A potentially productive offense, indeed. Potentially. Been waiting for it to actuate. Still waiting.
Never thought this idiot would type this, but at this point in time I'd rather have MG at the plate in a key spot than BWJ. At this point in time. BWJ CAN change that, but still waiting.
Really miss Earl Weaver. What a colorful man. He didn't need no stinking analytics to run a club. All he needed, and lived by, was his mantra: Pitching. Defense. Three-run Homers.
I'm good with either Witt or Garcia at the plate in a key spot, but understand the trepidation on Witt at the moment. But we know what Witt can do. Just a matter of him getting back on track. Which he will.
I read Weaver's book on managing from time to time. Well worth keeping on the shelf.
What you wrote at the end is what I was getting at in a recent comment. The top five guys, theoretically, are doing everything they need to do to score runs. Somehow, they weren't doing it outside the St. Louis series and now this one.
Now, Bobby was missing for the entire homestand. If he's back and everyone else is still doing what they're capable of...get Jac to hit the ball in the air and add a deadline bat and woo boy it's going to be a fun second half.
The top five producing was their recipe last season. Along with great starting pitching. Once the bullpen got their act together, they solidified their spot in the wild card race. It can happen again. It's not going to be easy, but it's worth finding out if they can pull it off again.
A week ago, I thought adding a bat was pointless because there three holes in the lineup, but if Salvy can be more consistent, this lineup can be pretty good: India, Witt, Garcia, Vinnie, Salvy, new bat, Cags, Loftin or Fermin, Isbel. Maybe not good enough to win an ALCS, but (coupled with continued excellent pitching) good enough to go deep in the postseason.
I'm really seeing similarities to Garcia's season so far to Lorenzo Cain's in 2015. Above average, if not elite, defender. High contact, excellent base runner and decent pop. Cain was third in the MVP voting slashing .838 with an OPS+ of 125 while playing elite defense in the outfield and arguably one of the best baserunners in the league. LoCain's first-to-home on Hosmer's single in Game 6 of the ALCS is still my favorite play ever. There's a lot of parallels between these two.
I can see that, for sure. I don't know if Garcia has the ability to electrify like Cain did, though. God, I loved Cain.
I'm all in on Garcia for this season, though. Will be very interesting to track him over the final three months of the season and see if he can shoulder the load of hitting third (or another key spot that Quatraro will hit him).
Great article and breakdown CB! Garcia be playing some ball. Unfortunately, we don't have many to choose from, but in my humble opinion, his HR has been the BIGGEST of the year by a significant margin. We won the day before, Bubic comes out so we're feeling good and then Blam! we're already down 0-2. I doubt there was a fan amongst us who wasn't feeling that 'here we go again' syndrome.
The W "inched" us past TX in the WC race - we need a sweep today. Inch by inch it's a cinch so, keep it up MG and let's get the rest of this club playin' some ball!
Thanks, Coach. Agree with you on the hugeness of the Garcia home run. Bubic was far from his best and they needed that. It definitely felt different from most of the other games we've watched this season from this team.
And always love me some OG references. Weaver, the White Rat (whom my mother won a fishing trip with on a radio station back when she worked at Jerry Hays Ford btw) and Sparky were my faves. I believe it was Sparky who had the rule, 'there's always one player on the other team I refuse to let beat me' and I we all know who that was on our team. ALWAYS seemed like George walked every AB vs the Tigers.
Of course, I could be misremembering - it was more than a few million light beers ago lol.
Sparky was great. And I don't think the light beers have done too much damage because I think you're right about Sparky and not letting the best opposing player beat him. I also enjoy the moment in the '84 World Series where he's incredulous that the Padres will pitch to Gibson. Of course, Gibson homered. Sparky knew things.
Good article. I like Garcia. Speeb glove and some power. I certainly hope he has turned the corner. Hes earned it.
I want to believe.
A potentially productive offense, indeed. Potentially. Been waiting for it to actuate. Still waiting.
