Around Baseball 2023

[BTS]

St. Louis basically became a dumpster fire overnight. Imagine realizing a month in that the catcher you just paid 90M can't catch.

[wilko]

St. Louis basically became a dumpster fire overnight. Imagine realizing a month in that the catcher you just paid 90M can't catch.

 

That's not a very Cardinal move.

[Jonn]

They should have traded for Danny Jansen when they had the chance.

[Laika]

St. Louis basically became a dumpster fire overnight. Imagine realizing a month in that the catcher you just paid 90M can't catch.

 

This is so bizarre

[G-Snarls]

This is so bizarre

 

Yadier Molina for 18 years

 

They just spoiled? Or is Contreras really that bad.

[Laika]

Yadier Molina for 18 years

 

They just spoiled? Or is Contreras really that bad.

 

I find it hard to believe that he is THAT bad

 

If he is, why the f*** would they sign him...

[Pendleton]

You would think the Cards of all teams, would have understood the importance of the position and really done their homework regarding his ability to call games/work with the pitching staff etc. They have Yadi back there for 19 seasons, including the last three where the bat had clearly dried up. Everything you valued about Yadi for his leadership and defensive ability, one would think the 90M replacement would have been vetted and assumed to have similar traits.

[Laika]

It's also just quite clearly ********

 

They have been rolling with Jake Woodford (swingman with 4.75 career FIP), Jack Flaherty (4.97 FIP in 2022) and Steven Matz (5.25 ERA in 2022) 3/5 of the time.

 

You can't put those three SP behind two mid-rotation pitchers and expect success. Mikolas has been bad but his K and BB numbers look fine, so I think it's just noise. Montgomery has been good.

 

It's a dogshit rotation and the GM should be embarrassed.

[BTS]

The situation reads like pitchers have been complaining to management about Contreras.

[Pendleton]

It's also just quite clearly ********

 

They have been rolling with Jake Woodford (swingman with 4.75 career FIP), Jack Flaherty (4.97 FIP in 2022) and Steven Matz (5.25 ERA in 2022) 3/5 of the time.

 

You can't put those three SP behind two mid-rotation pitchers and expect success. Mikolas has been bad but his K and BB numbers look fine, so I think it's just noise. Montgomery has been good.

 

It's a dogshit rotation and the GM should be embarrassed.

 

I think both can be true. Contreras likely isn't nearly what they became used to with Yadi as a game caller. While at the same time they've still failed in both putting together a good rotation and properly replacing his leadership behind the dish.

 

There might be something to the idea of Contreras not being good at calling games. The performance thus far from the Cubs pitching staff happens to be the strongest since before he took over the bulk of the starts behind the dish in 2017.

[Brownie19]

I think both can be true. Contreras likely isn't nearly what they became used to with Yadi as a game caller. While at the same time they've still failed in both putting together a good rotation and properly replacing his leadership behind the dish.

 

There might be something to the idea of Contreras not being good at calling games. The performance thus far from the Cubs pitching staff happens to be the strongest since before he took over the bulk of the starts behind the dish in 2017.

 

I may be way off here, but it feels like the ability to "call a better game" is something you should be able to teach a ML catcher - and in relatively short order. Get in the video room and figure it out. It's like guys who learned to frame better and went from being s*** to great in 1 offseason.

 

I'm also somewhat surprised with pitch-com that we don't yet have coaches calling the game from the bench.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Brownie19

[Pendleton]

I may be way off here, but it feels like the ability to "call a better game" is something you should be able to teach a ML catching - and in relatively short order. Get in the video room and figure it out. It's like guys who learned to frame better and went from being s*** to great in 1 offseason.

 

I'm also somewhat surprised with pitch-com that we don't yet have coaches calling the game from the bench.

 

I'm probably oversimplifying by just referencing game calling but overall there seems to be something to the notion that his work behind the dish is sub par.

[Brownie19]

I'm probably oversimplifying by just referencing game calling but overall there seems to be something to the notion that his work behind the dish is sub par.

 

I think I saw that by the numbers (pop time, arm strength, blocking and framing) - he seems decent/solid? They're saying things like "Yadi used to do all these little things". Don't know what that means though or why they think these backup catchers are going to be tangibly better. Something is up.

[Laika]

I think both can be true. Contreras likely isn't nearly what they became used to with Yadi as a game caller. While at the same time they've still failed in both putting together a good rotation and properly replacing his leadership behind the dish.

