Quick Hits: Hochman on STL sports
Rounding up the hot topics from columnist Benjamin Hochman's weekly chat with local sports fans.
QUESTION: What would you think of Addison Reed (above) or Brad Hand for a closer? Also; would you try to add a starter such as Archer or Stroman?
HOCHMAN: I get excited about Addison Reed. He doesn't walk batters and gets about a strikeout per inning. I don't know if he's the closer, though. As a closer, I guess I'd be cool with giving him a shot, but really I'd want Colome. The reality is this with the Cardinals bullpen: it's gotta be stronger, top to bottom. Relievers are no longer these "second class citizens" so to speak. Starting pitchers used to average 6 innings a start 6-7 years ago, and now they go about 5. Having a strong bullpen is imperative. The Cards blew too many games early on last season because of it.
Chris Archer for the rotation would be extremely enticing, but I just don't get why Tampa Bay would trade him unless they were going through a complete and utter rebuild. The guy has one of the best contracts in baseball considering that he's a stud starter making between $6-8 million in each of the next four years.
QUESTION: If you had a list of five (realistic) players you'd want the Cards to get before spring training, what would it be? Colome No. 1?
HOCHMAN: I guess that means Machado and Donaldson aren't on this "realistic" list? Then yeah, I'd look at Colome (above), Reed, Hand, maybe Eric Hosmer (though I'm not completely sold on this idea) and possibly a short-term deal on a starter.
COMMENT: Hosmer? He's a slightly above average MLB player. The Cardinals have enough of those already. You can't swing a dead cat in their clubhouse without hitting a B-minus player. Pass on Hosmer.
HOCHMAN: I think that's a sentiment of a lot of people who have sent in comments to the chat. You all have similar passions and mindsets. Seven years of a guy who seldom even has back-to-back quality seasons seems like a frightening commitment. The Cardinals and Padres are not in the same situation. So I see why the Padres will try this, and why the Cardinals should not. Three years of Hosmer would be nice.
Follow-up: Looking at Hosmer's stats from 2017: The durability is outstanding, but shouldn't a guy that's going to make $21 mil per year (at a minimum) have hit 30 home runs at least once by now? He's 28, so he should be in his prime. Homers aren't everything, but a $21 million average salary for 7 years? Seems steep.
HOCHMAN: Right, exactly! Obviously he makes up for something with his glove. But seven years of this? Unless they can honestly say that spending won't affect other spending, then you'd have to think that's a pricey investment. I was into it with Longoria because it meant they might've also gotten Archer or Colome. I don't know about handing over the keys and the arch and the brewery to Hosmer. Again, though, this conversation would be a lot different if they didn't get Ozuna. There's less panic, I think.
QUESTION: The offseason has been a really slow-moving market. Can the Cardinals take advantage of this situation?
HOCHMAN: It has been a peculiar market for sure, considering that only a handful of the biggest free agents have signed so far, that J.D. Martinez and Greg Holland and a slew of pitchers are still teamless. Also, think about if the two Florida teams weren't trading off major parts? The big moves this offseason have basically involved them -- Stanton to NY, Ozuna here, Longoria to SF, and we'll probably see some more moves with Archer or Jake Odorizzi or Colome from Tampa and maybe Yelich, who knows, from Miami.
Can the Cards take advantage of all this? Right now it doesn't look like there are many discounts, if a Hosmer is getting offered seven years, $21 mil for each. But I see what you're saying. Yes, because some of the biggest and best teams are essentially filled, the Cards could have weaker competition going after guys. But it's hard to gauge how much of an advantage this is. If the Yanks can step up to get Stanton, who knows what a Dodgers team or others might do if there's a guy they privately covet, luxury tax be damned?
QUESTION: Do you think the Cardinals would trade for (or sign in free agency) a very good reliever who has never closed, and have a sort of open competition in spring training for the 9th-inning role?
HOCHMAN: These are good points you make. I also think that if you can splurge on a guy for a contract 3 or fewer years, that's worth discussing. The Cards have 2 years of Ozuna. That's the window right there. If they can load up in there with short-term free agent bullpeners, I'm fine with it. But I don't want a five-year closer. I mean, how many teams have had the same closer for five years straight? I like loading up on arms.
I'm also really intrigued by Dakota Hudson's slider. And Alex Reyes' slider. I want one more bullpen arm. Go get it. If only because this season, more than any other, the Cards' DEPTH in the bullpen will be so important.
