"Turd Throw" and other stories from the rancid NLC.

[thehawk]

An nice random present for Dave B:

http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=537497

Here's my present for the Cardinals fans, from Baseball Prospectus:

Just a hair behind the Cubs in what was expected to be a rebuilding year, the Cardinals are doing it by throwing strikes. No NL pitching staff has walked fewer men than their 74, leading to the third-fewest runs allowed and second-best ERA in the league. Without overpowering stuff—165 strikeouts, a mere 11th in the league—Cards pitchers have been pounding the strike zone and taking their chances.

They're winning this game of chance thanks to a strangely low home-run rate: just 19 allowed, third in the NL, in 243 1/3 innings. That number almost has to go up when you look at the pitchers on the staff.

There's a reason beyond the pitching staff for these figures. Clay Davenport noted last week that the Cards have played the weakest schedule in baseball. It's weak largely because it's been populated by teams that can't hit. The Cards have played seven games against the Giants (.365 SLG, 14th in NL; 14 HR, last); six against the Astros (.410 SLG, seventh in NL); five against the Brewers (.385, 11th; almost all innings pitched by RHPs) and nine others against the Nationals, Rockies, Pirates, and Reds. The Cardinals have played 75 percent of their schedule against teams with below-average slugging percentages. When that changes, they'll allow more home runs, more runs, and slip away from the top of the NL Central.

So it would appear that, once they come across a team that is patient, but hits the tar out of strikes, that their record may not be so good.  I just so happen to know a team like that (and can't wait to watch them to pound the mouthbreathers from a good seat  in their home park tomorrow).

[Dave B]

Good catch.

Bernie Dickless has a less EG-like take on their start in today's Post-Pisspatch:

"And a reality check would include the following warnings: 18 of the first 29 games have been played at home, against (mostly) mediocre teams. The Cardinals have faced one team (Milwaukee) that currently has a winning record. The St. Louis pitching staff has controlled some of the weaker NL lineups; they have faced only two teams that are in the upper half of the NL in runs scored. And after the Cubs come to town for a three-game set, the Cardinals will play 14 of the next 20, and 23 of the next 36 on the road.

The Cardinals are hitting home runs at the lowest rate of La Russa's 13 seasons here. They have stranded more runners than any NL team. And closer Jason Isringhausen has been vulnerable when pushed into a heavier workload."

[Al Yellon]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

[Three times a JD]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

That's a big change from past years.  Used to, if the cubs jumped out to a big lead, they'd spend the rest of the game flailing away at first pitches and then second pitches and so on until the pulled a grounder to the shortstop.  The opposing team's pitcher would have definitely a few innings where he threw less than 10 pitches and then the other team would get back in it.  This year, howevah, the cubs remained patient throughout the game and actually scored runs in other innings.  It was very refreshing.

[Dave B]

Bernie Dickless is at it again today in his Post-Dispatch blog:

"I write this on Thursday, in anticipation of the renewal of the funtastic Cubs-Cardinals rivalry.

And this one is easy to frame: all the pressure in the world is on the Cubs. The Cardinals have nothing to lose. According to the national baseball punditry, the Cardinals were supposed to be an also-ran this season, far up the track, and a hideous representation of a MLB team. They were buried under 4th place, 5th place, predictions. Even the august publication, the Chicago Tribune, marked the Cardinals down for a 69-93 season.

Instead, the Cardinals won 18 games in April and emerged as a first-month surprise with their refurbished, budget-conscious roster. Sure, the Cardinals have much to prove, and they'll be facing better competition and a more difficult schedule.

But so what? The Cardinals have nothing to lose. They aren't supposed to be a factor in this. They can delightfully play the role of pest, nuisance, underdogs.

The Cub$, meanwhile, have been on a spending frenzy for the last two years, trying to become the NY Yankees of the National League as they handed out around $500 million in free-agent deals or contract extensions in an effort to win big, and as soon as possible.

The latest Cub$ purchase was the splendid Japanese outfielder, Fukudome, who signed for 4 years, $48 million over the winter. That contract went into the top-dollar file along with the previous deals for Alfonso Soriano ($136 million), Carlos Zambrano ($91.5 million), Aramis Ramirez ($75 million), Derrek Lee ($65 million), Ted Lilly ($40 million), Jason Marquis ($21 million) and Mark DeRosa ($13 million).

Hey, but at least the Cardinals countered with Cesar Izturis...

The Cubs have a helluva team. They've spruced up their one weakness, a lack of plate discipline. They're drawing walks, getting on base, setting up a feast of RBI opportunities for the big fellas. Going into Thursday's game against Milwaukee, the Cubs (.375) had a one-point lead over the Cardinals for the best onbase percentage in the NL. The lineup is loaded with OBP machines, including Lee (.437), Ramirez (.411), Fukudome (.436), Geovany Soto (.427), DeRosa (.416), Ryan Theriot (.396) and Reed Johnson (.379).

Soriano has just returned from the DL — and oddly enough, his free-swinging ways may actually have a nominal negative impact on a lineup that's been taking a lot of intelligent at-bats. He had a mediocre OBP of .337 at the top of the lineup card last season, and was stuck at an OBP of .230 when injured last month.

Anyway, the Cubs definitely have one of the best teams in the NL, and there's no reason why they shouldn't have a strong season. And why not? There are no excuses for the North Siders. When you spend $500 million in 24 months, you'd better have great players, and you'd better get impressive results. And the Cub$ have assembled a very impressive roster, which is being guided by a proven winner in second-year manager Lou Piniella.

