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Thoughts on the Kline finger


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but its my understanding that once you call someone up the arbitration clock starts immediately. Sending Molina down now won't help. Similarly, once Haren came up last year his clock started.

I think Molina will get more benefit from playing every 3rd game, watching Matheny and pinch-hitting every other day then he would playing everyday against AAA competition. He should and will stay with the big club now that the clock has been started, and in the short term the cards are better for it.

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ok, i didnt realize he had NEVER been up. i thought he had been up before. plus i didnt know the clock started and kept running. i thought it ran based on days on the mlb roster.

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Gall wouldn't be the best fielding 1st baseman on the roster ... Pujols is above average and getting better ... he was a decent 3rd baseman. Mabry is also a pretty good 1st baseman. What difference does it make if he's the best 1st baseman in the world though ... he is not going to play there. My understanding is that Gall is getting better defensively in the outfield. I think the reason he stays down is that they want him to continue to play every day ... for defensive purposes. If don't feel he can be an everyday outfielder defensively ... then they will probably trade him. They like his bat and know he can hit ... but playing periodically up here isn't going to help him. It is for his benefit and the teams. To believe that they are keeping him down to avoid arbitration is ridiculous.

Cedeno ... is a proven major leaguer with decent talent ... but a bad head. I don't understand why he is here ... Taguchi can provide everything he can ... and is a quality guy.

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I'm sure he doesn't have the greatest range and he's already made three errors in 58 games. I could see that if he played center field, but he's only playing LF. There's no way Gall makes that play that Marlon bungled early in the year. I just don't see him having the range in the OF of a Luna or an Anderson.

Don't get me wrong, I'm anxious to see Gall play with the Cardinals, but let's not justify it by automatically saying his outfield defense will be better. I have my doubts on that.

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i only brought up the first basemen skills solely to say that gall isnt just a one position guy either. here's a thought, if gall is the best bat for the team, but we question his defense, why not put albert back in left? maybe gall isnt a major league hitter, but his stats right now scream he deserves a chance. especially considering we have basically an open position on the team that no one seems to have the ability to claim. i say bring him up and give him a couple of weeks in left field to see what he does.

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Roy ... what you said was that Gall would be the best 1st baseman on the team ... and you are way off base. You then say the the probable reason for not bringing him up is money (delaying arbitration). Our owners have been very good for the size of our market ... to knock them is wrong ... I don't think there is anyone who wants to win more than they do ... the majority are lifelong Cardinal fans ... as we are. They also need to be fiscally responsible ... but arbitration has nothing to do with it. It is defense. Fact is if Gall doesn't prove his ability to be a major league caliber defensive outfielder ... he will probably be in the AL. They need to find out ... to do so he needs to play every day, he won't do that here. Maybry is hitting about .315 with 4 or 5 HR's in his short time up. Taguchi has also played well. The reason Luna and Anderson have been out there is Tony likes to keep his bench fresh. This is an area I agree with ... he usually has good pinch hitting teams, this is due to them being fresh and playing. Take how many games Anderson and Luna have helped win as compared to how many they have hurt by poor defensive outfield play and I think you will find out the positive outweighs the negative.

Pujols is an adequate left fielder at best ... and he has had shoulder problems that affect his ability to throw. Either way Tony is going to keep Luna and Anderson fresh ... there are not enough options in the infield ... Anderson came here expecting to start ... he has taken Womacks arrival like a pro ... accepted his role and been a huge positive to the team. He needs to stay fresh and play though. Luna is a rule 5 draftee ... that means we must keep him on the roster or offer him back for $25K ... we like him alot and I can see why ... he also needs to play.

Cedeno is the mystery to me ... he has some talent ... and is above avg defensively ... but is a real head case. The problem with replacing him with Gall is that Gall still won't play everyday ... and as stated ... with the playing time our bench needs ... there is no way he can. He needs to play everyday in Memphis ... the Cards love his bat and beleive him to have the chance to be an outstanding major league hitter ... but he needs to learn the outfield.

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i was so encouraged by lankford and tuguchi their last times at bat tonite. no wonder gall is in the minors. thank god edgar renteria of 2003 came to the game tonite.

