Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - The Latest On The Dylan Carlson Injury And What The Cardinals Might Do IF He's Out For Awhile

Episode Date: March 26, 2024

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Here we go again. Here we freaking go 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 fan. And I'm your host for Locked on Cardinals, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network covering your team every day.

You can follow me on Twitter X at J.D. Sports Radio. you can follow the podcast at L0 underscore Cardinals. I want to thank those of you who make Lockedong Cardinals your first list every day. We're free and available wherever you get your podcast. Also can find us on YouTube if you haven't done that yet. Come on by. Come by, like, subscribe, comment, interact with us.

Hit the notification button so you know when new episodes are posted because this is a show serving the cursed Cardinal Nation and giving the best fans in baseball all of the info about the birds on the bat. Today's episode brought to you by a fan to make every moment more. customers, you join today and you'll get $200 in bonus bets. If your first bet of $5 or more wins, visit fandal.com slash locked on to get started. All right. For many years, for many years, people claim that the Cardinals use something they called

devil magic. You've probably heard this phrase before. The Cardinals used it. They had the rights to it. they used it to remain contenders in Major League Baseball. They used it to spark amazing comebacks and crush the souls of their opponents. Even today, even today, if you talk to one of the locked-on hosts from the teams of the NL Central, pirates, brewers, cubs, reds, you talk to them.

Despite curb stomping the Redbirds last year into oblivion, like, not. contenders last year, awful year. Those hosts will still tell you how skeptical they are of saying anything bad about the Cardinals or their players. They continue to show much respect to the St. Louis Cardinals organization. They never rule them out despite a lot of the Cardinals fan base already predicting a bad season for the team. It seems like people outside of St. Louis think more highly of what the Cardinals are and have done than their own fan base. from time to time. And maybe all the years of the devil magic is starting to catch up with the Cardinals.

Because last year, if you remember, we got destroyed early on by entries to members of the outfield. Tyler O'Neill went down. Lars Neupar went down. Dylan Carlson went down. And now, this year, it's happening again. Tommy Edmund and Lars Neupar already out. We know that.

And just when I started to believe. that Dylan Carlson could or would be something again here in 2024. I'm right at the front of the hype train. I'm like, yes, bring me all the D.C. We can handle this year. Now Dylan Carlson might be gone again too. Dylan, the latest victim of whatever voodoo that has besieged the Cardinals outfield over the last two years, he could be gone.

Gone. Collided with Jordan Walker today in their game in the outfield during their second of last spring training game against the Cups. For those of you who weren't watching the game today, let me break down the play for you. Bottom of the second inning, Cub second baseman Nico Horner, good player, hits a drive into the right center field gap. Carlson's in center, Walker's in right. Both men converge on the ball. Walker ends up diving for the ball, trying to make the play at the very last second. Carlson continuing to run, the diving Walker, who is a monster, obviously 6-6-250, takes out the legs of Dylan Carlson, who then tumbles onto the warning track, landing on the left side of his body. Neither of him called the ball. And it was Walker who had to

get up and retrieve it, tosses it back in. But that was hardly the main focus of what was going on there. after this had happened because Dylan Carlson stayed down on the play. He sat up. He was sitting up on the warning track and then ended up kind of, you know, he kind of rolls to his side a little bit. He kind of slumps over. Walker comes over to him. Brennan Donovan comes over to him.

They're checking on him. Seems like he's going to be okay. But it's Dylan Carlson and he gets hurt a lot. And my immediate fear was after you see the collision, was that he had injured his right knee or ankle when Walker collided with his lower body, which sent him flailing to the earth. Like just took him out.

You know how like in a football game and you'll see everybody just kind of standing on the sideline and then a player gets knocked over and slides into him like bowling pins. It was kind of like that. Carlson goes tumbling. The trainer, manager Ali Marmel, they come out to check on him. Carlson gets removed from the game

and it was later reported that he suffered a left shoulder injury. Afterwards, I tweeted, unbelievable, unbelievable. And one person actually responded to it saying, is it though? And after a few moments to think about it, I guess no, not really. It is believable. It's been the Cardinals and Carlson's luck the last couple of seasons together.

