BenFred: Being more like Whitey Herzog would be great way to honor Cardinals legend’s legacy
For the White Rat, a white wreath.
Below Busch Stadium’s batter’s eye, a ring of cream roses adorned with a red ribbon paid tribute to Hall of Famer and World Series champion manager Whitey Herzog on Friday, before the Cardinals played their first home game since his passing at the age of 92.
Tributes continue to flow, like one of those Busch beers Herzog and Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck used to team up to promote.
Sharing a moment of silence with thousands of fellow admirers, cracking a cold one in his honor and the Cardinals hopefully putting a No. 24 patch on their uniforms for the rest of the season — no official word on that one just yet — are all fitting salutes.
Another one, and perhaps the best one, would be for all of us to try to live a little more like Herzog lived.
How?
“I love that question,” Cardinals broadcaster Ricky Horton, who pitched for Herzog during his Cardinals career, answered Friday. “And for people who have been around him, we probably have several different ways we can go with that.”
Here are a few ways to try, if you’re up for the challenge.
Find what you are meant to do, then do it to the best of your ability.
“Enjoy the thing you are doing in the moment,” Horton said. “Whether it was golfing with him, being at a social event or managing, you could tell he was all in on what he was doing. There was a passion to it.”
Take your work seriously. But don’t take yourself too seriously. Herzog was a baseball savant and an incredible competitor. He was also lightning quick to crack a joke and maintained a twinkle in his eye until the end.
His signature grin and wave during Cardinals home openers, sometimes accompanied by the shake of his baseball-bat cane, became one of the highlights of the home opener. He delivered again this season. His ovation was one of the loudest. His humor never went missing. He even found it on the day he resigned in frustration with a 33-47 season record in 1990.
“I came here in last place, and I leave here in last place,” Herzog jokingly told the Post-Dispatch back then. “I left them right where I started.”
Three National League pennants, a World Series championship, a likely second one if one of the biggest mistakes in umpiring history had not been made in 1985 and the establishment of a revered style of play synonymous with his name would disagree with that assessment.
Here’s another way to be like Whitey.
If you get a chance to lead, like Herzog did and did so well, do so with courage but also with compassion.
When Herzog was first introduced as Cardinals manager, he was photographed raising a closed fist, like a boxer. Former Post-Dispatch photographer J.B. Forbes, writing the caption for that memorable image, said Herzog, “strikes the kind of tough pose that may be necessary to take the faltering team back to respectability in the National League.” Herzog that same day was asked if he needed a team leader to emerge from the clubhouse.
“I don’t need a team leader,” he answered. “I’m the leader.”
But Herzog’s fist was not made of iron all the time, and often it was used instead to deliver a pat on the shoulder.
Whether you were the biggest star on his team or a get-in-where-you-fit-in guy, Herzog had a way of making each hitter and pitcher feel valued, even when he was sticking his pitchers in the outfield.
“In leading people, he was conscious of where they were,” Horton said. “He had influence, there was no question. When he was in the room, he was in the room. But he used that influence benevolently.”
Now Horton was rolling.
“The other thing we can do?” he said. “Just be honest. It was a hallmark of Whitey. Sometimes, it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. But it was the truth. It was what you needed to hear.”
Another one?
Forgive.
It’s hard. But we can do it. We should do it.
Herzog forgave Don Denkinger for his blown call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series, for goodness’ sake. Even invited him to St. Louis for events after the fact. It helped a good man find peace. And more than three decades later, Denkinger’s great nephew, Drew, pitched for the St. Louis University Billikens. Would that have happened without Herzog’s ability to forgive? Who knows.
There’s more, but let’s end here, because it’s something that can truly apply to everyone, whether you care about baseball a ton or not at all.
Chances are, somebody in your life looks up to you.
Don’t let them down.
Herzog’s humble, approachable nature gave so many Cardinals fans the thrill of meeting a hero and not regretting it. Some heroes can’t say the same. Too many, unfortunately.
“He had a great platform, but he never crawled up on it and spoke down to anybody, ever,” Horton said. “He never projected he was better than anybody else. Baseball royalty, with a common touch.”
Sometimes, just like during Herzog’s last appearance here at Busch, a simple smile and wave can mean so much.
