Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - LINEUP CRISIS: St. Louis Cardinals OFFENSE FALTERS with Masyn Winn & Ivan Herrera SLUMPING

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cardinals' offensive silence for the first time this season as they drop the series opener to the Mets. Does a lineup shuffle need to happen? This is Locked on Cardinals. 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. Haffron. And on today's show, we've got the NL Central Roundup, always keeping you in the know of what's going on within the Cardinals division. in on some of our former players and see how they're holding up in their new digs.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Got the Cardinals three stars of the game, but we're going to start with a game breakdown from Monday's 4 to 2 loss to the Mets. I know we all got really excited, guiltiest charge, got really excited about what we saw offensively from the team in that series against the Tampa Bay race. But, you know, coming into the season, the common sentiment amongst pretty much anybody who watches this team was that the Cardinals would probably play more low-scoring games. than they would shootouts, which is what we saw in that race series. And unfortunately, they're probably going to lose a majority of them because they just don't have the firepower.

Starting point is 00:01:13 At least, at least we don't think, though, that they have the firepower to keep up with some of these bigger and better teams. So, of course, in the first three games, you know, they make us all look stupid and they average over seven runs per game. And no disrespect to the raise, but they're not the Mets. the Mets are definitely considered a much better team and possess a much better pitching staff than Tampa Bay does. And on Monday it showed as the Cardinals managed just two runs on five hits against the combination of Clay Holmes, Tobias Myers, Brooks Raley, and Devin Williams. St. Louis's own, Devin Williams. He looked pretty darn good to me after having a rough year last year with the Yankees. And it wasn't your usual suspects that struggled.

Starting point is 00:01:58 Almost the whole team had a tough time doing much of anything against the, of the pitching staff for the Mets. Once again, the lineup had JJ at the top, followed by Herrera, Burley, win, batting cleanup. Then it was Gorman Walker, Church, Pahas, and Victor Scott. And the two guys that have really, really struggled and really had a rough go so far against Tampa Bay, where Herrera and win, and although Herrera did have a single in the eighth inning in this game, the two combined to do very little once again, going one for seven. And after the Mets took a one and nothing lead in that first inning, the Cardinals, they were able to answer right back.

Starting point is 00:02:32 They got that lead off walk by JJ, which you love. Get on base any way you can, buddy. Then you got Herrera who taps out to third base. And granted, nice play by Bobichet over at third base to get them. Burley then comes through with that RBI single after JJ forced that balk. Had a really nice jump and forced the balk to get over to third base. Burley knocks a men. Okay, keep pitching to Burley.

Starting point is 00:02:54 Go for it. But then Mason Wend pours cold water on the inning with another strikeout. and then Gorman followed suit to end the threat with the strikeout as well. Mason did work a two-out walk in the third inning, but then fly out, ground out. Herrera popped out and grounded out in his other two of bats. Both of them are coming back from surgeries, all right? When you go through the lineup and you're like, all right, who had a tougher offseason than the rest of them? Mason went and Yvonne Herrera did.

Starting point is 00:03:23 You know, Mason had the knee thing. Herrera had the elbow and then he had the knee flare up. but neither one of them has looked all that great in the early going. They didn't look that great in the spring either. So to have them come out of the gate as cold as they are, not really shocking. It's not. And maybe this is just who Mason win is at the beginning of seasons.

Starting point is 00:03:43 You know, there are some people that just start off the season cold. It happens all the time. I believe the Aeronado was a guy like that. They just always, first month was just gross. And then he would go on a tear. But, you know, he had a cold start last year. And this year, he's three for 17 with two doubles, but no ribbies, four strikeouts. And he's doing that, no ribbys, mind you, doing that in the cleanup spot of this batting order,

Starting point is 00:04:08 which makes it stand out even more about how bad it's been. Herrera, he ain't any better. Two for 17. He's got a couple of ribbies, has not walked, but has struck out only once. So at least he's putting the ball in play. these are the two guys that are surrounding what is your best hitter, you know, in Alec Berluson. And if I'm an opposing pitcher, I'm never throwing to Burley. I'm just not.

