Follow us on Twitter!
Diamond Diaries - @DiamondDiaries
Angela - @Cardschic
Erika - @Erika4stlcards
Diamond Diaries
Cardinal baseball, from the girls
Tag Archives: Joe Mather
Catching Up With Bombs, Pags and the Walrus
Posted by on August 15, 2011
Mather and Wallace meet up at 1st base
Okay, first things first: I know Brett Wallace doesn’t like that nickname, so I am not going to repeat it (again)….but it made for a catchy title this morning while I was adequately caffeinated.
My local AAA ballpark was hopping this weekend, full of former Cardinals. The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were in town for a series against the OKC Redhawks and one glimpse at the Sky Sox roster had me grabbing the kids for the Friday night festivities.
My kids love Joe Mather — I admit, they probably caught that bug from me – and Joe is now with the Colorado Rockies organization playing with the AAA Sky Sox. As usual, Joe was not an eager autograph hander-outer, and he burst from the dugout pregame without so much as a look towards the stands to his right where a small minion of mostly older men were waiting with baseball card catalogues.
Joe and the kiddos
The kiddos are accustomed to this as getting Joe to venture towards the stands has challenged them before, but they’re persistent – and having me prodding them on with confidence that Joe would LOVE to sign for them seems to boost their persistence.
This time we had a special memento for Joe to sign – a photo that he took with us the last time he was in town (as a Memphis Redbird, still part of the Cardinals family.) With a little help from Mom, my kids did finally coax Joe over and as hoped, we got a smile out of him when he saw their 8×10. I snapped another quick photo of the three off them before Joe had to get his game face back on, and we had ourselves another Mather story to add to their baseball memories.
We alone cheered on the Sky Sox that evening, three lonely voices in the crowd, but the kids were having a blast with it. The Sox lost. And no, they don’t wear high socks. (I know, I know… someone needs to nudge the Sky Sox and tell them that high socks should be mandatory with a name like Colorado Springs SKY SOX.)
Sunday offered another chance to head back to OKC’s Bricktown Ballpark and test out some new camera equipment on one of my favorite subjects: ballplayers. Former Cardinals? Even better!
Pagnozzi catching
If you haven’t been keeping up with the Colorado Sky Sox roster (and why would you?) you’ll be surprised to know that Joe is playing among friends. Matt Pagnozzi is catching and Clayton Mortensen is a pitcher. As an added bonus, former Redbird Brett Wallace (now with the Houston Astros) was manning 1st base for the OKC Redhawks after being sent down to AAA earlier in the month.
Ah, the Astros… but that’s a different subject. 
(My local OKC Redhawks, former Texas Rangers AAA ballclub, became the AAA affiliate of the Astros this season.)
This weekend’s fun gave me a good reason to dig up a little information on these former Redbirds and share some photos of the boys.
So, here ya go!
Joe Mather
First, of course, we start with Joe Mather (“Joey Bombs”):
Joe Mather (buddy of Brendan Ryan, remember?) played with St. Louis in 2008 and 2010. His 2009 season was hampered by recovery from surgery for a broken bone in his left hand, injured September 2008.
Joe played with AAA Memphis from 2007 through 2010.
In November of 2010, Joe was selected off waivers by the Atlanta Braves and played in 55 games with the club before being granted Free Agency June 23rd.
On July 7th, Joe signed as a Free Agent with the Colorado Rockies. Since joining the Rockies, Joe has batted .346 with 5 home runs and .928 OPS in 36 games.
Matt didn't like the called 3rd strike over the weekend
Matt Pagnozzi (“Pags”)
Matt was drafted by the Cardinals in 2003 and made his first appearance with AAA, catching for Memphis in 2007. In 2010 Matt hit .242 in AAA and during his service with the big club in 2010 (15 games) he batted .359 with his first Major League homerun.
Matt became a Free Agent in November 2010 and signed with the Colorado Rockies.
This season Matt is batting .262 with 3 homeruns while catching for the Sky Sox (44 games).
Wallace holds Mather on 1st
Brett Wallace (if he has a new nickname, I’d love to know what it is. For now, I’ll just say he is NOT the “Walrus”.)
Brett was drafted in 2008 by the Cardinals and was playing in AAA Memphis in 2009. On July 24th, 2009 Wallace was part of the trade with the Oakland Athletics that brought us one of my personal favorites, Matt Holliday.
In December 2009, Brett was traded again, to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Then, in July 2010, Wallace was traded to Houston where he made his Major League debut July 31, 2010. In 2011, he played 101 games with the Astros before his recent move back to AAA (OKC Redhawks). His 2011 MLB batting average is .268 with 4 homeruns.
It was a great weekend of baseball. And great to see Joe.
Oh No, Joe!
Posted by on November 3, 2010
Joe Mather was claimed off waivers today.
Joey Bombs is going to Atlanta.
The sad news hit my Twitter feed around 1:30 pm.
Joey Bombs is going to Atlanta.
The sad news hit my Twitter feed around 1:30 pm.
First reaction: Claimed off waivers???? Who put Joe on waivers?? Why didn’t we know this? Oh yeah….
Ok, who ELSE is on waivers?????
