Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Cardinals Offense Is M-I-A Again, Is It Time To Fire Someone?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The St. Louis Cardinals' offense is in a funk, and it's got fans wanting changes in the dugout yet again. You are Locked-on Cardinals, your daily St. Louis Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hey there, Cardinals fans. I'm J.D. Hafford and I'm a national radio sports anchor, born and raised in the Lou and a lifetime Cardinals, and I'm your host for Locktown Cardinals, part of the Locktown Podcast Network covering your team every day. You can follow me on TwitterX at JD Sports Radio as well as the podcast. at L.O underscore Cardinals.

Starting point is 00:00:36 I want to thank those of you who make Locktown Cardinals, your first listen to every day. We are free and available. Wherever you get your podcast, you can also find us on YouTube. This is a show, serving Cardle Nation and giving the best fans of baseball, all of the info about the birds on the bat.

Starting point is 00:00:50 This episode is brought to you by Price Picks, the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports. Go to Pricepts.com slash Locked On MLB and use code all overcase, locked on MLB for a first deposit match up to $100. So after scoring, what, 18 runs? That's what it was, right? 18 runs in two games against the Rangers last week.

Starting point is 00:01:14 The Cardle's offense has fallen into another ice age, so to speak. They're in a funk again. Things are not going their way. It's a funk that is eerily similar to the one that we saw them in at the beginning of the season when they were a losing ball club, which is what they have. been recently. Outside of game one against the Cubs, the offense really didn't do much in Chicago. And then they hit Rock Bottom on Monday when they didn't even get a runner to third base. Yeah, didn't get a runner to third base on Monday in a dreadful 6 to nothing loss to the New York Mets.

Starting point is 00:01:55 Now, the Cardinals could very easily be on a five-game losing streak right now. if not for the Cubs handing them the win on Saturday with their eighth inning collapse. Like, I think we can be honest with each other. The Cubs should have won that game. You can say the Cardinals should have won that first game, but the Cardinals didn't just hand that game over. The Cubs came back and beat them by hitting Ryan Helsley. The Cubs just kind of gave that game away on Saturday,

Starting point is 00:02:24 allowing the Cardinals to tie that game up, and then eventually the Cardinals had to win it. But even because even though they got a W in that game, it still feels like they lost, right? Because the last two games, they've hardly done anything offensively. And their pitching has been all that good either. Like it's just been bad since that blown save in Chicago.

Starting point is 00:02:46 You know, we could sugarcoat things and say, well, you know, Feddy looked good after he gave up five runs. Kyle Gibson looked good after he'd already given up four runs. But the reality is that they gave up those runs. they weren't very good to start the games. It put the team in a bind. And at this particular moment, this team couldn't hit water if they fell out of a freaking boat

Starting point is 00:03:09 with runners and scoring position, it is awful, awful, awful, brutal, terrible, gross. We have so many words we can use, so many adjectives to describe how poopy this team is hitting with runners in scoring position. I tweeted it out earlier today, Cardinals were three for 25 with runners in scoring position in the four game series in Chicago. 0 for seven on Monday against the Met.

Starting point is 00:03:36 So in the past five games, they've only scored 14 runs, three of them, gifts from the Chicago Cubs in that eighth inning. And are a dismal three for 32 with runners in scoring position while going one and four, even though it feels like going five. A really tough time of year to go aunt. Arctica cold on offense again. And it came out of nowhere, too, because again, 18 runs in those final two games against the Rangers. Remember, we're all singing praises about, woo!

Starting point is 00:04:12 Jambo Selok stole Tommy Fam and Eric Fetty. Look at Fam. Look at what he's doing. Look at this offense. It's alive. Everyone was getting a piece of the action in those two games. And now, outside of Mason Wend and Tommy Fam, they've hardly done anything at the plate. Alec Berlinson has been tremendous most of the season.