Never thought this idiot would type this, but at this point in time I'd rather have MG at the plate in a key spot than BWJ. At this point in time. BWJ CAN change that, but still waiting.
Really miss Earl Weaver. What a colorful man. He didn't need no stinking analytics to run a club. All he needed, and lived by, was his mantra: Pitching. Defense. Three-run Homers.
I'm good with either Witt or Garcia at the plate in a key spot, but understand the trepidation on Witt at the moment. But we know what Witt can do. Just a matter of him getting back on track. Which he will.
I read Weaver's book on managing from time to time. Well worth keeping on the shelf.
What you wrote at the end is what I was getting at in a recent comment. The top five guys, theoretically, are doing everything they need to do to score runs. Somehow, they weren't doing it outside the St. Louis series and now this one.
Now, Bobby was missing for the entire homestand. If he's back and everyone else is still doing what they're capable of...get Jac to hit the ball in the air and add a deadline bat and woo boy it's going to be a fun second half.
The top five producing was their recipe last season. Along with great starting pitching. Once the bullpen got their act together, they solidified their spot in the wild card race. It can happen again. It's not going to be easy, but it's worth finding out if they can pull it off again.
A week ago, I thought adding a bat was pointless because there three holes in the lineup, but if Salvy can be more consistent, this lineup can be pretty good: India, Witt, Garcia, Vinnie, Salvy, new bat, Cags, Loftin or Fermin, Isbel. Maybe not good enough to win an ALCS, but (coupled with continued excellent pitching) good enough to go deep in the postseason.
Yep. That's pretty much how they ran to the Wild Card last year. Salvy will be the key, I think.
I'm really seeing similarities to Garcia's season so far to Lorenzo Cain's in 2015. Above average, if not elite, defender. High contact, excellent base runner and decent pop. Cain was third in the MVP voting slashing .838 with an OPS+ of 125 while playing elite defense in the outfield and arguably one of the best baserunners in the league. LoCain's first-to-home on Hosmer's single in Game 6 of the ALCS is still my favorite play ever. There's a lot of parallels between these two.
I can see that, for sure. I don't know if Garcia has the ability to electrify like Cain did, though. God, I loved Cain.
I'm all in on Garcia for this season, though. Will be very interesting to track him over the final three months of the season and see if he can shoulder the load of hitting third (or another key spot that Quatraro will hit him).
Great article and breakdown CB! Garcia be playing some ball. Unfortunately, we don't have many to choose from, but in my humble opinion, his HR has been the BIGGEST of the year by a significant margin. We won the day before, Bubic comes out so we're feeling good and then Blam! we're already down 0-2. I doubt there was a fan amongst us who wasn't feeling that 'here we go again' syndrome.
The W "inched" us past TX in the WC race - we need a sweep today. Inch by inch it's a cinch so, keep it up MG and let's get the rest of this club playin' some ball!
Thanks, Coach. Agree with you on the hugeness of the Garcia home run. Bubic was far from his best and they needed that. It definitely felt different from most of the other games we've watched this season from this team.
And always love me some OG references. Weaver, the White Rat (whom my mother won a fishing trip with on a radio station back when she worked at Jerry Hays Ford btw) and Sparky were my faves. I believe it was Sparky who had the rule, 'there's always one player on the other team I refuse to let beat me' and I we all know who that was on our team. ALWAYS seemed like George walked every AB vs the Tigers.
Of course, I could be misremembering - it was more than a few million light beers ago lol.
Sparky was great. And I don't think the light beers have done too much damage because I think you're right about Sparky and not letting the best opposing player beat him. I also enjoy the moment in the '84 World Series where he's incredulous that the Padres will pitch to Gibson. Of course, Gibson homered. Sparky knew things.
Totally remember that too - my favorite non-Royal moment in baseball! And yes, Sparky's take was classic!
Man to be able to remember just what those guys forgot!