The St. Louis Cardinals are reportedly remaking Colby Rasmus into a 175-pound opposite-field slash-and-run hitter.
Last time, I presented a potential batting order for the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals based on the manager’s comments, past behavior and of course, supposition.
One key element around which I worked was the lineup placement of soon-to-be third-year player Colby Rasmus. This may have been the most debatable point in the discussion that followed. My thought process placed the centerfielder in the second spot, while a number of others see him more appropriately batting sixth or seventh.
Part of what guided me to consider Rasmus in the number two hole was awareness of a change in his hitting approach currently underway. While hitting style is not hard-wired to one’s spot in the order, think about it in the context of what follows and draw your own conclusion.
Colby’s father, RCWarrior, shared some of the specifics here at The Cardinal Nation Blog the other day. All the quotes that follow are from Tony Rasmus, a successful high school baseball coach in Alabama.
“Colby has been working on spraying the ball around the field this offseason via the Big Mac approach. Hasn’t been lifting since the plan is to be a slap hitter so there is no need for the added muscle. The goal I hear is to hit .300 and hit more ground balls and line drives the other way.”
Since becoming a professional in 2005, Rasmus has hit .300 just once, in Single-A ball in 2006. The left-handed hitter was a career .277 batter in the minor leagues and posted a .251 average in his rookie season with St. Louis, followed by a .276 mark in 2010.
He’s always gotten on base, with a career minor league OBP of .366. He slipped to .307 in his rookie season before improving to .361 in 2010.
More from RCWarrior.
“… I’m curious to see this new hitting style at work. What they’re telling me is Colby most likely won’t hit 10 jacks this year but will be more consistent. I’m told that he will look alot like Jon Jay without all the pre swing motion. More like the Skip (Schumaker) and Jay stuff to left field. IT will be curious to watch.”
In 2007 with Double-A Springfield, Rasmus clubbed a system-high 29 home runs and hit a total of 39 in his initial pair of seasons as a big-leaguer, including 23 in 2010.
In case it wasn’t clear, this change is apparently a long-standing wish from the coaching staff.
“Its what Tony (La Russa) has wanted him to do evidently for the last few years. Stop trying to pull the ball and be more like Skip with the other way stuff and working on hitting more ground balls. It is interesting to hear him say he is supposed to inside out everything and hit 80 % of all balls to the left side. Its the one handed swing that Brendan (Ryan) was working on last year. I haven’t watched him hit he has just been telling me about it.”
A lighter, more agile Rasmus will debut next spring.
“…he is on the Cardinals program this year and thats what they want him working on. He’s always lifted with our team as we are a big believer in lifting weights but this year with the different hitting approach they don’t want him too muscled up.
“The example I was given was they want him to be loose like Rod Carew used to be with the hands and slap those singles past the third baseman. He was joking yesterday that it was gonna be a learning experience this year, hopefully not as painful as was Skip and Brendan’s was last year when they tried the Big Mac hitting style.
“He weighed in yesterday at 180 lbs and is running 5 miles a day trying to get quicker and lose a little more. Wants to be at 175 by spring training. He is working the abs but nothing else in the weight room. Gonna try to be a Brett Gardner slap it and run. I believe he was 205-210 at the start of spring training last year so he will be a different player this year thats for sure.”
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Can’t beat that RC. Go with the flow…………………….
Easy like sunday morning WC.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/a-gon-no-extension-has-been-agreed-to.html
Look at this provocative little piece……………. I see a bunch of options swimming in that puddle.
Makes sense for the team to use Colby’s footspeed to better effect. Here’s wishing him every success adopting this new approach. Scoring 100+ runs in 2011 should be one obvious and very helpful result. Plus, as he becomes accomplished at taking the outside pitch to LF, and if opposing teams counter by throwing him more inside, he should see MORE pitches to pull and hit for power. Even with a lighter frame, the ball should continue to jump off his bat.
Looks like a potential win-win to me.
Colby is not yet ‘clutch’ in RBI situations. His BA w/RISP last year was just .252, 10th best among hitters with over 100 ABs. With Berkman likely to fill the 5 hole and a healthy Freese hitting 6th, 2nd is the most logical spot for his unique combination of power and speed. He’d be wasted hitting 7th or lower in this lineup.
I like it HBT. I actually went and watched him yeterday and he reminds me of David Eckstein. He is choked up on the bat and just throwing the hands. Man he was just running those ground balls between short and third. He hit 500 balls and 400 of them were ground balls to the left side. Another 70 were bloopers over the third basemans head and the rest were fly ball outs to left. He was running out of the box when he was making contact. Ichiro like.
I think the loss of strength is gonna be an asset in hitting this way. He doesn’t have the strength to hit thee ball out so it will make him stay focused on just punching the ball the other way.
Love the way Bernie goes up and rearranges the noose around Tony’s neck………………… calling it a tie that needed straightening.
Seems silly to wait and see if BM washes up on shore over at dead pool beach…………. over a few dollars…………We talk about chemistry, and yet we won’t spend a dime on it.
I think RC likes to pull people’s legs just to see if they’ll scream.
Hey I’m supportive CC. If Tony believes this is the best way for Colby to hit who am I to challenge it. Now my players were making fun of him all day long watching it but hey, its what the big dog wants.
I’m really happy to see Colby hitting .397 with an OPS of 1.125.
Perhaps the St. Louis Cardinals do know what they’re doing.
Its so hard to believe. As I stated in the other discussion, Colby could use some instruction on how to take more consistent AB’s and learn to use the other field more often, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of his power. Teach him to shorten up his swing w/ 2 strikes and put more balls in play including taking pitches the other way when appropriate. Get him better prepared vs pitchers he’ll face. No reason to try and completely remake him. They didn’t draft him and move him along in the system to become frick’n Skip II.
Mike I believe you will appreciate the consistency this year. I don’t think he will hit 5 HR’s if what I saw today was any indication of his power but he should be able to cut down on the K’s and dink some singles over 3B more this year with 2 strikes with this approach. He’s got good hands and with this spread out no step hitting style he should be able to make better contact. I believe he is trying to please the boss man by revamping his style of hitting. Thats all you can do I guess.
Now if he can get to throwing more like Jon Jay he will have made huge strides in really getting on TLR’s good side.
Accuracy wise that is.
