Transcript
Speaker: This is Gateway Sports. Hey there, folks. Welcome to Talking Sports with Uncle Don. ah look at the day's sports issues and news stories from the Gateway City and across the Midwest.
Speaker: Let's talk some sports. The rumors are true.
Speaker: You've got to get it done.
Speaker: with the widespread stance, arms out over the plate. Beckberg from the stretch. The 1-1-2. A swing, and there it goes! Jeff Fields, way back!
Speaker: That's all-around number 7-1. Kuhl's hits a three-run homer, and he hits 699 and 700 at Stoucher Stadium on September 23, 2022.
Speaker: Packers crowd behind the scrimmage, Romo on the shotgun, here's the snap, Romo looking, dumps it off right side, intercepted! Intercepted at the goal line by Woodson! And there is your dagger!
Speaker: Badgers have no timeouts, they can't stop it. McCourt for the win, in the air, it is up, and it is good!
Speaker: Good! Upset! Upset in Champaign!
Speaker: The Illini win it 24-23! I want my ball! I want my ball! You tell my ball that! I'm coming after him! You tell him!
Speaker: good out there you
Speaker: Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. You kidding Playoffs?
Speaker: Hey, Dad? You want to have a catch?
Speaker: I'd like that.
Speaker: Well, welcome folks. This is the first premiere episode of the brand new Talking Sports with Uncle Don. Yeah, I changed the title. A couple of reasons I did. Number one is we we did some headshots, AI-generated headshots at Gateway Sports and And one of the guys looked at one of my AI headshots and he goes, that looks like Uncle Don.
Speaker: And, you know, the you know like the the thought kind of hit me. Well, okay, this is pretty kind of an idea. and And that and... um ah Pete Geddes, who is co-host of the a team of rivals.
Speaker: A couple times I've heard him on when he's he announces my show on their on their podcast. He kind of like, boy, that's a long name. So a hopefully shortened it up. yeah But anyway, so on my first inaugural episode, I thought I would do a little bit of a fan thing and invite fans to show up.
Speaker: And um one of the, but i I'll tell you what, I have to say, said she is probably one of of the most loyal Cardinal fans I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Speaker: And I've been watching the Cardinals for fifty for over 50 years, folks. So, you know, I've seen a lot of fans come and go. But this gal, I think, is tops. And I want to welcome to Talking Sports with Uncle Don, Eli Chapman is in the house.
Speaker: How are you doing tonight, Eli? Very well, thank you. We're waiting on the thunderstorms to begin. Yeah, we're kind of waiting up here. Now, where now where are you located at?
Speaker: Oh, just north of Lincoln, Illinois and south of Peoria. Close to the Peoria, Chiefs. You're just west of me then. So i'm I'm over here by Champaign.
Speaker: Oh, okay. yeah so Yeah, I um used to live in Muhammad. Hmm. Know that town very well. Long, long, long, long, long time ago.
Speaker: Know that town very well. Yes. then so ah So, so how long have you been a Cardinal fan? Let's start, let's get, let's get that out of the way. First of all. Well, you said you have been for 50 years. I've probably, I'm right in that ballpark, 1958 to 60 in there. My, dad would take brother's.
Speaker: um my my dad would take my brothers to sportsman's park but i had to go shopping with my mom but they always shared the stories on the way home from st louis we lived in dorado at the time southern illinois so i got you yeah that's um okay i'm trying to where that's at exactly well just west or east of marion Okay. Okay. Yeah. i know where you're at then. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
Speaker: Okay. So, so you, you like, you're like, man, I don't quite go back that far. I think I'm back in the late sixties, 68 to 71 area somewhere in there.
Speaker: Well, that's when I really started watching when it was available. Yeah. really to watch on tv oh yeah because there wasn't that much of a of a tv uh outlet uh um prior to the the late 60s no no not at all yeah and um but no when i first saw bob gibson pitch that made but i mean i just fell in love but i just fell in love and he was just amazing
Speaker: And my dad, who God love him, rest his soul, was a Cubs fan. e Just ah never did like to see him on the mound if they were playing the Cubs.
Speaker: Right. But he had a great deal of respect for the man. He just incredible pitcher. And that has that has been my favorite position, I guess you'd say.
Speaker: is the pitcher because they have they can have so much finesse and yes they control the game to a point but you've got to have the bats to back them up and that and even when he pitched he didn't always have that luxury so this is not a new thing folks we are not in a new era of no hitting And we've had our years where it was pretty sad on the the Cardinals front, but we got through it.
Speaker: It was okay. We got through it. And here we are today. Yeah. I remember you you talking about your dad. I remember now my dad was a, was a lifelong Cardinal fan. And, uh, I remember one, one evening I was at my grandma's house. He, she would actually, him and her grandpa would, would kind of babysit us when dad, mom and dad were bowling a lot. And, uh, so, you know, I was, I was grandma and grandpa's house one night and grandpa had the Cardinal game on the radio.
Speaker: Sure. and um And this is probably about 72, maybe 71, somewhere in there. i but I'm fuzzy on the year. But anyway, they came out, they had this promotion on the radio. And I remember they were talking about the promotion.
Speaker: And it was the first 500 kids that could that wrote in to the Cardinals got two tickets to an upcoming game.
Speaker: And so I talked to my grand grandma. said Sure. i Now, get this. My grandmother was a Cubs fan. ah Die hard. Die hard. But she said, okay, fine. So she gave me the pen and paper and I wrote the little thing and put the self-adventure stand the lump open. all da that but And dad came on. My dad worked for the post office.
