(Photo Credit-The Fantasy Fix)
The All Star Break is here. The St. Louis Cardinals couldn’t sweep the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday but they took two of three from the division leaders and trail them only by a game. Before you get too hasty, take a moment and realize what the home team accomplished in two weeks. The Cards were 6.5 games out of first place on July 1st and stand only a game out on July 14th. After the loss of Jaime Garcia for the rest of the season and Michael Wacha for at least two months, the Cards were dealt another blow on Thursday. Yadi Molina went down with a torn thumb ligament and panic ensued. The team responded by winning the Brewers series and scoring 17 runs inside two games and cranking home runs like it was 2005 all over again.
The Rogues in Red may be a maddening bunch but they are resilient and that is a common quality with this team. They may be knocked down by injuries and inconsistent play, but they find a way to hang tough and stay in the fight. In 2013, the Pirates were trying so hard to run away with the division, and into September they seemed to be gone. Then, the Cards rallied and won the division and defeated the Bucs in the first round. Let’s not forget the 2011 season, where the team stood over 10 games out on August 25th and stampeded to a wild card berth and the World Series. It’s never a good idea to count out a Cardinals team and 2014 is another quiet indicator that this team simply won’t die.
What does this all mean for the second half? Keep the chin up but don’t throw away the brown bags to breathe into and the blood pressure meds. The team will go through some tough stretches and take some nasty turns. The rookies will make mistakes. Trevor Rosenthal may struggle in the ninth. Joe Kelly and Carlos Martinez may not pitch enough innings. Matt Holliday‘s slugging percentage may dip. The possibilities are endless for a team that prefers roller coasters to stagecoaches for the trajectory of their seasons.
There are deeper issues that need addressing with this team going forward.
*How long do you stick with Shelby Miller before sending him to Memphis for a tuneup? He is 23 years old and talented, but has suffered bad starts in a row where he isn’t going deep into games, is walking too many and getting pounded by lineups big and small. It’s the dog days of summer coming on here and staying with young erratic arms isn’t wise. Matheny and Mozeliak may need to send Shelby down to work on his secondary pitches. They could bring up Tim Cooney or Tyler Lyons or they could use the open dates in July to run with a four man rotation.
*Is Allen Craig really healthy? I have wondered this all season and tried to think of every other reason Craig could be off. Craig has options and could deny a trip to Memphis. He has 3 years of service and would have to be placed on waivers to even start that process. Craig probably wouldn’t benefit from slugging minor league hitters. I keep coming back to his health and his foot. He hasn’t been able to take the ball to right field or shoot the gap in left center that much in 2014. How does a guy play well for three seasons and suddenly lose his stroke? Craig’s problem is more severe than any other player on this team. Pitchers may have found a book on him and are exploiting it but why did it take so long? Craig’s troubles could be more connected with heath. It may be best to give him a few more exams and place him on the disabled list. When a car isn’t running right, you don’t keep driving it. You take it to the shop. Allen Craig needs time off and not banishment.
*Carlos Martinez had a rough day Sunday but I wouldn’t read too much into it. He flipped a bat after grounding out that nearly hit an umpire. He threw about three tantrums on the mound. He got beat by bad luck and sloppy defense. With a huge chance to sweep the Brewers, the pressure mounted on Carlos’ shoulders and he caved a bit. He’s a very young man and still learning how to work a start. His innings load may worry some people but I think he will bounce back.
*There is the issue of Daniel Descalso eating up open space on this team and disabling the bench area. It’s illogical to keep these players like Descalso instead of say, Greg Garcia or Randal Grichuk. John Mozeliak needs to cut the fat before the second half.
Take this time to relax. The season resumes on Friday and the second half includes a lot of division matchups. Lots of Reds, Pirates and Brewers action. This division will be earned because so many teams will be facing each other in the final two months. Will Mo make a trade? Yes and no. It depends on what the team shows right out of the break. A waiver move in August is also possible, and for a starter if innings and other various troubles continue.
With the Cards, anything is possible. Keep your seat belt on, folks. The second half of 2014 may be as bumpy as the first. The Cards may break your heart or mend it in the hot humid summer air. Prepare for the a storm and keep an eye out for sunshine.
As far as the All Star Game festivities go, I find it hard to muster excitement for tonight’s Home Run Derby. It’s like a Michael Bay movie. Fun for the first 30 minutes but way too long to hold your attention. They need to make it more interesting. Light up some gasoline fires at home plate. Have the pitcher throw harder. Make each round 5 outs. Do something. Chris Berman is bearable for only so long.
The game itself is worth watching because it does determine home field advantage in the World Series. Love it or hate it, but those are the rules. If your team is contending for a title, it’s best to at least check the box score. If you are a hardcore fan, it’s hard to deny the greatness of seeing the best play with the best. How many double switches will Mike Matheny have?
Enjoy the break and get some rest. Baseball is about to get very interesting.
Thanks for digesting and follow me on Twitter for more instant doses, @buffa82.