It's going to be fascinating to see if the Cardinals can keep up with the best ATM in the NL Central."

I sent an e-mail response that was a little tame because I sent it from work. However, I pointed out that none of the St. Louis minions whined about money when the Cardinals outspent the Cubs in 2000, 2001 (by a whopping $14 million), 2003, and 2005. And his characterization of the Cubs as "NY Yankees of the National League is a little off seeing how the Cubs are THIRD in the NL in payroll (by the way, the White Sox are fifth in MLB at $121.2 mil and the Cubs eighth at $118.3, with the Cardinals in at 11th).

[LoneStarCubFan]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

That's a big change from past years.  Used to, if the cubs jumped out to a big lead, they'd spend the rest of the game flailing away at first pitches and then second pitches and so on until the pulled a grounder to the shortstop.  The opposing team's pitcher would have definitely a few innings where he threw less than 10 pitches and then the other team would get back in it.  This year, howevah, the cubs remained patient throughout the game and actually scored runs in other innings.  It was very refreshing.

Today's game is, however, all too fucking familiar.

[Three times a JD]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

That's a big change from past years.  Used to, if the cubs jumped out to a big lead, they'd spend the rest of the game flailing away at first pitches and then second pitches and so on until the pulled a grounder to the shortstop.  The opposing team's pitcher would have definitely a few innings where he threw less than 10 pitches and then the other team would get back in it.  This year, howevah, the cubs remained patient throughout the game and actually scored runs in other innings.  It was very refreshing.

Today's game is, however, all too fucking familiar.

I wouldn't know.  I don't have it on the television.

[RV]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

That's a big change from past years.  Used to, if the cubs jumped out to a big lead, they'd spend the rest of the game flailing away at first pitches and then second pitches and so on until the pulled a grounder to the shortstop.  The opposing team's pitcher would have definitely a few innings where he threw less than 10 pitches and then the other team would get back in it.  This year, howevah, the cubs remained patient throughout the game and actually scored runs in other innings.  It was very refreshing.

Today's game is, however, all too fucking familiar.

Wrong thread. I think you were looking for this:

http://www.desipio.com/messageboard/index.php?topic=5298.0

[LoneStarCubFan]

Suppan and Turnbow combined to give up 17 runs last night.  In 4 1/3 innings.  Just awesome.

Don't forget the pitch counts:

J Suppan 92-57
B Shouse 6-4
S McClung 71-38
D Turnbow 43-21
M Stetter 5-3

217 pitches total. Suppan and Turnbow threw about 2/3 of them.

That's a big change from past years.  Used to, if the cubs jumped out to a big lead, they'd spend the rest of the game flailing away at first pitches and then second pitches and so on until the pulled a grounder to the shortstop.  The opposing team's pitcher would have definitely a few innings where he threw less than 10 pitches and then the other team would get back in it.  This year, howevah, the cubs remained patient throughout the game and actually scored runs in other innings.  It was very refreshing.

Today's game is, however, all too fucking familiar.

Wrong thread. I think you were looking for this:

http://www.desipio.com/messageboard/index.php?topic=5298.0

I knew what that would be and I still clicked on it. I'm not a ledge jumper anymore. Just hate seeing them give one way to Forrest Gump, er, Ned Yost.

[Mike Douche]

Long season.

I'll say this though--Soriano and his drunken-polar-bear-on-a-unicycle act needs to be taken down for defense in later innings.  No need having that clown with an irrelevant glove stapled to his hand out there in a  close games.

[The Paul Popovich Experience]

Long season.

I'll say this though--Soriano and his drunken-polar-bear-on-a-unicycle act needs to be taken down for defense in later innings.  No need having that clown with an irrelevant glove stapled to his hand out there in a  close games.

How Cub that the Soriano signing is looking a HUGE, Hampton-esque, Zito-esque FA disaster right about now. Ugh. That 40/40 season in Washington is already a distant memory.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Long season.

I'll say this though--Soriano and his drunken-polar-bear-on-a-unicycle act needs to be taken down for defense in later innings.  No need having that clown with an irrelevant glove stapled to his hand out there in a  close games.

I'm not sure Lou wants to stir up that hornet's nest just yet but you'd think Pie or Johnson would make that catch.

[Chuckosan]

Long season.

I'll say this though--Soriano and his drunken-polar-bear-on-a-unicycle act needs to be taken down for defense in later innings.  No need having that clown with an irrelevant glove stapled to his hand out there in a  close games.

How Cub that the Soriano signing is looking a HUGE, Hampton-esque, Zito-esque FA disaster right about now. Ugh. That 40/40 season in Washington is already a distant memory.

Shut up, Chuck.  Oh, wait.

[TJ]

Long season.

I'll say this though--Soriano and his drunken-polar-bear-on-a-unicycle act needs to be taken down for defense in later innings.  No need having that clown with an irrelevant glove stapled to his hand out there in a  close games.

How Cub that the Soriano signing is looking a HUGE, Hampton-esque, Zito-esque FA disaster right about now. Ugh. That 40/40 season in Washington is already a distant memory.

Shut up, Chuck.  Oh, wait.

I just remember reading somewhere that the length and size of the contract wasn't an issue.

[Mike Douche]

Oooh, nice call, Teej.

Methinks Chuck knows about that skeleton and has already prepared a rebuttal.

Stay tuned...or don't.