I’m sure being a coach, you know you don’t have to go to extremes w/ players. Especially your some of your higher talent types. Colby don’t need to hit 30HR but w/ a little work on weaknesses he could hit 30HR by accident and improve his K rate. Its all about approach. It seems obvious that w/ 2 strikes he needs to shorten up and focus on contact as well as working on taking an outside pitch the other way.
Every hitting guy has a set of mechanics that they believe in but I don’t believe in changing a successful hitter to fit my hitting philosophy. Now every hitting coach works on having his hitters hit the ball the other way. That is something we do daily for a few rounds but I personally never sacrifice a power hitting swing for opposite field hitting. But every body is different.
If this new approach fails you can bet your last dime TLR won’t take the blame.
And he shouldn’t. Changing how you hit is a gamble thats for sure. One I wouldn’t recommend and haven’t. But if the only help you can get during the season believes this is the only way to hit then you had better conform. And Colby is doing just that.
He should because he is the manager and if he is going to manage Colby that way, then he should take the blame if it fails. Unless you are suggesting Colby has a choice. Saying that he had better conform doesn’t sound like a choice to me.
If successful, will you give TLR credit?
Lets dont get carried away HBT.
Sure. Are you going to blame him if it isn’t?
Blame, no. Constructively criticize, yes… if necessary.
HB, stay away from poker games.
No problem. I’m a eucher/pinochle type guy anyhow….
TCNB and the Tony Rasmus quotes got a few minutes of discussion on 101FM the Fastlane program just after 4:00 this afternoon. The concensus, RC’s statements are “a load of crap”. MM is not teaching anyone to slap hit. And Colby’s dad’s conduct in posting this stuff was described in unflattering terms. Can’t remember the exact words.
You’re in trouble now RC.
I know. I’m feeling the heat Crdswmn. There have been at least 10 Grand Marquis with tinted windows drive by my house. Back and forth. Its frightening.
The only thing I saw was a red fungo hanging out of the window waving in the air. And the last thing I heard as it rode out of sight was merry christmas to all and stop hitting the ball to right.
It’s the Continental’s you should be watching out for RC. And anybody named Salvadore.
I’d guess there will be a repossession call by Mo eventually………… the importance of that call shouldn’t be underestimated. Worth a thought I’d guess.
I’m curious WC, what is a repossesion call ?
The combatants will seek signs of allegiance and loyalty………. BD wins……….be on the winners side……its not always easy to see the lines in the sand…………but they are there…….there is an appearance in some of the recent statements that suggest Colby has gone gaga over Tony’s wishes…………….. They are at war……….. don’t forget who signs the checks………………..when caught in a firefight between two adversaries….do you face one, exposing your back to the other? Don’t make that mistake…………..you stand sideways……..and back up……….avoiding the fate of all chew toys………………..
Crap……….I guess Tony wont like Colby now because of that……….Wait a minute
You may have something Bling. I went to throw some BP to some former players now playing in the minor leagues and the cage owner said that Tony called and said not to let me use the cage.
RC — When Colby writes his autobiography, he should call it ‘A Tale of Two Tonys’.
The first sentence should be… ‘It was the best of times. It was the worst of times…’
Anf he should it end it with “it is a far better thing I do than I have done before.”
Well, we’ve done the hard part. Now Colby just needs to work on the middle!
you wouldn’t be able to read it unless you were from the south.
thatdadgumballwasrightdownthecocksoijustpoundeditdadgummit.
I’m originally from southern Missouri. Makes perfect sense to me.
RC — Not exactly Faulkner…
I don’t usually do this, but I am copying what I think is an especially insightful comment made by AustinCardinal on The Cardinal Nation message board.
AustinCardinal is a lawyer by the way. Just thought I’d mention it.
Austin’s a smart guy. I guess it comes down to whether or not you are ok with the high K totals or not.
Slap is my word, I’m sure thats not the intention but its a more hands oriented approach verses a big hack. And he is really focusing it seems on keeping the ball out of the air to the extreem. I think it is a positive.
I know Austins heard the squash the bug and slap the midget hitting style that you hear when you stumble on someone teaching a little league kid how to hit.
This is essentially the argument I made the day RC first broached this subject. Must admit though, not as eloquently.
You’re right, HB. I should have given you credit, too. Sorry about that. I will do it now.
Higher average hopefully with less K’s. That can’t be bad no matter how you word it HBT. Tony has been speaking in public since Colby has been with the cardinals that he wants Colby to not try to hit HR’s. I think Colby has just given in and is going to try to be that hitter that Tony has tried to get him to be. You have got to try and do what your manager wants you to do if you ever plan on getting out of the doghouse.
656 votes in your poll Brian. Yikes.
Surprising. Apparently many did not see the same comments posted last week. Some initial reactions seem strong, but like Austin, hopefully most are putting this into perspective. What is not surprising is that based on the poll, readers dig the long ball… (apology to Greg Maddux)
Some folks just want to find something to argue about. I think Tony just wants a more consistent, more reliable, more contact oriented swing.
“Some folks just want to find something to argue about. ”
And that’s bad?
Crdswmn, are you asking me that question? You know I prefer a good argument to almost anything.
You made the statement, I’m just askin.
Kills me… 20 people voted ‘I don’t care’. Then why bother voting?
Those folks are worried about something that really matters like Alberts new contract in St. Louis. Metallica said it best, Nothing else matters.
Well, Brian look at the stir you caused.
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/09/not-satisfied-with-the-current-product-the-cardinals-are-trying-to-change-outfielder-colby-rasmus/
And RC I think you need to watch out for the guys named Guido too.
Unbelievable Brian. Anonymous posters.
Tweet from dgoold:
It has been suggested that Great Rasmus Slap Hit Experiment is prelude to shifting 2B. Not sure I buy it. Raz throws left. Better fit at 3B.
Reply from CardinalsGM:
CardinalsGM @dgoold Second base? Are people serious? The slap hitting thing is to have him hit lead-off and get on base w/Berk,Pujols and Holliday
This is becoming so much fun.
new word, spray. Colby is working on spraying the ball to all fields. spray sounds much more powerful that slap, and also it is less sadistic. How about it Crdswmn?
Uh, well, “spray” can be interpreted in a number of ways. Depends on whether you mean the clean version.
Well we went from sadistic to pornographic. I’ll keep working on a better word.