Starting point is 00:04:33 If Mason Wynn is the guy that's going to be hitting behind Alec Burleson, I am going to take my chances with Mason Wynn all day, every day, instead of throwing to the Silver Slugger winner, who's had back-to-back good seasons. So I'm going to make Mason Wend beat me. So I'm waiting on that. I'm waiting on that move where they're just walking burly to get to Mason when. Victor Scott also had a really fugly night going over three with three strikeouts. All three of them were swinging.

Starting point is 00:05:01 So at least he's not standing there watching it happen. He is swinging the bat, trying to get the ball and play. First two were on changeups, low and out of the zone. And then the last one was a 92 mile an hour fastball, which you would think would be very easy to hit. But after seeing changeups and stuff all night, he got gassed on. that one was right down central and he couldn't catch up to it. Maybe he just wasn't picking up the ball very well in the first night game at Bush Stadium. I don't know.

Starting point is 00:05:28 But he now leads the team in Wists with six. But he's also tied for second on the team and hits with five. So there's the ying and the yang going on there with Victor. But as we know, his speed is such a difference maker when he is on base. And if he puts it in play, he can cause havoc just because people can't screw up. If a ground ball comes to anybody, if they don't feel the cleanly, Victor Scott's going to be on base. So it makes people rush their mechanics and make some stupid unforced error.

Starting point is 00:05:58 So he's got to put the ball to play more, you know, can't be striking out like that. Nathan Church also, my guy, had a forgettable night. I'll admit it when he's good. I'll admit it. When he's bad, I'll admit it as well. O for four, two strikeouts. So not a great night for Nathan. Pitching-wise, Kyle Leahy wasn't great, but he wasn't awful.

Starting point is 00:06:16 I'm not going to sit here and bitching. own about what Kyle Leahy did. He just kind of appeared to run out of gas in that last inning. The Jared Young at bat was the one that kind of put him over seven pitches long, which ended in an RBI double and ultimately knocked him out of the game, trailing three to one at that point. And at 79 pitches, he admitted as much after the game that, you know, he's still getting his body used to starting again and will continue to build up so that he can pitch better, longer moving forward. Matt Fonson replaced him. We know things haven't gone well for him thus far. He got the first two wouts, but then he walks the number nine hitter, which is never a great

Starting point is 00:06:55 idea. I mean, come on, man. That's the number nine hitter for a reason. Flips the lineup over, which means you got to face Lindor again, ends up hitting Lindor on the foot. Then four straight balls to Juan Soto, which weren't even close. And he walks in the fourth run before getting to bechette to line out to Walker in right field. And there's, times in a game where you are just not going to want to challenge Juan Soto. Like, why let him blow that game light open? So you pitch carefully around him. I didn't have a tough time with that decision. It just, it wasn't like a very competitive sequence. Like the pitches, it wasn't like he was nibbling or anything. Like he was genuinely, it seemed like he was

Starting point is 00:07:36 doing the unintentional, intentional walk to Juan Soto. So, you know, you would like to have it be a little more competitive than that, but at the same time, you don't want him ripping a double or even worse, put one over the wall, grand slam. Then the game's really into the Mets corner. So you can see Sponson was fighting it out there, but give him credit, looked a lot better. Ali brought him back out for another inning. And he looked a lot better in that second inning of work, got the mechanics down right. But the damage was done. And trailing four to one and the offense, you know, not doing much, all locked up. It became a pretty dull and easy win for the New York Mets on Monday night. The Cardinals have now lost 10 of their last 12 against the Mets.

Starting point is 00:08:21 10 of their last 12th. They keep catching them at the beginning of the season. Remember last year, the second half of the season when the Mets were going in the toilet and they couldn't win anything. And the Cardinals had already played them. They're six times, I think, that they face him. And I think they lost five or six or something like that against himself. It has not been a lot of fun to play the Mets recently for the Cardinals. But great thing about baseball. You got another chance to take them out here on Tuesday. But even in a loss, you know, we don't like to stay negative here.

Starting point is 00:08:50 Obviously, things didn't go well at Bush last night. Even in a loss, you got to find the positives. And we're going to do that. We're going to do that next. I got the three stars of the game coming your way on Locked on Cardinals. What if sports were traded like markets? Now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robin Hood prediction markets. It's not you against the house.

