Fairy tales, hopes, and dreams are dangerous things in the world in sports. If you put your head too close to the clouds, it's easier to get hurt. Adam Wainwright took the mound Thursday with the hopes of putting a troublesome two-year stretch behind him. Some fans bought into the idea while others stayed away.
The Cardinals lost 3-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and here are my 5 thoughts on the game.
5) Where is Mike Mayers? The starter turned reliever has only pitched in one game, while Matt Bowman has pitched in several. Bowman got through an inning unscathed, but put two D-Backs on base and flirted with disaster. If you carry a big bullpen, use them. I still don't think Mike Matheny gets it. Why save a guy for extra innings if 75% of the season doesn't even reach the tenth inning. Bowman is going to be slammed, and I am pointing a finger at the manager. So much for the Mike Maddux effect, at least early on. In other news, Dominic Leone looked shaky while Tyler Lyons struck out the side in the eighth.
4) Matt Carpenter has a great eye, but if he is going to bat third, can he swing away more often? He isn't going to bat better than .241 if he takes a 1,000 pitches. Just a thought for the .182 hitter.
3) Tommy Pham had a rough night. He was 0-4 with two strikeouts and misplayed a ball in center field. Since the vision problems were a part of spring training, they will come up every time a mishap comes around in the field. In better news, President of Baseball Operations (PBO) John Mozeliak didn't mind Pham's comments in the Sports Illustrated article, so there's that.
2) The offense managed two hits, both which came on the ground. Can anyone remember a more pitiful home opener performance from the Cards? I can't.
1) Wainwright wasn't good. The homeplate umpire squeezed him early on, but 3.2 innings in a game that was supposed to launch Waino back into respectability instead comes off as a warning sign of things to come. If he can't win at Busch, he's doomed. He needed 89 pitches to get 11 outs and allowed seven baserunners with only three strikeouts. It's like watching Jeff Suppan on one of his bad days. Waino has to nimble the corners and pick his spots. It's going to be a long season for him. I wanted him to get the shot, but it wasn't pretty. Jack Flaherty is lurking.
Bonus takeaway: Jordan Hicks dazzled once again, this time in front of a sea of red. 10 pitches to get three outs. Imagine this kid setting up Greg Holland next week and try keeping your lips from watering like mine do when I walk into Edibles and Essentials in South Hampton.
The Cardinals are 3-4 on the season, and 0-3 in games against quality arms. Robbie Ray held opposing hitters to a .199 batting average in 2017 while winning 15 games and crafting a 2.89 ERA. He's no slouch out there and showed ease in quieting the bats.
While the offense has been hit or miss, the rotation is confirming early fears. In six of the first seven games, the starter hasn't gone further than 5.2 innings. We call that not so good in the Majors.
Still, I'd stay calm if I were you. It's early April. The Cardinals are playing meaningful games, but not ones to pull hair out over. That comes later.
I can promise you one thing: the Cardinals will not lose today.
Thanks for reading.