By the way, according to Joe Strauss, your quotes in Brian’s article are a hoax. He tweeted that he has confirmed that. Got somethin to fess to RC?
Then again maybe Joe Strauss is the blowhard I thought he was.
How would Joe Strauss get any information if he didn’t read it first here? I think he is just pissed cause he didn’t speak with Mark M and find it out before Brian did. Sour grapes Crdswmn.
Joe Strauss also told a person on twitter that Brian’s article is a spoof.
Hey Brian, is Joe Strauss on your Christmas card list?
With Berkman and Holliday at the corners, Rasmus is going to need to cover a lot of ground in center. To do this, he may want to get lighter. In which case, using the whole field as a hitter may make sense.
Great point Jumbo. I was talking to Timmy Hudson today at his hitting facility here in Phenix City and he told me Colby looked like Bret Butler swinging the stick. I told him that was what he was looking for. He actually said he liked the one handed swing, thought it kept the bat in the zone longer. And said that Colby was much quicker than this time last year after Colby beat him at ping pong about 4 games straight. I told him that was a good thing, added quickness. He even thought that Colby would be quickeer at around 160 pounds verses 165. I told hi to keep that quiet, I can already see Colby’s heart beat through the skin.
Smart move Redbirds. Take a natural 30-30 guy and change him into Willie McGee.
Didn’t Willie McGee win an MVP in 1985? Was that a bad thing?
consistency HBT. You said it best that Colby was the farthest thing from clutch and consistent. I believe every player needs to continue to try and improve. Maybe Colby will find himself more consistent and more clutch in 2011. At least he is trying. If its broke you need to fix it. 200 K’s is broke rght HBT?
I’ve talked plenty about ‘clutch’ based on BA w/RISP. Yes, 200 K’s is broken, but perhps that gets overlooked if you have 50 jacks and 130 RBI to go with it. In Colby’s case, 148 K, 23 HR and 66 RBI leaves lots of room for improvement.
Colby was a very young second year player and was, statistically, the best center fielder in baseball. He was only going to continue improving.
Why are we trying to tear him down and rebuild him, again?
Wasn’t the problem for the Cardinals last year their lack of power as a team?
They had no problem hitting for average. They were second in the NL with a .263 team BA. Their obvious weakness was a lack of power, as evidenced by a 6th worst in the NL .139 IsoP.
It seems to me that turning a player who obviously possesses the skill to be a .270/.360/.500 hitter as a CENTER FIELDER with good defense into a slap hitting, Juan Pierre wannabe is a pretty terrible idea. Especially for a team that has struggled with a lack of power and on base skills outside of Pujols and Holliday.
The Cardinals are set in terms of slap hitters with Schumaker, Theriot, Jay, and Tyler Greene. They lack power, even with the addition of Berkman.
All jokes aside, I was at a fundraiser recently and was talking to a guy at my table about how to best manage your sons career. He gave me some great advice, some good money making tips as well. He also put me in touch wth some people who are supposed to be good at promoting your sons career. Man I was furiously taking notes as he just kept on giving up the advice. I am actually having him over for the heisman trophy presentation show. We are having a large group of Auburn people over and he said he had recently came into a large sum of money and wanted to sponsor our Heisman show party. I think he said his name was Cecil Newton.
RC, I think its about time to turn the attention to something usefull like what’s Colby’s new walk-up music going to be. My vote is ‘Crazy Train’. Find out what he’s thinking will you?
I finally got my old Moto Guzzi put back together and took it for a spin with my wife in the side car. Froze her lips off. Its an old police bike from Berlin back in the cold war days. Weighs about 1000 lbs. Still has the old siren like you hear in the old movies. We’re thinking of taking it to Florida this summer. Maybe we’ll stop in Seale and take in a Warriors game.
Crazy Train is Chipper’s song.
That would be awesome Bling. We have a good young team that may end up having 5 or 6 drafted off of it. They’ll be fun to watch. Most all play in the East Cobb program which is the best travel ball program in the country. And we’ll put out a BBQ spread that will make you want to live here.
Last year on our opening day we had over 50 scouts and another 15 college coaches show up and they will eat all day long. We will play the same kind of tourney this year. We have the best teams with the best pro prospects come and we play a round robin tournament that goes from 8 in the morning until 12 at night. Fun stuff. We actually play a triple header that day.
What a world………………….
avoid……….”don’t care” Brian…………..give them a “none of the above”………..
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_98e6f891-a1cd-5240-9a0e-b05039abb7f8.html
Gould fights back……………………….from J. Stark yesterday to SB and the Angels……with a Cubs threat, and everybody has got money………………. All…………All………..playing to AP’s ego…….just get to free agency Albert, to see how crazy it might get………..how huge……………. does he really have the balls to find out…………………BD has prepared for that, and he is on pace…………Cardinals are positioned to take 3rd or forth place…………
I heard a rumor that the Pags release made quite a stir.
This pisses me off, quite frankly.
Why must someone lose a bunch of weight in order to improve his hitting approach? We had arguably the best center fielder in baseball last year and it was only his second year. He can only get better. Why are we rebuilding him? Colby is better than Jay Bruce and people (esp. the Reds) swoon all over him. They just gave him a long term contract, What do we do? Instead of following that path, we tell Colby he isn’t good enough and ask him to become a completely different player. I really don’t get it.
My confidence in this team’s front office and management is at an all time low.
If I were Tony (Rasmus), I would want him the hell off the Cardinals too.
Easton, I wouldn’t sweat it too much. I believe that working on hitting the ball the other way was just what needed to be done in order for Colby to try to continue to improve. I can’t disagree that the K’s last year were way too high.
I do believe that the only way to change something is to do it to the nth degree. In other words, If you are gonna change your approach you must really go hard the other way from what you have been doing just to hope you can be somewhere in the middle. Working on keeping the ball out of the air while hitting the other way seems to be the way to do that.
As far as the weight loss, its more of a plan to be in the best shape he can be in so that he can cover more ground in the outfield is my take. He is looking like the guy who ran a few 6.4 sixtys again which may help his OF play. One of his more productive months last year was September and he had to be at his weakest then and at his lowest weight as well so its not a must that he weigh 210 to hit.
I don’t think anyone on the cardinals is out to hurt the team…only to make it better. And I think you can agree that bumping heads with Tony is not a positive either. This is the best thing for the team. I said all along if Tony is your manager he should be surrounded with players who do what he asks. I think that is whats happening here.
