Willie! (No, not that one.)
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/willie-mcgee-jim-edmonds-mike-shannon-marty-marion-join-cardinals-hall-of-fame?ymd=20140816&content_id=89970158&vkey=news_mlb
That seemed strange at first--I thought his Cardinals time was relatively brief--but no, I'd forgotten he came back for a second turn. (Had even forgotten he played all through the '90s.) Here's the thing that really surprised me, though; how favorably WAR sees his '85 MVP. Put aside Gooden for a second, and the pitcher-bias in MVP voting. (Tudor, too.) McGee indeed had the highest WAR for position players that year. I'm pretty sure James ridiculed the award in that year's Abstract, arguing that it should have gone to Dale Murphy or Pedro Guerrero.
― clemenza, Sunday, 17 August 2014 14:30 (nine years ago) link
@BNightengale 6mActor Jon Hamm provides night of respite for hurting #STLCards community with National Guard summoned to Ferguson. http://usat.ly/VAUgOP
I...what? How?
― Andy K, Tuesday, 19 August 2014 02:30 (nine years ago) link
Mathenaging!
http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/st-louis-cardinals-sabermetrics-analysis/2014/8/18/6030219/mathenaging-mike-matheny-doubles-down-on-double-standards
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 19 August 2014 15:05 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I almost posted that last night. I'm gonna guess he's done after 2015, unless there's another World Series miracle. He's just too much of a dipshit
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 19 August 2014 16:35 (nine years ago) link
or jon heyman: http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24602538/best-mlb-winter-signings-white-sox-rookie-stud-abreu-orioles-cruzThe Disappointing Five...5. Jhonny Peralta, SS, Cardinals (four years, $53M): The almost always prudent Cardinals probably knew they were paying a lot for Peralta, but they also surely expected more than a .241 batting average his first year in the deal, a 62-point falloff from 2013.
The Disappointing Five...5. Jhonny Peralta, SS, Cardinals (four years, $53M): The almost always prudent Cardinals probably knew they were paying a lot for Peralta, but they also surely expected more than a .241 batting average his first year in the deal, a 62-point falloff from 2013.
new franchise record-holder for homers by a shortstop in one season, nbd
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 02:51 (nine years ago) link
he's also leading the team in fWAR (4.4), and except for Matt Carpenter it's not particularly close
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 02:54 (nine years ago) link
Second in OPS and WAR among MLB SS -- just what were the Cardinals thinking?
xpost
― Andy K, Wednesday, 20 August 2014 02:55 (nine years ago) link
oh hi, 1st place ;) spoiled cards fan checking in!
― bnw, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 13:48 (nine years ago) link
goddamn witchcraft
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 2 September 2014 14:11 (nine years ago) link
wainwright not pitching well. wacha not back. molina misses 6 weeks. no one can hit. taveras disappointing. rosenthal walking every single 9th inning lead off hitter. justin masterson throwing batting practice every 5 games. MATHENY #MATHENAGING
= 1st place obv
― bnw, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 14:18 (nine years ago) link
Cards collapse joining NYY & BOS on their October couches wd be priceless
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 2 September 2014 14:23 (nine years ago) link
apparently all the cardinals needed was for me to leave phone reception for 4 days so they could play in peace. i return to civilization and suddenly they're in 1st place.
daniel descalso is the backup 1B, apparently?
i was assuming that molina could play 1B on occasion to give adams a rest, but i guess i was wrong
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 14:49 (nine years ago) link
fuck waino and his three rbis
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 3 September 2014 01:53 (nine years ago) link
I couldn't help but think of Stan Musial, the standard bearer of the Cardinals and a man of impeccable character. He had to be looking down from heaven with tears in his eyes.
― mookieproof, Friday, 5 September 2014 17:57 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJZ_k1rQN90
PORNOGRAPHY
― Karl Malone, Friday, 5 September 2014 18:10 (nine years ago) link
14 games over .500, four-game lead, -2 run diff
― mookieproof, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:32 (nine years ago) link
karmic payback maybe for the last few years where they significantly underperformed their pythag (at least if iirc)
― Karl Malone, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:35 (nine years ago) link
6 games under their expected record in both 2013 and 2012. last year they were expected to win 103!