They had something unfortunate like this would happen to ruin the positive momentum that Carlson had built up recently. The dude had found his stroke. He looked good. He was hitting with power, swinging with intent. Wasn't just flailing at the ball outside of the strike zone. He had confidence. And then three friggin days before the season opener in L.A.,

where he was going to be the starting center fielder for your St. Louis Cardinals, this happens. John Denton at MLB.com reported that following the play that ended his day, Carlson walked to the clubhouse with his left arm and shoulder drooping, and he was clearly dejected. I've been reading Dylan Carlson body language for a couple of years now. He doesn't look like he's all that excited to be around anything in the first place, but if he's noticeably dejected, it tells you something's wrong.

And when I hear that a shoulder is drooping, first thing I think about, dislocation, maybe a separation, one of the two. I'm no doctor, but that's what my mind thinks of. I dealt with that injury before playing ball. And I remember when it popped out and like I couldn't even move it. I was just like, it was just like stuck there. Like it was just numb. And then I was able to kind of knock it back in.

But I mean, it all swelled up and I wasn't worth it. You know what for a few days at least. The Cardinals will await the results of x-rays and an MRI before anything will be announced, but we've been down this road before. Do any of you feel confident that this is not going to shelve him for a little bit? History tells us that it will probably come back with some sort of bad news. We're hoping that it's not anything too serious, like a fracture or something like that. You know, nothing with the collarbone or just the shoulder area in general.

You're hoping it's just some sort of mild separation or something like that, which he can heal from. But I mean, sucks, man. Sucks. I was all in on Dylan Carlson. It's crazy to me that these things keep happening to the Cardinals outfield. It's wild. Jordan Walker and Ollie spoke with the media about the injury after the game. I'll tell you what they had to say next about it on Locked on Cardinals.

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Things are out of control from time to time. But it was fun. It was fun to watch. The men's games will be back underway later this week. Thursday is when they'll start up again with all four number one seeds and all four number two seats still in it. Hasn't been a lot of upsets. Like major, major upsets. Lowest seeds still around number 11 NC State, which I may not have said it on this podcast, but I predicted it in my brackets that I had them going to the suite 16. They were coming in hot.

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or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app. It's part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. your team every day. Thank you guys for making Locked on Cardinals your first listen every day. You can leave comments on YouTube as well as on Twitter X anytime you want. Feedback always welcome and encouraged. We've gotten a lot of it today because of the Dylan Carlson injury, which is just so unfortunate. I'm just so like the word

dejected that John Denton used in his article today on MLB.com That's how I feel right now. I'm very dejected. Like that was one of the really good stories for the Cardinals this spring. And now it's gone. We don't know how long Carlson's going to be out. We'll wait on word. That should be coming to us on Tuesday.

But after today's game, which the Cardinals won, by the way, six to three. It feels like they lost because of what happened. It's unfortunate that we aren't focused on the win, which was something we'll talk about a little bit later. We'll break down what happened in the game. But the Dylan Carlson injury news,

top headline because of how. how devastating it could be to what the Cardle's lineup is going to look like on Thursday in LA and moving forward. And as far as the play itself goes, most of us know that when it comes to fly balls in the outfield, the center fielder is in charge. He's a traffic cop. He goes and gets everything that he can get his glove on. That's his job. And if he calls you off, than the outfielder, whether it's a left fielder or right fielder, is expected to get the hell out of the way and concede the route to the center fielder. Like you break off, you get out of the way.

All right? Like Iceman in Top Gun when Mab is sitting there going, ICE get the hell out of the way. I got a shot right now and he finally peels off. You peel off and you get out of the way. This is outfield defense 101 stuff. but I'm not putting the blame on Jordan Walker. Don't get me wrong.

