Just 1/16th of an inch on the bat and it would be a different story today.
St. Louis Cardinals 2022
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Cardinals Quick Hits: Pirates salvage series finale with 6-4 win as Flaherty struggles
Right-hander, making first start of season, gives up four runs (two unearned) in three innings as he totals 60 pitches.
Rick Hummel
The expectations were considerable surrounding Jack Flaherty’s first start at Busch Stadium since last Aug. 24, and first overall in the majors since Sept. 24 The reality was a mixed bag.
Flaherty gave up four runs in three innings Wednesday night and clearly was far from midseason form after healing from a long bout with shoulder bursitis. But the Pirates, because of some shoddy fielding by the Cardinals — including by Flaherty himself — shouldn’t have scored any of those runs in what ultimately was their 6-4 victory that didn’t involve Flaherty in the decision.
The Pirates, salvaging one game of a four-game series, scored twice each in the first and second innings. But in the first, with runners at first and third, rookie first baseman Brendan Donovan, fielding what should have been a double play ball by slow-running Daniel Vogelbach, could only knock it down for the out at first as a run scored from third. Cal Mitchell’s single scored another run.
In the second, Flaherty and catcher Yadier Molina both threw the ball away at first base after fielding bunt attempts and two runs scored without the ball leaving the infield except for the Cardinals throwing it out of the infield.
Flaherty, who walked two, hit one and fanned three, closed on a high note, recording three ground-ball outs in the third, reaching his prescribed limit of 60 pitches, before right-hander Johan Oviedo entered in the fourth.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Hochman: Goldschmidt so good, he looks like ‘Goldy’ of Gorman’s childhood
“He’s staying consistent with his work and is having complete confidence in himself,” Gorman said. “He’s sticking with what he knows is best for him.”
Benjamin Hochman
Paul Goldschmidt is hitting like Arizona Paul Goldschmidt, which is to say, he’s hitting like the star of Nolan Gorman’s childhood.
“And now I get to see it firsthand,” said Gorman, a Phoenix native. “It’s pretty cool.”
Cardinals second baseman Gorman was born in 2000, so he was 11 when the Cardinals first baseman made his 2011 Diamondbacks debut. By 2013, when Gorman was 13, Goldschmidt finished second in the MVP voting. “Goldy” would finish second again, as well as third and sixth, during Gorman’s teenage years.
Now, clearly Goldschmidt has had some good campaigns in St. Louis, but this?
Goldschmidt entered Wednesday atop the National League in every “slash” category — batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.431), slugging percentage (.642) and, thus, OPS (1.073). He entered Wednesday’s home game against Pittsburgh with four homers in his past three games. On Tuesday, he had the best statistical doubleheader for the Cardinals since Mark Whiten’s famous night in Cincinnati. His 2022 is something straight out of Gorman’s childhood.
“Everybody knew who he was, especially all the baseball players I came up with,” said Gorman, the Cardinals’ slugging rookie. “Everybody just looked up to him and how he played the game — and how he was off the field, as well.”
Looks like it's gonna be Knizner behind the plate for awhile:
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Wainwright is last Cardinals pitcher to beat Red Sox — eight years ago
Right-hander still laments two losses to Boston in 2013 World Series.
Rick Hummel
The Cardinals will go into Boston’s Fenway Park as a first-place team for the first time since the 2013 World Series when they start a series with the Red Sox Friday night. Oliver Marmol’s team took over first place in the National League Central Division on the just-completed 5-2 homestand as Milwaukee faltered.
On Friday night, Adam Wainwright, who suffered two losses in that World Series, the only one in which he has started a game and a Series he laments, will match up against longtime teammate Michael Wacha. The Cardinals are the only team Wacha (4-1) hasn’t faced.
Wacha, as a rookie, was the hero of that 2013 postseason run, winning four postseason games, with one of those a Game 2 win in the Series at Boston before he lost Game 6 there. Wainwright was the loser in Game 5 in St. Louis, as well as Game 1 in Boston.
This will be the 34th major-league stadium, including Monterrey, Mexico, in which Wainwright will have pitched a major league regular-season game although he did beat the Red Sox at Busch Stadium in 2014.
