Post by Commissioner Erick on Jun 1, 2024 8:29:18 GMT -5
St. Louis Cardinals (100-43) @ New York Mets (87-57)
STL: ?? (?-?, ?.??)
NYM: Eric Pena (14-2, 2.42)
The St. Louis Cardinals vs New York Mets could be an NLCS matchup this year between the two best pitching teams in the National League. However, St. Louis will have home field advantage in that matchup because, while they supplement that pitching with the league’s best offense, New York is only 11th in runs scored.
The Cardinals have three hitters who already have 38 home runs—veteran star Joe Mills, second year pro Andy Stewart, and prime import Gary Ford. All three are infielders, with Mills and Ford giving St. Louis production from Second and Third Base, a real plus.
Behind that power and pitching, St. Louis has lost one series the second half of the year, and it took extra innings in the finale for Milwaukee to accomplish the feat. St. Louis has also swept the Mets this year, taking four in May, allowing just seven runs to New York in the series.
New York is 11th in runs scored, and plays in the worst division in baseball. Their park plays a part, for sure, and the Mets are fifth in road OPS. Still, the team has not been able to put runs on the board.
Eight hitters have a wRC+ of 99 or better. Of them, three have missed significant time due to injury in Christian Arroyo, Mackenzie Nicoll, and Jim Sattler. One is a backup, Mike Bishop, hitting over his head. Two are sluggers having down years down the positional spectrum who need to produce more as David Fleet has a .738 OPS and Danny Marchwinski has a .297 OBP. Dansby Swanson is still hitting okay, but can’t play the field, and doesn’t hit enough to justify a First Base or DH spot. It leaves Andy Fleck as the only consistently strong, healthy two-way hitter in the Mets lineup.
Nicoll and Arroyo are finally healthy, but should be rusty with no more Triple-A games left for rehabbing. New York will need them to produce in the playoffs if the Mets don’t want to have an early exit again.
Questions for the GMs:
For Tim Lentz, Jose Aguila’s in the lineup with Joe Mills on the IL. How comfortable would you be in Aguila if he had to play in the postseason?
Young Bradley Seibert is getting a look for you with an aggressive assignment as he never started a game in Triple-A. How fortunate are you that you’ve built such a nice divisional cushion that you can evaluate these players in September?
You have a pretty fatigued staff right now. How big would it be for Trixie Year to give you at least 4 innings today?
For Ryan Morneau, Christian Arroyo and Mackenzie Nicoll are due off the IL today. Will they be activated and in the lineup?
Would you say your moves to upgrade the offense the last 18 months were successful, or is that still to be determined in the playoffs?
Cesar D. Izturis has a sore shoulder. Will he be in the lineup today?
TRIVIA: The NL record for most strikeouts in a game is 19. It has been done four times, thrice by Eric Pena. Who has the fourth outing?
STL: ?? (?-?, ?.??)
NYM: Eric Pena (14-2, 2.42)
The St. Louis Cardinals vs New York Mets could be an NLCS matchup this year between the two best pitching teams in the National League. However, St. Louis will have home field advantage in that matchup because, while they supplement that pitching with the league’s best offense, New York is only 11th in runs scored.
The Cardinals have three hitters who already have 38 home runs—veteran star Joe Mills, second year pro Andy Stewart, and prime import Gary Ford. All three are infielders, with Mills and Ford giving St. Louis production from Second and Third Base, a real plus.
Behind that power and pitching, St. Louis has lost one series the second half of the year, and it took extra innings in the finale for Milwaukee to accomplish the feat. St. Louis has also swept the Mets this year, taking four in May, allowing just seven runs to New York in the series.
New York is 11th in runs scored, and plays in the worst division in baseball. Their park plays a part, for sure, and the Mets are fifth in road OPS. Still, the team has not been able to put runs on the board.
Eight hitters have a wRC+ of 99 or better. Of them, three have missed significant time due to injury in Christian Arroyo, Mackenzie Nicoll, and Jim Sattler. One is a backup, Mike Bishop, hitting over his head. Two are sluggers having down years down the positional spectrum who need to produce more as David Fleet has a .738 OPS and Danny Marchwinski has a .297 OBP. Dansby Swanson is still hitting okay, but can’t play the field, and doesn’t hit enough to justify a First Base or DH spot. It leaves Andy Fleck as the only consistently strong, healthy two-way hitter in the Mets lineup.
Nicoll and Arroyo are finally healthy, but should be rusty with no more Triple-A games left for rehabbing. New York will need them to produce in the playoffs if the Mets don’t want to have an early exit again.
Questions for the GMs:
For Tim Lentz, Jose Aguila’s in the lineup with Joe Mills on the IL. How comfortable would you be in Aguila if he had to play in the postseason?
Young Bradley Seibert is getting a look for you with an aggressive assignment as he never started a game in Triple-A. How fortunate are you that you’ve built such a nice divisional cushion that you can evaluate these players in September?
You have a pretty fatigued staff right now. How big would it be for Trixie Year to give you at least 4 innings today?
For Ryan Morneau, Christian Arroyo and Mackenzie Nicoll are due off the IL today. Will they be activated and in the lineup?
Would you say your moves to upgrade the offense the last 18 months were successful, or is that still to be determined in the playoffs?
Cesar D. Izturis has a sore shoulder. Will he be in the lineup today?
TRIVIA: The NL record for most strikeouts in a game is 19. It has been done four times, thrice by Eric Pena. Who has the fourth outing?
