Sunday will mark the first postseason game played in St. Louis in three years, but Cardinals manager Mike Schildt will be trusting the game’s start to a relatively practiced postseason hand. Redbirds legend Adam Wainwright–a free-agent-to-be this offseason–will be taking the ball for Schildt, who is counting on the pitcher’s experience with what promises to be a raucous Busch Stadium atmosphere.
“You have to account for some of the vibe that’s going on out there,” Schildt told Anne Rogers of MLB.com today, “You have to be able to calm your nerves and you have to be able to control your adrenaline, because I’ve seen it where guys go out there and they’re feeling on top of the moon and their adrenaline is rushing, and two innings later they’re out of gas.”
As Rogers notes, Wainwright will be making his 24th appearance in a postseason game (13 starts), after first appearing in the national October spotlight in 2006 as a relief ace for then-manager Tony La Russa’s World Series-winning Cards team. That year saw a 24-year-old Wainwright begin his playoff career with 9.2 scoreless innings, and he has only followed up that initial success by compiling a nifty 3.03 ERA across 89.0 career postseason innings. This year marked the now-38-year-old’s first season over the 30-start mark since 2016, and this October should provide him yet another opportunity to assure the Cardinals–and rival clubs–that he deserves a healthy free agent guarantee this winter.
More notes from around the National League in anticipation of Sunday’s NLDS doubleheader…
- The Associated Press is circulating a story involving Wainwright’s teammate Ryan Helsley, who did not take kindly to witnessing the en masse enactment of the Braves’ “Tomahawk Chop” tradition during Game 1 of the NLDS this Thursday (link). In comments originally made to writer/hero Derrick Goold, Helsley, who is a member of the Cherokee nation, called the “Chop” “disappointing” and “disrespectful”. “[The tradition] just depicts them in this kind of caveman-type people way who aren’t intellectual. They are a lot more than that. It’s not me being offended by the whole mascot thing. It’s not. It’s about the misconception of us, the Native Americans, and how we’re perceived in that way, or used as mascots.” Of course, with the NLDS tied 1-1 heading to St. Louis for Game 3 of the best-of-five NLDS, it’s possible Helsley could have a say in preventing the series returning to Atlanta. The 25-year-old Oklahoman pitched to a 2.95 ERA in 36.2 innings in 2019, his rookie season.
- Giants executive Farhan Zaidi already made MLBTR headlines today, when he gave some insight into the team’s ongoing search for a new GM. In a separate set of quotes relayed by NBC’s Alex Pavlovic, Zaidi conducted something of a performance self-assessment in regard to his work at the 2019 trade deadline–and it’s clear Zaidi is a fair critic (link). “I feel like I alternate nights losing sleep about not potentially buying at the deadline and trying to improve our chances this year, or selling more at the deadline and setting ourselves up better for 2020 and going forward,” Zaidi admitted to Pavlovic. It stands to reason that the veteran baseball man would be left with some cognitive dissonance over his team’s activity this summer, being that the club took something of a walk-the-line approach in their dealings.
While San Francisco held onto impending free agents Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith (and sacrificed the potential prospect assets they might have acquired in a deal involving those players), the team also shaved down the bullpen by sending away Drew Pomeranz, Sam Dyson, and Mark Melancon in separate deals. To be fair, Zaidi was in perhaps the toughest position of any club executive heading into this year’s deadline, as his expected-to-flounder 2019 Giants ripped off a stunning run of success in advance of the Jul. 31 push-or-shove precipice. After playing to their expected level for much of the year, Bruce Bochy’s boys of summer went 19-6 in July, ultimately forcing their front office leader into something of a compromising position. The Giants went 22-36 from Aug. 1 onward, ultimately finishing with a 77-85 record.
I have never once done the chop out of disrespect, malice, or anything like that. It is about getting involved in the game and getting the stadium rocking.
…however I will be attending game 4 on Monday in St Louis and you can better believe it that I will be doing the chop AS LOUD as I possibly can if and when the bring Halsley in!