*panic*
*deep breath*
*Call Hubby to break the news and get some sympathy*
*Check Twitter to make sure nothing else horrible happened*
(irrational fear setting in)
Then, after a little time to think it through and read reactions from those less emotionally attached…
Sure Joe Mather was probably never going to get the playing time in St. Louis. And yes, while we loved him in AAA Memphis, it is probably better for him to get a shot with the Braves. Maybe he will get a better chance over there. Maybe they will love him and appreciate him. Joe deserves that.
But it still sucks. THIS is the one thing I hate about baseball! No loyalty – players move around and the team changes. I get attached to the players. I don’t want to see them go. And being claimed off waivers?? Well, that just shows we gave up. Not even traded. Blech.
The way this offseason is starting off…. well, I don’t like it. I am putting the Cardinals on notice now. Do something to make me *happy* for a change – because this giving away of ‘my boys’ is not going to cut it.
Yes, I will feel better tomorrow. And yes, this is “for the best.” But right now I don’t have to like it.
Good luck Joey Bombs!
*Adds another stepteam to the list*
UCB Roundtable – Day 4
Posted by on October 11, 2010
Welcome to Monday’s Girl Talk… except, this week, we let the boys join in! Before you gasp in shock, let me explain. Each year the United Cardinal Bloggers does a roundtable discussion in October, with the bloggers taking turns asking a question. Today is ladies’s day, so read through our question and the boys of the UCB answers, then head over to the UCB website and check out the full calendar of questions and sites. Enjoy!
Our question won’t surprise most of you, given our love of the Baby Birds. We wanted to know which of our beloved Baby Birds that were wandering the grass of Busch Stadium throughout the year should be looked at as permanent members of the squad next year, either as regulars or bench guys. We also asked which players should get the longest looks in the spring and which of the boys the team should (*gasp*) cut ties with, whether through trades or releasing them. I included the names Daniel Descalso, Allen Craig, Mark Hamilton, Fernando Salas, Joe Mather, Tyler Greene, Matt Pagnozzi and Bryan Anderson, but the responses threw out a couple other names as well. I’ll toss it over to the boys, then chime in with my thoughts at the end…
Daniel (C70 At The Bat)
I think Salas has established himself as a strong bullpen presence and should be a front-runner for a bullpen slot next year. Craig looks like he’s good for at least a platoon slot in the outfield and Descalso should be a capable bench guy, though I’m not completely sold on him taking over second for Schumaker.
As for the catchers, I think they should keep Bryan Anderson; it’s obvious they are going to keep Matt Pagnozzi. Anderson needs to be traded, because he’s not going to get the shot he needs in St. Louis.
The rest, I don’t mind having them in the system, don’t mind them getting spot time in the bigs, but if the club can get something for them, so be it.
Dennis (Pitchers Hit Eighth)
The one player who I think should be penciled in as a regular next year is Salas. I believe that his 30 innings pitched represent just large enough a sampling to pass judgment on him, and his 3.52 ERA is lower than both Boggs and Miller. I’d like to see Craig make the team as well, but I have reservations about his ability to be effective as a platoon player or pinch hitter. He seems like he’s best suited for an everyday slot that affords him 500+ plate appearances a year. Unless a slot opens due to trade/injury, I just don’t see that opportunity there for him right now.The situation at catcher deserves some real consideration. At 23, Anderson should probably be the catcher of the future. If Pagnozzi is the backup coming out of spring training, and the Cardinals force Yadi to sit more games, the trade value for Pagnozzi could rise. Pagnozzi could be traded by the deadline, and Anderson could be bumped up. If needed, Descalso may be a viable option at 2B, but I haven’t seen enough of him to feel comfortable writing his name in the lineup there. As for Green (27), Hamilton (26), and Mather (28), they are starting to feel like “players to be named later”.
Pip (Fungoes)
One player who showed some promise in limited action was Daniel Descalso. He demonstrated excellent plate discipline and offers versatility at two positions where the team has the most doubts, second base and third base. Assuming he’s not traded this winter, Bryan Anderson should get some exposure not for a spot on the 25-man roster but in order to showcase his talent for a trade.
Which players should the team consider cutting ties with, whether through trades or releasing them?Anderson, certainly, because he is blocked as both a starting catcher and a backup. Craig and Mather offer largely the same skill set, so the team needs only one. And depending on what happens with Albert Pujols, Mark Hamilton will either be superfluous or a good-buy (and goodbye) replacement.
Joseph (The McBrayer-Baseball Blog)
Joey Bombs Mather, may not get anything in return.
Dustin (Welcome To Baseball Heaven)
As far as guys who could become permanent members of the squad next year I’m leaning towards Salas, Pagnozzi and Allen Craig. Fernando established himself as a viable option out of the pen as a middle reliever this past season. I could be wrong but I’m assuming with a solid spring that Matt Pagnozzi will be Yadi’s backup next year. I’m thinking Allen Craig will get the nod over Joe Mather as an outfield bench option. I’d also like to see Descalso get a long look next spring as a utility guy in the infield.That leaves names such as Mather and Greene on the outside looking in. I do bounce back and forth a lot on what to do with Craig and Mather, but the organization needs to make a choice and possibly move one. As far as Tyler Greene I just don’t know. He seems to have a never ending case of the yips every time he makes an appearance in St. Louis.
