The Cardinals moved into fourth place

[Brock Beauchamp]

Boo. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Cardinals are now 10-20, 10 games(and all 4 teams) out of the division and 6.5 games(could be 7) out of the wild card while tying the Rockies for the worst record in the NL.  They are not this bad, they've had a fairly difficult schedule, and their run differential says they should be several games better.  But enough games have stacked up now that they're in a lot of trouble.  If they play at a 95 win pace for the rest of the year they'll win 87 games, which even in the new playoff format isn't a guarantee of a playoff appearance.  And while things are not as dire as they seem, the pitching does not look capable of sustaining a 95 win pace even in an optimistic outcome.  They have 5 games against the Angels and Tigers this week then the series against the Cubs, if they don't go at least 5-3 they may be at the stage of essentially needing a miracle.

[Cubs2023]

They’re definitely in trouble. They could probably afford being 10 games back of the Pirates.. but getting this far behind the Brewers.. that ain’t good.

[mul21]

It's absolutely hilarious down here.  The fans are in full revolt, they lost their minds yesterday with the Stifel announcement, they all want Marmol fired and DeWitt to sell the team for being a cheap ass who won't pay for pitching.  I'm reveling in it.

[jersey cubs fan]

The cubs are 7-8 since this thread started and fallen into 3rd place, currently out of a wild card spot. All I’m saying is 

https://memes.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/0f39d144-f749-4a4e-b346-862532e44712

[Andy]

4 hours ago, mul21 said:

It's absolutely hilarious down here.  The fans are in full revolt, they lost their minds yesterday with the Stifel announcement, they all want Marmol fired and DeWitt to sell the team for being a cheap ass who won't pay for pitching.  I'm reveling in it.

I'm sure some of their fans are probably blaming Contreras for everything as well. I was sort of talking myself into the idea that Contreras doing great for STL would've been amusing because their fans would have had to reconcile having a catcher who can actually hit worth a damn with their hero worship of Molina, but I guess that signing not working out is its own kind of funny.

[CubinNY]

The cubs may be mediocre and losing games by one run, but the Cardinals have the worst record in the NL.

 

Suck it!

[Bertz]

7 losses in a row now, 2 games back of the Rockies

Not gonna lie makes it me nervous for next week, I hate coming up on teams deep into a losing streak, feels like they're about due to come out of it with a vengeance

[Bertz]

 

 

[David]

 

 

[Tryptamine]

Contreras is DH and OF now with very few starts at catcher. That whole franchise is imploding. 

[champaignchris]

4 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Contreras is DH and OF now with very few starts at catcher. That whole franchise is imploding. 

In year 1 of a 5-year contract. That’s going well. 

[Cubs2023]

You hate to see that!

[Cubfanintheknow]

And now this development: https://nesn.com/2023/05/cardinals-shockingly-move-willson-contreras-off-catching-duties/

Edited May 6, 2023 by Cubfanintheknow

[Derwood]

10-24

 

You hate to see it

[Tryptamine]

1 hour ago, Cubfanintheknow said:

And now this development: https://nesn.com/2023/05/cardinals-shockingly-move-willson-contreras-off-catching-duties/

There's people legitimately calling for the Cardinals to eat his contract and just dfa him. I'd be happy to bring him back on the the Cardinal's dime for the next 5 years.

[Banedon]

I mean it goes without saying this is a desperation move, but this a WILD desperation move.  They really think that Wilson is SO bad at catching that it's hurting the pitching staff?  

[Rex Buckingham]

1 hour ago, Banedon said:

I mean it goes without saying this is a desperation move, but this a WILD desperation move.  They really think that Wilson is SO bad at catching that it's hurting the pitching staff?  

This is the same team that insists Molina is basically the best modern catcher ever despite his career OPS+ of 96 in 19 years

Comparison:

Ted Simmons 118/21 years

Pudge Rodriguez 106/21 years

Piazza 143/16 years (obviously not a strong defender)

Joe Torre 129/18 years (not primarily a catcher at the end)

Gary Carter 115/19 years

Carlton Fisk 117/24 years

Johnny Bench 126/17 years

Yogi Berra 125/19 years

 

They've practically deified Molina, basically entirely because "defense, leader, clutch rah rah" crap. Of course they believe Contreras is unfit to catch.  It was always going to be a losing situation for Willson, and with his comments about "always wanting to play for the Cardinals" and whatever, I don't particularly mind the schadenfreude 

[Brock Beauchamp]

On 5/7/2023 at 8:43 AM, Rex Buckingham said:

This is the same team that insists Molina is basically the best modern catcher ever despite his career OPS+ of 96 in 19 years

Comparison:

Ted Simmons 118/21 years

Pudge Rodriguez 106/21 years

Piazza 143/16 years (obviously not a strong defender)

Joe Torre 129/18 years (not primarily a catcher at the end)

Gary Carter 115/19 years

Carlton Fisk 117/24 years

Johnny Bench 126/17 years

Yogi Berra 125/19 years

They've practically deified Molina, basically entirely because "defense, leader, clutch rah rah" crap. Of course they believe Contreras is unfit to catch.  It was always going to be a losing situation for Willson, and with his comments about "always wanting to play for the Cardinals" and whatever, I don't particularly mind the schadenfreude 

A funny fact I saw on Tuesday:

Juan Soto just passed Yadier Molina on the career walks leaderboard.

Soto is still only 24 years old.

[soccer10k]

The Cards have the worst record in the NL despite having a positive run differential.

[jersey cubs fan]

What is this melodramatic story about David Freese withdrawing his name from consideration for the Cardinals hof?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

1 hour ago, jersey cubs fan said:

What is this melodramatic story about David Freese withdrawing his name from consideration for the Cardinals hof?

It's weird, best as I can tell Freese got elected and is now declining and not really saying why.  The common guesses are that he doesn't feel worthy of that title(he doesn't by production, he's getting it for one 2011 WS at bat + being a local boy), and/or that he had alcohol/substance problems during those days and is uncomfortable celebrating the person he was then.

[jersey cubs fan]

18 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

It's weird, best as I can tell Freese got elected and is now declining and not really saying why.  The common guesses are that he doesn't feel worthy of that title(he doesn't by production, he's getting it for one 2011 WS at bat + being a local boy), and/or that he had alcohol/substance problems during those days and is uncomfortable celebrating the person he was then.

Thanks, I assumed the former, which is both accurate and lame in a variety of levels, and did not consider the latter, which is both sad and admirable?

[mul21]

On 6/18/2023 at 9:20 PM, TomtheBombadil said:

I will defend the Cardinals fans’  Molina lub and point out ML catchers had like a mid-80’s wRC+ btw ‘04-‘22. They’re not reeeeally wrong about him, or at least he’s my favorite catcher ever…Big on Russell Martin and  prob Brian McCann too, but Molina’s the only one I’d call a HoFer

Edit: Catchers posted a 90+ wRC+ 4 times in his career (interestingly during a deadball 2011-2014 period) and never above 95

He also led the league in balls stuck to his chest protector and umps spat upon.  He's trash.

[CubinNY]

On 6/18/2023 at 9:20 PM, TomtheBombadil said:

I will defend the Cardinals fans’  Molina lub and point out ML catchers had like a mid-80’s wRC+ btw ‘04-‘22. They’re not reeeeally wrong about him, or at least he’s my favorite catcher ever…Big on Russell Martin and  prob Brian McCann too, but Molina’s the only one I’d call a HoFer

Edit: Catchers posted a 90+ wRC+ 4 times in his career (interestingly during a deadball 2011-2014 period) and never above 95

You can cherry-pick data like a professional.