Speaker: Okay. And I said, hating yeah dad, when you go to work tomorrow, I need you to mail this for me. Yeah. What is it? So I told him, he goes, do you realize how many kids are in St. Louis right now that are going to drop it off at the Cardinal front office, for crying out loud?
Speaker: And I said, I don't use it. Okay, fine. So he mailed it. Well, about a week and a half later, I get this letter from the St. Louis Cardinals when two free tickets in it. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker: Oh, my goodness. it was It was to a New York Mets game. and They're playing the Mets. and And I was so excited when I got the tickets.
Speaker: and ah yeah Because they came to my grandma's house because we put her address on there. he picked us up and said, hey, dad, look what I got. he goes, huh. Well, it looks like we're going to a ball game in two weeks, aren't we? And he ended up having to work, but he got off. The game was like 730 or 740, something like it, whatever the start time was.
Speaker: He got off work. picked me up from school, had a change of clothes in the car. We ran down to grandma's house. was like two blocks away. He changed clothes, and off we went to St. Louis.
Speaker: We got there like 25 minutes, I want to say, before the game starts. Just just you know kind of got close to the seats by the time the national. And I think they ended up winning the game.
Speaker: um I want to say it wasn't Gibson that was pitching. I want to say it was – It might've been Carlton. I'm not a hundred percent sure. Oh, okay. That's what we, but I know, I know they beat, i think I'm pretty sure they beat Tom, beat Tom Seaver that night.
Speaker: oh And, you know, and I was just, you know, dad thought I would be out by the time we got out of St. Louis, you know, I was talking about that game nonstop till we hit Champaign-Urbana.
Speaker: I And that's the, that's, that was my first Cardinal memory. And I'm, I'm, I'm always going to go back to that. And it was just, uh, that that's what set sold me on the Cardinals right then and there. it's yeah and i've never It's that, that type of situation.
Speaker: And dad, even though he was the Cubs fan, but he always taught me, he said, if you're going to truly love the sport, you have to have respect for different players.
Speaker: He said, there are different players you're going to see that are magnificent. Maybe not in the uniform you want to see them But you've got to respect their skill until you play them, and then you don't have to.
Speaker: but Yeah, and that's so true. That's so true. because My dad, you know he may have been a Cardinal fan, but you know he was one of those that truly enjoyed a game of baseball no matter what and who was playing. Exactly. He could sit down and watch the Braves versus ah the Astros and be involved in the game.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. But, and he was kind and i kind of like your dad. He always he said, you know, we were talking, I care what it was. um Might've been talking about, i think we're talking about Ferguson Jenkins or something like that. It a cup.
Speaker: It some kind of a cup. I said, I said, yeah, but he plays for the Cubs. He said, Hey, You know, just because he plays for the other team don't mean you can't you can't you got admire what he does. You know, you got to look at what they've done and you look at how they play. And, you know, and that's something I've always taken with me is no matter what team I'm watching or if I'm watching the Cardinals or or who are they're playing in, you know, this past ah this past series with the Phillies. Right.
Speaker: um you know, you have to admit that there are some really, really fine players on that Philly ball club. Yes, there are. Yes, there. and and And you have to acknowledge that because if you don't acknowledge that, that all you're doing is setting yourself up for when you have a season like we had two years ago.
Speaker: Mm-hmm. Yes. When we were losing to teams like the Pirates. Well, you know, okay, yeah, the Pirates are doormats. Okay, we get that. Right. But they still have some good players that if you are not careful and if you do not watch, they're going to slap you upside the head and say, guess what? We just won the game.
Speaker: That's right. know you No team can be taken for granted. No game is won until the last out is made. There you That is...
Speaker: Yes, the lesser teams, as far as standings go, you should be working to win over those teams. And you should be able to.
Speaker: But it doesn't always happen. It just doesn't always happen. And um no team, to my knowledge, has won 132 games 149 games or games or one hundred and sixty two game at birth i think the the highest total back in the ninety s i think the mariners won a hundred and twenty five won yeah i think so but i think yeah but nobody else close to that i yeah i you see a hundred and ten once in a while you see a hundred and eleven made
Speaker: you know but yeah you never see you know it Just not like people were kind of saying, okay, well, the win streak's over after the first game of the doubleheader. It's like, okay, so you thought they were going to win their next hundred ballgames.
Speaker: I mean, you know, get tell me what but brand of reality that's talking about. You know that win streak wasn't the last. Right. But it was good to see them.
Speaker: Especially against the teams they were playing, against the Mets, against the Phillies. And um
Speaker: I think, I feel anyway, they are beginning to really and truly believe in themselves. and they And they're encouraging each other more and more and more each game.
Speaker: yeah Yeah. look You look at what they did in April. And, you know, I know a lot of people, myself included, you know, when I started seeing the up and down, the up and down, they lose three games, they win three games, they lose to the, ah they lose to Boston, which is not a bad team.
Speaker: or Or excuse me, they lose to Pittsburgh. And then they beat turn in they beat Philly two out of three. Right. Then they lose. They beat Houston two out of three. They'll use four straight to the Mets. It's kind of like this up and down yo-yo that like, okay, this is, i I saw this movie two years ago. I don't want to see it again. That's right. Now, all of a sudden, like you say, I mean, and right it was right after the the four game sweep by the Mets at at New York.
Speaker: Yes. um Then they went and they lost two out of three to Atlanta. Since then, they've taken two out of three from the Brewers, two out of three from Cincinnati, but they've taken two they take two out of three from Pittsburgh, two out of three from the Mets. ah sweat or long They swept Pittsburgh, took two out of three from the Mets, took two out of three from the Phillies.
Speaker: They're next playing KC tomorrow night. Right. um So, you know, I mean, yeah ah Yeah, they took two out of three there. they Oh, and they swept the Nationals. I forgot about that. They swept the Nationals.