Mark (RetroSimba)
Salas should help the bullpen in 2011. He could be an upgrade over Hawksworth. Craig is a better hitter and run producer than he showed in the majors this year. He should have a role as a bench player with St. Louis in 2011. Descalso should compete for a utilityman role.
I agree that Anderson should be given a long look in the spring, and Cards should make a decision to keep him or trade him.
I agree that Mather and Hamilton have no futures with this club, and should be traded.
Tom (Cardinals GM)
Salas is in. He looked sharp and deserves a bullpen shot. Craig I would keep as an extra outfielder,. He show the prowess to get some hits and a spot starter.
After that, I am not handing out spots just yet. I believe the backup to Molina will be/and needs to be a veteran (can you insert walkaway Dioner Navarro here?) Pagnozzi needs more daily reps in Memphis. Anderson needs to be somewhere else, in a package trade and Delscaso just needs to show us in Spring Training he is ready. The rest can play AAAA ball
Cole (Redbird Report)
I’d say Fernando Salas. He was solid just about every time he stepped out there this year. Also, you can’t ignore his 19 saves and 0.98 WHIP that he posted in AAA this season. He clearly has good stuff, and it wasn’t just at the minor league level.
In 27 games with the Cardinals, Salas posted a 3.52 ERA and struck out 29 in 30.2 innings pitched. With Franklin aging (and struggling) I wouldn’t be surprised to see Salas get looks in the ninth inning next year. He’ll certainly be an eighth inning guy at the very least.
Bill (I-70 Baseball)
I am of the belief that a good portion of the Cardinals Minor League system are nothing more than career minor leaguers.
Craig, Mather, Greene could all be traded or cut loose and I honestly would not notice or care (sorry, Erika).
That being said, as for “long looks” next Spring, I would like to see Descalso, Anderson, and Pagnozzi be given every opportunity to play themselves out of a job. Fernando Salas needs to be a part of this bullpen.
Hamilton is intriguing, but projects as a first baseman. Let’s hope he’s blocked.
Finally, I think there are a few guys that need to get a look in Spring to determine where they belong this year. Guys like Matt Carpenter and Darryl Jones need to be evaluated and determine where there future is and how quickly it is coming.
Goodness. Not much love for some of our favorite Baby Birds, is there? Last I checked Erika hadn’t read any of these responses… I think we should all be crossing our fingers that she hasn’t made it this far into today’s post. If she has, sorry dear, but I’m going to probably agree with all of the above.
I want Pags and Anderson given shots to make it on the roster as Yadi’s back-up, but whichever one doesn’t make it should probably just be traded ASAP, because it’s not worth keeping them both around anymore.
I think Descalso will become next year’s Tyler Greene if he doesn’t make the roster. He’ll be the first one up to be the bench guy. In all honesty I want him to have a strong spring and oust Skippy for second base, but I’m not sure he’ll get that much of a chance.
Salas is here to stay. He put it a lot of miles this year between Memphis and St. Louis, and played well everywhere he went. Keep him around.
Craig needs consistent playing time. If he can get it in St. Louis and finally put up the numbers he’s been putting up in Memphis he’ll stick. If not, sayonara.
The rest? You all know I love Joe Mather, but I don’t see him ever being anything more than a AAAA guy (*sheds a tear*). Tyler Greene has never impressed me at the big league level. Ever. His defense isn’t as good as Brendan, his bat isn’t as good as Skip, and I have to believe that there will be someone standing at third not named Tyler Greene. I like the look of Mark Hamilton, but if he is manning first for the Cardinals in the coming years, that means Albert is not. I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with that idea.
Now, we just included players that were actually on the big league squad at some point this year. There are still plenty of names and faces coming up through the ranks of the Cardinal minor league system… but it might be awhile before the calvary comes riding in. Just sayin’.
Thanks to Daniel and the rest of the UCB team for letting us join in on the fun, and be sure to check in over at the official site to see some of our responses to other questions throughout the month of October! Oh hey, while I’ve got you here, yesterday my newest post went up at I-70 Baseball, checking out the Cardinals from 1900-1905. Give it a look and let me know what you think!
Small Joys
Posted by on September 20, 2010
 |
| This picture is merely saved on my computer as ‘Bueno.’ (AP Photo) |
That’s all we have left for this year, isn’t it? Small joys like Adam Wainwright winning his 19th and keeping his Cy hopes alive, watching the boys play a little small ball and score runs with smart baserunning and sacrifice flies, and just taking in the last few games of the season, knowing that the harsh winter lies ahead and there will be months on end where we wish we could turn on a game, any game, even if it is the Pirates and the Nats playing (okay… maybe that was too extreme).
Now, despite the fact that the Cards are still technically ‘in the hunt,’ and even though I am still rooting for a comeback, please do not mistake me for one of those delusional people who refuses to admit that the Cardinals will probably not make the playoffs this year. I’m still allowed to enjoy every last moment of this season, and enjoy it I will, thank you very much.
*ahem* Okay, I’m better now.
