St. Louis Cardinals: Tommy Pham makes a statement

Tommy Pham made a statement in the St. Louis Cardinals first game following the All-Star Break in the form of a long homerun.

The Statcast numbers for Tommy Pham’s bomb are exceedingly impressive. He put the St. Louis Cardinals up by two early on. Even if the result did not end up in the Redbirds favor, it does not make the homer any less impressive.

By the numbers, and by the eye test, Pham crushed the pitch from Kyle Hendricks. The baseball traveled 433 feet, and that is just the start. Its velocity was 107.5 MPH, and it cleared Wrigley Field.

That long homer was one of three hits in four at bats. The disclaimer, of course, being that it is only one game. There were plenty of struggles prior to the All-Star Break, but Pham did seek help with his time off.

Is Pham Back?

Remember, this is the same guy who posted a 166 wRC+ during the first month of the season. Following that, he fell off in a big way. Now, I am inclined to blame John Mabry. But that is not a fair assessment to make.

If we start to see the Pham of old, then maybe the former St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach is to blame. However, for now, it stands to reason that we cannot assume he is back at all. One game is not enough to consider it a resurgence. That second inning at bat is a statement, for sure.

A Look At The Lineup

This game was not the first time in 2018 that Pham hit in the eight spot. In fact through six whole at bats he is hitting .333 prior to the Cubs game. That is not a suggestion that he remain in the eight hole, just an observation.

Being in the eight spot is a testament to how poorly Pham has been hitting. During his last two full months of play his batting average was under .200. So getting three hits, including a statement homer, is nothing to scoff at.

Next: Cardinals Push The Reset Button

Pham finding his way back to being productive, that is one of the best things for the St. Louis Cardinals. One game is not enough to assume anything, but it is enough to see he is trying. He made that statement in one at bat.