2019 Grades For The St. Louis Cardinals’ Hitters and Hitting Coach

There were some good times, and there were some bad times.  Actually, there were also some awful times.  The St. Louis Cardinals’ 2019 season can be summed up by the good, the bad, and the ugly stuff that they had this year.

The bright side was that when there was a will, there was a way…for the Cardinals to make the playoffs, as they were able to win the NL Central Division in doing so.  They made it to the postseason, despite having only one All-Star in SS Paul DeJong, as their big-ticket acquisition, Paul Goldschmidt had a down season this year, though Goldschmidt picked things back up in the second half.

The bad was that the Cardinals’ hitting approach tended to go for binges and droughts, as exemplified by their 2019 postseason.  They scored 7 runs in an NLDS game, then they scored 13 runs in Game 5 of the NLDS to get them to the NLCS, but they really had trouble scoring runs against the Washington Nationals once they got there.

The ugly part was that they really couldn’t hit the Nationals.  They were almost no-hit by Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer, and the Cardinals couldn’t string together many runs until midway through Game 4 when they faced Patrick Corbin.  But the damage was already done: Dakota Hudson had given up 7 runs already, and the Cardinals ended up getting swept, which was the ultimate down note to a surprisingly adequate season.   But their lackluster hitting in the playoffs raises more questions than answers, as their tepid hitting approach in the postseason suggests that the road to get the Cardinals that elusive 12^th title in their history will be much tougher than expected.

Without further ado, here are my thoughts on how the St. Louis Cardinals’ hitters fared, as well as what I expect from them next season.  Also, I have also decided to grade their new hitting coach, the much maligned, Jeff Albert, and I also have written an outlook on what to expect for next year.

Yadier Molina had a solid 2019 season, and he was able to provide some heroics for the Cards in this postseason. 
(Photo: Associated Press)

C Yadier Molina – B-

2019 (MLB): .270 AVG, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 6 SB, .312 OBP, .399 SLG, .711 OPS, 1.2 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .152 AVG, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .216 OBP, .242 SLG, .459 OPS, 8.1 K%

It was a pretty good season for Yadier Molina.  The 37-year old catcher hit for a solid average in the regular season, and while he had a dropoff in his power numbers, he still managed to hit a double-digit number of homers.  His defense was still good as usual, he did not strike out very often, and he also managed to get his team to the playoffs.

However, Molina had trouble getting hits in the playoffs, and his on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS all have dipped this year.  His offense has continued to taper off in recent years.  Also, some of his signal-calling seemed questionable in the post-season, as he tended to have pitchers go low and away rather a bit too often, as opposing hitters were able to dive out in front of the plate quite a bit.  Still, Molina had a fairly solid season overall, and it seems that he may still have some good years ahead of him.

2020 Expectations: Adequate starter at catcher

2020 Player Rating: 3 stars

C Matt Wieters - C

2019 (MLB): .214 AVG, 11 HR, 27 RBI, .268 OBP, .435 SLG, .702 OPS, -0.3 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .000 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .000 OBP, .000 OPS, 33.3 K%

Well, the results may be rather mixed for Wieters.  On one hand, he looked to be definitively better than the last backup catcher the Cardinals had, and Wieters hit 11 homers in 2019, as there are signs that he may be good enough to be a starting catcher somewhere in the majors.

On the other hand, he did not hit for a high average or get on base a lot, and he was rated as a below average defender in the field.  He was ineffective in the limited number of at-bats he had in the postseason, and he also had a high strikeout rate.  He was better than Francisco Pena and he can certainly mash, but advanced metrics suggest that Wieters may not have had as big of an impact on the team as initially thought.

2020 Expectations: Backup catcher in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 2 stars

C Andrew Knizner - C

2019 (MLB): .226 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB, .293 OBP, .377 SLG, .670 OPS, -0.2 WAR

2019 (AAA): .276 AVG, 12 HR, 34 RBI, .357 OBP, .463 SLG, .821 OPS, 13.2 K%

Andrew Knizner hit very well in AAA, and he also showed some pop and base running ability during his time in the majors.  He’ll need to show that he can hit major-league pitching consistently and cut down on the number of strikeouts in the big leagues, but Knizner seems to be ready to be in the majors full-time as Yadi’s backup for the 2020 season.