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Yes ... things are just not working out ... That Rolen guy couldn't get the winning run home in the 10th. Do we have a minor league 3rd baseman available.

Lankford ... hitting .265 with an obp of .360 plays adequate defense and has 5 HR's in spot duty. We hoped to get lucky and find a starter ... but he has been better than most would have expected. His playing time is decreasing with the play of Mabty and Taguchi.

Mabry ... .304avg, .379obp, 4HR, 16 RBI's in 79 AB's. Decent outfielder good arm ... can fill in at 1st or 3rd.

Taguchi ... .271 avg a couple of homers and 3 stolen bases. above average defensively with good speed and great attitude.

Cedeno ... .269 avg, 2 HR, 6 RBI and 2 SB in 50 AB. Above avg defensively can play all 3 outfield positions ... less than great arm.

Anderson ... .255 avg, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 5 SB. Hitting over .300 in the pinch ... came in as an infielder ... learning to play the outfield ... to increase his opportunities to get on the field and stay fresh ... has been key in numerous clutch situations this year.

Luna ... .235 avg, 2 HR and 12 RBI in 68 AB A rule 5 draftee who must remain on the roster all year if we want to keep him. Not the ideal situation ... but we like him alot so we need to get him some playing time ... would probably be better suited for AA ball, maybe AAA.

Sanders ... .249 avg. 12 HR and 35 RBI's ... hitting less than expected ... but is a strong clubhouse presence and decent defensive player.

Edmonds .274 avg, 15 HR and 47 RBI's 42 BB and 74 K's. Has made his normal brilliant plays in the outfield this year with one of the deadliest arms in MLB. He has also had more than the normal defensive lapses this year

By the numbers you could make a case that we need a right fielder more than a left fielder. I can see why we need to bring up a few position players as we lead the Nat'l league in hitting, runs, and RBI's and are 3rd in HR.

Roy ... it is clear you are not a Cardinal fan ... if you were than you would be making a case for Cedeno to be in the all-star game. You clearly don't follow the Cards with much passion, and your comments reflect that. ie ... Pujols back to left, Gall would be the best fielding 1st baseman on the team.

By the way how are the Braves doing ... I don't think they are going to get the chance to lose a world series this year. Oh who knows ... maybe they will get hot and finish above .500

Gall is right where he needs to be ... learning to play the outfield ... so that maybe he is a future outfield option.

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rumor has it the braves are going to bust up the team in july. trade ortiz, one or both of the jones boys, and more. to hold a team together as long as they have in this day and age of free agency and wild salaries is remarkable. it was bound to happen. i am pretty happy with the 13 year run. at least it beats the previous 20+ years i was forced to endure. and a lot better than what larussa has put the cardinal nation through. one pennant in all that time with the roster the cardinals have had? sad.

your swipe at sanders is crazy skip. sanders seems to come through in the clutch more than the combined group of left fielders and taguchi.

as to gall, again, the kid is 26. f around long and they will miss his prime. i just dont see the point in wasting this opportunity to see if he is major league ability. if getting rid of cedeno is the answer fine. do it. but he needs to be on this club for a couple of weeks at least to see if he can do what he has been doing in the minors. to hold him back is crazy.

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My swipe at Sanders was sarcastic ... though he had a long period this year where he could not hit with runners in scoring position ... it has picked up. But he has not been great overall ... but he has had a few clutch big hits this year.

What your failing to see is that there is a benefit to keeping the bench fresh ... that will prohibit Gall from playing everyday ... he has to learn to play the outfield or he has no long term use to us. I am not a LaRusa fan ... but I agree here that we are getting the job done ... lets do whats best for us long term with Gall ... and that is give him a chance to learn to be an outfielder.

The Braves had a 10 year or longer period with the best pitching in the majors ... and one of the top payrolls ... How many world series have they won? ... That is what is truly remarkable. IMO Cox is highly overrated. With that team ... who couldn't have made the playoffs year after year.

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you wont find a shrine to bobby cox in my house. totally agree he should have won more than one w.s.

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