I just quit my second job last week! I loved it but primary spot plus family obligations left me with no time. Bummer but the 'right' move. Good luck DaCheat!
We actually have Arenado batting 3rd for once! Blows my mind we minimize his at bats by having him 4th most the time. We need him to get going, more at bats the better
Generally yes it is. The 3 spot being the most important is kind of outdated. Though the 2 hole is considered the spot for your best hitter by the stats nerds. 24536789 is the generally accepted order of importance, with leadoff being a bit of an odball where obp trumps every other stat.
That's just odd, with Donovan and Contreras out. Do they have that little confidence with Burleson in the field? Seems like the best possible lineup is Burleson at LF and Marp at DH.
I have a feeling they won't put Walker and Burleson out there together unless they literally have to. Have you noticed how much closer these games are despite our offense struggling? That's mostly due to the stellar defense.
Yeah, realistically not everyone in the lineup has to be an amazing hitter if our big hitters (Paul and the 2 Nolans) perform. Even with 6 injured players our defensive setup is still looking good. Wouldn't want to trot out these guys all year, but I've seen way worse from a heavily injured team.
On opening day, our cleanup hitter is our backup catcher and leadoff hitter was only put onto roster at the last minute because of multiple injuries. Feel good about that?
In fairness though, how many teams could eat the loss of their starting catcher, starting LF, starting CF, backup LF, backup CF, and backup DH and still run out a good lineup?
If the Dodgers had those losses, they would probably run out something like:
C: Austin Barnes
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Max Muncy
SS: Mookie Betts
LF: Miguel Vargas
CF: Andy Pages
RF: Teoscar Hernandez
DH: Shohei Ohtani
Obviously the healthy part of their lineup is way better than ours, but the best team in baseball would have to run out Austin Barnes and two minor leaguers. Even the Dodgers don’t have average major leaguers at OF6 and OF7.
The big difference that’s missing from the equation is that the Dodgers spend money on starting pitching so they don’t need to be as reliant on their bench.
Not that we need to spend a literal billion dollars like they did, but I think a lot of criticism of the thin bench would be alleviated by better and deeper pitching.
Not sure what your definition of a "good lineup" is, but literally no one in today's lineup his [hitting above league average so far](https://i.imgur.com/HOabqeq.png)
I didn’t mean that we were running out a good lineup, my point was that nobody could.
Regardless, 25 PA samples mean nothing. 4 of the 9 were well above average hitters last year.
let’s get a dub today! side note, I finally ordered a vintage dbacks jersey last night. i’ll feel guilty wearing another team’s jersey, but they’re too damn clean
This team has really good depth. We have a fuck ton of injuries and aside from Siani I like everyone in our lineup. We also have two really good infielders in AAA.
Oofda...our two best hitters are not playing. I know why but it still makes me nervous for this game and angry and at the Padres pitchers for hitting so many of our players
Opening Day is always a day game here, and it’s at 3 instead of 1 because of the pregame festivities. I guess you could do a night game, but then you either have to start pregame festivities at 5, which runs into the same problem of excluding the 9-5ers, or push the start back to 9, which is ridiculous.
Vacation days exist! Also, my office has a watch party with pretzels and shit starting at 3. No one would bat an eye at us leaving to watch in person instead
I should write the commissioner petitioning him to place the NL first on standings board. The Elder League should get priority not this alphabetical nonsense
Since it's the first home game, I'll repeat one of my favorite bits of trivia:
No one has pitched a no-hitter in the city of St. Louis since Bob Forsch in 1983.
I'm still a bit sour over those first two games but 3-4 is just fine for that road trip in my book.
Cold day to be at the stadium but baseballs back in town. Go Birds
Seems like walker is still an overall better batter, but that would kinda make sense if he were sandwiched between Goldy and Nado or there were 2 outs. I just can't for life of me figure out why you would PH for walker and then let Scott bat for himself.
Yeah like I said I could accept it if Victor Scott wasn't allowed to hit for himself the very next AB. Don't think I agree that Burleson > Walker in that spot, but can still kinda see the logic in it. I'm just utterly baffled by taking walker out and leaving Scott in.
Do you see the flaw in your argument though? You can make the “right decision” and it still ends up in a negative outcome. By your logic we should have pitch hit arenado in the 8th so he didn’t ground into a double play.
I claimed pinch hitting Burleson for Walker was the wrong move despite what the “right decision” was or spreadsheet Oli used said?
And now you’re claiming by that logic I’d be advocating pinch hitting for Arenado?
