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3 thoughts after Cardinals get swept by the Angels
With the worst record in the NL, no one saw this awful start coming for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals have kicked off the 2023 season with their worst start in over 50 years. The Cardinals have lost two consecutive series, getting swept by the Dodgers and the Angels. The Cardinals lost to the Angels on Tuesday 5-1, Wednesday 6-4 and Thursday 11-7.
All three were gut-punching losses. The Cardinals make an effort and then get walloped to defeat. Fans could be heard booing their beloved Cardinals. And while it feels wrong for fans to boo their team, especially the Cardinals, it's nearing understandable.
Wednesday's defeat included Giovanny Gallegos giving up home runs to Jake Lamb and Mike Trout. These homers were followed up with a single from Anthony Rendon to score Shohei Ohtani.
Marmol missing the point of fan frustrations
After the game, reporters questioned manager Oli Marmol's decision-making and the fans' vocal response to the loss. Marmol's reaction didn't seem to come from a place of understanding.
“You think they (the fans) are more frustrated than us?” Marmol said. “No, I can tell you right now they’re not. That clubhouse is extremely frustrated.”
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) May 4, 2023
— Oliver Marmol to @Ben_Fred’s quest about the booing at Busch. #stlcards https://t.co/iBCLKH2AAD
Yes, the players are frustrated. Absolutely. But Marmol doesn't seem to get why they are frustrated. Many St. Louis Cardinals fans have been fans for their entire lives. Their fandom has been passed down through generations. The fans have grown used to winning. Fans from other teams would tell you Cardinal fans are spoiled by their winning ways.
After the team lost in the NL Wild Card series in a similarly terrible luck fashion this off-season, the fans were told by management that they would raise payroll this off-season to improve. The Cardinals did get their coveted new catcher in Willson Contreras. They did not, however, make the desperately needed changes to the pitching staff, instead depending on the status quo and hopes of improvement.
These pitching concerns have been status quo for several season now. And it's getting old.
Fans from the Midwest and South will use their hard-earned money to travel to St. Louis, stay in hotels, and get tickets hoping to see their beloved Cardinals win. Considering our culture and combining that with the economy and real life, it has to be frustrating for fans hoping to come to a baseball game to escape and have a good time.
I'd hold off on the booing, but I get why a fan would do it.
Jack Flaherty vocally frustrated
Flaherty had a terrible start on Wednesday. He pitched 2.1 innings, and he gave up nine hits, a walk, and ten runs, including a home run to Rengifo. He did strike out three.
Flaherty was removed from the game after a comeback hit his hand. He was completely frustrated after the game and let those frustrations be known in talking with the media.
#STLCards RHP Jack Flaherty on the come-backer off his left forearm:
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) May 4, 2023
“My hand’s fine. I didn’t get taken out because of my hand. I got taken out because I sucked.”
That's an understatement. This was not Flaherty's most remarkable performance. He has struggled all season, even in his two wins. He's attributed it to just throwing and not pitching. Wednesday, he called out the entire pitching staff, noting they were all throwing.
RHP Jack Flaherty on the #STLCards after their sixth consecutive loss & his worst start:
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) May 5, 2023
“Of course, everybody’s [expletive] frustrated. It is what it is, but we’re way better than this. We know we’re better than this & we’re going to climb out of this.”https://t.co/9QiWOfdB6o
I appreciate Flaherty's honesty about the situation. It's unbelievable how the pitching staff has been unable to perform well. It makes matters worse that the entire team has these moments and that it trickles down to the relief staff, which compounds the issue.
The issue arose when legendary catcher Yadier Molina was behind the plate. It almost seems like an outside source needs to come in and shake things up. Pitching to contact maybe shouldn't be the strict philosophy. A pitching staff that throws strikes in several innings would be great. Unfortunately, it won't happen with current management, but it's an idea.
Can the Cardinals break out of this disasterous start?
As this 10-22 start shows, anything is possible. The Cardinals can turn things around.
Lars Nootbaar was 4-for-5 on Wednesday. Willson Contreras knocked a double to right field in the first inning, scoring Nolan Gorman and Nolan Arenado. Down 11-1 in the fourth inning, Tommy Edman hit a home run to right field, scoring Contreras and Dylan Carlson. And in the sixth inning, Paul Goldschmidt hit a double to right field, scoring Edman and Nootbaar.
It's a plus that they don't give up. It will be incredible when the whole line-up can accomplish what we've all expected. It's good that Goldschmidt, Contreras, Edman, and Carlson have come out of their slumps. Getting Arenado to start hitting again, along with Tyler O'Neill, will be amazing.
Adam Wainwright is returning to the team this weekend. While it will be nice to see him debut in his final season, he's seen struggles in his comeback from a groin strain. It will take more than Wainwright's presence to turn the ship for the Cardinals' pitching staff, though.
The main concern for multiple seasons has been to get a couple of top-tier starting pitchers and some relief help. While they have gotten some help at the trade deadlines, the hope going into the offseason has been to get that help. To increase that payroll. To take a chance.
It's not happened. And one can gather it won't happen under current management. It would be shocking to see it, anyway.
It makes a fan curious to see what John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, expects fans to be patient for exactly. It's hard to be patient with a team with such high expectations to start the season, only to see them have such a lousy start.
The Cardinals could get back on track this weekend as the Tigers come to town. Jordan Montgomery starts Friday with Wainwright making his comeback on Saturday.
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