2020 Expectations: Backup catcher in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (3 star potential)

C Joe Hudson – I  (D+ in AAA)

2019 (MLB): 0 for 1, .000 AVG, .000 OPS, 0.0 WAR

2019 (AAA): .223 AVG, 10 HR, 30 RBI, .293 OBP, .411 SLG, .704 OPS

Joe Hudson is a basically career minor leaguer that has played sparingly in the majors, and while he’s played decently in the minors in recent years, he’s not expected to spend much time in the big leagues, if at all in 2020.

2020 Expectations: Platoon catcher at AAA

2020 Player Rating: 0.5 stars

Paul Goldschmidt had a solid second half for the Cardinals in 2019, but overall his season
could've gone much better had it not been for a slow start and an inconsistent postseason run.
(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

1B – Paul Goldschmidt – B-

2019 (MLB): .260 AVG, 34 HR, 97 RBI, .346 OBP, .476 SLG, .821 OPS, 2.9 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .270 AVG, 2 HR, 2 RBI, .308 OBP, .541 SLG, .848 OPS, 28.2 K%

It’s hard to know exactly what to make of Goldschmidt’s perplexing season.  On one hand, the season he had appeared to be well below his standards, as the adjustment from a hitter-friendly park in Arizona to having to play in Busch Stadium much more led to a decrease in his offensive output, and Goldschmidt rated as below average in the field according to advanced metrics.  While he hit fairly well in the postseason, he just didn’t seem to have too many timely hits, but the Cards’ offense was just putrid against the Nationals.

On the other hand, Goldschmidt still did a fairly good job of getting on base during the regular season, and he still hit more than 30 homers this year.  He did strike out a lot, and he didn’t get on base nearly as much as he used to, but he still played fairly well overall.  He didn’t have a great season, but it certainly wasn’t a bad one for him, either.  But when compared to the expectations that were placed upon him to start the year, Goldschmidt’s season wasn’t quite what people imagined it would be.

2020 Expectations: Good starter at 1B

2020 Player Rating: 3.5 stars

Kolten Wong had a fairly solid 2019, as he showed a solid bat and a stellar glove
during the regular season, but he had an atrocious postseason showing
 that was plagued with a lack of hitting and poor fielding.
(Photo: Jeff Curry/Getty Images)

2B – Kolten Wong – B-

2019 (MLB): .285 AVG, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 24 SB, .361 OBP, .423 SLG, .784 OPS, 3.7 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .206 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB, .289 OBP, .294 SLG, .584 OPS, 2 E

Kolten Wong also had a very perplexing season this year.  He is a rangy fielder that excelled with the glove throughout the regular season, but in the playoffs, he had a tendency to drop balls, and he along with Jose Martinez misplayed a ball in the outfield that led to the Nationals to score many runs in the first inning of Game 4 of the NLCS.

His bat was red hot in the regular season, but it cooled off noticeably in the playoffs.  He had a tendency to hit grounders right at infielders in the postseason, and he had trouble getting on base.  Wong didn’t show much of a knack for working the count, and his fielding woes in the postseason were quite baffling considering his strong ability to make plays defensively in the regular season.

2020 Expectations: Good starter at 2B

2020 Player Rating: 3 stars

Paul DeJong made his first All-Star team in 2019, as he turned in a good all-around season,
but he struggled to string together hits in the postseason.
(Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images via Viva El Birdos)

SS – Paul Dejong – B-

2019 (MLB): .233 AVG, 30 HR, 78 RBI, 9 SB, .318 OBP, .444 SLG, .762 OPS, 4.1 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .233 AVG, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .303 OBP, .267 SLG, .570 OPS, 42.4 K%

Paul DeJong had a pleasantly very good regular season for the Cardinals this year, but his season ultimately ended with a maddening, frustrating postseason that resulted in him struggling to get on base, as he struck out often, and did a poor job of working counts there.  DeJong is a toolsy middle infielder that also played solid defense and made his first All-Star team, but his inability to produce on offense in the postseason puts a damper on an otherwise stellar year for him.

