except the Reds.

 

[scoutyjones2]

And I'm free, free fallin'
Yeah I'm free, free fallin'

Free fallin', now I'm free fallin', now I'm
Free fallin', now I'm free fallin', now I'm

 

[tomcat1]

And I'm free, free fallin'
Yeah I'm free, free fallin'

Free fallin', now I'm free fallin', now I'm
Free fallin', now I'm free fallin', now I'm

I hope your parachute opens before you hit the ground!

 

[Mitziman]

Your Cubs have been doing well during the past 5 years but they have only 1 World Series title on their resume in the past, what 100 years +. You should always be proud of your team and cheer for them with all your might but before you get too excited just add up the World Series titles the Cardinals have obtained and then get back to me. You won't be able to do this, nor will I be able to be here to read it because we will both be older than Jesus if and when this ever happens.

Like you, I’m old too. In my lifetime, the Cardinals have 5 WS titles. I became a Cubs fan in the Summer of 1973 (first time to Wrigley), and since then the Cardinals have 3 WS titles.

My point was the Cardinals have been a far better MLB organization in my lifetime…but, it appears that that after 42 years of futility (with an occasional good year or two) the Cubs have taken that spot the Cardinals held for so long. You know, playoff participant year in and year out.

If the Cardinals miss the playoffs this season, it will be their longest postseason drought since NL Central was formed. It might be their longest since their beginning, but you would know better than me.

GO CUBS GO!

 

[tomcat1]

Like you, I’m old too. In my lifetime, the Cardinals have 5 WS titles. I became a Cubs fan in the Summer of 1973 (first time to Wrigley), and since then the Cardinals have 3 WS titles.

My point was the Cardinals have been a far better MLB organization in my lifetime…but, it appears that that after 42 years of futility (with an occasional good year or two) the Cubs have taken that spot the Cardinals held for so long. You know, playoff participant year in and year out.

If the Cardinals miss the playoffs this season, it will be their longest postseason drought since NL Central was formed. It might be their longest since their beginning, but you would know better than me.

GO CUBS GO!

You make some good points but I'm older than dirt. When I was a kid my baseball idol was Mickey Mantle and I lived and died with the Yankees. In fact, during that time it was the Yankees vs. the Dodgers almost every year in the World Series. We all know that the Yankees have 27 championships which no team will come close to touching in any sport for several generations to come, if EVER.

Long story short, the Cardinals drafted me out of high school to play in their organization and I was fortunate enough to make it all the way to their Triple AAA team in Memphis where the bus stopped for me. I guess you might say I had to immediately trade the Yankees pinstripes for the birds on the bats when the Cardinals gave me a chance even though I still loved Mantle. Yes, your Cubs have made some major strides in recent years and they are obviously the team to best this year in the NL Central but no team in MLB other than the Yankees has more championships than my redbirds. That's all I was trying to say.

 

[jwolt92]

You make some good points but I'm older than dirt. When I was a kid my baseball idol was Mickey Mantle and I lived and died with the Yankees. In fact, during that time it was the Yankees vs. the Dodgers almost every year in the World Series. We all know that the Yankees have 27 championships which no team will come close to touching in any sport for several generations to come, if EVER.

Long story short, the Cardinals drafted me out of high school to play in their organization and I was fortunate enough to make it all the way to their Triple AAA team in Memphis where the bus stopped for me. I guess you might say I had to immediately trade the Yankees pinstripes for the birds on the bats when the Cardinals gave me a chance even though I still loved Mantle. Yes, your Cubs have made some major strides in recent years and they are obviously the team to best this year in the NL Central but no team in MLB other than the Yankees has more championships than my redbirds. That's all I was trying to say.