Speaker: Yeah. so So you got two three games against Casey, can up three games against Detroit at home, then three games against Arizona at home. um You know, we could be looking at a really solid first place team by the end of May in St. Louis.
Speaker: Absolutely. What impressed me They had that, what, six-game winning streak going on the road.
Speaker: Mm-hmm. What has impressed me in these last few games is how they have played on the road. Yes. they They have to. Oh, yeah. They have to. I mean, you play well at home. That's all fine and good. That's great.
Speaker: But you've got to get those road wins. Yeah. To even come close to thinking you're going to do anything. Right now they're five and one on this current road trip.
Speaker: Yes. And so even if they even if they get swept by Kansas City, which I guess, I mean, Kansas City's not not playing some bad ball right now. ah So, you know, it's the the the realm of possibility is there.
Speaker: Well, they kicked our butts last year. Yes. ah So, you know hopefully we've got a little bit of revenge factor going and we can get in there. But um even let's even let's say we lose two games to to Casey. Right.
Speaker: That's still going to give us a six and three road trip. Oh, absolutely. And after we went one and nine for our first nine games on a road trip, I'll take six and three.
Speaker: Yeah. I sure will. I sure will. I do have a question for you. Sure. Because obviously we are for the bulk of the team. We're working with a young team.
Speaker: Yes, we are. But what is their fetish? What is their love for Nolan Gorman? Oh, um ah well I may be the wrong person to ask that question to because i am a... No, if you're enthusiastic about him, I'd just like to know your thoughts.
Speaker: I am. I am a no Nolan Gorman fan. um And I think one of the reasons he's getting a lot of playing time right now is just exactly, i think, what Mo was talking about when he was talking about runways for people.
Speaker: Uh-huh. You know, and you saw at the other you saw at the end that he had a hit against the Phillies. Right. One of the games he had a double off the wall. I mean, he's he he's one of these guys, and i hate, you know, part of me has the realization that, okay, he may be one of these guys who is always going to be struggling.
Speaker: You know, he's got the potential. You can see. I mean, he hit what? 28 home runs two years ago. Right. You know, ah and he but any he and he missed a month of the season.
Speaker: Just think what he could have hit if he'd have been here the entire Right. right um you know And then last year with the horrible numbers that he had. Now this year, the one thing I'm encouraged with, he's not, and when I've watched, when I've been able to watch and see him play, he's not swinging at stupid pitches.
Speaker: He's still getting fooled. Don't get me wrong. Right. he's still getting He's still getting fooled by the Nolas and the guys like that. He's not swinging at the dumb pitches anymore. And he's making a lot of contact. Right.
Speaker: as he's not He's not swinging. yeah he's got he's still pretty high on the strikeout thing. But I think that happens when he – I think he's still mentally – because he but he was one of those guys that during the COVID year, yeah I think that COVID year hurt him him him and some other players huge because they weren't able to play regular games.
Speaker: For sure. Yeah. You know, they were just a, they would go and they would work out and they would play a simulated game. And, you you know, right it's not doing the same thing. So I think a year of his development was stunted right then and there.
Speaker: um Because he was so young when he went through that. Oh, I know. I know. 20, 20 or 21 when he went through that. Right. I think that did something. um I think this year he started off great.
Speaker: for the first three games. Then he had the hamstring injury. And I think what they did with, uh, the back spasms is what they should have done with Gorman on the hamstring injury, force him to go to rehab and or seem to go down to Memphis for five, six games.
Speaker: Right. You know, get your shit together down there. Then come back up and come back and pick up where you left off. Yeah. saw what it did for win. Right. Yeah. You know, so I think in some respects, the card and i to me, the Cardinals have messed with Gorman in one way. I wouldn't, I wouldn't mind seeing Gorman traded because give him to a team that actually is going to use him correctly and work with him.
Speaker: Exactly. And not only at the plate, but out in the field. I tell you, it defensively, he's made some huge strides.
Speaker: he's mas He's made some nice plays to second base. And the thing is, he can still play third base pretty well. Not bad. not And didn't he play third base in college?
Speaker: Yeah, he came he he was drafted as a third baseman. so the same but The same as Walker. They were both drafted as third basemen. Okay, I thought so. um And you get away from that it's like something you don't do on a regular basis. So your expertise is going to have to work up to a point where it's sufficient.
Speaker: And um but I just
Speaker: the one thing about the Cardinals that does frustrate me is that they give a pat on the back and hand around the shoulder of a little bit lesser player.
Speaker: But they don't exonerate the ones that are really, really doing well. And I think we're beginning to see that change this season.
Speaker: And um even among the team itself, they've kind of appointed themselves to be you know the baptismal group of the player of the game but i just like the energy we're seeing well that's the one thing i i noticed right away in the first few games was the energy that um this team was playing with the aggressiveness, not only at the plate, but on the base paths in the field.
Speaker: um You know, the one, I mean, I, it was kind of like watching whitey ball again. know. And I love it. You know, I love it. I mean, yeah, they still have the guys that can, that can, that can boom, boom the thing out of existence, you know? Right. ah But they are playing the the game.
Speaker: They're playing the, they're playing, with the ammunition they're giving during the game. Yes. And they're playing smart baseball. Yes. If that pitcher's not going, and I think a lot of the hitting, because I was looking at, I've got an article that that came out the other day on, on the Cardinals, which you can find at gateway sports.net, by the way.
Speaker: which i forgot to I forgot to say that this but this is still a proud part of the Gatewaysports.net community. um Check us out for all your pro and college sport.
