Good read from Paul Sullivan in today's Chicago Tribune. Tells me both teams are playing for first place this weekend while neither has sniffed of their potential.
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Cardinals manager Mike Matheny addressed reporters in the dugout before Wednesday afternoon’s game at Busch Stadium, a group of curious onlookers stood a few feet away pointing their smartphones in his direction.
It was just another example of the ongoing encroachment of fans in the baseball workplace, as teams try to squeeze every ounce of revenue they can from customers, whether it interferes with the team or not.
Matheny didn’t appear at all bothered by the eavesdropping fans, and if they were able to hear his current message on Cardinals baseball, it was probably good for the organization.
So what was the message?
That this was one of the best teams Matheny has managed, in spite of statistical evidence suggesting otherwise.
Matheny was simply doubling down on a bold statement the previous night from Cardinals infielder
Matt Carpenter, who has struggled with a .167 average in the early going.
“I know I’m biased and people may not agree,†Carpenter said. “But this team has a chance to be one of the best ones I’ve played on in St. Louis, and that’s saying a lot.â€
It is saying a lot. Carpenter has been a Cardinal since 2011. In that time they’ve won one
World Series, lost another and been to four
National League Championship Series.
Last year they finished out of the playoffs with an 83-79 record, and they began Thursday’s off day a half-game behind the first-place
Brewers in the
National League Central before starting a three-game series Friday against the
Cubs.
The 17-12 record, however, is deceiving. The Cardinals are 7-0 against the
Reds and just completed a two-game sweep over the
White Sox, two teams in rebuilding mode.
They’re 8-12 against everyone else, and as of Thursday they were ranked 25
th in hitting (.235), 19
th in slugging percentage (.394) and 15
th in runs scored (132). They’ve so far been carried by their starting pitching, which was fourth with a 3.23 ERA. The bullpen has been above average but already has six blown saves, along with the fourth most walks per nine innings (4.32) and fourth-fewest strikeouts per nine (2.00).
Carpenter’s lofty assessment of the Cardinals wasn’t unexpected. Every team tries to put a good spin on things, including the Cubs, who’ve been average at best over the first five weeks and bring a 16-12 record into St. Louis.
But no one on the Cubs has been comparing them favorably to their World Series team of 2016, which won 103 games.
“I’m saying the exact same thing (as Carpenter), 100 percent,†Matheny said. “I mean, you just look at the pieces and you look at how this team has kind of been playing without having everything clicking.
“We’ve talked about that, but it’s true. You look at the pen. You look at what are starters are capable of doing, and it’s a dangerous, deep lineup. I’ve said that before as well. I couldn’t agree more. I’m glad he’s thinking that and I hope every single one of those guys is thinking that. Because I think this could be one of the best teams I’ve ever been around.â€
Whether Cardinals fans are buying into the message is debatable. Matheny is not very popular these days, a byproduct of back-to-back seasons without a playoff berth.
And though Busch Stadium is usually filled with red-clad fans, thousands headed to the exits after the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox, missing the Cardinals’ ninth-inning comeback.
Other than Tommy Pham, the lineup hasn’t put much fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers. Carpenter said the Cardinals general manager, Michael Girsch, showed him stats that suggested he was “the most unlucky hitter in baseball,†and told him not to change anything.
“It felt good to hear that,†he said. Cubs first baseman Anthony “Rizzo and I were basically the same — the worst in baseball.â€
But Carpenter isn’t alone. New acquisition Marcel Ozuna, who was supposed to be the next big thing in St. Louis, has yet to step up, with a -0.2 WAR and a .591 OPS.
Dexter Fowler, the former Cubs center fielder now playing in right, has a .594 OPS and -0.4 WAR. In Wednesday’s game, Sox slugger Jose Abreu turned a routine single into a double by taking advantage of Fowler’s arm.
Fowler isn’t too worried about the slow start.
“I was off to one last year and had a career year,†he said. “Things like that happen. It’s unfortunate it’s at the beginning. If it was in the middle of the year, it’s like, ‘All right, he’s struggling a little bit.’â€
The Cubs have had a few problems of their own, including Rizzo’s slump,
Yu Darvish’s struggles and a general lack of consistency. Not even manager
Joe Maddon can come up with a way to put a positive spin on Darvish’s troubles living up to his $126 million contract.
While this may be a series between two longstanding rivals that figure to battle it out for the division title, neither team seems to be hype-worthy at this point. Still, it’s Cubs-Cardinals, and you never know what’s in store when they get together.
“I’m looking forward to it,†Fowler said. “Anytime you can play guys in the division for first place, it’s going to be a good series.â€
Let the nacho chips fall where they may.
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