Starting point is 00:04:33 I can't take that away from him. But he's in a dry spell right now. Since July 22nd, he's hitting 154. Paul Goldschmidt, who looked so much better recently, so much better recently. He had three hits and that game one loss to the Cubs. Since that night, O for his last 14. Nolan Aronado has been accumulating hits,

Starting point is 00:04:57 but he's not doing a lot of damage. damage and outside of the bloop single against the Cubs on the pop-up they screwed up that ended up scoring to outside of that, he's got one RBI since July 26th. Wilson Contreras has disappeared. He has zero RBIs since July 28th and is batting 133. Nolan Gorman doesn't even hardly play anymore. You forget that he's even on the team. Hasn't had an RBI since July 22nd. He's won for 15 since that point, which is a 67 batting average.

Starting point is 00:05:35 Like if you're not going to play him, why are you, why is he on the roster? Like, set him down. Let him figure it out. What's going on there? Brendan Donovan has one RBI in his last five games. Lars Neupar hasn't had a multi-hit game since July 20th, and it's hitting 220 since then. And these are your big thumpers. Those are your guys, man.

Starting point is 00:05:58 these are the guys who are supposed to carry you most of the time. And if one or two of them goes cold, the other guys are supposed to be good enough to pick them up and it's just not happening. I mean, they all look lost at the plate. The effort today against the Mets was terrible. Like none of them looked like they wanted to be at the ballpark. They looked awful. And it would be different if you were seeing these guys making outs and they were, you know, stinging the ball. And they're hitting line drives and it's just, you know, bad luck.

Starting point is 00:06:28 It's happening. it's hitting it right at people. That is not happening at all. That is not the case. And naturally, when things begin to go south and things tend to sour, that's when the fans start asking for people to be fired because that's what fans do.

Starting point is 00:06:47 That's why they're called fanatics. Now, I don't know how many times I have to say this because it just makes me laugh every time I see anybody tweet, fire Ali. They're not. Ali Marmal is not getting fired. Stop it.

Starting point is 00:07:02 You're wasting your time. You're wasting your breath. He's not getting fired this season, period. I'll say it one more time. Ali Marmo, is this thing on? Ali Marmal is not getting fired. He just got an extension this offseason and is going to be the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals

Starting point is 00:07:25 until John Moseilac is no longer in charge. Barring, I suppose if they go winless the rest of the way and start next year, oh, and 25, maybe they'll fire. Okay. But it's going to be something ridiculous and just crazy like that for them to move on from Ollie. It's not happening. So stop.

Starting point is 00:07:49 So if you're going to die on that hill, though, and you're like, no, I hate Ali. Fire him. It's his fault. And I'm not rooting for the Cardinals while Ollie is the manager. Then we'll see in 2027 when his contract is out. Okay? enjoy your two years sabbatical from Cardinals baseball. But someone who could get replaced, somebody who could be on the chopping block,

Starting point is 00:08:10 hitting coach Turner Ward. Now, I wouldn't expect anything like that until the off season, but it is something that could certainly happen. So who might the team turn to if that does go down? Good question, right? We're going to discuss it next on Locked on Cardinals. Now, I know you're aware of this, but it is hot. It is humid in St. Louis.

Starting point is 00:08:34 What was the temperature of the game today? Like 94 humidity, like 115, something just nasty. Hot, humid, got to stay hydrated in moments like that so you can enjoy your outdoor activities, like going to Cardinal baseball games or going to Six Flags or whatever it is that you do outside. So that is where Liquid I.V comes into play to help you out. You can get hydrated with electrolytes, essential vitamins, and clinically tested nutrients from the number one powdered hydration brand in America. Liquid ID is more than a drink. It's a science-backed way to hydrate better than you ever have before.

Starting point is 00:09:08 And on top of it, it's delicious. It's not like some powdery, grody drink or anything. It is phenomenal. Tons of flavors to choose from. You're certain to find a couple of them that you're going to like. I like white peach. I'm a peach guy. I've always loved white peach.

