St. Louis Cardinals: Never question Harrison Bader, Mr. Olbermann

Recently the Twitterverse got a little more exciting. Keith Olbermann called out St. Louis Cardinals young outfielder Harrison Bader, starting a short string of conversation.

Apparently, Mr. Olbermann is not a big fan of Harrison Bader or what he brings to the table for the St. Louis Cardinals. Some might call Olbermann delusional, which seems fitting in this case. Of all the young guys on the roster, he picked the one who is arguably playing the best.

This is what is great about Twitter though. Wild accusations are made, almost at random. Then people who disagree (Cardinal fans in this case), go crazy, and those who agree (Cubs fans, probably) can rush the the rescue of the original opinion poster.

So, here is the tweet that started it all:

More on that later, I think it is important to dive right into Bader’s rebuttal.

Dare I call that majestic, which is not what Olbermann did with his follow up response.

Okay, let’s break down the last tweet. He uses both the words “bro” and “sonny”…pick a generation dude. But to his credit, Bader is a bro, but in the best way. Also, it is good to know that his sleep habits are regular. Diving into the important part though, it is clear that Olbermann has never seen a player he likes, or even he himself, make a mistake in a crucial situation on or off the field. One strike and Bader is out. You know, like baseball rules say.

Bader’s Numbers

Back to Olbermann’s original tweet. According to Fangraphs, Bader is worth just over 10 runs saved on defense and a wRC+ of 106. Above average, but not superior, so he got that right.

Oh, and before 2018 Bader played 32 games in MLB, so you are apparently supposed to be at you peak extremely quick after entering.

Let’s keep digging just a little further. Bader has a WAR of 3.6 in over 400 plate appearances. He also has a UZR of 11.4 across all outfield spots . I’m not ready to put him in the Hall of Fame or anything, but to make an accusation that he isn’t a major leaguer is a little far fetched.

Dear Mr. Olbermann

While I am sure the St. Louis Cardinals appreciate your input about one of their best performing rookies on a youth driven team, the wild accusation seems a little off. Though Bader did quote your tweet, there was no direct attacking of you in it, merely the idea of using it as motivation. So, by attacking him for that, it really reveals your level of class.

I would like to add that I do not doubt your experience, or even your baseball knowledge, I just think you got this one wrong. Even the best hitters get out seven out of ten times, right? Nobody is perfect.

The St. Louis Cardinals have a good outfielder in Harrison Bader, and he proved that this season. Beyond his ability, he has shown a love of competing that will carry him well beyond whatever tools he might have shown.