The latest from the National League…
- With Giants second baseman Joe Panik losing his grip on an everyday role, he may be in his last season with the club, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle observes. Panik will earn approximately $5MM in arbitration next year (his penultimate season of team control), estimates Schulman, who writes that the team could either trade or non-tender him over the winter. A Giant since they selected him 29th overall in 2011, Panik isn’t worried about his future, but he may need a strong finish this year to continue with the club. “I do understand the business side of it,” Panik said. “At the same time, “I haven’t even thought that far, and you really can’t, honestly. If you’re thinking that far ahead, you’re not going to be able to take care of business today.” Although Panik has been a solid major leaguer since debuting in 2014, the 27-year-old has hit an unappealing .242/.303/.347 (78 wRC+) in 262 plate appearances this season.
- It’s unknown whether Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt will return as the team’s full-time skipper in 2019, but he has earned a fan in chairman Bill Dewitt Jr. since taking over the fired Mike Matheny on July 14. “He’s done everything that we could possibly ask for,” DeWitt said (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). “I think he communicates with his staff, communicates well with players, has a good baseball-mind. Strategically — hard to criticize what he’s done. He’s a very good manager. Has been coming up through the ranks. Just a very solid baseball man.” It’s difficult to quantify the performance of a manager, but it’s nonetheless worth noting that the Shildt-led Cardinals have rallied to post a 21-10 mark and now find themselves in possession of the NL’s second wild-card spot.
- Rockies veteran first baseman/outfielder Matt Holliday, 38, is making a case for a promotion to the majors, Thomas Harding of MLB.com writes. Holliday, who sat on the unemployment line until Colorado signed him to a minor league deal on July 28, has slashed a tremendous .370/.473/.652 in 55 PAs with its top minors affiliate in Albuquerque. Rockies manager Bud Black has taken notice, saying: “He’s checking off some boxes. The thing that we’re happy about is the physical side. Mentally, Matt’s been a longtime player. You get back up to speed real quick. That didn’t take long, I’m sure. But the confidence that when he faces all sorts of pitching — there’s a difference between big league pitching and minor league pitching, but he’s been able to face a lot of different styles of pitching in Triple-A — will continue to get him closer to coming to us.” If the Rockies were to promote Holliday, he’d be in line for his second stint as a member of the club, with which he began his career and thrived from 2004-08.
Panik was literally crushing the ball before his thumb injury. I don’t think the Giants should trade him or non-tender him. If anything should try Hanson at CF. He has played LF and RF, he’s got blazing speed, he might fit in well. Young OF of Hanson, Slater, Williamson. Old (But not that old) infield of Longoria, Crawford, Panik, Belt. Posey behind the dish. Rotation and Bullpen are a major problem. Moronta is great, Smith is great, Watson and Strickland are servicable, Melancon and Dyson are hot trash. Shark and Cueto won’t be good again, Bumgarner needs to be traded, and hopefully the young starters can ride it out and be average. Next year we can only hope everything goes right and we get a wild card berth, but most likely we remain mediocre and probably don’t contend for 4 years.
What about Duggar? I know he hasn’t been great but I’d have to imagine he’ll get another chance.
I like Duggar and if he stays consistent he can be a viable option. I don’t know if his swing and overall player profile is fit for ATNT, because he doesn’t hit for average in the minors and has average power which isn’t enough for ATNT. Good defensive player but he could be a possible trade chip to bring in a young reliever or starter.
Hahahahaha Hanson in center? He can barely play left
We’ve seen crazier things. If the giants are in rebuild mode, it can probably happen.
Won’t happen. Dugger is doing a fine job in center. Anyways, dyson and Melancon Have been pretty decent. Watson, Moronta, Smith, and Strickland are very good relievers.
I think there needs to be more movement and forward thinking. Slater should be in the mix but profiling as a 4th man, a pan ik trade could bring some talent back, probably nothing huge but you have a bunch of guys that are a couple of years out and or would make sense to pick pieces up to compliment that timetable. You are probably about 2 or 3 players (at least) from being competitive right now so I would think that You need to pick up at least a couple of those in free agency an ss probably shift so few guys around.
