Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis REDISCOVER Winning Formula Against The Chicago White Sox

Starting point is 00:00:00 The St. Louis Cardinals answer the bell and play with some desperation in their victory over the Chicago White Sox. 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. Hello there, Cardinals. I'm J.D. Haffernan. I am your host for Locktown Cardinals. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network covering your team every day. Follow me on X at J.D. Sports Radio in the podcast at L.O. Cardinals were on YouTube. Make sure you like, subscribe and comment, hit that notification button. Also on TikTok and Instagram at Locktown Cardinals, this is a show serving Cardinal Nation and giving

Starting point is 00:00:43 the best fans in baseball, all of the info about the birds on the bat. Today's episode brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code locked on MLB at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. So the Cardinals got a much needed win Tuesday night when they walloped the Chicago White Sox by a score of 12. too. And as much as the final score makes me feel good. You know, you like to see that. You know, you like to, as I called it in the short that I dropped in the post game reaction, when you like to bust out the whoop and stick on another team from time to time. And as good as it feels for me, for you, probably as well as a fan, it's the way they went

Starting point is 00:01:30 about things in this game that excited me. It's not that they just won by a square of 12 to 2. It's how they got there that really pleased me. In yesterday's episode, I spoke about doing the little things. Again, manufacturing runs again, playing with some desperation to climb out of this funk that this team has been in over the last couple of weeks. And I truly believe that this Cardinals team, it's more like the May version of the Cardinals than the other versions that we've seen this year.

Starting point is 00:02:07 Are they quite as good as 19 and 8 like they were in May? No, they are. But they certainly are better than the 1 and 6 that we saw last week and the 4 and 10 that we had seen coming into this game in the month of June. They're better than that. And just like anything in this life, when things are going well, there's a chance you're going to get complacent. there's a chance you're going to get a little lazy about some stuff.

Starting point is 00:02:37 And that's when things will come crashing down to Earth a bit. Not saying that the Cardinals haven't been working hard or they haven't been giving 110% towards winning baseball games. But maybe, just maybe, we took for granted how hard it is to continue to compete at the level that they were playing at in the month of May. And to me, their style of play, it just felt like it changed a little bit. and I'm sure it has to do with adjustments that were being made by their opposition. This isn't only just the Cardinals doing things.

Starting point is 00:03:10 The other teams are doing things as well to try to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals. And those adjustments were working. And the Cardinals were not doing the things that they were doing in the month of May anymore. At least not in when I'm watching. I just didn't get the same vibe from this team. And you had a lot of guys. struggling, obviously. You know, we brought that up yesterday with, with Newt and Wynn and Victor and Donnie being

Starting point is 00:03:40 heard. Obviously, things are going to get altered a little bit, but it just got, it got a little bit dull, didn't it? It just didn't feel like they were playing with the same energy that they had been in the month of May. But Tuesday, they come out and they did some things to help push the play a bit more. And let's be honest, also finally had a little bit of lady luck on their site. two. First thing that changed was the lineup.

Starting point is 00:04:06 Lars Dupar and his struggles back in the lineup after a few days off, but he was batting seventh now, no longer at the top of the order. Instead, Brennan Donovan got to be your leadoff guy, arguably your best hitter so far this season. I think there's a case for, you know, Yvonne Herrera to get some love there too, but I think we all can agree that Donovan has been the team MVP so far this year. So why wouldn't you want that guy at the top of the lineup getting a chance to have more at bats in a game. So that's what Ali did. We've done of it up to the number one spot.

Starting point is 00:04:35 I mentioned yesterday that having those three guys who are struggling with Newt, win and Victor Scott, batting in consecutive spots. Because after the top of the order where it was Newton and win, then you come down to the bottom and you would have Victor, then Newt, then win again. And all three of them were kind of dragging down this offense a little bit. So Ollie broke him up. Donnie goes first. Wednesdays in the number two hole, but then it's horrific.

Starting point is 00:04:59 Rera Contreras goes Burley, then Nato, then Newt batting in the seven hole, Pahez, and then Victor. So you broke up some of the lefty stuff there too. So none of those three, though, we're hitting next to each other. So good call by Ali. Second thing was that you could see how important it was to get this offense rolling again when you've got your catcher, Pedro Pahas, attempting a bun in the second inning. Already down one to nothing at this point. Cardinals got a base it from Nolan Aronado, scorched one.

Starting point is 00:05:29 there. I think it was like 105 off the bat. Then a walk by by new bar, which was awesome to to see him looking more like himself in this game. So you got runners on first and second. Nobody out. Ali wasn't going to sit back and hope for a base head and risk an inning killing double play. Instead, he has pahas bunting as if it was later in the game, seventh, eighth, trying to get these guys over. And that's the desperation I was talking about. I was talking about. I need you to feel like this inning and that run is the most important run of the game. Don't treat it like you still have six, seven innings to work with. Don't think like that.

