by Steve Dunford
When it comes to the Cardinals, I am disgusted. Every fan I know is disgusted. The broadcasters have been calling the team out frequently.
This is my 42nd year of being a fan the team. There has been very few games that I have not at least read a box score. My neighbor growing up, Arno Dubree used to get the Globe Democrat and the Post Dispatch. He would give them to me from the time I was five or six. I even called Ron Jacober a few times on KMOX, during Sports Open Line and one night he asked how old I was. I said 12 or 13. He said kid, you know your stuff.
When I get disgusted, I refer to the St. Louis Cardinals as buzzards. It seems like when I call them that for a few days, they go on a hot streak. I hope it works.
The 1990’s were lean times. August Busch IV did not care much about the product on the field. Their was limited payroll, and you had to listen to Bob Carpenter talk up Allen Watson every five days. Joe Torre did a good job for several years playing .500 ball with some of those teams.
Since Bill Dewitt purchased the team from Anheuser-Busch, the winning tradition of St. Louis has came back. As Cardinal fans, we have became spoiled.
Even the awful teams of the 90’s, I am more disgusted with this team than I have ever been. Coming into tonight, the Cardinals are 26-30 and one game back from the cellar from the Buccos. Yes, this is a Shannonism from the 70’s, when Happy Days was the number one show on ABC.
The bright side is, the Cardinals are only 3 1/2 games out of first place. Every game in the Chicago series was winnable. Carlos Martinez had very good stuff and the Cardinals blew the lead on Monday as well. He was just left in a couple batters too long. It is hard for Manager Mike Matheny to trust his Gasoline House Gang in the bullpen.
You can sit back observe and watch. What I am about to say comes from clues that I have picked up on over the last couple of years. I was kicked out of a Cardinal group on Social Media from what I am about to say.
There is a huge rift between manager Mike Matheny and General Manager John Mozelak. This was apparent to me when Mo dealt struggling OF/1B Allen Craig to the Red Sox for P John Lackey. Matheny was not to fond of the Cardinals picking up catcher A.J. Pierzynski when Yadier Molina went down that season.
Shortly after this, former Post Dispatch writer, and now talk show host on 101 ESPN Bernie Miklasz coined the phrase Mike Guys.
Since Craig has been traded, the Mike Guys on the roster have became obvious. It seems like the only way that the Cardinal skipper won’t keep running them out there is to trade them or release them.
There were two Mike Guys that Mo has released this year, and one that will hopefully be given his walking papers in a few days. They are, relief pitchers Miguel Socolovich and Jonathan Broxton and 3B-SS Johnny Peralta.
Broxton is in the Tampa Bay organization pitching in AAA. Socolovich has not been picked up by anyone.
Since John Brebbia and John Gant has been called up to the big leagues, they have been used very little. Yes they did mop up work last night, but they have pitched very little. Tyler Lyons is reluctantly used. The Cardinals carry 13 pitchers and only use ten.
Matt Bowman has been overused. Siegriest and Cecil have been awful to say the least. With the dropoff of Siegrist’s fastball, I think he has arm problems. Every time Cecil pitches, I think we have four years of him being beat around. Trevor Rosenthal and Seung Hwan Oh have been very good.
With little playing time for 1B Matt Adams, Mo moved him for a Class A prospect. I could not help but think, how nice it would have been to have Adams in the middle of the order at Chicago last weekend.
There are several that claim that Peralta has trade value. I just don’t see it. Who would want a limited defensively infielder who is hitting .204 and hasn’t driven in a run all year? Matheny could not help but give veteran preference to Peralta in Chicago over Greg Garcia at third, when Jedd Gyroko was on paternity leave.
Matheny continues to run Matt Carpenter out there on a daily basis, even though he is flirting with the Mendzoa line. When Kolten Wong is activated, Matheny will plug him in there. Paul DeJong does not deserve to go to Memphis. I am curious what the Cardinals will do with him. He has shown good range on the infield and has a little pop in his bat. He could be a very good utility man off the bench. He could platoon with Wong, as he still struggles against left-handed pitching as well.
Carpenter is on the top of the list as a Mike guy. I am unsure is Wong is. Randall Grichuk was, as he played nearly everyday before being sent to A ball.
The only bright spots so far has been the rotation, and the numbers that Gyroko is putting up, and the spark that Magnerius Sierra and Tommy Pham brought to the team a few weeks ago. I am starting to believe that Michael Wacha is more suited for the bullpen. He is already losing stamina in early June.
I knew Sierra was going back down when he did not get the start last Saturday at Wrigley. I think this was another Mike Guy stunt. Yes he botched the ball in LF, and asked why he did start him in his natural position CF, Matheny rattled on about the veteran preference of Dexter Fowler.
I am not to worried about Fowler, yet. If he is still hitting .225 in August, it is time to be concerned. Pham is very streaky. Stephen Piscotty has been swinging the bat well of late and his average is now in the .250s and climbing.
I am hearing a lot of calls to make a big trade. I say give it until around the All-Star break to determine if the Cards will be buyers or sellers. If we are sellers, Lance Lynn could bring a lot of prospects. The Cardinals should have given him a Leake type deal in April. He has no effects from Tommy John.
Trevor Rosenthal is arbitration eligible. He would be probably someone who would go next in a fire sale. Mo said if they become sellers the only ones on the MLB roster that would be safe is Yadi and Adam Wainwright because of no trade clauses, Carlos Martinez, and Anthony Reyes. He mentioned Carson Kelly and Jack Flarady, a pitcher who the Cardinals are high on was promoted to Memphis this week.
If the Cards in up buyers, one or two bats are needed. I am encouraged by the Chirstian Yelich talks.