2020 Expectations: Good starter at SS

2020 Player Rating: 3 stars

Tommy Edman had an excellent rookie season, as he surpassed everyone's expectations.
Though he struggled in the postseason, Edman had a very good year,
and could have a very good 2020 season next year.
(Photo: Joe Nicholson/USA Today Sports via Fox Sports)

IF/OF – Tommy Edman – A-

2019 (MLB): .304 AVG, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 15 SB, .350 OBP, .500 SLG, .850 OPS, 3.2 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .182 AVG, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .250 OBP, .333 SLG, .583 OPS, 19.4 K%

Tommy Edman had a stellar rookie year, and he played well beyond anyone’s expectations in 2019.  He certainly is worthy of some rookie of the year votes (though Mets’ 1B Pete Alonso will probably win the 2019 NL ROTY), and Edman is a versatile player that can hit, run, and field.  He struggled in the postseason, but Edman is a good player that has a bright future ahead of him.

2020 Expectations: Good starter at 3B

2020 Player Rating: 2.5 stars (3 star potential)

Matt Carpenter in 2019 looked to be a shadow of his former self.
His once great hitting approach went MIA, and so did his production.
Someone please tell Carpenter to find his old self,
so that he can bounce back to have a good 2020 season.
(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images via Viva El Birdos)

IF Matt Carpenter – D

2019 (MLB): .226 AVG, 15 HR, 46 RBI, 6 SB, .334 OBP, .392 SLG, .726 OPS, 1.2 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .077 AVG, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .235 OBP, .077 SLG, .312 OPS, 35.3 K%

Last year, Carpenter had a terrific 2018 season, but this year was very forgettable for him.  Matt Carpenter did not hit the ball very well, as he struggled to get on base, especially in the postseason, he struck out a lot, and he was even demoted during the middle of the season.  He used to be sort of clutch, as he had been able to hit top pitchers such as Clayton Kershaw in the postseason, but Carpenter hit 1 for 13 in the playoffs, and he had trouble adjusting to defensive shifts all year.

He never seemed to truly regain his old form, as new hitting coach Jeff Albert seemed to have turned him into a worse hitter.  Carpenter was never a great fielder despite being able to play multiple positions, but now his once great hitting approach seems to have vanished.  His ability to hit homers has been solid recently, but that seemed to have come at the expense of his hitting approach.  Carpenter needs to find a way to return to being the player he used to be, but the player he was in 2019 was just a disappointment.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player at multiple positions

2020 Player Rating: 2 stars

UT Yairo Munoz – D+

2019 (MLB): .267 AVG, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 8 SB, .298 OBP, .355 SLG, .653 OPS, -0.2 WAR

2019 (Postseason): 0 for 1, .000 AVG, .000 OPS, 100 K%

Munoz still was able to hit for average and steal some bases in the regular season, but he struggled to consistently get on base, and he had a power outage in 2019.  He did not play in the NLDS, and some people were anticipating him to play in the NLCS.  He received one at-bat, and he struck out, as he did not play well with that plate appearance in the postseason.  Next year may be something of a crossroads for Munoz, he is a hitter that can play multiple positions, but none of them particularly well, and the pop he showed as a rookie went missing this year.  If he can make strides to get his game back on track, he could be contribute as a Mark DeRosa-type of player for the Cards in the coming years.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player at multiple positions

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (2 star potential)

1B Rangel Ravelo – D+

2019 (MLB): .205 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .256 OBP, .410 SLG, .666 OPS, -0.1 WAR

2019 (AAA): .299 AVG, 12 HR, 56 RBI, .383 OBP, .473 SLG, .856 OPS

Ravelo played sparingly in the majors, as he showed some pop in his bat and played average defense.  He struggled to hit or get on base nearly as well as he did in the minors though, and he struck out very often in the big leagues.  If he can consistently get on base in the majors, he could prove to be a useful rotational corner infielder in the big leagues.

