Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - REALITY CHECK: Cardinals Stumble as Milwaukee Brewers DOMINATE – Riley O'Brien Is An ALL STAR!

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cardinals get swept in their double header against Milwaukee, proving once again that although they appear to be headed in the right direction, they are still nowhere close to competing for a world championship. 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. Haffern. And today's episode is brought to you by Fan Duel.

Starting point is 00:00:31 The biggest stage of world soccer is here. Let there be goals. on Fandall. Visit fandle.com to get started. Now, apologize for the delay on this episode getting out. I had some other work-related things that I had to take care of in the AM. So apologies for this coming out as late as it is. But on today's show, it is all about the double header. We're going to take a look at some of the comments and the Cardo Confessions.

Starting point is 00:00:56 In the final segment, we'll talk about the new All-Star that was named. Cardle's got another representative to join Ali and Jordan Warrison. Walker in Philadelphia. But let's get into this double header that we saw on Tuesday, which was about as disappointing as it can get. I'm right there with you, man. What a letdown that was, especially that second game. I mean, not only did you lose two more games to the Brewers to fall to a one and seven against them so far this year. But it was a smack of reality right across the Kisser about how far the Cardinals really are from competing for. a World Series championship for a 12th World Series championship.

Starting point is 00:01:38 And I know we've had some back and forth in the comment section between Brewers fans and Cardinals fans because the brewers are obviously very cocky right now, which they should be. They should be. I have nothing bad to say in return. I'm like, yeah, we got to kind of take it right now where Cardinals fans are like, yeah, how many championships have you won? Shut up.

Starting point is 00:01:59 All in good fun, though, right? But, man, did the brewers put it on them yesterday? Cardinals still could sneak in as wildcard team. That's a possibility. I'm not saying that that's out of the realm of possibilities, but the bar for winning another ring is competing with teams like the Brewers. And what we've seen over the last 48 hours or so is kind of just like in the movie Gremlins, if you remember that one from 1984.

Starting point is 00:02:27 I know, going way back. But when the old man comes back to pick up Gizmo, at the end and takes him away. And he says the phrase, you are not ready. And that's the sound that was in my head yesterday watching game two. You are not ready. And the Cardinals just aren't ready yet. They weren't supposed to be ready yet.

Starting point is 00:02:52 So this shouldn't come as a shocker to anybody. But because they've played so well so far this year, it's got people thinking that, okay, maybe we're further along than we think. and then you meet the brewers and you get put right back into place, right? It's been a very entertaining, a very positive, at least overall a very positive first half of the season. And yeah, they just took two or three for the Braves

Starting point is 00:03:16 and two of three from the Cubs on the road, which was awesome. And we were all very excited about that. Great start to this very difficult stretch of games. But let's be honest, the Braves are beat up. They're nowhere near full strike. The Cubs pitching staff is in shambles due to injuries. But the Brewers are at their full power right now. And they just came into Bush Stadium and showed the Cardinals and the Cardinal fan base what being an elite team is all about.

Starting point is 00:03:47 Back to back come from behind wins by the score of 43 and turned what was a close game into a blowout with a Tittitude win in game two. So much that Brian Torres had to come in and pitch two innings. And all you have to do is look at the guys who threw for each team to say where the biggest difference is in these two teams. In game one, the Brewers had Jacob Mizorowski, one of the best and most talented and most dominating pitchers of the game, followed by Andy Ashby, who leads Major League Baseball and wins with 12. And then the secret DX member with his crotch chopping ways after Uribe. Again, I thought it was funny when he did it, but I get it why people were mad. but he's got a 2.70 ERA in 37 games.

Starting point is 00:04:30 That's who the Brewers came at you with in game one. The Cardinals in game one. Combat that with Matt Sonson getting the start, with his ERA of 6.52. Then it was Bruce Zimmerman, a 31-year-old veteran left-hander who has been at Memphis all season. Then it went to Ryan Stanick, who has an ERA near five. And finally, Justin Brule,

Starting point is 00:04:53 who has a career ERA plus of 97, 3%. below league average. That's who the Cardinals went with. Now, granted, the Cardinals held their own, which was very surprising. They hit two home runs off the miss. They scored three runs against him. But if you really expected Bruce Zimmerman, Ryan Stanick and Justin Brule to shut down this Brewer's offense, man, I got I got some motion from property in Arizona. I'd like to sell to you. Shout out George Street. And it's not like, it's not like these guys. guys got lit up in game one that that didn't happen but Zimmerman was in Memphis for a reason if he was so good he'd be up in the pros either with the cardinals or somebody else for him to hold them to three