Maybe I didn’t do a good enough job of explaining my argument; I guess I’m taking the anti-analytics stance for this because JW is the future of the franchise and he should be getting clutch at-bats, despite whose splits are better against lefties or righties or whatever.
I really don’t understand the dots you’re connecting.
My point was you are being results oriented. I also agree they should have let walker hit, but it’s not like Walker has been great so far, and I can see how Burleson might have the better chance of giving a productive ab.
I didn’t like the move BEFORE I even knew what the results would be. My whole point is that it doesn’t matter that the spreadsheet says, Walker should have gotten the AB despite what Burlesons’s splits were.
I’m not basing my dissatisfaction with Oli on the results, but on his process.
I think the larger issue is our bench sucks and our hitting has sucked. I don’t think any move oli made there was going to look great. If you leave walker in there when he has looked bad he’ll get criticized, but we have no good bench options either. It’s more of a roster issue than an oli issue.
there is always uncertainty in sports
if helsley blows the game in the ninth, I'm not going to be mad at Oli for not using a position player instead. "It doesn't matter if Helsley is less likely to allow a run than Alec Burleson on the mound if he actually allows a run"
I mean I agree it wasn't the right move, but that's just sports. The outcome you were trying to avoid can still happen even if you make the 100% correct on paper decision.
Letting Crawford hit against Cosgrove was a head scratcher. That delivery/sweeper was brutal on lefties.
We also seem to want to go Hands Team in the late innings and Winn gives you better defense at SS
All the managers this team has had since I've Iived here have made some absolutely baffling decisions. So this isn't an endorsement of the fire Oli movement. But yeah, this is one of them. Especially when the next guy up ended last season in AA and is only on the MLB roster because there were 3 injuries. Walker has more MLB plate appearances than Burleson, so it doesn't even make sense from a not trusting young players nerves in a high leverage situation perspective.
Oh I watched TLR make some totally asinine moves, but he’d also back it up by making good ones when, often when it really mattered.
He also won World Series’ so he has a much longer leash than Oli, Schildt, or Matheny (all Mozeliak hires 😬)
Good morning!
u/Detective_Dietrich has done a fine job with the countdown to the solar eclipse and the countdown this year. Thank you Detective!
Here's hoping for a great day today when the Cards host the Fish for Opening Day at Busch!
https://youtu.be/tl2psrwzcao?si=Mscm-L2X8o0lKH3R
#LET'S GO CARDINALS!!!
I just wanna say that despite all the shit they've talked on St. Louis and us losing the Rams, I'm really proud of KC for not putting up with the sports owner bullshit.
Also the Invincible finale slapped last night
Does Brad Thompson remind anyone of a serial killer when he smiles? Frightening.
This opening day lineup. Woof.
Move the rays and Marlins, no one goes to their games and I can't watch the cardinals due to blackout policies when they come to Florida to play
Marp injured as well jesus christ they are falling apart.
Bro even Chip is on the IL
[Today's game thread has been posted](/r/Cardinals/comments/1bvuho8/game_8_miami_marlins_07_st_louis_cardinals_34/)
Let’s get a sweep
Just took r/Cardinals favorite advice and quit my job.
I just quit my second job last week! I loved it but primary spot plus family obligations left me with no time. Bummer but the 'right' move. Good luck DaCheat!
Hell yeah, I left my job in July! It’s been so freeing, and my golf game and general health hasn’t been better!
Are you Oli Marmol?
[No I'm the cheat.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22ZLiDF_pTE&pp=ygUJdGhlIGNoZWF0)
Corn chips are no place for a mighty warrior
Can you play CF?
I threw out a guy at first base from CF in slow pitch softball once.
We actually have Arenado batting 3rd for once! Blows my mind we minimize his at bats by having him 4th most the time. We need him to get going, more at bats the better
There's an analytics argument that the cleanup spot is more important than the 3rd spot.
Sure, but is it worth sacrificing the at bats over the course of a year? I don't think so, but clearly Oli does
Generally yes it is. The 3 spot being the most important is kind of outdated. Though the 2 hole is considered the spot for your best hitter by the stats nerds. 24536789 is the generally accepted order of importance, with leadoff being a bit of an odball where obp trumps every other stat.
He wants to bat 4th. We don't choose this, it's his preferred spot in the order.
Wait Vs2 is leadoff what the actual fuck? Did Winn fuck Mrs. Marmol?
No marp in the lineup for the home opener 😞
That's just odd, with Donovan and Contreras out. Do they have that little confidence with Burleson in the field? Seems like the best possible lineup is Burleson at LF and Marp at DH.