2020 Expectations: Good AAA starter/occasional call-up in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars

2B Edmundo Sosa - C

2019 (MLB): .250 AVG. 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB, .400 OBP, .250 SLG, .650 OPS, 0.0 WAR

2019 (AAA): .291 AVG, 17 HR, 61 RBI, .335 OBP, .466 SLG, .801 OPS, 19.4 K%

Edmundo Sosa is a promising young talent that has some pop in his bat, and he also showed some ability to get on base in the majors.  It remains to be seen what he can do with a full year under his belt in the big leagues, but someone should take a chance on him up there.

2020 Expectations: Good AAA starter/occasional call-up in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 star potential)

Marcell Ozuna had some good moments, and other times he struck out entirely too much.
He had some big hits sometimes,
and other times, he came up empty more times than he should have.
(Photo courtesy of Call to the Pen via Fansided.)

 LF Marcell Ozuna – B-

2019 (MLB): .241 AVG, 29 HR, 89 RBI, 12 SB, .328 OBP, .472 SLG, .800 OPS, 2.6 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .324 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .359 OBP, .595 SLG, .954 OPS, 33.3 K%

Marcell Ozuna still didn’t have as great of a season as he used to have with the Miami Marlins, but he still was able to hit a lot of homers, and he also showed an above average ability to run on the base paths.  He also hit better in the postseason than anticipated, though he also struck out a lot, and he didn’t seem to make enough timely hits.  He didn’t get on base or field as well as hoped, but Ozuna has proven himself to be a fairly solid corner outfielder in the majors.

2020 Expectations: Good corner outfielder in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 3 stars

Harrison Bader was much maligned for his poor hitting this year,
but advanced metrics suggest that he brought some added value
due to his stellar glove and plus-level base-running ability.  
He could be a very good outfielder if he can consistently get on base more often.
(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images via Beyond The Boxscore.)

CF Harrison Bader - C

2019 (MLB): .205 AVG, 12 HR, 39 RBI, 11 SB, .314 OBP, .366 SLG, .680 OPS, 1.8 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .167 AVG, 1 RBI, 1 SB, .231 OBP, .167 SLG, .397 OPS, 46.2 K%

Harrison Bader went from being a young outfielder on the rise to earning the wrath of Cardinals’ nation for much of the year, as he really struggled to hit the baseball or get on base.  He was a whiff machine, as he struck out at a whopping 28.8% of the time.  He did not hit very well in the postseason, and he had a baserunning gaffe in the NLDS that surely cost him playing time in the NLCS, but Bader’s tremendous fielding ability actually made his advanced metrics to be more favorable than expected.  Right now, he’s not Kevin Kiermaier 2.0, he’s more like the Cardinals’ version of Kevin Pillar.  That’s still okay, but if he can find a way to consistently get on base, that would be much better.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield, part-time starting CF

2020 Player Rating: 2.5 stars (3 star potential)

Dexter Fowler played much better in 2019,
but all of his old hitting woes from last season resurfaced in the postseason this year.
(Picture courtesy of STL American.)

RF Dexter Fowler - C

2019 (MLB): .238 AVG, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 8 SB, .346 OBP, .409 SLG, .754 OPS, 1.5 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .061 AVG, 4 RBI, 2 SB, .162 OBP, .091 SLG, .253 OPS , 27 K%

Fowler rebounded nicely from an abysmal 2018 season to have a pretty good 2019 year.  He still performed poorly in the playoffs though, and he is not a very good fielder, but the uptick in his regular season production brings some hope for 2020.  Fowler’s entering his mid-30s, and his performances in 2018 and 2019 may scream that he will likely be on the decline in the coming years, but Fowler is a winner who recovered to have an adequate 2019 season, and hopefully he can find a way to be as productive in the playoffs as he used to be.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield

2020 Player Rating: 2 stars

Jose Martinez was the Cardinals' best and most consistent hitter in the 2019 postseason,
but his lack of range in the outfield may prevent him from being an everyday outfielder in 2020.
(Photo courtesy of Jeff Roberson of the Associated Press via KSDK..)

