Buehler wanted to leave LA and move to a team where he could be a front of a rotation guy, not a back of the rotation guy. He told the FO this at the beginning of Free Agency and out of respect for his legacy with the team, they didn’t QO so it wouldn’t effect his signing options. It’s similar to how the team didn’t give Clayton Kershaw the QOnwhen he was considering going to Texas.
Dodger, I’m not sure which CK year you are referring but I’ll note that he signed for 5 mil in ‘24. Way way under QO so that might be a reason why they didn’t offer them. If you mean 22 or 23, I think even those years he signed for less than QO.
Even WB – had his market not materialized, and he would have elected to accept, way over.
I wasn’t in the convo and don’t read the LA papers about what may have been said by FO but $$’s and business sense might play into those decisions as opposed to just wanting to do a legacy a favor.
Who has a bad thing to say about Mark Whiten? He helped make a pretty mediocre Cardinal team fun to watch. He only had a couple of skills, but those skills were amazing. The dude could absolutely demolish a baseball from either side of the plate, and he could throw lasers from right field. He had plenty of flaws, but he fit right in on that team.
The Cardinals should trade Donovan. I know every Cardinal fan is going to hate this idea, including me. I love Brendan Donovan. But this is the very definition of selling high. Trade him now while he still has defensive versatility, offensive upside, and an affordable salary. This deadline represents the peak of his value. They need to do the smart thing and move him for a player who can help when they are really ready to contend. For me, contention does not mean a borderline .500 team who MIGHT sneak into the playoffs with a late season hot streak. Contention means a legitimate 90 win roster. That’s not this team, and probably not next year’s team. Emotion should not overrule logic. The Cardinals have suffered for sentimentality for long enough. It’s time to be cold blooded and do what’s best.
What are the “underlying metrics” that are ok for Max Muncy? He has been terrible this season in all aspects of the game. 17% of the season is in the books and he struck out 32xs, 0 home runs and four RBIs, in 91abs. Which metric should I be looking at?
Still is in the 67th percentile of exit velocity and the 77th percentile of barrel rate. He is still making hard contact half of the time (50% hard hit rate). He also has the 6th largest gap between his xwOBA and wOBA among batters with at least 75 plate appearances. That’s not to say he’s all of a sudden going to become a mid-.800’s OPS hitter like he has been for most of his Dodgers career, but should be better than an OPS hovering around .500.
Cutch will get in the HOF. My prediction. Not solely on merit, but merely because of how the qualifications have softened. And I’m not trashing the guy. I love Cutch.
How have the qualifications softened? A smaller percentage of players are getting elected now than in the past. Guys like Harold Baines getting in are the rare exception, especially compared to the days when Frankie Frisch helped several former teammates get in.
gbs – Agreed! In a world where everything is watered down more and more, the Baseball Hall of Fame has maintained it’s integrity by refusing to devalue itself with unworthy inductees.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood started memorializing movie stars and related people in the industry in the 1920’s by having their hands and feet dipped into cement squares in front of the theatre. It became a tourist trap and the theater has reaped revenues from tourists that visit it from all over the world then stop into the theatre.
In the 1920’s 15 people were enshrined, 43 were added in the 1930’s. Today there are around 200 – the exact number isn’t actually known. Many are people that the average moviegoer and follower never heard of.
–
That spurred the ‘Walk of Fame’ in the neighborhood that goes for 1.3 miles (including areas that one might be best having a gun on their person if exploring it at certain times of the day). Started in the 1960’s it now has over 2,100 little square blocks with names in them. This includes celebrity cable TV cooks and infomercial hosts, etc.
–
Americans have this fascination with honoring people that in time evolves into a popularity contest resulting in public relations people politicking with the members of the committees that vote the candidates in.
Like much in life, what started with good intentions…….
Agreed, after 2/3 of my working life in the service industry from bottom to top; the phrase “No good deed goes unpunsihed” has a huge estate in my head.
TJ’s question about the Braves was pretty bizarre. Like Mark replied, they won it all in 2021, spend a lot, and typically are a playoff contender at least.
As far as the team ripping of the taxpayers in getting a new stadium, that’s what teams do. Shame on the government officials for getting played and the voters for not holding them responsible.
I lived in Atlanta for 3 years and went to a few games. If you’re in the sun, it can be rough, so hopefully your seat is in the shade. Same thing in St. Louis.
Buehler wanted to leave LA and move to a team where he could be a front of a rotation guy, not a back of the rotation guy. He told the FO this at the beginning of Free Agency and out of respect for his legacy with the team, they didn’t QO so it wouldn’t effect his signing options. It’s similar to how the team didn’t give Clayton Kershaw the QOnwhen he was considering going to Texas.