Speaker: There you go. Gatewaysports.net. Okay, so that little plug's over. Anyway, um but no, I wrote an article, and you know the one thing I was looking at was There's almost a 40% or difference in batting average.
Speaker: Oh, wow. ah From this year to the last season. Okay. well And I think a lot of that, and you heard it a little bit last night on the, I think it was...
Speaker: don't know it was a clubhouse guy in the clubhouse or if it was Burleson, one of the two. you know They were talking to him about they were talking about the hitting home runs and then you know not not getting just home runs to get the runs in, hitting the sack flies and stuff like that. Burleson, or whoever it was, um kind of reiterated the line that we've heard from new hitting coach Brent Brown.
Speaker: Right. the Time to slug and there's a time to hit. yeah And i think I don't know if you've noticed the any, but when I've noticed at least some of the guys like when no, Aaron, not a Contreras, Pajes um Donovan, and when they get two strikes on them, they're hitting approach changes.
Speaker: Yes, it does. They're not going for that. they're They're not swinging from the heels. They're just putting bat on ball and putting the ball in play. yeah And I think that has gone, which i getting back to your Gorman thing, I think that's the one thing Gorman is still trying to wrestle with a little bit is that he knows he's got this power.
Speaker: right And he's, you know, I think he's still struggling with that, that philosophy, but you know, he's a smart kid. He'll get it figured out. At least I hope he will. Yes. But I, but I do think, I think that, I think that the whole hitting approach Brent Brown or Brent Brown has brought is what's making this team a lot better.
Speaker: Oh my goodness. Yes. And I, I feel he believes in the the whitey ball concept that it works and just keep the line moving.
Speaker: You don't have to swing. You don't have to put it over the fence. Just keep it moving. Yeah. and And I mean, proof is in the pudding. We've seen it work. We've seen runs being put up on the board because of it.
Speaker: And of course you get frustrated when you have bases loaded, you know, two outs and, You get the third out and it's like, oh, my gosh. But how many times did we go through that last year?
Speaker: Oh, yeah. How many runners did we leave on base? And I should kind of check and and try to find out. I think that number has gone down considerably so far this year.
Speaker: as far as leaving. Yeah, I think, I think they they, because they mentioned it on the broadcast a lot on the radio side or the TV side, radio side, well, radio side too, but um you know, that the, that our risk or the runners and runners and score hitting with runners and scoring position um is much better this year than it was last year.
Speaker: Oh, absolutely. you know and and And I heard this stat and i had to look up to make sure I was right. But in terms of hitting, The Cardinals, as a team, the Cardinals are fourth in average behind the Dodgers, Padres, and Yankees.
Speaker: And in on-base percentage, they're third only behind the Yankees and the Dodgers. they've got They have got a.338 on-base percentage ah as a team.
Speaker: And that the the Yankees have a.347. So that tells you the kind of company we're keeping. Not difference there. No, and, you know, the next team, Arizona's at 335. So, you know, we've got we're right in there with a lot of these teams. Arizona, Philadelphia, Detroit, ah San Diego, the Mets. They're all over 330 in OBP, and we're ahead of them.
Speaker: I mean, and I think a lot of it has to do with – Well, a lot of it has to do, I think, with being patient to play because ah to they're seventh in the league in walks with 159.
Speaker: Yes. You know, and, and doesn't a new bar have like a hundred of those. Well, he, he, he, he alone has 31. Okay. I was going to say, no, he's going to have a record by the end of the season.
Speaker: He just, he just has a super eye at the plate and that's, it's but some fans don't appreciate them getting a walk yes it's more fun to see them get a hit but they're on base they are on base and even with a hit it could be a single why not go for a walk no harm no foul you're there
Speaker: Well, and if you've got a guy like Victor Scott as well, too. I mean, you know, he's got, let's see, he's got 14 walks this season, but then again, he's also hitting 278, so yeah you take you take what you get.
Speaker: But, you know, yeah he's he's walked, let's say, 14 times. ah he has He has an on-base percentage of 342, and he's just to what you're talking about.
Speaker: Get on base. It's almost as good as a double with him. Oh, absolutely it is. and even what's And even when it's not a double, you get a ball in the gap, he's scoring from first base.
Speaker: Right. yeah know And I think that's something, too, that I think is is is missed a lot is intricacies of the running game.
Speaker: call it the the the the in the intricacies of the running game And it's not just stolen bases. It's taking that extra base. Right. You know, when the throw's coming in, you see where it's going, and you go ahead and take third or you take second yeah on the throw.
Speaker: You know, i would two years ago, we were running station to station. You know, don't try and take that extra base. You might get thrown out. Right. And you've seen what taking the extra base can do. I mean, it's it puts extra pressure on the infield.
Speaker: Right. You know, extra pressure on the pitcher once the, once the guy's taken that extra base. So I, you know, I applaud and I don't know who got into Ollie's ear. Somebody did. um i don't know, but I'm glad they did.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. You know, I have, I have to also kind of laugh. I just thought of this, you know, Brent Brown was saying, you know, there's a time to hit and there's a time to slug. I remember hearing that about five years ago.
Speaker: and In a Cardinal clubhouse after a postgame show um with the reporters and the manager was somebody by the name of Mike Schilt.
Speaker: yeah who was later fired for a for a difference in philosophy. are Right. You know, what a difference four years makes.
Speaker: Yes, absolutely. at Well, that as some things the Cardinals have done, that is one I just will never get over or understand.
Speaker: But here nor there, it just... ah he's He's having a good year down and down in San Diego. So ah more power to him. I wish him all the luck in the world. Oh, absolutely. wish him all but good absolutely I'm going to take a small little break in the action here and talk a little bit about hydration, if you don't mind. Our bodies are made up of 50% water. 50 to 70% of our body is water.