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Starting point is 00:12:13 see if it's something you like. Time for our Cardinals three stars of the game. We do not pick anyone off of the opposition's teams because we don't like those people. Okay? Not as people, but as competitors. We don't want anything to do them. Bob Gibson mentality. We don't give them any credit.

Starting point is 00:12:29 We only talk about our boys. So we're going to focus on the Cardinals, number one star of the game for the loss on Monday. I'm going to give it to our first baseman Alec Berlus said who continues to swing the lumber quite well. Two for four with an RBI single on the first. He gets a double in the third. Early is now hitting 400 on this young season and leads the team in batting average hits, second an OBP. He's got five ribbies, which is second most in the National League.

Starting point is 00:12:54 If you can find someone to hit behind him, it strikes a little bit of fear into the opposition. Imagine the impact that could have on the type of pitches, Alec Burleson sees. Like, I'm flabbergasted. The teams, so far, when I say teams, it's been two, but the people are pitching that to Burley. still. I'm walking him all day if I'm on the other side of the field and managing my team. Like, I'm not letting Alec Berluson hit the ball. I'm just not if I can help it. So, especially when you got a guy that's hitting under 200 hitting behind him. So we'll see how the Mets adjusted that. The race kept throwing to him. And, you know, the Mets threw to him last

Starting point is 00:13:39 night in that first inning, which was a little surprising. But we'll see. We'll see how they, adjust to how well burly seeing the ball and hitting the ball so far. Number two start of the game. I'm going to give this one up to Nolan Gorman. Nolan Gorman, man, moonshot that literally would have hit the roof at Bush Stadium if Bush Stadium had a roof. Like that thing was way up there. And it just kept going and going and going.

Starting point is 00:14:03 And then we're like almost 420 feet away from home play when it finally pops down and lands for his second dinger of the season. Unfortunately, they want nobody on base at the time. But that now gives Nolan Gorman to five RBIs on the season, tying Burley for the team lead and second most in the NL, as I mentioned. Gorman has yet to take a walk this season, but he has only struck out three times, which is more in line with what we saw this spring. He was taking better at bats, being a little more choosy on what exactly he was swinging at. He was making more contact. And with that, you receive more production.

Starting point is 00:14:40 Less strikeouts is what we wanted. and he has delivered in that sense so far here in 2026. Rob Raines dropped this nugget, Gorman with the RBI in each of his first four games of the season, tied for the longest streak to begin a season since Alan Craig drove in a run in the first five games of the 2012 season. The team record, in case you're wondering, is seven games by Keith Hernandez in 1981.

Starting point is 00:15:04 So he's not going to reach that while Hernandez is in town with the Mets, but at the same point, kind of what we call a co-winky-dink that Hernandez is the one that's got it. But Nolan Gorman, not a whole lot to complain about so far here early on in the season. Third start of the game, I'm going to go to the bullpen on this one. Bolpin hasn't gotten a whole lot of love because as a group, they haven't been very good. But not everybody has had a rough time. And one of those guys threw in this game, my third start of the game, I'm going to give this up to George Soriano, the reliever who was acquired from the nationals for Andre Grenio. was able to slow down that Mets offense in the eighth and ninth

Starting point is 00:15:41 inning to at least stop them from scoring anymore to give the Cardinals a glimmer of hope to get back in this thing. He allowed one hit. He had one walk, but that was an intentional walk to one Soto. Just his second appearance so far this season, but so far so good for George Soriano, and with all of the crooked numbers that the bullpen has put up so far, he's been a bright spot.

Starting point is 00:16:03 Again, he's only got two appearances so far. So I'm not going crazy. This ain't the next. Lee Smith or anything, but they certainly have found something. He was very good in the spring. And so far, so good here in the regular season. And again, I know we're upset, you know, Sonson didn't get the job done when he came in to hold that lead to three to one.

Starting point is 00:16:24 But at the same time, he was better in that second inning. And Ali's going to be moving things around. I mean, we get this in our head that, you know, the lineup has to change or that the, the bullpen, like it's not going to change, you know, that's what. the way it is. It's not. He's going to push the buttons and he's going to move people around and he'll massage, he'll massage this roster and figure out what's best for the team. I don't know. Rulvention is going out to Jordan Walker. Our guy, one for three with a walk, Jordan now hitting 385 on the season with three walks and only one strikeout. That's right.

