June 14: An Appreciation of Brad Thompson
Here are five items for your perusal…
1. GOOD FOR BRAD THOMPSON: BT has had an undefined existence as a Cardinal. He’s been a spot starter, he’s been a middle reliever, he has sat in the bullpen for 17-day stretches without pitching and he’s been on that Memphis-St. Louis shuttle a bunch of times. Thompson never complains. He just takes the ball and does what is asked for him. It isn’t easy to maximize your performance when you don’t have a specified role, or you are in a role that can change at any moment. That’s why we have such a special appreciation for what Thompson has done as an emergency starter, moving into the rotation to fill for the injured Kyle Lohse. In 3 starts, Thompson is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA, and he pitched brilliantly over 6 innings to get the win in Cleveland on Saturday. Thompson has to keep the sinker down and induce the ground balls to be effective, and he’s definitely getting that done so far this season, with a GB rate of 69.5 percent — second on the STL staff to Joel Pineiro (71 percent). In his career Thompson has been vulnerable to LH bats, but in his three starts they’re only 5 for 26 against him. For a team to overachieve and stay on solid ground, you need a guy like Thompson to come through when prompted. And Thompson has a history of giving the Cardinals a lift when they need it; the team’s record when he’s started a game is now 19-8. And with Todd Wellemeyer struggling, Thompson is making a bid to stay in the rotation.
2. BRENDAN RYAN’S DEFENSE: He’s been an exceptional shortstop for the Cardinals in 2009; his zone rating of .933 is the best in the majors among SS who have started at least 20 games. And he’s posted one of the better zone ratings at 2B in his 10 starts there. But it’s always an adventure with Ryan; he chases the ball with the zeal and all-out aggression of a beagle pursuing a rabbit. And so we’ve learned to hold our breath when the ball is in the air, hoping that Ryan isn’t going to venture out of his area to mow down a teammate in his desire to get that baseball. Saturday in Cleveland, Ryan nearly ran into 3B Joe Thurston, and did run into RF Ryan Ludwick. And this happens quite a bit. Someone’s going to get hurt. Here’s an tongue-in-cheek idea: what about an invisible fence? They’re used to keep wandering family pets from running away. Ryan could wear an electronic device, and any time Brendan begins to stray into another fielder’s area, manager Tony La Russa could press the button and zap him and make him retreat to his designated position. Then again, I don’t know if La Russa’s ARF — let alone commissioner Bud Selig — would approve.
3. THE CUBS FIND A SCAPEGOAT: With their underachieving lineup in the tank, the Cubs have pinned the blame on batting coach Gerald Perry. Going into Sunday’s game, the Cubs were hitting only .233 and averaging 3 runs per game since May 17. During this time, some key performers were slumping terribly, including Alsonso Soriano (.170), Geovany Soto (.219), Kosuke Fukudome (.172). Overall this season, the Cubs were 13th in the NL in runs per game through Saturday. The loss of 3B Aramis Ramirez (shoulder) after 18 games was a big blow, that doesn’t explain Soriano’s .233 BA or .299 OBP for the season. It doesn’t explain Soto’s second-year decline (.209 BA), or Derek Lee having only 27 RBIs. GM Jim Hendry’s offseason moves are a factor in the dropoff. Hendry signed moody, OF Milton Bradley to a 2-year, $20 million deal and is hitting only .226 with 16 RBIs. Hendry also gave former Cardinals utility man Aaron Miles a 2-year deal for $4.9 million and Miles is hitting .205 with a .246 OBP. And by spending the money on Bradley and Miles, Hendry had to cut payroll and traded the valuable Mark DeRosa (and his $5.5 million salary to Cleveland. Manager Lou Piniella has said that he considers DeRosa to be the team MVP in 2008. Some Cubs fans and media were pushing for Hendry to sign Adam Dunn instead of Bradley and Dunn is producing very good numbers (17 homers, 45 RBIs, .535 SLG) in Washington. Dunn is a weak outfielder fielder, but it’s not as if Bradley is a Gold Glover out there. Piniella insists on batting Soriano leadoff even though Soriano has a poor .305 OBP in the No. 1 spot.
That the Cubs (30-30) and their $134.8 million payroll are huffing and puffing to stay at .500 and catch the Cardinals and Brewers is one of the stories of the MLB season, so far. The Brewers are spending $80.1 million this season, and the St. Louis payroll is at $88.5 million.
