Earlier today, we learned the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright could miss the rest of the season after suffering an Achilles injury in last night’s game against the Brewers. GM John Mozeliak has said he will wait to determine Wainwright’s status until the right-hander has been examined by team doctors tomorrow. However, that hasn’t stopped the speculation from bubbling as to how the Cardinals will replace their ace.
Here’s the latest on those rumors and the rest of the news from the National League:
- With the Cardinals set to host the Phillies for four games beginning tomorrow, Cole Hamels tops the list of external options to fill Wainwright’s void. Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets the Cardinals do not have the prospects to satisfy the Phillies, but the Dodgers and Red Sox are lurking.
- Besides Hamels, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Bernie Miklasz opines the Cardinals could puruse a high-caliber starter entering their walk year like David Price, Jordan Zimmermann or Jeff Samardzija. Miklasz, who does examine the Cardinals’ internal candidates, also suggests signing Paul Maholm or acquiring an under-the-radar pitcher like the Phillies’ Aaron Harang.
- Hamels trade talks could accelerate in the wake of injuries to Wainwright, the Dodgers’ Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-jin Ryu, and the struggles of the Red Sox’s staff, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Speaking of the Dodgers, the new front office’s philosophy of adding depth with low profile transactions was put into place to weather a rash of injuries and those acquisitions will now become more relevant, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Mark Saxon.
- One by-product of Wainwright’s injury could be a renewed push for the NL to adopt the DH, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. “I wouldn’t be opposed,” Max Scherzer told Heyman. “If you look at it from the macro side, who’d people rather see hit — Big Papi or me? Both leagues need to be on the same set of rules. We keep searching for offense. This would be the easiest way to add offense.” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, as quoted by MLive.com’s Aaron McMann, puts it more bluntly, “When a pitcher goes down with an injury when he’s hitting, you make people second guess the National League’s style of play.“
“When a pitcher goes down with an injury when he’s hitting, you make people second guess the National League’s style of play.“
No, I question the decision to not prepare the pitcher to be a hitter. People act like pitcher are 14 year old girls. These are men that are the same size, if not bigger, than their position player teammates. They were hitters in college and all throughout their childhood. Why are they suddenly treated like they are made of glass? It just amazes me how people only consider pitchers to be arms connected to a useless, albeit athletic, body.
Wainwright’s injury was horrible, but no one was wanting to change the game when he was out for the season with Tommy John surgery a few years back. Injuries happen, it’s a fact of the game. Unfortunately so is overreaction to those injuries.
In the old-timey days of baseball when players were tough and before the era of the Tommy John epidemic, this kind of attitude makes sense. But in today’s baseball, individual pitchers are being paid salaries larger than the GDPs of small countries. It is a new time, and pitching has become so hazardous of an action itself, that pitchers, especially premier pitchers like Wainwright, going down with a non-pitching injury is unacceptable. It is bad for baseball to lose a prime year of a great pitcher because he was honoring the time old tradition of the national league of popping out and having to jog to 1B.
Individual position players are being paid salaries larger than the GDPs of small countries as well, should they only have to play half the game? What about a spectacular defensive shortstop that can’t hit a lick? Why can’t he have someone hit for him as well? Addison Russell is completely ready for the big leagues defensively, but 60% of the time he is striking out. Why can’t he have a DH? What about a great game caller at catcher that can’t hit his weight? It would be better for the game if he wasn’t relegated to being a backup because he can’t hit. Why limit it to just pitchers? Let’s just have a separate offense and defense just like football. #sarcasm
Was going to say the same thing.
You aren’t really trying to equate a spectacular defensive shortstop who can’t hit a lick to a $30 million a year Cy Young winner are you? It’s about protecting your investments.
Andrelton Simmons can throw a 98-mph fastball though.
Can he command that fastball? How about cut it or sink it? What about his breaking ball? Does his change up have fade and thrown with the same arm action so he can get lefties out and go through the line up multiple times?
I’m sure when Simmons would have been in high school his fastball velocity would have been enough for him to be a decent pitcher. Just like many MLB pitchers had the athleticism to be decent hitters when they were in high school facing players like me. Now that they are facing the most elite talent in the world, forcing pitchers to hit makes as much sense as forcing the Braves to pitch Simmons every 5th day.
Actually- the reason the Braves landed Simmons is because they were the only team willing to try him at Shortstop. Everyone else wanted him as a pitcher- and he was willing to go to college instead of sign. (he was drafted through junior college even though he’s from Curacao, he’s a pretty unique case)
“But in today’s baseball, individual pitchers are being paid salaries larger than the GDPs of small countries. It is a new time, and pitching has become so hazardous of an action itself, that pitchers, especially premier pitchers like Wainwright, going down with a non-pitching injury is unacceptable.”
