Category: MLB

The Cardinals Would Be Downright SILLY to Keep Jordan Walker in Triple-A

Posted on by Robert Keith Jaco in MLB

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner and I could not be more excited. The St. Louis Cardinals have as much hype and upside as they’ve had in years coming off a solid 2022 regular season and an underwhelming postseason sweep. 

The Cardinals enter 2023 with a STACKED lineup with the potential to have one of the most lethal batting orders in the MLB.

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt is coming off arguably the best season of his career, earning NL MVP honors, and third baseman Nolan Arenado enters the year following a third-place finish in MVP voting while also earning his 10th consecutive Rawling Gold Glove award.

Despite the loss of future Hall of Famers Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols, the Cards still have a lot to look forward to this season. 

Guys Dylan Carlson and Lars Nootbaar are poised for breakout seasons while middle infielders Tommy Edman, Brendan Donovan (first-time Gold Glove recipient), and Nolan Gorman provide the best defensive protection in the National League. Pairing these likes with corner infield defenders like Goldy and Nolan basically solidifies the Redbirds as the best defensive team in the MLB.

Now if I wasn’t tooting our horn enough, may I interest you in some of the most exciting young talents the majors have to offer?

20-year-old phenom and MLB top-prospect Jordan Walker has done a little bit of everything this spring to ensure he finds his way onto the Cardinals Opening Day roster. And if the fans had any say, he’s almost certainly locked up a spot in the Opening Day lineup. 

Now, is this an over-exaggeration? One could make that argument. But there is no denying Walker is ready to face big-league arms this season. 

This spring, Walker has pummeled opposing pitchers, batting .340 with three home runs and nine RBIs while notching an impressive .956 OPS. The young star’s strikeout rate is still a bit high with 10 SOs in 53 at-bats, but to say these stats aren’t promising would be a flat-out lie.

And Walker has impressed more than just the STL faithful, The Athletics’ Keith Law has Walker ranked as the No. 5 prospect heading into 2023, moving up 25 spots from No. 30 last season. 

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel is also high on the newly transitioned outfielder, ranking Walker No. 14 in his annual top-100 MLB prospect rankings. \

In addition to the hype around Walker, the Cardinals also fins themselves with a plethora of middle infield talent heading into 2023.

20-year-old Masyn Winn has also turned heads and impressed in Cardinals camp this spring.

Winn is a former pitcher-turned-shortstop that can hurl the ball across the diamond at 99 MPH while also raking like a .300 hitter at the plate.

In 40 plate appearances this spring, Winn is batting .325 with a .906 OPS, driving in nine RBIs with two homes runs and one triple.

Winn and Walker each have put together convincing Arizona Fall League and Spring Training campaigns, making the decision on where to assign them come next week harder by the day.

It still remains to be seen whether Walker will get the Opening Day roster, or even lineup, nod, but fans and baseball enthusiasts are much more optimistic now, than say 30 days ago. 

The struggles of Tyler O’Neill in 2022 and this spring (2-14) have placed second-year skipper Oli Marmol in a tight spot as he and his staff contemplate which players to go with on Opening Day against Toronto. 

Could we see Walker in right field, Carlson in center and Nootbaar in left? Or possibly Noot in center, Carlson in left or a combination of Walker/O’Neill in right? Only time will tell. 

But if we’re sure about one thing as of this moment, its this. 

Baseball is back. 

And I’m fired the fuck up. 

Let’s Go Birds.

Postseason Baseball Returns in a Big Way

Posted on by Robert Keith Jaco in MLB

The 2022 MLB postseason field has been set.

Through the 162-game season, we experienced a plethora of unforgettable moments. Miggy’s 500th home run, Albert’s 700th, Judge’s 62nd and the Seattle Mariners snapping their 20-year postseason drought highlighted a star-studded summer of America’s pastime.

And while all of these feats are incredibly important and admirable in their own regard, there’s something about the magic that’s created in the month of October that knocks every other aspect of the regular season out of the ballpark.

The postseason landscape will look a little different this season, though, as the Wild Card round will feature a best-of-three series opposed to the winner-take-all format we’ve seen since 2012.

This year, six teams will make the playoffs from each league and will be seeded based on records following division winners. The top two division winners with the best records in each league will receive a bye to the Division Series. The third division winner will be given the three seed and will square off against an expanded field of wild card teams which will include the three teams with the next best records behind division winners. The 3 seed will host the 6 seed while the number 4 WC team will host WC team number 5.

With the 2022 postseason bracket set and a new, expanded format in place, there’s sure to be a variety of upsets and memories made as the field of 12 dukes it out on baseball’s biggest stage.

National League Wild Card Series

San Diego at New York (N)

With their 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves clinched their fifth consecutive National League East division title, sending the season-long division leader New York Mets to the Gulag (Wild Card Series). There, the reeling Mets will host the up-and-up San Diego Padres. This is a series that many believe the lower seed can and will pull off the upset.