Things happen out there in the outfield. Sometimes you can't hear the other player calling you off. Sometimes nobody takes charge and calls anybody off. And then that can lead to, you know, balls falling into the outfield and into the gaps because of miscommunication. Or you get what you got today. You get these disastrous collisions and somebody gets hurt. Jordan Walker and Ali Marmel both spoke with the media.

Got a few quotes from them. here. We'll start with Walker, who according to Denton, was apologetic and seemingly on the verge of being emotional when talking with the media afterwards, and he shouldered the bulk of the blame for the collision. Here's the quote from Jordan Walker. Either he called me off and I didn't hear it or we didn't call each other off at all. Obviously, what we've been taught is with the center fielder. Once he calls you off, you stop. And until then, you're giving 100% effort. That's exactly what I was doing. I was giving 100% effort for it. If he called me off, I'm sorry if I didn't hear him because the stadium is really loud. I gave 100% effort trying to catch that ball and I feel really bad for running into him. I think I saw Carlson too late as well. When I'm diving for that ball, I'm trying to get into his sights there. I think it was just a miscommunication on both of our parts there. It's just really frustrating because Carlson had been swinging the bat so well.

Then he's already done it defensively. It's just really frustrating on my part. And I just hate that it went down the way that it did today. Again, I'm not blaming Jordan Walker for this. For those of you who are in the comments and in the chat room, just blasting Walker right now for this, give me a break, man. The kid was trying to catch the ball.

Stuff like this happens. Happens all the time in baseball. And it's unfortunate that this time someone got hurt because of it. I'm not mad at either one of them. I'm frustrated by the fact that the Cardinals can't stay healthy, that things just keep happening to them in general. I'm not putting blame on anybody for this. I want them out there.

I mean, if they're going to be out there on my team, I want them out there running balls to the wall, giving maximum effort. That's what I want at all times. Those are the types of players you want on your roster. You don't want someone who's half-assing things and loafing for the ball in the outfield. People can get hurt that way too.

But that's not what you want. You want guys who hustle and who give a crap, even in spring training. that are trying as hard as they can. And it sucks that it happened in the spring training game. But you can't rip Walker to shreds for trying to make a play, for trying to do his job. It's instinct to dive and try to make that catch.

The guy just made an outstanding catch. What was it Sunday? Diving for a ball in right field went like full on Superman for it. Caught it. It was beautiful. This time, unfortunately, it didn't work out. Somebody got hurt. Now, here's what Ali had to say about things after the game.

Quote, when you get toward the end of spring, you're just trying to make it out healthy. And in those last couple of games, you hope nothing like this happens. Carlson has had a tremendous spring. So hopefully he comes out of this okay. But I'll tell you, he feels banged up with the combination of that left shoulder hitting the ground in his hip and his ankle. I don't have a whole lot of information just yet other than he doesn't feel real good. So what does this mean?

for the start of the regular season. That's the big question, right? If Dylan comes out of this without anything serious, he's just banged up, a little bit of bruising, going to be sore for a few days, but doesn't need an IL stent, then great. We move on, business as usual. Perhaps he starts on Thursday.

If not, if he's too banged up to do that, I would assume it would be Michael Siani, getting them out in the center field. Let's say Michael Siani, who made an awesome diving, catch in center field in this same game today against the Cubs. It's beautiful. He's played really good defense, you know, that's his game. Siani's game, which I like, you know, I like speed, I like defense. That's one of my favorite parts about the game of baseball.

