[VAChief]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I have a Monday night class, so I had to DVR that abortion.

You can sum it up quickly and at length. I’ll do both
· It’s over
· Wainwright is just not a big game pitcher
· The offense is just not good enough. You can’t win a WS w/o any power
· Their soft hit balls dropped; our hard hit balls didn’t
· Yadi called way too many two strike breaking balls

For some bizarre reason I had a good feeling about tonight’s game. Obviously, that was a stupid sensation. Wainwright was his typical jittery self in the first inning. He couldn’t keep the ball down and he got punished for it. Matheny’s stubborn refusal to pitch around Ortiz w/ first base open in the first cost the Cardinals a run they could ill afford.

Robinson, Molina X2, Beltran, and Holliday all smoked balls that were caught or right at fielders. The Red Sox had two hard hit balls at people: Ortiz in the 6^th and Drew’s warning track shot. We got one seeing eye single from Freese. Bogaerts had two weakly hit balls go through, Ortiz had one, and Ellsbury’s jam shot dropped.

Lester was good tonight, and he was a lefty. We had an opportunity to put him on the ropes in the fourth, but Beltran’s ball died at the track (that’s out if his ribs are healthy) and Drew needed a 50” vertical on broken ankles to snag Molina’s liner.

Freese gave the team a nice shot of life in the 8^th with a double, but Adams is just a worthless sack of shit.

Here’s how Wednesday will play out:

Much will be made of Wacha’s postseason success. He’ll get hyped up. He’ll also get squeezed b/c the Red Sox will take pitches and the umpires give them a smaller zone due to their reputation of not swinging at balls. The Cardinals will fall behind early, try to claw back around inning four or five, but ultimately it won’t be enough and the Red Sox will salt it away in the 7^th. Expect a final score somewhere around 6-2.

In the offseason the team needs to make a number of changes:

· Adams needs to be traded. He’s a decent fielding 1B with no ability to hit LHP. His swing is too long and he only has a small area of the zone where he can use his power. His ceiling is a homeless man’s Ryan Howard. He’s a 200 strikeout guy if he plays every day.
· Lynn needs a change of scenery. He has excellent raw stuff, but he just doesn’t have the mindset. Let him eat innings as a decent #3 starter for a .500 team
· They must acquire a middle-of-the-order bat. Yes, I know the team led the league in runs scored, but it was based on a ridiculously unsustainable RISP average. That will regress next year and do so hard, even if they are the best team in the league at it. This team is scoring somewhere around three runs per game in the playoffs, and after tonight I’d imagine the BA is about .200. SSS and playoff pitchers aside, you cannot win in the postseason with an offensive team like this
· Beltran should be given a two year deal, but no more. I love Carlos, but I question his ability to take another extended grind.
· Jay should be dangled to a team with a need for a centerfielder. Amazingly, his hitting has significantly regressed after Mabry tried to fix the hitch in his swing. I don’t blame him, he never hit in the PS anyway, and shortening that stroke makes sense in a vacuum, but it doesn’t work with him. He’s getting up there in service time so his value is limited, but Shane Robinson is a better 4^th OF than Jon Jay, even if he’s not a better starter. His defense and arm are far superior (that throw kind of kept the Cardinals in the game.) and he takes good Abs
· Freese should be non-tendered. He won’t be worth his arb raise. Sorry David, but it’s a business. You’ll still never have to buy a drink or steak dinner again.
· Westbrook? GTFO
· Carp retires
· No offer for Mujica
· That leaves the teams with holes at CF, RF, 3B, and SS

So, what do you do?

· Oscar makes the team out of ST. If Carlos signs his qualifying offer you have no outfield holes. If he goes to the AL to DH (probably the right move for him), we need a CF
· Start 2014 with a rotation of Wainwright, Wacha, Miller, Kelly, Rosenthal (w/ Garcia and Martinez in the wings)
· Odd man out of the rotation from Rosenthal and Martinez gets the 9^th. Siegrist gets the 8^th
· Package Lynn, Adams, Lee Stoppelman, Tyrell Jenkins and Greg Garcia for Tulowitzki.
· Start Wong at second, move Carpenter to third

Leaves you with the following team:
C: Yadi
1B: Craig
2B: Wong
SS: Tulo
3B: Carpenter
LF: Holliday
CF: Taveras
RF: Beltran

Batting Order:
Carpenter
Beltran
Tulowitzki
Holliday
Craig
Molina
Taveras
Wong
Pitcher

Bullpen:

CL: Rosenthal/Martinez
SU: Siegrist
LOOGY: Choate
Spare Arms: Maness (long man) Freeman, Axford, Motte

Hitters in the pipeline:
Stephen Piscotty OF(potential late summer call-up)
James Ramsey OF

I think it might take Miller in the deal instead of Lynn, but I am okay with either, not both. Otherwise I would be fine with the rest, although I am not quite as down on Adams (primarily because we absolutely no hitters left in the pipeline other than Taveras who is likely replacing Beltran).