That’s just being petty
You’re truly a class act
You sir are a racist.
How does that make me a racist?
Jesus. Nobody even knows what racist means anymore. Freaking throwing that accusation around irresponsibly
tool?
I’m offended that there’s no tigers in Detroit! #imalwaystriggered
MAGA!
GAMA! ( T.V SETTING FOR ILLITERATE PEOPLE OR “GRAND MOTHER” DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE AND HOW MUCH YOU CARE!)
You had me at Caps Lock!❤️
sir, i think that makes you racist.
They ask him a question he answered. He didn’t hunt down reporters to start all this nonsense.
with all due respect to Helsley, I think he’s misinterpreting what the chop symbolizes. there’s no caveman aspect. It’s an homage to the fighting spirit and the desire to overcome and dominate.
But it’s still offensive especially when mainly white people are doing it. .
I’m waiting for people to boycott Pittsburgh’s mascot over fears they will offend people who survived 18th century brigand attacks.
Little people are offended by the San Francisco Giants.
Americans will be offended by the New York Yankees.
Hell is offended by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Why does the person’s skin color matter?
Atlanta is a pretty blended city; men, women, straight, gay, white, black, Hispanic, Asian were all chopping.
I’m offended by the sweaters Mozeliak wraps around his shoulders and bowties he wears. It’s offensive to people who actually have an IVY LEAGUE degree.
Do you charge him rent for the countless hours he spends in your head?
Speaking of paying rent, i haven’t seen my bill for what you charge me to be in your head and your 3 alter egos on here.
You can’t even come up with something original to reply to this. Pathetic.
Because you are about as unoriginal as they come. You’ve used this non funny “rent” quote before.
Bla bla bla. You’ve got nothing. Just a sad, lonely, bitter little boy who thinks he’s always right.
tool
I understand Helsley’s ire, but this does indeed mirror a trend of individuals getting to easily bothered by things. i respect his right to say and think ill of the chop, but in reality there are probably bigger issues facing Native Americans than some team’s tradition. no one minority is more represented in sports around the world. 3/4 of the major sports have steam named after Native Americans, for whatever the initial reason may be. Helsley should be happy that he plays in a league where native americans are as represented as they are, but if he is not, so be it, but he shouldn’t expect anything to change because of it.
And is it possible you’re mirroring the trend of telling people how they’re supposed to feel? Evolve, it’ll do your body good.
Oh give me a break, they’ve been doing the chop longer than he’s been alive and somehow now he’s offended by it? Just pitch and make sure your fans don’t disrespect Dexter Fowler’s family anymore.
No, they have not been doing the chop longer than youve been alive, unless that’s 1991. It never existed until the Braves got good in the 90s. So dumb to defend a clearly racist and culture-stealing move. White people have so much audacity to defend terrible, poorly-thought-out things – they will NEVER accept blame for wrongs they have done. Pathetic all round, Grow up.
Helsley was born in 94
Actually it started earlier than that with the Florida St Seminoles but whatever.
This dude from the Cards is being a little over the top in trying to get himself up for the series.
Whether he likes it or not the Native American culture refer to their males as Braves.
Sporting events across the board from fans to participants treat events as battles or wars.
The symbol is them going to war for their city they represent.
As a Brave fan I may come across as biased but I see no disrespect on their part towards native Americans.
Cleveland Indians yes
Washington redskins yes
St. John’s Redmen yes
Florida St Seminoles no
Hopefully you get my point that not everything is offensive. I have Native American friends who are proud of the Braves they look at the mascot as paying homage to the warrior heart it takes to go to battle
But everybody is entitled to their feelings.
Whatever he needs to get his edge I guess but to me it’s a reach.
I think he should concentrate on preparing himself to pitch
Makes sense to me, but these guys here are wired to see everything as racist. So you dont have any chance of convincing them
I like how you don’t find your team offensive but all the other teams doing the same thing are totally offensive. Get out of your bubble. You’re just as racist as they are.
He didn’t say all of them are.
