St. Louis Cardinals 2004 Outlook

[sweaver]

Time to deal the cards (pausing for boos)...

Players in: Reggie Sanders, Steve Cox, Ray Lankford, Jason Marquis, Jeff Suppan, Ray King.
Players out: J.D. Drew, Tino Martinez, Fernando Vina, Eli Marerro, Sterling Hitchcock, Brett Tomko.

Lineup:
C: Mike Matheny
IF: 1B Steve Cox/Albert Pujols, 2B Bo Hart, SS Edgar Renteria, 3B Scott Rolen
OF: Pujols/other, Jim Edmonds, Reggie Sanders.
Bench: Chris Widger, Marlon Anderson, Brent Butler, So Taguchi, Kerry Robinson

Rotation: Matt Morris, Woody Williams, Suppan, Marquis, Jason Simontacchi/Danny Haren.
Bullpen: Jason Isringhausen, King, Steve Kline, Cal Eldred, Mike Lincoln, Chris Carpenter, Julian Taverez.

I don't expect Cox to start, but the Cards to sign another 1B/LF.

[Domeboys]

I'll let the pun pass...

As far as first base/left field goes, the public line is that a Robinson/Taguchi platoon will start in left, with Pujols at first. They really want Albert there, as his elbow injury last season is not something they want to deal with again. Others are hoping for a first base platoon of Cox and rookie John Gall.

The team was unable to come up with enough cash to sign Jay Payton, so while Raul Mondesi is still out there, his price will be too high. They have brought in a bunch of low-price, non-roster help (Ray Lankford, Mark Quinn, Emil Brown, Kevin Witt) in hopes of a lightning strike.

At second, Marlon Anderson and Bo Hart will compete for the job in spring training. Butler is a long shot to make the team, as is Rule 5 pickup Hector Luna.

Chris Carpenter is listed by the team as #3 in the rotation, even though he hasn't pitched in two years. Another bullpen spot may be taken by Kiko Calero, who showed well in 2003 before an ankle injury ended his season. Jim Journell is the "closer of the future", but will need help to make the team, especially given management's preference for veterans over youth.

A good club; but it will be hard to better their third-place 2003 showing with the improved competition in the division.

[Rajah]

Looks to be the making of an ugly final hurrah for LaRussa.
Fortunately for Tony, he plays in the same division as Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh. Unfortunately he plays in the same division as Houston and (I can't believe I'm actually saying this) Chicago.

I think they'll be fine. I can't imagine that Hart, who was a nice story, will hold on to 2B for very long in front of Anderson.

They just didn't keep up with the Astros and Cubs....it's not a bad team, I don't even hate the SP that much.

[cardinaldave]

Everybody is ready to hand the division to Houston or Chicago, forgetting they still have to play their respective 162-game schedules. In Houston, neither Clemens nor Pettitte have thrown one pitch in Minute Maid Park. I look for that LF porch to be a bane in Pettitte's ass. Can Oswalt stay healthy? Can Miller regain his form from a couple years ago? Can Dotel close out games consistently? Can Bagwell stay healthy? The core of their offense is aging, rapidly.
In Chicago, well, they ARE the Cubs. See: NLCS, game 6, inning 8. They WILL implode, we just have to hope it happens before October.
The Cards will be fine despite LaRussa's best efforts to the contrary. They just have a smaller margin of error than in some previous years. SP has improved. Bullpen has improved. They have been talking w/ Travis Lee, who would prove to be a cheap Tino, to man 1B. I still think the D is best in division. The bench could show itself to be better than last year, if some guys step up (ie: Ray, Vaughn, Quinn and the like). With more productive situational hitting, the Cardinals will be right there come September.

Remember, if what was on paper counted for anything, the Yankees would have just celebrated their 8th consecutive World Championship!

[Domeboys]

True, CardinalDave, but the team lost 12 more games than the previous season and the additions made this off-season are not that inspiring. Some of the names are different, but the basics are similar to 2003 - thin rotation, great offense.

[cardinaldave]

Originally Posted by Domeboys

True, CardinalDave, but the team lost 12 more games than the previous season and the additions made this off-season are not that inspiring. Some of the names are different, but the basics are similar to 2003 - thin rotation, great offense.

Agreed. I'm not making plans to be in St. Louis in October, just yet. But, my point is they still have to play the games. I still believe the rotation has been upgraded (as much by the departures of Tomko & Stephenson as by the additions of Suppan, Carpenter(?), & Marquis) more than the offense has been downgraded. And our defense can't be touched by anyone else in the NL Central. I know, too, that if things start going wrong, the Birds could be well out of it by the Break.

Originally Posted by cardinaldave

Everybody is ready to hand the division to Houston or Chicago, forgetting they still have to play their respective 162-game schedules. In Houston, neither Clemens nor Pettitte have thrown one pitch in Minute Maid Park. I look for that LF porch to be a bane in Pettitte's ass. Can Oswalt stay healthy? Can Miller regain his form from a couple years ago? Can Dotel close out games consistently? Can Bagwell stay healthy? The core of their offense is aging, rapidly

Well - Pettite and Clemens are probably better than almost all of the pitchers who have thrown 1 pitch in Orange Juice. and probably most or all of those who reside in Busch - sure they could collapse, but lack of evidence...well is lack of evidence. These guys have long track records of good performance. Miller was VERY good last year, and he was great in 2002 - not a 'couple of years ago' - he had a great K rate, great hit rate and pitched 33 games...let's not go nuts about that.....particularly given the cards pitching health record.