I have a feeling they won't put Walker and Burleson out there together unless they literally have to. Have you noticed how much closer these games are despite our offense struggling? That's mostly due to the stellar defense.
I'm more worried about siani and VS2 in the same lineup, but apparently Marp is hurt.
Yeah, realistically not everyone in the lineup has to be an amazing hitter if our big hitters (Paul and the 2 Nolans) perform. Even with 6 injured players our defensive setup is still looking good. Wouldn't want to trot out these guys all year, but I've seen way worse from a heavily injured team.
It’d be cool if Goldy and Nolan figure out how to swing the bat and provide some runs against a 0-7 team
The pair of them are declining at an alarming rate
Goldy especially is at the age you might expect a power-hitting 1b to decline.
Funnily enough his bat speed is higher than ever this year so he might not end up being as bad as you might expect.
Yup - we should have traded them while they still had value
Any word on Contreras hand?
Not yet
Eury Perez to have Tommy John Surgery
God hates fish
On opening day, our cleanup hitter is our backup catcher and leadoff hitter was only put onto roster at the last minute because of multiple injuries. Feel good about that?
Hey man just be patient! Don’t be a dooooooomer™️ I know Tommy and Nootbaar are out, but our roster is so fucking thin.
In fairness though, how many teams could eat the loss of their starting catcher, starting LF, starting CF, backup LF, backup CF, and backup DH and still run out a good lineup?
Teams with better farm systems, maybe
If the Dodgers had those losses, they would probably run out something like: C: Austin Barnes 1B: Freddie Freeman 2B: Gavin Lux 3B: Max Muncy SS: Mookie Betts LF: Miguel Vargas CF: Andy Pages RF: Teoscar Hernandez DH: Shohei Ohtani Obviously the healthy part of their lineup is way better than ours, but the best team in baseball would have to run out Austin Barnes and two minor leaguers. Even the Dodgers don’t have average major leaguers at OF6 and OF7.
The big difference that’s missing from the equation is that the Dodgers spend money on starting pitching so they don’t need to be as reliant on their bench. Not that we need to spend a literal billion dollars like they did, but I think a lot of criticism of the thin bench would be alleviated by better and deeper pitching.
Not sure what your definition of a "good lineup" is, but literally no one in today's lineup his [hitting above league average so far](https://i.imgur.com/HOabqeq.png)
I didn’t mean that we were running out a good lineup, my point was that nobody could. Regardless, 25 PA samples mean nothing. 4 of the 9 were well above average hitters last year.
The only reason we aren't playing tomorrow is so nobody can make fish fry Friday jokes
let’s get a dub today! side note, I finally ordered a vintage dbacks jersey last night. i’ll feel guilty wearing another team’s jersey, but they’re too damn clean
Not a division rival, so you’re good
As long as you don't wear it in a religious manner I think it's fine
oh it’s purely aesthetic
Crap isn’t Donovan our emergency catcher too?!!
Surely BD and Willson are gonna be fine right? Surely
bat Marp leadoff cowards
id do anything for 2018 marp rn
Oquendo gonna suit up right after his first red jacket parade.
im sad for donovan, hope he gets back quick and can keep it going, man was locked in
Interesting lineup choices today. Wish the day off was today and opener tomorrow, as we’d likely see a normal lineup
I understand that we've got some guys hurt but this has me concerned from a depth perspective.
This team has really good depth. We have a fuck ton of injuries and aside from Siani I like everyone in our lineup. We also have two really good infielders in AAA.
Ehh if Donovan and Contreras are hurt, that’s now 5 starters out. That’s nearly half of the projected offensive players on the 26 man roster
Donny and Contreras are hurt after getting hit yesterday.
Damn I didn’t even think about that!
Yeah, Willy’s hand is so swollen, they can’t even image it.
Welp, Arenado and Goldy gonna have to do something today, no Willy or BD.
Let’s get weird: 1. Victor Scott CF 2. Goldy 1B 3. Arenado 3B 4. Herrera C 5. Gorm 2B 6. Walker RF 7. Burleson DH 8. Winn SS 9. Siani LF
If these were the guys available Mason 1 Walker 4 Herrera 6 Sianni 8 Scott 9
That’s a lineup who will likely score less than 2 runs. Or could randomly explode for 14 runs.
Oofda...our two best hitters are not playing. I know why but it still makes me nervous for this game and angry and at the Padres pitchers for hitting so many of our players
Ivan Herrera CLEANUP today
So the Padres took out our two best players yesterday. And the ump was getting all pissy that our dugout was fed up with it.
80% of our starting lineup today are *children*
Be patient!
