Pitching: Weighing Down the Team

Dear Redbirds,

When I picture the 2012 Cardinals, I see this: a bird attempting to take flight with a lead ball and chain attached to its feet.  Figuratively, the pitching is that ball and chain.  The offense does all it can-- it still leads the NL in most offensive categories!-- while the pitching is keeping this team from flying away from the division.

Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch wrote an article going into detail about how the poor effort by the pitching staff lead to a sub .500 May.  He mentions that in the last 20 games the Cardinals are  7-13 with SIX bullpen losses. SIX.

Is this team going to deal with a BLOWpen all  year like last year's?  It's annoying because it is the ONLY really glaring problem with this team (well, that and the starters not pitching deep into games, which could alleviate some to the bullpen problems...).  We've had the best offense in the National League for a season and two months now.  This team gets its pitching together, it is most definitely a better team that 2011 because our defense is also (mostly) good.

Basically, he says what we all know, what I said all last month: the pitching sucks and its making the team lose games the offense had done MORE than enough to win.

The offense is still clicking even with weekly losses of key components-- that's because this team is DEEP.  I cannot wait until everyone is healthy again, because right now we are playing our depth.  And that's scary.  But it's also great that the depth is keeping it up.  I just hope they don't decide to falter in June-- ugh, imagine if they have a funk this month along with the pitching-- ugh!  I'll die!

Anyway, PITCHERS-- shape up! Starters, your goal for June is to go deep into games! Aim for seven innings, go no less than six.

The worse part about the losses is how close we came to winning most of them. If the starting pitchers had gone deeper into more games in May, if the bullpen wasn't overexposed and overused, we wouldn't be looking at the Reds right now.  They'll still be looking at us.

Oh yeah, I hope you all enjoyed your unhappy flight from Atlanta to the Big Apple.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 8/14

Westbrook: "You are the Weakest Link!"

05/29/2012

Cardinals 4 Braves 5

Dear Westbrook,

Yeah, that was harsh.  I know you are trying your best.  I appreciate it.  And I know Atlanta had lost eight straight, and it was only a matter of time before the gods of Baseball granted them another win.

It's just that all of the other starters are trending upwards and you... aren't.  Even the unearned run last night was due to your throwing error.

Oh well, clean the slate and go get 'em next time, as they say.

'Til Later

Lynn back on speaking terms with fastball (Gracias Dios)

05/28/2012

Cardinals 8 Braves 2

Dear Lance Lynn,

Thank you for not annoying me to pieces yesterday using your (four-seam) fastball yesterday. 

Batters typically do not hit your heater.  I have no idea why you were PLAYING AROUND in your previous starts and tossing beach ball-looking pitches when you have a pitch hitters flail at like it's crossing the plate a Mach 4. 

Anyway, great job. You are the league's first eight game winner, so I'll say you are a very good "replacement Carp." Shoot, Carp had, like, seven losses by this time last year, I think. (Which, granted, was due to run support issues.)

'Til Later

Let me tell you how I feel about this

05/13/2012

Braves 7 Cardinals 4

Dear Cards,

I am a bit scared. And confused from all these questions running through my mind....

Did we not win at all this weekend because we actually aren't as good as all our numbers say?  Have we just  gorge ourselves on inferior competition?

OR did we just play poorly? And are we still deserving to be considered among the best in the National League?

This weekend was particularly confusing after the convincing way you all manhandled and swept the Diamondbacks.

The Cubs are coming to town for two games. They are 6 games under .500, but at least they did  win their series against the Braves.  They have been playing tough against strong teams.

The Cardinals and Cubs are tied at 3-3 for the season series.

Play a good game tonight, boys.  Hard nine. 

'Til Later!

Tossed into the 'ssippi: All pitchers and  catchers (sorry Yadi, but you know why)

Waino es no bueno

05/12/2012

Braves 7 Cardinals 2

Dearest 'birds,

Please stop the losing!

I am glad I listened to the game on the radio.  I would have been more annoyed at Wainwright missing the strike zone constantly if I had watched it.  I think.

You do realize that if you lose today, not only would you have been swept, you would have a losing home stand?  Ugh.

So win today. Please. *sweet smile*

Til Later!

Losses are depressing

05/11/2012

Braves 9 Cardinals 7

Final/12

Dear Cardinals,

Hey, at least you all made it a ballgame yesterday. We came very close to giving a crappy effort and losing outright on the day that Tony La Russa's number was  retired.

The worse part is that the offense obviously showed up, we just failed to execute on other parts of the game.  I hate when that happens.  For instance, 2 Braves runs scored on passed balls in the first inning.

It looked as though it was going to be a loooong night for Jaime, and it kind of was, but his teammates kept him in the game and he wound up pitching okay.  He got a no decision, at least. Almost had the win.

Anyway, get 'em today! I want a rubber game tomorrow!

Til Later!

Mercurial Missives

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings"  Earl Wilson

The 2011 Cardinals' season was a crazy, emotional ride for me.  I mean, I was more bipolar than usual over the course of a season (and I've had some dark baseball moments over the years).  August was the lowest month because my team had so much talent but was not playing up to par, my team had shown so much heart-- fighting back after losing their Ace to Tommy John, overcoming deficits in late innings, rebounding after blown saves (second most in the league)-- only to die on the metaphorical field of battle after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in late August.

From NLDS Game 4 Post Game Interview (as I heard on Fox Sports Midwest):

Reporter: How many times has this team been announced dead by the proper authorities?

Lance "Puma" Berkman: A lot, I mean, but y'know, that's what we're here for-- entertainment purposes.



I didn't lose all hope, but the Cards certainly looked officially dead, so I and anyone else with proper sense declared them as such.  Of course, gladiators that they are (supreme entertainers), the Cardinals revived themselves (again), played a brilliant month of baseball and with the help of the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol (according to Cubs fans), and Cardinal Nation (according to Tony La Russa) the Cardinals claimed the National League Wild Card.

It is because of that September rush and the thrill of "Red October," that I have decided to blog my experience of watching Cardinals baseball.  At first, I was unsure exactly what I was going to focus on-- some blogs go into player and game analysis, others are vendettas railing against the front office.  I want this blog to be a reactionary blog-- reacting to all the funny and frustrating things that occur over the course of a season.  The best way to do this, I think, will be to write letters to the team after each game.  I believe baseball fans would agree when I say that one develops a strangely close and personal relationship with the team you follow throughout Spring Training to those first wary, exciting days of April, and through the dog days of summer to the stretch run.  You understand their weaknesses, marvel at their strengths, you watch the team evolve as they take hits but stay resilient. You share 162 nights with your team, and the team and the personalities it encompasses become an intimate friend-- granted, one you occasionally yell at -- but a friend nonetheless.  This is why I will frame my reactions in the form of a letter-- because I will be addressing a friend.  They will be "mercurial missives"-- I am sure my views in some letters will directly oppose one another-- but that is because I am a bipolar fanatic!  And that's okay.  It's that silly (and occasionally pathetic) perspective that makes the season fun, because it makes a triple in the bottom of the ninth, down by two runs, with two-on, two-out, and two-strikes one of the best moments of my life. 

So... in this space I will write letters to my Redbirds, letters "for the birds"--  meaningless little ramblings in the world's view, but special missives in my view, in my world. Take a peek through my lenses and stay awhile!

'Til Later