“That’s pretty neat,” said Wainwright, about officially adding Fenway to the list. “I’m excited to go there although I’ve been there. I’m excited to pitch against a great team in a really cool venue but ... I’ve seen it, so it’s not going to be totally different.”
More exciting, he said, will be the “Old Man Walk,” he takes in a city/stadium the day after he pitches. “That’s going to be worth its weight in gold for me,” Wainwright said. “(Fenway) is a park I have not ventured through yet.”
It's amazing he hasn't had issues sooner. He's probably squatted behind home plate a million times in his career.
My son and I went to Fenway last time the Cards played in Boston. It's an impressive facility. I highly recommend everyone go see it.Wainwright is last Cardinals pitcher to beat Red Sox — eight years ago
Right-hander still laments two losses to Boston in 2013 World Series.www.stltoday.com
Rick Hummel
The Cardinals will go into Boston’s Fenway Park as a first-place team for the first time since the 2013 World Series when they start a series with the Red Sox Friday night. Oliver Marmol’s team took over first place in the National League Central Division on the just-completed 5-2 homestand as Milwaukee faltered.
On Friday night, Adam Wainwright, who suffered two losses in that World Series, the only one in which he has started a game and a Series he laments, will match up against longtime teammate Michael Wacha. The Cardinals are the only team Wacha (4-1) hasn’t faced.
Wacha, as a rookie, was the hero of that 2013 postseason run, winning four postseason games, with one of those a Game 2 win in the Series at Boston before he lost Game 6 there. Wainwright was the loser in Game 5 in St. Louis, as well as Game 1 in Boston.
This will be the 34th major-league stadium, including Monterrey, Mexico, in which Wainwright will have pitched a major league regular-season game although he did beat the Red Sox at Busch Stadium in 2014.
“That’s pretty neat,” said Wainwright, about officially adding Fenway to the list. “I’m excited to go there although I’ve been there. I’m excited to pitch against a great team in a really cool venue but ... I’ve seen it, so it’s not going to be totally different.”
More exciting, he said, will be the “Old Man Walk,” he takes in a city/stadium the day after he pitches. “That’s going to be worth its weight in gold for me,” Wainwright said. “(Fenway) is a park I have not ventured through yet.”
Jack Buck was the voice of baseball for generations. His legacy shines 20 years later.
I loved listening to Jack. I learned most of my baseball from him. My Dad was second. This is only the opening and summary lines. It's well worth reading the whole article.
I loved listening to Jack. I learned most of my baseball from him. My Dad was second. This is only the opening and summary lines. It's well worth reading the whole article.
Hope they gove Herrera a chance over Knizner. Knizner is not a good catcher either offensively ot defensively. I have to imagine Hererra is better at framing than Knizner, who is one of the worst in the league at what is a pretty important skill for a catcher.
BillyBob1
- Champaign
I was hoping they would look to acquire another catcher. As you said, he’s not adding much either side, offensively or defensively, and he is playing more than Yadi. And yadi’s offense has really dropped.
IlliniFan85
- Colorado Springs, CO
Sure would be nice if McFarland would dissappear.
They did sign Austin Romine to a minor-league deal but that's more just for additional catching depth at AAA.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Cardinals Quick Hits: Boston withstands Cardinals' last-gasp rally in win for Wacha
Cardinals get tying run into scoring position before Mizzou product and Collinsville kid Houck closes out 6-5 victory for Red Sox.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — A rule of thumb Adam Wainwright learned as a young pitcher in Atlanta’s system and likely passed on to Michael Wacha as a young pitcher in the Cardinals’ system was to outlast the opposing pitcher.
Going deeper into the game means pitching well and going deeper into the game than the opposing pitcher means either the team has a lead or it still can chase one down.
In the first matchup as opponents for the former teammates and longtime friends, Wainwright pitched further into the game than Wacha. But when the offense gave chase, the gap was a run too much to close. Given a head start from Wacha’s strong 5⅓ innings, Boston pulled away against the Cardinals’ bullpen to fortify a lead and withstand the Cardinals’ ninth-inning threat. Down by five entering the ninth, the Cardinals got the tying run in scoring position but lost 6-5 at Fenway Park. The Cardinals got four extra base hits with two out in the ninth.