The cards hardly have a great record for age or health for position players.

The Cubs and Astros made big moves..and were ahead of the cards. and the cards made small moves and were behind. They're not a bad team...but they have to be clear underdogs.

[Gib2]

Well though I know that the games still have to be played, you can still see the writing on the wall most of the time. Especially with the one who shall remain name-less running the show. Just the fact that as of this moment the Cards are thinking of using a platoon of KRob and So in LF is skeery. KRob at 30 years old is far past showing us that he still has "potential". He is at best a AA player. So Taguchi name is fitting, So-So.

The point made about injures is a very valid one. This team will be in serious trouble if the history of injuries continues like it has over the previous 3 seasons. There are many in the Cardinal Nation that fear the medical and training staff in St. Louis with good reason.

The starting pitching this year is even more suspect than it has been in the past. The only good thing I see right at this moment is the fact that this is Matt Morris's walk year. And we all know how that seems to enhance a players season. Woody is even older and it really showed the final 3 months of last season. Suppan the projected number 3 man is well, well what is he? Ordinary. Yes, that is close to what I want to say. Carpenter and Marquis? They are huge question marks. Carpenter is supposed to have good stuff, but nobody has seen it in 2 years. Marquis comes to us in the Drew trade from Atlanta. It has to make you wonder anytime the Braves deal a pitcher away. At least for me it does. The BP is the only thing IMO that has improved this year. I can only hope that Izzy can finally live up to that contract.

Then there is the bench. Usually something the man who shall remain name-less relies too much on and is usually much better than this. Enough said, the Cards are in trouble when HWSRNL starts playing chess on the field and in the batting order.

Albert Pujols should be a happy man come Feb. 20 or before hopefully. I have no doubt that he will continue to put up the same numbers again. First base is his position for a long time from here on out. Second, very questionable now, but not a big problem. Rolen, well he is Rolen. Enough said. Renteria, again another player in his walk year. Watch out. Matheny, another player that can go without mention because he will do what he does. And that is handle the position well. No bat though. LF, disussed above. CF, Edmonds, hopefully we can get 600 AB's out of him and he will put up some even bigger numbers. But some how I doubt it. He is a ESPN highlight reel in the field game in game out and will some where along the line break down. I like the fact that we got Sanders, I wish it would of been when he was a few years younger though.

And finally, we come back to name less one. Finally, I mean finally we will see the end of him in St. Louis during or after this season. Finally.

Third place finish. Maybe around 80 wins. Maybe.

[sweaver]

Gib2, are you SmedIndy posting in disguise?

I think the Cardinals are contenders, but until they show me their pitching can come together, I'm a non-believer. Another reason they play the games on the field. Matheny and whomever plays 2B will likely be offensive black holes, and if they don't get a hitter to share 1B/LF with Pujols, they will be giving up offense at 3 spots, and then they definitely will NOT have the best offense in the Central, even with Pujols and Edmonds.

[Gib2]

No sweaver, I am just Gib. I did forget a post script on the Drew trade. I don't know if it has been discussed in a Brave thread or another thread or not, but I found it quite humorous when the Braves signed J.D. to that 4.2 million dollar contract last week and then placed him on the DL. I hope they get used to that situation.

[manny tortolero]

I think that still they have the better offensive core in that division with Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen, Renteria and the steady power of Sanders although they still needs fill the 1B hole (who knows if Fred McGriff could be there?) . However they will be contenders so far that SP staff can bring them.
Morris is injury prone: if he is healthy Cards he is one of the best and will contend, if not they are out; Williams struggled in August and September the last season and that was one of the main causes for Cards fails last season, however he is effective and knows how to win; Suppan will gives them 200+ innings but he is not more than a .500 pitcher and the other two spots looks bigger than Marquis, Carpenter, Simontachi and Haren's skills to run that responsability the whole year.
One reliable starter and a 1B can put them ahead again in the Division run.

[SmedIndy]

As long as the mad genius is trotting out all of his relievers situationally, and thinking Kerry Robinson is a lead-off hitter - forget it.

[Gib2]

Originally Posted by SmedIndy

As long as the mad genius is trotting out all of his relievers situationally, and thinking Kerry Robinson is a lead-off hitter - forget it.

Well said SmedIndy, well said. I do believe that we will finally see the end of this so called genius in the lab though after this year is over.

[Throwback]

Wow...I didn't hear we got Lankford. Shows how well the Cards are covered here in Columbia. Should be interesting to see...he had some parting shots for LaRussa when he was traded.

I thought the Marquis trade was one of Jocketty's worst moves ever. With all JD Drew's talent, surely he has plenty of value, and Eli Marrero would be a borderline star if they let him play more. He should have been retained to play left, while Pujols could have played 1st. Sure, we needed a decent arm for the rotation, but if we're going to give up two starter-quality players, we should get somebody a little better.

We have a lot of questions and even a hole or two. We need some players to really step up (besides just Pujols). We have to avoid laying down in the heat of the pennant race like last year, and actually need to play above ourselves a bit. Basically, we'd be better off with a better manager.