The numbers game is more important than wins

by Steve Dunford 

I slept through the most of the series with the Dodgers, in which they dropped two out of three.  I looked at the box score this morning and thought to myself, Brett Cecil must be getting right.

In the box score he worked an inning without giving up a run.  But he let two runs score that was charged to Michael Wacha.

Cecil is one of those who in the Cardinal organization the numbers game is more important than wins.  It is obvious that he is not right.  With the 15 day disabled list being shortened to 10 days now, find something to put him on the disabled list.  Let him have the ten days and go on a rehab assignment to Memphis.

Cardinal manager Mike Matheny has said repeatedly through the year we have to get him right, and the best way is to pitch.  If the Cardinals will not put him on the disabled list, the only time he should pitch is in a mop up role.

It seems like that role is going to Tyler Lyons right now.  I foresee Lyons being used in the role that Hector Villenueva was a few years ago.  He needs to be saved “just in case” we have a game that goes 17 innings.

I have referred to Cecil as Randy Choate 2.0, as Cardinal mangager Mike Matheny would put him in key spots and he would get hit hard.

Kevin Siegrist has been roughed up early, but has been better late. I would feel more comfortable with him or Tyler Lyons getting the ball to get a key lefty out.

The starting pitching overall has been stellar.  There have been several good starts wasted this year.  The offense has struggled at times.  Even though Wacha had a bad start last night, he is a fifth starter that would be a number three on a lot of teams.

Here is were the numbers game comes in.  John Mozeliak locked Cecil up for four years.  Cardinal manager Mike Matheny is one that prefers veteran preference.  Cecil has been given high leverage spots all year because of that.

Jhonny Peralta is on the roster because of the numbers game.  They rushed him in his rehab assignment because, “he could help the ball club.”  His call up was at the expense of Magnerius Sierra, who just hit .367 when he was up with the big club.  Him, along with Tommy Pham brought some excitement to the club with speed.  It was reminiscent to they days of Whitey ball.

You can be on rehab for 30 days.  This is veteran preference and the numbers game.  You send a rookie down to AA, for an over the hill former SS who has terrible range.

Hopefully Peralta can prove me wrong, and give the Cardinals a big bat off the bench.  I think it is time to release him and cut ties with him.  But Mo has to save face and keep him, because of ten million reasons.

Yes Peralta started at 3B, and gave Jedd Gyroko the day off.  Gyroko has been knocking the cover off the ball, and has been very solid defensively at third.  I am afraid the veteran presence of Peralta will give Matheny a toy to play with.  There has already been a big decrease in Greg Garcia’s playing time, and you will see Peralta in there at least once a week for Gyroko.  It is good to see Garcia in there tonight, giving Aledmys Diaz the day off.

Before the hamstring injury, Stephen Piscotty was hovering around the Mendoza line.  The rehab days could have been used to get back on track down at Memphis.  Instead Matt Adams is now an Atlanta Brave to make room for him.

It hampered Adams because the only position he can play is 1B.  The Cardinals were sold on not having Matt Carpenter slide over to second or third to get his bat in the lineup occasionally.

Adams has improved so much defensively, I would say he is a plus defender now.  He has already made an impact, filling in for the injured Freddie Freeman.

The trade of Adams weakened the bench considerably.  There is no one now who is a long ball threat coming off the bench.  I am glad he gets the opportunity to play everyday.

There has been little OF production out of Randall Grichuk, Dexter Fowler, and Piscotty.  Tonight Grichuk gets the start in RF, Pham in LF and Fowler in CF.  Piscotty is sitting.

Until he quits hitting, Pham should be in there everyday.  I understand him not making the club out of spring training, Jose Martinez had a great spring.  Pham is producing and brings energy to the lineup.  I can’t put a finger on it but there was just something missing.  Sierra and Pham brought a much needed spark.

Another victim of the numbers game was right handed reliever, Sam Tuivailala.  He gets sent to Memphis with a 3.27 ERA with Miguel Socolovich and Johnathan Broxton with ERA’s north of 6.00.

Both Soclovich and Broxton would have to be released.  Socolovich has been solid in the last few years that he did the I-55 shuffle from St. Louis to Memphis.  Broxton has pitched better of late, but I still squirm when he comes into pitch.

There has been times in the past Socolovich has pitched well enough to stay, but has been sent down.  I think he has some worth, and could be traded for the famous player to be named later.

Tuivailala had some nasty stuff in his last few appearances.  There is no better way to say it, but the back end of the Cardinal pen has been awful.  He was one of the bright spots.  Like the other moves, he is pitching in Memphis because of the numbers game.

Here are some examples of the numbers game.  As a long time Cardinal fan I want to see the best 25 on the field.  The rotation has been the best of any Cardinal teams that I have watched over the 42 years as a fan.  It is time for MM and Mo to start worrying about wins first.

I hate painting a dreary picture.  Yes I do get pessimistic at time about the Cardinals and some have questioned about my loyalty as a fan.  Trust me, one of my passions in life is Cardinal Baseball.  That is the reason I get pessimistic.