6 Thoughts on this Redbird Rundown from Game #4.
- I have to start with the positives because there are way too many negatives right now with this 1-3 start. Mike Leake followed the first 3 starting pitchers by having a stellar start. Mike Leake went 8 strong innings, allowing just 1 run on 6 hits. He struck out 6 with one free pass. Leake, who came into the game with awful numbers against many of the Reds hitters didn’t give up a run until the 6th inning when Joey Votto doubled home Billy Hamilton. Hamilton probably would have scored from first, but he was already on 2nd after stealing yet another base against Cardinal pitching/Yadier Molina (24 steals in 26 attempts).
- A silver lining to a disappointing start after such a strong Spring Training (maybe the Jupiter record doesn’t mean anything after all) is that the Cardinals starting pitching has been good, if not great. We are talking about a small sample size – however the Cardinals starting pitching currently have the best ERA at 1.75 through 4 games. They’ve allowed just 5 earned runs in 25 and ⅔ innings while only walking 4 and striking out 26. Their WHIP (walks + hits per inning pitched) is .94 – second in the majors. If the Cardinals continue to get pitching anywhere near what it’s been they’ll be just fine.
- If the starting pitching has overperformed the hitters have grossly underperformed. Again – just a small sample size – Cardinals hitters are 28th in baseball and DEAD LAST in team average batting just .188 through 4 games. If the Cardinals go out and score 8 runs tomorrow those stats are meaningless and disappear – however the first four games have been a pathetic showing by the bats.
- I predicted in yesterday’s Redbird Rundown that a rookie lefty pitcher making his major league debut would probably shut out the Cardinals I’d say Amir Garrett who threw 6 innings with just 2 hits and a pair of walks is considered shutting them down. After the rookie exited, two Reds reliever combined for 3 innings of no hit baseball, striking out four and walking one. 2 hits against the Reds isn’t going to cut it. These aren’t the Reds of the Big Red Machine of the 70s either. Maybe Amir Garrett turns into Tom Seaver – or maybe the Cardinals turned him into that tonight.
- After relying on the homerun ball so much last year the Cardinals have hit a total of 1 homerun (Randal Grichuk Opening Day). This is dead last in the majors. It’s not time to start clamoring for Holliday, Moss, and heck even Hazelbaker – however the lack of power in the first handful of games isn’t bringing a smile to my face. As Greg Maddux & Tom Glavine once told us “chicks dig the longball”. I don’t know any Cardinal fans who are “digging” what they’ve seen so far at the plate.
- I thought I’d throw out a few batting averages that we can hopefully laugh at in a week or so after Pedro Cerano teaches the guys how to “keep bats warm”.
Stephen Piscotty is batting .111, Matt Carpenter is hitting .143, Jhonny Peralta is at .182, Dexter Fowler is not “stirring the drink” at .188, Randal Grichuk is batting .200, Aledmys Diaz has a batting average of .222, and Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong are red hot (for this team currently) at .250. I know guys go through slumps, but when the whole team slumps and it’s to start a season, it becomes very obvious very quickly.
The Cardinals will get another chance tomorrow to see if they can find their bats. A bad game in other professional sports may have athletes waiting days or even a week between games, but the beauty of baseball is that there’s always another game just around the corner. The Cards look to even the series tomorrow at 1:15 when 40 year old Bronson Arroyo (yes that guy you remember who debuted 17 years ago) squares off against Michael Wacha. Arroyo will pitch again in the majors 2 ½ years after his last start in 2014. Wacha looks to pick up right where he left off in Spring Training, but more importantly to continue the string of great starting pitching that the Cardinals have received so far this season.
Reds #s vs Michael Wacha
Zack Cozart who is hitting .538 to start the season is hitting .478 in 23 career AB
Scooter Gennett is hitting .368 in 19 AB
Joey Votto is hitting .379 in 29 AB with 1 homer
Cards #s vs Bronson Arroyo
I didn’t think it was pertinent to include any numbers since he hasn’t pitched in the majors in 2 ½ years. Mike Matheny did face Arroyo when he played however, so maybe he’ll give the guys his scouting report from the way back time machine.