Back in Boston with the Cardinals for the first time since the 2013 World Series, Wainwright (5-5) held the Red Sox to a two-run game for most of his 6⅓ innings. He sidestepped seven hits, and in the second inning struck out the side for three of his five strikeouts.
Two Sox came unraveled that inning on Wainwright’s curve.
A leadoff triple to start the game and Trevor Story’s two-run single in the fourth inning were the only runs directly off Wainwright, though he was tagged with a fourth run allowed when the bullpen fractured and allowed the runs that meant a loss.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Cardinals notebook: Molina takes indefinite break to rest aching knee
Cardinals considered starting Molina on Friday, to get his 317th game with Wainwright and second most all-time, but recurring pain made that impossible.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — With the chance to move into second place all-time and continue his steady pursuit of a major-league record, the Cardinals considered whether Yadier Molina could make it through one more start Friday night at Fenway Park with Adam Wainwright — and then yield to persisting knee pain and go on the injured list.
“You know how much it has to hurt for that not to be the case,” manager Oliver Marmol said.
Nine starts shy of setting a major-league record for starts as a battery with Wainwright, Molina went on the 10-day IL Friday morning because of inflammation in his right knee. There is no timetable for his return, and the veteran catcher, who will turn 40 next month, has been prescribed several days of inactivity to reduce swelling in the knee.
Over the past week, the Cardinals and Molina have attempted a variety of ways to address the soreness, from anti-inflammatory injections to additional days off.
Molina caught Wednesday’s game but felt limited by pain, exhausted by it.
“He’s done everything possible to stay on the field,” Marmol said. “There’s playing through pain — which I think he’s done for the last 30 years in the league — and then there’s not being able to actually perform. It got to the point where it was too much. As much as he wants to be here today and catch Adam — That’s driven a lot of this too, right? — it’s no longer possible. A little bit of down time on the knee makes sense. And go from there.”
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Gordo: Nolan Gorman could use a big game or two to avoid demotion to Memphis
Check out some highlights of sports columnist Jeff Gordon's live chat with readers.
Check out some highlights of sports columnist Jeff Gordon's live chat with readers.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Taking game out of Wainwright's hands, into McFarland's proves 'tricky' for Cardinals
Marmol's decision in the seventh, hinged around a matchup on the horizon, proves pivotal after Cardinals rally in 6-5 loss to Red Sox at Fenway.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — The giveaway was Adam Wainwright asking for a new baseball.
He thought for sure he would still be in the game to throw it.
As Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol walked to the mound to make what became a pivotal decision, Wainwright held up the used ball in his hand, trying to get the home-plate umpire’s attention. The ball had just been scraped as a groundball for the first out of the seventh inning. Boston had a runner at third base, and Wainwright had the matchup he welcomed against the Red Sox No. 9 hitter, Jackie Bradley Jr.
So how about that new ball?
As Marmol arrived at the mound, Wainwright tossed the discard to the bat boy.
He would not be around when the new ball arrived.
With two outs to get, a relatively new rule creating a bind and a matchup looming he wanted to avoid, Marmol opted for reliever T.J. McFarland instead of sticking with his veteran starter. What followed was a three-run burst that gave Boston exactly enough insurance to weather the Cardinals’ uprising in the ninth, one spearheaded by four two-out, extra-base hits. The difference in Boston’s 6-5 victory Friday at Fenway Park traced back to that moment when McFarland received the new baseball that Wainwright requested.
“I don’t think anyone is thrilled to come out of games,” Wainwright said. “I thought that was a good spot for me. That was a hitter I’ve had success against and a good situation where I’d like to hold it there. If you’ve got a starting pitcher who wants to come out of the game, he’s not a very good starting pitcher.”
McFarland reminds me of Pete Falcone. The only thing he really had going for him was that he was a male lefthanded pitcher. He hung around the game for 10 years despite having an ERA over 4. His FIP 4.29 and WHIP 1.432 Every team needed one starter who was a lefty and St Lou, Mets and Atlanta trotted him out there every 5 days.
This isn't the first time he has taken out Waino too early. At this point in his career, if says he has it... let him stay/Taking game out of Wainwright's hands, into McFarland's proves 'tricky' for Cardinals
Marmol's decision in the seventh, hinged around a matchup on the horizon, proves pivotal after Cardinals rally in 6-5 loss to Red Sox at Fenway.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — The giveaway was Adam Wainwright asking for a new baseball.