Starting point is 00:06:10 Think now this inning right here. I need those guys over to give me a better chance of scoring. Every run means so much with this offense because it doesn't have your typical sluggers up and down the lineup. So why not play small ball more often and give your team a better percentage of scoring a run in the inning by laying. down the bun. It's something I kind of wanted to see Jordan Walker do on Sunday in Milwaukee with two want and nobody out. Instead, he swings away. He strikes out. And it set the chances of scoring back for the Cardinals. They end up striking out three times in a row. And the game's over. They never moved the people over except for a while they got the wild pitch. But in this situation,

Starting point is 00:06:51 Paez does what he needs to do, gets his job done, gets the bun down, gets a little help from some wacky spin on the ball. And the White Sox end up throwing. it away, scoring the tying run, it sparks a chain reaction. That leads to five runs in that second inning. And that's exactly what I was talking about yesterday. Play as if it's late innings all the time. Put pressure on the defense. You dictate the play instead of your opponent. I loved this. I thought it was genius. I thought it was smart. And I applaud it. I applaud the changes that Ali made to the lineup. I applaud his decision. to have Pahas Bunbeck.

Starting point is 00:07:31 I thought it was great. We're going to continue with this because we got to discuss the Wilson Contreras steel of home plate, which was a bit of a shocking moment. Plus, we've got to talk about the start for Matthew Libertor. He was great in this one too,

Starting point is 00:07:43 so we'll get to all of that coming up on Locked on Cardinals. Ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go between dining out, your online shopping, your entertainment? My wife had a, had a peeler sent to the house today because she was making sweet potatoes. you know, it's little things like that that end up adding up. And it's easy to lose track.

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Starting point is 00:09:26 Should be a lot of good stuff after this particular game because the Cardinals did the smart things in this game to get the job done. after that errant throw, the Cardinals ripped off four more runs in that second inning to take a commanding five to one lead against, I can only assume was a shell shock, Shane Smith, who got very little help from his defense in this one. Wasn't even pitching that bad. Obviously, the defense lets him down, but the Cardinals finally got some luck to go their way for once as well. You know, the last couple of years, it seems like the Cardinals were always the team that's getting burned by soft contact hits. how many times have you heard that phrase brought up? And it's because their pitchers lack swing and miss stuff. They're not missing enough bat.

Starting point is 00:10:08 So other teams are able to put at least some piece of wood on the ball, which gives them an opportunity to find a hole despite not being barreled. And it happened a lot. Wash, rinse, repeat, you know, it just kept happening to the Cardinals. And finally, you got to see what it was like to be on the other side. The Carls got a taste of what the other. side and how the other side lives a little bit for once. Victor Scott gets hit by a pitch. Donnie spends one through the infield at a whopping 69 miles per hour and beats the White

Starting point is 00:10:42 Sox shifted infield to make it two to one. You know, those are the plays like in the first inning against the Cardinals. They were shifted. Groundball goes right where the second baseman would normally be, run scores. This time, the Cardinals benefit from the infield moving around for Chicago. Base is still loaded there. Mason win. Grounds won. slowly towards first base, basically a little more than a bunt, just a little taper over to the first base side. But he puts it in play, doesn't strike out, runs able to come in, 65 miles per hour off the bat there. That makes it three to one. Then it's Yvonne Herrera, dumping one into shallow right field at a whopping 56.1 miles per hour. The infield was in on the play so they couldn't get

Starting point is 00:11:24 back at time. It goes just over their heads in the right field. And two more are in, five to one score. The only base hit that was actually hit remotely hard was Nolan Aronado single, which was hit hard, 105 off the bat. But the hardest hit ball in the inning was an out. Contreras's ground out. To end the inning was at 107.7. But they put it in play, made things happen. This is the style the Cardinals were using in the month of May when they're playing really, really well. That's what they were doing. They weren't striking out in these situations. They were putting pressure on the defense and making things happen and benefiting from it. And yes, they got a little lucky in this one.

Starting point is 00:12:03 But sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. Top of the sixth inning, the baseball gods got a little bit of payback on the Cardinals for all that soft contact. When Yvonne Herrera's would be home run to right field, got robbed by Michael Taylor. What do you got to do? Wonderful catch to pull it back. It's, yeah, you tip your cap, you applaud it, say good job. But then you move on.

