August 8, 2002 Featuring The Book On Scott Rolen
August 08, 2002
TEAM NEWS: 59-51 (1st place NL Central, 1 game lead)
Last 10 games: 2-8
The Cardinals are floundering right now, and have scored just nine runs in their first six games in August. The club has lost seven straight and watched their lead slim down from six games a couple of weeks ago to one game over the surging Houston Astros.
Rotation:
The trend with ace Matt Morris continues. Every time that manager Tony Larussa decides to let him loose, Morris seems to get rocked for his next couple of outings. The latest instance of this? Morris threw 122 pitches in shutting out the Giants for eight innings on July 23. In his two starts since then, Morris has given up 11 runs (9 earned) in 10 innings of work.
Next start: 8/8 vs. MON
Look for some of the pressure to be relieved from Morris, as starters Woody Williams and Garrett Stephenson both seem to be close to returning from injury. The magic number here is 100. If Morris stays under 100 pitches, he seems to be 100%. If not, he seems to be gassed before he even throws a pitch in his next start. Send your mail to Tony Larussa on that one. ;)
Chuck Finley showed flashes that he might be ready to resume being an effective pitcher in his first three starts with the Cardinals, holding opponents to 10 runs (8 earned) in 20 innings. However, his recent blowup against the Expos certainly leaves room for concern. Finley allowed 7 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks over 2.2 innings against the Expos on Tuesday, making many wonder if the Cardinals may have been better off taking a chance on someone who doesn't belong in a nursing home.
Next start: 8/10 vs. NYM
Finley will likely be depended upon as the #3 starter if the Cardinals manage to hold on and make the playoffs. It seems that Dave Duncan and his experience with aging former superstars will need to kick into high gear to get the job done here.
The magic that made Jason Simontacchi one of the majors' biggest surprises in the first half seems to be disappearing at an alarming rate. Simontacchi, who didn't reach the majors until he was 28, seemed to fool a lot of hitters early on, despite a subpar fastball. Now that he's been through the league, hitters are starting to adjust to him, and it's showing. Simontacchi has allowed 17 runs (16 earned) in his last three starts, a span of 12 innings, including an absolute pasting in Atlanta, where the Braves torched him for 9 runs in 1 inning.
Next start: 8/12 @ PIT
Fantasy Spin: Simontacchi belongs on the bench right now. He may adjust to what hitters have done to figure him out eventually, but he hasn't yet.
If someone would have said in April that the only Cardinals starter who would be pitching well in early August would be Andy Benes, they most likely would have been told to check into drug rehab. Benes has been surprisingly solid since returning from a rehab assignment in late July. He has allowed just one run in his last two starts, a span of 13.2 innings.
Next start: 8/9 vs. NYM
Even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut. The way that Benes has pitched since his return, he may hold his spot in the rotation even after the return of Woody Williams and Garrett Stephenson, who are both expected back within the next couple of weeks.
The fifth spot is up for grabs right now, and is primarily being used for Larussa's famous "bullpen starts."
Bullpen
Closer Jason Isringhausen continues to look solid, but hasn't seen a 9th inning lead get to him in over a week. Realistically, there's too much talent on this club for the losing streak to continue, so Izzy should start seeing some save opps again soon.
Setup man Steve Kline's struggles continue, as he's given up a run in three of his last four outings. The injury bug was a reasonable excuse until the All-Star Break, but the fact that he continues to get shelled is reason for concern. Kline does continue to act as a team leader, and certainly let the whole club know how frustrated he is right now as he walked into the dugout and started throwing trash cans and gloves in disgust on Wednesday night.
Mike Crudale has been the club's most consistent reliever of late, allowing just 2 runs since being called back up at the beginning of July. He sufferred his first blown save on Sunday night, allowing an inherited runner to score in the 8th inning, but remains an extremely effective option in holds leagues with a 1.47 ERA on the year as well as a 0.90 WHIP.
Infield
Eli Marrero has played more than enough games to qualify at C again next season. However, his recent slump, combined with the fact that Eduardo Perez is actually hitting the ball every once in a while, is eating into Marrero's playing time. Of the catchers on the Cardinals roster, he's the only one who maintains any fantasy value unless you're in a 35 team league.