Something I think is interesting is the fact that the Cardinals are actually kind of playing the spoiler to a few other teams around the league right now. It makes perfect sense really. They can’t figure out how to beat bad teams, but they beat the good ones (this has been well chronicled… I even did so myself a few weeks ago). That’s bad news bears for the over .500 teams they’ve been playing. Taking 3 of 4 from the Padres have dropped them out of the lead in the West, and while they were already in a tailspin before getting to St. Louis, they’re definitely in trouble now. What will happen when the Rockies make it into town for the last series of the year? I’ve never really played the ‘It’s fun to crush other people’s dreams’ game before, but it is kind of fun now that I’m seeing it play out.
Cards are road tripping down to Florida for the make-up game that was rained out back in August today, then quickly hustling up to Pittsburgh to open up a three game set at PNC and rounding out the last road trip of the year with one last series in Chicago. With any luck at all the team will show some signs of life after recalling some fresh faces from down in Memphis. I’m hoping to see some Joe Mather and Daniel Descalso types running around on the field, and I know I am not the only one!
Speaking of our beloved Baby Birds, head on over to i70 to check out a comparison I did between our AAA kiddos and the big boys in St. Louis… ‘A Tale of Two Teams’
Until next Monday… 
Catching Baby Birds
Posted by on September 15, 2010
If you are just here for the Memphis pictures today, I totally understand. Scroll down and check out our AAA baseball boys on their way to a championship! However, in order to create a post through which to weave these pictures, I had to fill up the rest of today’s space with some words.
So… let me tell you a story. It is about the Friday night I spent with the boys from Memphis.
For those of you who might not already know: I absolutely REVEL in the opportunity to watch the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals’ AAA affiliate, affectionately termed the Baby Birds) when they come to my hometown of Oklahoma City. Last weekend’s Memphis game was the icing on my personal cake for two reasons.
First, Memphis was playing OKC in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Playoffs and had already grabbed a 2-game lead in the best of five series. Friday would be game 3 and their chance to sweep.
Second, I would be returning to the ballpark with another press pass (thanks to my favorite i70baseball editor, Bill) and was crazy-thrilled because once again I would have great views, unlimited access and a spot so close to the dugout, I would be sharing the same air as the ballplayers. *Breathe in. Breathe out.*
Friday night’s ballgame was a definite doozy! The Baby Birds did indeed get the win and Memphis hurler Lance Lynn pitched his way to a new franchise record with 16 strikeouts. I am also happy to report: I did not hyperventilate, no restraining orders were issued and Joe Mather’s personal space was not violated. The fact that I was slightly “under the weather” may have limited my enthusiasm, but no little germ could keep me away from the ballpark that night.
Yes, some of my favorite Memphis players were absent – Jon Jay, Tyler Greene, Matt Pagnozzi, Bryan Anderson and Nick Stavinoha are all now up in St. Louis with the Cardinals while Shane Robinson remained on the DL (since May) with a shoulder injury. Thankfully Daniel Descalso was manning shortstop for the Baby Birds (great glove, fun to watch), and Jim Rapoport continues to be another prime reason to be a Redbird fan (chick comment). But selfishly I was most glad to see Joe Mather and Allen Craig still slumming it in the minors. (Sorry guys!)
Unlike my first media pass adventure when the photo targets were ballplayers unknown to me, this time we had history. Names and faces from ballgames past were right next to me. It was glorious!
The Best Laid Plans
As this was my second ballpark adventure with a Golden Ticket (media pass), my rookie fears about the how’s and where’s had vanished. I knew the layout. My plan of attack was simple: be there when the press gates opened (2 ½ hours before the game) and get on the field to snag several glorious batting practice photos. I had envisioned the possible scenarios so many times in my mind that when my mental script hit a snag (i.e. batting practice was OVER by the time I got there), I was momentarily stunned.
But ballplayers were on the field, and I recovered my senses quickly.
Moving on. No batting practice…
Adjusting the plan, I set up shop in the shady right field bleachers and watched the pitchers warming up. I even talked briefly with one of the Memphis coaches and immediately spilled the beans. It is virtually impossible for me to keep my love of baseball under wraps. Me: “Are you going to win today?”
Memphis Coach: “Of course! Are you a Memphis fan?”
Me: “YES!…… but don’t tell anyone…
(laughing) I am supposed to be impartial.”
The coach assured me he would keep my secret, and if you can’t trust a MiLB coach, who can you trust?
No cheering when you are at the ballpark with a press pass? Well, that rule was broken in less than 10 minutes. But I rationalized that away as a minor violation because my lapse into baseball fandom occurred during pregame warm-ups and there was only one witness – and he isn’t talking!
Blabber mouth
Without batting practice to keep me busy, I wandered the stadium, visited the press box to collect lineup and roster information and then met my family for dinner. About 30 minutes before game time, I headed back down to the field and staked my claim in the photo well by the visitor dugout (of course) just in time to watch the Redbirds ascend from the clubhouse, up through the dugout and onto the field to sign autographs. Another gal with a camera-to-die-for was in the dugout talking to Joe Mather. When Joe pranced out onto the field, I had to know. Who was she? (More importantly…. How do I get a job like that?!)