Dodger, I’m not sure which CK year you are referring but I’ll note that he signed for 5 mil in ‘24. Way way under QO so that might be a reason why they didn’t offer them. If you mean 22 or 23, I think even those years he signed for less than QO.
Even WB – had his market not materialized, and he would have elected to accept, way over.
I wasn’t in the convo and don’t read the LA papers about what may have been said by FO but $$’s and business sense might play into those decisions as opposed to just wanting to do a legacy a favor.
There is at least some data to support it.
Regarding CK it was,2022, covered pretty extensively in Andy McCullough’s book.
For WB, i saw it from Bill Pluncket from the OC register, but if I remember correctly he was reporting from a Boston related podcast.
Who has a bad thing to say about Mark Whiten? He helped make a pretty mediocre Cardinal team fun to watch. He only had a couple of skills, but those skills were amazing. The dude could absolutely demolish a baseball from either side of the plate, and he could throw lasers from right field. He had plenty of flaws, but he fit right in on that team.
Long live “Hard Hitten”” Mark Whiten.
Don – Probably best not to ask Red Sox fans what they have to say about him. LOL
The Cardinals should trade Donovan. I know every Cardinal fan is going to hate this idea, including me. I love Brendan Donovan. But this is the very definition of selling high. Trade him now while he still has defensive versatility, offensive upside, and an affordable salary. This deadline represents the peak of his value. They need to do the smart thing and move him for a player who can help when they are really ready to contend. For me, contention does not mean a borderline .500 team who MIGHT sneak into the playoffs with a late season hot streak. Contention means a legitimate 90 win roster. That’s not this team, and probably not next year’s team. Emotion should not overrule logic. The Cardinals have suffered for sentimentality for long enough. It’s time to be cold blooded and do what’s best.
What are the “underlying metrics” that are ok for Max Muncy? He has been terrible this season in all aspects of the game. 17% of the season is in the books and he struck out 32xs, 0 home runs and four RBIs, in 91abs. Which metric should I be looking at?
Still is in the 67th percentile of exit velocity and the 77th percentile of barrel rate. He is still making hard contact half of the time (50% hard hit rate). He also has the 6th largest gap between his xwOBA and wOBA among batters with at least 75 plate appearances. That’s not to say he’s all of a sudden going to become a mid-.800’s OPS hitter like he has been for most of his Dodgers career, but should be better than an OPS hovering around .500.
Cutch will get in the HOF. My prediction. Not solely on merit, but merely because of how the qualifications have softened. And I’m not trashing the guy. I love Cutch.
How have the qualifications softened? A smaller percentage of players are getting elected now than in the past. Guys like Harold Baines getting in are the rare exception, especially compared to the days when Frankie Frisch helped several former teammates get in.
gbs – Agreed! In a world where everything is watered down more and more, the Baseball Hall of Fame has maintained it’s integrity by refusing to devalue itself with unworthy inductees.
letitbelowenstein;
Very possibly.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood started memorializing movie stars and related people in the industry in the 1920’s by having their hands and feet dipped into cement squares in front of the theatre. It became a tourist trap and the theater has reaped revenues from tourists that visit it from all over the world then stop into the theatre.
In the 1920’s 15 people were enshrined, 43 were added in the 1930’s. Today there are around 200 – the exact number isn’t actually known. Many are people that the average moviegoer and follower never heard of.
–
That spurred the ‘Walk of Fame’ in the neighborhood that goes for 1.3 miles (including areas that one might be best having a gun on their person if exploring it at certain times of the day). Started in the 1960’s it now has over 2,100 little square blocks with names in them. This includes celebrity cable TV cooks and infomercial hosts, etc.
–
Americans have this fascination with honoring people that in time evolves into a popularity contest resulting in public relations people politicking with the members of the committees that vote the candidates in.
Like much in life, what started with good intentions…….
Agreed, after 2/3 of my working life in the service industry from bottom to top; the phrase “No good deed goes unpunsihed” has a huge estate in my head.
TJ’s question about the Braves was pretty bizarre. Like Mark replied, they won it all in 2021, spend a lot, and typically are a playoff contender at least.
As far as the team ripping of the taxpayers in getting a new stadium, that’s what teams do. Shame on the government officials for getting played and the voters for not holding them responsible.
gbs – Agreed! At least the Rangers had a good excuse, building a retractable roof stadium.
Not sure why the Braves didn’t go that route. I’ll be at the All-Star Game which is in Atlanta this year, not looking forward to the July heat there.
FPG,
I lived in Atlanta for 3 years and went to a few games. If you’re in the sun, it can be rough, so hopefully your seat is in the shade. Same thing in St. Louis.
gbs – It’s a night game, how bad is the humidity in July?
Also, hotel is in Marietta about 4 miles away …. hopefully safe?
It’s almost certainly going to be very humid. From my recollection, Marietta is pretty safe, though it’s been ~15 years.