Starting point is 00:16:59 Three walks, one strikeout. Jordan Walker, having a great start to go along with a 500 OBP, 769 slug 1.269 OPS, all three of those last numbers I gave you, lead the club. They're higher than Alec Berlusons right now. So Jordan Walker, again, will there be any lineup changes for Tuesday's game? And I don't mean benching people. That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying a little bit of shuffling in the lineup. Will the lineup card look a little different?

Starting point is 00:17:30 Does Mason win really need to be hitting cleanup when you've got a guy in Jordan Walker who is seeing the ball so well right now, swinging it, it's got great confidence going right now. Would moving Walker to cleanup be the smart move? Or is that something where you're kind of handling Jordan with some kid gloves here and you don't want him to go to a cleanup spot and then get out of whack because he's trying to do too much because, hey, I'm the cleanup hitter. I'm the one who's got to do all this stuff now.

Starting point is 00:18:00 Is it better just to let him continue his journey here, do what he's doing lower in the lineup, and having success. Does that make more sense? You know, Ali knows these guys better than I do. So you want to trust the process and know that he knows his guys

Starting point is 00:18:14 and knows what's best for them. Like, Ollie's not going out there trying to lose games. So if he thinks he needs to make a move there, I'm sure he will. But it would be nice to have someone in the two and four spots of this lineup right now that we're hitting above the Mendoza line at 200.

Starting point is 00:18:32 Neither one of Herrera or when are there just, yet. But of course, we're only four games in, not hitting the panic button, which is still safely down here. I'm not bringing it out yet. I'm not pushing it yet. But I'm a guy that likes to move things around quicker than, you know, a normal major league manager. So we'll see, we'll see. Because everyone else in the lineup is hitting over 200, except for the guys in the two and four spots, which are normally where two of your best three hitters are sitting. So I would shuffle that issue up, but that's just me.

Starting point is 00:19:06 Up next, we're going to bounce around the league a little bit, see what else happened in the NL Central. We're also going to check in some of our former Cardinals just to see how things are going. This is locked on Cardinals. It is tax time. But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot. Trying to book an appointment that's not really the most convenient thing, sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers, you're emailing back and forth, wondering if they really get your situation. but this year, you're getting a major upgrade because Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide.

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Starting point is 00:20:24 That will find a store near you. Make sure you book your appointment today. Thanks again for making lockdown cardinals your first list of the day. Thank you for making lockdown, the number one sports podcast network. Let's check in on some of our former cardinals that are around the league. I kind of want to focus on the guys that we just moved this off season because that's kind of fresh in our minds, but we'll also dip into some of the guys that were here before that. But let's start in Seattle, where Brennan Donovan, I don't know, he's off to a decent start

Starting point is 00:20:59 with the Mariners hitting 444, two home runs, four ribby's, a stolen base. You know, I guess that's good if you're into that sort of thing. Honestly, honestly, did we really expect anything less from Donnie? we knew he was going to go wherever he ended up getting traded to that he was going to go there and people are going to start to recognize the talent that Brennan Donovan is. And that's happening with the Seattle Mariners. He's easily been their best hitter so far this season on that lineup. It's filled with studs like Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez and company.

Starting point is 00:21:32 And it has been Brennan Donovan, who's been their best pitchers so far. So you're welcome Seattle. Enjoy and be kind to him. Let's go to Boston where Sunny Gray and Wilson Contreras are dwelling, and they are off to Boston as a whole, off to an ugly start, one and three, got smacked around by Houston on Monday. Willie is hit and cleanup,

Starting point is 00:21:54 and he was in the cleanup spot again on Monday night, 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. He's now hitting 77 to start the season. 77. He's one for 13. He does not have a home run. He does not have an RBI. He has walked four times,

Starting point is 00:22:09 but he's also struck out five times. So not a great start. for Willie and Beantown. As for Sunny Gray, he has made one start thus far. Lasted just four innings. He allowed four runs on six hits, one Dinger, and had five Ks on Saturday in their loss against the Cincinnati Reds. So not a great start for either one of them so far in a Boston Red Sox uniform. The Arizona Diamondbacks picked up their first one of the season on Monday night by outscoring the Tigers nine to six beat up on Justin Burlander. How did Nolan Arnato do though? Yeah, Nolan, Nato playing third base.