Filling me in, she told me of her role as a team photographer, mentioning that she had to pay her own way to Oklahoma City – as well as to the series in Iowa where the Redbirds clinched their spot in the playoffs. I asked where fans could see photos from the champagne celebration in Iowa, but learned that when a photographer pays their own way to a game, the pictures taken are the property of the photographer instead of the team.
Translation: no Memphis champagne celebration photos for us. Talking with her was such fun that once again, I felt compelled to fess up and lay my fan cards on the table. The Memphis boys may never know I was their biggest fan in the stadium that evening, but my intentions had now been officially registered with two appropriate Memphis personnel.
Conflicted and Oblivious
Those are the two words that pop into my mind when asked how it was to experience the game as a photographer instead of a fan.
Conflicted – I watched from afar as my family enjoyed the game from seats behind the Memphis dugout. My kids got autographs before the game, but this time I would be an observer instead of a participant. A player tossed a game ball over the dugout to my daughter when he noticed she was wearing a Memphis Redbirds jersey (not many of those in Oklahoma.) And my clan celebrated and cheered our Baby Birds each time they stepped to the plate. There were many moments that night when my empty seat there in the stands beckoned me. I was sorely missing those special fan experiences.
Oblivious – At the end of the evening, my amazing Hubby kindly filled me in on an incredible game fact: Memphis’ starting pitcher Lance Lynn had thrown SIXTEEN strikeouts.
During my stint behind a camera lens I was entirely isolated from game discussion. That works great for focusing on the moments on the field, but is horrible for the ‘big picture.’ It was suddenly clear to me why I had not captured any diving defensive gems – no baserunners tends to limit flashy gloves and defensive plays, and 16 K’s severely restricts the number of potential baserunners. I was entirely unaware of the magnitude of the pitching feat while jockeying for good photos.
So, if I ever get the chance again, I will find a way & listen to the game broadcast. Being oblivious to drama like that? Unacceptable for a true baseball fan, er… uh… a photographer.
Mission Accomplished:
Amazing ballgame. Unmatchable experience. I had more fun than I deserved. I did my best professional photographer impersonation and (thanks to my tough little camera and a magical new lens) came home with some pictures I love. I will try not to get all mushy about it, but I have to say that for a gal who lives and breathes baseball (especially Cardinal and Memphis baseball), I felt as though I had gone to heaven. The opportunity to be on the grass for the action and close enough to the dugout to hear players and coaches discuss strategy during the game will be a memory I will cherish. I hope for many more!
Since I have now typed enough words to fill this space with a spattering of beautiful baseball boys, I will close this out.
But I will be crossing my fingers for another Golden Ticket and a Memphis return next Tuesday night.
Looking Ahead:
The Cardinals may be faltering in the final moments of 2010, but our Memphis Redbirds are pushing full-steam ahead. This week they will be taking on Tacoma in the PCL Championship Series September 14th-19th at Memphis’ Autozone Park.When these Redbirds win their second consecutive PCL Championship title (yes, I am that confident in my Baby Birds), they will return to Oklahoma City for the AAA Championship game on September 21st.
So, if you are in need of a boost to renew your Cardinal baseball postseason fervor, keep your eyes and ears on the Memphis Redbirds.
Their website is here:
You can see more photos of the Memphis Redbirds’ Friday night game at my Baseball Digest twitter account : @Erika4Baseball or here on twitpic.
Viva El Baby Birds!!! =)
If you would like to read more, the story of my unbelievably fun first media pass adventure can be found here on i70baseball.com. I am thrilled to share with you photos from the Memphis playoff game in today’s Diamond Diaries post, but kindly ask that the photos not be used or redistributed without permission. Thank you!
There is a time…
Posted by on August 27, 2010
I may be the daughter of a preacher, but have never been great at quoting scripture. I can however point you to the scene from “Footloose” where you can hear Kevin Bacon mention
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:”
My mind is always drifting to baseball. So naturally, my translation would be: there is a time for every emotion during baseball season. In 2010 we have had time to cheer; time to cry, and (lately) plenty of time to be frustrated.
.
A time to reflect:
I was watching a game this week – well, I watched them all – but there was this one game – when it struck me how different the August Cardinals are from the starting lineup back in April.
Remember back then?On April 5th the Cardinals won the first game of the regular season. They beat the Reds with a final score of 11-6. (The Reds!) The Cardinals had 12 hits that day, with four homeruns: Albert Pujols hit TWO, Yadier Molina had his first career Grand Slam and Colby Rasmus went yard as well.
That evening Matthew Leach, writing for MLB.com, compared the Cardinals’ performance to the anticlimactic crash of the 2009 postseason effort:
“The last time the Cardinals were seen playing games that mattered, they were an offensively futile team. A great deal has changed — from the stage to the ballpark to the opponent — since that NLDS. But the Redbirds have changed, too. They’re an improved offensive club, one that can be dangerous at all eight everyday lineup spots.”
That was certainly our time to hope.
