Cards just went 4-2 vs Dodgers and Cubs

[Wattage]

We may not make the playoffs but we just proved we could win a 3 game series in the playoffs vs the teams we could likely face.

We can’t pretend like this team has to be 3 to 5 years away from competing when they’re already in a position to beat some of the best teams in the National League with what we have and that doesn’t include our best two prospects or fresh talent that bloom should have room to acquire with all the dry powder saved from Fedde and Matz and Mikolas and GoldSchmidt.

I hate to say it but i think weve been a bit lucky. I dont usually champion run differential but we are -18 and im generally skeptical of the record and think they are lucky to not be further under .500.

The team is 20th in the league in era and 15th in runs while 21st in ops. Since there are 30 teams- we are somehow slightly over .500 while being below league avg in offense and pitching.

Lets break down the team parts.

Starting pitching- this is just not a playoff caliber starting rotation. Period. Not even close.
Mcgreevy is possible a legitimate starter and gray is a legitmate starter as is liberatore but we basically have no ace or even #2 starter type(im sorry but gray just isnt consistent enough anymore to qualify) while also having 2 holes in rotation in mikolas and pallante recently.

We have like 3 number 3s and 2 6s if im being generous.

Lineup- ultimately, if you have no superstars to carry the offense, then ypu cant have a lineup featuring glaring holes like pages and scott every day in additjon to usually having one of current saggese, walker, or end stage arenado. We dont have big enough bats to compensate for such glaring holes. Lineup is below avg even if defense is okay.

Bullpen- bullpen has actually been a strength in close games. It was a bigger strength beforenthe trades and while there has been some success in some close games recently and we still have a few pieces, i dont think the bullpen is playoff caliber anymore with matz maton and helsley gone although i would have rated it as one area that was before the trade deadline.

[Futuregm2]

We may not make the playoffs but we just proved we could win a 3 game series in the playoffs vs the teams we could likely face.

We can’t pretend like this team has to be 3 to 5 years away from competing when they’re already in a position to beat some of the best teams in the National League with what we have and that doesn’t include our best two prospects or fresh talent that bloom should have room to acquire with all the dry powder saved from Fedde and Matz and Mikolas and GoldSchmidt.

I hate to say it but i think weve been a bit lucky. I dont usually champion run differential but we are -18 and im generally skeptical of the record and think they are lucky to not be further under .500.

The team is 20th in the league in era and 15th in runs while 21st in ops. Since there are 30 teams- we are somehow slightly over .500 while being below league avg in offense and pitching.

Lets break down the team parts.

Starting pitching- this is just not a playoff caliber starting rotation. Period. Not even close.
Mcgreevy is possible a legitimate starter and gray is a legitmate starter as is liberatore but we basically have no ace or even #2 starter type(im sorry but gray just isnt consistent enough anymore to qualify) while also having 2 holes in rotation in mikolas and pallante recently.

We have like 3 number 3s and 2 6s if im being generous.

Lineup- ultimately, if you have no superstars to carry the offense, then ypu cant have a lineup featuring glaring holes like pages and scott every day in additjon to usually having one of current saggese, walker, or end stage arenado. We dont have big enough bats to compensate for such glaring holes. Lineup is below avg even if defense is okay.

Bullpen- bullpen has actually been a strength in close games. It was a bigger strength beforenthe trades and while there has been some success in some close games recently and we still have a few pieces, i dont think the bullpen is playoff caliber anymore with matz maton and helsley gone although i would have rated it as one area that was before the trade deadline.

He’s basically been consistent just you have to look past his July’s.

ERA
2024/25
April: 1.16 ERA/3.60 ERA
May: 3.77 ERA/3.71 ERA
June: 3.53 ERA/2.55 ERA
July: 6.75 ERA/7.81 ERA
Aug: 4.50 ERA/1.89 ERA
Sept: 2.89 ERA

WHIP
2024/25
April: 0.94/1.00
May: 1.05/1.24
June: 0.98/1.01
July: 1.50/1.66
Aug: 1.11/0.57
Sept: 0.96

[sikeston bulldog2]

We may not make the playoffs but we just proved we could win a 3 game series in the playoffs vs the teams we could likely face.

We can’t pretend like this team has to be 3 to 5 years away from competing when they’re already in a position to beat some of the best teams in the National League with what we have and that doesn’t include our best two prospects or fresh talent that bloom should have room to acquire with all the dry powder saved from Fedde and Matz and Mikolas and GoldSchmidt.

I hate to say it but i think weve been a bit lucky. I dont usually champion run differential but we are -18 and im generally skeptical of the record and think they are lucky to not be further under .500.

The team is 20th in the league in era and 15th in runs while 21st in ops. Since there are 30 teams- we are somehow slightly over .500 while being below league avg in offense and pitching.