Starting point is 00:12:25 And the Cardinals, once again, play with some desperation. Wilson Gertreras ends up taking a walk. Burley singles to make it first and third for Aronado. And with the count full, Ali wants to stay out of the double play, sends the runner at first base. Alec Berlinson is not a fast runner. You know this, but he's trying to not ruin the whole inning with a double play is willing to risk putting Burley in motion so that doesn't happen. Now the play gets a little goofy because the runner at first goes to second. The pitch ends up being fall four. So R and out of walks, but the White Sox, despite you can hear the umpire clearly yell, ball four, like to make sure everybody knew, the White Sox throw it down to

Starting point is 00:13:07 second base as if they're trying to catch Alec Berluson stealing, even though he gets second base, he's safe no matter what. So, and when they make that throw, Wilson Contrera says, all right, eff it. I'm going to break for home plate. And, And initially he was called out and I was like, a little too aggressive there. But after review, the brilliant swim move by Wilson Contreras, sneaks his hand in before the tag. They overturn the call.

Starting point is 00:13:38 He's safe and successfully steals home plate. That's what it goes down is to make it six to one. And again, this is the sort of aggressive play that sure, it looks great when it works, right? You're all, everybody's like, yeah, I would have go Willie right now. But if he had been out, you know that we would be. bitching about this today, but it was a desperation type of move, which is where I think the Cardle's mindset needs to be. Four run late at the time. So you're a little more lenient on how

Starting point is 00:14:08 aggressive you want to be on the base pass, you know, as opposed to if it was a one or two run game and he pulled this off and was out, oh boy, would we be upset? Because that would be putting the kibosh on what could be a very big inning because it would have been bases loaded and nobody out. But with the bigger lead, you can take a few more chances and be okay with that. But it worked. A hell of a slide by Contrera. So great job. Offense would continue to tackle on throughout the night. They get home runs from Alec Berluson and Victor Scott the second. Burley was three for five in this game. I don't know if you've realized how good Berluson has been over like the last, I don't know, 40 so on games. He's batting 3.85.

Starting point is 00:14:54 in the month of June, two home runs and seven RBIs, and since his batting average dropped down to a season low 239 on April 21st. He's batting 331 with six home runs and 17 RBIs over 41 games. He's been pretty awesome, pretty awesome. And he's hitting left handers, which, you know, says, hey, I don't need to be out of the lineup ever. I need to be either at the DH. I need to be playing first in the outfield somewhere because the production, speaks for itself. Victor Scott's home run. Yes, it was off a position player, but so what. With the toughest things have been going for him, you don't care where the production comes from

Starting point is 00:15:35 or how it happens as long as it happens. You'll take it. Brandon Donovan, four for five in the lead off spot, Mason win was one for five. Tap the one run in by putting the ball in play, which you know, you're like, okay, good job. Did score twice in this one. Yvonne Herrera drives in four. the Wilson-Katrera steel of home plate was huge. Pahez with the bunt. He ends up scoring twice in this one. Even Lars Newt Park was able to contribute. Now, we know how tough things have been for Newt lately.

Starting point is 00:16:02 And although we did not get a hit in this game, did go over three. He's over his last 27. We at least saw some progress. You know, first off, the biggest thing, no strikeouts. Because that's been the biggest problem for Lars Newt bar recently is striking out over and over and over. No strikeouts in this one.

Starting point is 00:16:20 So that's progress. What else did he do in this one? Took a walk, took a walk to help get things going in that second inning. That was a big deal. Got hit on the hand, painfully hit on the hand. He was shaking that sucker. So hopefully everything is good after that. But he was contributing.

Starting point is 00:16:41 He was on base twice. He scored a run. He lined out twice. The last one he hit at 107.7. Again, it was off a position player. I get it, but this is about progress, not regression, and everything Newt did in this game, at least to me at the plate, felt like a step in the right direction, which is what you want.

Starting point is 00:17:01 The other major impact about this game was Matthew Livertor, returning to form. He was on the mound, needed a much need of bounce back game, and he delivered. So we're going to discuss what he did coming up next on Locked on Cardinals. Whether you're gearing up for back-to-back meeting, shuttling kids back and forth to activities, or tackling an endless honey-to-do list.

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Starting point is 00:18:59 John and I hosted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and we've been having a good time. You got to talk about the Rafi Devers stuff last night. Yankees can't seem to score any runs. But we got to talk about the Cardinals, and I'm there talking about the Redbirds and brought up what Matthew Libertor did last night. Last three games for Libby, we know have not been good. I shared those ugly stats with you yesterday. No need to comb through them again.

Starting point is 00:19:24 He was in desperate need for a get-right game and was able to do. do that against Chicago. Mission accomplished. It didn't start out great. After giving up a two-out double and then a single to fall behind one to nothing, both pitches catching way too much of the play. That's what I talked about yesterday. The biggest issue for Libby has been execution. The stuff is good. The Velo is there outside of the start against Kansas City where he had to leave the game with fatigue. But it doesn't matter. If you're throwing in 98, 99, you can not miss. over the heart of the plate expect to live at this level. Major league hitters will destroy you

Starting point is 00:20:03 when you do that. But after that, he was excellent. Six innings, he allows just three hits after the first, strikes out four, didn't walk anybody, which is obviously a huge thing. You get the quality start. Didn't let that run in the first inning ruin or derail what he was doing, you know, got the job done. Exactly what was needed for this Cardinals team, exactly what he probably needed, after a struggle in the last three games. After the game, he did say that tonight is definitely the most synced up I felt out of my last three or four starts. The offense made it easy on me tonight. Let me just go out there and challenge guys.