A time for change:
The faces on the field are different now. Some favorite players are gone for good and some we just haven’t seen for a while. (To be honest, this topic gave me a much needed chance to post some pictures of the Cardinal faces I have been missing! My time to be sentimental, I guess.)
 |
| Freese, Luddy and Joe — We miss you terribly! |
But looking on the bright side (yes, I have been accused me of overusing that Pollyanna trait lately, but stick with me here!) … there are some wonderful new Cardinal faces we have come to enjoy. Okay, just another excuse to post pictures of my favorite BabyBirds.
 |
| Glad you boys are getting a shot! |
The Cardinals still have time to play, time to win and time to rally. So until that final Cardinal out of the 2010 season, we fans have time to enjoy the game.
Time To Welcome!
Time To Welcome!
Like the Cardinals, we here at Cardinal Diamond Diaries have added a new face. Thankfully we didn’t have to trade anyone to a Padres blog group or lose anyone to the Disabled List!
 |
| Welcome Jacqueline!!! |
We are thrilled to welcome Jacqueline Hadley Conrad to our gals club here at CDD. Like Angela, Chris and myself, Jacqueline is a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and we are looking forward to reading more of her unique charm and humor here on the blog. In the days ahead, we will get her information added to our “About Us” section and she will be checking in again next week.
.
Until then… If you missed the chance to read Jacqueline’s inaugural post yesterday, do not delay one minute longer. Grab a tissue and be prepared – it is a beautiful and touching tribute, steeped in family tradition and Cardinal baseball history. “Ma mere Tootsie’s Gift”
Today the Cardinals are taking on the Washington Nationals again. Game time: 6:05pm CT.
Hopefully it will once again be a time to win!
GO CARDS! =)
Parties, Gut-Wrenchers, and the Flat-Out WEIRD
Posted by on July 10, 2010
Sometimes, the best thing about baseball is that during the regular season there’s always another game tomorrow. For the Cardinals, after a brutal sweep at the hands of the Rockies, their next tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough, but fans and scribes everywhere weren’t sure what to expect coming into yesterday’s game against the Astros and Bud Norris. Norris had been inexplicably dominant against the Cardinals… right up until last night. Eight shutout innings by Adam Wainwright and eight wild runs by the boys in red helped everyone find serenity last night!
The Cardinals have been wrapped up in their fair share of craziness already this season. Today we thought we’d look back at the good, the bad and the strange. Ready? Here we go!
Gut Wrenchers
 |
| Chris Lee – STL Today |
May 21: Cardinals – 9, Angels – 5
I’m sure you didn’t expect the first ‘bad’ game to be a win. However, after shocking everyone (including himself) with a third inning grand slam, Cardinal fans watched in horror as Brad Penny went out in the next half inning and, after throwing a couple of warm-up pitches, was quickly ushered off the field by the training staff. He hasn’t seen the mound since. The team might have won the game, but was losing Penny worth it?
May 25: Cardinals – 0, Padres – 1
What on earth did Adam Wainwright have to do to win this game? Here’s what he did do: give up 4 hits and 1 run over 7 dominant innings, walking 1 and striking out TWELVE. To add to the madness, the Cardinals actually outhit the Padres 7-4, but couldn’t figure out how to bring any of those baserunners back around to home plate. It was a frustrating start to a strange six game road trip to San Diego and Chicago.
July 6: Cardinals – 9, Rockies – 12 and July 7: Cardinals – 7, Rockies – 8
What could possibly be worse to a fan than seeing your team give up a huge lead in the ninth inning? Watching them do it all over again the next day in the eighth and ninth. Salt? Meet wound. Both games were so winnable. The bats were getting things done and the baserunners were going crazy. Fans were lauding Matt Holliday and Jon Jay for having big games at the plate, seeing so many 2 out RBI’s and stringing hits together in a way that we haven’t seen in weeks. Then, everyone watched in horror as the strong bullpen fell apart and some bizarre defensive positioning and play let to back to back walk-offs for the Rox. It was a horrible 2 days in Cardinal Nation.
Flat-Out WEIRD
April 17: Cardinals – 1, Mets – 2
The Fox Saturday game of the week provided fans with almost 7 hours of listening to Tim McCarver spout nonsense as the Cards and Mets clashed for 18 innings of no-run baseball, a 19th inning in which both teams scored exactly 1 run, and the Pond Scum finally pulling ahead to stay in the top of the 20th. 19 pitchers battled through the game that never seemed to end, including appearances by both Felipe Lopez and Joe Mather. Skip Schumaker had 10 plate appearances. Brendan Ryan, who pinch hit for Jaime Garcia after 7 innings of 1 hit ball, had six plate appearances. At the end of the game, fans couldn’t decide whether to just breathe a sigh of relief that it was over, or agonize over enough missed opportunities to cover a week’s worth of games.
 |
| Scott Rovak – US Presswire |
June 28: Cardinals – 6, Diamondbacks – 5
In a game where the team was playing with an extremely short bench, Adam Wainwright became player of the game, and all he did was walk to the plate in the bottom of the 9th with instructions to bunt. A throwing error on Waino’s bunt scored Jaime Garcia (who was pinch running for Yadier Molina), and after a weak groundout by Randy Winn, Skip Schumaker came up with runners on second and third. He slapped a ball to the first base side, and Adam LaRoche threw wildly to the plate, allowing not only Brendan Ryan to score, but Adam Wainwright to swipe home plate as well! If you want the definition of a gift-wrapped win, that was it.