Lets break down the team parts.

Starting pitching- this is just not a playoff caliber starting rotation. Period. Not even close.
Mcgreevy is possible a legitimate starter and gray is a legitmate starter as is liberatore but we basically have no ace or even #2 starter type(im sorry but gray just isnt consistent enough anymore to qualify) while also having 2 holes in rotation in mikolas and pallante recently.

We have like 3 number 3s and 2 6s if im being generous.

Lineup- ultimately, if you have no superstars to carry the offense, then ypu cant have a lineup featuring glaring holes like pages and scott every day in additjon to usually having one of current saggese, walker, or end stage arenado. We dont have big enough bats to compensate for such glaring holes. Lineup is below avg even if defense is okay.

Bullpen- bullpen has actually been a strength in close games. It was a bigger strength beforenthe trades and while there has been some success in some close games recently and we still have a few pieces, i dont think the bullpen is playoff caliber anymore with matz maton and helsley gone although i would have rated it as one area that was before the trade deadline.

I’ll address your lineup paragraph. When you don’t have enough offensive talent, as you note, then we must turn to a stronger defensive team, even if it taints more an already tainted offense.

Pitchers if good would not last without a stellar D. That to me is what a spotty offense does.

[Wattage]

We may not make the playoffs but we just proved we could win a 3 game series in the playoffs vs the teams we could likely face.

We can’t pretend like this team has to be 3 to 5 years away from competing when they’re already in a position to beat some of the best teams in the National League with what we have and that doesn’t include our best two prospects or fresh talent that bloom should have room to acquire with all the dry powder saved from Fedde and Matz and Mikolas and GoldSchmidt.

I hate to say it but i think weve been a bit lucky. I dont usually champion run differential but we are -18 and im generally skeptical of the record and think they are lucky to not be further under .500.

The team is 20th in the league in era and 15th in runs while 21st in ops. Since there are 30 teams- we are somehow slightly over .500 while being below league avg in offense and pitching.

Lets break down the team parts.

Starting pitching- this is just not a playoff caliber starting rotation. Period. Not even close.
Mcgreevy is possible a legitimate starter and gray is a legitmate starter as is liberatore but we basically have no ace or even #2 starter type(im sorry but gray just isnt consistent enough anymore to qualify) while also having 2 holes in rotation in mikolas and pallante recently.

We have like 3 number 3s and 2 6s if im being generous.

Lineup- ultimately, if you have no superstars to carry the offense, then ypu cant have a lineup featuring glaring holes like pages and scott every day in additjon to usually having one of current saggese, walker, or end stage arenado. We dont have big enough bats to compensate for such glaring holes. Lineup is below avg even if defense is okay.

Bullpen- bullpen has actually been a strength in close games. It was a bigger strength beforenthe trades and while there has been some success in some close games recently and we still have a few pieces, i dont think the bullpen is playoff caliber anymore with matz maton and helsley gone although i would have rated it as one area that was before the trade deadline.

I’ll address your lineup paragraph. When you don’t have enough offensive talent, as you note, then we must turn to a stronger defensive team, even if it taints more an already tainted offense.

Pitchers if good would not last without a stellar D. That to me is what a spotty offense does.

Well the good defense alread factirs into the team era then and our pitching and team era is still below average evem with that good defense.

The fact is we are below avg in both hitting and pitching so we are a but lucky to be in a playoff spot considereing.

I lnow some of that cam be influenced by blowouts with era and in close games the bullpen has been clutch mostly this year, but i cant see the bullpen holding up as well with the guys we moved at the deadline(rightfully so) and just dont see this team as close to overall competitor

[ggnoobs]

.556 Winning percentage since putting Nolan Arenado on the IL.

Continuing a .556 winning percentage would have them finish 24-19 for an overall record of 84-78. Still probably not good enough for 3rd wild card.

[RunSup]

The next 25 games are against, ...
Rockies
Yankees
Marlins
Rays
Pirates
Reds
A's
Giants

3.5 games out of a wild card spot. Time to make a move?

At least 5 of those games are Mikolas starts. Another 5 are Pallante starts.

[RunSup]

The next 25 games are against, ...
Rockies
Yankees
Marlins
Rays
Pirates
Reds
A's
Giants

3.5 games out of a wild card spot. Time to make a move?

At least 5 of those games are Mikolas starts. Another 5 are Pallante starts.

No starting pitching help at AAA. I doubt they put Mathews in the 40 Man until after the Rule V draft

The Memphis shuttle of relievers on the 40-man includes, ...
Alcala (broken reliever now activated after being picked up off the scrap heap)
Fernandez (active)
Granillo (active)
Munoz (active)
Graceffo
King (IL)
Roycroft
Veneziano (scrap heap add)

On the positive,
JJ Wetherholt looms as a late season call up.