How did those minor league stats look? Always wanted to get a shot but arm injuries Sophomore and Senior year of high school took that chance away. Still got a shot in college but was never the same

 

[tomcat1]

How did those minor league stats look? Always wanted to get a shot but arm injuries Sophomore and Senior year of high school took that chance away. Still got a shot in college but was never the same

I never hit for a lot of power as a second baseman but I was blessed with good speed turning a lot of singles into doubles. At the single A and double A level I hit pretty consistently at around .300 but when I got to triple A Memphis the opposing pitching got much better and my average dropped to around .275 which just wasn't good enough to make it to the next level.

I presume you were a pitcher since you mentioned your arm injuries. Hey man, at least you gave it a shot and you can't ask anymore of yourself than that.

 

[jwolt92]

I never hit for a lot of power as a second baseman but I was blessed with good speed turning a lot of singles into doubles. At the single A and double A level I hit pretty consistently at around .300 but when I got to triple A Memphis the opposing pitching got much better and my average dropped to around .275 which just wasn't good enough to make it to the next level.

I presume you were a pitcher since you mentioned your arm injuries. Hey man, at least you gave it a shot and you can't ask anymore of yourself than that.

Right on. I feel like playing in the minors almost has to be more fun than the majors because of the smaller cities you get to travel to.

I was a pitcher. Not a lot of teams come calling for a 5'11" right handed pitcher but a few smaller colleges gave me offers to prove it before the arm just wasn't what it needed to be, especially as a power pitcher

 

[tomcat1]

Right on. I feel like playing in the minors almost has to be more fun than the majors because of the smaller cities you get to travel to.

I was a pitcher. Not a lot of teams come calling for a 5'11" right handed pitcher but a few smaller colleges gave me offers to prove it before the arm just wasn't what it needed to be, especially as a power pitcher

It amazes me how some of these hard throwers, power pitchers, can continue to pitch in the mid to high 90s late in their careers with the wear and tear they have put on their pitching arms. As an example, I thought Verlander was washed up at Detroit and just look at how he keeps throwing since he went to Houston.

Even our guy Jordan Hicks, even though he is young, is putting a lot of stress on that arm throwing at 100MPH + but at least his innings are limited. I just wish he could find his control.

 

[jwolt92]

It amazes me how some of these hard throwers, power pitchers, can continue to pitch in the mid to high 90s late in their careers with the wear and tear they have put on their pitching arms. As an example, I thought Verlander was washed up at Detroit and just look at how he keeps throwing since he went to Houston.

Even our guy Jordan Hicks, even though he is young, is putting a lot of stress on that arm throwing at 100MPH + but at least his innings are limited. I just wish he could find his control.

It would just be nice if Hicks could get some regular work. In the first 25 days of May he only threw 3.1 innings I think I read, then worked back to back nights and had a terrible outing last night. Schildt needs to have a faster trigger with him. If he's struggling, get him out instead of letting him continue to struggle.

 

[Markwassillylaugher]

can the Pirates undo their trade with Tampa Bay?

 

[tomcat1]

It would just be nice if Hicks could get some regular work. In the first 25 days of May he only threw 3.1 innings I think I read, then worked back to back nights and had a terrible outing last night. Schildt needs to have a faster trigger with him. If he's struggling, get him out instead of letting him continue to struggle.

I agree! I really like Shildt but I think he managed a terrible 9th and 10th last night. That loss stung more than most because the Cardinals can't go back out there and 'get um' today by not playing in only their second Memorial Day off since 2000. So now it's an extra day to think about that stinging loss with a tough series starting in Philadelphia Tuesday night.

Shildt had what he wanted going into the top of the 9th with Hicks set to close it out but like you said, he should have had a faster trigger pulling Hicks since he has seen this movie before.

 

[tomcat1]

can the Pirates undo their trade with Tampa Bay?

I think it might be a little too late for that.

 

[Markwassillylaugher]

Austin Meadows is tearing it up in Tampa. I don't see Bob Friend or Harvey Haddix coming back to pitch
for this team any time soon.

 

[tomcat1]

Austin Meadows is tearing it up in Tampa. I don't see Bob Friend or Harvey Haddix coming back to pitch
for this team any time soon.

Or Mr. Cole who is pitching great for the Astros.