Starting point is 00:20:41 I didn't have to go out and be perfect. So excellent job all around by the offense and by Libby. This might shock you, though. Did you know that this was the first win in Seven Road starts this season for Libby? So nice to get that goose egg out of that stat sheet. ball pin shout out to you guys excellent riley o'brien who we continue to have hope that he can do it at this level we know he's got the stuff we know the stuff is good enough he's just got to be more consistent uh allows one hit and two scoreless innings good keep it up and then our guy andre

Starting point is 00:21:18 grineo who finally got the call up cleaned up the ninth inning in this one to seal the 12 to 2 victory well done all around everybody excellent job I know it's the White Sox. I get it. But at this point, who cares? When you are in a bad spot, you got to get a win. And a win is a win, and you need to keep stacking them against everyone you can, if you want to remain in the NL Central race, and at the very least, the wild card.

Starting point is 00:21:47 Even the good teams, they'll even tell you. They're like, it's great, but it doesn't matter. You've got to beat the bad teams just like you compete against the other really good teams around the league. You got to have the same intensity, and you can't overlook anybody. And the Cardinals did not do that on Tuesday night. I love the way they played this game. They came out with a purpose and an attitude, and they piled on, and I loved it. They really, really needed to show that they had that kind of often still in them.

Starting point is 00:22:19 Like, they eking out a three-to-one ball game would have been like, great. I'm glad we got the win, but man, that wasn't very impressive. this was impressive. What they did was impressive. Around the division, the Cubs did beat the Brewers, five to three, PCA and Sayia Suzuki doing most of the damage per usual for the Cubs, who now have a six and a half game lead over the brew crew and a seven game lead over the Reds and Cardinals who were tied for third place in the division. Cardinals are going to go back home and the Reds are coming to town this weekend. After this White Sox series, you cannot have a letdown. You've got to beat those guys.

Starting point is 00:22:56 All right, I can't live with the wife if the Reds beat the Cardinals again over this upcoming weekend. But first things first, stay focused on the Chicago White Sox. Reds were able to beat the twins. Pirates fell to the Tigers. So that's what's going on in the division. Tonight's matchup at Sunny Gray against right-hander Sean Burke for Chicago. Sunny, ugly outing against the Brewers when he got pummeled. But overall on the season, you like what you're seeing.

Starting point is 00:23:23 Seven to two on the year. He's got the ERA under four. or will hopefully follow in Libby's footsteps and take advantage of what is a very porous Chicago offense. Stay away from Vargas, okay? He's the one guy that can do some serious, serious damage against you. Cannot give up a gopher ball or anything big to that guy. You can work around some of these other guys who are hitting okay in their lineup, but that is the guy you cannot allow Vargas to beat you.

Starting point is 00:23:54 So Sonny Gray, keep an eye on that dude. Pitch around him if you got to because the rest of the lineup is not very good. Meanwhile, Sean Burke, 3 and 7, the area at 4.71. He's a tall guy. He's 6-6. Great extension. Not a hard thrower, though. You would think somebody with that size would throw the ball much harder than he does. Averages, 94 on the fastball.

Starting point is 00:24:15 Slider curb are his next two main pitches with the occasional change-up. But he's not much of a strikeout guy. He's just not. So the Cardinals should have plenty of chances. to put the ball in play against him. And hopefully Lady Luck continues, where they're able to, even when they don't hit the ball hard,

Starting point is 00:24:31 they're able to find some holes. But for tonight, I just want to see more of the same. I want to see the same attitude, the same aggression. Play with some desperation in your game still. Keep it going. Keep the pedal down.

Starting point is 00:24:47 Continue to build more momentum and start believing in yourself again, which I think, They took a nice big step in doing that on Tuesday night. And I want to see it continue. I want to see it continue. So as they say in Cobra Kai, no mercy. I don't care.

Starting point is 00:25:04 It's the Chicago White Sox. No mercy. Beat the snout of them again. Let's see it. Thanks for making a lockdown cartels. First listen every day if you haven't already. Please give us a follow on X at L1 underscore Cardinals and a JD Sports Radio, TikTok and Instagram at Locktown Cardinals.

Starting point is 00:25:18 Like, subscribe on YouTube, help our channel and love for the Cardinals grow. You guys are the best fans in baseball for a reason. We'll see you next time on Locked on Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis REDISCOVER Winning Formula Against The Chicago White Sox

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