In my opinion, despite a recent downturn, the Mets should still be the favorite to move past the Wild Card series and face off against the NL-favorite Los Angeles Dodgers. New York boasts one of the best postseason starting rotations with Max Scherzer, Jacob DeGrom and Chris Bassitt. This trio will go up against stiff competition as the Padres roll out a rotation featuring Blake Snell, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Compared to the other Wild Card matchups between the Cardinals/Phillies, Rays/Guardians and Blue Jays/Mariners, this series’ pitching alone will be some of the best we will see in October.

Comparing the Mets and Padres lineups, I think there’s a fair point to be made on each side, but I’m taking the team with Manny Machado, Juan Soto and Jake Cronenworth over the likes of Pete Alonso, Francicso Lindor and Jeff McNeil.

And I know I just said the Mets should be the favorite, but I’m banking on Scherzer or DeGrom falling flat. Probably not my best call, but upsets happen all the time and I like my chances with this one.

PICK: San Diego in three games

Philadelphia at St. Louis

Well, you guessed it. There’s going to be some bias in this one.

The St. Louis Cardinals return to the Wild Card round in 2022 following their 2021 postseason exit on a soul-crushing walk-off home run from the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor.

This fall, the Cardinals hope to right their previous postseason struggles and ride the coattails of MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado to another deep postseason run.

The Cardinals enter the Wild Card series as the three seed, hosting another reeling team in the Philadelphia Phillies. Philly stumbled down the stretch but was still able to clinch its first postseason berth since 2011 following an even bigger dumpster fire of a fall from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Phillies won the season series against the Cardinals, 4-3, which includes taking 2-of-3 in Philly while outscoring the redbirds 15-9, and splitting a four-game set, 2-2. This time around, the Cardinals will enjoy home field advantage for all three games. This season the Cards were 53-28 at Busch Stadium, a stat they hope will play in their favor come Friday afternoon.

The Phillies, while struggling as of late, still boast a dangerous lineup headlined by NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber (46), Alec Bohm (.280 avg, 8-19 against STL) and a sluggish, but always lethal, Bryce Harper (.286/.364/.514). On the mound, the Phils will trot out a rotation of Zach Wheeler (12-7, 2.92), Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25) and Ranger Suarez (10-6, 3.37).

Lineup wise, I give the edge to the Cardinals. Although they’ve struggled recently, top of the order guys like Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan can get going in a hurry and following bats like those with the likes of Goldy, Arenado and a resurgent Pujols will strike fear in any pitching staff coming to Busch. The rotation comparison is closer than some may believe. Jordan Montgomery has been lights out as a Cardinal and Miles Mikolas and Adam Wainwright have proven time and time again they have what it takes to shine under the brightest lights. It’s going to be a dog fight. And I’m sure the birds will have me on the brink of a psychotic breakdown. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

PICK: St. Louis is three games

American League Wild Card Series

Tampa Bay at Cleveland

I’m going to do my best to remove any bias I have as a part-time Tampa Bay Rays fan for this one. I’ve seen the Rays play roughly seven or eight times this season at the Trop, and let’s face it, they’re a fun team. They have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, yet they continue to find each season’s diamond in the rough and turn them into a budding superstar. Guys like Randy Arozarena (miss you), Manuel Margot, Shane McClanahan and Tyler Glasnow have helped fuel the Rays over the last few years while nearly making themselves household names in baseball circles across the country. This weekend, the Rays will square off against another fun team, the Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians were kind of a shock winner of the AL Central, besting the Minnesota Twins and favorite Chicago White Sox to earn the three seed and clinch home field advantage in the Wild Card series. Cleveland has its own set of talent under longtime skipper Terry Francona. Amed Rosario Jose Ramirez and rookie Steven Kwan have ignited the Guardians offense and kept the flame lit long enough to hold off their reeling competition in the Central. Rosario (.283/.403/.715) and Ramirez (.280/.514/.869) have single-handedly kept things afloat in Cleveland, but guys like Kwan (.298/.400/.772 and second baseman Andres Gimenez (.297/.466/.837) have been pleasant surprises during an unexpected division race.

On the mound, the Guardians will be led by reliable work horse Shane Bieber. Bieber tossed 200 innings this season with a 2.88 ERA and a 13-8 record. Behind him, the lanky Tristan McKenzie (11-11, 2.96) and Cal Quantrill (15-5, 3.38) will look to follow in the veteran’s footsteps. These three will go up against another stout rotation in Tampa Bay’s McClanahan (12-8, 2.54), Glasnow (second start of the season) and former Guardian Corey Kluber (10-10, 4.34).

I believe these lineups matchup well and giving either side an advantage seems like a hasty move. But I will say this, if the Rays can get a dominant start from their All-Star McClanahan in game one, that may be enough to help power Glasnow and Kluber/Drew Rasmussen to the finish line in a three-game series.