Speaker: And the average loss of water due to dehydration is 3 to 5% day. day Now, obviously, the higher the activity level you have, you know, the more dehydration you're going to have. um If dehydration gi levels get around eight or nine percent, it starts to affect your body. That's when you start feeling thirsty, you start feeling tired. You get irritable.
Speaker: If you lose 15 percent of your body, body's water weight, you end up in the hospital. And folks, I have been there. Trust me, it is no fun to go to the hospital for dehydration.
Speaker: ah So, you know, that's a serious issue. Then you couple that fact with the people, as Americans, we only drink 50% of the recommended amount of water for proper hydration and good health.
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Speaker: Try Liquid IV. Go to liquidiv.com. Use the code GCS at checkout. Okay, now I'm back. And we're we're here again. ah Eli Chapman and I are discussing Cardinal baseball. We were hoping to get more fans interested in this, but hey, you know, we're having fun talking amongst ourselves.
Speaker: ah way well Who's been the most a surprising player this year for you? I've got mine. i' I want to hear yours first.
Speaker: I would, boy. and most surprising.
Speaker: I would say not only at the plate, but in the field, but I would say Contreras. He has a totally different aura about him, and he does excellent at first base, I think.
Speaker: um But he's just playing with a lot more energy, and it's like a load has been lifted off his shoulders.
Speaker: I'm waiting for Walker to be my surprise. well yeah ah but Donovan is again just amazing but really a surprise um i like Pedro Pajes behind the plate of course we hadn't really seen him but before this year
Speaker: and um God love Herrera. I'm still waiting for him to get his first put out at second base. um But no, who's yours?
Speaker: Well, actually, you you your first one was my surprise. It was Contreras. um You know, the the way he's kind of rebounded in his hitting approach. Yeah, he's only he's only hitting around 250, but he's he's not... When he's the hit...
Speaker: when he's not getting the hit It's like it's still like a productive out as as ah um Ricky Horton likes to call it. Yeah, I he because he's got a number of sacrifice hits this I don't know what the number is right now off the top of my head, um but he's got a good number of sacrifices. and but my biggest surprise with Contreras is how he has taken to first base.
Speaker: Yes. I mean, I didn't expect to be totally horrible because he worked on it over the over the off off off the break and everything. Right. But to see some of the plays he's made, um it's like we don't miss Paul Goldschmidt. And I know that may be sacrilegious to say some people. but I'm happy to see it.
Speaker: I'm happy we can say that. Yeah. Because Wilson has just stepped into that role. Yeah. so well and he's comfortable yeah he doesn't look you know most guys when he switch positions i mean walker you saw that when he went from third base to the outfield oh yeah you know uh the you know it it was it was you know a big circus out there at times um you even saw it a little bit with gorman when he went from third base to second base yes um but
Speaker: There has been none of that that I've seen with Contreras. No, and I think Contreras, he understands the relationship between the catcher and the first baseman.
Speaker: He understands. I mean, he's watched this behind the plate. Ever since he's been playing in the major leagues, he's been behind the plate. right So he knows what could come over there to that first corner.
Speaker: and But some of the stretches he has made to corral ah catch,
Speaker: if that were me, they'd have to pick me up and manually put my legs back down on the ground. You and me both. He has just been spot on. There has just been, what, one or two that, well, the throws weren't very good anyway, but he wasn't able to corral them.
Speaker: But he's been spot on. Yeah. And he's having fun and over there. Oh, yeah. You can see it. I mean, he's, he's, know, and I kind of liken it to when, um, and I, I, I, when, when they, when they moved, um,
Speaker: that Tommy Edmond when they brought him up and kept moving him around. yeah Every position he played, there was no drop off in his feeling. There was no drop off in his good term. He just went from position to position to position and performed.
Speaker: Oh, he did. And it was it was like, what whatever you want me to do, let me know. And he went and played. He went and played. He didn't complain. He didn't hem and haw around.
Speaker: He got what probably necessary information he needed for that particular position. And he took care of it. Yeah, he went and did the job. made himself the best he could be at wherever they wanted him to play.
Speaker: Exactly, exactly. and I'll tell you i tell you, another guy who surprised me on the pitching side. And I thought he might be able to have a decent year if he could stay healthy.
Speaker: And that's been Steven Matz. Oh my gosh. Yes. I mean, and he's another guy. Okay. Tell me what you want me to do coach. Want me to start. Want me to come in long relief. Want me to come in for an inning. What do you want me to do?
Speaker: Yes. And he has pitched just brilliantly. Phenomenal. Phenomenal. And amazing. I like him in that long inning stretch.
Speaker: um And he comes in and just takes over and bada bing, bada boom. Well, he's one of only two Cardinal pitchers right now that have a sub two ERA.
Speaker: Yeah. era Oh, I don't doubt that. don't doubt that. Matt has a 1.91 ERA in 12 games. He's allowed a total of six earned runs, no home runs.
Speaker: Right. None. He has struck out 23 and walked only three batters. Yes. Yes. yeah Now, the other guy is um Kyle Leahy, who I tell you what, this if i'm bloom if I'm chain bloom next year, my first my first job is to talk to Kyle Leahy about an extension now.
Speaker: Exactly. you know Don't wait till that guy hits arbitration. Do it now. Get it done. Yeah. Get him locked in. Because he's the he's like he's got 24 innings in.
Speaker: He's a 1.09 ERA. He struck out 21 batters. Now, he's walked a little bit more than Matz. He's walked seven. But he's only given up three runs.
Speaker: And two of those are solo homers. Right. Right. So it's kind of like, you know, like said, you've got a couple good guys like that. Fetty the other day.