Yes, one injury in who knows how many years should demand a rule change. I also think sliding should be outlawed – if a fielder holds a ball within 15 feet of a base the runner heading to it should be automatically out. Outfield fences and stands in foul territory are other needless injury traps. I’d propose that giant rubber bands be placed all around the field so if a highly paid defensive player is running to it to catch a ball and said defender is within 15 feel of it when it comes down, the batter is automatically out.
I’m still working out things regarding hit by pitch.
Let me first preface by saying that I like how things are now. Let the pitcher bat in the NL and keep the DH in the AL. Makes the product on the field unique and intriguing.
Your sarcasm is beautiful and I loved every word of it!
Pitchers do get injured batting every year. In the last 10 years, there have been a few pitchers losing their seasons because of batting/base running. Examples that come to mind: Brad Penny losing his season in 2010 after he screwed up his oblique hitting a grand slam. Chien Ming Wang lost his season in 2008 running the base paths and screwing up his foot. I’m sure there are more who have lost their seasons to offense related activities but I can’t think of them off hand right now. There are plenty more who get injured and miss some time every year, so pitchers take a pretty significant risk when they bat. But I don’t think the DH will come to NL and I hope it stays that way.
Complete football gear, including helmet and padding. Gimme a difficult one!
Sounds workable to me, but the bases will all have to be moved 7 feet closer to one another to compensate for the additional weight the runners will be carrying.
I am quite sick of the claims opposing the DH is about ‘tradition.’
I am one that has active resentment of tradition and still prefer the NL.
There are quite a few reasons it provides a better game.
“They were hitters in college and all throughout their childhood.”
Not true. Most colleges use the DH, as do many high schools.
Yeah and a lot of pitchers play a different position (1B for example) on days they are not starting.
Exactly. Many pitchers growing up are the best athletes on their team. They hit AND pitch. Why they suddenly get babied when they turn pro is strange to me. These are professional athletes after all
Because hitting an MLB pitch is one of the hardest things to do in sports. There are only a handful of people in the world who are capable of pitching at the MLB level and hitting at the MLB level. The National League is one of the last professional leagues in the world that hasn’t figured this out yet and continues with this outdated idea of pitchers hitting.
You’re right. And that is why it’s outdated and antiquated. It’s a little league idea to have pitchers hit. You may not like it, but professional baseball has become a specialized sport. Pitchers have a job and it’s to pitch, not hit. It’s similar to how many great high school football players play both ways, as did NFL players back in the day. Now, NFL players play one side of the ball and the sport is better for it. No one wants to see Russell Wilson getting torched at safety, just as no one wants to see Clayton Kershaw striking out at the plate.
Let me correct one thing for you. No one want to see Russell Wilson. The rest of that sentence is unnecessary. I also agree that Dodger fans don’t want to see Kershaw strike out at the plate, but they also don’t want to see Puig, Gonzalez, or Uribe strike out either. As a Rockies fan, I am perfectly okay with seeing Kershaw strike out every time.
The pitchers legs provide most of the power. They run constantly. Saying Wainwright was not prepared to run to first base is silly.
Adam Wainwright is one of the better hitting pitchers in the league. Do you really think he was unprepared to hit?
Apparently he was unprepared to run. Obviously pitchers also need a designated fielder, so they will never need to risk their legs covering first (let alone, home plate). We will perfect this game yet, even if it means changing everything.
Man, you got my blood boiling really quick for a sec there. Glad I read the whole thing.
That Wainwright injured his Achilles while running out a popup doesn’t mean he hurt it *because* he was running out a popup. He could have very well have injured it fielding a groundball later in the game (or season) as, for example, Jose Contreras did when he played for the White Sox in 2008. It would be a shame to institute the DH in the National League. If you want to bat you should have to field a position!
“If you want to bat you should have to field a position!”
Quoted for truth!
Even though I do think the NL should have a DH eventually(clearly not a popular opinion here), I don’t think this injury in any way should push that conversation in either direction because it’s something that could have happened with or without the pitcher hitting. He could very well have pulled off the same injury fielding a grounder. The focus of the debate should be elsewhere rather than on one freak injury.
you mean there is no designated fielder in the AL?
This whole DH thing seems like a knee jerk reaction to a fluke injury. While seeing a pitcher hit doesn’t set the world on fire, I will always like the NL more is because you actually have to have strategy. Pinch hitting, double switches, etc, add so much complexity that is missing from the AL.
Nailed it in the head. For me personally, the AL should adopt the NL rule.
A benefit would be for players like “Big Papi” to get in shape to play a position instead of sitting back and eating burgers all day.
Walk the 8th hitter, face the pitcher.
#strategy
Pitcher bunts, that walk just turned into a double and your leadoff guy can now drive in a run with a single.
#itsworkedforacentury
No it didn’t. I now have an out. If there are already two out, innings over.
