MLB Random Thoughts [4/29-5/5]

[NAHSTE]

Reason for Minor coming out after 90 pitches, after retiring the last 18?
“We pinch hit for him.”
Pastornicky pinch-hit for him and bunted, which Minor had done earlier
“Yeah, but you go 0-2 (count to Minor if he stayed in) or something, then all of a sudden…”
(In other words, he wanted to have a legit hitter up there in case early bunt attempts failed.)

:facepalm: Fredi - burned two different pinch hitters to sac bunt tonight. That's what pitchers are for.

 

[Glenbino]

Jason Vargas :smug:

 

[Villain]

Los Angels Dodgers should now be shortened to LADL since everyone is fucking hurt and only shitbums get to play. It's hard to live up to $200M contracts when everyone is on the disabled list.

 

[Woy]

Strauss: Chris Carpenter hopes to become a bullpen fix

Few contending clubs do bullpen chaos like the Cardinals. Relief intrigue is as St. Louis as a highway do-over, bad diet and “the high school question.”
What would April, May and June be locally without playing late-inning connect-the-relievers? A stretch drive is no fun unless predicated on a July trade to address the pen’s leaky hull.

Two years ago John Mozeliak found Octavio Dotel, Marc Rzepczynski and the just-released Arthur Rhodes and the franchise won a World Series.

Last season the club took four months to build a bridge connecting the seventh inning to the ninth. It wasn’t until ‘Mo’ traded oversold infield prospect Zack Cox to the Miami Marlins for Edward Mujica that the club achieved a modicum of normalcy; “Chief” emerged as a seventh-inning magic man who allowed rookie manager Mike Matheny a reliable late-game formula.

Now this: The Cardinals in the last week conceded three moves that subtracted relievers responsible for 215 appearances and 192 innings pitched last season.

Two moves are temporary. The third, involving closer Jason Motte, is a season-ender.

Mozeliak is mercifully past denying Mitchell Boggs’ altered mechanics and eroded confidence. He admittedly grew impatient with Rzepczynski’s lefthanded stubbornness. Both now labor for Triple-A Memphis.

And after a much-publicized last-ditch stop to rehab, Motte this week undergoes ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow. While Motte visits an orthopedist, this bullpen needs to see a plastic surgeon.

A major facelift could be in store: The Cardinals wish to resurrect Chris Carpenter from the pitching dead.

Carprenter’s career, administered last rites before spring training, again shows a pulse.

The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner recently resumed a throwing program at Busch Stadium less than three months after weakness, pain and discoloration in his right side forced him to wave off spring training.

This is no stunt or pat on the head to a veteran unwilling to concede the obvious. Both parties believe Carpenter can potentially address the gash to the bullpen’s starboard side.

“I’m candidly optimistic and excited about him contributing,” Mozeliak says.

Carpenter remains on the team’s 60-day disabled list, meaning he can not be activated sooner than the end of this month. Though no formal timetable is in place, Mozeliak thinks a projected return in late June or early July reasonable.

“I want to do what I can to help,” Carpenter said Thursday at Scottrade Center, where the former high school defenseman watched the Blues’ playoff win against the Los Angeles Kings.

“We really haven’t focused on a timetable or anything,” Mozeliak says. “We’re merely letting him go out and see what he can do. If he clears one hurdle, he proceeds to the next.”

Carpenter, 37, almost certainly would return in relief.

He would require less time conditioning to work several outs rather than pitch for six or seven innings. Just as significant, the Cardinals’ rotation easily leads both leagues in starters’ earned-run average. No weak link has been exposed .

Asked about Carpenter’s reaction, Mozeliak offers, “I’ll echo what he said. He is feeling good, which is something that I honestly would not have expected after receiving the news (of his nerve-related shoulder weakness) in February.”

Carpenter’s history is replete with amazing returns from crushing absences.

He secured his Cy Young Award after the initial manifestation of his nerve condition prevented his appearing in the 2004 postseason. Carpenter missed two seasons because of elbow and nerve issues before leading the National League in ERA in 2009.

He worked more than 273 innings in 2011, inviting a ready connection to the thoracic outlet syndrome that flared 15 months ago.

Carpenter has appeared in 18 games in relief during his 16-year career. It is not his first choice but now appears his best choice with a team that signed him as a free agent after he required shoulder surgery with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Cardinals were 18-11 through Friday, the same record they had through 29 games last season. This team’s bullpen problems have so far run deeper with Fernando Salas the only available pitcher who worked more than 50 games for the Redbirds last season.

For all its early bullpen-related angst, the Cardinals’ 2012 ’pen finished with a 3.90 ERA and a walks-hits to innings ratio (1.265) lower than the rotation (1.271).

