Episode 7 of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Simon Hampton is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:
- The Cardinals’ U-turn on having Willson Contreras catch (4:22)
- Mitch Keller’s breakout season with the Pirates, and whether he can be their ace moving forward (10:32)
- When can Reds fans expect to see Elly De La Cruz in the big leagues? (17:09)
- Eduardo Rodriguez’ form for the Tigers, and whether Detroit can contend this season (20:56)
- The Padres’ slow start to the season (25:34)
Check out our past episodes!
- Willson Contreras, the Rays’ success, what’s happening with the Astros – listen here
- White Sox trade candidates, Red Sox options for improvements, managers on the hot seat – listen here
- The state of the Twins, Bryan Reynolds’ extension and Madison Bumgarner’s future – listen here
As a Cards fan, I hate the way this Contreras situation has been handled. He’s played really well and they’ve absolutely scapegoated him. The pitchers need to be better. simple as that. and for those wondering, word going around town is that it’s possible ownership got involved because they weren’t happy that their 87.5mil catcher was already being made into a DH five weeks into a 5 year deal.
For what it’s worth, there IS a hint of something to that. The SP ERA has reportedly RISEN, as in got worse, since he stopped being the backstop, and, although games were won it was also without recording quality starts by lasting even 5 innings.
Cubs fan here – I always liked Contreras and was sad to see him go, as I was with the rest of the core the last few years. Not to say I disagree with letting any of them go or being traded, but it was still tough. That said, I’ll fully admit what he was – an offense-first catcher, with average defense. But I loved watching him play and loved his passion, but fully realized what he was and what he wasn’t. And I’d assume the Cards did too when they got him, so I agree with you Mitch that them scapegoating him was ridiculous. I wish nothing but luck going forward, except when he plays us of course, and hope that the relationship isn’t soured too much. Otherwise it’s going to be a long five years.
Did Contreras reach a u-turn or did STL hit a dead end? A real bush league decision on STL, I’m very surprised & disappointed.
What happened to Contreras is an example of the kind of nonsense that happens when decision makers refuse to accept any blame whatsoever when things go wrong, but pat themselves on the back while staring in a mirror every time anything goes right.
Barry Horowitz.
according to a baseball website, the majority of pitching coaches call the type of pitch to be thrown during the course of a game.
They relay the pitch to the catcher who in turn sends the type to the pitcher
That said, it doesn’t sound like the fault of pitches belongs to Contreras, instead it’s the fault of the Card’s pitching coach
Contreras is the scapegoat for the management’s failure
It’s probably been 15 years since anyone but yadi called pitches in St. L and they clearly weren’t prepared for the change. The coaches should be calling pitches (or the pitchers themselves if they don’t like what Contreras is calling) The cards knew what they were getting they’ve played him 16 times a year for 6 years. He’s got a good glove, great arm and a great bat but he’s not the best pitch framer and he’s not a field general like yadi was, few ever have been. this is a failure on management’s part and they let the pitchers scapegoat him rather than admit that they weren’t ready to adjust as an origination.
The bigger issue is that anyone is required to be a “pitch framer”. This exists solely because of the willingness to kowtow to the union rather than using available technology and ensure balls and strikes are called correctly rather than subjectively.
Tennis has used technology for years to determine in/out calls rather than rely on humans under the guise that it’s “more fun” or “adds flavour” or whatever other justification gets tossed out there to keep using umpires who we know cannot even see the ball for the final ten feet of the delivery.
In the most recent World Cup, technology was used to map the players’ entire bodies thus allowing for offsides calls to be handled with the utmost precision.
The league claims to be looking to the future yet still allows these elements of ludditism to exist.
Mitch Keller’s ERA since August 2022?
2.78
So, Sept, April, and half of May. Could be a turn around, or just a hot streak. He’s been pitching well, but its not a large sample. Hope its real.
You’re IQ since August 20222
O00
* your.
Genius.
We’re not getting to 20222 with any more Buubas around…
Ok geniuass
You are nothing but nerds
How do you spell idiot. Websters spells it Vtadave
Says the guy with three typos in one sentence.
Stop giving a Bruce Campbell character a bad name.
Bob Melvin needs to slam his hat down, throw his glasses across the locker room and blast the water cooler with a fungo to wake the Sadres up. Then go back to being Clark Kent.
He recently had that tantrum in Minnesota, leading the Padres to a 1-6 record since.