I blame danup for the cult of Trey Hearne. I’m pretty sure it originated on Get Up, Baby during Hearne’s ridiculously good 2006 season. According to the Springfield News-Leader, Hearne is returning to form after last year’s stint in Mexico. Hearne’s return to the United States is linked to the increased drug-cartel violence as his henchmen try to extend their influence into Cardinal fan territory.
”It didn’t go very well out there for me,” Ottavino said. ”It was just a bump in the road, but we still won the game, which is the most important thing. I didn’t feel like I really had it out there. I tried to get through it the best I could. I wanted to get through at least five innings. Obviously, I didn’t reach that so I’m disappointed. But it’ll be all right. I still feel like I hung in there despite not having what I consider my best stuff. Hopefully, that’ll be my worst start for awhile.”
You’ve got to hope this is a bump in the road after how well he pitched in the WBC. I don’t know what he’s referring to when he says his “best stuff” but I’m going to argue that command has been a more devious undoing than “pure stuff”.
The teams bookend wins on Friday as we head into one more day of decent weather in St. Louis this weekend. (I’m a little bitter about our topsy-turvy weather.)
- Shane Robinson was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. He’s hitting .406 on the season and I honestly have no idea how he fits into the future of the Cardinals. He keeps hitting but there’s a part of me that remains very skeptical of his game translating to the minors and there not being better alternatives in the system. But he just keeps hitting. . .
- Tyler Greene was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks.
- The Redbirds’ offense consisted of just 7 hits but they were aided by 6 walks and 3 errors from OC.
- Brad Thompson got the start for the Cardinals going 5 strong innings. He allowed one solo HR walking none and striking out 3. He also recorded a 8:4 GO:AO split on balls in play. Apparently the sinker was sinking.
- Ian Oustland and Charlie Manning each pitched a pair of innings striking out 2 apiece and walking 1. Oustland also allowed 2 hits.
- Brett Wallace was 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Tony Cruz was 2-for-3 with a walk.
- Tyler Henley was 2-for-3. He hasn’t shown any sign of power yet this season but I’m keeping my eye on him.
- Brandon Dickson allowed 5 runs (4 earned) in a messy box score. He got tagged for 6 hits and walked 5.
- Elvis Hernandez was tagged for the loss allowing an addition 2 runs while retiring just 2 batters.
- Kenny Maiques has caught the command-bug that so many Cardinal pitching prospects seem to have. He walked 2 batters in his inning of work striking out 2 and allowing a hit. When I saw him in QC 2 years ago, his command was impeccable. Still not sure what has happened since then.
- Adron Chambers was 2-for-5.
- Paul Vazquez was 2-for-3 with a triple and a walk. I always chuckle when catchers hit triples — the ball was either laced down a corner or fielded by Chris Duncan.
- Jose Garcia was 2-for-3 with a triple.
- Random position note: Curt Smith, LF.
- Richard Castillo was ok during his 4 innings of work. He allowed 4 hits and walked 2 batters but struck out just 1.
- Eduardo Sanchez pitched a perfect frame striking out 2.
- Shaun Garceau had a rough night. He allowed 2 hits, 2 walks and 1 HBP but ALL 5 batters came around to score.
- Sam Freeman did him no favors allowing 2 inherited runners to cross the plate. He picked up a blown save as a result despite allowing just 1 hit.
- Paul Cruz was 2-for-4 with a HR playing LF.
- Charles Swuager was 2-for-3 with a walk and a double.
- Chuckie Fick got touched up for 5 hits in 4 innings but limited the damage (1 ER) by limiting his walks: 0. He walked 15 batters in 93 innings last season. He struck out 3 batters and recorded a 6:2 GO:AO.
- Andres Rosales was also good striking out 5 over 4 innings. He walked a batter allowing 3 hits and 1 ER. Like Fick, he posted a good GO:AO ratio of 5:1.
- Casey Mulligan picked up the save with a 2 walk 2 K 9th. He may say he wants to be like Motte but this was more of a Chris Perez style outing tonight.
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Garceau’s 3rd inning serves him no justice…..the first walk should have been a strike out…the HBP unfortunate…..the bunt hit should have been an out if Jermaine Curtis would have moved and made an attempt to get the ball (frustrating)…
The 4th walk brought in a run and the fly ball should have been caught not fumbled(error) allowing 2 runs….Sammuel like you said did not help…
This is really unfortunate for Garceau…how quickly a perfect two innings turned into a nightmare in the 3rd….he was as sharp as can be in the first two{needed only 10 pitches) and made a snag at a line drive to him to end the 2nd that that had ESPN highlights written all over it…an inning from hell, that is what it was..
It’s unfortunate when the pitcher becomes a victim of circumstances.
That’s why I feel it’s tough to determine his outcome by lines.
Sean is smart and knows what to do, I suspect he’ll make it up on his next start.
“I don’t know what he’s referring to when he says his “best stuff” but I’m going to argue that command has been a more devious undoing than “pure stuff”.”
I think most pitchers generally include command as a subset of “stuff.” Any pitcher (say, up through high school and college) can recognize quickly (usually during warming up) whether he’s got “it” or not that day. Sometimes your fastball has more zip, sometimes your curve has particular bite, and sometimes you can place your pitches right where you want. Other days you just don’t have “it.” The fastball is blah, your curve isn’t biting, etc. Believe me, on some days, you know it’s going to be a long day before you even toe the rubber for the first inning. But what can you do? It’s your turn in the rotation so you take the ball and pitch the best you can. It seems like Ottavino is just saying it was one of those days.
Hey now, Trey Hearne is the one mediocre prospect whose bandwagon I avoided—I’m wary of people who can’t strike out a lot of batters in low-A. Mark McCormick, Gary Daley, Josh Wilson(!), Blake Hawksworth two or three times, Brandon Yarbrough, Jose Martinez… that’s all me.