Starting point is 00:05:42 runs over five innings much better than I expected I didn't think he did that bad I think he did a heck of a job considering the circumstances stanick walks the lead off hitter we know how I love that and then gets injured on the bump play. So that was unfortunate. And that set in motion the Brewers being able to do what they do. They see an opening. They attack it. And they win a lot of games because of it. Game two, the Brewers went with the lefty Robert Gasser, who outside of the two-run home run to Nelson Velasquez held the Cardinals offense in check once again, just two runs over seven and two-thirds innings. Meanwhile, the Cardinals went with Hunter Dobbins, who they have high hopes for, as a member of this rotation in the future.

Starting point is 00:06:29 But after his five innings were up and he'd given up three runs, it was back to another guy who's been in the minor leagues for a reason, has been on like three teams in the last couple of years for a reason. And that was Jared Schuster, who gets absolutely abused for seven runs on five hits, three walks and a home run in an inning and a third pitched. So when you look at where the car, Cardinal's biggest issue is as they try to become one of the consistently good teams in baseball again,

Starting point is 00:07:04 which is what they were for a very long time and not so much the last few years. I got to do is look at this hodgepodge of arms that they tossed out there to go up against the first place team in their division. They just don't have the bodies as far as the pitching staff goes. They aren't good enough yet. they are not ready. And poor Bruce Zimmerman gets DFA'd after the game for his troubles. Hopefully nobody claims them and he can go back down to Memphis where he was doing what he was doing. The idea of all these moves like having Schuster and Zimmerman come up were so that Michael

Starting point is 00:07:49 McGreebion and Andre Palante would get an extra day of rest. Zimmerman gets DFAed, replaced on the roster by Schuster for game two. Max Ratchick moved to the 60-day IL. Ryan Fernandez, option to Memphis. They never did add Luis Gastilum, but apparently they will. It's going to happen. Maybe they DFA Schuster in the corresponding move. I haven't seen an updated move yet.

Starting point is 00:08:11 So if it has happened, I am unaware. The only thing I've seen is that Justin Berlander is going to retire after this season. That's all I've seen. But Jeff Jones wrote that here's a lot. the reality of the pitching box the Cardinals backed into yesterday. They are operating with 36 spots on a 40-man roster because they don't want to pay fits and Roby in cash or service and because they're tolerating teen kents. He says it's unclear how long that can continue.

Starting point is 00:08:45 Now on the bright side of losing, if there is such a thing, we did see that the Cardinals held their own against Ms, which was cool. Like, game one was super entertaining. I had a good time watching it. Game two, not so much, especially after the. the sixth inning. But for six innings, it was a one run ball game in game, too, before the dreaded seventh inning happened. And that seventh inning has been a problem. It's been a real issue this series. And so has the bottom of the Milwaukee Brewer's order. We're going to talk about

Starting point is 00:09:14 those things and this Cardinals offense coming up next on Locked on Cardinals. The biggest stage in world soccer is here. And every match feels like it's got the potential for a memorable moment. One goal can completely change the energy of a game. It can shift momentum, alter the outcome in an instant. Like that game with Argentina was crazy down 2-0 to Egypt and just rattle off three goals to rescue their chance at a repeat of the World Cup. And it's what makes tournament soccer so exciting from the opening whistle to the final kick. Now, Fandall is giving fans another reason to to stay locked into every match with every goal pays. That on a match, get bonus bets for every goal scored in that match. More goals means more bonus bets. All you got to do is turn on your

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Starting point is 00:10:40 fando this vandal.com to get started now thanks again for making locked on cardinals your first listen of the day thank you for making locked on the number one sports podcast network so after the tough loss on monday where the cardinals lost a three to nothing lead and eventually lost the game by a score four three it was the you look back at it and it was the seventh inning. where the brewers were able to take advantage of Justin Brule and Ryan Fernandez and Ryan Stanik. Again, not exactly a murderer's row of pitchers that the Brewers had to go through. They put four on the board in that seventh inning. They make it stick because their pulpit is better than the Cardinals bullpen.