The offense has been where he has struggled at the major league level, although this spring, I think he's done better than most people anticipated after today's game, hitting 262, got an OBP of 3992, thanks to those eight walks as well. So getting on base. That's great. But if Carlson has to miss time, if it ends up that he goes on the IL to start the season with whatever the injury may be, could this be the Vince Coleman,

Albert Pooholz-like window of opportunity for Victor Scott the second? You know, that was the big debate. You know, Victor Scott, he's been so exciting. Can he stay? Can we keep him? And we talked yesterday about all the great things that he's done this spring. Didn't make the Cardle's decision to send him back to the minor league camp easy. That's for sure. But their plan, what they would prefer to do is have him go down to Memphis

and play every day, get some reps in against AAA pitching and grow from there. And if something opens up later on in the season, then great. He's ready to roll. They were not anticipating something like this would happen. So when you're down, not one, not. two but three centerfielders, why not give them a chance, right? Why not? Why not give them a chance? You'd still have Brendan Donovan, Alec Berluson, Jordan Walker, and Michael Ciani, along with Victor Scott the second, who provides you a lot of the same stuff that Ciani does anyway. Great glove, lots of speed, bigger stolen base threat, a little more exciting offensively. could possibly be even a better defender than Michael Siani is.

We really don't know. We know he was really good in the minors. We've seen him this spring. He was really good out there in center field. Siani's been great out there as well. And, you know, I'm thinking positive here. Maybe he surprises some people at the play based on what he's done this spring. It's not like, you know, Victor was coming into games in the seventh inning facing

AA and AAA pitching. Like he was leading off games and he was going up against real. major league pitchers and was holding his own, was doing fine. Best case scenario, it's nothing serious with DC. Victor can still get the experience. They want him to at AAA. But, but if not, I don't know how the Cardinals can deny using his talents at the major league level while in this particular pinch, at least until Newtbar gets back, right? He was swinging still. So, could I see the Cardinals bringing somebody else up? Like, who's somebody else on the 40 man?

Is Coperniac on the 40 man? I didn't check today of what the 40 man was looking like. But could I see the Cardals doing something else instead of Victor? Yes, I could. Because we know what they want to do with Victor Scott. And I don't even, I don't know if this even alters things all that much. I don't know if it will. They might just bring up another person.

and to ride the pine. But man, it sure would be nice. It sure would be nice to see Victor come up and show off all those skills that we saw this spring at the Major League level. It'd be really tough not to do it. If I was in John Moseilocks shoes right now, it'd be really tough if Dylan is going to be out for a little bit.

We don't know yet. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but just preparing for the worst. The Cardals did beat the Cubs today. As I mentioned, we're going to talk about that game. Stephen Matt. got the start. And we also got a villain Willie siding, which was nice. We'll get into it next on Lockdown Cardinals. Fire TV is your destination for sports from live games to highlights to in-depth

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covered on all the show hay stuff. Strange story, right? Plus, our national shows covering every league. Find Locked on Sports Today, now available on the Free Fire TV channels app. The Carlson injury as big of a bummer as it was and is didn't stop the Cardinals from competing today against the arch rival Chicago Cubs. They didn't all just pack it in and say, all, Carlson, sir, let's all go home. No, they played ball today.

Stephen Matt's got the final start of the spring. And I'll say things were inconsistent. consistent is a good word for what I saw from Stephen Mats today. I think that's a good word to describe it. Had some troubles with outfielder Seya Suzuki. That was obviously a problem today. He took him yard not once, but twice. You also walked them.

Both the home runs were solo shots, which if you're going to give one up, the solo shot is the one you want to give up, right? But the one in the first inning was on a pitch that right over the heart of the plate. It was a bad pitch. And then again, in the bottom of the fifth inning, but that ball was up and end. The first one, Matt's clearly missed his spot. Just a bad pitch right over the heart of the plate.

Not good. Second one, I think Suzuki just beat him, just beat him to the spot. Like, it was up and in, and he just turned on it. And it happens. The other run off of Matt's came in that second inning when Horner tripled on the play that Carlson got injured, and then came home on a sack fly by Michael Bush,

spelled like Bush Beer, by the way, B-U-S-C-H. outside of that. Matt's wasn't awful. He wasn't awful. Four and a third innings, three runs, six hits, two walks, three strikeouts. The youngster, the baby of the original starting staff ends his spring with a lofty 8.16 ERA. But after Matt's the bullpen doing what they've done most of the spring, and that is shut things down. fulping combination of Ryan Fernandez, Matthew Libertor, Riley O'Brien, and Matt Sonson allowed just one hit, no runs, didn't walk a single batter over the final four and two-thirds innings. They were awesome. I think this outing all but solidifies Ryan Fernandez's spot on the team.

