End of April Observations...

jim · Post by **jim** » May 1 07, 12:28 pm

Here are some sickening numbers, not that you need them to know this team isn't scoring runs:

OBA: .312 (26)
SLG: .356 (28)
SB%: 42.9 (30)
DP%: 16.5 (1)

But we put the ball in play, and that's all that counts:

Code: Select all

K: 124 (3)

Cronos · Post by **Cronos** » May 1 07, 12:31 pm

Those are some revealing numbers, Jim. The DPs are killing us more than anything else.

As well, I've lost count of how many times the team has gotten either picked off, thrown out stretching to 2nd, thrown out at home, or just other stupid base-running mistakes and run themselves out of an inning. Obviously they're pressing for any kind of offense whatsoever, but the base-running has got to get better, though I don't believe it can be this bad forever.

I would think TLR would be running a tighter ship than it has been so far in that area.

jim · Post by **jim** » May 1 07, 12:38 pm

I'm not so sure he isn't running a looser ship with baserunning simply to try to make things happen.

More troubling news on the pitching front. We aren't striking guys out (138 which is 26th in the league) and our BABIP is pretty low for a team that I don't think is covering that much ground in the outfield (.272 which is 24th). Combine those two, and maybe we've been getting a bit lucky with the pitching.

The one bright spot is the bullpen, 6th in baseball for Fair Runs Allowed.

Jocephus · Post by **Jocephus** » May 1 07, 12:42 pm

jim wrote:I'm not so sure he isn't running a looser ship with baserunning simply to try to make things happen.

More troubling news on the pitching front. We aren't striking guys out (138 which is 26th in the league) and our BABIP is pretty low for a team that I don't think is covering that much ground in the outfield (.272 which is 24th). Combine those two, and maybe we've been getting a bit lucky with the pitching.

The one bright spot is the bullpen, 6th in baseball for Fair Runs Allowed.

and number 1 in HORP

GatewaySnayke · Post by **GatewaySnayke** » May 1 07, 12:59 pm

If Vlad Guerrero continues to hit .474/.696 or anywhere close to that, I'm going to take a guess and say that would give the Cardinals around 7-8 extra wins.

cardfaninfla · Post by **cardfaninfla** » May 1 07, 1:04 pm

And if Pujols continues to hit .250 it wouldn't matter.

GatewaySnayke · Post by **GatewaySnayke** » May 1 07, 1:11 pm

cardfaninfla wrote:And if Pujols continues to hit .250 it wouldn't matter.

Okay...

Anyways, Encarnacion isn't going to do much. If he can't hit AA pitching, I'm not so sure that he's going to hit MLB pitching, especially on a surgically-repaired wrist.

Remember, Encarnacion wasn't that good BEFORE getting injured, and he's certainly not good now.

Popeye_Card · Post by **Popeye_Card** » May 1 07, 1:47 pm

Jocephus wrote: The one bright spot is the bullpen, 6th in baseball for Fair Runs Allowed.

and number 1 in HORP[/quote]

Well, Looper moving to the rotation certainly helped there.

--P--

cardfaninfla · Post by **cardfaninfla** » May 1 07, 1:52 pm

GatewaySnayke wrote:
cardfaninfla wrote:And if Pujols continues to hit .250 it wouldn't matter.
Okay...

Anyways, Encarnacion isn't going to do much. If he can't hit AA pitching, I'm not so sure that he's going to hit MLB pitching, especially on a surgically-repaired wrist.

Remember, Encarnacion wasn't that good BEFORE getting injured, and he's certainly not good now.

Yeah, you are right, with a current OPS of .581 from our right fielders his career .700 wouldn't do any good at all AND the fact that after a really bad April he put up OPS of .809, .936 and .856 in May, June and July means nothing. In August while he continues to get hits you can see the wrist injury took all of his power when he hit .286 with only a .692 OPS.

Also after not hitting since last October, his first 15 at bats in AA are the perfect indicator of how much he can help.

I can understand folks not caring for the guy but to completely ignor that he contributed to this team last year is wrong.

Popeye_Card · Post by **Popeye_Card** » May 1 07, 1:54 pm

jim wrote:Here are some sickening numbers, not that you need them to know this team isn't scoring runs:
Code: Select all
OBA: .312 (26)
SLG: .356 (28)
SB%: 42.9 (30)
DP%: 16.5 (1)
But we put the ball in play, and that's all that counts:
Code: Select all
K: 124 (3)

I would hate to see what the Cardinals' collective BABIP looks like if they're putting the ball in play that much, and getting those sort of results.

For example, Pujols is currently at .230. Given, he's popping up a lot of pitches right now, but this team is currently VERY unlucky with the bats. The offense will come around.

My bigger concern would be that the pitching staff is starting to show a distinct dark-side. And that's without Looper's deal with the devil running out yet.

--P--