Way to cover your tracks.
I am not saying he shouldn’t say “how high?” when Tony asks him to jump. I am glad he is. What I am saying is that I am not sure why Tony is asking him to jump in the first place.
His K level was perfectly acceptable for his level of production (even though I would expect it to decline naturally as he improves as a Major League player) and I fully expect his natural progression to include improvement in across the board this year.
As for the weight thing, saying he wants to be in better shape, be faster, cover more ground, etc. is one thing…but losing 35 pounds is insane. You have said yourself that Colby loses weight (and strength) as the season progresses. If he starts at 175, how much will he weigh in September?
Would Colby sign the Bruce deal, if offered? Or can he not wait to sign with Atlanta as a free agent? I wouldn’t blame him if the latter were true.
I think Colby has tried to stay with what he knows these past two years and TLR has gotten increasingly upset with him about it. I believe that he has no other way to handle it in his mind but by giving in and changing.
I really doubt he will get much lower than 170 no matter. That will probably be a weight he can maintain. I’m not so sure that once his body acclimates to the extra running that he won’t add some weight back on prior to the season. I think the health of his legs are his primary concern and I believe that this type of conditioning is geared towards preventing the little nagging things that affected not only his running but hitting as well.
The Cardinals will never offer Colby any long term deal.
Well, then the Cardinals are idiots.
(My increasing frustration with the organization, which is a feeling I have never had before, is really getting to me).
No reason to be frustrated with the organization. They are trying to put the best product that they can put on the field at the best price. It is a business.
And frankly Colby hasn’t shown the consistency that is needed in order for someone to give him a long term deal. Thats just the truth.
Ok. I disagree.
You sign long term contracts to SAVE you money. If Colby produces identical seasons to last year, he will make a fortune in arbitration.
Lets hope.
Also with less HR’s the arbitration numbers should be less Easton. That too is a positive for the Organization.
I am sure they would be more than happy to pay him for his home runs. We have been waiting for him to get on base and drop bombs at a rate unusual for center fielders for several years. And he’s doing that. And he’ll keep getting better. Why are we messing with him?
When ST starts we will find out if the new Colby is an improvement over the old one. The Cards may be trading some old “flaws” for some new ones. I disagree with those who say the weight loss will not affect his power. I can’t see how it could not. I personally don’t know of too many skinny power hitters. 175 lbs on a 6’2″ frame is just ridiculous.
I will never be on board with the idea that giving TLR everything he wants is good for the team. Skip at 2B is a prime example of why it is not.
Thats definitely a possibility. But I do think that most people would agree that having a player not be willing to adapt to what his manager wants him to do would be unproductive.
There is no doubt that weight loss will affect his power. But I do believe he is trying to improve in every additional area so the loss of power will not be that big of a deal.
On your last point is where we will just have to disagree. If you decide to have TLR as your manager, which BD did, then you need to surround him with the types of players that he works best with imo. I do believe that Mo has really went above and beyond to this point in making that happen. In addition the players who remain must be willing to improve their game in areas where the manager/FO, and coaches believe they will best help the team.
We only disagree to a point. You say TLR needs to have the type of players he works best with. Fihe. My argument is that what the manager, etc thinks will best help the team in Colby’s case is wrong.
Well I believe the manager would expect certain areas of Colby’s game to improve and Colby probably has to figure out what actually is the best way to make those things happen. whether his adjustments are for better or worse will be decided on sometime next year.
Completely agree. Unless this Colby change has been drastically misrepresented or overstated, I am furious about this.
Not a little bothered. Furious.
As an aside…
I switched television providers largely to have access to the full Extra Innings package so I don’t have to watch games on the crappy MLB.tv on the computer and I am not sure I am going to be willing to spend that money to watch Skip play second, Theriot play short, and Colby try to be Scott Podsednik.
I think they are gonna be just fine Easton.
In the end I believe Theriot will probably have a career year, Skip will bounce back and hit .300+, and Colby will play better in the OF and cut down on those nasty K totals.
Yes, and I’m the tooth fairy.
Stop hatin Crdswmn.
You started it, Tony.
Telling us LaRussa wants him to become Scott Podsednik or whoever.
Easton thats how rumors start. Scott Podsednik ?
I’m sad that I have seemingly turned Crdswmn, who was as staunch a Rose colored Cards fan as I have ever read, into a pessimistic, Card hating meanie.
Not hating RC. Just telling it like it is.
If you are referring to my early season defense of the Yadi bashing RC, I turned out to be right. That is the only time you referred to me as a rose colored Cards fan.
I think Skip can hit .300 again…but he can’t play second.
Theriot may very well have a career year – but he’s a better fit at second.
And Colby’s K totals are just fine for a 24 year old who posted the best numbers of any centerfielder in baseball…and they would decline naturally as he improves…naturally. K totals are not reason to disassemble a new car.
3rd best CF, but point well taken. The dropoff after him is stark.
It makes no sense to chance ruining his value by making him something he’s not.
Also, Theriot’s only way to produce any kind of positive value is as a SS. His bat can’t hold up at 2B.
Who was better?
MT
Being a quicker therefore better defender and hitting to all fields cannot be a bad thing. I don’t think him hitting better with less power is ruining his value.
Easton:
Josh Hamilton and Carlos Gonzalez.
You’d have a tough time convincing me anyone was better offensively than those two in CF.
RC: Him being a better hitter is not a bad thing, sure. Slimming down probably helps his defense, too, which only helps his value.
But you were talking about him hitting less than 10 HR next season, which is what I was basing my comments off of. I realize now that that comment was in jest.
My point still stands about him already being one of the best offensive CFs in baseball. If this is all an attempt to increase Colby’s batting average, I think they/he/you should seriously reconsider. Increasing batting average at the expense of power is a terrible trade, especially when he already has shown he can hit .270 in the major leagues. It’s not like he’s Carlos Pena or anything.
I think Tony LaRussa’s an idiot to try to get Rasmus to change his approach, but then again, I think he’s pretty much an idiot anyway. (There’s no “twelve” in the alphabet, backwards or forwards.)
Also, I should ask, is this “new approach” going to have him swinging at more pitches? Part of what makes Colby so uniquely valuable is his ability to draw walks consistently and if that’s going to change, it’s definitely not worth it.