PHOTO: Cardinals pitching prospect Dakota Hudson. (OzarkSportsZone.com photo via Twitter.com)
QUESTIONS: It's imperative for Mizzou to win as many games as possible and hope somehow, some way, Michael Porter Jr. returns for the home stretch (SEC tourney and NCAA Tournament). What chance do you give the Tigers to get noticed by the selection committee? Also: Does MPJ ever actually return?
HOCHMAN: Let's say they go .500 in conference play, that's 9-9, so that's 19 wins heading into the SEC Tournament, which is in St. Louis this year (which could play, maybe, into their favor with a home-crowd advantage in one of the early tourney games). I think what we're getting at is a 20- to 22-win team right on that dang bubble.
Now this is all without MPJ. Does he return? I just don't know what to make of it. I concluded that when Michael Porter Jr underwent the surgery, it was a business move -- that he was preparing to get his body at 100 percent for the NBA summer. So if that's the mindset, I wouldn't think he would come back unless his back was indeed at 100 percent. Can it be by March? I'm not a doctor. We've read articles quoting doctors with their opinions, but the only opinion that'll matter is from Dr. John Ross Ewing in Dallas or whatever Porter's doctor's name is down there. Everything at this point otherwise is blind speculation.
QUESTION: How do you think St. Louis will be for the SEC Basketball Tournament this year compared to Nashville?
HOCHMAN: I think it'll be awesome. The upgrades to the arena are strong, notably the huge jumbotron that enhances the game experience. There were a lot of issues with media accommodations at the Braggin' Rights game, so hopefully they'll be improved.
But I think it'll be fun because STL always puts on a good show for these events, and the host city also has a relevant team, if you will, in up-and-coming Mizzou. If Porter Jr. plays, of course it will make these games into spectacles.
COMMENT: Glad to see Yeo balancing out the lines and moving some of the underperforming top 6 forwards to the third line. Love Steen to death but that line with Statsny just wasn't producing.
HOCHMAN: I'm with ya, Steener is such an intangible guy, like -- did you see Tuesday night how he jumped up and kept a puck in the zone with his shoulder? Not a lot of players are savvy enough to make that play. But his production level, points-wise, is frightening.
I'm glad Yeo shook it all up, fun seeing Tage make some impacts and Scottie up there with the top line. But a lot of this is just makeshift stuff (making shifts, pun intended) knowing that it can't be sustained for months and months. The Blues will have to get more points out of most key guys if they want to thrive in the long-term. Schwartz will be back some time, but can you guarantee he, No. 91 and Schenn will have the same chemistry?
QUESTION: If the Cards add Arrieta and Colome, is having either Jedd Gyorko (above)or Jose Martinez in the everyday lineup OK? Or should they still go for a Moustakas or Donaldson, instead of Arrieta?
HOCHMAN: So if I'm reading this right, they can't get both Donaldson and Arrieta? I wouldn't rule that out until we hear the Jays aren't moving Donaldson. Here's the thing -- if they get Arrieta for a shorter deal, I'm fine with it, but I worry about something in the five-year range -- even four years frighten me, but Mo and Girsch have shown an ability to trade starting pitchers and find a team that'll take them, a la Mike Leake.
So let's say, per your Q, that STL does get Jake and Colome too. Are they cool with Jedd and Jose? What about Matt Carpenter? I think you'd go with him at first and Jedd at third in that scenario. And I'm OK with that, assuming they've exhausted all the possibilites, realistically, with Donaldson and Machado. I don't know about Moose, I'm on the fence.
QUESTION: If it comes down to Randal Grichuk or Jose Martinez as the extra outfielders, who get's more at-bats?
HOCHMAN: I think the average fans look at both guys through different prisms. With Randal, here's this younger guy with incredible exit velocity and athleticism, who can play all three defensive outfield positions but will strike out a ton and walk like twice maybe. Martinez, it's easy to be skeptical, even with his splendid numbers. Career minor leaguer. Turns 30 during next season. But he's got a tree-trunk of a bat, and his numbers look good. I think the answer could be -- we see a lot of both guys in reserve roles. Just not a lot of Martinez in the outfield.
QUESTION: What are your thoughts on Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield?
HOCHMAN: There is a fine line between confident and cocky. He's over that line. I love his passion, I love his story, I love his energy. I didn't like his "grab" at Kansas and some of the other antics. The flag-planting left a bad taste in my mouth too, but I try to be more realistic than an angry old man on Twitter -- getting caught up in the moment is sometimes a bonkers, out-of-body experience. It's hard to be poised. I mean, think about how emotional people get with road rage. Now imagine if you played an intense football game and won.
I guess I'm just saying -- why can't it be that both (1) "Maybe he shouldn't have done it"; and (2) He's not the worst person and WRONG for doing it, but just got caught up in the typhoon of the moment?
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