Starting point is 00:09:23 Tangerine delicious. Rainbow Sherber. You got cotton candy. You've got the iconic summer flavor, a popsicle firecracker. You can find all of those flavors and more. on their website, which is liquid iv.com, tear, pour, live more, one stick plus 16 ounces of water hydrates better than water alone with three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink and eight essential vitamins and nutrients. No more thirsty summers when you indulge in hydration

Starting point is 00:09:51 with liquid IV. Get 20% off your first order of liquid IV when you go to liquidiv.com and use code MLB at checkout. That's 20% off your first order when you shop better hydration. today using promo code MLB at Liquidiv.com. Are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day and have to turn down the volume because of all the shouting? Then go ahead and make that switch to Locked on Sports today. It's a free 24-7 sports streaming channel program for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming. And it's streaming 24-7 on YouTube or the free Amazon fire TV channels app. It's part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Starting point is 00:10:35 A reminder you can catch every pitch of the Cardinals. hometown broadcast with Sirius XM. Just download the SXM app and search the word Cardinals. And thank you for making Lockdown Cardinals your first listen every day. Leave your comments on YouTube as well as on Twitter X anytime you want. A lot of comments have been coming recently. When the Cardinals go bad, you get a lot more comments. When they win, everybody's like, you know, they're supposed to do that. But when they lose, oh boy, people come in hot. They get, they are angry. They are not happy with what's going on. And I don't blame. I don't blame you. It's miserable to watch.

Starting point is 00:11:07 Watching today's game against the Mets was miserable. There was nothing about it that was fun at all. Nothing. I don't think I had a single ounce of enjoyment in that game today. It was just brutal. And when it comes to the offense and the struggles that they've had, people start blaming people. First, you always start at the top with Ali.

Starting point is 00:11:32 And then you go, all right, well, if Ali's not going to get fired, What about the hitting coach? What about Turner Ward? Let's fire his butt, right? I don't know how much you can blame the hitting coach. This is something I've struggled with because, you know, I'm not in the clubhouse. I'm not in the meetings, the hitting meetings and stuff like that. Like how much blame actually should be on the hitting coach for what's going on?

Starting point is 00:11:55 You know, it's their job to get the guys the information that they need to have positive the bats, you know, what do opposing pitchers throw? What are their tendencies, advice when they're in slumps, things to work on, you know, alter your batting stance a little bit, where you're putting your hands, how you're loading. All of these things are things that they're watching, you know, you know, slumps happen to everybody. Nobody's immune to them. So they're there to kind of help you get back and get you regular again, right? They can go over video with you, launch angles, all that stuff. They're there to help. And he's got a lot of guys that he's got to talk to about this stuff, right? You got over a dozen guys in that clubhouse on the offensive side of things. He's got to help out. But it's also on the guys themselves to take the abats. You know, Turner Ward can't hit the ball for them. You know, he can't make them have a better eye at the plate.

Starting point is 00:12:55 He can't tell Nolan Arnato not to swing at the up and away cutter that's out of the zone on a 2-0 pitch. like he did this past weekend in Chicago. Like those are things that the hitter has made a decision on. He's not like an offensive coordinator in football where, you know, he's creating the plays. He's calling the plays against these defenses. And when they fail, you know exactly who to point the blame at, you know? In my opinion, the blame goes more on the players than it should go on the hitting coaches.

Starting point is 00:13:28 But when an offense has the names that St. Louis Cardinals, have, you know, and they continue to scuffle like they have had last year and this year, since Turner Ward's been the head guy. Sometimes the change is necessary. Sometimes it's healthy to just move on, get a new voice in there, and see what happens. Now, Goldie and Nato and Wilson Contreras, these veteran guys are at points in their careers where they probably don't really need a hitting coach. Like, it's nice to have that guy to talk to, and I'm sure he goes through drills with him

Starting point is 00:14:00 and does the, does the work. That is something that we have always heard that all of the coaches on Ali staff, all of them put in the work, put in the hours. They're not lazy people, but the results aren't coming through, right? And the guys I'm more concerned about are what's going on with these young hitters. That's what I'm worried about. You know, Goldine Otto, Willett, they'll figure things out on their own. But the Dylan Carlson failure, after all,

