Gateway to Baseball Heaven: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

GTBH 8/20/17: That De-Escalated Quickly

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  As arms are collapsing left and right--mainly right, given all the lefties still active in the pen--Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) wonder just what to make of this team.  Were they really that team that won eight straight?  Are they back to their malaise that they had most of the season?  Can this newfound togetherness last through the storms of three inning starts and bullpen meltdowns?  And just what can the front office do to fix these pitching problems--if anything?  There aren't a whole lot of answers here, we warn you, but we'll give plenty of air to the problems!

GTBH 8/13/17: That Escalated Quickly

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  Daniel and Tara, fresh off a trip to St. Louis (and a live version of this show that you can find on Tara's Twitter feed--@tarawellman, if you aren't following her), talk about the amazing run that the Cardinals went on, winning eight in a row and briefly ascending to first place before slipping on Sunday.  How much did this team dinner in Cincinnati lead to this success?  Does it say anything that the players took the initiative?  How much credit do we give the cat?

The bigger question is, of course, is this sustainable?  The club has looked more energetic, more focused, more like a team over the coming days.  Will that withstand a tough upcoming week against Boston and Pittsburgh?  Also, can Tara ever get her a #RallyCat shirt?  All that and much more!

GTBH 8/6/17: We Don't Know

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  Well, almost every week.  Because if there's one thing Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) do know, it's that they know nothing about this team.  A sub-.500 team sitting 3.5 games back in the division?  A offensively challenged squad putting up 13 runs?  What do you do with a team like this?  Do you give up, do you go all-in, or do you somehow temper your expectations while still hoping for that miracle?  When you figure it out, let us know!

GTBH 7/30/17: Anyone Awake Around Here?

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  We've got some new school problems and some old tired issues to deal with, so Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) go overtime on this one.  Yadier Molina calls out his manager on Instagram, and that seems to be the LEAST of the problems.  Where's the respect?  What does the rest of the clubhouse think?  Are we going to go through this every time Yadi sits?  So many issues to unpack.

And then there is the trading deadline, which more and more looks like an anticlimatic beat in a disappointing season.  As Tara says, "Pick a direction!"  The Cubs are clicking and adding and have now a 4.5 game lead.  Is it reasonable to think this team could chase them down, even with reinforcements?  If not, why did Lance Lynn make his start today?  Can this front office break out of their traditional "minor leaguer for a middle reliever" trade pattern and do something that will actually make an impact?

It's a frustrating time to be a Cardinal fan--and perhaps to be a Cardinal player!

GTBH 7/23/17: Not Good Enough, Not Bad Enough

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  It's another ESPN Sunday Night game, but Daniel (@C70, C70 At The Bat) and Tara (@tarawellman, Bird Seeds) don't let that stop them as they talk about all sorts of frustrations and aggravations relating to this team.  It was another tough weekend in Chicago, but the Cardinals looked like they could basically hold their own against a Cubs team that is now tied for first.  Yet they still sit under .500, so what do you do with the trade deadline looming?  Is there anything John Mozeliak and Michael Girsch can do or are they basically forced to make wholesale changes in the offseason, an offseason that is simultaneously coming up too fast and not fast enough for this squad?  And what does it say about those changes, especially when it comes to the guy in charge of the club, when Mozeliak makes pointed comments about the culture and attitudes in the dugout?  All of this and more in this week's Gateway!

GTBH 7/19/17: What Is This Team?

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  Tara (@tarawellman, Bird Seeds) was on vacation this past weekend, but instead of skipping an entire week she and Daniel (@C70, C70 At The Bat) decided to get together mid-week and hash out a few things.  They talk about the trading deadline and whether the Cardinals will or even should bring in reinforcements, they discuss the minor league depth and what it really should be used for, and they look at the division and ahead to a weekend series with the Cubs.

Oh, and they also talk about Matt Carpenter.  Cardinals Twitter might want to skip that part.

GTBH 7/9/17: Good Time For a Break

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Redbirds weren't quite able to reach .500 before the Midsummer Classic, but they did wind up tying the Cubs for second place (and didn't allow 10 runs in the first or have a position player pitch this week, just saying).  Can we be sure Milwaukee isn't for real?  Is it troubling that this recent charge is being led by folks that aren't exactly pillars of this club?  How do the successes of Paul DeJong and Luke Voit, for instance, impact how you do the rest of the roster, especially when Kolten Wong returns on Friday?  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) tackle all that and more!

GTBH 7/2/17: Getting Emotional

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  It's been an eventful week under the Arch (and some of it out in the desert) but before all that Tara Wellman (@tarawellman, Bird Seeds) and Daniel Shoptaw (@C70, C70 At The Bat) get into this idea that Carlos Martinez is too emotional to be an ace.  (Fair warning: this is about 10 minutes of the show, so if it gets long for you, feel free to skip ahead.)  After that they talk about the changes in the Cardinal organization, with John Mozeliak and Michael Girsch both getting a bump up, and what taking two series against playoff teams means for the future of this club.

GTBH 6/18/17: They Used To Be Good, But Now They're Not

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  10 days ago, John Mozeliak shook things up by rotating coaches and releasing Jhonny Peralta.  The Cardinals were 4.5 out on that day....and are 5.5 out now.  What's gone wrong?  How much can the increased offense be traced to new assistant hitting coach Mark Budaska?  How can you replace 4/5ths of your rotation during the season?  When do you raise up the white flag and start looking to 2018?  Daniel Shoptaw (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara Wellman (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) tackle all those questions and more in this week's Gateway!

GTBH 6/4/17: The Definition of Insanity

Every week, two of the Best Fans in Baseball (TM) bring you all the news and analysis you need about the St. Louis Cardinals.  Daniel (C70 At The Bat, @C70) and Tara (Bird Seeds, @tarawellman) tried to get a show in during the time the Cards had a lead on the Cubs Sunday night, but couldn't even get it started before it vanished.  It was a telling moment, one that reflected the struggles this team has had for a while with putting runs on the board and Ws in the column.  Even with the departure of Jonathan Broxton, this team needs something.  Do you make the big move or figure this isn't the year, even in a weak division?  Is there any way for these guys to catch fire?  Can the lineup seem a little more reasonable?  Or are we doomed to keep doing the same things over and over, expecting different results?  There's not a lot of answers in this one, but a lot of discussion so come give it a listen!