62 replies to this topic

[Brady Marino]

For the Cardinals, out went Albert Pujols and in stepped Carlos Beltran to help fill some offense Pujols took with him.

Through 4/18:

Beltran: 5 homers
Pujols: 0 homers

[curta269]

I'm sure Beltran won't stay ahead of him for long, but I am loving it so far! He has been a great addition to the team.

[Brady Marino]

And in Albert's defense, he does lead the AL in doubles and is hitting near .300. But his slash stats look more like his teammate Maicer Izturis than what we typically see from Albert.

[Brady Marino]

Update:

At the start of 5/1/12:

Beltran: 5 homers (batting .256/.376/.462, 11 RBI)
Pujols: 0 homers (batting .217/.265/.304, 4 RBI)

Pujols has been in a major funk since the first update. Beltran has been in a bit of a funk himself, as his slash stats all tumbled in the last two weeks.

And of course, there's this from El Hombre.

[scrumptrulescent]

Ha...Beltran. Enjoy it while his knees hold out.

[Brady Marino]

Ha...Beltran. Enjoy it while his knees hold out.

He's been all RF so far, so there's that at least.

[Brady Marino]

5/2:

Beltran: 6 7
Pujols: 0

Edited by Brady Marino, 02 May 2012 - 05:39 PM.

[Brady Marino]

Fun fact: Beltran has more RBIs tonight (7) than Pujols does all season (5).

[pollardsvision]

The 2012 Cards just had 6th game with 10 or more runs.

The 2011 Cards only did that 9 times all season.

[Michael Brown]

Ha...Beltran. Enjoy it while his knees hold out.

Guy is running a bunch too in the early going...maybe the knees are gonna hold up after all?

[fred_1_15301]

Angels with 9 runs in the first 4 innings tonight. Pujols 1-3 with a run

[scrumptrulescent]

Ha...Beltran. Enjoy it while his knees hold out.

Guy is running a bunch too in the early going...maybe the knees are gonna hold up after all?

Anything is possible I guess. He's got just under 140 games left to proove he can hold up.

[cheese]

IF Beltran actually lasts the season, I think he wins this.

[pollardsvision]

It's about time for Trumbo to tell Scoscia that Albert needs to go learn to how to play 3rd base.

No sense in having this bum block not 1, but 2, good first basemen.

[Limp Ditka]

Stat of the night -

Albert just had his 100th AB of 2012 last night. That marks the first time since 1980 that a player with 35 or more HRs the year before went 100 ABs without one to start a season.

[Da Guru]

Early in at-bats, Pujols is fouling off more pitches and taking more strikes. He is putting the ball in play on less than 40 percent of swings in early counts; usually, he puts about half of his swings early in an at-bat into play.
Pujols is hitting groundballs right into infield shifts and is struggling hitting the curveball this year.
Normally the right-handed Pujols would be crushing left-handed pitchers. Last year he hit nearly .300 and slugged over .600 against southpaws, but in April this year he is just 4-for-25 and has a slugging percentage of .240.
From 2001-11, Pujols entered the month of May with at least five home runs. So how many HR can be expected from Pujols the rest of the season?
According to Elias, seven players have finished with 40 home runs after not going deep once in April. The most was 54 by Babe Ruth in 1920. The most recent was Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 HR in 1999.

Edited by Da Guru, 03 May 2012 - 08:41 AM.

[fred_1_15301]

Early in at-bats, Pujols is fouling off more pitches and taking more strikes. He is putting the ball in play on less than 40 percent of swings in early counts; usually, he puts about half of his swings early in an at-bat into play.
Pujols is hitting groundballs right into infield shifts and is struggling hitting the curveball this year.
Normally the right-handed Pujols would be crushing left-handed pitchers. Last year he hit nearly .300 and slugged over .600 against southpaws, but in April this year he is just 4-for-25 and has a slugging percentage of .240.
From 2001-11, Pujols entered the month of May with at least five home runs. So how many HR can be expected from Pujols the rest of the season?
According to Elias, seven players have finished with 40 home runs after not going deep once in April. The most was 54 by Babe Ruth in 1920. The most recent was Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 HR in 1999.

Time to put this bum on the bench.

[ctdub]

http://www.albertcountdown.com/

[Brady Marino]

5/6 update:

Beltran: 7
Pujols: 1 :confetti:

[fred_1_15301]

5/6 update:

Beltran: 7
Pujols: 1 :confetti:

Yes but king pujols is just warming up.

[Brady Marino]

5/6 update:

Beltran: 7
Pujols: 1 :confetti:

Yes but king pujols is just warming up.

Only took 111 ABs.

[fred_1_15301]

5/6 update:

Beltran: 7
Pujols: 1 :confetti:

Yes but king pujols is just warming up.

Only took 111 ABs.

I'm just holding on to a sliver of hope here.............