He thought for sure he would still be in the game to throw it.
As Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol walked to the mound to make what became a pivotal decision, Wainwright held up the used ball in his hand, trying to get the home-plate umpire’s attention. The ball had just been scraped as a groundball for the first out of the seventh inning. Boston had a runner at third base, and Wainwright had the matchup he welcomed against the Red Sox No. 9 hitter, Jackie Bradley Jr.
So how about that new ball?
As Marmol arrived at the mound, Wainwright tossed the discard to the bat boy.
He would not be around when the new ball arrived.
With two outs to get, a relatively new rule creating a bind and a matchup looming he wanted to avoid, Marmol opted for reliever T.J. McFarland instead of sticking with his veteran starter. What followed was a three-run burst that gave Boston exactly enough insurance to weather the Cardinals’ uprising in the ninth, one spearheaded by four two-out, extra-base hits. The difference in Boston’s 6-5 victory Friday at Fenway Park traced back to that moment when McFarland received the new baseball that Wainwright requested.
“I don’t think anyone is thrilled to come out of games,” Wainwright said. “I thought that was a good spot for me. That was a hitter I’ve had success against and a good situation where I’d like to hold it there. If you’ve got a starting pitcher who wants to come out of the game, he’s not a very good starting pitcher.”
BillyBob1
- Champaign
Cardinals Quick Hits: Boston withstands Cardinals' last-gasp rally in win for Wacha
Cardinals get tying run into scoring position before Mizzou product and Collinsville kid Houck closes out 6-5 victory for Red Sox.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — A rule of thumb Adam Wainwright learned as a young pitcher in Atlanta’s system and likely passed on to Michael Wacha as a young pitcher in the Cardinals’ system was to outlast the opposing pitcher.
Going deeper into the game means pitching well and going deeper into the game than the opposing pitcher means either the team has a lead or it still can chase one down.
In the first matchup as opponents for the former teammates and longtime friends, Wainwright pitched further into the game than Wacha. But when the offense gave chase, the gap was a run too much to close. Given a head start from Wacha’s strong 5⅓ innings, Boston pulled away against the Cardinals’ bullpen to fortify a lead and withstand the Cardinals’ ninth-inning threat. Down by five entering the ninth, the Cardinals got the tying run in scoring position but lost 6-5 at Fenway Park. The Cardinals got four extra base hits with two out in the ninth.
Back in Boston with the Cardinals for the first time since the 2013 World Series, Wainwright (5-5) held the Red Sox to a two-run game for most of his 6⅓ innings. He sidestepped seven hits, and in the second inning struck out the side for three of his five strikeouts.
Two Sox came unraveled that inning on Wainwright’s curve.
A leadoff triple to start the game and Trevor Story’s two-run single in the fourth inning were the only runs directly off Wainwright, though he was tagged with a fourth run allowed when the bullpen fractured and allowed the runs that meant a loss.
Wain’s one mistake was the 0-2 pitch to Story.
IlliniFan85
- Colorado Springs, CO
What teams who will be seller's have a decent bullpen piece or two? We need to get rid of some of our slackers. I know MO is going to wait until it's probably too late but I wish he would get on it sooner rather than later. And no bargin bin guys. We have players in the minors who can be traded that won't hurt the future of the team.
IlliniFan85
- Colorado Springs, CO
Sam Moll looks like he would be a great lefty option from Oakland. His ERA+ is 280 (100 is average player and 150 is 50% better than average. So 280 is way better than average). His SO/9 is great. However is BB/9 is terrible at 5.3. But it looks like he has a crap ton of team control so he might cost too much at this point. And he doesn't have a long track record either.
www.baseball-reference.com
Paolo Espino is having a great year compared to his history. He is at 174 ERA+ in Washington. He might have a year or two of control still (I'm not really trying to figure this out really). His SO/9 isnt great but his BB/9 is. Since he gives up contact it should play well with our defense. He is 35 as well so might be cheaper. Could be similar to Luis Garcia last year but having a better year before picking him up. Obviously Washington is going to trade him. They have no need to hang on to him even if he has a year of team control.
www.baseball-reference.com
BB and K per 9 reference page.