PICK: Tampa Bay in three games

Seattle at Toronto

This may very well be the best series of the four.

The Seattle Mariners are riding the high of snapping their 20-year postseason drought while the Toronto Blue Jays look to return to a World Series contending team.

Toronto had a bit of an underwhelming year after entering the 2022 campaign as a top-3 favorite to win the World Series. Despite failing to challenge the Yankees aside from a late push for the AL East crown, the Blue Jays are armored with a lineup and starting rotation that is poised to turn heads across the league.

The Blue Jays offense went through a few slumps, but when a lead guy like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits 32 home runs and drives in 97 runs in a down season, I’d say you’re doing just fine. Bo Bichette was a driving force once again in 2022, hitting .290 with 24 homers and 93 RBIs while newcomers George Springer (25 HR, 76 RBIs) and Matt Chapman (27 HR, 76 RBIs) each held up their side of the bargain in the Toronto lineup. With four guys posting 800+ OPS and a catcher in Alejandro Kirk posting an eye-opening slash line of (.285/.415/.786), the Blue Jays are going to be a tough out this round and beyond.

Winning by platoon has been the Mariners’ mantra this season, and it will likely need to remain if they want to advance past the Wild Card round. Rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez has been worth the price of admission night in and night out, hitting .284 with 28 home runs and 75 RBIs. Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker were a huge hit when picked up from Cincinatti last season and have increased their production in 2022. The pair have combined for 45 homers and 140 RBIs this season. If the M’s can rattle the Blue Jay pitching, watch out.

The Blue Jays have the edge when it comes to three-man rotations as Alex Manoah (16-7, 2.24), Kevin Gausman (12-10, 3.35) and Jose Berrios (12-7, 5.23) hold a slight leg up on Seattle’s trio of Robbie Ray (12-12, 3.71), Luis Castillo (4-2, 3.17) and Logan Gilbert 13-6, 3.20). If the Mariners expect to keep things close and run this series to three games, they’re going to need to keep their bats hot and at least one dominant performance from Castillo or Ray.

PICK: Toronto in three games

I hate to be the guy that believes each team is good and can win it all, but with this year’s field, it’s hard to be convinced any one team is out of the race. I can see the Blue Jays making a run, the Rays making some noise, the Braves repeating or even the Cardinals winning the pennant (God please give this to me). That being said, I ought to make some predictions for the overall postseason picture.

NLDS/NLCS

Cardinals over the Braves in five games. Dodgers over the Padres in four games

Dodgers over Cardinals in six games.

ALDS/ALCS

Blue Jays over the Astros in five games. Rays over the Yankees in five games.

Blue Jays over the Rays in seven games.

World Series

Dodgers over the Blue Jays in six games.

Fuck the Dodgers.

Go Cards.

Redbirds Ready to Soar into October

Posted on by Robert Keith Jaco in MLB

The St. Louis Cardinals are a team of destiny. If you’ve followed baseball over the last 20 years or so, you’re probably saying “no shit, we’ve seen this before.” And this may be because of 2021’s 17-game winning streak that saw the Cards ride the coattails of veteran leftys J.A. Happ and Jon Lester to an improbable Wild Card run that ended in a Chris Taylor walk-off. Or it may be because St. Louis managed to rattle off Central division winners in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 following the exit of Albert Pujols after the 2011 World Series championship. But nonetheless, the 2022 Redbirds are hot, and they’ve got plenty of magic to deploy over the next month or so of baseball.

The Cardinals currently sit at 81-57 after splitting a four-game series with the MLB-worst Washington Nationals. And although you hate to see a team that’s hot fail to win a series against a faltering franchise like Washington, the upside to the Cardinals’ recent reign as a National League contender is ever-growing. The Birds on the Bat have rattled off an impressive second half, putting together a 31-13 record since the All-Star break with series sweeps over the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. And sure, some of those team are bottom barrel, but what the Cards have accomplished with Trade Deadline pickups like Jordan Montgomery from the Yanks and Jose Quintana from Pittsburgh is nothing short of a miracle. Some may say its a miracle, others would say its St. Louis black magic.

Quintana has failed to allow more than two earned runs in seven starts with St. Louis, going 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA with the Cards going 6-1 in his seven starts in a St. Louis uniform. Montgomery has been even more dominant, going 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA while allowing just one home run with a 38/8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. And when it comes to offense, St. Louis continues to rake. Guys like 2B/SS Tommy Edman have heated up recently, going 9-22 with two homers and six RBIs in September, including a walk-off two-run double that capped off a five-run come-from-behind victory over Washington on Wednesday night.

Pair a hot bat like Edman’s with the MVP-caliber duo of Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, and the Cardinals might be the deadliest team come October. As the home stretch nears and teams begin to prepare for deep playoff runs, there is no reason to believe the Midwest boys in red are anywhere close to cooling down. The race for 12 in ’22 is alive and well, and I’m here for it.