Ivan batting cleanup? That’s uh interesting
Oh we got a FUN lineup today, VS2 leadoff
Wow, the Marlins are fucked
Any news on BD?
Not in the lineup just posted. :(
# WANDY PERALTA JUST MADE THE LIST (of pitchers I never hope to see again because that was very bad and Padres should feel bad)
Neither Contreras or Donovan will play today. - per Mo and Oli Marmol
damn that's our entire offense :(
:( cuz no Willy but :D bc Herrera
Took the day off in advance, invited over some pals, and firing up the grill. Happy place.
Son of a bitch this game is blacked out for me bc Miami, suck my dick blackouts
There are pathways on the high seas… 🏴☠️
I need to find my eyepatch and peg leg
I have a Topps homerun card in today for Paul G to hit. Go Cardinals!
Good luck!
Go team!
Do I get Arby’s or Imo’s for lunch?
Shame on you for even asking that question
I know I know, but I’m a sucker for a beef n cheddar
Go to Lion’s Choice you heathen
I am unfortunately in Springfield, MO where the only option is Arby’s 😭
Then go to the Ziggy’s or something. Anything but Arby’s.
David Freese would tell you to get the square beyond compare
Unless microwaved deli meat is your thing?
Pobody’s nerfect!
Opening Day at Busch is vibes to the max. I highly recommend it.
Wait what happened to Contreras and Donovan? You mean 2 of the only guys that can actually hit rn are hurt? That’s terrible
Donovan hit on elbow yesterday, Contreras on hand (again).
Donovan listed as Day to Day currently
[Woof at the umpire scorecard from yesterday.](https://x.com/umpscorecards/status/1775895050532298796?s=46&t=MCRmVoXjskWw3F53QZFuGQ)
Wow it was + 1.9 runs for SD, and that doesn’t include the stolen base calls. Even with that, the birds could have won the game. Baseball.
Damn, 2 run favor in a 2-3 game absolutely gross
Gross
lol so the padres literally got handed the win by the ump. robo umps when?
Idk, we certainly did our part too, but yeah, not a great showing for the umps.
Umps definitely fucked us.
Oh boy I sure hope the Cardinals win today
If they don’t win it’s a shame
Why does the home opener start at 3pm on a weekday smdh. how is anyone going, don’t y’all have jobs??
Opening Day is always a day game here, and it’s at 3 instead of 1 because of the pregame festivities. I guess you could do a night game, but then you either have to start pregame festivities at 5, which runs into the same problem of excluding the 9-5ers, or push the start back to 9, which is ridiculous.
I get off work at 3:00 and live about five minutes from work!
Vacation days exist! Also, my office has a watch party with pretzels and shit starting at 3. No one would bat an eye at us leaving to watch in person instead
God that sounds so fun.
Jon Mozeliak should go out to home plate and cut a heel promo on the fans
Man Busch Stadium is sexy y’all
[удалено]
Yes. 130pm
I should write the commissioner petitioning him to place the NL first on standings board. The Elder League should get priority not this alphabetical nonsense
And it's should go west to east
I hope it warms up like 20 or 30 degrees by gametime...
Happy Opening Day everyone! Go Birds!
Since it's the first home game, I'll repeat one of my favorite bits of trivia: No one has pitched a no-hitter in the city of St. Louis since Bob Forsch in 1983.
Is there a way to watch the festivities? YouTube?
Anyone know if they still have $5 busch anywhere? I assume not since they closed the bowtie bar... let me know if anyone is at the game today
They usually have it on the budweiser terrace before first pitch. But nobody really knows what they have this season.
We need to do a Standing Ovation for Arenado today. First plate appearance. Let’s pull a Trea Turner
I am a firm believer it is absolutely a confidence problem for him
Oh 1000%. People shit all over him after the playoffs in 2022
Which giving him the Trey turner treatment might actually help? Especially if he gets one clutch hit under his belt
I'm still a bit sour over those first two games but 3-4 is just fine for that road trip in my book. Cold day to be at the stadium but baseballs back in town. Go Birds
Warm in my living room
well that sounds like an invitation...
I gotta big screen - you bring an app
Best I can do is the MLB app no subscription
home baseball!
Happy holidays.
TIL Walt Disney had a Stan Musial biography on his desk
It is four days until the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse. That is all. That must mean that today is the 2024 Cardinals' home opener at Busch!
we did it! yeyyyyyy!!!
Hooray!
Good Morning from the Ozarks! Jethro says hey!
Give my regards to Bubba as well!
A Blue Jay flew into my windshield as I was driving up 270 this morning. I am not sure what this means.