― Karl Malone, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:39 (nine years ago) link
i think you rc? a few years tho, and last year they had the RISP thing (rip allen craig)
― mookieproof, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:40 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, that's definitely true. The hitting with RISP was out of control last year
― Karl Malone, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:43 (nine years ago) link
anyway it's fine, i'm just lashing out in bitterness
― mookieproof, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:47 (nine years ago) link
Got curious to see how long Stan Musial played with the 60s Cards like Bob Gibson, Curt Flood & Tim McCarver and found this box score. This is Stan Musial's last game. It's a definite changing of the guard as you have rookie Pete Rose in the lineup for the Reds along with Hall of Famer Frank Robinson. It was a matchup of a couple of the best starting pitchers in the NL at that time with Jim Maloney going for the Reds against Gibson. Looking it up, Maloney beat Gibson in the first game the Reds played against the Cards back in April. Musial got a couple hits and was lifted, probably leaving with a hit and maybe that RBI earlier in the game. This is definitely a changing of the guard moment when you look at the players in the scoreboard, considering how many of those players dominated the rest of the 60s and early 70s.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196309290.shtml
― earlnash, Friday, 5 September 2014 23:49 (nine years ago) link
see also october 1964
― mookieproof, Saturday, 6 September 2014 00:03 (nine years ago) link
The closest awards-vote after tonight might be runner-up in the NL Cy Young. Wainwright and Cueto are extremely close, and would both take the award most any other year.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 02:42 (nine years ago) link
I'm sad Zimmerman will get ignored, once again because of wins and era.
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 03:04 (nine years ago) link
Ditto Hamels, because of wins.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 03:27 (nine years ago) link
good
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 23 September 2014 06:07 (nine years ago) link
runnersup only counts in Miss America
I brought it up because this would be Wainwright's third time finishing second, with a third-place finish on top of that. He's becoming this generation's Juan Marichal to Kershaw's Koufax. (Koufax's Cys were all unanimous, but I imagine Marichal would have finished second at least twice with an expanded ballot; he was 72-27, with an ERA around 2.25, the three years Koufax won.)
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 13:00 (nine years ago) link
Arrieta triple plates two!
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 01:19 (nine years ago) link
lol the old IBB isn't working out to well for Matheny this week
― ENERGY FOOD (en i see kay), Thursday, 25 September 2014 01:22 (nine years ago) link
*too
earlier tim mccarver got really amazed at the phrase 'come into his own'. he said something like
'this guy is...well, it's an odd thing to say, i guess, but he's really coming into his own this year. that's such a weird thing to say...must be 100 years old, or older. it doesn't make any sense!! but nevertheless he has really come into his own this year...'
― Karl Malone, Thursday, 25 September 2014 01:31 (nine years ago) link
deshaies and the other dude are pretty good, you should switch imo
― mookieproof, Thursday, 25 September 2014 01:35 (nine years ago) link
yeah len and jim are my second fave broadcasters now, stat friendly, goofy without being too corny, nice guys, think unwritten rules are dumb, etc
― ENERGY FOOD (en i see kay), Thursday, 25 September 2014 01:41 (nine years ago) link
yikes. wacha does not have his stuff. get the bullpen going right NOW matheny
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 27 September 2014 01:53 (nine years ago) link
clearly alan trammell, who has already been fired, is mustering these d-bags to greater things
― mookieproof, Saturday, 27 September 2014 02:00 (nine years ago) link
truuumbo
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 28 September 2014 02:38 (nine years ago) link
starters should be interesting
1. wainwright2. lynn3. miller?4. wacha/lackey/wainwright?
― bnw, Monday, 29 September 2014 14:02 (nine years ago) link
i thought we'd all agreed that shelby miller doesn't pitch in october
― mookieproof, Monday, 29 September 2014 14:08 (nine years ago) link
yeah, the rotation is a mess. wainwright and lynn, pray for rain...in'
― Karl Malone, Monday, 29 September 2014 14:36 (nine years ago) link
i thought miller was doing much better in the second half, but really he just had a good September . still, i think he has to be part of the mix.
between lackey and wacha at #4, i'd rather see wacha combined with a very short leash, larussa 2011 style.
lackey will probably get the nod for #4 though, or even #3 because of his veteran grittiness.
― Karl Malone, Monday, 29 September 2014 14:39 (nine years ago) link
matt carpenter is the cardinals' finalist for the hank aaron award, recognizing the most outstanding offensive performer
which doesn't seem quite right
― mookieproof, Monday, 29 September 2014 18:41 (nine years ago) link
Must be a positional thing, or Holliday needs a new agent
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 29 September 2014 18:50 (nine years ago) link
time to get fired uphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9bfBJG_OCE
― bnw, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 12:35 (nine years ago) link
lackey 3, miller 4, wacha in pen
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 18:18 (nine years ago) link
Lackey for the first home game (most likely a must win after Kershaw and greinke, although I guess every game is a must win in a 5-game series) seems like a mistake.