RF Jose Martinez – B-

2019 (MLB): .269 AVG, 10 HR, 42 RBI, .340 OBP, .410 SLG, .751 OPS, 0.3 WAR

2019 (Postseason): .538 AVG, 3 RBI, .538 OBP, .692 SLG, 1.231 OPS, 23.1 K%

Martinez had a solid season overall.  He did not hit nearly as well in the regular season as he did in 2018, but he was the Cardinals’ most consistent and best hitter in the postseason.  Of course, he didn’t provide much range in the outfield, and defensively the Cardinals had trouble getting to fly balls in the NLCS with Bader on the bench.  But Martinez is a hitter that can get on base and mash, and he also can play some first base.  He’s a valuable player for a team to have, and he’ll likely be a reliable contributor in 2020.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield

2020 Player Rating: 2 stars

OF Randy Arozarena – B-

2019 (MLB): .300 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, .391 OBP, .500 SLG, .891 OPS, 0.2 WAR

2019 (Postseason): 0 for 4, .000 AVG, .200 OBP, .200 OPS, 1 SB, 60 K%

2019 (AAA): .358 AVG, 12 HR, 38 RBI, 9 SB, .435 OBP, .593 SLG, 1.028 OPS, 17 K%

Arozarena is a talented prospect that can really run and fly around the bases, and he could be another Harrison Bader type of player for the Cardinals.  He hit very well in AAA as well as when he was a September call-up, but he struggled to hit the ball in the postseason.  It’s uncertain if Arozarena can hit good pitchers in the majors, but he at least has the ability to be a defensive replacement late in games in the big leagues.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 star potential)

OF Lane Thomas – C+

2019 (MLB): .316 AVG, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .409 OBP, .684 SLG, 1.093 OPS, 0.7 WAR

2019 (AAA): .268 AVG, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 11 SB, .352 OBP, .460 SLG, .812 OPS, 26.3 K%

Lane Thomas hit very well during his time in the majors, but in AAA, he struck out a lot, and did not hit for as high of a batting average as hoped.  He’s an above average fielder that defends fairly well, but it’s tough to get a read on how his 2020 seaosn may go, as he ended the year on the injured list.  Still, he seems to have a decent hitting approach, and he could be a 4^th or 5^th outfielder in the majors if things go well for him in 2020.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 star potential)

Oh, Tyler O'Neill....your season was supposed to be so much BETTER!!!!!!
photo: Tyler O’Neill 
(Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports via The Cardinal Nation)

OF Tyler O’Neill - D

2019 (MLB): .262 AVG, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .311 OBP, .411 SLG, .723 OPS, 0 WAR, 35.1 K%

2019 (AAA): .265 AVG, 11 HR, 26 RBI, .325 OBP, .517 SLG, .842 OPS, 30.7 K%

Tyler O’Neill appeared to be a lock to be a sleeper candidate to succeed in the majors in 2019, but he ran into some obstacles this year.  He strikes out way too much, and he also didn’t get on base as much as he should have.  O’Neill also didn’t field as well as he could have, and that combined with his shoddy hitting approach made him have a lackluster 2019 season.  O’Neill has tremendous power, but that may very well be almost worthless given the poor hitting approach he takes up to the plate.

2020 Expectations: Platoon player in the outfield

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars (2.5 star potential)

DFAed (Was designated for assignment):

IF/OF Drew Robinson – D-

2019 (MLB): .143 AVG, 0 RBI, .143 OBP, .143 SLG, .286 OPS, -0.1 WAR

2019 (AAA): .265 AVG, .6 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB, .385 OBP, .423 SLG, .809 OPS, 30.3 K%

Drew Robinson did not hit very well in his short stint up with the Cardinals, but it could be said that maybe he didn’t get a fair shake up there.  Either way, he didn’t impress in the majors, and he was let go from the 40-man roster soon afterwards.  He is an offensive-minded second basemen that can hit in AAA, but his inability to hit major league pitching may suggest that he might not get many more shots in the majors in the future.

