This should be the first of many fun matchups all season. The Cardinals are doing Cardinals things again – their position player WAR leaders on the season are OF Jeremy Hazelbaker, the 500th anonymous outfielder to get called up and produce solid numbers, and Aledmys Diaz, who was their third choice to play shortstop. And just yesterday, their backup catcher had a .506 WPA day. At least Adam Wainwright is struggling in his return from last year's Achilles injury.
Team Leaders
Cubs
- OBP: Fowler (.510)
- ISO: Fowler (.275)
- HR: Rizzo (3)
- R+RBI: Rizzo (19)
- wRC+: Fowler (208)
- BSR: Rizzo (0.2)
- SP K/9: Lester (8.41)
- SP BB/9: Hendricks (0.71)
- SP FIP: Hendricks (1.76)
- RP K/9: Rondon (21.00)
- RP BB/9: Strop (0.00)
- RP FIP: Rondon (-1.56)
- WAR: Fowler (0.9)
Cardinals
- OBP: Hazelbaker (.432)
- ISO: Moss (.538)
- HR: Moss (4)
- R+RBI: Moss (19)
- wRC+: Diaz (222)
- BSR: Molina (0.2)
- SP K/9: Garcia (11.4)
- SP BB/9: Wacha (1.74)
- SP FIP: Garcia (1.40)
- RP K/9: Rosenthal (20.25)
- RP BB/9: Siegrist (2.08)
- RP FIP: Siegrist (1.06)
- WAR: Hazelbaker (0.7)
Pitching Matchups
2016 ERA, 2016 xFIP, Projected ERA listed for each starter.
Monday: John Lackey, RHP (5.68, 3.87, 3,46) vs Mike Leake, RHP (6.97, 4.23, 3.81), 7:09 PM CT
The series kicks off with a matchup of two pitchers who have had rocky debuts with their respective teams. Leake is coming off a poor outing against the mighty Brewers offense, while Lackey is coming off a decent outing against the equally non-formidable Reds. Despite my feelings towards the Lackey deal, at least it's two years, while the Cards are on the hook for five years of Leake.
Tuesday: Jason Hammel, RHP (0.75, 5.00, 3.98) vs Jaime Garcia, RHP (2.40, 2.18, 3.26), 7:15 PM CT
You could probably make an argument that Garcia has been the best Cards pitcher on a per-pitch basis during their current era. The only problem is that he can't stay on the field. He's pitched about 350 innings combined over the past four seasons for St. Louis. He's a worm massacre-er, but his already low strikeout rate has been on the decline through all of his injuries. This team has always seemed like it's especially dominated by sinker-heavy pitchers, so I'm not too optimistic about this game.
Hammel's had a good start to the year, ERA wise, but he had issued seven free passes in his first two starts. Luckily teams haven't been getting good contact off of him.
Wednesday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (2.84, 2.24, 3.59) vs Carlos Martinez, RHP (3.46, 3.62, 3.44), 12:45 PM CT
Hendricks has had a solid start to the year, being left in too long notwithstanding and it's been nice to see him grab his rotation spot without any questions swirling around him.
Speaking of pitchers that may have a time bomb ticking under the uniform, Carlos Martinez hit a wall last year as he upped his innings total and had to be shut down in September due to shoulder soreness. He's come back fairly strong this year, but the Cardinals are definitely going to be keeping an eye on his workload.
Comments
My only criticism of Joe Maddon this year is that he isn’t aggressively pinch hitting for his pitchers enough.
mylesQuote Reply
myles,
I didn’t think we were doing criticism of the Cubs this season.
MillertimeQuote Reply
At least we can counter Hazelbaker with Szcur.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Would prefer to see some boot to the throat this series, but given how the Cubs’ bats just slept through a very sweepable series at home against a bad team, probably looking at having to be content getting one of the next three. Cards’ bats are scorching.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Now that they let the great Tyler Chatwood dominate them at home, you have my blessing.
Cubs are poop. #LaunchTheoIntoSpace
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do
berseliusQuote Reply
I think it’s a little too soon in the season for a “boot to the throat” type series. Cubs sweep or Cubs get swept, either way there’s enough games left in the season that either team could recover, especially the Cubs with their hot start.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Yeah. Even as shitty as it would be to see the Cubs swept, it would just mean the teams’ records would be 9-6 and 10-5
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
That said boot-on-throat would be great to see
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Heyward and Lackey getting booed and then having great games would be pretty nice.
MillertimeQuote Reply
I’m more of a pizza hut milf kind of guy myself, but whatever tickles your fancy.
MillertimeQuote Reply
myles,
I also don’t like how many plate appearances Ross is getting.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I do like Maddon’s lineup construction as well as his willingness to let his pitchers swing away in obvious bunt situations.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
It reminds me of the 2004 season. Despite the glaring mistakes made by Dusty Baker throughout 2003 and into 2004, “In Dusty We Trusty” signs were everywhere and you couldn’t find too many people on the internet who were being critical of him. A few years later it happened with Lou Piniella and now it’s happening with Joe Maddon.
If the Cubs are doing well, you absolutely cannot criticize the team’s manager. All critical thought leaves a Cubs fan when this team is doing well.
dmick89Quote Reply
No doubt that Maddon is better than the other two managers I named and by a whole hell of a lot, but the guy makes mistakes. It just doesn’t surprise me that some people are unaware of that.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
It’s happened with Theo ever since he got to Chicago. Just look at how the international draft strategy got talked about that one season, where they effectively blew their budget for one or two extra players.
Or last season, when they did jack shit at the trading deadline.
Not that Theo has many moves to criticize, but nowadays I feel like even the smallest criticism still gets shouted down by the masses.
MillertimeQuote Reply
In a way I hope that continues because it means the Cubs are doing well. The only way those criticisms won’t be shot down is if they start losing and then the masses will be complaining about everything.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
As long as he makes 4 genius decisions for every boneheaded move, I think we’ll be ok. Also assuming that one boneheaded move in 5 doesn’t lose games of course.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
Choosing whether to fist or finger can be very close decision at times.
MillertimeQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/where-we-stand-now-4-18-16/
dmick89Quote Reply