Starting point is 00:11:25 Bing, bang, boom, there's the win. Then in game one on Tuesday, the brewer struck in, guess where? The seventh inning again, lead off the walk. Successful bun single. You get the chaos that was that play with Stanning. rolling his ankle, Torres getting run over by Ortiz at first base because Torres was behind first base in the baseline. That wasn't Ortiz's fault at all. Little did Torres know that after getting knocked on his butt, he'd have to throw. You have to be a pitcher later on in that night.

Starting point is 00:11:57 But they pull off the successful button. Single RBI double by Yelotchoff Jojo, Bing, bang, boom, another W. Once again, Brewers. ballpen better than the Cardinals' ballpen. Cardinals' offense can't get anything done. Game two, three, two ball game until that seventh inning when the Brewers beat Schuster like a pinata, but without having to wear like a blindfold, they could see the pinata and destroyed it. Joey Ortiz, once again, smokes a solo home run makes four to two. You get a walk, then you get a double, five to two, infield single that deflects off JJ's glove at second. I'm sure he would tell you he should have had that one, but he didn't. Then another walk, then another single, seven to two,

Starting point is 00:12:42 another single, eight to two. Schuster is mercifully yanked. Gordon Grecephal comes in. He's greeted with a Cooper Pratt double to make it 10 to two before getting out of the inning. And then you got to go to Torres for the final two winnings of the game. In three games, the Brewers have scored 12 runs against the Cardinals in just the seventh inning. That's not good. That's pretty deflating. that's late in the game. Twice. The Cardinals were either winning or tied at this point. And then you're down one run in this game,

Starting point is 00:13:16 in the second game. And the Brewers just take off. They also flashed a stat in, it was like right when the seventh inning started in game two after the Ortiz home run. So it was right at the beginning of the seventh inning after the Ortiz home run about how much damage the bottom of the order has done.

Starting point is 00:13:37 and how they've been murdering the Cardinals. Bottom four hitters, 67, 8, 9, scored seven runs on six hits and drove in six runs in game two alone. Game one, they had three runs on five hits and two ribbies. Then back on Monday night, three runs on six hits and two RBIs. An absolute nightmare for the Cardinals, six, seven, eight, nine. Like, think about this for a second. Jackson Shurio, who is in my opinion, the Brewers best hitter,

Starting point is 00:14:05 is one for 12 in this series with one RBI. Jake Bowers, who leads their team in home runs, and I think RBI's as well, has no home runs and no RBIs. If I told you that, that Churio and Bowers would be that insignificant offensively, you would think the Cardinals might have a couple Ws right now when they don't.

Starting point is 00:14:29 Milwaukee has scored 18 runs and has won all three games. It's crazy. It just shows you the depth. that Milwaukee has and compared to what the Cardinals have. The Cardinals' offense continues to struggle at home. 173 runs scored in 47 home games. That's 26th in the league, an average of 3.68 a game. On the road, they've scored 238 in 433 games,

Starting point is 00:14:56 thirdmost runs in the league for an average of 5.5 runs per game. And I know the Brewer's pitching is good. Mizorowski's superstar, right? but scoring three, three, and then two, ain't going to get it done. And I don't know what they need to do at Bush Stadium to make this a little more hitter-friendly. I'm not saying you got to bring in the offenses a crazy amount or something, but look what this offense does for you on the road. Like, wouldn't that be nice to have that in front of your home fans when they do show up?

Starting point is 00:15:31 Some hitting nuggets from Rob Raines, the cartels only hit it. other than the two hormones off Miz Rowsky, the only hit against the Miz was the first inning double by Lars Nupar. Miz retired 19 of the final 20 hitters he faced after that double. The only hit was Herrera's second career home run off Ms. They had only two singles in the first five innings off Gasser in game two before Jordan Walker singled with two outs in the sixth, followed by that Nelly home run. We talked about how good the Brewer six through nine hitters were and how they've been killing at this series. the Cardinals, six to nine place hitters, were a combined one for 22 in the double header yesterday.

Starting point is 00:16:13 The team had four bats with a runner in scoring position between the two games all in game one. Robert Gasser shut them down. Another lefty shutting them down. And I was looking at the stats too, and I'm like, it seems like they just cannot hit left-handers worth of crap. but the numbers say that it's not exactly as bad as we think it is. I don't know.

Starting point is 00:16:36 Eyeball test tells me they have trouble against lefties. Cardinals have lost seven consecutive games to the Brewers now have been outscored 37 to 12. They're one and seven against them. Tied for the second longest losing streak to the Brewers in franchise history, trailing only an eight game streak split between 23 and 24. That's domination. That is domination.