Someone is pulling our collective leg . I saw Colby hit last year before and after his Dad coached him and the change was as obvious as could be. He looks to have a “trigger” in his high leg kick and pounded the ball when he brought it back. His problems appeared when his “trigger” was taken away in a questionable effort to “Pujols him up” ( which actually came from Jim Edmunds’ style ). Hit the way that got you here , son
Our dimwitted hitting coach teaching how to hit the other way ? Yeah , right – I’ll be teaching a class on brain surgery starting next week . That sounds about as likely as turning Brendan Ryan into a power hitter …………….oops , forgot the comical properties of an actual slap hitter TRYING to appease management and swinging REAL FREAKING HARD last spring . That worked out well , didn’t it – top defensive SS in baseball the last two years sitting on the bench ?
As for a 175 lb hitter with power…………that Musial fellow did pretty good for a little guy.Let`s see now.Colby is going to extremes to become a hitter who uses the whole field instead of being a K machine.So will the tradeoff be a BA of .300 plus with 10-15 HRs and 15-20 SBs instead of 25 HRs and 130-150 Ks.Very interesting. RC says CR weighed 210 at one time and losing some lbs can only help his legs.My big question is this what the organization asked him to do in this much of a extreme or is this CRs way of learning a new way? Like HBT said earlier……………..just use the whole field and be more selective………………Seems like the Cards have said……………don`t try for HRs ……………..the HRs will happen naturally.Why not a happy medium here?
RC—-Have you see Salvadore in the Continental yet?
Derrick Goold and Joe Strauss are still telling people that Brian’s story is false. Yet, no one from the Cardinals organization has come out to deny it. Well, I guess it is best to let the thing blow over.
No Salvadore Crdswmn.
I would think it good practice to not comment on internet chit chat if you are a ML team. There’s no money in it. Plus if Colby doesn’t hit this year its much better to have not gone on record with any comments about it. Shhhhhhhhhhhh
I have no problem with dropping the whole thing. I just don’t care for Goold and Strauss intimating that Brian perpetrated a fraud with your help. I read Strauss’s tweet stream about it and it made me furious, that is all.
I’d still keep a look out for Salvadore if I were you.
Crdswmn. This is the best I can do to help you here. You decide what you think.
Colby really has to work hard to maintain weight during the season. 3 and 4 weight gain drinks a day between meals. Its not something he enjoys. He has leg issues starting in 2008 when he got up past 200 lbs and has had little nagging calf strains and the like every year since. Colby never does much running in the off season because he is trying to gain weight for the season. Colby now believes that Tony and the Cardinals would prefer for him to be in better shape so as not to miss time with any leg issues. Colby sees the extra weight as the culprit as he never had any leg problems trying to putting on the extra weight. So no weight gain drinks plus more running to get the lower body in shape makes for no weight gain and some weight loss. And when you start off at 180-185 it doesn’t take long to get loooooowwwwwww. I can go on record as saying that I’m not a fan of him not trying to gain weight but I do understand what his thinking is.
As for the hitting, it goes without saying that Colby has not done real well with 2 strikes or at hitting the ball the other way. He is a person of extremes and has made his mind up that he is going to go all out on doing what Mark and Tony have been trying to get him to do. No leg kick load, wide stance, and he is bound and determined that he is gonna hit the ball the other way. Its not a big swing at all and looks to me to be more hands oriented. I believe he will have much more success making more frequent contact with this new approach and that is what his goal is. He has always been power oriented in his approach, one that Tony has spoken out against for a few years now. So Colby has finally got the message and its that he can be a better hitter if he isn’t so geared toward hitting HR’s. But in order to make a change it probably is imperative that you really go hard toward hitting ground balls to left verses getting under the ball too much. When I have worked with Colby over the years all we work on is hitting ground balls the other way. This is nothing new but he seems more serious at working at it now verses just doing it half ass.
The joke Strauss is speaking of is the Brett Butler, Ichiro, Skip, Podsesnik type of hitter stuff, he won’t hit more than 5 HR’s, plus the slap terminology. Those are hot button words that will cause a melt down in cardinals fans…..and has.
And I do get a kick out of that.
Something tells me this question will come up in the Strauss chat next Wednesday.
RC Warrior,
Are you really Tony Rasmus, or is this the neighbor kid posing as you again? If you are Colby’s Dad, you need to take a long look in the mirror. You should write parenting book so that I can read it, and then do the exact opposite. How is mocking Colby’s team and teammates helpful to him? Are you trying to force them to trade him? I have news for you, since you simultaneously control your 24 year old son’s life, and troll the internet making sassy posts like a 14 year old girl, I don’t think any MLB team will touch him. Why don’t you go back to ruining Alabama high school kids lives and let Colby live his own. You don’t deserve to be associated with the Cardinals. I think Colby will be a great Cardinal, it isn’t his fault that you’re his father.
Have a Great Christmas.
Now that wasn’t very nice. Not a good way to make friends here or are you just one of those flame and run jerks?
Not nice, but true.
I have enough friends, so I ‘m good either way.
Yes everyone thinks they know what is true and 99% don’t.
Glad you have enough friends. See ya.
Who is this really? Joe? Derrick?
Maybe it is TLR
On second thought, probably not.
Could be
When I first saw this, I was going to post the following, but thought the better of it.
Guido?……….. Sal?………… Jumbo?
I don’t think Strauss has the balls to post here even under a pseudonym.
Well Crap, I think I’m gonna cry.
alright here we go. yes. ok i did and its still the same ugly guy, but he’s muscled up pretty good. not much of a writer, i do some pretty good comedy at times though so maybe a comedy book will come out one day. haven’t mocked anybody by the way. yes. i think you are wrong. I am a multi tasker, I can make 14 year old girl sassy posts, troll the internet, and ruin the baseball players in Alabama all at once thank you very much. Could care less, I’m not a cardinals fan. It isn’t his fault but I would tell you this, I had a good time making him.
Hey you have a merry christmas as well. I feel sure I will.
I’ll let your post speak for itself, wow. How can you not be a fan of the team your son plays on?
Are you done now? Cause I have a headache and you aren’t helping.
I’m actually a cubs fan TP.
You and me both RC.
No blaspheming on this site boys.
tpsreports
Forum User
tpsreports is offline
Joined: 11 Dec 2010
Posts: 3
3posts…………………………………………………….. newbie????????????