There were some who hoped that SS Edgar Renteria would move up to second in the batting order with Placido Polanco gone. Not only would it improve his fantasy stock, but it would likely give the Cardinals lineup, which hasn't produced lately, a much needed kick in the behind. He's hit second in the order twice since the deal, with Eduardo Perez seeing more action in that slot. Renteria is far more imposing as a base-stealing threat, is a far better contact hitter, and is just the superior all-around offensive player of the two, but continues to hit in Siberia... otherwise known as seventh in the order.
2B Fernando Vina caught fire a bit in late July to bring his average back up around .285, but has since resumed struggling. Vina seems to have peaked in May and has been struggling ever since. What looked like it might be a career year early on has transformed itself into his worst season as a Cardinal, if not his career. Vina's strength is as a slap-hitting sparkplug who gets on base and moves himself in station to station. However, this season, he's posting his lowest OBP since 1997 and has been caught stealing almost as often as he's been successful (13 for 23 in steal attempts). Traditionally, he cranks it up a notch in August, but there's been no indication that he will.
3B Scott Rolen adds tremendous defensive flair and a threat of right-handed power in the lineup. Threat, of course, because he's not really producing at the plate this season, even since being traded to St. Louis. Rolen came through with two hits in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Expos, breaking an 0-20 skid. He did, however, manage to commit two crucial base-running errors in the same inning. First, he didn't break from third base with nobody out when Eduardo Perez hit a grounder down the line that Expos 1B Andres Galarraga had trouble fielding. Later, with two outs, Eli Marrero attempted to steal second and intentionally got caught up in a run down, but Rolen didn't break until the ball was in Jose Vidro's glove and was easily gunned down at the plate for the third out.
1B Tino Martinez continues to disappoint. It certainly appears that the Cardinals should have been looking at his 2000 numbers to see what to expect, rather than his typical numbers which he had returned to last season. Martinez, typically a 100 RBI man, hasn't driven in a run since July 30. His solid defense is still helpful, but his bat seems to be in a season-long coma.
Outfield
LF Albert Pujols isn't seeing a whole lot of RBI opportunities lately. The right-handed sluggish slugger has somehow managed to provide two triples in the past week. Speed never has been Pujols' game, as he's stolen just three bases in his two year career, but he's finding a way to chug around those bases. As Larussa will eventually learn, Pujols' production may continue to be scarce as long as Eddie Perez is batting second, or is even in the lineup at all.
RF Eddie Perez has been seeing the majority of the action, as slugger J.D. Drew rides the bench with the "day to day for the rest of the season" tag. Perez, son of Reds' Hall of Famer Tony Perez, doesn't belong on a major league roster, much less a fantasy roster. He has good power, but rarely makes enough contact for it to matter. Basically, he's a poor man's Jeromy Burnitz, and any fantasy owner who is looking for that will be looking up at the rest of the league.
CF Jim Edmonds joined the rest of the squad in having a rough week, going 1-19. He had a fantastic July, and just seems to be mired in a bit of a slump. He should snap out of it soon enough, but he always seems to fade a little bit down the stretch; it's normally not this bad, though.
RF J.D. Drew would be a great fit for a certain role if they ever decide to remake Pulp Fiction, but for right now his gimpy knees will keep him missing at least two or three games a week. Many a fantasy owner have been burned by Drew over and over through the years, thinking that this might finally be the year that he plays a full season. It would seem that 2002 will not be the year that he breaks through.
Sounds Around Town/Rumorama
Scott Rolen received the typical standing ovation that all new Cardinals seem to get in their first at bat at Busch Stadium, whether he's producing or not. Many felt that his addition might propel the Cardinals into serious contention for the NL Pennant, despite the fact that indications are to the contrary so far. His gold glove defense and the potential for 25 homers from the right side certainly make this lineup a lot more imposing, but the players that were dealt for him really could have been used to extract a solid #3 starter and a position player to fill in for the constantly injured J.D. Drew in RF.
"Sounds Around Town" might not cover it. FIC's own Cardinals Correspondent was recently in attendance deprived Montreal for a couple of games and thought he heard a lot more cheering there than he did at Busch Stadium Wednesday night. The team is giving the fans little to cheer for lately, despite the fact that they still manage to hold the lead in the NL Central. The pitching woes continue a bit, but it seems to be the offense that's decided to take a week off, and the fans don't seem to want to take it.