Starting point is 00:16:56 And the Cardinals will have to figure out a way to close this gap between the two teams. if they ever want to win the division again and compete for a 12th World Series championship. There's a lot of work to be done. A lot of work to be done. And again, like I described it earlier, kind of a smack of reality, pow, right in the kisser.

Starting point is 00:17:15 They're like, okay, all right, we've been having some fun. Maybe we're not as close as we think we are. Doesn't mean you've got to get down on this team and be like, okay, you guys are terrible at the sport of baseball now because that's not true. it's just the brewers are very good. They're very, very good.

Starting point is 00:17:33 I think the Cardinals are competitive amongst most teams in this league, but there is an elite level that they are not even close to right now. And that's where guys like a healthy Braves team lives and the Dodgers and your Milwaukee Brewers and a healthy Yankees team. And I get it, some of these payrolls are crazy. Tampa Bay Rays live there. Tampa Bay Rays. have been one of the best teams in baseball this year.

Starting point is 00:18:01 So there's ways to do it without spending a crap lot of money, but the Cardinals are just starting to learn how to become that type of franchise. And it's going to take time. And unfortunately, in this day and age, there's just not a lot of patience for that. So a lot of people are down on what the Cardinals have done because of what they've seen over the last three games. So up next, some Cardinal confessions. We're going to go through some of the comments.

Starting point is 00:18:25 Woo! Some very, very upset reactions. to the double header sweep. And some positive news, another cardinal got added to the NL All-Star roster. So we'll talk about all of this coming up next on Lockdown Cardinals. A big thank you to our friends at Amazon for this limited break. This back-to-school season, spend less on your kids with Amazon. Now, we all know how crazy the back-to-school shopping experience can be, you know,

Starting point is 00:18:57 when you're buying tons of things like you're buying clothes for back-to-school. Then your kid has a growth spurt two weeks later. And you're right back where you started. Sometimes it genuinely feels like they're growing faster than your budget can keep up. Or when you start shopping for a few back-to-school essentials and realize how quickly that list grows, you need supplies, clothes, lunch gear, headphones, it just keeps going. That's why finding low prices on all the things you need makes such a big difference this time of year. So remember, with Amazon's low back-to-school prices, just spend less on your kids.

Starting point is 00:19:34 because every dollar you don't spend on them is a dollar you haven't spent on them. Shop back to school at Amazon and spend less on your kids. Thanks again for making a lot on. Carl's first listen of the day. Thank you for making it locked on the number one sports podcast network. Let's go through some of the cardal confessions here, comments, a lot of angry people. Very few people positive after what we saw yesterday and Monday. No fight, no drive.

Starting point is 00:20:09 We aren't stealing bases. We aren't playing smart baseball. Just pathetic. I'm taking a break until after the All-Star break. I've never hated the team more. I'm ready to be done with the season. These games have been awful to watch. Horrible bullpen, horrible at bats.

Starting point is 00:20:25 Done with the worthless DeWitt family and the worthless manager and the worthless team. Cardinals, you suck. The Cardinals should just play all their games on the road. Absolute horse crap at home. five-game sweep at home incoming, pathetic. Great job with Schuster, exactly why I, what I said would happen. Now DFA him as well. The fact that we got boat raced and in recent years usually outclassed in every way by the brewers

Starting point is 00:20:55 shows how inept the ownership is. It is the freaking Brewers for crying out loud. They are such better ran and just flat out better organization than the Cardinals and it's not close. I get it. I get it. A lot of stuff like that. this. I can keep going, but do we, we get the point, right? This is, this is where we are. And again, the Cardinals, it's not like, I mean, they're right there for the wild card,

Starting point is 00:21:20 which is not anywhere anybody expected this team to be for the most part. There are people out there like, I hold on, I said that they would be there. Okay, you did. Good for you. But most people didn't think that. After the Cubs series, I, you know, I think a lot of us were pretty happy hated how Sunday looked the way that they kind of imploded in that inning. Is that the seventh inning too? But they imploded and, you know, things went off the rails and they lost. But you take four of six on the road against the Braves and the Cubs. I don't remember this much anger being spewed out on social media.

