OT: OT: Lets Go Cardinals! (All Baseball Talk Here) Part 2

[Allens Five Hole]

As much as I harp about getting an everyday LH bat for the lineup, one thing I would prefer to see is Carlson quit his switch-hitting farce. His career splits are absolutely shocking.

vs RHP as LHB	289		933	822		185	48	8	21	86	0	0	85	214	.225	.307	.380	.686	312	12	16	0	10	3	3	.275	88
	vs LHP as RHB	151		293	262		83	20	1	8	37	0	0	25	67	.317	.377	.492	.869	129	2	2	1	3	0	3	.395	138

 

[bleedblue1223]

Probably an unpopular option. But, if they don't get a big guy in free agency, I'm perfectly fine with Edman being our everyday Shortstop.

As long as Gorman/Yepez are relegated to DH and Donavan is our 2B.

Donavan has great OBP and good defensively (just won a GG in his Rookie year) Edman needs to bring more at the Plate but is superb defensively.

We need much more from the OF than we got last year. O'Neill, Carlson, and Nootbaar combined for just two more home runs last year than O'Neill hit by himself the year before.

Also get a elite catcher and a better bullpen.

Yeah, I've never understood the obsession with SS., Edman is very good there. We just need another big bat somewhere.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

As much as I harp about getting an everyday LH bat for the lineup, one thing I would prefer to see is Carlson quit his switch-hitting farce. His career splits are absolutely shocking.

vs RHP as LHB	289		933	822		185	48	8	21	86	0	0	85	214	.225	.307	.380	.686	312	12	16	0	10	3	3	.275	88
	vs LHP as RHB	151		293	262		83	20	1	8	37	0	0	25	67	.317	.377	.492	.869	129	2	2	1	3	0	3	.395	138

Carlson and Edman Are both much better on the Right Handed side. I'd much rather them both stay on that side.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

Carlson and Edman Are both much better on the Right Handed side. I'd much rather them both stay on that side.

Edman at least has respectable numbers from the left side. He has zero pop from the left side but his splits otherwise are fairly comparable and its important to have him bat from the left side, IMO.

Carlson is essentially just a free out 80% of the year since we only face righties because our lineup is so right-hand heavy.

With switch-hitting, you are always going to favor one side, usually your dominant side, but Carlson takes it to the extreme. Check out Cedric Mullins who was a switch hitter who gave it up and now he's an All Star caliber OF. That is what Carlson is if he just scraps the left-handed AB's.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Edman at least has respectable numbers from the left side. He has zero pop from the left side but his splits otherwise are fairly comparable and its important to have him bat from the left side, IMO.

Carlson is essentially just a free out 80% of the year since we only face righties because our lineup is so right-hand heavy.

With switch-hitting, you are always going to favor one side, usually your dominant side, but Carlson takes it to the extreme. Check out Cedric Mullins who was a switch hitter who gave it up and now he's an All Star caliber OF. That is what Carlson is if he just scraps the left-handed AB's.

Oh that's definitely fair. And I agree. Carlson needs to go RH only immediately.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm surprised analytics hasn't nuked switch hitters that suck at it.

 

[joe galiba]

Yeah, he seems like quite an unlikeable chap to be totally honest. I don't have the hate-on most Cards fans do for him but he doesn't exactly brighten up the room.

I'll reserve full judgment on how I think next season will go until Opening Day but right now, just taking his words at face value, it seems like we're okay being that 90 win team that gets a 3 seed and plays roulette with a Wild Card team like we did this year. And that scares me because we do not have the horses in our rotation that others (like the Phils did) do to carry us through a short series.

i think only a very small portion of the fan base dislikes Mo
just a small loud subset in certain echo chambers, mostly repeating the same crap over and over
you can tell the difference from those who rationally disagree with decisions of his by the lack of hate in their discussions about him

 

[joe galiba]

Probably an unpopular option. But, if they don't get a big guy in free agency, I'm perfectly fine with Edman being our everyday Shortstop.

As long as Gorman/Yepez are relegated to DH and Donavan is our 2B.

Donavan has great OBP and good defensively (just won a GG in his Rookie year) Edman needs to bring more at the Plate but is superb defensively.

We need much more from the OF than we got last year. O'Neill, Carlson, and Nootbaar combined for just two more home runs last year than O'Neill hit by himself the year before.

Also get a elite catcher and a better bullpen.

Edman, Carlson (from the left side) and Gorman should all be much better hitters with the elimination of the shift
should help Arenado some too
probably won’t help Donovan or Goldschmidt

 

[Linkens Mastery]

 

[Linkens Mastery]

A player I wouldn't be surprised if the Cards tried to grab would be Bellinger. LH bat CF, 19 HRs last year. He's also only 27.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

A player I wouldn't be surprised if the Cards tried to grab would be Bellinger. LH bat CF, 19 HRs last year. He's also only 27.

Forgot the Dodgers let him go. Would be a fantastic signing. He has legitimate MVP upside if he can ever find that again (unlikely). He plays a very good CF too.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Forgot the Dodgers let him go. Would be a fantastic signing. He has legitimate MVP upside if he can ever find that again (unlikely). He plays a very good CF too.

