March 31: Cardinals @ Yankees
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
Records: Cardinals (10-13-3), Yankees (13-13)
First pitch: 12:05 pm CT
TV/Radio: MLB Network, MLB.TV, 1120 KMOX
Starting lineup: Matt Carpenter (3B), Kolten Wong (2B), Matt Holliday (1B), Randal Grichuk (CF), Brandon Moss (LF), Stephen Piscotty (RF), Yadier Molina (C), Ruben Tejada (SS), Mike Leake (RHP)
Starting matchup: Mike Leake vs. Michael Pineda
Available relievers:
Countdown until Opening Day: 3
Links from Wednesday:
- Jordan Walden will open the season on the DL; Matt Bowman to make 25-man roster (link)
- Opening Day preview content, part III: Prospect to Watch (link)
- Michael Wacha at his best to finish spring (link)
- Game recap from the Cardinals’ 3-0 win over the Marlins (link)
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By Gosh, It's Langosch 
Geez, here we go again. Tejada leaves with a left quad strain (ala Holliday’s right quad strain last year). The MLBTV sports guys said they think the Cards will be back shopping for a SS on waivers. However, me thinks not.
Instead, my guess is that Mo or MM will likely make a quick phone call. “Hey, Aledmys! Catch a plane & meet us in Pittsburgh!”
OK…I’ll say it again. I don’t think either Lyons & Marco Gonzales have good ‘nuf stuff (at least yet) to play in the bigs. Unfortunately tho’…it’s all in or gone, in Lyons case.
Gone,
Yeah, probably. Mo & MM will likely give Lyons at least month I’m thinking, before deciding to let him go. Just to give him that last chance.
Hazelbaker & the new pitcher Bowman, made the final cut today for regular season. Greg Garcia too, which I guess I kinda’ expected.
It shouldn’t be too long tho’, before Diaz is called up…considering Tejada’s exit this afternoon. I feel Diaz is a more solid infielder than Greg Garcia.
Someone will want Lyons because he’s LH. One of the frustrating things about the Cards came from an article where they compare the departed players spring thus far and those who replaced them. Our new players are so much younger and better than the exited ones. Even with those improvements the matter of the offense still lingers.
Yep, LHP’s are something every team wants on staff. Maybe Lyons is just a late-bloomer, or perhaps he doesn’t have the potential after all.
As for our newer players being better? Right on. Several of baseball’s talking-heads have said as much. More than once I’ve heard this or that guy (not necessarily Red Bird fans) warn everybody NOT to count the Cardinals out…that they’ve had a history of finding ways to win. Especially, since players like Pham, Grichuk, Piscotty and even Hazelbaker haven’t played a full season in the big leagues. They all could hit their strides this year. (I’ll never forget the one opposing team’s sports-caster last year saying, “Where in the heck did this Pham kid come from?” Hahaha.)
Plus, keep in mind that May 18th is Alex Reyes’ last day on suspension.
Then…there’s Aledmys Diaz. And with all the hoopla about him? I can’t imagine that the Cards won’t call him up in the next week or so, considering that Tejada is now on the DL.
Also, we have yet to see what Seung-hwan Oh brings to the table.The “Stone Buddha” has a history of consistency. That, we know.
RHP Matt Bowman says he’s super-duper excited about finally making the opening day roster! The article said he couldn’t call his mom fast enuf’ to tell her he made the cut. Maybe he’ill turn out to be a little more than expected? Who knows.
Lots of “ifs”, sure. But definitely not unrealistic ones. : )
Love your post, BUT it all hinges on the offense coming around consistently and I don’t see it yet.
Sure. But the one thing I try to keep in mind…is that if & when Piscotty, Pham & Grichuk DO connect? All 3 are easily capable of hitting the long ball…not to mention several other players who can, too. Could they all step it up this coming season? Who knows….
I’m going with your theroy……for now:)
Geez, Louise….I can’t wait ’til Sunday!
ESPN has the Cards @ Pittsburgh 1:05 ET, then Toronto @ Tampa 4:05 ET on ESPN-2…and then back to ESPN for the Mets @ KC 8:37 ET. A three-game day to start the baseball season! Woo-hoo!
Interesting that the Cubbies have their very last ST game vs the Angels on Sunday also, considering the Angels’ home-opener vs Chicago is the very next nite.
Wanna’ bet none of the starting line-up (either team) plays Sunday? Heck, maybe Maddon won’t even have ’em suit up. Hehehe.
Good one:)
Hey, Dave…did you hear about yer’ buddy Pollock? It looks like he’s had previous elbow issues, and it probably would’ve become injured sooner or later. Maybe it’s best that it happened now instead of mid-season. http://m.dbacks.mlb.com/news/article/170151966/d-backs-aj-pollock-needs-elbow-surgery
Just for grins? Here are the predictions from 31 ESPN “experts” as to how the end of the 2016 season will turn out: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/seasonpreview_mlbteampredictions/mlb-team-predictions-2016-season
OK, let’s hope things go well from here on out.
Pena’s surgery to remove a “loose body” from his knee, might possibly be a little bone fragment or the like. If so, it wouldn’t seem that the procedure should involve cutting into any bone, muscle or tendon.
And Tejada’s MRI Friday, didn’t show anything too serious. The diagnosis of a Grade 1 strain has the Cards hopeful he can return soon.
I keep thinking about how cautious the Cards can be…. hoping they’re being overly-cautious. Let that please be the case???
OK, let’s hope for the best here. Friday’s MRI showed Tejada’s injury’s not too serious. “Far from the severity that Holliday & Adams experienced” one article said. A Grade 1 strain at most…and this has the Cards hoping he can return soon.
And then Pena has a surgery scheduled to remove a “loose body” from his knee area. Who knows. Maybe it’s only a small bone chip/fragment, in which case….no cutting into bone, muscle or tendons should be involved. Fingers crossed…
Aw, shoot. Now Pena’s on the DL, needing surgery to remove knee fragment after he slipped in the visitor’s dugout very recently. Fryer to back up Yadi for now, but that’s all on the 25-man roster. (Ohlman’s on the 40-man.)
Yesterday Tony Cruz was optioned down to AAA Omaha by the Royals. Geez, I sure wish he was still on the Cards’ payroll somewhere.
The Rays by the way, released catcher Rivera just 3 days ago.
If I didn’t know better? I’d think the Pena & Tejada issues were payoffs or sumpin’ to throw the Cards off track.
Sorry, I didn’t meant to post two of the same thing. Oops.