IlliniFan85
- Colorado Springs, CO
Welcome to the 2019 thread.
Jaime Garcia is calling it a career. The 32-year-old veteran left-hander, who pitched parts of 10 big league seasons, announced Wednesday that he plans to retire, according to MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.
The Cardinals and their three arbitration-eligible players — left fielder Marcell Ozuna, starting pitcher Michael Wacha and reliever Dominic Leone — reached agreement Friday on contracts for the 2019 season, with Ozuna topping the list at $12.25 million, up from his $9 million salary of 2018.
So I love what the Cardinals have done so far. Goldy at first and Carp at third should help the defense and adds a better hitter day in and out.
Have the Cards done enough to get to 94 wins? I still don’t think we have enough middle of the order power especially if Carp and Goldy hit 1&2. I think Ozuna will be healthy and better. I still think that potentially leaves us 1 short. Potentially because DeJong will be asked to fill that role. In my mind, that’s a toss up. Short of that, you drop Goldy down to 3 and put someone else at 2. Yadi comes to mind but speed is an issue.
The elephant in the room is RF and Dexter Fowler. I just don’t see a comeback as likely. Even coming 1/2 way back doesn’t do much for me.
I also don’t see Waino helping us get to 94. I see him more boom or bust each start rather than reliable 6 innings every time out. A bust hurts you on his day and likely the next. I’ve loved Waino but think he’s on fumes. Hope I’m wrong.
In my mind, we are a sitting better than a year ago in the wild card race but not good enough to top the division. Wild card competition heating up with the Phillies and Mets trying to get better, the Nats holding their ground and the braves defending in the east.
So I love what the Cardinals have done so far. Goldy at first and Carp at third should help the defense and adds a better hitter day in and out.
Have the Cards done enough to get to 94 wins? I still don’t think we have enough middle of the order power especially if Carp and Goldy hit 1&2. I think Ozuna will be healthy and better. I still think that potentially leaves us 1 short. Potentially because DeJong will be asked to fill that role. In my mind, that’s a toss up. Short of that, you drop Goldy down to 3 and put someone else at 2. Yadi comes to mind but speed is an issue.
The elephant in the room is RF and Dexter Fowler. I just don’t see a comeback as likely. Even coming 1/2 way back doesn’t do much for me.
I also don’t see Waino helping us get to 94. I see him more boom or bust each start rather than reliable 6 innings every time out. A bust hurts you on his day and likely the next. I’ve loved Waino but think he’s on fumes. Hope I’m wrong.
In my mind, we are a sitting better than a year ago in the wild card race but not good enough to top the division. Wild card competition heating up with the Phillies and Mets trying to get better, the Nats holding their ground and the braves defending in the east.
Very good summary hermie.
I have to wonder if Martinez will end up in the AL. It would be good for his career. If so it will most likely be for prospects. I don't see StL getting enough for him with players off a 25 man roster. Wong has to hit like it's 2017 not 2016 or 2018. The same for DeJong. No matter how good or poor Fowler plays the only way to move him would be a fire sale like it was October 8, 1871 when both Chicago and Peshtigo, WI burnt.
In order to really be competitive the wunderkind pitching staff (both starters and BP.) has to take a step forward. If they pitch like young inexperienced kids it doesn't matter how good the hitters are.
agreed. Just saying they won't be able to trade him for a position player because they don't need yet another bench player and the AL team won't give up a starting position player for him so it would have to be a prospect of some kind. Thus he stays where he is.Martinez is a tough move even to the AL. No team is going to give up many prospects for a young player who may be the worst defender at any position and only let him DH. He has a nice bat, but it isn’t that great. He isn’t a Big Papi.
Martinez is a tough move even to the AL. No team is going to give up many prospects for a young player who may be the worst defender at any position and only let him DH. He has a nice bat, but it isn’t that great. He isn’t a Big Papi.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2019-zips-projections-st-louis-cardinals/
That's a durn good team. Will probably project better than the Cubs at 4/8 position spots, maybe tied in 2 more. Much better rotation than the Cubs. Probably even or a touch better than the Cubs on paper. Throw Harper out in right or a kuechel in the middle of the rotation, they're 3 or 4 games ahead.
The Cardinals were not shy about shopping Martinez. That dates back to at least the last trade deadline, and it really revved up after the season, reaching a fever pitch at the winter meetings. Martinez, knowing he could be moved, signed up to serve as a designated hitter in a Venezuelan winter league to stay sharp. He read the front office’s quotes along with the signs.
“Other teams looked at it as a guy who was not a fit for us, and that maybe they could get him on the cheap,” general manager Michael Girsch explained. “When we didn’t find something that made sense for us, we are perfectly happy having Jose.”
Since the day of his first major league hit, he ranks first in average (.309) among Cardinals who have totaled more than 500 plate appearances. He also ranks third in on-base percentage (.327) and third in slugging percentage (.478).
During that time, he slots third among Cardinals in hits (254), fifth in doubles (44), sixth in home runs (31) and fourth in RBIs (130).
No Cardinal with more than 125 plate appearances since Martinez’s debut has a better OPS against lefthanded pitching than Martinez’s .968.
I do think the defense was trending in the right direction by the end of the season. It will continue to be a concern for sure.They can tell me otherwise all they want, but Dejong is out of position and every good team in the post season has a guy at SS
who has range. Dejong get the balls hit within two steps of him, that's it. You ask your pitchers to pitch to contact and you cant
pick it up and throw it to a base with him, Carpenter at third and at least two of the outfielders. We still have Gyorko, Martinez and
Munoz who cant play defense. Goldschmidt makes us a little better defensively, but other than that, this is the same team who
was the MLB last in errors and team defense last year.
They can tell me otherwise all they want, but Dejong is out of position and every good team in the post season has a guy at SS
who has range. Dejong get the balls hit within two steps of him, that's it. You ask your pitchers to pitch to contact and you cant
pick it up and throw it to a base with him, Carpenter at third and at least two of the outfielders. We still have Gyorko, Martinez and
Munoz who cant play defense. Goldschmidt makes us a little better defensively, but other than that, this is the same team who
was the MLB last in errors and team defense last year.
Ozuna not coming to Jupiter for rehab is a concern. Fowler is an obvious concern. These two situations nullify the addition of Goldy. We'll be scrambling for a wild card spot (again).
I agree in regards to Fowler. Last year was a disaster for him. He needs to earn his starting spot back, which I expect he will. However, it might take some time. As for Ozuna, I didnt realize his rehab wasnt on-track to have him back for the season. Was his injury worse than expected or did I just misunderstand?Tyler O'Neil projects, on a rate basis, to be just a tick below Ozuna given the same amount of playing time. Obviously much bigger risk because he's never proven it at the Major League level, but still he's a good option for the 1st month or so if Ozuna isn't ready.
Fowler shouldn't even be starting. Jose Martinez is a better RF full stop
I agree in regards to Fowler. Last year was a disaster for him. He needs to earn his starting spot back, which I expect he will. However, it might take some time. As for Ozuna, I didnt realize his rehab wasnt on-track to have him back for the season. Was his injury worse than expected or did I just misunderstand?