[scrumptrulescent]

5/6 update:

Beltran: 7
Pujols: 1 :confetti:

Yes but king pujols is just warming juicing up.

[Brady Marino]

5/7 update:

Beltran: 8
Pujols: 1

When Beltran is on, whatever he hits, he destroys.

[Rove!]

Awaiting the Pujols v Bourjos HR tracker...

[Man In The Box]

At what point do we mercy rule this thing?

[Brady Marino]

5/8 update:

Beltran: 9 10
Pujols: 1

Getting ugly, folks.

[Brady Marino]

5/11 update:

Beltran: 11
Pujols: 1

Beltran = masheen

[Limp Ditka]

[shadyridr]

This is ridiculous. I turned down Haren & Beltran for JUptin a few days ago in a keeper.

[Brady Marino]

Oops. Missed another one last night.

5/12 update:

Beltran: 12
Pujols: 1

[Da Guru]

Oops. Missed another one last night.

5/12 update:

Beltran: 12
Pujols: 1

The rumors of Albert being 5 years older than his birth certificate may be true.

[Brady Marino]

Oops. Missed another one last night.

5/12 update:

Beltran: 12
Pujols: 1

The rumors of Albert being 5 years older than his birth certificate may be true.

He's already got the crabby old man thing down.

[pollardsvision]

Is it safe to assume Pujols has never had a 6-week stretch with a .505 OPS (or lower)?

I'm also assuming the "Miggy went through the same thing" stuff is over. Miggy's AL "adjustment period" was a 5 HR/.829 OPS April.

I still wouldn't bet against a 30/100 season for Albert, but this is just brutal.

[Limp Ditka]

[Brady Marino]

Beltran: 13
Pujols: 1

[Premier]

Only 9 years and 4 months left on that Pujols contract.

[fred_1_15301]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

[cheese]

Is it safe to assume Pujols has never had a 6-week stretch with a .505 OPS (or lower)?

I'm also assuming the "Miggy went through the same thing" stuff is over. Miggy's AL "adjustment period" was a 5 HR/.829 OPS April.

I still wouldn't bet against a 30/100 season for Albert, but this is just brutal.

Would be shocking at this point IMO.

[Ghost Rider]

The lack of HRs is one thing, but to still be hitting under .200 with nearly 1/4 of the season gone is downright shocking. And unexplainable. Pujols, like all players, goes through slumps, but never this bad and for this long. And don't give me this "he's in a new league" nonsense. Plenty of MLBers, 99.9% of whom weren't the player that Pujols is/was, have changed leagues and adjusted fairly quickly, so that excuse doesn't fly.

To those in LA, how much heat is he catching? I know he has gotten booed a few times at home, but how is the media treating him? I suspect he is getting somewhat of a break since the Kings, Lakers and Clippers are all still alive in the playoffs in hockey and basketball.

[scrumptrulescent]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

Hold that thought.....

Carlos Beltran (knee) is out of the Cardinals' starting lineup for the second straight day Tuesday.
Beltran is currently nursing some soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, but he doesn't think it will keep him out of action for long. At least right now, anyway.

[cheese]

The lack of HRs is one thing, but to still be hitting under .200 with nearly 1/4 of the season gone is downright shocking. And unexplainable. Pujols, like all players, goes through slumps, but never this bad and for this long. And don't give me this "he's in a new league" nonsense. Plenty of MLBers, 99.9% of whom weren't the player that Pujols is/was, have changed leagues and adjusted fairly quickly, so that excuse doesn't fly.
To those in LA, how much heat is he catching? I know he has gotten booed a few times at home, but how is the media treating him? I suspect he is getting somewhat of a break since the Kings, Lakers and Clippers are all still alive in the playoffs in hockey and basketball.

And plenty fell off the face of the earth in new surroundings. Plenty of examples in both directions. Javy Vazquez thinks it's a big deal. Cliff Lee does not.

Edited by cheese, 15 May 2012 - 08:38 AM.

[Brady Marino]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

Hold that thought.....

Carlos Beltran (knee) is out of the Cardinals' starting lineup for the second straight day Tuesday.
Beltran is currently nursing some soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, but he doesn't think it will keep him out of action for long. At least right now, anyway.

Allen Craig has been a man on fire and with Berkman back, he doesn't have an every day position. So it doesn't hurt to give Beltran a breather every now and then. Craig can play where Beltran, Berkman, and Holliday play, and all three will need breathers at some point, so you put super-sub Craig in their spot and you (hypothetically) don't skip much of a beat.

[scrumptrulescent]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

Hold that thought.....

Carlos Beltran (knee) is out of the Cardinals' starting lineup for the second straight day Tuesday.
Beltran is currently nursing some soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, but he doesn't think it will keep him out of action for long. At least right now, anyway.

Allen Craig has been a man on fire and with Berkman back, he doesn't have an every day position. So it doesn't hurt to give Beltran a breather every now and then. Craig can play where Beltran, Berkman, and Holliday play, and all three will need breathers at some point, so you put super-sub Craig in their spot and you (hypothetically) don't skip much of a beat.