I’m pretty sure that managers (and most people with any slight hint of intelligence) are not inept enough to sacrifice bunt with 2 outs.
You haven’t seen Fredi Gonzalez.
The exception that proves the rule.
Chances are, even if not bunting, with the pitcher batting, innings over (as most people with any slight hint of intelligence would know).
The DH is just a dumbed down form of baseball implemented in the 70s to improve ratings by appealing to the masses. In other words, dumb it down to appeal to the less intelligent people. I am not saying all AL fans are less intelligent, because most fans grew up with it, but my point stands nevertheless.
Nothing like writing off people’s opinion on a legitimate debate and calling it nothing more than something that appeals to less intelligent people. There’s legitimate points to both sides of the debate. You don’t have to agree, but there’s more to it than just being a draw for ratings.
Does not change the fact that the DH was implemented in the 70s to improve ratings by appealing to the masses. And no, there was not more to the decision to implement the DH than to improve ratings.
And whats the problem with that? The more people that watch baseball, the better.
As a consumer and fan of an NL baseball team, I would love a DH. Comes down to, would I rather see a pitcher hit or a major league hitter, hit. I choose the major league hitter every time.
The effect of having a pitcher bat instead of a DH changes game strategy quite a bit. I can’t explain that to anyone that watches baseball games and doesn’t realize it. Baseball is not just pitcher vs. hitter. Hello!
Also, I did not “write off” people’s opinions on anything, I just commented on the reason the DH was implemented.
“The DH is just a dumbed down form of baseball”. Nope, not writing it off. Totally only talked about why it was installed.
The DH was added to increase offense AND thereby increase appeal to fans. Of course the owners want to appeal to the masses. Why would they want to appeal to the minority?!! They added night games for the same reason, to appeal to the masses. Do you want to eliminate those too?
How has AL attendance done vs. NL attendance since the DH was implemented in the early 70’s?
It appears the leagues draw about the same. But it seems to me that if the AL were so much more popular due to the DH, that the NL owners would have implemented it as soon as they realized there was more money to be made.
Regardless, I didn’t just make this up, it’s a fact. Whether it worked or not is another matter, but the reason they implemented it was to improve ratings. Some of the responses I see here demonstrating a lack of reading comprehension by those supporting the DH makes me think their plan worked.
The irony is, if you look at offensive stats between the two leagues, you will find that they aren’t very different. So if the objective of the DH was to make the game “more exciting” then it really did not work.
I’d argue it’s because the AL allows you to use pitchers for one batter more often than in the NL due to not having to pinch-hit/double-swtich so much, which negates the benefit of the DH to some degree.
Limitations on LOOGYs/ROOGYs might help offense more than an NL DH.
Possibly, a reasonable theory. The DH is an experiment that failed, IMO.
Not really. Eight of the ten teams with the fewest runs scored were National League teams in 2014.
Really. Take a look at historical ERA and BA across both leagues. I already have. The AL is about 2-3% higher overall, which is a lot less of an offensive boost than most people would guess is created by the DL.
First, the point of the game is scoring more runs than the opposition. I don’t care about ERA or BA.
Second, 2-3% is a significant amount. I also don’t care what people would guess.
I agree with you.
One of the best things MLB has going for it are the 2 leagues using different rules. If I have to take one or the other I take the NL’s approach. But I enjoy watching both ways of playing.
Good question. I don’t have the answer, but the change in attendance when it was first implemented would show the most impact. After all this time, I doubt any effects on attendance would be visible. The extra offence from the steroid era definitely helped attendance.
The difference is that night games don’t change the game. The fact that I have to point that out to you…well, all I have to say is, case in point.
Have you ever looked at batting averages for day vs night games when night games first began? Lights were not as good as todays. It did have an effect on the game. The fact that I have to point that out to you…well, all I have to say is, case in point.
I can make an argument that the NL style is more dumbed down, because more decisions are no-brainers.
If the Dodgers decide they want Hamels, I have no doubt they could make it happen.
And I have no doubt the Phillies will get fleeced.
Let a new management group trade Cole Hamels and rebuild the Phillies.
You mean like the Rollins deal? Ruben gets a lot flack, but he did well with the recent trades of Rollins and Byrd, and he has been patient and consistent on his stance with regards to trading Cole. I have no doubts he will not trade him unless it’s a win for Phillies.
It just depends on whether or not they are willing to trade one of Joc, Urias, or Seagar. I personally don’t see it happening. Their best bet would be to keep their young guys, and pay a big name pitcher next offseason. It ain’t like they’re worried about spending big.
I also doubt they are content to wait til next year.
The rotation they have now is more than enough to make them serious contenders to win it all. They will only need an upgrade if Greinke opts-out, and that doesn’t happen until this season’s end.
Being serious contenders may not be enough to make them wait.
