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Cardinals will be fine

Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:39 AM
Filed Under: St. Louis Cardinals
by William J. Tasker
@FlagrantFan

What is the matter, Cardinal Nation? Does the team have you down? Are you disappointed with the .500 record of 31-31? Are you upset that the team is only 14-14 at home? Do the injuries to Chris Carpenter, Lance Berkman, John Jay, Jaime Garcia, Kyle McClellan and Skip Schumaker give you a fatalistic feeling? Does it seem to you that the Cincinnati Reds are a better team this year? I watch you on Twitter. I see your consternation. But then again, I saw it last season too. You needed a pep talk then. You need one again now. Everything is going to be just fine in the end.

Let's take a pulse of this current 2012 St. Louis Cardinals. They are wicked good (as we say here in New England) on offense. The team is second in the National League in runs scored, first in OPS, second in OBP and first in homers. The pitching is not as bad as you think. The team is sixth in the league in runs allowed, fourth in strikeout to walk ratio, but the bullpen--especially at the end of the game--has been a problem. The team is third from the bottom in save percentage at 55 percent. But that was a problem in the early going last year too. That did not turn out too badly, now did it?

The pitching might be better if the fielding was better. The team currently ranks fourth from the bottom in fielding efficiency. They are much better in fielding percentage, but that stat is discounted much these days. Though I think it still counts.

As the Cardinals proved last year, bullpens can be rebuilt in a matter of weeks. And if they cannot do so internally, a deal by the trade deadline should be available. As for the defense, that was a problem last year and the team won the World Series.

Despite two months of mediocrity, the team is only three games off the pace in the NL Central. So say this has been the worst stretch the Cardinals have all season. They have gone through it and still remain firmly in the hunt. And just to add to those positive feelings, here are several reasons why the Cardinals will be just fine:

  • Despite its injury-depleted condition, the Cardinals still have a better rotation than the Reds or the Pirates despite what the runs allowed say.
  • Adam Wainwright has had significant gains in velocity in his last two outings. It's only a matter of time before he starts stringing effective starts together.
  • Carlos Beltran does not go in slumps.
  • The Cardinals are currently 5-10 in one-run games and 1-3 in extra inning games. That will not continue and will even out as the season goes along.
  • The batters have been solid in high leverage situations and with runners in scoring position. This is a team that knows how to get the runs home.
  • The team is second to only the Dodgers in run differential. As such, their current record is five full games below where they should be according to Pythagorean win-loss statistic.
  • The Cardinals always seem to get the right player at the trade deadline.
  • A lot of the Reds' offensive weaknesses are hidden by Joey Votto's lofty stats. He can't carry them alone all season. The Cardinals have a more rounded attack. This is as good as the Pirates' offense is going to get and it won't get any better.
  • They have the best catcher in baseball.
You are just going to have to trust me on this. The St. Louis Cardinals will be just fine this season and if they do not make the playoffs, there will be no more surprised person in all of New England than this guy right here. The competition is not going to run away and hide. And the division is there for the team and is just one hot streak away.


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2 Comments

2 Comments | Leave a comment

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Stevo-sama | June 13, 2012 1:55 PM | Reply

Mr Tasker, here you are sounding a lot like I did last year!

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Bill Miller | June 13, 2012 9:05 PM | Reply

Seems like a reasonable analysis. Can't find much fault with it. With two Wild Card spots available, it would be a surprise if the Cards don't make it into the playoffs. Beltran and Yadier might end up being co-MVP's this year.
Bill

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Heroes
Carlos Beltran (5)
Matt Holliday (4)
Jon Jay (4)
Daniel Descalso (3)
Matt Carpenter (3)
Jaime Garcia (3)
Shelby Miller (3)
Yadier Molina (3)
Adam Wainwright (3)
Allen Craig (2)
Pete Kozma (2)
Lance Lynn (2)
Edward Mujica (2)
Jake Westbrook (2)
Joe Kelly (1)
Tyler Lyons (1)
Seth Maness (1)
Trevor Rosenthal (1)
Ty Wigginton (1)

2012 Top Hero: Matt Holliday (17)
2011 Top Hero: Lance Berkman (24)
2010 Top Heroes: Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols (24)
2009 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (28)
2008 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (25)

Goats
David Freese (5)
Jon Jay (5)
Joe Kelly (4)
Mitchell Boggs (3)
Matt Carpenter (3)
Allen Craig (3)
Daniel Descalso (3)
Jaime Garcia (3)
Pete Kozma (3)
Yadier Molina (3)
Matt Carpenter (2)
Lance Lynn (2)
Carlos Beltran (1)
Matt Holliday (1)
Seth Maness (1)
Shane Robinson (1)
Fernando Salas (1)
Adam Wainwright (1)
Jake Westbrook (1)

2012 Top Goat: Rafael Furcal (11)
2011 Top Goat: Ryan Theriot (12)
2010 Top Goat: Brendan Ryan (14)
2009 Top Goats: Rick Ankiel and Todd Wellemeyer (13)
2008 Top Goat: Troy Glaus (13)

Cardinal Nation Approval Ratings (March 2013)
Yadier Molina 96.2% (up 8.8%)
Chris Carpenter 89.8% (down 0.3%)
Derrick Goold 89.1% (up 6.3%)
Matt Holliday 88.4% (up 0.9%)
Allen Craig 88.3%
Adam Wainwright 88.2% (down 3.7%)
Jose Oquendo 87.1% (up 2.4%)
Jason Motte 86.9%
John Mozeliak 86.5% (up 1.1%)
United Cardinal Bloggers 85.2% (up 6.3%)
Bill DeWitt 85.1% (up 5.3%)
Mike Shannon 85.1% (down 0.2%)
John Rooney 84.5% (up 3.0%)
Mike Matheny 84.4% (up 3.3%)
David Freese 82.9% (down 2.6%)
Jon Jay 81.8% (up 10.7%)
Lance Berkman 80.6% (down 8.0%)
Jenifer Langosch 79.5%
Lance Lynn 79.5%
Dan McLaughlin 76.0% (up 8.0%)
Jim Hayes 73.0% (up 1.1%)
Ricky Horton 65.5% (down 2.0%)
Jaime Garcia 64.1%
Albert Pujols 59.2% (up 4.3%)
Ballpark Village 58.3%
Joe Strauss 54.3% (down 13.4%)

2012
Tony La Russa 88.2% (up 17.4%)
Mark McGwire 82.6% (up 20.1%)
Skip Schumaker 73.3% (up 9.2%)
B.J. Rains 69.5% (down 0.9%)
Kyle Lohse 68.9% (up 13.8%)
Al Hrabosky 66.4% (up 3.2%)
Colby Rasmus 46.5% (down 35.3%)

2011
Dave Duncan 87.9% (up 0.9%)
Matthew Leach 85.5%
Pop Warner 76.7%
Ryan Franklin 72.8% (up 3.1%)
John Vuch 68.9%
Jeff Luhnow 66.4%
Dan Lozano 58.7%

2009
Rick Ankiel 83.9%
Chris Duncan 69.1%


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