***Official 2016 STL Cardinals Thread***

[BigRedChief]

• 2011 World Series Championship
• 2012 NLCS. One win from another WS appearance.
• 2013 World Series. Two wins from another World Series Championship
• 2014 NLCS. Three wins from another WS appearance
• 2015 Central Division title. Won 100 games. Lost in the NLDS.
• Made the postseason 11 times in the last 15 seasons.
• 67 post season wins since 2004. 24+ wins more than any other team.

SI article on our off season, Gives us a "A". ??:
http://www.si.com/mlb/2016/02/12/win...ouis-cardinals

2015 III thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=295296
2015 II thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=293412
2015 I thread:
http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=289085

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by jd1020

I credit Rizzo more than anyone and when Rizzo was struggling he went to Mike Borzello to break his swing down.

Well you'd better hope that guy has a magic wand because even when Rizzo struggled, there were some peripherals that pointed to a breakout.

Mr. Borzello has a shit load more work to do with Heyward than he did with Rizzo. I suspect he's a lost cause.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Well you'd better hope that guy has a magic wand because even when Rizzo struggled, there were some peripherals that pointed to a breakout.

Mr. Borzello has a shit load more work to do with Heyward than he did with Rizzo. I suspect he's a lost cause.

I will wait to see what adjustments are made in the offseason for year 2. The Cubs have already acknowledged that they aren't going to overhaul his mechanics mid season and are going to wait til the offseason. He's currently hitting the ball with the lowest velocity in his career, averaging 2 mph under last season with the Cardinals. The only suggestions they have made so far are giving him a toe-tap to try and get started earlier since his swing is so slow and backing him off the plate.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Well, at least there are some positives in the minors; Reyes named Baseball America's #2 overall prospect, and this guy is off to a good start:

With another double, @nivledprez810 improves to 3-for-3 with pair of doubles today. Don't look now he's hitting .386 in 12 games. #STLCards

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Mi_chief_fan

Well, at least there are some positives in the minors; Reyes named Baseball America's #2 overall prospect, and this guy is off to a good start:

With another double, @nivledprez810 improves to 3-for-3 with pair of doubles today. Don't look now he's hitting .386 in 12 games. #STLCards

Glad to see the doubles.

It's obviously stupid early to be drawing conclusions, but his ISO through the first 11 games seemed to fit perfectly with his rep for having absolutely no thump in his bat. Now that's not a deal-breaker really, but if you have no power in the GCL, by the time you get to AA, pitchers will just be knocking the bat out of your hands.

He's young. Absurdly so, in fact (my memory is he's the youngest or 2nd youngest player in taken in the first 10 rounds). He's going to put on weight and strength. But it does indicate that for the moment, the scouting reports are right and he's just awfully slight.

But like I said, if those were nicely stung doubles (rather than grounders down the line or bloops that found the the right gap), that's a nice sign going forward.

[VAChief]

Originally Posted by Mi_chief_fan

Well, at least there are some positives in the minors; Reyes named Baseball America's #2 overall prospect, and this guy is off to a good start:

With another double, @nivledprez810 improves to 3-for-3 with pair of doubles today. Don't look now he's hitting .386 in 12 games. #STLCards

I hope they just keep Reyes down there until at least September and resist a knee jerk to pull him up for the pen. He needs to continue to work on his walk rate, his WHIP will be fine if he can become more efficient. He won't get that in the pen.

Now Weaver would be an interesting call up for the pen in say August if we could somehow come out playing more like a contender after the break. He has much better control and even though not the power type, he could be similar to a 2006 Waino, maybe even better in a late inning role.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Harrison Bader hits his 1st AAA home run tonight.

[DJ's left nut]

Fellas - we just reached Peak Matheny.

Bases loaded with Yadier Molina at 3b and we bunted. Yes, you read that right.

And now we're losing. ****ing awesome.

[Brent Williams]

This game just keeps getting better. May be the best thing to happen to Trevor is if he is hurt to the point where he had to go on a rehab assignment

[Marcellus]

Jesus this team sucks.

[tk13]

You can't throw it any better than that.

[bdj23]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Fellas - we just reached Peak Matheny.

Bases loaded with Yadier Molina at 3b and we bunted. Yes, you read that right.

And now we're losing. ****ing awesome.

[raybec 4]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Fellas - we just reached Peak Matheny.

Bases loaded with Yadier Molina at 3b and we bunted. Yes, you read that right.

And now we're losing. ****ing awesome.

I don't see that as a problem. Yadi is fast, sneaky fast. He's going to steal 30 next season after Matheny puts him in center field.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Fellas - we just reached Peak Matheny.

Bases loaded with Yadier Molina at 3b and we bunted. Yes, you read that right.

And now we're losing. ****ing awesome.

Best thing that happened tonight

Originally Posted by Mi_chief_fan

Harrison Bader hits his 1st AAA home run tonight.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Oh's luck has run out. Now that the league has all gotten a look at him, they aren't fooled by his motion, which means the letter high marshmallows he throws are getting hit.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Oh's luck has run out. Now that the league has all gotten a look at him, they aren't fooled by his motion, which means the letter high marshmallows he throws are getting hit.

Didn't Mo sell him as a 6th/7th inning type of guy when he was signed? He's just a 9th inning desperation choice.

Since the baseball america mid season rankings came out, I've been doing some reading on our prospects. It seems that we again have some major league level talent in the pipeline.

Whats your opinion on our farm system and players?