Huh? Beltran isn't getting a breather. It's because his knee has been "barking" lately. Remember, his knee which is held together by fishing line and duct tape?

You don't sit guys more than a day that are hitting as hot as Beltran is right now without a good reason. They're not just trying to get super-sub Craig AB's here.

[Brady Marino]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

Hold that thought.....

Carlos Beltran (knee) is out of the Cardinals' starting lineup for the second straight day Tuesday.
Beltran is currently nursing some soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, but he doesn't think it will keep him out of action for long. At least right now, anyway.

Allen Craig has been a man on fire and with Berkman back, he doesn't have an every day position. So it doesn't hurt to give Beltran a breather every now and then. Craig can play where Beltran, Berkman, and Holliday play, and all three will need breathers at some point, so you put super-sub Craig in their spot and you (hypothetically) don't skip much of a beat.

Huh? Beltran isn't getting a breather. It's because his knee has been "barking" lately. Remember, his knee which is held together by fishing line and duct tape?

You don't sit guys more than a day that are hitting as hot as Beltran is right now without a good reason. They're not just trying to get super-sub Craig AB's here.

Yes, I'm quite aware of Beltran's knee issues. And if Beltran's knee was REALLY that bad, don't you think he'd have trouble launching all those homers?

Like I said, having Craig makes it easier to give Beltran a day off or two.

[scrumptrulescent]

I think we can safely shut this thread down.

Hold that thought.....

Carlos Beltran (knee) is out of the Cardinals' starting lineup for the second straight day Tuesday.
Beltran is currently nursing some soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, but he doesn't think it will keep him out of action for long. At least right now, anyway.

Allen Craig has been a man on fire and with Berkman back, he doesn't have an every day position. So it doesn't hurt to give Beltran a breather every now and then. Craig can play where Beltran, Berkman, and Holliday play, and all three will need breathers at some point, so you put super-sub Craig in their spot and you (hypothetically) don't skip much of a beat.

Huh? Beltran isn't getting a breather. It's because his knee has been "barking" lately. Remember, his knee which is held together by fishing line and duct tape?

You don't sit guys more than a day that are hitting as hot as Beltran is right now without a good reason. They're not just trying to get super-sub Craig AB's here.

Yes, I'm quite aware of Beltran's knee issues. And if Beltran's knee was REALLY that bad, don't you think he'd have trouble launching all those homers?

Like I said, having Craig makes it easier to give Beltran a day off or two.

His knee was bad enough to sit, I know that.

I've also come to the realization that players never consider anything that bad, until it is. Example: Matt Kemp stating it his hammy wasn't a big deal and there was no way he was going on the DL. Next day: DL. Happens all the time.

[Brady Marino]

Example: Matt Kemp stating it his hammy wasn't a big deal and there was no way he was going on the DL. Next day: DL. Happens all the time.

Exactly.

No harm in sitting Beltran 2-4 days if it prevents him from sitting 2-4 months because his knee got overtaxed.

[scrumptrulescent]

Example: Matt Kemp stating it his hammy wasn't a big deal and there was no way he was going on the DL. Next day: DL. Happens all the time.

Exactly.

No harm in sitting Beltran 2-4 days if it prevents him from sitting 2-4 months because his knee got overtaxed.

I was referring to this when talking about Kemp and other players who say they'll be okay to play, only to be DL bound soon after....

Carlos Beltran said Monday that he's not worried about his sore right knee.

Beltran was held out of Monday's lineup because his surgically-repaired knee was "barking," but he doesn't think he'll require an extended absence. "I’m not worried," said Beltran. "If it continues to feel like that, it’s a different story. But I’m not worried about it." We'll have to take his word for it right now, but we're not counting on his return to the lineup Tuesday.

Edited by scrumptrulescent, 15 May 2012 - 01:17 PM.

[scrumptrulescent]

Example: Matt Kemp stating it his hammy wasn't a big deal and there was no way he was going on the DL. Next day: DL. Happens all the time.

Exactly.

No harm in sitting Beltran 2-4 days if it prevents him from sitting 2-4 months because his knee got overtaxed.

I was referring to this when talking about Kemp and other players who say they'll be okay to play, only to be DL bound soon after....

Carlos Beltran said Monday that he's not worried about his sore right knee.

Beltran was held out of Monday's lineup because his surgically-repaired knee was "barking," but he doesn't think he'll require an extended absence. "I’m not worried," said Beltran. "If it continues to feel like that, it’s a different story. But I’m not worried about it." We'll have to take his word for it right now, but we're not counting on his return to the lineup Tuesday.

[Brady Marino]

The first firing of the Pujols Administration

Meanwhile, he did go 3-4 yesterday to boost his average to .212. Another 18 points and he'll hit his weight!