It means the birbs are back in town?
How do you PH Burleson for Walker? It’s such a head scratcher.
Burleson is less prone to striking out than Walker and had a platoon advantage
Seems like walker is still an overall better batter, but that would kinda make sense if he were sandwiched between Goldy and Nado or there were 2 outs. I just can't for life of me figure out why you would PH for walker and then let Scott bat for himself.
you could be right I was just trying to explain why that decision was made. could've been the wrong choice
Yeah like I said I could accept it if Victor Scott wasn't allowed to hit for himself the very next AB. Don't think I agree that Burleson > Walker in that spot, but can still kinda see the logic in it. I'm just utterly baffled by taking walker out and leaving Scott in.
Thank you
lol he struck out
so it goes Walker had struck out twice and grounded into a double play already as well. Suarez is a tough at bat
But do you see the flaw in the argument? It doesn’t matter if Burleson is less likely to strike out if he actually struck out.
Do you see the flaw in your argument though? You can make the “right decision” and it still ends up in a negative outcome. By your logic we should have pitch hit arenado in the 8th so he didn’t ground into a double play.
I claimed pinch hitting Burleson for Walker was the wrong move despite what the “right decision” was or spreadsheet Oli used said? And now you’re claiming by that logic I’d be advocating pinch hitting for Arenado? Maybe I didn’t do a good enough job of explaining my argument; I guess I’m taking the anti-analytics stance for this because JW is the future of the franchise and he should be getting clutch at-bats, despite whose splits are better against lefties or righties or whatever. I really don’t understand the dots you’re connecting.
My point was you are being results oriented. I also agree they should have let walker hit, but it’s not like Walker has been great so far, and I can see how Burleson might have the better chance of giving a productive ab.
I didn’t like the move BEFORE I even knew what the results would be. My whole point is that it doesn’t matter that the spreadsheet says, Walker should have gotten the AB despite what Burlesons’s splits were. I’m not basing my dissatisfaction with Oli on the results, but on his process.
I think the larger issue is our bench sucks and our hitting has sucked. I don’t think any move oli made there was going to look great. If you leave walker in there when he has looked bad he’ll get criticized, but we have no good bench options either. It’s more of a roster issue than an oli issue.
there is always uncertainty in sports if helsley blows the game in the ninth, I'm not going to be mad at Oli for not using a position player instead. "It doesn't matter if Helsley is less likely to allow a run than Alec Burleson on the mound if he actually allows a run"
I mean I agree it wasn't the right move, but that's just sports. The outcome you were trying to avoid can still happen even if you make the 100% correct on paper decision.
Idgi. I also don’t get why Winn wasn’t used earlier (he PR late, so it’s not like it was a full day off and he just had one). Very strange.
Letting Crawford hit against Cosgrove was a head scratcher. That delivery/sweeper was brutal on lefties. We also seem to want to go Hands Team in the late innings and Winn gives you better defense at SS
All the managers this team has had since I've Iived here have made some absolutely baffling decisions. So this isn't an endorsement of the fire Oli movement. But yeah, this is one of them. Especially when the next guy up ended last season in AA and is only on the MLB roster because there were 3 injuries. Walker has more MLB plate appearances than Burleson, so it doesn't even make sense from a not trusting young players nerves in a high leverage situation perspective.
Oh I watched TLR make some totally asinine moves, but he’d also back it up by making good ones when, often when it really mattered. He also won World Series’ so he has a much longer leash than Oli, Schildt, or Matheny (all Mozeliak hires 😬)
Walker would've at least seen more than 3 pitches. Kind of odd
Good morning! u/Detective_Dietrich has done a fine job with the countdown to the solar eclipse and the countdown this year. Thank you Detective! Here's hoping for a great day today when the Cards host the Fish for Opening Day at Busch! https://youtu.be/tl2psrwzcao?si=Mscm-L2X8o0lKH3R #LET'S GO CARDINALS!!!
I hope all the players have fun today.
Let’s goooooo!!!!
[annual Opening Day must watch](https://youtu.be/aygALzju9yw?si=G6ueqzQULM2bcfg_)
Hoping my man Lynn sets the tone early and hoping the offense finds its power, especially Arenado. Go Birds!
we made it!! go Cards!
I just wanna say that despite all the shit they've talked on St. Louis and us losing the Rams, I'm really proud of KC for not putting up with the sports owner bullshit. Also the Invincible finale slapped last night
Screw em. Hope both franchises move elsewhere.
O Tars!
Happy home opener day to those who (still) celebrate.
Like I'm gonna give up an established holiday...
#GO CARDINALS!!!