Starting point is 00:22:02 But here we are. And that's how quickly the tide's turn in the game of baseball and in, sports in general. And like Ali said after the game, you know, we, we do all of these things and we make some decisions and you just got to write it out right now. It's not like that you can just go, okay, you guys are right. Where's the white flag? We're done. We're good. We're good. No, you're not going to do that. You're not going to quit. You got to write it out. You got to see if you can try to take the final two. It would be an absolute catastrophe to get swept in five games by Milwaukee. It's realistic.

Starting point is 00:22:37 for it to happen. Gotta face Kyle Harrison tonight. Been one of the best pitchers in baseball, just another lefty who, again, I feel like they struggle against, who has been outstanding since coming over in a trade from the Boston Red Sox. So be nice to get one of these wins before we have to face Atlanta again. But I don't know if it's going to happen. We'll see. In more positive news, Riley O'Brien added to the NL All-Star roster. Good for you. Excellent job, Riley O'Brien. He's actually taking the Miz's spot. Ms. bowed out and Riley O'Brien, you're in, bud. Second in the NLCs with 22, Mason Miller got his 23rd last night. He's going to join Jordan Walker, Ali Marmel, as representatives of the Cardinals. Will more be added? Maybe.

Starting point is 00:23:28 Maybe. There's still some time here for people to back out if they want to. The game doesn't mean anything anymore. So it's every player's right to say, nah, I'm going to take a rest. So maybe another Cardinal gets added. We'll see. But he's the first Cardinals closure selected for the All-Star game since Hells Bells did it. Ryan Housley was the team's loan representative back in 2024. 36 appearances this season. Riley has converted 22 of 26 save opportunities. Three and three and three. Seven to ERA, 35-Ks and 36 in a third inning. He was incredibly good at the beginning of the season, has had his struggles since June, really. So it's, you know, you just want more consistency out of him when he can't find the release point

Starting point is 00:24:14 and because his ball moves so much and he gets out of whack and he walks people, that's when the problems really happen. But the Cardinals, if Riley O'Brien shows up in a game, it's usually pretty good because the Cardinals are 32 and 4 in games that he appears. Sixth Cardinals reliever with at least 22 saves before the All-Star break. Hellsley had 32 by the break in 2024, which is a club record. at midseason. He was excellent. He's hurt now, which is a bummer. He was, he's with Baltimore and is on the IL right now. But yeah, good for Riley O'Brien. That's great. You know, at this point in his career, he's 31 years old. Like, probably didn't even think he'd be still in the, in the major leagues a couple of years ago. And Cardinals saw something and have been able to

Starting point is 00:25:00 put some good, good use to it. So good for Riley O'Brien. So there you go. Also, Quick shout out former Cardinal and Wilson Contreras. Also going to the All-Star game. He's on the A-L roster in place of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. So congrats to Willie. He's thriving in Boston. So is Sunny Gray. Willie hitting 287, 20 bombs, 61 RBIs,

Starting point is 00:25:21 is appealing a suspension right now for the whole thing with the Washington National. So we'll see if that happens. But yeah, he and Sunny Gray have been excellent for Boston. And they've been on a string. I think they've won like nine of their last 11 games. So they looked like they were dead and buried just a couple of weeks ago and that they were going to be sellers, but maybe not so much anymore. Maybe a role of this Chapman isn't getting sold.

Starting point is 00:25:44 And maybe all of these guys are, they stick around and they make a run. We'll see. We'll see. Thanks for making Locktown Cardinals. Your first list that every day. If you haven't already, give us a follow on X at L. underscore Cardinals, TikTok, Instagram at Locktown Cardinals. Like subscribe on YouTube to help our channel and our love for the Cardinals grow.

Starting point is 00:25:59 So we make that push for 15,000 subscribers. Every day club is available. Every day our club is available. still there. If you're interested, I think the seven-day free trial is still going on. So check that out. Links in the show notes. For your second listen, check out Locked on MLB game night every game every night until the World Series champion is crowned. Get local analysis on a national scale. Find MLB game night on Locked on MLB on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. You're the best fans in baseball for a reason. I know it was tough yesterday. Hopefully

Starting point is 00:26:31 today will be better. We'll see. It's Kyle Harris. I don't know. I don't know if it's going to get any better. Just be prepared for the worst. You're the best fans in baseball for a reason. We'll see you next time on lockdown cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - REALITY CHECK: Cardinals Stumble as Milwaukee Brewers DOMINATE – Riley O'Brien Is An ALL STAR!

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