I believe he just popped in to “chat” with RC.
that’s the Cards Forum talk CRD……………… he is a brand new person……………
Well lets be honest, I don’t seem to be afraid to chat it up.
Tps joins today………………………………..and his posts all number three…not advancing in number……… he is typing withing the system maybe…………….he wants a physical confrontation RC…… he seems to want to rile you up a bit.
Its all in good fun WC. He will have a a hard time getting me riled up.
But I wouldn’t worry myself to death about it WC. Water off a ducks back. Trust me when I tell you name calling via the internet ranks right up there with worrying about what BD or George Bush does or did with their money. And believe me when I tell you tps wants an internet confrontation with RC, not a physical one. Because like Doc Holliday said one time, Thats just my game.
Sure. Try Excedrin and Coke, works miracles.
Does it make you go away? Or at least try to be a civil human being? If not, no thanks.
I definitely detect Mama Grizzly behavior.
HB, don’t make me have to tell you twice.
General information for the group;
There is some organized activity led by BM and some of his many posting personalities……… originating in Cards talk, targeting certain persons. Its more territorial than any thing else I’d guess. Not organizational but just an aspect of the Cardinal world………..its the nature of the business…………………….I’m really surprised the this —- — is still here…………….Brian must be out and about………………. I hope he takes down some of these posts. Soon.
Thanks for the info WC
While there have been many comments today, few if any have actually been about baseball. Personal insults, profanity, etc. remain out of bounds. Civil disagreements are expected. Please keep the conversation on topic. Thank you.
Solid Brian……………………. RC, i believe you have gotten at least one message out of this. Brian, you have more important people reading here than Bernie. If you want to invite wider participation. Do the work. Bernie’s goons at Cards Talk have left his little Tony Rasmus thread hanging there all day. It has no merit…………but it does have a purpose. You think that comments by TPS should be just left up? That those comments are about baseball………….this is your choice?
Maybe they can leave that thread up there all year long, I’ll see if I can give them some ammunition from time to time just for kicks and giggles.
One message WC? ummmmmm maybe that cardinal fans are rabid about the cardinals.
There’s nothing wrong with rabid as long as you are rational about it. Some fans aren’t.
Everybody’s an internet bad A$$ Crdswmn.
Speak for yourself.
Westy, you have often said that some point you are batting around is not about baseball. True enough. I’m for seeing what happens next.
Over at the Cards talk thread they talk about TR badmouthing players, but they don’t give the exact quote. At NBC hardball they say the talk about the Cards org changing Colby’s style is not true, but they provide no source, no quote. Same with the TPS types, so far. At some point somebody will realize that the Cards org has not denied what TR has said. I doubt they will. The message doesn’t play well with the fans it seems.
Shhhhhh Bling. If Colby is not hitting the ball the other way come spring training he will have failed in what he is working on is my guess. And if that is the case he may never be that kind of hitter because that seems to me to be what his goal is this winter. I guess you can always go back to yanking everything.
You have to win the AB RC…………… Learning something else will probably help. He will hit 5 hrs inside the LF Pole this year. He will start feeding on change ups, and he will discover the mistake. That’s 25 hrs right there………………if he gets the 2 spot, he could break the bank………..getting a 4 or 5 yr arbitration avoidance contract like Bruce just got.
The framework for some “perceptual organization” at times must go outside “the stadium”……that’s true enough BB………………….. Bernie takes his roll in this market very seriously. That is his stunt over there…………….calling attention to some lame editorial is his style………..
The Gonzales for Pujols is a very live topic BB………… that is why Gonzales is so unhappy. Lozano sees it……….. Pujols playing a lame duck season here is very improbable. The Berkman move isn’t just illogical……….its a Neon sign. Dollar on a dime says BD has spent a million on a 3/1 bet that Berkman spends most of the year on the DL……………… minimizing his investment. This team is being built to fall apart………General Motors style.
I did watch a video in college while I was in an economics class about GM, FORD and Toyota. It was said in the video that GM and Ford make a lot of their parts to last for 60,000 miles. The why was because the real money was made on replacement parts. Toyota was said to make their stuff to last 200,000 miles. Funny stuff. I drive a Toyota Truck.
If the Cardinals are building a team General Motors style that may not be a positive.
I drive a Toyota Camry.
The body will fall apart before the motor is my guess.
A good tactician leaves many options moving toward an objective………………. winning is expensive. Especially now days…………………
Considering the sh*t storm Brian and RC kicked up with a little chatter about Colby, its probably for the best that they both seem willing to go along with the Berkman story line. For now at least.
lemmings Bling. One Cardinal fan goes off the cliff and a large majority of them follow.
For a guy with such great knowledge and insight into the game, it’s a little disappointing to see you expend your efforts instead upon making people angry.
Nut, Its a baseball game, its not life or death stuff. I find it comical that grown ups can act like infants most of the time when talking about the cardinals like its classified information that affects National Security. You can’t say this, you can’t say that. Its ridiculous. I say again its a baseball game. How anybody can take anything anybody writes on a message board seriously is a joke to me. You don’t know who is sitting behind the computer no matter what the name is that is being posted under. My efforts are nothing more than to post thoughts on baseball related topics. Not speak for anybody else. And I’ve said it time and time again, what I write means just as much as what Jumbo writes. Both posters thoughts are meaningless in the real world. I’m as big of a nobody as the next guy.
Well, there goes my worldview, out the window. Better tilt one back and start on a new one.
tpereports wrote “Are you really Tony Rasmus, or is this the neighbor kid posing as you again? If you are Colby’s Dad, you need to take a long look in the mirror. You should write parenting book so that I can read it, and then do the exact opposite. How is mocking Colby’s team and teammates helpful to him? Are you trying to force them to trade him? I have news for you, since you simultaneously control your 24 year old son’s life, and troll the internet making sassy posts like a 14 year old girl, I don’t think any MLB team will touch him. Why don’t you go back to ruining Alabama high school kids lives and let Colby live his own. You don’t deserve to be associated with the Cardinals. I think Colby will be a great Cardinal, it isn’t his fault that you’re his father.”
This guy is a typical cardinals fan I would assume Bling, And he sounds sane to you? Par for the course?
This is some of the funniest stuff I’ve read. The personal insults are awesome. bad parent….check, Terrible coach…ruining the kids in Alabama…….check, making 14 year old girl posts……..check. This is a hall of fame critique imo.