One of my best friends is a diehard Dodgers fan and he’s pretty upset they Bellinger go. He’d be a fantastic addition.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Bellinger is swinging with Matt Holliday and his son

 

[TheDizee]

Forgot the Dodgers let him go. Would be a fantastic signing. He has legitimate MVP upside if he can ever find that again (unlikely). He plays a very good CF too.

a LHB tyler oneil?

No thank you. We need OFs who can hit get on base and drive in our MVP duo, not hit .185 and strike out 200 times.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

a LHB tyler oneil?

No thank you. We need OFs who can hit get on base and drive in our MVP duo, not hit .185 and strike out 200 times.

I agree. Who do you have in mind as an alternative? Depending on cost, Bellinger is a great example of a low risk high reward type of signing I would be on board with. The player best suited for us in FA, Brandon Nimmo, is going to be paid way too much for my liking.

What we need most is a LHB that can play every day and allow our best bats (all right handed) to hit against more left handed pitching. We faced righties something like 8% more than the MLB average (71% to 79%). That is how you neutralize our MVP duo.

 

[TheDizee]

I agree. Who do you have in mind as an alternative? Depending on cost, Bellinger is a great example of a low risk high reward type of signing I would be on board with. The player best suited for us in FA, Brandon Nimmo, is going to be paid way too much for my liking.

What we need most is a LHB that can play every day and allow our best bats (all right handed) to hit against more left handed pitching. We faced righties something like 8% more than the MLB average (71% to 79%). That is how you neutralize our MVP duo.

Let Edman play 2B and sign Trea Turner. Trade for Murphy from OAK. The Cardinals would seriously have the best infield in baseball on both offense and defense. Every single infielder would win a gold glove and be more than capable in their own ways with the bat. By having an elite infield like that, it allows you to focus more on speed and defense in the outfield which has been our strength.

I would give Donovan more time in the OF to prep him for a corner spot, he is a spark plug and a quality MLB player IMO. And he is a LHB. If he can provide average defense defensively, you play him 90% of the time out there. Then for the other 2 spots, do a mix of platoons. The Cardinals have a lot of options including Oneill and Carlson who I both think are capable bats provided they can stay healthy.

None of this will happen though since we love to dumpster dive. So we will sign Contreras and let Dejong get 500ABs.

 

[Allens Five Hole]

Let Edman play 2B and sign Trea Turner. Trade for Murphy from OAK. The Cardinals would seriously have the best infield in baseball on both offense and defense. Every single infielder would win a gold glove and be more than capable in their own ways with the bat. By having an elite infield like that, it allows you to focus more on speed and defense in the outfield which has been our strength.

I would give Donovan more time in the OF to prep him for a corner spot, he is a spark plug and a quality MLB player IMO. And he is a LHB. If he can provide average defense defensively, you play him 90% of the time out there. Then for the other 2 spots, do a mix of platoons. The Cardinals have a lot of options including Oneill and Carlson who I both think are capable bats provided they can stay healthy.

None of this will happen though since we love to dumpster dive. So we will sign Contreras and let Dejong get 500ABs.

Yeah, I mean in a perfect world, it would be great to go after those targets. I would be absolutely over the moon if we signed Trea Turner as, IMO, he is one of the top 5 all around players in baseball. It would certainly give us the best infield in baseball. I'm not sure what it would take to get Murphy and I would be okay with signing Contreras if the A's are asking for too much.

Depending on price, signing Bellinger, Rodon and trading for Murphy would constitute a job well done for me. That would theoretically have us go into Opening Day with:

1. Edman
2. Goldschmidt
3. Arenado
4. Bellinger
5. TON
6. Murphy
7. Carlson
8. Gorman/Walker/Yepez/Nootbaar
9. Donovan
Rodon

You can move Bellinger up to 4 or down based around matchups and how others are doing but I typed it out this way to alternate RH and LH a little more frequently. I think that a top of the rotation ace is extremely important with this group because right now, we have no one anywhere near that caliber and come playoff time, you have to have a horse (preferrably 2) to ride with.

My comments are moreso related to what I feel we can/will do based on the comments Mo made (IE Edman is his SS).

 

[BadgersandBlues]

Man, a Murphy-Goldy-Edman-Turner-Arenado infield....holy cow. Every pitcher should throw two pitches, sinker and slider. That's it. Changeup if you're feeling spicy. I don't want anything up in the zone, I don't want any hanging breaking balls. Just sinkers and sliders at the knees on the outside please and thank you.

 

[SoupNazi]

Forgot the Dodgers let him go. Would be a fantastic signing. He has legitimate MVP upside if he can ever find that again (unlikely). He plays a very good CF too.

I think he'll find his bat again, but I doubt we ever see the MVP-level Bellinger again.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think he'll find his bat again, but I doubt we ever see the MVP-level Bellinger again.

Agreed. Above average bat with above average defense in the CF.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I don't understand how the Braves would be the Destination anyways.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

If we get either Murphy or Contreras I'll be ecstatic.

My perfect offseason would be a combination of

Contreras or Murphy
Turner or Bogaerts
Rodon
Bullpen help
Resign Quintana
Bellinger or another LH outfielder with pop.

 

[SoupNazi]

I don't understand how the Braves would be the Destination anyways.

 

[Linkens Mastery]