MLB '24 Regular Season Thread

I don't know what the Cardinals can do with Goldschmidt. He's been awful this season, and last season wasn't that much better. He's been mediocre, at best, since September of his MVP season. His bat looks slow, he can't recognize pitches and he seems to be in a 0-2 count every at-bat. He'll be 37 before the season ends.

 

I saw his wife a ton when Damon was with the Rays and she was never not drunk.

 

Moving Lindor to leadoff changed the whole trajectory of the Mets offense. That and the emergence of Vientos as a legitimate power bat.

As for Ohtani, if someone suggested he go in the Hall of Fame right now I don't know if I could object. He could be a 50-50 guy this season, he'll win his third MVP and he's probably going to be one of the top Cy Young contenders next year. Might never see anything like it again.

 

I'm not exactly sure why St. Louis became the "old folks home" for guys well past their prime.

Brandon Crawford was washed up in San Francisco about three seasons ago. At least Tommy Pham (36) and Matt Carpenter (38) have been league average.

Oh, and their starting rotation of Mikolas (35), Gibson (36), Gray (34), Lynn (37) and Matz (33).

Is their farm system that devoid of talent, or is this just a weird season? I know they were counting on Victor Scott and Dylan Carlson. And trading Tyler O'Neill looks really bad in retrospect.

 

Absolutely on Lindor batting leadoff. Don’t know why but he just locked in after that move. Same thing happened with Nimmo a few years ago. He improved dramatically when he was the leadoff hitter.

As for Ohtani. Just absolutely incredible. I’m glad I get to watch this guy in his prime. A generational athlete in select company in all of sports.

I selfishly hoped he’d sign with an East Coast team just so I’d get to see him more.

 

They were counting on Jordan Walker, and he regressed and was sent down. As was Nolan Gorman, who failed to build on his strong year last season.

Tyler O'Neill is a great talent — when he can stay healthy. He couldn't in St. Louis, and I don't think he will for very long in Boston.

As for the pitching, this recent decade-plus run is maddening. They refuse to pay market rate for starting pitching, and it bites them every year.

The team has some good, young talent — Winn is a keeper at short — but they don't have anyone who really excites the imagination. It's a strange team to watch.

 

Three seasons ago;
.298/.373/.522
.895 OPS
24 homers
90 RBIs

All career highs.

It was the following year his numbers tanked. Of course that was also a team where Joc Pederdson was the best offensive player and no one with more than 10 at bats even sniffed .300.

 

The Cardinals wanted Goldie to be the heir to their tradition of having one power guy you can pitch around, going back to Ted Simmons in the 1970s. That includes Jack Clark, Mark McGwire and Albert Pujols before Goldie.

 

When I went to the game in June, it was Goldschmidt bobblehead night. Back when I cared I hated the Cardinals, so I had no clue what to do with the thing. But as I was leaving there was a guy buying them up for cash. (I forget whether it was $5 or $10.) So to me he’s the Cards MVP.

 

AL Central will be decided in next week and a half. Royals 10 of next 13 games are against Cleveland and Minnesota.

 

If Baltimore can manage to win a game or two at Dodger Stadium, the schedule really lightens for a stretch after that. Three at Colorado, then six at home, three each against the White Sox and Rays. Yankees don't exactly face a murderer's row coming up either -- three at Washington, three vs. the Cards, then a six-game road swing with three each at Texas and the Cubs.

 

Fortunately for them, he's a free agent after the season. Unfortunately for him, he's a free agent after the season. He's looked juset about done the last two seasons. Hard to see a resurgence coming. He's probably still a Hall of Famer and the five-year waiting period will be great for him, but now it looks like he's going to stagger to the finish line instead of sprinting thru the tape.