I don’t disagree RC but surely you don’t think the Cardinals are the only team with fans that act this way? Have you ever read fan comments at other sites? Some of them border on the insane. Phillies fans are some of the worst I have seen. They have posters on their sites that make tpsreports sound like a genius.
I don’t think tpsreports is a typical Cardinals fan. That type of person is just more likely to post ridiculous comments on the internet.
Actually I’ve never been on any other teams site.
Here’s you some real fans Crdswmn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yO9U_kdo_U&feature=related
I’m glad you’re not worried about it RC. My bet, he’s a short guy with a short tool. And if he doesn’t quit posting at work he’s gonna forget to put the ketchup packets in the bag again.
Bling you must be joking. Tell me that post didn’t make you think he was gonna come through that computer and put his hands on me? You don’t deserve to be associated with the cardinals he said, I felt like the Waco cult members just before their leader burnt down their temple. Koresh probably told them the same thing, you don’t deserve to be associated with this church and damn you all to hell.
Then you are missing out on WAY funnier stuff than you have seen on Cards sites my friend.
We here at RCWarrior incorporated have to stay focused on our mission. No time for playing around.
Yes sir.
RC — That guy/gal was definitely too hard on you. Personally, I’ve always thought your posts were more like those of a sassy 16 year-old girl!
Just kidding, of course. Too much seriousness about this stuff today. Lighten up people!
Well 16 is about right. 14 is just too much .
It may get confusing for fans when families of current players have a lot to say about the team. But It depends on what is said and how carefully it is worded.
Most family members of players probably do not post much or under a known handle. RCW is probably unusual, not a pioneer of a big wave to come.
You can’t word it carefully enough? Because their is too much psychic palm reading mumbo jumbo that takes place in the interpretation.
sorry, “there”
How much you wanna bet ol’ Bill has a lemming burger stand at the bottom of that cliff? Wash it down with a $10 beer.
You don’t get to be a billionaire by selling those beers for $5 bling.
Nor does your son make millions of dollars of his own for playing a ball game. All of these deplorable “lemmings” are providing him with a very nice life.
Here you go again with the assumptions Nut. Nowhere did I say deplorable. Lemmings are followers. If one goes one way then the entire group follows. That was the meaning of the word in this case.
Deplorable no, Radically passionate, yes.
Sure, you just get your kicks by riling them up. By pointing and laughing at how silly you can make them look. Classy.
internet class is overrated by the way. I will admit to getting a kick out of how a vanilla comment can cause newspaper reporters to go berzerk, and fans to have a complete meltdown. Its radicalism on a grand scale. The thing is if you don’t explain things in kindergarten terminology it will get so turned around so as to be a completely different version of what was meant. A guy believing that two guys do something he would like to be able to do (Skip and Jon) so he is trying to emulate them in how they do it and a guy also trying to lose down to a weight where he can stay on the field and hopefully prevent the leg issues that have been an issue these past three years gets turned into something bad. And you don’t think thats some extremism?
Uh, I’m not sure that there’s anything to go along with. One can argue the merits of the move, but the hidden agenda paranoia never really has much to back it up other than creativity and imagination.
No disrespect Nut, but the idea of betting $8M that Lance can play 1000 innings in the OF is what takes creativity and imagination. No tinfoil hats needed to consider it absurd. I’m a fan and I’d love it. But lets take a few deep breaths here.
Nut you are so cute sometimes……………….. all of baseball understands the Cardinals way. You really need to look at what Berkman and agent were seeing………if he goes with Oakland as a DH/ /back up infielder…………that’s pretty much the end of a career…………………he is gold mining here on what is at least a 50/50 chance he will be playing 1st base…………… Twins are probably offering little for Ryan……….but no one knows when the Cards will dump the trash for the story line……
We gave up an arm for Theriot who might well have been released……….Dodgers would have taken 5 magic beans………. Giants are offering Renteria a million dollars………… we aren’t interested. Molina probably wants 2.3……….we would risk waiting to see if he takes an offer around 1.3……he would be a very important player…………but likely enticing to AP who might just take the challenge of a Lame duck season with enough of the brotherhood around………………… BD wants him pissed so he agrees to stomp off to Boston…………..Bd can only loose if Albert stays……either by paying him jackpot cash, or him leaving with no compensation…………. The Boston move makes me think that he is still being herded……….or that they see vulnerability.
WC Do you really believe that the cardinals can NOT sign Albert? Business suicide. Sure the team may have been better had they traded him last year but at this point there is nothing they can do but take it up the tailpipe.
They are at least 50/60 million apart……….its ego money for both of them. If BD gets some sort of ridicules marketing contract with 15/20% deferred, over a long period of time with all sorts of junk consideration………maybe a restaurant for AP in Cardinal Village…..who knows……….but .why is he signing crap………….. if he wants that…………….. he doesn’t want to be hurt by Pujols is all this is about…………can you imagine AP whining and restless for 10 yrs……….. I bet BD can………the Red Sox are trying to keep from falling back into oblivion……….they could market AP……………. the discomfort in Gonzales words about his contract status is a tone I’ve heard before……………. this team as its stands will be fighting for 3rd place……… there marketing tells me that they don’t fear a huge backlash……… AP could fold in Boston……or Anaheim………. this is a philosophic issue, about ownership and privilege…………. BD is an activist.
We’ve stated this before. Why would Albert want to stay in St. Louis if every year he is gonna have Matt Holliday and 6 more kids or retreads around him? He could go to a Boston or an Anaheim and contend on a yearly basis with a far better supporting cast.
The cardinals are to be fighting for 3rd place? I’m not sure I buy it. I think they are a solid #2 behind Cincy as we sit today.
Houston has shed weight….cubs have a new coach……….Pittsburgh beats us with regularity…….. the Reds fell apart down the stretch…………….that’s how bad we were………… Brewers can always hit……with a new coach…………. if Houston gets new ownership……..they might stir things up……….we have Franklin closing…………. we need help……we haven’t got it yet..
Spending $8M to give yourself some possibilities in a $200-300M negotiation seems reasonable to me. That such an ‘agenda’ would best be ‘hidden’ also makes sense. I don’t think I’ve just fallen of the back of the mothership or anything.
I’m guessing BD is a billionaire for a reason. Dude has got to be a real smart man. I would hope that he would be super qualified to position himself and the Cardinals so that they would benefit from whatever way ALbert went. Cardinals fans hope so anyway.
