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Which MLB contenders should hit panic button?

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 7, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) reacts as he strikes out and walks back to the bench during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) reacts as he strikes out and walks back to the bench during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 6, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Brett Cecil (21) sits in the dugout after being relieved from the mound during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Brett Cecil (21) sits in the dugout after being relieved from the mound during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kane-USA TODAY Sports /

St. Louis Cardinals

  • Record: 4-9
  • Culprit: Everyone but the starting rotation

For the 4-9 St. Louis Cardinals, there is plenty of blame to go around for the slow start to the 2017 season. As a team, they are last in the league with a .209 batting average, barely scoring more than three runs per game. The starting rotation has a solid 3.45 ERA, but is 3-8 thanks to the lack of offensive production. When the starters have left with a lead, the bullpen has been more than happy to hand it over. Cardinals relievers are last in the league with a 7.18 ERA and have given up hits at a .293 clip.

Four regular offensive players are hitting below .200 for St. Louis, and no one has struggled as much as their big pickup from the offseason, Dexter Fowler. ‘You go, we go,’ Joe Maddon said to Fowler during his time in the Windy City, but no one is going anywhere with Fowler hitting .132 with 16 strikeouts in 13 games. He has only one extra-base hit and has not been able to replicate his on-base success of the past two seasons. It’s early, and Fowler will break out of this slump eventually.

The most consistent production for the Cardinals so far this season has come from Stephen Piscotty and Greg Garcia. Jedd Gyorko has done well in his half of the platoon at second base, posting an OPS over .800 in nine games. With Kolten Wong continuing to struggle, Gyorko could push for more consistent playing time. Garcia is taking at-bats away from Jhonny Peralta, who may be on his last legs as a big leaguer.

With Sam Dyson allowing a run per out in Texas, it’s impressive that the Cardinals bullpen has managed to put up the worst ERA in the league so far. Kevin Siegrist and Johnathan Broxton both have ERAs over 10.00. Seung Hwan Oh is not far off with his 9.53 ERA. Siegrist has managed two straight outings without an earned run allowed, and his ERA is still inflated after allowing four runs in one outing last week. Brett Cecil has also turned in three straight scoreless outings to bring his ERA down from the stratosphere.

The nature of pitching in relief is such that pitchers will struggle from time to time and get dinged for crooked innings. When it happens to every pitcher in the bullpen at the same time during the first two weeks of the season, the struggles are magnified.

Level of Panic

Medium. The Cardinals are in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, so this slow start needs to be nipped in the bud quickly. Luckily, the Cubs are not off to a hot start as was the case last season. The bullpen will stabilize, but there are still questions about the offense’s ability to score consistently.

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