ISTGT: Cards @ Mets, 3/24/11

[G-Fafif]

Nick Evans just challenged Lance Berkman's sore arm and made it to third. Something about him screams "Eff Lance Berkman and his sore arm."

[G-Fafif]

Pagan just went Kapow!

[Theoldmole]

[Theoldmole]

6 runs so far in the 4th.

[Ceetar]

G-Fafif wrote: Pagan just went Kapow!

We gotta get this guy into the All-Star game this year. Ballots are out..tomorrow maybe.

[Theoldmole]

Emaus

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm surprised that Emaus has such big tits.

[Theoldmole]

[G-Fafif]

Thole: Also a deep thinker.

[Ceetar]

Thole: Also a deep thinker.

Cardinals announcers described that as leaving Port St. Lucie.

[G-Fafif]

Thole: Also a deep thinker. Cardinals announcers described that as leaving Port St. Lucie.

Probably because it got bored playing against the Cardinals, National, Marlins and Braves.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets at one point rang up [u:3k75zflx]Nine[/u:3k75zflx] consecutive hits across two innings (an inning ended on a play at the plate) and something like 12 hits in a 13 batter span including those 3 HRs mentioned (Pagan, Thole, Emaus) - part of it off Jaime Garcia.

Just flat-out teeing off I tells ya.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Brilliant.

Save some for the regular season, boys, but... brilliant.

[G-Fafif]

Sergio Ferrer just singled.

[Frayed Knot]

With one run in but two out and nobody on in the 4th ...
- Emaus single
- Capuano reaches on error (man is that one gonna hurt)
- Reyes singles
- Pagan HRs
- Wright singles
- Bay singles
- Evans singles
- Hairston doubles
- Paulino singles (Evans out at home)

5th inning ...
- Emaus HRs
- Thole HRs
- Reyes grounds out
- Pagan singles
- Wright doubles
- Bay walks
- Evans singles
- Hairston Ks
- Paulino Ks


And now Matt Den Dekker (do you suppose his brother's middle name is 'Living Room'?) has added a HR and it's 16-3 heading for the 7th
22 hits thru 6 innings.

[Guest themetfairy]

From the way that Gary was talking, I think that Den Dekker is the last name.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: With one run in but two out and nobody on in the 4th ... - Emaus single - Capuano reaches on error (man is that one gonna hurt) - Reyes singles - Pagan HRs - Wright singles - Bay singles - Evans singles - Hairston doubles - Paulino singles (Evans out at home) 5th inning ... - Emaus HRs - Thole HRs - Reyes grounds out - Pagan singles - Wright doubles - Bay walks - Evans singles - Hairston Ks - Paulino Ks

Eff him. Cut his sorry ass. Teach these fuckers a lesson.

[Theoldmole]

Den Dekker another Dutch player?

[Guest Edgy DC]

A brutal shellacking in which guys having poor springs at the start of the day had totally turned it around by the end. (David Wright going 4-4 with a homer has to help the ol' cahnfidence.)

A great day unless your name is Mike Nickeas, who went 0-2 and saw his average drop to .081.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: A brutal shellacking in which guys having poor springs at the start of the day had totally turned it around by the end. (David Wright going 4-4 with a homer has to help the ol' cahnfidence.) A great day unless your name is Mike Nickeas, who went 0-2 and saw his average drop to .081.

Nickeas is pretty safe as the 8-day backup catcher right? Or could we see my pal Kai?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Raul Chavez is his primary competition, but they'd have to find room on the roster for him and then expose him to waivers at the end of the week. That may not be worth it for the (maybe) one start you'd expect to get out of Nickeas.

But still... .081!

[MFS62]

I'm beginning to notice the emerging power of Josh Thole.
Maybe he is now more comfortable with his receiving and can concentrate on his hitting a little more.
I know, I know, its Spring Training. But three home runs? When he came up, it looked like he was going to be a high OBP kind of guy with little power.

I likey.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Psst... it's Spring Training.

If Thole can give the team five home runs over the course of the year, consider it a bonus.

[Frayed Knot]

It's not like he's incapable of supplying a little pop - that one today was in the weeds beyond the berm beyond the fence - I just don't see his whole set-up and swing translating into much more than occasional power. It's just not a swing geared to it.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Hell, a good percentage of the time, he chokes up with two strikes.

He's got a great plate approach, but it's gap power he's got, for the most part.

PROVE ME WRONG, JOSH.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

To be honest I'd prefer if he concentrates on maintaining a high OBA -- sure, over the years we've been spoilt for choice with power-hitting catchers, but the current line-up doesn't really require Thole to become a 10 HR/ year hitter.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'm certain he's capable of ten homers as the hitter he is. It's a modest enough total.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I'm certain he's capable of ten homers as the hitter he is. It's a modest enough total.

Yeah, not looking for him to be Piazza-1, but just 10 home runs is a big deal in how you're viewed by the opposing team. Pitcher's know that you can punish them, and outfielders don't find the need to play at Castillo-Depth.

[Lefty Specialist]

I agree that with Thole it's less about the homers than it is about line drives in the gaps. Just keep the conga line moving and I'll be happy, Josh.