Speaker: um going nine innings for the shutout, 109 pitches. You know, I mean, people were out, people were ready to throw him on a scrap heap and send him out of town on the first, on the first, first ah train.
Speaker: And he said, Hey, no, hold my beer. Yeah. yeahll I'll show you what this is about. anyone out business business is done yeah I'll show you how this is done. Don't, you know, and was what was funny is I'm sure i am I bet money on it that the national fans were saying, uh, excuse me, why didn't you pitch like that when you were?
Speaker: Well, it's kind of, I mean, kind of like what the Cardinals fans were saying a couple of years ago when, um, um, Oh, can't think of a guys, the kid's name. We, we sent the Lance, uh, Lance Turner or Lance. Um, was it Turner?
Speaker: can't think of a guy's name now, saved my life. know his first name is Lance. um And we traded him to to Philly. And next thing you know, he's tearing the league up and we're trying and we're sitting there with outfielders that can't play. so you know Right.
Speaker: Well, and we've had players we've dealt that all of a sudden they blossom. And it's like, see there? See? See? It's funny you should bring that up because that was going to be my next question.
Speaker: What's said With the way Matthew Liberatore has performed this year, and we saw a little bit this last year when he was when he was coming in, are we finally able to put the Randy Arose Arena trade to rest?
Speaker: I think so. i think so simply because Randy, at least for right now, is not performing extremely well.
Speaker: And um a lot of fans are upset with him. And it's like, okay, I look i look at the human factor.
Speaker: You aren't going to duplicate a Bob Gibson or Chris Carpenter overnight. you You just aren't. And to be consistent on each and every game, those come once in a million times.
Speaker: Yeah. And you've got to you've got to give them their just due. Okay, they had an off day. Now, Sonny Gray, I'm not quite sure he has an off first inning every, seems like every outing he has. It just makes me crazy.
Speaker: But once he gets that inning over, he's fine. But no, Libby has taken huge steps. Huge steps. And a lot of that I do have to credit with Sonny Gray because Sonny has been working with him to slow down and ah not overthrow, not overthink.
Speaker: um Just do what you know you are capable of doing. right I don't know if Sonny listens to himself, but no, Livvy is he's going to be our ace.
Speaker: I truly feel he has ace potential. And he's... I watched him specifically out on the road because that seems to be more of his nemesis than at home.
Speaker: But he was very comfortable. he was in In his outings, he was very comfortable. He didn't get brushed He didn't get excited.
Speaker: And he made adjustments when he needed to. um And that is just. To me, signs not only of a professional, but an extremely good professional.
Speaker: That he understands himself. Enough to make the adjustments that he needs to to correct. Right. and um But yeah, he is, he's something else. And thankfully on this road trip, our bullpen.
Speaker: It's looking good. It's looking really good. Yeah. Much better. Much, much better. I just kind of looked up um ah Libby's stats for the year on the, on but the game logs, individual games.
Speaker: And yeah, outside of the game against Cincinnati, which got delayed by rain and they ended up taking him out early. Right. He has gone into the sixth inning in every ball game, actually, and into the seventh inning.
Speaker: Two times? One, two, three, four, four times. in and hes And he's gone through seven innings once. Right. um I mean, he's yeah He's going out, and if you take out that game against Cincinnati, he's giving you six innings solid per game when he goes out on that mound.
Speaker: and Exactly. And he's given up only one time. Has he given up more than three runs in an outing? and that was the game And that was the game in in Pittsburgh. Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, like you said. when you try to define the term ace, and I've had discussions with many different people over the years on this.
Speaker: You try to define the term ace. and was all well i mean I had one guy try to tell me, well, yeah, but yeah that Carlos Martinez was an ace. I'm like, why? Well, he throws 100 miles an hour. That'll make him an ace.
Speaker: um it a But when you go out and you can get your team past that sixth inning, And you are conceivably either ahead in the game or in a good place in the game where you can still catch up where you, you know, one run down, two runs down, maybe. Exactly.
Speaker: You know, and you are answering that call every fifth day that you are supposed to pitch. That's an ace. Yes.
Speaker: That's an ace. Yes, it is. um and And I'm going to agree with you. I think he he could be a Cardinal Ace, but I'll tell you what, there's a couple kids. There's a couple of kids that just might want to argue with you on that.
Speaker: McGreevy. Oh, my. you hit it You hit the first nail right on the head there. Oh, yeah. I'm so excited for that kid. I can't wait until he's up here on a regular basis.
Speaker: And I truly think think I think we'll see him back in September. like yeah like that's a guarantee. That's a guarantee.
Speaker: I truly think he will make the team next season. But that kid is just amazing. I'll tell you one thing, and this is just my observation of it.
Speaker: With the way the Cardinals are playing, and if they can continue this season, where they're at, which is, you know, fighting for a division title, you know, making fighting for that playoff run.
Speaker: In another couple months, we have the trade deadline. Yeah. And if we have a our, our, ah you know, if like Fetty is still pitching fairly well, if Palante is writes his wrongs and starts pitching a little bit better.
Speaker: Yes. Yes. I can see one of those two guys being shopped for whatever is needed at that point. Exactly. And McGreevy just sliding right up into that spot.
Speaker: Yep. Yep. and I can see that happening. and
Speaker: as much as i admire and like Nicholas, I would not Be saddened if we parted ways with him.
Speaker: Well, the problem with Michaelis and with Sonny Gray is they have no trade clauses. ah they They are two of those, huh? and but um that that's why That's why neither one of them were moved in the offseason. They have a no trade clause, which they both exercised and said, no, no, we like playing here.