Rumors that Walt Jocketty would try to trade RF J.D. Drew never came to pass. The city seemed to be about 50/50 on trading Drew. Realists claim that he'll never be healthy enough to live up to his enormous natural talent. Optimists claim that you can't throw away a guy with his potential. Trading Drew is something that a lot of people think Jocketty should have explored a little more, as the return on him could have been excellent. However, the fact that he once again came up lame towards mid-season diminished his market enough so that Jocketty may have made the right move by holding onto him.... As J.D. Drew Turns..........
The Book On:
Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen received a late season call-up in 1996 before sticking as the everyday 3B in Philadelphia in 1997. Always considered a top prospect in the organization, Rolen tore up the league in his first season, batting .283 and smoking 21 homers and driving in 92 runs. He led NL Rookies in as many as 11 categories, including the Triple Crown categories and runs, in locking up a unanimous Rookie of the Year.
He would not only duplicate his statistics in 1998, but would improve upon them, adding 7 points to his batting average as well as cracking the 30 homer and 100 RBI mark for the first time. Rolen not only solidified himself as one of the top third sackers in the league offensively, but did this while earning his first of three Gold Glove Awards. Rolen would then suffer a pair of injury plagued seasons before returning to dominance in 2001, when he hit .289-25-107 in 151 games with the Phils.
However, Rolen and the Phillies had their issues. Rolen had problems with manager Larry Bowa and refused to work too hard on a contract extension with Phillies management, leaving him as one of, if not the biggest name out there at the trading deadline. In a shrewd move, such as what he used to get former slugger Mark McGwire, Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty put his cards out on the table, anted up and snatched Rolen away from the Phillies, expecting to be able to ink him to a long-term deal. Whether that deal gets done or not is the bigger issue, as the Phillies asking price wasn't so cheap, but if the Cards can manage to lock Rolen up for the next 5-10 years, it should prove to be a great gamble.
The Walking Wounded
J.D. Drew - Drew is still missing at least three games per week because of tendinitis in his knee.
Spin - Expect this to last for the rest of the year, if not the rest of his career. A healthy Drew is a first round pick. The real J.D. Drew isn't worth a roster spot.
Woody Williams - Williams remains on the shelf with a strained ribcage.
Spin - Williams threw a bullpen session for the first time in a few weeks on Wednesday, and is expected to make a rehab start in the next couple of weeks before coming back up towards the end of August. His production since being traded to the Cardinals last August in a waiver deal with the Padres warrants serious consideration as a #2/#3 fantasy starter. If he's available, grab him and stash him on your DL.
Garrett Stephenson - Stephenson made his second rehab start in AAA Memphis as he recovers from surgery on his left hamstring.
Spin - Stephenson was rushed back from Tommy John Surgery to start the year, and they may be rushing him back a little from his Hamstring Surgery. He's not really worth a gamble.
Quick Picks
Add/Acquire
Woody Williams - That's right.... Old Woodrow is listed here again. He's begun his rehab assignment, and that can only mean that the Cardinals #2 starter is on the way.
Edgar Renteria - Renteria's hot July showed what he's capable of doing. He's gone in most leagues, and his price tag may be high, but it might be worth a shot to see if another owner still underappreciates him.
Jason Isringhausen - Elite closer.... Only nine saves in the past month.... Do the math. Many owners may be disappointed in the investment they made in Izzy. Take advantage of that opportunity before someone else does.
Andy Benes - Seriously???? Believe it or not, Benes looks a lot more like he did in the middle of the 1990's lately than he has since 1998. He's not worth a roster spot in most leagues, but he could actually be of use as a day to day pickup in head to head leagues or a solid option in really deep roto leagues.
Drop/Deal
Fernando Vina - He just doesn't look like himself at all this season. It appears that the wear and tear that he takes as one of the most gritty players in the league is finally getting to him.
Jason Simontacchi - He actually had a decent start against the Expos Wednesday, despite taking the loss. He may just be garbage for the FA bin at this point, but try and see if some owner really thinks that Simontacchi will recover and covets his services enough to make a deal for him.