BB…………..nobody in there right mind gives Berkman 8 million dollars to play the outfield……….
Its not about that……………….. as soon as the Gonzales trade was announced……BD had a free swing against AP’s bargaining position…………he took it……………..it has been effective………. the insurance speculation was no joke………..I guarantee BD bet against that contract………..
this is really important……so listen………………….. if Berkman could sustain legs as an outfielder, he wouldn’t be doing it……………he would have had a contract…………. the chances that he would play poorly in RF is 9/10……………you think an ego like that is going to produce at the plate after 40+ thousand people stand staring at him…….along with Chris Carpenter…….after a ball bounces off his head…………………. he didn’t come here for that……………….he avoided the dead pool…..made some money, and will in all likely hood go to the AL in a salary dump at the break……………….that was a smart move he made………he is an opportunist………….if Pujols walks, we win the division hands down with LB at first………..just because Holiday, and Rasmus, and everyone else will start clicking…………we have the rotation. We just need play ball………..not worship immortals.
You didn’t see me WC but I pointed too the sky as I got up to go fill my glass up with sweet tea.
Just to summarize:
Lance Berkman was signed to a *one* year contract to be Albert Pujols’ replacement at first base, in case the Cardinals need coverage for a couple of months after trading him mid-season. The team went out and knowingly got a first baseman to play out of position at the start of the season in hopes of shifting him to first and Allen Craig to RF later on … rather than, say, finding a “real” right fielder to play for the whole year and let Allen Craig take over at first base for a couple of months. Huh?
At the same time, Berkman is going to be traded in a salary dump midseason. When was the last time that the Cardinals started dumping salary mid-season?
At the same time, the Cardinals actually know that Berkman is going to get hurt and the team will recoup its losses through insurance, as though that would accomplish something.
Finally, the team will magically perform better without one of the greatest players in the game in their lineup just because you don’t like him. Allen Craig or someone will replace his performance, I guess.
Seems like a good translation of Westie. I focus on his “…………….”es.
Alternatively, it is so obvious that Berkman can be a regular outfielder lets give him $8M and he can go to the bank laughing at the 29 teams that can’t see it.
If it works out, and I actually am more optimistic in this case than most that it will, Lance could very well be a steal at 8 million and Mo and Tony will look like a couple of really smart people. Lance has a good deal of motivation to be really good this year as an outfielder so this is a good gamble imo by Mo. I believe its gonna work out for the best. And I rarely see the glass half full.
The reasons for the optimism are .. .. .. ?
Well, BB. The offense is going to be very good. Very good. That was where the team fell short last season. Choosing bats over gloves to the extreme wouldn’t necessarily be my strategy, but it’s a valid one.
I believe Lance will play OK defensively and that he will be a force with the bat. There is no doubt that he may not be Luddy in RF defensively but he should fit into the 5 spot and be a force there. For a team that couldn’t score runs last year on a consistent basis this has to be reason for optimism. Right?
OK, I accept that going for O over D is valid, especially given last year’s clutch performance. I also accept that the lay down at clutch time the last two years justifies wanting to bring a Berkman calibre heft into the clubhouse scene. It is a legit alternative to the hidden agenda theory. I will be happy if it is correct and if it works. I am not optimistic on either count.
So true Nut. There is a reason some posters here are internet psychologists and not business people. IF Cards wanted leverage they would have paid that million which WC says BD paid for insurance on Berkman (of course he’s a good businessman so he didn’t) to buy an option year on Berkman.
Some? Most are either psychologists or palm readers.
WC..Funny stuff. We had a bunch of people over tonight for the Heisman trophy show. 50 or so. And we put the Bernie threads up on the big screen for some laughs. There was some great stuff in those threads. Good fun.
My baseball team loved that stuff. They have been texting me all night ribbing me. The most common comment was borrowed from TPS, we told you you have been ruining us.
Actually I believe that the bad mouthing players is all about the comments about Skip and Jay hitting the ball to left. When my comments were actually made more complimentary of their approach rather than as a knock. Both Skip and Jay do an excellent job of taking the ball the other way, which is something Colby does not do terribly well. But hopefully Colby does go the other way better in the years to come as its like I’ve stated as well as others, there are a bunch of hits in left field.
I don’t think anyone could argue with fact that both Skip and Jon have better approaches at the plate than does Colby but some radical islamist jihadist cardinals fan
reads that and goes into a tirade about mocking this or bad mouthing that.
Yes, the information that Rasmus is working to hit to all fields is excellent insight and a welcome move. Baseball reference says that he has a career 1.461 OPS when pulling the ball, as opposed to a .755 OPS when hitting up the middle and a .670 OPS when hitting to the opposite field. Pitchers can exploit this fact if he doesn’t become more rounded.
Insinuating that he will morph into a powerless groundball hitter riled people up, exactly as you intended.
Nut, I’ve made this comment 100′s of times. That when I work with Colby all we work on hitting wise is letting the ball get deep and hitting ground balls the other way. And when you work on going the other way your number one goal is to keep the ball out of the air. Its a mechanical issue where your hips will leave you early and you will start popping the ball up. So when you are working on it you must focus on keeping the ball on the ground. Colby has tried it briefly at times but always feels the need to take huge swings no matter the count. Now he has finally stopped doing that and is just letting the ball travel and is now spanking(for fear of saying slap anymore
the ball to left much better than he ever has. His goal is to be a more consistent, hit .300 and cut down on the K’s. I believe him when he speaks of his biggest problem is he hasn’t been willing to cut down on his swing. And he is determined to cut down on the big swing. I listened to him speak at a camp yesterday and he spoke of trying to hit the ball the other way as his biggest offseason goal. And used Skip along with Jay as two people he has studied film of to watch their mechanics to try and learn how they are so successful at doing it. During the question and answer he was asked if this would cut down on his HR totals and his reply was if I can be more consistent, hit .300 then I will be helping the team much better than I did last year when I hit HR’s in bunches but had months of nothing.
Thanks for sharing that. I’m 100% with you on the strategy there. *I* have read you often enough to know which parts of your comments are likely hyperbole.
By the way, didn’t Cam Newton win the heisman? Here’s you a couple of funny Video’s crdswmn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRMLOhT6abE&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj-GwwHXN0E
Hilarious