4. JOE MAUER IS COMING TO TOWN: The Minnesota Twins will be at Busch Stadium for three games, June 26-28. And I’m looking forward to seeing Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols on the same stage. Mauer, the Twins catcher, is having a preposterous season, batting .414 with a .486 OPB and .743 SLG. These are X Box numbers, but the dude is that good. That kind of offense from a catcher is just ridiculous, and yet Mauer continues to be one of the more underappreciated players in the game. So when you go to those Twins-Cardinals games, you can point to Mauer and Pujols and tell your kids this: you are seeing the best player in the American League, and the best player in the National League. That’s a rare opportunity.
* Update: as I type this on Sunday afternoon, I’m watching Mauer bat in the top of the 9th against the Cubs’ Carlos Marmol… the bases loaded are loaded… one out in a 2-2 game …
Marmol got him to pop up.
A rare miss there by Mauer.
Cubs win 3-2 with a run in the bottom of 9th to break a four-game losing streak.
5. KHALIL GREENE AT THIRD BASE? La Russa mentioned that as a possibility Sunday morning on KTRS. It’s worth a shot. Greene has been abysmal at shortstop this season; most defensive metrics have him rated as the worst SS in the majors. I’d have to think that the defensive struggles could be impacting Greene’s hitting. He’s a worrier who stresses over his failings. If Greene can play 3B and do a decent job there, perhaps he’ll be more at peace when he comes to the plate. And he was an All-American third baseman at Clemson.
What’s that? You are skeptical?
I know.
Hey, I’m just searching here… I’m trying… looking for hope.
Thanks for reading…
-Bernie
I like the Greene idea at 3rd Tyler Greene. I like Thompson as a starter over Wellthergoesanotheronemeyer.
LOL…hey Bernie I loved your thoughts on keeping Brendan Ryan in his area of responsibility. Like you said, I kringe when he ranges out of his area into another fielders area. I do like Ryan’s game though.
I don’t like the Greene move to third, because if he has one ounce of success the Cardinals braintrust will consider this as adding a bat. It will be a stop gap until the real acquisition comes through in August. That acquisition….THE RETURN OF TROY GLAUS.”
Between now and then,you will hear all the BS that there is no one willing to deal right now, they think they are still in the race, it’s not a match, and Troy is on a rehab, he will be back soon, and that’s like making a great trade….
Same old stuff, Mr.Dewitt said it in yesterdays paper, we just hope to be competitive each year. The fans and ownership should expect to be in and compete to win the World Series every year, not just be competitive…
Ownership will continue to stir the Kool-Aid so all of the Zombies will believe they actually tried making a deal. It will hit home to the fans in a few years, when Albert is smacking HR’s into the left field seats in Yankee Stadium. Imagine this folks, Albert signs an 7 year $210 Million contract with the Yankees in 2012. He retires in 2019 at the age of 39. In 2024 Albert gets inducted into the Hall of Fame, and he goes in as a YANKEE!!!!!!!! That’s reality….
KG can either play third with the added stress of a new position. Or he can play with reckless abandon, knowing that ‘its not his position’, and so what if he fails’. With KG, its likely you would see either extreme.
Remember all the caterwauling from Miklasz and others for not resigning Miles. I guess we just want to whine about DeWitt’s lack of spending all of the time.
Bernie — I think Ryan’s problems is with playing with too many different players around him. Also, one day at ss and the next at 2nd. Get a set lineup and let’s see how much a better defense they will have.
hey kelosdad,
that’s reality? you’re a tool, go away.
Hey Mo Mike in MA….blog back when it’s a fact that Pujols starts hitting jacks over the Green Monster as he circles the bases in his pin stripes…
I’m a tool….Stop using your tool to stir Dewitt’s Kool-Aid….
Hmm, Pujols a Yank, or anywhere else. The FO would FU and let that happen would they? Then again, is there an outside chance they want Wallace to progress, show he can fulfill his enormous potential, and be their 1B in 2012, being 90% of the player Albert is? Nah.
Greene at third? T G is getting plenty of audition. If he can just step it up I think a full time job is pleading for him to take it. K G at 3B? Why not try it. Hopefully after the all star break we can have more of a set infield, and outfield. Let’s strive for the best defensive team which can be fielded (no pun intended).
Poor Aaron. Yes he doesn’t seem like much of a loss now. So sorry Cubbies.Yet, he was a fit here with the Cards. I think he was comfortable, was used well, and would be doing better now. Who knows.
FYI, I never complained about the Cardinals’ decision to let Miles go. Quite the opposite, actually.
-B