Speaker: Right. Well, and I'm happy they do. I would like to just see a bit better performance out of them. And Michaelis has just lost it.
Speaker: I mean... Well, i'm I'm going to disagree with you. Because, i again, this is another thing I was looking up when I was trying to do all my do my ah article.
Speaker: andnna and I'll find it here. and do this to say There it is. you you you look You look at his game logs. and Okay? um He's had... One game, one game where he's given up more than three runs.
Speaker: That's it. Okay. Boston. Oh. That's what's hurt. That's what makes his numbers look so horrible is that Boston game. And I blame Marmel for that. Marmel should have took him out of that game way earlier than he did.
Speaker: Yes. But yeah you if you ignore the Boston game, He's pitched – every every of the game he's pitched, with the exception of one, he has gone in – he's gone at least five or into the sixth inning.
Speaker: Okay. Like said, he's given up – if you take out the nine runs in Boston, he's given up 11 runs in seven games.
Speaker: Yeah. So, you know, I i think – yeah I think what the problem with, with Michaelis is he's not a flashy pitcher. No, he doesn't have that 95, 97 mile an hour fastball. Doesn't have that big wide curve. Like, like, ah um, um, Wainwright used to throw.
Speaker: Um, yes. You know, he, he pitches and he gets hit a lot because he pitches to contact. He's not strikeout pitcher. He never has been. He's a post of contact guy.
Speaker: And a lot of people don't like that. First season, I mean, he was a ground ball fly out specialist. Oh, yeah. he wasn't He wasn't a big strikeout pitcher at all.
Speaker: um Which, Matt was, last year, he was our ground ball specialist, even with the strikes thrown in.
Speaker: But this year, Nicholas just seems like he's lobbing the ball up there. now I'm sure he's got some velocity on it. Yeah. But um what is his walk?
Speaker: Strikeout ratio. us see for Right now, his walk to strike, he's got 23 strikeouts to 13 walks. It's almost two to one a little little less than 2-1.
Speaker: Okay. which is Which is not a great average for a pitcher. I'll give you that. Right. I mean, you really you really need to have a little bit more of a 2-1 or 2.5-1 to be decent.
Speaker: Now, I will say, he's only given up two home runs. Right. Exactly. No, I... ah well i'll You give give the kudos for that, you know. and True.
Speaker: True. But like I said, I think he because he's not a flashy pitcher, because he's not a strikeout guy, and ah everybody seems to make contact with what he throws, and that's why I think people have a bad view of Michaelis.
Speaker: like said, if you just take a look at what... And yeah and actually, you can go that up and down the starting rotation. There's one game, well, maybe in Fetty's case there's two, but there's like one game that if you remove it, their stats look fantastic.
Speaker: Right. And his first five games, of course, the very first one, we went to extra innings, so he had no chance on that one.
Speaker: Right. But at Boston, okay, we'll throw that one out. But he's had no run support to... Until the his last three games. Yeah.
Speaker: I mean, that I'm looking at that, too. i mean, the ah April 12th versus whoever it was, Pittsburgh, they lost four to one. Okay. um That was the Phillies.
Speaker: You realize we've won two series this year. Philly. Yeah, he lost four to one. um the Now, the other the next game, they lost four to five. Okay.
Speaker: Now, he only gave up two runs in that one. So, you got to give the bullpen. got to consider the bullpen. bullpen on that one there but yeah you're right he's not getting any type I mean these last three games are the only ones he's really got the runners run support at right six against six six runs against Cincinnati Pittsburgh and Washington yeah but like said before that he's getting one two you know well and they haven't Cardinals have been a ah very good comeback team and put runs on the boards
Speaker: They haven't been an early large lead No, they haven't. You're right. You're right. They just, they haven't given, they've given their pitchers a lead, maybe one to three runs.
Speaker: Right. But nothing that's comfortable that the other team can't catch up and overtake. Exactly. Exactly. And, um but they come, those crazy boys come back in the end.
Speaker: And, uh, but last night with 19 hits, that was, yes. That's that game. Oh my gosh. When was the last time we had 19 hits in a game?
Speaker: Well, don't even remember. I don't even recall. Yeah. Having a game with 19. And when you looked at that game, that second game, you know, and, and the Phillies went up was a five to one, i think, cause they had, right.
Speaker: you know And you're like, oh, my God. you know What the hell? We've been exposed again. what is go And then all of a sudden, you know boom. we're we we We get a home run. and then Boom. Burleson. And and then we then we start. And then, oh, we got a lead. Great. and then the next inning, the Phillies tie it up It's like, what the hell?
Speaker: And and it was just like it was just like the light bulb switched on in in the Cardinal Duggan. It's, okay, that's it. They're done scoring. We're going to kick butt. And that's exactly what happened. and And they did. And they got the the whitey ball going and kept the line moving.
Speaker: John Rudy's favorite line. Keep the line moving. that That's right. That's how you put runs on the board. That's how put it. So we'll probably ought start trying to wrap this up a little bit. yeah So what is, ah what's your, what's your thought right now? I mean, right now we're all running high because, you know, they're winning.
Speaker: They're playing great baseball. You know, things look good. Yeah. Is this team capable of continuing this type of success through the rest of the season?
Speaker: I believe they are. I believe they are beginning to solidify the faith in themselves and the faith in each other.
Speaker: ah
Speaker: They are creating a very strong base. And you can see that, okay, one player may not have done it, but they know They've got backup and somebody's going to click and then they're going to keep it going.
Speaker: Right. Now, I think they are truly proving to themselves that keeping the line moving is effective. Now, the next question and is.
Speaker: While they may be capable. Right. we've seen And again, weveve we've we've kind of seen this movie before. yeah it Do you think it'll happen?