Starting point is 00:14:30 hype coming through the system and then he gets to the pros and he has the one good year. And I know injuries were a part of it, but still never could figure it out, right? We're seeing Nolan Gorman regressed to a point where he's hardly playing. That's unacceptable. There's no way Nolan Gorman should be so bad that he is not playing for the St. Louis Cardinals anymore. Like that's crazy. This is a guy who's got 40 home run, 90, 100 RBI potential, and he can't even

Starting point is 00:15:00 and cracked the lineup anymore because he's so bad at the plate right now. That's unacceptable. Jordan Walker has barely played at the major league level this year. Did some good things last year, especially in the second half, starts off the year, ice cold goes to Memphis. Things don't get all that much better. He just recently started ripping the ball at Memphis with authority, hit one, just clobbered one the other day, like the farthest home run he's ever hit as a pro. So that was good to see. He's been hitting much better. Victor Scott is back, but he had a rough time at the major league level to start the year. Lars Neupar has not become the hitter.

Starting point is 00:15:37 We all thought he would a couple of years ago. You thought he was going to continue to progress and he hasn't gotten any better. Again, injuries have been a problem for Lars to stay on the field, but still, when he is in there, he's not doing all that much. This concerns me. It should concern you as well. Why do young hitter struggle so much with the Cardinals and then tend to blossom elsewhere? more times than not. You know, I mean, you've seen, do I have to name all the guys?

Starting point is 00:16:06 No, I don't think I do. But you know that they're out there and they've gone to other places and have these really solid careers. And you're wondering, like, why didn't that, why didn't it happen in a cardinal uniform? What is the difference? What are the cardinals doing differently? And what are they telling these guys that isn't working here, but they go somewhere else and boom, they become solid players? Now, not everybody stinks.

Starting point is 00:16:32 That's a young hitter on the scene. He said when, Alec Berlinson have been very, very good this year. Michael Ciani is a rookie and was progressing quite well before the oblique injury just knocked him out. So not everyone stinks, but there's been a lot more struggling than thriving with this offense. And because he's super smart and pays attention to what the fans are saying online, our friend Thomas Govang, got ahead of all of this and actually released an article a blog today at Redbirdrance.com, actually on Monday morning about possible replacements for Turner Ward. So let's go through the guys he's got on his list because he's smart did.

Starting point is 00:17:12 The first one I want to bring up, which is somebody that has been brought up to me multiple occasions. And you've heard him talking about hitting a whole lot during Cardinal broadcast would be Cardinals Hall of Famer Jim Admonds. Now, I know that Jimmy rubs people the wrong way during his telecast sometimes. times people are like oh my gosh shut up but for me when i'm listening to him talking about hitting his insight on hitting and when people are having it bats and how he would approach things and stuff i find that very interesting i i enjoy hearing jimmy talk about hitting the guy was pretty darn good back in the day and you know obviously because his job's in broadcasting he's kept up with you know what's going on with the analytics and such

Starting point is 00:18:00 It's not always easy for somebody who was good at a sport to then teach that particular sport because a lot of what they received was God-given talent. And obviously they work at it, but some of them are just bored with it. And Jimmy had to work pretty hard to become a really good hitter because his early years were the Angels, he was fine. But he really took off when he got to St. Louis, right? My issue with Jimmy and Thomas actually brings this up in his write-up is that he may not have a desire to do a job like this because it's a full-time gig. You know, it's a lot of hours.

Starting point is 00:18:38 It's a lot of travel. Jimmy Edmonds is not the full-time broadcast partner on Bally's. He's a part-time guy and he seems very comfortable in that role. He just doesn't strike me as someone who would want to commit to something like that and go on the road all the time and put it. in the hours that it would take that, you know, you need to do as the hitting coach for a major league baseball team. So, and I don't blame him. I mean, he spent a lot of his years, you know, in the major leagues traveling and doing all this stuff. He probably, it's okay that he doesn't want to do that anymore, you know, similar to what Matt Holiday did this offseason,

Starting point is 00:19:15 you know, he was going to be, you know, the bench coach and then had second thoughts, decided, you know what, I want to be around my kids and my wife more. And I can't commit. something like full-time coaching duties. And I feel like this is just an observation. I have no idea if this is true or not. But it just, Jimmy Edmonds comes off as somebody who likes what his role is right now. It probably isn't interested in becoming a full-time coach. And Thomas says that as well. It is right up that. He's like, I just, I don't think that's something he wants to do. Another name on his list is Howie Clark, who is the hitting coach for AAA Memphis. Now, we know the Cardinals like to hire from within when they can.