library.fangraphs.com
Sam Moll Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
2022: 2-0, 1.33 ERA, 28 SO,Career: 2-0, 3.62 ERA, 43 SO, P, Athletics 2017-2022, t:L, born in TN 1992
www.baseball-reference.com
Paolo Espino is having a great year compared to his history. He is at 174 ERA+ in Washington. He might have a year or two of control still (I'm not really trying to figure this out really). His SO/9 isnt great but his BB/9 is. Since he gives up contact it should play well with our defense. He is 35 as well so might be cheaper. Could be similar to Luis Garcia last year but having a better year before picking him up. Obviously Washington is going to trade him. They have no need to hang on to him even if he has a year of team control.
Paolo Espino Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
2022: 0-1, 2.29 ERA, 27 SO,Career: 5-6, 4.11 ERA, 146 SO, P, Nationals/Rangers/... 2017-2022, t:R, born in Panama. 1987, Poli
www.baseball-reference.com
BB and K per 9 reference page.
Strikeout and Walk Rates
Strikeouts Per 9 Innings (K/9) and Walks Per 9 Innings (BB/9) are rate statistics that measure how many strikeouts and walks a pitcher averages over nine innings. Of course, not many pitchers throw…
library.fangraphs.com
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Cardinals Quick Hits: Fenway can't contain Cardinals' big boppers in 11-2 trounce vs. Sox
With a thunderous response to Friday’s one-run loss, the Cardinals socked three home runs, two to dead center and one over the Monster, and romped in a 11-2 victory against
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — Before the game Saturday, manager Oliver Marmol detailed how the Cardinals outfielders had spent time already getting to know the random ricochets and confounding caroms that are all part of the character at Fenway Park.
Coaches and outfielders had thrown baseballs off the hand-operated scoreboard and off the top half of the Green Monster to see the difference. They had visited the triangle in center field where triples go to thrive. They had put in a cram session to play the foreign ballpark with its funky dimensions as well as they could, as close to the locals as possible.
And then the Cardinals never gave the Red Sox a chance to show that proficiency.
Off the wall?
The Cardinals went over it.
With a thunderous response to Friday’s one-run loss, the Cardinals socked three home runs, two to dead center and one over the Monster, and romped in a 11-2 victory against Boston. Nolan Arenado started the power show with a homer in the first inning. Nolan Gorman and Tyler O’Neill followed with homers that traveled 440 feet and 410 feet, respectively, to the seats askew in center. As the Cardinals added on later, they were still going over the wall. Andrew Knizner one-hopped the low barrier in right for an RBI ground-rule double.
The 11 runs were the most scored by the Cardinals in a regular-season game at Fenway. They hit three homers in a game at Fenway for the first time since doing it twice in June 2008.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Cardinals notebook: Red Sox, 'Big Papi' honor Pujols' last visit with Monster gift
Ortiz, showered with gifts on his farewell tour, presents Pujols with No. 5 placard from Green Monster. Also: creative catching solutions and Flaherty on Flood.
Derrick Goold
BOSTON — Complete with a surprise visit and bear hug from Boston’s beloved slugger and newest Hall of Famer David Ortiz, the Red Sox celebrated Albert Pujols’ final regular-season weekend at Fenway Park and presented him, as a gift, a No. 5 from the Green Monster’s hand-operated scoreboard.
Ortiz handed Pujols’ the number at the mound, flanked by Michael Wacha, Rafael Devers, and Xander Bogaerts.
In the Red Sox clubhouse before the game Bogaerts echoed comments All-Star Manny Machado made earlier this season to the Post-Dispatch wondering why there had not been more presentations this season for Pujols. He saw it on the Ortiz farewell tour.
“It’s really cool for him to go back to St. Louis, end it that way,” Bogaerts said. “David went everywhere — went to San Diego and got a surfboard, went to Baltimore got the phone. Everywhere he went there was something he was getting. And (Pujols) is one of the best ever, one of the best all-time. I hope he plays one game here and maybe we’re winning by 10 and he hits a homer. Maybe an unearned run.”
It’s possible Pujols will start Sunday.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol acknowledged sentiment and the number of Cardinals fans in the Fenway crowd this weekend will be part of his decision.
“I do. I do,” he said. “It will weigh into it.”