Parties
May 30: Cardinals – 9, Cubs – 1
After Erika had the gall to question Albert Pujols on Friday, Albert had his revenge on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend in Chicago, blasting 3 home runs deep into the bleachers and on to Waveland Avenue. Wainwright knew what to do with that kind of lead, throwing 7 innings of 1 run ball and sending Cardinal fans home happy. David Freese also got in on the fun, going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI’s and a home run.
June 4: Cardinals – 8, Brewers – 0
How did Waino choose to follow up his Memorial Day weekend game mentioned above? How about a his first complete game – a 9 strikeout, 2 hitter vs. the Brew Crew? The Cardinals were patient, tossing runs on the board in 4 different innings and putting up 5 runs on starter Randy Wolf and 3 on relief pitcher Jeff Suppan. 3 days later the Brewers released Suppan and… oh wait, this is the happy section. Moving on!
 |
| Broken! Chris Lee – STL Today |
Mark this down as the day Nick Stavinoha broke Trevor Hoffman. In a game that the Brewers had seemingly been running away with since about the 4th, Cardinal fans had felt little reason to cheer coming into the 9th, save a Matt Holliday home run in the 6th that went farther than any other regular game home run I have ever seen at Miller Park (Yes, I was there). When Hoffman came trotting in for the 9th, it felt like game over. A walk to Colby Rasmus gave me a little hope, but then two warning track shots by David Freese and Yadier Molina left the Cards down to their last out, and pinch hitter Stavinoha trotting to the plate. Who could have predicted Stavi golfing a shot from his knees deep into the left field bleachers?! Miller Park went silent, and I went crazy. Poor Trevor Hoffman went into a dive, blowing 4 of 5 save opportunities. Brewer fans still haven’t forgiven me for being at the game where it all went downhill.
We’ve had some ups and downs with this Cardinals team. By the end of the season, we’re hoping that the good outweighs the bad. We’ll find out!
Game time tonight is 6:05. Go Cards!
A Case For the Baby Birds
Posted by on June 6, 2010
Another unplanned Sunday post. Last time Erika couldn’t stop thinking about it, and the same could be said for me today.
I’m starting to believe that all the news I need (or is it want?) to learn can be found on Twitter before I find it anywhere else. The case was definitely solidified yesterday morning when this tweet came up in my feed:
Color me absolutely confused.
Winn has been so abysmal this year that he’s batting .213/.300/.295 (batting/on-base/slugging). He was designated for assignment by the Yankees, and the Cardinals came knocking.
WHY?
I wrote over at Baseball Digest a couple weeks ago about how the Cardinals’ signing of Aaron Miles was unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong – I like Aaron Miles. He’s a good guy and he was a solid competitor for the Cardinals a couple of years ago. He was sent to AA, where he put up a rousing line of .279/.362/.344… let me remind you, this is in Double A. I was not the only one scratching my head and quietly (alright, maybe more like vocally) questioning the purpose of bringing Miles up at the expense of one of the CDD’s beloved Baby Birds. This time the victim was Allen Craig, who had just been called up the day before and hadn’t really seen any action since setting his locker back up in St. Louis.
What was the point? Craig got off to a rough start at the beginning of the year at both the major and then minor league level, but has recovered quite nicely to be built up to a .284/.346/.388 line. At Triple A.
So, fine, Tony can have his fun and let Miles run around on the big league team, play horrible defense with very little range, and be regaled by all for being the scrappy beast of a man he apparently is.
*Ahem* Okay. Sorry. I’ll be good. Promise.
Back to Winn. Now let me get this straight – Jon Jay, who has been batting .375 off the bench and gone .302 overall (on the big league squad) was sent down so the Cards could sign another aging player who’s seen better days. Rick Hummel tried to spell it out for us yesterday, but I finished the article feeling more frustrated than calmed.
Tony LaRussa had affectionately called the young guys running around the clubhouse his ‘Baby Bench,’ and many of us out in Cardinal Nation were having a good time seeing some of the guys we’ve been following up the ladder in the minors finally getting a consistent shot on the big league club. Granted, some of them (recent CDD favorite Joe Mather included) have had some struggles. This would be why the official word from the big guys is that the Baby Birds are being yo-yo’d around in order to get them more consistent at bats in the minors.
To that I call you-know-what. You cannot convince me in a million years that Randy Winn and Aaron Miles are doing or will do better on this team than guys like Jon Jay, Allen Craig, Joe Mather and Tyler Greene.
Viva el Baby Bench!
Joe and Me
Posted by on June 5, 2010
There are a few Cardinals ballplayers that I absolutely LOVE to watch: David Freese, Brendan Ryan and “Hunky” Matt Holliday top my favorites list. When a player makes that list, he is usually there to stay, such as dear Yadier Molina – who sparked my love for the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2006.
Other players wearing the Birds on the Bat get my support and my fan love too of course; but sometimes there are players that I just have not found a connection with. Joe Mather has been one of those guys… until this past Wednesday night.