Light hitting giants made
Cincinnati Reds pitchers so good
Now all league pitchers are ace
Against giants hitters
Giants hitters are a joke
Pollack should be in center next year. He’s better than Harper and will be cheaper
Oh yeah the Giants are not seriously contending for 3-5 years. I like Panik but he has no room on this sad sack squad. Put him on a contender like the Yanks and he gives them good d at 2nd and would be a good 7-9 hitter.
Also think Heliot Ramos should get an opportunity next year. The giants should honestly just trade Longoria for a lotto ticket and hope that they can get at most 8-10 M off his contract, as he’s rebounded nicely from his injury and has been an above average hitter since coming off the DL.
Heliot Ramos is not even close to major league ready. No one is going to take on any decent amount of Longorias contract.
He could be a September call up next year. Was in the futures game and I think he will progress through the minors quick. 2020 seems more realistic though.
Why not? He’s been good this year. If the Giants package un-needed prospects (Chris Shaw in particular) and/or MLB assets (Will Smith in particular) they could get 8–10 M off his contract in a salary dump trade by taking on another team’s unneeded contract, and 8-10 mil is a lot for the Giants considering their luxury tax situation. With that money, they could possibly take a shot at Corbin.
Ramos is struggling in Augusta. That’s barely A ball. He’s only 18 he has at least 3 years of development time. Besides the giants will be willing to go above the luxury tax after this season because it will be reset
They aren’t worried about getting way under the tax, just under it.
Why would they trade Smith hes the best reliever in the bullpen and it’s not close other than moronta. Other than the bomb against the Astros he’s been lights out. Also I don’t believe he’s a free agent
The Giants might mive done guys this month like Andrew M.,some of the Bullpeners,Belt,Pence,Panik and so on if get placed on Waviers and can work out a deal.
Longoria has not been good this year. Not even close.
Ramos still has (at least) 2-3 years left of development IMO.
K
Trade Longoria for
Jack Clark
Lol Ramos is not seeing the big show till he’s 21-22 minimum
It was just about 2 weeks ago. Tyson Ross was claimed by the Cardinals. Many calling the cardinals desperate and just claiming him so the Brewers can’t. Many brewer fans saying the Cardinals have waved the white flag. Now it’s 2 weeks from than and the Cardinals have surpassed the Brewers. Just one question to these Brewer fans. Have the Brewers waves the white flag?
They’re playing like they have.
Lol c1234…I know right…everyone was saying because the Cardinals traded Pham they were waving the white flag…brewcrew08 where are you know? Also the cardinals were sellers at the deadline because they gave up on the season…oh and my favorite…cardinals fans are dumb because they believe the team is better now…if cardinals fans want a laugh go back to the Ross article and read the comments
Absolutely and tonysbrewcrew where are you at also?
Tonysbrewcrew they got Ross to irritate contenders, right?
Radiohead? Where are you?
Actually, if one wants a laugh, you provide a lot of humor.
Lol this guy
Lol, this guy, who lives in the past…
Lol omg really dude…just stop before you embarrass yourself once again…how is anything I am talking about in the past…the Cardinals are currently in a playoff position…real time
Care to cite more Mo stats, Mr 1981?
Lol sure…what do you want to know…lol are you still butt hurt about looking like a fool last post you made? I mean…that’s why you are trolling me right? To try and seek revenge…but really you are continuing to embarrass yourself…it’s ok I have made stupid post in the past myself…here’s some advice…get over it
Keep typing. You keep proving exactly what I stated. And best part? You arent smart enough to realize it.
What color is the sky in your world? I am guessing red and white.
Lol I’m here to talk baseball not the color of the sky…bye bye troll I will not be feeding you…what a d-bag
Heres another question…
If your financial advisor recommends going all in on a stock because it did well 5 yrs ago, you buying?
Think about question…really think. I know its hard. Apply it to your cardinal way views….maybe you connect the dots.
