I am a pinch hitter for Ryan. And, just as when Zack Short comes in late to pinch hit, you expect crap, but maybe something good can happen.
“That ol’ Debil Magic.” How the last 2 years have seemed to strain that right out of the St. Louis Cardinals!!! Strained out like trying to utilize the grounds in the bottom of your coffee maker (or Keurig Cup [I do know what the damn things are, I just don’t like them]) and trying to run water back through. Most of the “goodie” is gone and what is left isn’t offset by the remaining crud. Yep, that is the 2024 St. Louis Cardinals.
This version of the Cardinals is not totally hopeless. They sit at 50 and 46 (to our 53 and 42) but whereas the good guys have a run differential of +65. the Redbirds are -38. So, these weak previously used coffee grounds have a little of that magic left.
Tonight, we will face Sonny Gray. He is by far the enemy’s best starter this year so far. His WAR is 1.3 and the next best is Kyle Gibson at .9 (although they have several relievers at 1 or better, meaning they can compete late with our crew, so no hibernation, o.k.?
Spencer Schwellenbach goes for the Braves. He is on 7 days since his last start. And, at this point, it looks like Charlie goes on 6 tomorrow and will be followed by Fried and Lopez on 8 except for a small All Star game appearance.
So, will any hitter actually BE a hitter? It is a deeper question than ever thought of by Hamlet. I really think we need either a short stop or one outfielder, or both. And, if they don’t have better news than I have on Michael Harris II (still not running), then the outfielder is critical, and the shortstop is wishing for a hitting miracle for Arcia (OR BLOCKBUSTER: HERE COMES NACHO SUPREME)
O. K. AA, miscellaneous other front office, Snit, his staff, and players. There needs to be a constant review of who is going to get right and get tight. Then, if they don’t, get them out of sight.
I would like them to flip Ozuna and Albies in the order. Ozuna 2nd, Albies 5th.
Laureano is back from the IL. They outrighted Brian Anderson to make room.
Arcia looks so bad
The offensive ineptitude continues
This game is proving jonathanF’s point from his post earlier this week regarding the importance of home runs. If the Braves had at least one homer so far this game, they would not be getting shut out.
If they had at least one run, they wouldn’t be getting shut out.
Still on the all star break it appears
I don’t think one hitter is going to change this, but an OF and SS might help. This is painful to watch – just two hits……..against Kyle Gibson.
OK, three hits…… pitiful. Is TdA really the only guy on this team that can hit????
And then freaking Eddie Rosario solves the problem.
Helpful that we have Short leading off the 10th. Absolutely has to be a bunt, right?
Offensively, it seems like the team leadership sat down over the break and decided that they will have to refocus on manufacturing runs old style. It’s an interesting choice, given that they don’t really have the team speed for such a move, nor the type of bench numbers to be able to do so. But, maybe it was just the game circumstances…
I doubt they are planning to change the approach. It was a two run homer after all that tied it. And the sac bunt in the 10th was entirely a function of Zack Short leading off.
So Elder doesn’t have it tonight