Speaker: I feel that they will.
Speaker: I'm going to say they will be very close to 95 wins, 97 wins. really believe that. i really believe that Okay.
Speaker: Just, and I've been proven wrong before, but just watching them
Speaker: and and how they are complimenting one another. Right. with Without ego, without ego, they're all in.
Speaker: Mm-hmm. And I really feel as the season goes, they will get stronger. Okay. And, um, I've sent them an email so they can prove me right and not, not let me down.
Speaker: Um, cause her grandma is watching them. Ah, there you go. but That's right. Don't disappoint grandma. Um, But another player who I really, really, really like is Thomas Sejesse.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. Just to throw that in, to close down tonight. And I feel he, too, will be another ah that will be back up. Yeah, ah I should have been yeah you should have brought him up.
Speaker: and you Because when you mentioned earlier in the in the show, you know, sticking with certain players, the one guy that came to mind in that respect was Michael Ciani, who, don't get me wrong, is a wonderful outfielder.
Speaker: I mean, great outfielder. But if you're keeping him around for defensive – and this is where they got exposed early in the season, and I think they've they've learned their lesson, at least I hope they did – right When wind went down and you end up with Pedro Paz playing second base.
Speaker: Yeah. Because if because your other guy who can play second base is playing ah in the outfield and another guy that can play second base is the DH. Yeah.
Speaker: Right. So you didn't have, mean, yeah it was one of those things. It's like, are you, this is where they got exposed. Now, thankfully, Pajes did at least an admirable job and they won the game.
Speaker: Yeah. yeah But I think that's where they got exposed and that's when they brought Segesi up and I was so happy to see that. Oh, I was too. He did fantastic when he was up here.
Speaker: But when it came time for when to come back, you know, everybody said, well, Segesi would be the one to go down. I'm like, why are we, we'd be keeping Siani. He gets in the game the last two innings as a defensive replacement for Scott, who doesn't need a defensive replacement. Let's face the facts.
Speaker: That kid is probably the best center fielder I've seen since Willie McGee. Right. As far as being able to go, you don't nothing no I don't want Jim Edmonds to get upset with me. Edmonds was a great center of the other two.
Speaker: But I think as far as terms of athleticism and the way he plays, I i put him a lot more in Willie McGee's category than I do Jim Edmonds' category.
Speaker: Right. um right But you know he doesn't need a backup. He doesn't need somebody to come in and relieve him for two innings because he's a defensive liability. um so why they Now, thankfully, they did send Cianni down and kept Sagacy, which I liked.
Speaker: But then again, I think when Gorman came back, days when they droppedingers when they got picked up a pitcher, they dropped Sagacy. I can't remember what the deal was that they dropped him for. But it's like, and I get it to an extent.
Speaker: Right. Because you want Sagacy to play every day.
Speaker: And understand that mindset. And he's not going to play every day up here and and unless, and this is the big thing where I don't know what's going to happen, unless they decide to shorten the runway on Gorman and say, okay, um you've had your shot.
Speaker: Yeah. It's time to give somebody else the chance. You go down and get whatever's got you screwed up right, and then maybe next year you can come and play third base for Arenado. Right. Right. You know, right um that type of thing.
Speaker: And because I think Donovan is best when he can move different when he can be the the ah Swiss Army knife. Yes, absolutely.
Speaker: But I agree with you. I think Segacy will be back up. And I think next year he makes the team. Yep, I do too. Well, thank you so much for having me with you. I want to thank you for coming on. it was it was it's i guess I've been wanting to do one of these where it's just me and some of and fans or a fan. or Because you know I've interviewed a lot of people, ah you know former basketball players and sports writers and stuff like that.
Speaker: You know, but um to to actually talk to fans, because one thing I do try to do with this show is I try to make this show a show for the fans by a fan. I understand, you know, and I think so many people, especially sports writers and podcasters, so you know, uh, they don't look at it that way. They look at it as, you know, uh, they want to, they want to be the next, uh, Keith Oberman or whatever, you know, and but, uh, but no, I, so want to thank I do want to thank, uh, Eli for coming on tonight and, um,
Speaker: So if you like the show, i mean, next time I'm going I'm going to try and have one of these every so often. So hopefully next time we get a few more people to to show up, because really I like to have the the fans involved in this.
Speaker: So Eli, is there a place we can look for you? If that's a, that you're out and about the, on the, on the worldwide web, as they say, i am Eli Chapman on Facebook.
Speaker: And I am Beth Chapman. on X Twitter and on both. I don't do too much Instagram.
Speaker: So, but those are my two big ones. Yeah, I'm with you on the Instagram thing. so Well, all right. And you can always find this show at Gatewaysports.net or you can find it on Spotify. We're always there.
Speaker: Check it out. And also check out the other shows at Gateway Sports. You have the two for three with Ron Nuttall, Pete Geddes, and Elliot Dewey. You have Ron Nuttall also.
Speaker: teams up with Chris Hambleton for the at the park, which is all about city soccer. You have the two for three with a mighty moose Michaels. And then there's always the NCAA report with my, with yours truly. And Russ Robinson.
Speaker: Brian Capel and Chris Van Stratton, I think it is, or something like that. the It's called The Stupidest Sports Show on Earth. Uh-oh. I have not listened to it yet. I still want to do that.
Speaker: I've got listen to it. And then, of course, there is the flagship show for Gateway Sports, the Derrick King Show with the one and only Derrick King. So for Eli Chapman, this is Don Glenn. I want to thank you guys for coming along and have fun, stay safe, and until we see you again when we were talking sports with Uncle Don.
Speaker: Good night, everybody. Good night.
