I returned as a guest of hosts Jeff Erickson and Chris Liss on RotoWire’s Fantasy Sports Today show on satellite radio. My segment was heard live starting at noon Central on Monday, June 25. The place was Sirius 211 / XM 147.
Our focus was on the 2012 Cardinals, specifically some of the key injuries and the impact when those players return. There was also some time for fantasy talk.
For 2012, RotoWire’s Fantasy Sports Today show is back on Sirius / XM live, Monday through Friday from 10 A.M. – 1 P.M. CT. The call-in number is 888-XM-FANTASY and listener participation is encouraged.
Listen to audio: Brian Walton with Jeff Erickson and Chris Liss (16:07)
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I heard Descalso mentioned. I agree he’s not a 600 at bat full-time infielder, but I will always remember one thing.
He may have had the biggest hit in Cradinal baseball history leading off the bottom of the tenth of game 6 against the Rangers. The miracle season would have been special regardless, but it sure loses a little zing if you don’t cap it off with the championship, after coming from 10 1/2 games back and then getting to the World Series.
When he led off the tenth, down 2, he for all intents and purposes HAS to get on base. The Cardinal pitcher was forced to bat third in the inning. If either of the first two men don’t get on, then he cannot bunt. With one on one out you can’t give up the second out with a bunt down two with the season on the line.
And the sesond hitter of the inning getting on doesn’t really matter if batter number one does not. The pitcher has to hit and almost assuredly makes an out. Now you have one on two out. Down two.
Descalso singled, making Jay’s single meaningful, allowing the bunt to put 2 in scoring position with one out.
And against a lefty.
Maybe a tie for first with Boyer’s grand slam.
Great thinking, Wes.
What’s all this about Carp having a setback? A return of the weakness. Re-evaluation. Carp quoted as saying we have to find out what is causing it. Sounds ominous. And I’m sure the Memphis rotation is down to three legged dogs with two left feet. We’re doomed. Well maybe not, the trade deadline is a month away. Still, horribly bad news. We’re more doomed than we were anyway. A win tonight will help. Step up boys, lets have a fish fry.
Yeah, it’s a major bummer. Mo will probably be looking at starting pitching now. I just hope he doesn’t go for Matt Garza. Yuck.
Probably a sturdy, innings eating .500 type. Like Jackson last year. No more DD rehab projects.
In the mean time, if Lynn needs a break, which he might, it will likely be Dickson again. He’s already on the 40 man at least, which is full.
Don’t know what’s out there. Garza and Dempster are the ones I’ve heard about. Not crazy about Dempster either but between the two of them, I prefer Dempster. He does an awesome Harry Carey impersonation.
I don’t know what to make of Lynn. He seems sturdy enough to me that I wouldn’t think innings would be a problem. Dickson is ok but he doesn’t excite me.
Speaking of minor league pitchers, I watched Carlos Martinez pitch today on Milb.tv. Looking good.
There is Jason Vargas. Seattle is looking for high level prospects and needs pretty much everything on the offensive side. Already have pitching prospects.
And of course, there is another lefty looking for work. Experienced.
Meh on Vargas. With a GB% of 30-40 % he doesn’t really fit in with the Cardinals’ pitch to contact philosophy.
Niether did Jackson.
Jackson’ GB% in 2011 was 49%. That’s about Lohse level. Vargas averages mid 30s.
Stop with the facts, will you.
It is possible Mo will end up needing two starters by the deadline. So pickiness may have to go out the window anyway.
Sorry, sometimes my politics carries over to my baseball.
There may be guys available that we don’t know about. Some teams don’t necessarily advertise who they are willing to trade.
Speaking of GB%, it seems like Jake is giving up lots of fly balls. Maybe I’m imagining it. He is keeping it down quite well.
Nope, his FB% is pretty much in line with previous years, actually a tad lower than 2011.
Did Taveras play too? How’d he look?
Didn’t play.
“find out what is causing it?” Need to get some expert consultants, because our Sawbones is the worst in the Majors.
It could be what’s causing it is he’s 37. 2,200 IP in the majors and another 600 in the minors.
Hope he can bounce back.
Right now the optimum situation for us would be to take back first place hold it for a while, and then Carpenter return one hundred percent. Big time rested and fresh.
Well, the last time Carp woke up with ‘weakness’ after having thrown he didn’t throw to batters again for three months. So I’d consider it more of a miricle than the optimum.
I’d settle for Garcia coming back and finishing strong, and Lynn giving 5 respectable innings every 5 days here on out. If the pen could suck less for the next 3 months it would help.
I am not super hopeful about Jamie Garcia. Nor Chris Carpenter. If the Cards have to bring up Shelby, they better not let him wave off Molina.
If the pen could have sucked less for one inning
How do you pitch 8 innings and NOT strike out a single batter? Doesn`t anybody have the ability to miss bats? A person would think that you would get at least a K or 2.
It’s a funny game. Wait long enough and you’ll see just about anything…
Kelly is a better hitter than Marte. Who knew?
That was quite the unexpected outcome.
There is something unsettling about seeing a guy who wears glasses standing up there without them. I keep expecting him to just stand there and when he hears the ball hit the mitt three times just go back to the dugout.
Some people just need glasses to drive, maybe Kelly just needs them to pitch.
Or maybe he doesn’t need them at all and its just like Al and his fu manchu, or Brian Wilson. Kind of looks like he couldn’t do the facial hair thing quite yet.
That win was sweet.
Another great thought to cap a great win.
Its nice to give heartburn to Ozzie Guillen. Still mad at him for a series at Commiskey during June 2006.
Our pen failed again, but not so much as the Marlin’s. That and Mighty Joe have pulled us even with the Pirates (gad). Lets see if we can keep it rolling. I believe we are now in a 4 way tie for the second wild card spot.
Speed played a part in the win, Greene racing around to score from first, and Mighty Joe beating it out to allow what turned out to be the winning run to score.
Yadi’s clutch homer, wow.
Cruz digging it out of the dirt to complete the DP, another wow. If he hadn’t and the Marlin’s came back, the great double switch lineup card fiasco would have been talked about for a long time.
I haven’t looked up the numbers but it seems like Heath Bell has become the new Lidge.
Lidge was never the same after he got Pujolsed in the 05 NLCS.
Now the BJs have signed the ageless one right out from under Mo’s nose.
Good.
harumpf.
Perhaps Mo is secretly working a deal with the Dodgers to bolster the pen. He may yet redeem himself.
Is he still 49 in Canadian years? How old is he after you convert to the metric system?