I think Friedman is smarter than that. Had it be Coletti, I wouldn’t be surprised.
The smart person realizes opportunities to win are rare, and difficult to achieve. Friedman now has the payroll to do something about it.
I’m not so sure. In 2016, their “off-team” payments will drop from $40M to less than $10M. Hamels contract would not be a deterrent to LAD.
Dodgers have gotten a huge influx of international talent, and have the 24, 35, 67, 74, and 101 picks in this year’s MLB Rule 4 draft.
At some point, they will need to do something with their excess players and could very well put together a nice package of prospects and other decent players that would clear some room on the roster and net them a fine pitcher.
injuries happen. I’m a Cards fan and it is sad….but this is baseball and you gotta deal with it. you can’t put some players in a protective bubble. pitchers have been spiked in the foot/leg covering first base many times. it was just Wainrights time. In 1967, Bob Gibson suffered a broken leg off a batted ball and missed half the season. STL stuck a young, unknown Nelson Briles into the rotation and he had a great season. Gotta trust your farm system. The only addition the Cards made was getting Jack Lamabe, a journeyman pitcher as a swing man who did a good job.
This is the American mentality. As soon as something goes wrong, we need to write a new law.
I am pretty sure that National League is the last league that clings to the past. Little League, Men’s softball leagues, High Schools, Colleges, etc. all use the DH. Retaining the DH is flat out silly…
I love it. The games are a lot more interesting. Bench players are used more and have to have a lot more skills. And they can influence the outcome of games.
As a Cardinals fan, even with Wainright getting hurt (it can happen to anyone, really) I still don’t want to see the DH in the National League and I’d like it even more if it was eliminated from the AL, and everyone just gets one or two more roster slots instead. Everyone wins, the MLBPA gets to keep 30-60 more mediocre players on rosters to fill out a bench.
I fear that extra roster spots will just be used to keep albatross contracts around longer.
Why do the writers just want to list every pending free agent pitcher as a trade target? If a team is contending, or this early in the season, feels it will contend, why would they trade a top starter away and toss the current season in the garbage? Price, Zimmerman and Samardzija aren’t getting traded. Speculation is one thing, but don’t be lazy about it.
It has to be addressed for the sake of discussion. Besides, there is no guarantee that a team wouldn’t consider dealing a pitcher in their walk year, even if they are contending. It’s not likely to happen but it can happen.
It’s also early in the season so your saying that “Price, Zimmermann, or Samardzija aren’t getting traded” makes you guilty of the very same thing that you are bashing the writers for using.
They might get traded at the trade deadline, when a team is far enough along in the season to determine their chances. But these writers are suggesting they are available NOW for St. Louis to acquire.
Not in April anyway. On July 31, if Nats have a 10+ game lead, I’m sure they will listen to offers for Fister or Zimmerman (from the AL.)
Maybe if they are down 10+ games. Can’t see them trading whats working.
I’m sure they will listen to offers on all 4 QO-type free agents; Zimmerman, Fister, Span, and Desmond. Compare all scenarios to getting a compensation pick. That’s not a high threshold for an acquiring team to beat.
The designated hitter is optional in the American league but everyone uses it. They are not stupid, there are reasons to use it if given the option. It gives you a better chance to win. If National league teams had the option they would all use it.
Why it was adopted in the first place is immaterial to if it is good for baseball now.
In any case, forcing American league pitchers to bat in National League cities 6 or 7 times a year is seriously dangerous and needs to stop now.
National League teams could give themselves the option to use it if they really wanted to. It’s not like the commissioner has come down on them saying they’re never allowed to have a DH, ever. The DH doesn’t help you win if your opponent uses one too, just like not having one doesn’t hurt you if your opponent doesn’t have one either. It’s just game theory. As for the last part, “seriously” dangerous? Really? These AL guys step up to the plate like 10 times a year. Tops. It’d obviously be safer if it was zero but let’s not exaggerate here.
They don’t bat. Ever. Except those 10 times. To have me bat 10 times against guys throwing 95 would be dangerous. That’s no exaggeration. Now imagine if my team was on the hook for $210 million for my pitching ability. It’s a stupid risk for no reason.
If it is seriously dangerous as you say, then it should not be very hard for you to list every American League pitcher who has been injured while batting since the inception of the DH. The percentage of injuries compared to at-bats would be nice as well. Feel free to do so at any time.
You could do that. Or, you could watch them bat. Or, you could ask the American League managers, like Jim Leyland.
Managers are always excellent sources of strong statistically valid science.
Yes they are since all statistically valid science is based on observation, and no one is better able to observe than managers and coaches.
If a pitcher gets injured during defense I guess designated defenders are next.
Why not just add a designated hitter to EVERY position?
People would rather observe a big bat hit instead of a glove shortstop.
Nonsensical anti-DH alarmism at tis finest.
Sarcasm detector?