Roundtable Discussion: Cardinal Needs?

I’m participating in my first United Cardinal Bloggers roundtable discussion this year, and today is my day to post. Here’s how it works: Yesterday, I e-mailed a Cardinal question to all the members of UCB (check the home page for the full list of blogs). The bloggers who choose to participate e-mail me their answers back, and I post them for you to read. The list of UCB members is long and distinguished, and many are participating in this event. I will be e-mailed a number of questions to answer as well. It’s a good way to drive traffic to each others’ sites, and with Spring Training just now getting into full swing it gives us something to write about.

 

So I’ll post the question I posed to the UCB members and all their answers, along with a link to their individual blogs. Please pay them a visit, and pass along their websites to your friends!

 

 

Question: After all the moves the Cards made this offseason, as well as some of the possible internal promotions/jobs to be won this spring, what do you perceive to be the biggest remaining need for this team as we approach the regular season? Or do they have any holes at all?

 

 

The bench would seem to be the biggest need.  There are a number of options for the fifth slot in the rotation and the leftovers can fill out the bullpen adequately, but there’s a lot of youth on the bench, which can be good, but also may not pan out the way we’d like.  –Dan, C70 At The Bat

 

 

I perceive the biggest need to be our bench. I think the combination of young players (David Freese, Tyler Greene, Joe Mather, etc.) should suffice at third base. We certainly have plenty of young players who can play outfield, but I’m concerned about their ability to pinch hit. I think before we address anything else, we should find a veteran (not Felipe Lopez, someone with less of a price tag) who has a history of being a productive pinch hitter/bench player.  –Jack, Thoughts About Cardinals

 

 

The biggest remaining need for the Cardinals in 2010 is flexibility.  The team has a lot of young options for 3rd base and the 5th spot in the rotation.  They have backups at shortstop and centerfield with some intriguing candidates for the bench bats.  They have a 37 year old closer who was shaky at the end of last year, but was still an All-Star who pitched well overall.

 

The Cardinals don’t have a specific need yet, but when looking at all of the variables, they will.  Though we don’t know which position will become a problem, injuries and ineffectiveness will become apparent soon enough.  Having the dry powder to address needs after the positions have been evaluated is the most important need this team has.  –Michael, Whiteyball

 

 

All in all this would appear to be a well-rounded club. Tony hasn’t had this many factions accounted for this early in a long time. In theory, of course.

 

The most glaring deficiency is a bench lacking pop. Especially from the left side. In games that the Cardinals are down late, opposing managers may be peering across the field at an uncomfortably predictable skipper. The flip side is that his “everyday” lineup looks pretty solid from top to bottom. Winner of the third base sweepstakes could perceivably hit 8th. Which given the upside of an intriguing list of candidates, says something about 1 through 7. Besides, if your biggest issue is the depth of your bench, the guys who take the field on Opening Day are likely legitimate starters.

 

Our closer is what concerns me the most. There is part of me that likes Ryan Franklin a lot. Pinpoint control, bulldog mentality, unabashed flaunting of a truly terrible beard…and every time I start on his age I hear Hell’s Bells in my head and can’t finish. But he is far from overpowering. His All-Star appearance was well deserved, but pitching to contact in the bottom of the ninth of 3-2 game gives me ulcers. There’s something to be said for the demoralizing effects of 98 mph gas and a filthy curve. He’s earned respect, but I don’t think Frankie is intimidating anybody out there. Rest assured that La Russa, who recognizes the psychological challenges of the job, will stand by his man. But for how long?  –Justin, Intangiball

 

 

For me, the biggest perceived need is at the back of the bullpen. I’m sure Ryan “Shooter” Franklin is a nice person, but he’s not a capital-C Closer, just a guy with middling stuff given an opportunity to compile saves.

 

But Izzy’s heir apparent, Chris Perez, was traded, and without a second pitch (as well as some movement on his fastball) Jason Motte isn’t really a good fit, either. I am hoping beyond hope that Eduardo Sanchez sets the Grapefruit League on fire and makes the choice a no-brainer for TLR and Duncan.  -Jeff, Five O’Clock Blogger

 

 

I think we need help off the bench. Love to see them sign Lopez.  -Joseph, The McBrayer-Baseball Blog

 

 

I believe that the best thing the Cardinals can do right now is wait.  If McClellan wins the 5th spot in the rotation, Mozeliak might feel like a bullpen arm like Kiko Calero or Russ Springer is the way to go.  If Freese/Mather don’t look like a viable option at third, Felipe Lopez could make sense.  With 5-7 million left, I would like Mozeliak to save some dry powder for the season.  The Cardinals aren’t in a position to trade for impact players like they did in the summer of 2009, but saving a couple million to potentially add someone like John Smoltz in midseason is a good idea.  -Ryan, Cardinals GM

 

I hadn’t considered our closer situation one to worry about.  Yes Franklin appeared to burn out after the All-Star break last season (and for conspiracy buffs, right after he signed his extension if my memory is correct), but considering it was his first year as the ‘no question’ LaRussa closer I’m not too worried about it.  LaRussa learned he needed to pace how he uses Franklin for 2010.  Further I’m not worried about Franklin‘s stuff.  Plenty of closers (Trevor Hoffman leaps to mind) have been great without having 95+ gas in the arsenal.  Franklin is the LaRussa/Duncan philosophy distilled:  locate your pitches.

 

This team’s glaring weakness is its bench.  LaRue is the backup catcher only.  In 114 PA as a ‘substitute’ he’s hitting a robust 212/305/433, all right-handed.  Lugo has a career slugging percentage of .391 (right-handed).  He only has 115 PA as a ‘substitute’ (302/395/344).  Tyler Greene has 1 year of ML experience, and also hits right handed.  They need a left handed bat badly.  I also am concerned about their defensive weakness, especially Lugo, which will probably limit what LaRussa can do for match-ups in the late innings.  Finally, there’s no one on this team that can spell Pujols at first if he needs a day off.

 

If I was Mozeliak, the bench is where I’d be looking to upgrade this team before Opening Day.  -Mike, Stan Musial’s Stance

 

That’s a rundown of the answers I received, but Jeff from Five O’Clock Blogger wanted to reply to Mike’s take above:

 

While I do not share your optimism regarding Franklin*, you make very valid points about the bench.

 

*Funny you mention conspiracy theories; mine is that he went into the can not because of his contract but because he was looking over his shoulder after Smoltz arrived. </tinfoil hat>

 

I don’t see where Gotay fits in with this ballclub. One 100-walk season at Triple-A aside, he’s a low-rent version of Lugo. Also, all the bench candidates have major flaws: Lugo has a little plate discipline but no power and can’t (read: shouldn’t) play short; Greene has some power but no seeming plate discipline; I’m not sold on Mather hitting at all, etc.

 

At this point, I’d be more than happy to have FeLo back.  –Jeff, Five O’Clock Blogger

 

And there you have it! Obviously this is a question that can’t have a wrong answer; I think even the best clubs can be improved here or there. And with several free agents still without jobs and minor leaguers looking to catch on with the Big Club, many options remain to fill out this team. Personally, I think the team needs some bench help. At this point, the team lacks what I like to call an “impact bat” off the bench. I think having a thumper lurking in the dugout for a possible late-inning pinch hit is a valuable weapon. I also have concerns that the typical defensive replacement for either the infield or the outfield currently does not exist on this team. Not that the starting 8 are a bunch of hacks that cannot be trusted in the field in the late innings…but I often wonder if things could have turned out different had Rick Ankiel been inserted into left field in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 2 of the 2009 NLDS against the Dodgers.

–Chris