Starting point is 00:19:57 That's something they like to do. They like to bring people up through their system. That's how Ali got the job. Mike Schilt got the job before that. You see how this works for the Cardinals. That's just kind of what they do. So here's what Thomas says about Howie Clark. In his year and a half is the hitting coach for the Cardinals' AAA affiliate.

Starting point is 00:20:15 He's managed to lead an offense that is in the top half of the International League. Last year, Memphis finished sixth and run scored. Ninth batting average, sixth and on base percentage in, 12th in OPS. There are a total of 20 teams in the International League. The story this year is a bit different, however, is Memphis ranks 18th and run score, 13th in OPS and 15th in batting average. Clark seems to be the safe play here as he's familiar with the organization after having coached for two years in the system now. Also players such as Thomas and Jacey, Jordan Walker, Victor Scott the second, Mason Winn, Annie Bon Herrera are all quite familiar with him. These players are

Starting point is 00:20:49 poised to be the young core of the roster heading into 2025 and 2026. So Clark's familiarity with this crop of young talent could vote well for his case to supplant Turner Ward. I think he makes sense. That sounds like something McCartle's would do, right? If Turner Ward is out, let's bring up the guy from AAA. We like him, we know him, he's part of our system, and we trust him already. So it would be kind of a seamless transaction there. So we'll continue with his list next

Starting point is 00:21:24 because I want to get you one of the names that he brings up from outside the Cardinals organization. So we'll do that next on Locked on Cardinals. Price Fix is America's number one fantasy sports app with more than 5 million members. Prize Biggs is the easiest and most exciting way to play daily fantasy sports. And unlike other apps, on Price Fix, it's just you against the numbers.

Starting point is 00:21:46 All you got to do is pick more or less on two to six player stat projections and you watch your winnings roll in. Get in on the daily action. with your friends. Become a part of the prize picks community today. And you can get in on the excitement and went up to 100 times your cash with the summer games on price picks. With price picks, you could turn like $10, which not a whole lot these days, right? You know, what is that, a couple of coffees? Turn that into a thousand dollars while watching Team USA rack up the gold medals this summer. You can make a price fix lineup of players across basketball, soccer, tennis,

Starting point is 00:22:20 golf, and a whole lot more. And do it. little as 60 seconds. It's quick, it's easy, it's fun. Pick more or less on two to six players, stat projections, and you're locked in. Download the prize picks app today and use code locked on MLB for a first deposit match up to $100. That's code locked on MLB on prize picks. For a deposit match up to $100, pick more, pick less. It's that easy with price picks. Thank you for making Locktown Cardinals your first listen today for your second listen. Enjoy the Locktown MLB podcast with my guy Sully, he's here to provide daily national expertise with his trademark humor to help you get ready for the MLB playoffs here in the dog days of summer. Prepare for the fall classic with Sully, who has it all covered every single day on lockdown MLB available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast, part of the lockdown podcast network, your team every day.

Starting point is 00:23:15 So next on Thomas Govaines, I wanted to say, Cajie there. Next on Thomas Govain's list at Redbirdrance.com. again, I will link the article, the full article, because he gives you five candidates. I'll link that into the description and the show notes for you here. But this is a guy who's from outside the Cardinals organization, guy by the name of Donnie Ecker, who is currently the offensive coordinator. Yes, that is the correct name of what he does, the offensive coordinator for the defending world champion Texas Rangers.

Starting point is 00:23:45 Now, here's what Thomas has to say about Donnie. Cardinals hired Donnie Ecker back in 2015 to work in player development. and he stayed in St. Louis for three years. He was also the hitting coach for Palm Beach in 2015 and 2016 and Peoria in 2017. He moved up quickly to become the Los Angeles Angels AAA hitting coach in 2018. The Cincinnati Reds then hired him as their assistant hitting coach in 2019. He worked as a hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants in 2020, and he's been the bench coach and offensive coordinator of the Rangers since 2021.

