Mike Matheny

[Randy Johnson]

Where did Mike get his style? He won't squeeze, he won't hit and run. He leaves starters in when they get in trouble and leaves them in until it is to late to save the game. He won't stick with the same lineup. Wong hits grand slam and he sits the next game. We paid good money for Borgeous and Peralta and Wong needs to play to get better. Why not leave John Jay alone in the first place? I really don't understand why he has to go through the bullpen trying to set a record on number of pictures used either. If it was one thing...but it is everything!! I'm growing not to like Mike.
How can he be so different than Tony or Whitey?

[Randy Johnson]

I haven't posted in so long I'm gonna post another one instead of making my original post really long.  What got this started was, a friend asked me yesterday who our starters were. I hesitated so he said, well who plays first base? I answered Adams, then I said wait it's Craig, then I said no, I guess they share it 50-50. To make a long story short, I had to give this same sort of explanation for our position players at second base, shortstop, center field, and right field. So out of the eight positions, five of them are unsettled in our lineup.  I do not recall anything like this as long as I've followed the Cardinals.

[Horsesrus]

Adams is on the DL and Wong hurt his shoulder later in the same game he hit the grand slam. Adams is going on rehab assignment this week and Wong is expected to be ready to play in Tampa.

[The Boar War]

The uncertainty at cf, rf, and 2b have more to do with trying to build a team from the bottom up than it does any particular managerial style.  We have young players at each position that need time to mature to be 130+ game contributors.  I expect to see Tavares, and maybe Grichuk, handled a lot like Wong has been so far this season.

Shortstop and the pitching rotation has been pretty static all season.  Peralta has played 62 games all at ss.  Garcia was recovering from injury at the beginning of the season and Joe Kelley pulled a hamstring earlier in the season.  Similarly Adams got the lions share of time at first base and Craig was a fixture in right field until Adams went on the dl.  Craig had played at first base so I'm not sure that it was much of a decision.

[jrulz83]

Mike MATHENY is fine.

[clutch]

Has been some rumblings that him and Mo have different philosophies for this team though. I don't have a problem with Matheny.

[The Boar War]

Has been some rumblings that him and Mo have different philosophies for this team though. I don't have a problem with Matheny.

I don't either.  I think most of the complaints (overusing Martinez and Rosenthal; changing up 2b and cf) are due to personnel issues and will resolve themselves naturally.  It will be interesting to see who's on this team in 2 years.  Tavares, Piscotti, Grichuk (if he can hit the breaking ball), Wong, Carpenter, and Reyes might be household names (at least in Cardinal country) and the nucleus of this club for years to come.  I guess the real question is who's coming up behind Peralta?

[Randy Johnson]

Mike MATHENY is fine.

stupid mistake

[Randy Johnson]

Thanks for the information on Wong and the other injuries. I did not know about that and thanks to those who cut me slack on spelling Mike's name wrong in the original post.

[jrulz83]

stupid mistake

I never make those. 

[ChicoHog]

Maybe if he started Kershaw tonight the NL would be winning! 

[mhuff]

I think he may be playing some people because a trade is pending and we need to advertise our wares.

I would like to see him advance the runners by bunting when we have a man on first and no outs. We need to manufacture some runs some way. We have players who hit into double plays too often. I believe I would have those players batting later in the order.