Claiming he’s using it as a means to get an edge is pretty disrespectful. Maybe he’s truly offended by it. We can’t know for certain, since we can’t read his mind. So it’s reasonable to take him at his word, for now.
You list a few teams/organizations worthy of being offended about, but you are inaccurate on the St. John’s Redmen. They were not based on Native Americans, but the colors they wore. That said, they haven’t been called the Redmen since the mid 90’s. Instead changing it to Red Storm.
So calling someone a Brave is the same as calling them a Redskin? I don’t think so. Fla St consulted with the Seminole Tribe in Florida about their mascot and chop, and the Seminoles were on board with it. Imho, if the ones most in position to be offended aren’t, then the opinions of anyone else don’t matter so much.
Yes, white people are the problem as usual. I especially hate the giant sign at the games that say “only white males are allowed to chop”.
MLBTR readers never fail to disappoint with their butthurt comments, thinking someone has no right to be offended by something, or their interpretation is wrong/invalid. So many meatheads here commenting. Everyone’s offended that someone got offended by something! Bunch of “get off my lawn” types around here. Let your pants fall down past your belly buttons.
Pot, meet kettle
Thanks Dr. Phil
You had me at butthurt! ❤️
The Braves are a racist team and they need an image overhaul. We have sports teams named after weather and made up characters, why do we need to name teams after races of people? Stupid and disgusting. Ryan Helsley for President.
People would be up in arms if there was a sports team that culturally appropriated black culture with an equally as offensive chant. Racism is racism.
Uh oh, look what time it is….Offended o’clock!
StrikeFour-Your comment takes the prize for the imbecile without peer comment in the history and existence of MLBTR and MLB generally for this comment and deluded insinuation. “The Braves are a racist team”.
because there is more symbolism in honoring the people of an area than naming a team after something that doesnt even exist.
Oakland Athletics nickname is fat-shaming despite Billy Beane’s habit of acquiring hefty players.
For the record, I’m almost certain that “Braves” isn’t a race of people. It’s also not meant as a derogatory term, being Braves are warriors, ya know? You’re trying to create something where there isn’t.
I also do the chop, and there’s never been bad thoughts or intent behind it.
Am I going to change for a select few who are always out to cancel something? Nope.
Would he be offended if he were on the Braves?
The Braves would probably avoid him.
He probably would refuse a contract with the braves. I know if I was in the league I’d have a no trade clause with Atlanta on it. I wouldn’t want to play for the most ignorant fans in baseball.
The chop is ignorant and needs to go just like Chief Wahoo.
Everything I disagree with is horribly evil and racist. What a wonderful world we’ve got to look forward to….
As a Giants fan, I find Zaidi’s comments quite troubling. There’s really nothing wrong with trying to toe the line the way he did if its done with conviction. But when its filled with regret, it says he probably didn’t know what he was doing — and that’s a concern.
This man knows what he is doing for sure and him having some regrets was destined to be a possibility but let’s not overreact. The man traded Melancon straight up with 36 mil left on his deal and got a fair return. He acquired Dubon and Jaylin Davis for next to nothing and this off season, has a chance to be an Executive of the Year candidate if he nails the GM and Manager search and picks up a few players in FA. I also want to see what he does with Belt and Longoria but I have faith in him even IF HE is hard on himself, which personally I can appreciate because if anything, it shows he truly cares about this job.
i hate the tomahawk chop….florida state uses it, too.
The Giants are so far stuck in the middle its crazy. Farhan really thinks he should have bought? Yikes
I am an Indonesian and I admit feeling quite offended when I see people doing the wave at ballgames. Do you know how many of my native people were killed by tsunamis over the year? And white people in landlocked Kansas City think it’s funny to mock a wave?
Hahahahaha!!! Good one
For whatever it’s worth…I’m 50% blood Serrano Native American. The chop doesn’t offend me personally, but that’s because this kind of thing is extremely prevalent in American sports. I don’t think any Braves fans are doing it maliciously against any Native Americans. That being said, I understand why it offends other people of descent. The chop, the Chief Wahoo, the Redskins head dress, etc all are rooted in racism even if that is not how people in 2019 are viewing it.