Starting point is 00:24:16 Now he says, according to an article in The Athletic, Ecker remaining a hitting coach. is a lateral move that he is far beyond at this point in his coaching career. Acker seems to be in line for a front office position, possibly as an assistant general manager or even a general manager. Should he remain a hitting coach, he wouldn't be moving up in the baseball hierarchy, so getting him to return as just a humble hitting coach

Starting point is 00:24:40 would be an impressive feat for the Cardinals. He suggests maybe bringing him in like the Cardinals did with Heim Bloom as an outside voice as a way to kind of lure him in and get him to be a part of the organization and help turn things around a little bit. That's the thing, though, is the writing is kind of all on the wall with Heim Bloom. It's like, you know, Mosella's got a couple of years left. You've got to move out. Bloom could be your job.

Starting point is 00:25:10 It's kind of like yours in the waiting. They're trusting him with helping them decide on trades that they're making, you know, that he's helping like, hey, what do you know about this guy? You like him? You know, it's made sense that the Cardinals have done deals with the Red Sox. and the raise, places Bloom has already been and knows the personnel there, it makes sense that those are some of the places they've done trades with. And I just don't see where Eckert would have a job waiting for him. Like, what's he going to take over as?

Starting point is 00:25:42 Unless he's going to be the offensive coordinator for the Cardinal. So I don't know if that's something that's going to happen. But, you know, it's another name to think about. Now, he brings up two other possibilities. these one's another internal one, and then you've got another external one. Again, I've linked the story in the description and show notes. You can check those two out for yourself, but just a few names to kind of think about, kind of, kind of ponder over if Turner Ward is out as the hitting coach for the St. Louis

Starting point is 00:26:10 Cardinals by the end of the year. Again, I don't think they'll replace him during the season. That doesn't sound like a cardinal thing to do, especially when you're still a game over 500, you're still in the playoff hunt. It just doesn't seem like that would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals to do that. They don't make drastic moves like that very often. So it doesn't sound like something they do, but maybe this off-season. Maybe this off-season they get some turnover there on the coaching staff,

Starting point is 00:26:37 specifically on the offensive side. Dusty Blake seems to be entrenched. I know the Cardinals pitching staff hasn't been great recently. But overall, you would have to say that this year has been much better than last. year and dusty probably has something to do with that. There hasn't been as much complaining about Dusty Blake this year, specifically compared to what the complaints have been on Turner Ward so far. So I know people are going to say in the comments, I can tell you what's going to happen

Starting point is 00:27:07 already. They're going to say, hire Albert Poo-Hulls, hire Yaddy or Molina, try Matt Holiday again. And as much as those names sound cool, you got to remember these guys have to want to do those jobs. And I'm not sure any of them are ready for a commitment like that. Obviously, Yadi, we thought he was going to come in and do all sorts of things for the team this year. That has not happened. Albert Pooleholz has got his deal with the angels that he's still going through. I don't see him as somebody who wants to get back on the road and being a full-time coach. Holiday obviously still has kids that he's trying to bring up, you know, and he wants them to be

Starting point is 00:27:47 successful like Jackson Holiday is with the Oreo. So I don't see him taking over a role. Maybe they can, maybe they can butter them up a little bit, but it sounds like it's not something he's going to be doing. So that's the problem with guys like that. Now, someone who might be interested and is a name that's been brought up recently, Ryan Ludwig, former Cardinal All-Star, Ryan Ludwig, he's a roving instructor and a special advisor in the organization.

Starting point is 00:28:15 and the reason he got brought up recently is because he was the guy that finally got Victor Scott to kind of alter his batting stance and his leg kick and got things turned around for Victor down at AAA Memphis. And there was a story, and I'm trying to remember who wrote it. I don't know if it was Daniel Guerrero or Derek Cool. I forget who did it, and I apologize. But somebody wrote up the story where it's not like Ludwig was the only person that suggested this to Victor Scott. other people had done it and Victor was admittedly stubborn about changing anything, decided finally, all right, finally, I'll do it.

