As the Cubs kick off their first World Series game in 71 years, here’s a look around the division at some of the teams that will be chasing them next season…
- Scott Schebler appears to have the inside track on the Reds’ right field job next year, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com writes. The 26-year-old bounced back after some early struggles and showed enough promise to think he’s deserving of a larger opportunity. Acquired in last winter’s Todd Frazier trade, Schebler hit .265/.330/.432 in 282 plate appearances with the Reds, tallying nine homers and a dozen doubles in that limited exposure. MLBTR’s Jason Martinez looked at the subject in his recent piece previewing the Cincinnati offseason, suggesting that the organization give him a shot while also looking to bring in some competition. Top prospect Jesse Winker could eventually push for a corner outfield spot in the Majors as well, although the 23-year-old’s power numbers dipped in Triple-A this season.
- The Pirates are set to name Joey Cora as their new third base coach, reports Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror (Twitter link). Cora managed Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate in Altoona this season and has several years of experience as a Major League bench coach and third base coach. He’ll replace Rick Sofield, who served as Pittsburgh’s third base coach from 2013-16 but was fired over the weekend, according to a club announcement. Cora, like his younger brother Alex, enjoyed a lengthy Major League career as an infielder and has previously been considered for managerial vacancies at the Major League level.
- MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch tackles a number of offseason questions in her latest Cardinals inbox piece, noting that despite a lackluster performance from the pitching staff this season, a significant addition seems unlikely. The free-agent market is, as has been well-documented, stunningly thin in terms of quality arms. And as far as the trade market is concerned, the team likely feels satisfied enough with its depth that it won’t feel compelled to meet the escalated asking prices that will perpetuate the trade market for rotation help. Langosch also looks at how the Cards stack up with the Rockies in potential trades and again emphasizes that the team is likely to focus on upgrading its up-the-middle defense this winter.
The Cardinals don’t need to do anything with their rotation anyway. It’s already set with Waino, Lynn, Martinez, Leake (ugh) and Reyes. The key is improving the poor defense behind these pitchers
The cards need to pay up for Inciarte. Their beat writers seem to think he can be had cheaply as a last resort…not happening. Hes exactly what they need
How does Inciarte fix a terrible ranged infield for a bunch of ground ball pitchers?
It doesn’t, but it vastly improves the outfield defense by moving grichuk to LF and giving us 3 plus defensive OF. With Wong getting regular time again at 2b, Carp at first, Diaz with more experience, and gyorko/ peralta at third, our IF defense is fine. Diaz does not have range problems, his early errors were adjusting to a faster speed of game and throwing errors. Even better is if we sign turner or gurriell to play 3b. Then we’re in good shape and our starting pitchers all look a whole lot better with a solid defense behind them.
This is a moot point. Inciarte is going nowhere, especially cheaply.
Wonder if Alex Cora is going to get into coaching/managing. Always felt he was bound for that type of role post career.
I think Torey Lovullo may add him to his coaching staff if he gets the Dbacks job.
With the absence of Oquendo from the field and the dugout/locker room, it’s left a huge hole. I wondered at the time why he was going to miss the entire season. Now they are moving him to the minors!!! Does this indicate a friction between Mathaney and Oquendo??? Obviously, Oquendo is more knowledgeable about Cardinal baseball.
Oquendo choose to be out for season after surgery. He’s choosing to be a developmental coach. No friction. He’s a great coach, but does anyone really think any coach can have that big of an effect on grown men? I don’t get that the reason our defense was bad was because Oquendo was out. He can’t make the plays for our guys. I like him, a lot, but he’s not that responsible for our defense or lack there of.
coaches are teachers, too. even professional players don’t know everything. some are good teachers, some aren’t.
Wainofan…. I’m in the radio business. We carry the Cardinals. Part of my job is to go to Spring Training each season, go into the locker room, and interview players, coaches, and former players. I’ve had the privilege to not only interview Jose Oquendo but observe him working every day on defense. On working on situational defensive plays, setting defensive positions of of players for the opposing teams hitters. He teaches and mandates excellence on defensive techniques. I would, -/daily, –see him in the locker room, sitting at the players table prior to each Spring Training practice. Visiting with any player that wanted to talk to him about anything. This was always before their 9:00 morning team meeting. No other coaches would be around until the their morning meetings. So yes, one coach/teacher can make an extreme difference. One such as Oquendo. This past 2016 Spring Training—- Very little emphasis on the areas he excelled as a coach was covered. Sure they went over the basics, but not with the intensity as has been done in the past. Without him
At 3rd base, there were too
Many base running mistakes that he definitely would not approve. He was the defensive alignment coach on defense. 2016 defensive alignment was questionable at the least. In
All of Oquendo’s time with Mathaney, each year it seemed that a distance between them enlarge. They missed him this year. I’m sure he is getting calls about managing jobs that are open for 2017. Should he leave, it’s our loss, and someone else’s gain.
I’ve followed the cardinals my whole life, 39 years, and I love oquendo. We should have hired him in 2011 as manager. I would not be surprised if he was hired by someone else and it would be our loss. He’s a great coach and an asset to us, but he can’t make the plays for our guys. Improper defense alignment is bad defense, but they don’t give errors for that. Defense alignment would not have made us a good defensive team. No coach has a role when you boot a ground ball or make a bad throw. Our poor defense was not because oquendo was out, but because we had a rookie ss making adjustments, a LF playing CF and no one else on the infield got steady time at any one position. Too much moving around and platoons and such. I’d put the blame on management more so than oquendo being out.
but, if a defender was properly positioned, that would make that ground ball a few steps closer to the defender. that makes the play easier, plus more time to get an accurate throw.