You’re name fits you 3rdStrikeLooking … leave your bat on your shoulder and go back to the dugout.
Crew fan here, Brewers aren’t wavin the white flag but they are really beat up and Stearns will be rightly excoriated for the moustakas and schoop trades because he shot a bunch of his prospect bullets without getting the thing our team actually needs, starting pitching. Outside of an incredible month of May they haven’t really been that great and will need another month like that in September if they want to make the playoffs. And Stearns won’t say it but they really weren’t willing to go all in for this season without a healthy Jimmy Nelson.
I can’t believe the Brewers let the cubs get Hamel…it is very mysterious how they didn’t pick up pitching
i wouldn’t be surprised if that were true about Nelson.
If I was the Cardinals I would sign Mike Shildt to a three year contract. I wrote the Cardinals off. But now they look good so far.
Right? Same here.
They should probably be smart and offer him a one year deal. See how this translates in 19. Yes he has been great this far but the “shake up” could be the reason. Let’s not crown him just yet.
This ^. I like shildt but no long term until he proves out over whole season. No other candidates currently available interest me over shildt. Girardi, Baker, etc. I’ll pass on. Then after 2019 they can sign shildt long term if he’s proven capable or see what other candidates become available.
Not to mention Maddens contract is up at the end of 19.. hmm
Cardinals just getting started. Hey cubbies they will passing you boys next. Climbing back on top where they’ve been more times than not this century.
I’m so proud that Bill DeWitt Jr. stepped in when he did to make changes. With the manager change this club is fun to watch. Please Mr. DeWitt!!! Please keep John Mozeliak away from this bunch and don’t screw them up with his dud acquisitions. Michael Girsch put together most of this bunch when he was Assistant GM in charge of minor league player development. Please find a place for Mo as a high dollar Account or something somewhere. He’s the problem over the past few years who has wasted the owners money on dud player such as the bullpen he assembled for Mike Mathaney at the beginning of this year.
Cardinals17 just shut up about your feelings for Mo…you do realize the Cardinals were so great was because of him…he took over after a horrible 2007 season in which the cardinals farm was horrendous…he built the farm back up and made the cardinals what they are today which is relying on the farm to make the team better…I don’t know why you think Mo has destroyed the team…he has made bad moves in hindsight to you but overall has done a great job…get over it because you sound like a moron when you post things about him
He built the farm back up? How were the Cards drafts since 2007? I’d say ordinary at-best. That’s being generous.
Depleted system? Yep, considering they were World Series contenders since 2000 I could see why. Did Mo really improve the team since 2007? Well, the core players during the Jocketty era helped usher in another World Series in 2011. Mo’s probably an adequate baseball exec. I can see why Cards fans aren’t pleased with him.
WIthout a doubt the Cards have done a remarkable job developing some diamonds in the rough. They’ve also squeezed a few good seasons from players out of nowhere.
An adequate baseball exc.? Lol…this is what this adequate baseball exc has done…
Under Mo’s guidance the Cardinals have achieved:
2 World Series appearances (2011, 2013) with one win (2011)
4 NLCS appearances (2011-2014) winning in 2011 and 2013
2 N.L. pennants (2011, 2013)
4 N.L. Central division titles (2009, 2013, 2014, 2015)
2 N.L. Wild Card entrants (2011, 2012)
10 regular season winning percentage above .500 (2008-2017)
Franchise record 5 consecutive seasons with playoff appearance (2011–15)
Impressive in anyone’s book. It’s also worth noting that John Mozeliak has won 3 Executive of the Year awards during his tenure:
MLB.com Executive of the Year (2011)
GIBBY Executive of the Year (2011)
Andrew “Rube” Foster Award as NL Executive of the Year (2012)
You obviously have no idea what you are talking about if you say the cardinals drafts since 2007 are ordinary at best…considering what they have now for one and you obviously forgot about the great 2009 draft class…get a clue bud
Before we get to his accomplishments as a GM, let’s talk about some notable things Mozeliak did as the scouting director. He became the scouting director in 1998 and was directly responsible for drafting some of the most recognizable Cardinals players of the past decades. Players like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, cornerstones for the Cardinals in the 2000s, have a direct link to John Mozeliak.