My impression of Joe Mather has been clouded by previous, albeit limited, in-person observations. Last year Joe was recovering from injury, working his way back in AAA. He was frustrated at the plate and in the field, and his mood reflected that frustration. When the Memphis Redbirds came to Oklahoma – yes, I am an Okie – Joe would run right past the waiting fans, dashing straight into the dugout without so much as a glance.
During Spring Training in Florida this year I asked Joe for an autograph. He just shook his head and said “later,” but never returned. Of course, I understood. Players cannot always stop to sign autographs or talk with fans. They have jobs to do. But because of these less-than-encouraging impressions of Joe Mather, my interest in cheering for him has been somewhat lackluster.
My kids, on the other hand, have taken a real liking to Joe Mather, probably because I have shared with them the hilarious Brendan Ryan home videos (with sidekick Joe) from the FSMW website. So, when Joe Mather was optioned to AAA Memphis this past week my kids were thrilled. You see, the Memphis Redbirds were visiting our local Oklahoma City Redhawks for a four game series and we already had tickets.
The kiddos have learned that with just a little extra effort, they can improve their chances for an autograph.So with handmade signs reading “JOE MATHER,” they waited patiently by the 1st base side of the stands during the pre-game warm-ups.
Tyler Greene – always smiling and willing to sign a baseball – trotted right over to visit with us, but Joe Mather was nowhere to be seen.
Just when I thought Joe might disappoint us yet again, he came onto the field, ran some drills, saw the signs and headed our way. While signing baseballs, Joe perked up when I joked how nice it was for him to grow a mustache too, in support of his Cardinals teammate Brendan Ryan (who credits growing a mustache with helping him break out of a slump.) Joe laughed and talked with us a bit about Brendan. That fun interaction made up for all the past “Grumpy Joe” moments I had witnessed.
During Wednesday’s game, Joe had quite a few Cardinals fans cheering him on. By the middle of the game, Joe was smiling as he jogged to and from the dugout, past our seats. And by the end of the game, the Redbirds had won and Joe was celebrating in the outfield with teammates Allen Craig and Jim Rapoport. It was great to see a “Happy Joe” having fun playing baseball in my hometown!
But the story doesn’t end there. I was living the dream when, after the on-field celebrations had ended, Joe Mather went into the dugout, fished out a game ball and looked in my direction. (Our front row seats gave us a clear view of the covered dugout.) Joe caught my eye, pointed to me, and lobbed me that baseball, up and over the dozen or so fans between us. Thankfully I caught the baseball with some modicum of grace, and looked back at Joe. He smiled a great big grin, waved goodbye, and then headed down the dugout steps and out of sight.
Thanks, Joe!
Welcome to the list! =)
Welcome to the list! =)
Things We Were Wondering
Posted by on June 2, 2010
Chris’ computer ate her homework. No really – her computer crashed and today’s blog post is being held hostage by the Geek Squad somewhere. Angela and I had high expectations for a fill-in post, but unfortunately were both a little distracted by last night’s Cardinals game …and this:
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=12194640&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1David Freese Cover Photo Shoot from ALIVE Magazine St. Louis on Vimeo.
So, from the minds of two very tired and slightly giddy Cardinals bloggers, we bring you a list of “Things That Make Us Go Hmmmm?”
We were wondering….
1. Why would Brendan Ryan forego the high socks when his mustache alone seemed to be bringing the luck?
2. Why does Jason LaRue only cut his hair once a year? Why now? (By the way, Jason’s new look gets a definite thumbs-up!)
3. Why bring Aaron Miles up to the big leagues now when Tyler Greene and Joe Mather are both hitting better? (and at a higher level?)
4. Who invented MLB blackout areas and why don’t they make any sense?
5. Why is Colby striking out so much lately?
6. Why did the McGwires plan to have babies in June? Mark has a baseball job!
Let’s rephrase that: Why did Mark McGwire accept a job as the Cardinals’ batting coach when his wife was having triplets in June?
PS- congratulations to the McGwire family!
7. Why bring in Ryan Franklin in the 8th inning with the Cardinals trailing and a shortage of available arms?
8. Are there actual people running baseball-reference.com? Or do computers boost statistics from somewhere? Or is it just the work of magic baseball fairies?
9. Why do people either LOVE the wave or HATE the wave? No in-betweeners?
10. Why has Angela not dedicated an entire blog post to Adam Wainwright?
11. Why do Cardinals fans love scrappy little players? How far back does this love affair go? Pepper Martin?
12. Do players that go up/down from MLB to AAA rent more than one apartment?
13. Does pay change, depending on whether the boys are playing AAA or MLB games?
14. How many tattoos does Felipe Lopez have anyway?
15. Why does the national media only care about the Yankees/Sox baseball rivalry?
16. Why doesn’t anyone in baseball recognize that the Cardinals have the top three rotation guys in the majors?
17. How do we even compare team offense stats between AL and NL teams when AL teams have a DH and NL teams bat their pitchers?
18. How will Brendan Ryan survive without his sidekick while Joe Mather is with AAA Memphis?
And the biggest questions is:
How many readers will actually stick around to read all 18 things that we were wondering about?
Thanks for reading, Mom!
Today the Cardinals face the Reds to battle for the series at 7:15pm CT (on ESPN).