Starting point is 00:22:42 over there for them. One for five in the game with a run scored, but on the season, Nato is hitting 125. That was his second hit of the year. He is now two for 16. He does not have a home run. He does not have an RBI. But I've seen some of the defensive highlights from Nolan Aronado. We knew he still had the glove, but the bat continues to be a serious problem for Nolan Arnato. Miles Michael has made one start in Chicago. He's over with the Washington Nationals now, If you case you didn't know, was in Chicago, lasted five innings, gave up six runs on six hits, one home run, walk three. He struck out four in defense of the Lizard King. Only four of those runs were earned. Wasn't getting a lot of help from his defense on that day. But, you know, normal kind of Michaelis line, five innings. He gets you to five, but, you know, you're losing by a decent amount by the time he gets out of there. So good luck with that, Washington. Ryan Helsley, he's. He's having a nice start in Baltimore. He's got two saves and two appearances for strikeouts.

Starting point is 00:23:44 He has allowed a hit in each game, which was always the funny thing that it didn't matter. Ryan Halsley was going to have a runner on base at some point in almost every inning that he just said, whether it was a base that whether he walked somebody, it was going to happen. But so far, unscathed has come out clean with two saves so far. Paul Goldschmidt with the Yankee. second season with the with the Bronx Bombers. I only got five at Bats. He's definitely a bench guy now, one for five with the run scored. So not a whole lot to talk about with Goldie.

Starting point is 00:24:17 But that's kind of what's going on with the guys around the league. As far as the NL Central goes, got to pay attention to, you know, the enemies here in the division. Brewer's lost their first game on Monday to the Tampa Bay Rays, who had just beaten the Cardinals. Rays beat him by a score three to two. They scored in the top of the ninth inning to take that lead.

Starting point is 00:24:34 Yanni Diaz, who absolutely murdered. the Cardinals was two for four in this game and is now hitting $5.50 to start the year. So it wasn't just the Cardinals. He's hitting. He goes to Milwaukee and boom, two more hit. So Yanni Diaz off to a scorching start. Red shut out the pirates two to nothing behind starter Chase Burns to move to three to one on the year. They are tied with the brewers at the top of the division. Pirates fall to one and three. I wonder what Pittsburgh's feeling right now because there was all this hope that with all these changes and additions. that they finally made. They got all these young guys coming up.

Starting point is 00:25:10 They're ready to rock and come out the gate one and three, not exactly what they were hoping for. Cubs ended up beating up on the Angels 7 to 2. New starter, Edward Cabrera, taught six shutout innings. Ian Hap, hit his third home run of the season, which leads the National League. So Cubs now at two in two. But, yeah, Ian Hap, we know how he kills,

Starting point is 00:25:30 kills the Cardinals. So good to see him doing it against somebody else for a change. Maybe it's the red in the uniforms. he's just like, ooh, because I know he beats up on the Cincinnati Reds as well. So maybe if you're wearing red, bad idea. Bad idea. Ian Hap will destroy you. Mets and Cardinals lock horns again tonight. Andre Palante will get his first start of the season against Kodi Senga.

Starting point is 00:25:52 First pitch will be at 645 St. Louis time. Thanks for making a lot on Cardinals. First listen every day. Be having already give us a follow on X at L.O. underscore. We've got TikTok underscore Cardinals. I don't know why I forgot to say that at the end. L.O. underscore Cardinals. TikTok, Instagram.

Starting point is 00:26:06 you can find us on there as well. Lockdown Cardinals, like, subscribe on YouTube. If you never miss an episode, be sure to try that everyday or club built for you. You get Locked on Cardinals ad free, plus members-only Discord access and more. Full free month, available now by using the code, finally. F-I-N-A-L-L-L-Y, head to LockedonSt, cartels.com to join the club. For those of you on video, we send you to the first ever 24-7 National Lockdown Podcast Network, YouTube channel on audio. Make sure your second listen is Locked on MLB.

Starting point is 00:26:35 You guys are the best fans in baseball for a reason. We'll see you tomorrow. Hopefully talking about it win. I'm Lockstone Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - LINEUP CRISIS: St. Louis Cardinals OFFENSE FALTERS with Masyn Winn & Ivan Herrera SLUMPING

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