 

There might be something to the idea of Contreras not being good at calling games. The performance thus far from the Cubs pitching staff happens to be the strongest since before he took over the bulk of the starts behind the dish in 2017.

 

I could buy that he is a below average catcher or that he is not amazing at the hard to quantify catchery leadership stuff.

 

But bad at it to the point that he needs to be removed from the position?

 

It's just so weird. And it doesn't seem like a sensible way to get a positive response from the player

[Stangstag]

It's also just quite clearly ********

 

They have been rolling with Jake Woodford (swingman with 4.75 career FIP), Jack Flaherty (4.97 FIP in 2022) and Steven Matz (5.25 ERA in 2022) 3/5 of the time.

 

You can't put those three SP behind two mid-rotation pitchers and expect success. Mikolas has been bad but his K and BB numbers look fine, so I think it's just noise. Montgomery has been good.

 

It's a dogshit rotation and the GM should be embarrassed.

 

This is a huge slap in the face to Contreras IMO, to sign a guy for 5 years and 1 month in you move him to DH for "reasons". I'd have to think this might hurt their ability to sign free agents going forward.

[Laika]

This is a huge slap in the face to Contreras IMO, to sign a guy for 5 years and 1 month in you move him to DH for "reasons". I'd have to think this might hurt their ability to sign free agents going forward.

 

It reads like punishment

 

I wonder if Contreras got into a tit for tat with Wainwright or something like that

[MikeM3]

Mozeliak trying to shift the blame for how s*** their pitching is. There's no way a catcher can struggle with game calling nowadays. As if game calling can even make a huge difference either. 75% of pitchers are fastball/slider.

[Pendleton]

I could buy that he is a below average catcher or that he is not amazing at the hard to quantify catchery leadership stuff.

 

But bad at it to the point that he needs to be removed from the position?

 

It's just so weird. And it doesn't seem like a sensible way to get a positive response from the player

 

Yeah it does seem like an overreaction, the whole situation is odd.

[Brownie19]

Brett Phillips has a higher WAR as a pitcher than Tyler Anderson.

 

Brett Phillips has a higher WAR as a pitcher than as a hitter.

 

That's all I've got today.

[G-Snarls]

It reads like punishment

 

I wonder if Contreras got into a tit for tat with Wainwright or something like that

 

And they're playing at Wrigley this week

[Jonn]

I wonder if he will ask for a trade soon,

[Stangstag]

[BTS]

Mason Miller is broken already

[John_Havok]

not sure if true, but these are the supposed Baltimore Orioles City connect Jerseys.

 

 

 

I guess the Great Britain style is really starting to take off.

[harvey16]

The Cards are probably one of the biggest suprises of the year. They were favorites to win the Division and are now bottom feeders in the league. Them and the White Sox are probably the biggest underacheivers so far on the season. While Pittsburgh, TB and Baltimore are the biggest overachievers. Can't see TB keeping up this pace though, they've had an incredibly soft schedule. They will still be in the mix for the Division though because of the crazy hot start they had. They might regress, but probably still win 95+ games.

[John_Havok]

The Cards are probably one of the biggest suprises of the year. They were favorites to win the Division and are now bottom feeders in the league. Them and the White Sox are probably the biggest underacheivers so far on the season. While Pittsburgh, TB and Baltimore are the biggest overachievers. Can't see TB keeping up this pace though, they've had an incredibly soft schedule. They will still be in the mix for the Division though because of the crazy hot start they had. They might regress, but probably still win 95+ games.

 

If you had to rate which is the bigger surprise.... The Rays playing .800 ball or the Cardinals sucking, which would it be?

[Spanky__99]

Mozeliak trying to shift the blame for how s*** their pitching is. There's no way a catcher can struggle with game calling nowadays. As if game calling can even make a huge difference either. 75% of pitchers are fastball/slider.

 

This is how it all plays out to me. Watch Contreras will want out after this, pretty bush from the Cards.

[Jonn]

This is how it all plays out to me. Watch Contreras want out after this, pretty bush from the Cards.

 

He should want out. He had tons of teams after him. He choose the Cardinals. I doubt he's cool with just not catching going forward.

[Spanky__99]

That was a good read folks, well done. It really is an odd turn of events.

[Spanky__99]

He should want out. He had tons of teams after him. He choose the Cardinals. I doubt he's cool with just not catching going forward.

 

I wouldn't blame him, imagine getting tossed under the bus in the first week of May, lol. I'd certainly want out.