None of the above apply to this bullpen, which carried a ridiculous 5.90 ERA into the team’s 28th game. (The New York Mets’ bullpen was next worst, at 4.87, while the Atlanta Braves led the NL at 1.94.) The bullpen’s league-high 1.55 WHIP contrasted the rotation’s 1.16 figure.

The organizational chain reaction shows no sign of ending. Motte’s injury led to Boggs assuming the ninth inning upon his return from the World Baseball Classic.

When Boggs faltered, Mujica moved from the eighth inning to the ninth.

Mujica already had been shifted from the seventh to the eighth inning because of rookie Trevor Rosenthal’s early unsteadiness.

Joe Kelly has struggled to keep his ERA below 10.00. The bullpen allowed more home runs (11) than the rotation (seven) while pitching 108 fewer innings.

Friday’s promotion of Carlos Martinez to the parent club reeked of desperation. One of the organization’s top two pitching prospects, Martinez missed spring training because of visa complications in the Dominican Republic. The club initially planned for Martinez to open the season in extended spring training but cut short his stay as Boggs stumbled. Three abbreviated starts at Class AA Springfield preceded Martinez’s arrival with the big-league club in Milwaukee, hardly the preferred progression for an elite prospect.

The bullpen remains decidedly ad-hoc. A team that has treated save chances like a coin flip will use Mujica to close for the immediate future. As for a trade, Mozeliak insists “nothing is off the table” if matters fail to improve.

Carpenter, meanwhile, continues a lonely attempt at one more remarkable return, this one borne out of both necessity and creativity.

I'm done doubting this man when it comes to the term "season-ending". A left-handed Carpenter would be better than half the stooges in our pen right now.

 

[Slateman]

Did anyone else just see Marte try to field a ball in the corner while holding his glove in his throwing hand?

 

[Woy]

Mike Matheny tried his damn hardest to give away that one. I expect the B-team to start tomorrow.

 

[Woy]

The 1913-style hats the Cardinals and Brewers will be wearing tomorrow:

 

[NAHSTE]

rice::dickey:

 

[MVPete]

Did anyone else just see Marte try to field a ball in the corner while holding his glove in his throwing hand?

I believe he actually was switching it to his throwing hand because he realized it would give him a better chance to stop the ball from going past him, and the ball was moving too quick for him to bring his left hand down. Which for as poorly as he played the ball is incredible that he reacted that quickly to try and prevent what ultimately happened. This guy has been one of the best defenders so far in the league so you probably won't see him make the same mistake twice.


http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26841121&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_26841121&v=3

 

[Slateman]

I believe he actually was switching it to his throwing hand because he realized it would give him a better chance to stop the ball from going past him, and the ball was moving too quick for him to bring his left hand down. Which for as poorly as he played the ball is incredible that he reacted that quickly to try and prevent what ultimately happened. This guy has been one of the best defenders so far in the league so you probably won't see him make the same mistake twice.


http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=26841121&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_26841121&v=3

I just want to hear his reasoning, especially to his teammates. Shit would be hilarious ...

 

[EmpireWF]

rice::dickey:

Heading into that July 1999 game, both NYY & ATL were leading their divisions:

Glavine (7-8, 4.14 ERA, 69 SO in 130.1 IP)
Clemens (8-3, 4.70 ERA, 81 SO in 88 IP

Glavine got the W that day.


Thursday, Tampa & Toronto playing beneath expectations:

Dickey (2-5, 5.36 ERA, 33 SO in 42 IP)
Price (1-3, 6.25 ERA, 40 SO in 44.2 IP)

 

[Slateman]

Bryce was mouthy, got tossed by Hercbeck on a check swing call. First time he's been tossed from a game, no?

 

[Goober]

Bryce was mouthy, got tossed by Hercbeck on a check swing call. First time he's been tossed from a game, no?

No. Do you even watch the games brah?

 

[Woy]

Time to feast on some lower-tier squads.

 

[Goober]

Time to feast on some lower-tier squads.

WTF do you call the last four days mfer?

 

[SuperKevin]

Bryce was mouthy, got tossed by Hercbeck on a check swing call. First time he's been tossed from a game, no?

He got tossed once last year for sure.

 

[Woy]

WTF do you call the last four days mfer?

We get to play the Cubs, Rockies, and Mets though!

 

[Goober]

The 2013 Milwaukee Brewers, Better then the Mets!

 

[NAHSTE]

Time to feast on some lower-tier squads.

True Life: I'm an NL Central team

 

[Slateman]

He got tossed once last year for sure.

Yea, I remember now. Slammed his helmet to the ground. At least he's not slamming it as hard now .... ^_^