Cubs added a couple MLB guys (one out for the year though), a 2020 1st rounder, and 9 other prospects at various stages. Their minors were in the bottom third coming into today, but should look much better tomorrow.
The current MLB team though had to add about 5 AAA guys plus Arrieta off the IL to field a team today.
Yeah they will be bad this year and next most likely. But in 2023 and 2024 several of the prospects should arrive.
Madrigal (24 and already two seasons into his big league career) was one of only 2 or 3 guys who should be ready in 2022.
Seems like they purposefully went for a 1.5 season reset (perhaps keeping the potential 2022 labor dispute in mind).
The starting rotation and age for our Cardinals:
KK-33 years old
LeBlanc- 37 on August 7
Lester-37
Happ-38
Waino-39
The team went from not having but one lefthanded starter(KK) at the beginning of the season to having 4 after the trade deadline. I'm not expecting much from Happ and Lester, as they have not had good seasons at this point. The organization decided to hold onto their best prospects because they are not making the playoffs this season. Well, unless a miracle occurs where the Brewers and Reds go into a season ending slump. The Wild Card teams are coming out of the NL West.
One thing I've noticed is the teams best minor league prospects(Liberatore and Thompson) look like they are coming out of their early funk. I look for Liberatore to pitch in September for ST. Louis. Nolan Gorman will probably be called up as well as he's been playing some 2nd base at Memphis. The most consistent hitter at AAA has been Nootbar (.308 avg.) who they just called up to take Lane Thomas on the 26 man roster. The players that have played the best so far in the minors are: Luken Baker first baseman who has 19 home runs, Alec Burleson(OF) who has 14 home runs with .289 average and Nick Plummer(OF) who is hitting .300 with 10 home runs, .410 OBP and OPS .908.
Wait until next year.
Disappointed the Padres didn't get a starting pitcher. I realize they didn't want to " pay to much " but it's renting a player for 2 months.
Padres drop a game to the Rockies last night and Tatis was injured .
56 games left. 6 1/2 games out. They can't afford to split games with the leaders ( Giants and dodgers ) and they are in must win situations with Arizona and Colorado.
Lots of baseball left. But loses are mounting .
Listen to me whine.. 5th best record in baseball and I'm worried due to pitching. I thought starting pitching would be my strong suit
I too wanted some more reliable options on the mound, but am glad that the Padres didn’t deal top prospects in a frenzied market. At this point, it sure looks like the Giants are not coming back to earth. Beating about both LA and SF for the division title would be a tall task. I’m not writing off this season or anything, but the Padres are better off doing what they can to prepare for the stretch run while keeping their options open to continue to improve into next year and beyond.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...am-sources-say
Well, evidently the Mets feel their top pick in the draft, Kumar Rocker, has some kind of physical issue and they won't be signing him to the $6 million deal they had agreed to. Whoa.
Cardinals beat the Twins today 7-3 to take 2 of 3 at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals are now 53-52 with 57 games remaining. They’re 9.5 GB of the NL Central division leading Milwaukee Brewers and 6 GB in the wild card race.
Adam Wainwright tossed 7 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 ER, 1 BB, and 5 Ks to get the win. He’s now 9-6 with a 3.53 era as a 39 year old. Yadier Molina had 2 hits and has 2,075 now. That’s good for 4th all time in Cardinals history. He passed Albert Pujols today. The top 3 in Cardinals history in hits are Stan Musial, Lou Brock, and Rogers Hornsby. Yadi needs 35 more hits this season to catch Hornsby’s 2,110 career hits as a Cardinal.
The Cardinals host 3 games a piece with the Braves and Royals this week.
Starting August off with a win, something they’ll need to do a lot of in August in September.
Let’s Go Cardinals!
The Cardinals will send a trio of veteran southpaws to the mound this week vs the Braves in a 3-game series.
37 year old Jon Lester will make his Cardinals debut Tuesday. 38 year old JA Happ will make his Cardinals debut Wednesday. Then in the final game of the series, 36 year old Wade LeBlanc gets the start.
Lester and Happ have struggled mightily this year. Lester is 3-5 with a 5.02 era. Happ is 5-6 with a 6.77 era. The Braves are 4th in the MLB in HRs and 10th in runs. I hope these acquisitions pay off for the Cardinals but I won’t be shocked if Lester and Happ continue pitching mediocre to poor.
Miggy...498...
Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'
Last Nights Padre Perfect Storm
Padres defeat the A's 8-1 , Blake Snell pitches like the pitcher they'd hoped him to be.
Dodgers Lose , division
Giants Lose , division
Reds Lose. Wild card race
53 games to go. Padre starting pitching has to start pitching like those million dollar arms were signed to do.
When Tatis has been out with an injury, the bats and wins have not faltered.
As a Braves fan I haven't posted in this thread in a while because frankly they haven't given me much to brag about but last night for the first time all season they went above .500 after sweeping the Cardinals. Because the NL East is so weak this year it's still a 3 team race between the Mets, Phillies and Braves with only 1.5 games separating them. The Braves are about to get a lot healthier with pitchers Anderson and Ynoa coming back and they are about to get their every day catcher Travis D'arnaud back. This season has felt cursed but somehow they still have a chance to win the division.
Speaking of the Cards, last night was a disaster. After getting 2 outs on 3 pitches in the 8th with the game tied the Braves proceeded to send 10 more people to the plate and scoring 6 of them. They went single, homer, double, HBP, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, and finally out. Unbelievable.
Last edited by DUKIECB; 08-06-2021 at 08:43 AM. Reason: Typo
"The future ain't what it used to be."
Lester is a warrior but seems to have peaked in 2018. He’s been on the decline since. Although he was 13-10 with a 4.46 era in 2019. Serviceable but not eye shattering. He got rocked for 5 earned runs in the first on Tuesday vs the Braves. He finished with a bad line: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2 BBs, 4 Ks.
Happ pitched good on Wednesday but it was surprising. He threw 5 IP, allowing 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, and 4 Ks.
Then last night, LeBlanc pitched the best of any of them. 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BBs, 1 K. He was in line for the win but the bullpen imploded. And it was surprising because the two guys that imploded were the Cardinals most reliable bullpen arms. Giovanny Gallegos and Alex Reyes. Reyes has 24 saves this year in 25 chances (tied for 3rd most saves in the MLB) but just couldn’t throw a strike last night. Swept at home by a team that until last night hasn’t been above .500 all season.
The Cardinals must regroup fast. They have Wainwright, Kim, and Lester going this weekend at home in St. Louis vs the cross state visitors the Royals in an interleague battle of Interstate 70. They should get Jack Flaherty back next week and Miles Mikolas back sometime later this month. They are entering play today at 53-55 with 54 games left. They’re mathematically not eliminated from playoff contention yet but things are looking closer everyday that they’ll be setting tee times at neighboring Bellerive Country Club in early October. They’re 11.5 GB in the NL Central and 8 GB in the wild card.
In other words, they need to go on an absolute tear the last 54 games (I’m thinking 42-12 type run) to get to 95 wins or so and get some help to get in. Even 95 wins this year may not get them a wild card.
Two more strikeouts for Baez tonight for the Mets. That’s after he went 0-5 with 5 strikeouts last night. The golden sombrero is 4 strikeouts in a game … last night Baez got the platinum sombrero.
He now leads the MLB with 143 strikeouts.
Hey Mets fans … the Cubs forgot to tell you he swings out of his shoes and Ks A LOT!