Before Mo took over as the Cardinals GM, the farm system under Jocketty, wasn’t good. At all. In fact, from 2000-2007, the highest ranking for the Cardinals farm system was 21st. More embarrassingly, they ranked dead last in both 2002 and 2005 and were only marginally better (28th) in 2003 and 2004. I might as well throw in that the Cardinals basically had a non-existent international program. In a word, embarrassing. Read more on that here. So Mo knew big changes had to be made. With the help of Jeff Luhnow, he went to work.
The transformation that ensued was nothing short of remarkable. After years of being in the basement in farm system rankings, Mo’s farm system was ranked the best in baseball by Baseball America in 2011. The organization’s farm system was ranked first again in 2013 by both Baseball Prospectus and Keith Law. Additionally, the Cardinals were named “Organization of the Year” by Baseball America in late 2011. It was quite the turnaround. The baseball world looked to the organization John Mozeliak was building as a model franchise to pattern themselves after.
“Did Mo really improve the team since 2007?” Yes, moron! They have not had a losing season in the 10 years since.
“Well, the core players during the Jocketty era helped usher in another World Series in 2011.” Kinda … Chris Carpenter, Yadi and Pujols. 3 players that’s it. They signed Berkman and Nick Punto, re signed Jake Westbrook in the offseason. They had already traded Jim Edmonds for WS hero David Freese a few years prior but the real key to the ‘11 championship was Mo’s deadline trade of whiny Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays for Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Scrabble.
You are so horribly incorrect it is laughable. Oh, and you asked about their drafts since 2007… do you even follow baseball??? Considering that we have been a winning team the whole time and therefore not receiving a top 1st round pick just take a look at our recently re built from AAA Memphis rotation and BP… I’ll say fair to ok.
We beat them, then we can talk. They won the last between our clubs, and still sit atop the division…without the help of one of their best. We have done better, or put more effort forth under shildt. Don’t like fowler’s contract, but there can only be a positive regression, even though i like bader/o’neill better even if just for young players getting playing time. Serious questions linger about sp/rp even with young pitchers puling weight.
Hey bandwagon, got beat today. Crickets now??
It’s Great Matt Holliday is doing so well in his minor league return to baseball!! Hope to see him up with the Rockies soon!!!
Hopefully by the 24th against the Cards
Where are all the Brewers fans that were trash talking?
In my experience here most of my fellow brewer fans don’t read the comments in posts that aren’t specifically about the brewers.
They actually do you can go to the article where Cardinals Claimed Ross, nothing about the Brewers. Read the comments. The just aren’t typing in this article because the cardinals have a better record than them.
You have a good point but I’d still say the article with Ross had more relation to Brewer issues than this post. Brewer fans are all disgusted by yet another dreadful August. Its a few years running now. We need the cards and cubs to beat up on each other to stay in contention because they don’t look good at all right now.
Cubs and Cardinals don’t play each other till the last three games of the season…Brewers will have to beat the cardinals
That’s unfortunate. Then we are banking on crew having a few more off days down the stretch helping but it aint much to hang ur hat on.
i hope all these trash talking cardinals fans dont get a slice of humble pie themselves. Yes we passed the brewers and thats an accomplishment but there is still plenty of season left and there are plenty of teams hot on our tail. its not over til its over.
Lol yea we might be overdoing it…we are just excited after a horrible first half..plus it is more about how everyone was saying the cardinals were waving the white flag…the Brewers could pass us up today lol…still though you have to be excited about the way the cardinals are playing…so yea we are a little overexcited but with good reason
Yeah we are just “getting back” at brewers fans for acting all cocky and thinking Cardinals will go nowhere, this is are comeback..
And we can all get ready for nl central games to stretch past the 4 hour mark come September. Triple a teams are going to have a rough go with the way september bullpen usage has bloated rosters in the past and I’m sure this season will only see that increase.
The Panda is all the Giants need but next year…