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 18:19 (nine years ago) link
Yeah that part is odd/wrong. If you need to fire Waino again in 4, rather have him replace Lackey. Wacha in pen is right call. Bullpen needs it. Neshek looks burnt lately.
― bnw, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 18:49 (nine years ago) link
intersting: http://www.hardballtimes.com/staggered-rotations-and-postseason-win-probabilities
― mookieproof, Thursday, 2 October 2014 14:04 (nine years ago) link
The Art of Mathenaging
...Matheny is by all accounts a nice man, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the speed and madness of the postseason is too much for him. If you'll excuse an extension of the driving metaphor, he manages like someone used to cruising around a small rural town suddenly being thrust onto a heavily trafficked freeway during rush hour. He speeds up at the wrong times, he slams on his brakes for no reason, he'll panic and swerve from one lane to another, and then he'll slow down to a crawl just to make it look like he's calm now… it got a little crazy there, but it's all under control. When you're behind someone like this in traffic, you make sure you're as far away from him as possible and take pity on the poor souls in his car. I joked yesterday that you can actually hear him blinking, but seriously, with those dugout microphones, I really think you can.Matheny is a frustrating regular season tactician as well, but his primary skills as a manager are ideally suited for a long season. He looks like a leader, with that jaw and that unfocused "determination," and his players love him because he was so recently one of them and therefore understands how to keep them happy. All the little things he does during the regular season, they all even out: The game doesn't move too fast on him in the regular season because it never moves too fast in the regular season. You don't have to blink too hard over 162 games. The Cardinals have made the NLCS all three years Matheny has been manager, and while he's not personally responsible, he never completely lost control of a season the way some managers have, and he deserves credit for that.But when every single game means everything, Matheny couldn't adjust. We've seen this with other managers this postseason -- the most egregious offender had been Ned Yost, until he, sort of amazingly, suddenly started adjusting -- but Matheny may have cost his team the most. The problem with Matheny is that the trick he uses in the regular season -- putting players in predictable roles since players like their routine -- doesn't work in the postseason because you actually have to manage to win in the postseason. Matheny has generally been considered a strong manager throughout baseball because his teams have had so much regular-season success. But I suspect, after the last two days, that honeymoon is over....fter the game, Matheny's explanation of why he brought Wacha in made no sense. I don't mean that his explanation was faulty, or I disagree with it. I mean it makes no sense.'I put him in a tough spot. But you [saw] the first couple pitches come out of [his] hand and I think everybody in the baseball world asked why we had been waiting so long to let this kid throw. Just a tough spot for him to be in and not the spot we want him to be in but we'll put him out there again in a similar situation.'Lots to unpack there, but that answer is really how Matheny has managed every postseason: He goes one direction, retreats, goes another, changes course again, and then, after this confusion has ended in failure, insists that if the same thing happened again, he'd do the same thing … even if he still can't quite explain what that thing is.
Matheny is a frustrating regular season tactician as well, but his primary skills as a manager are ideally suited for a long season. He looks like a leader, with that jaw and that unfocused "determination," and his players love him because he was so recently one of them and therefore understands how to keep them happy. All the little things he does during the regular season, they all even out: The game doesn't move too fast on him in the regular season because it never moves too fast in the regular season. You don't have to blink too hard over 162 games. The Cardinals have made the NLCS all three years Matheny has been manager, and while he's not personally responsible, he never completely lost control of a season the way some managers have, and he deserves credit for that.
But when every single game means everything, Matheny couldn't adjust. We've seen this with other managers this postseason -- the most egregious offender had been Ned Yost, until he, sort of amazingly, suddenly started adjusting -- but Matheny may have cost his team the most. The problem with Matheny is that the trick he uses in the regular season -- putting players in predictable roles since players like their routine -- doesn't work in the postseason because you actually have to manage to win in the postseason. Matheny has generally been considered a strong manager throughout baseball because his teams have had so much regular-season success. But I suspect, after the last two days, that honeymoon is over.
...fter the game, Matheny's explanation of why he brought Wacha in made no sense. I don't mean that his explanation was faulty, or I disagree with it. I mean it makes no sense.
'I put him in a tough spot. But you [saw] the first couple pitches come out of [his] hand and I think everybody in the baseball world asked why we had been waiting so long to let this kid throw. Just a tough spot for him to be in and not the spot we want him to be in but we'll put him out there again in a similar situation.'
Lots to unpack there, but that answer is really how Matheny has managed every postseason: He goes one direction, retreats, goes another, changes course again, and then, after this confusion has ended in failure, insists that if the same thing happened again, he'd do the same thing … even if he still can't quite explain what that thing is.
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 18 October 2014 19:14 (nine years ago) link