I couldn’t continue to read all the arguments about the “chop”. Seriously????? It’s racist? I think not. I’ve been a Cardinal fan for 54 years. Annoying? Yes, but it’s just a way fans support the Atlanta Braves. People should see it as honoring Native Americans. Get over it snowflakes. By the way I have been married to a Cherokee Nation descendant for 30 years. She nor our sons could care less about a cheer for one’s favorite team.
i would agree that these things are rooted in racism, but associating such now is just silly. I get the Indians and Redskins – there is certainly plenty there that is an issue. but to get angry at anything relating to native americans in sports? times have changed; most native amrerican related subjects on sports are not intended to offend anymore.
Those who criticize Zaidi’s moves have no appreciation that part of his responsibility is to keep the fannies in the seats. Look, even the most die-hard Giant fan knew it was a shot in the dark this year; they’re smart fans out there. But SOME shot is better than NO shot. And you had the Bochy business, etc.
They’ve got enough revenue to navigate a rebuild without throwing the baby out with the bath water. And the fans aren’t going to pay the money they pay to watch a team that’s going to be better in 2025. That just isn’t going to sell there.
So he actually has to work HARDER than theses guys who get to come in and blow things up. But he’s shown (so far anyway) that he’s up to it.
i would say Farhan did a good job this year, outside of not trading MadBum and Smith at the deadline. The Yaz trade was a clever one and claims like Dickerson were as well.
Way too much age and dead wood on the Giants. Should have been big time sellers at the trade deadline because, no matter how well Bumgarner or Smith can pitch, they weren’t going to pitch the Giants into contention.
Will be interesting to see what they do with their outfield in 2020. Do they believe Yaz is a one-year-wonder or is Yaz just a late bloomer? Re-sign Pillar or let him walk?
Other questions to ponder are Longoria and Belt tradeable, and do they ignore Crawford’s down year as an outlier? To wit, there is no shortage of good-field-no-hit SS.
Everyone should be saving their “chops” for Elizabeth Warren rallies……
I’ll be leaving the room now……
You guys know by Morning this thread will be locked right?
It is being moderated. I had a comment deleted.
Get over it. Racial slurs are inexcusable and should not be confused with friendly team spirit.
SJWs ruin everything
The last Cardinals post season home game was October 9, 2015. That would be FOUR years, not three like the writer stated.
Still crying I see…
No, stating facts and correcting an error. Now, where’s my pizza? You’re late, you super do uc he b a g
Your parents are eating it already, they failed to yell loud enough into the basement so you could hear them when it arrived.
And you tell others to come up with original comments? Wake up. The basement line is 20 years old.
Try harder…
This is all rather convenient.
1-800- waaaaa
Helsley should take his bat and ball and go home if he’s so determined to be offended and he should stand down against the Braves to prove that he is principled, and for all the other determined to be offended crowd, you will always find something to be offended about in life and in this world as that is your main interest in life, moaning and complaining and attempting to find offence in something that is not offensive or ‘racist’.
Just heard, in an effort to be PC and not offend anyone, the Washington Redskins are changing their team name.
They are dropping “Washington”, which after watching our elected officials bicker on TV fight like a schoolyard full of six-year-olds, they believe is now the most offensive part of their team name.
Racist is a word created by the left-leaning morons to create division among the various races. People are way too sensitive about the mental illness called political correctness. Think for yourself, not the way a particular ilk or political
brainwash wants you to think.
Good to know the extreme left and right both follow MLBTR.
The chop isn’t racist. Let’s be honest, the environment is intimidating and he’s competitive. Why wouldn’t he make these comment during the regular season or at any other point during his life? I get it, when u get competitive, you hate the other side. It’s easy to pick one thing to hate and ride it….
and the one who complains about singing in the braves who he is, someone knows who he is This is an old issue, that this little boy does not want to come to want to be news with something that was talked about in the past.
Chop all you want now monkeys!
It must be winter because there sure are a lot of snowflakes out there