Starting point is 00:28:50 And things have worked out nicely for him. And now he's back at the major league level. So maybe somebody like Ryan Ludwig could be a dark horse of sorts. But for now, it is still Turner Ward's job. And hopefully these guys can just get it figured out here real soon. Dylan Carlson in Tampa Bay Rays. I know it sounds weird. They're in town for the next three days. the raise were sellers at the trade deadline moving a bunch of names obviously Sean Armstrong came over to the Cardinals who pitched again today gave up a solo shot to Jeff McNeil which is really annoying because I find him to be an annoying play I don't know why I don't know why he bothers me so much but he does anyway

Starting point is 00:29:30 but he Armstrong ended up striking out four Mets hitters over two or third innings he's now got six strikeouts total in three innings since joining the Cardinal. So outside of the home run, hasn't been too bad. It's kind of look good. You've also got former Cardinal, Randy, Rosa Rana got traded to the Mariners. Zach Efflin got moved, Aaron Savali, Essoc Parades, you know, they moved in a lot of names. They're three and two since the deadline, and they have a better record than the Cardinals. Then they were sellers at the deadline. They're 57 and 54, but are nine back in the AL East and four and a half back in the wild card. Things are a little more difficult over the American League side.

Starting point is 00:30:12 The Cardinals are currently now six back in Milwaukee, four back in the wild card, and they'll have to face another left-hander. Another left-hander is coming your way on Tuesday. His name is Jeffrey Springs. Cardinals just got carved up by back-to-back lefties and Sean Mania on Monday and then Justin Steele back on Sunday. It's been a rough go, man. The Cardinals are hitting just 227 against left-handers this year. that is ahead of only the Chicago White Sox. Hold on. Let me see if they lost yet. Let me check. I'm like because they're playing Oakland tonight. So they're out on the West Coast. They were losing. Where are we at? Oakland, where are you at?

Starting point is 00:30:54 Oakland beats the White So White Sox have lost. That's 21 games in a row, dude. That is crazy. But that's the only team the Cardinals are better at when it comes to batting average against left-handers, the team that has now lost 21 in a route. That's bad. They're on base percentage second to last ahead of only the Marlins slugging, second to last, ahead of only Miami again, and your OPS, second of last again, ahead of only Miami, which is nuts to think about when you feature Wilson Contreras, Paul Goldschmidt, and Nolan Arnada in your lineup, guys who in their careers torch, left-handed pitching. Willie is a career 272 hitter with an 87 OPS against lefties.

Starting point is 00:31:44 This year, obviously he hasn't been able to play as much because the arm injury, only 57 at bats against lefties. So the cardals have missed that. Goldie, a career 323 hitter with a 1.011 OPS against lefties. This year, he's down to 294, which isn't terrible, 804 OPS before Monday when he was over four. And Notto's been the one that's really been bad compared to his. career numbers. 299 hitter, 938 OPS against lefties in his career this year. He is an abysmal 243 with a 674 OPS before Monday's game.

Starting point is 00:32:20 Like what happened? We don't know. We don't know. If we knew those answers, we would have texted them to Turner Ward already. Sunny Gray will be on the bump for the Cardinals on Tuesday. Had a great game on Thursday against the Cubs, but saddled with the no decision after the blown save. Hopefully he'll be able to replicate that performance. because the Cardinals, they need to win, man,

Starting point is 00:32:40 and they need to turn this thing around ASAP. Plus, Tuesday's my birthday. And it'd be nice to get a win to help celebrate. So that would be cool. Thank you for making Locked on Cardinals, your first listen every day. If you haven't already, give us follow on TwitterX at L0 underscore Cardinals

Starting point is 00:32:57 at a JD Sports Radio. You can also like, subscribe, and comment on YouTube and help our channel and our love for the St. Louis Cardinals grow. You guys are the best fans in baseball for a reason. I will see you next time. on lockdown Cardinals. Hopefully a win next time around.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - Cardinals Offense Is M-I-A Again, Is It Time To Fire Someone?

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.