Rule five pick, you know, the drill there, got him from the Boston Red Sox. And if they weren't going to keep them, they have to offer him back to, like, I think I heard that it was like every team gets a shot. got at him, but they also have to offer him back to the Red Sox or they got to work out of trade or whatever. I don't think they have to worry about it. Ryan Fernandez, I think, is on this squad. He's earned it, in my opinion. Offensively, the Cardinals, they didn't do much early on against Chicago, started Jordan Wicks. You know, four innings, one run three hit, struck out four.

He walked two. The one run, though, he did give up, came courtesy of our buddy Mason, Wend, who picked up his first RBI up the spring. Outta, boy, Mason. Got that in the second inning. He drove in Dylan Carlson, who had let off the inning with a walk. It's been a tough go for Mason, but he was two for three in today's game, lifted his spring average to 233, which is much more respectable than floating over there

right about that Mendoza line. After the Cubs took a three to one lead following the second Suzuki home run, the Cardinals tied things up in the sixth inning when former Cub Wilson Contreras felt at a two-one pitch over the wall in right center for his first dinger of the spring. You know, he's got that sweet swing that just has the power to drive it over the wall in the opposite field. You see it a lot out of them. And Villan Willie, rising up against his former team, it just makes me feel all warm and tingly in all the right spots. Mentioned Wend with the two hits today.

Following a lead off single by Walker, Wynn got a double, making it second and third at nobody out in the seventh inning against not some scrub. One of the Cubs' biggest offseason acquisitions in Hector Narris. was a big deal. And Brendan Donovan doing things that Bryn and Donovan does. He may not be a superstar, but he's a good ball player. He grounds the ball out to second base, pulls it over to the right side of the infield, which allows the run to go in. That was the go-ahead run. Cardinals never trailed after that. That was followed by an RBI by an RBI devil by Pedro Pahe's to make it five three. And then he scored on a single by R.J. Yeager, who I was really hoping I would see him hit a home run this spring so I can call out Yeagerbaum, but we'll take the RBI single.

I know. Is that too obnoxious calling it a Yeager bomb? I think it's fun. I think it's fun. Don't at me. And that's how it ended. Six to three was the final today. The Cardinals moved to 12 and 12 on the spring.

We got one more to go tomorrow against the Cups. Kyle Gibson will get the start against Shota, Imanaga. First pitch will be in 205, St. Louis time. Thank you guys for making a lockdown. Cardinals first listen every day if you haven't already. Do me a solid. Give me a follow on Twitter X at L.O. underscore Cardinals at a JD Sports Radio. We did get to 2,000 followers on Twitter X. So thank you very much.

Appreciate that. Hope we don't lose any and fall back under the 2000 mark. And then as far as on YouTube, like and subscribe there, help our channel and love for the Cardinals grow. We're at a little over 9,300 subscribers there. We're trying to get to that 10,000 mark. that's a big goal of ours. So like, subscribe. And when you do that, our information gets pushed out a little further for even more Cardinals fans to find us,

which is the ultimate goal to find as many Cardinals fans as we can to all either grieve together or celebrate together, however things end up. But either way, they're the best fans in baseball for a reason. Hopefully we get good news about Dylan Carlson tomorrow. So I don't know. We'll find out. We'll have an episode tomorrow ready for you. And obviously, Twitter X, keep it posted there so that we can get you the latest information as soon as we hear something.

Oh, I hope he's okay. We'll see you next time on lockdown cardinals. Have yourself a good one.