2020 Expectations: Good AAA starter

2020 Player Rating: 1 star (2 star potential)

Traded Away:

IF Jedd Gyorko – F  (F with the Cardinals, F with the Dodgers)

2019 (w/STL):  .196 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB, .274 OBP, .304 SLG, .578 OPS, -0.2 WAR

2019 (w/LAD): .139 AVG, 2 RBI, .205 OBP, .167 SLG, .372 OPS, -0.4 WAR

Jedd Gyorko did not play very well in his limited, reduced playing time with the Cards this year, and he was promptly traded to the Dodgers for Tony Cingrani in an injured player for injured player swap.  He had played significantly better in years’ past with the Cardinals, but he did not play very well this year in either stop in St. Louis or Los Angeles in 2019.

2020 Expectations: Backup infielder in the majors

2020 Player Rating: 1.5 stars

Hitting Coach: Jeff Albert - D

Team MLB (2019): .245 AVG, 210 HR, 714 RBI, 116 SB, .322 OBP, .415 SLG, .737 OPS, 23.0 K%, 4.01 P/PA

Team MLB (Postseason): .201 AVG, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 4 SB, .266 OBP, .322 SLG, .588 OPS, 28.9 K%, 3.83 P/PA

The Cardinals had decided to hire former Houston Astros’ assistant hitting coach, Jeff Albert, who was with them when the Astros won the title, and Albert has preached the launch angle revolution as a new strategy for the Cardinals’ hitters.

However, this approach hasn’t quite taken off nearly as well in St. Louis, as he goes from teaching hitters in a hitter-friendly ball park, to teaching players in a pitchers’ park in Busch Stadium.  More so, the weather was quite cold in St. Louis in the playoffs, so the bats went south in the postseason.

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch,  the St. Louis Cardinals were ranked 11^th in OPS last year, but despite the average NL team receiving a 7% spike in SLG% on average, the Cardinals’ .737 OPS in 2019 had them ranked 21^st in the majors.

Aside from the 13-run output and the 7-run output against the Atlanta Braves, the Cardinals had trouble scoring and getting runs, or just getting on base, as they did an abysmal job of stringing together hits in the NLCS.

After hitting just .245 in the regular season, the Cardinals hit just .201 in the playoffs, as they sported a .266 OBP in the postseason, and had an .588 OPS there in the playoffs.  The Cardinals struck out early and often, and they often had trouble putting balls in play and they also generally didn’t do a very good job of working counts in order to try to tire out pitchers.

Some revolutions aren’t meant to be, and for the Cardinals’ this whole “launch angle revolution” talk just doesn’t seem to be for them.  They need hitters to hit line to line, and to work counts, not players who just swing at whatever comes in the middle of the plate.  Matt Carpenter’s hitting approach is all screwed up now, Paul Goldschmidt had a somewhat down season for himself, and just about the entire Cardinals’ team had an awful time in trying to collect hits against the Washington Nationals. 

Don’t get me wrong, the Nationals are a very good team, but the Cardinals only had one game out of 4 where they had any real shot to win, as their poor hitting approach will likely be a source of concern in 2020.  And as the Cardinals are trying to streamline their new hitting approach, they let go two of their better, more sensible assistant hitting coaches in Mark Budaska and George Greer as the Cards are trying hard to eliminate any dissent, but as the Cardinals struggled significantly with their new hitting approach, this could be a troublesome development for the Cardinals for next season and in the future.

2020 Forecast for Jeff Albert: The Cardinals have a mediocre offense that goes on binges and droughts, and the season may be prone to ending in a somewhat early exit in the playoffs.

Anyways, that’s all for now, and there will be a write-up on my grades for the pitchers.  Thank you, and thanks for reading.