Kyle Gibson takes the mound for Cardinals to open series vs. Brewers: First Pitch
The Cardinals host a divisional opponent for the first time this season when they begin a home series Friday against the Brewers. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (1-2, 6.16) will take the mound for the Cardinals. After a solid debut, Gibson has put up an 8.25 ERA in his last two starts.
Home runs have stung Gibson. He's allowed five so far in three starts, tied for the most in baseball among qualified starters.
TheĚýBrewers will counter with right-hander Freddy Peralta (2-0, 2.55). He's 3-6 with a 5.86 ERA all-time vs. St. Louis.
Batters are hitting just .056 off Peralta's slider this season.
The Cardinals are 9-10, last in the NL Central and the only team in the division with a negative run differential (minus-9).
TheĚýBrewers are atop the NL Central at 11-6 but have lost three of their last four. Milwaukee is averaging 2.3 runs per game over its last three.
Overall, the Brewers are second in the National League in OPS and fourth in ERA.
Christian Yelich is on the injured list with back discomfort.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Brendan Donovan, DH
2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
3. Lars Nootbaar, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Willson Contreras, C
6. Nolan Gorman, 2B
7. Masyn Winn, SS
8. Jordan Walker, RF
9. Victor Scott II, CF
P: Kyle Gibson, RHP
BREWERS
1. Sal Frelick, LF
2. William Contreras, C
3. Willy Adames, SS
4. Oliver Dunn, 3B
5. Rhys Hoskins, 1B
6. Brice Turang, 2B
7. Gary Sánchez, DH
8. Blake Perkins, CF
9. Jackson Chourio, RF
P: Freddy Peralta, RHP
Injury report
Tommy Edman (wrist surgery):ĚýOn the 10-day IL, Edman began soft toss batting practice and tee work back in St. Louis. He will advance through the usual hitting progression as tolerated with the next step being coach pitch before facing a pitching machine.ĚýUpdated April 17
Matt Carpenter (oblique strain):ĚýPlaced on the 10-day injured list, backdated to April 2 after feeling discomfort in his torso after he went through his pregame routine in the batting cage. On Monday, he hit soft toss and tee and the veteran hopes to advance to batting practice in the near future. He may do that for the first time Friday when team reconvenes at Busch Stadium. He will take a rehab assignment to get bulk at-bats.ĚýUpdated April 17
Riley O'Brien (flexor tendon):ĚýPlaced on the 15-day injured list on March 31 retroactive to March 29, O'Brien's right arm tightened up after his opening day appearance. The initial diagnosis is strain of the flexor tendon; scans showed no structural damage. He will play catch this weekend.ĚýUpdated April 17Ěý
Dylan Carlson (sprained shoulder): On 10-day IL, Carlson hit off a tee for the first time Monday back in St. Louis as he advances on a hitting program. He'll go from soft toss and tee work to facing coaches in a controlled setting and then advance as comfortable.ĚýUpdated April 17
Keynan Middleton (forearm strain): On the 15-day IL, Middleton received a PRP injection to facilitate healing. He extended the distance of his catch Wednesday and will slowly progress through a throwing program that could put him several weeks away from returning to the mound for any workouts that would be similar to a bullpen session.ĚýUpdated April 17
Drew Rom (biceps tendinitis): On the 15-day IL, Rom experienced the soreness in his left arm shortly before the end of spring training. He’ll be on a throwing program to rebuild arm strength and ready for a likely assignment to Class AAA Memphis’ rotation.ĚýUpdated April 8
It looks as if voters will decide fate of sports wagering in Missouri: Caesar's Better Bettor
Years of political bickering have kept sports betting outlawed in Missouri while all but one of its eight bordering states have approved the activity, but it now seems likely that voters will decide its legality in November.
“Winning for Missouri Education,” a group that has received funding from sportsbook behemoths DraftKings and FanDuel, announced this week that more than 300,000 signatures have been collected in its initiative-petition campaign to put the issue before Missouri voters as a constitutional amendment. To put the measure on the ballot, approximately 180,000 valid signatures must be submitted to the Missouri Secretary of State by May 5.
Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the group, said signatures still are being collected and the goal is to have about 325,000 by the deadline.
“The tremendous support we’ve seen throughout the state is a testament to Missourians’ readiness to bring sports betting (tax) revenue home and support our local schools, students and teachers in the process,” he said in a statement. “As the campaign approaches our goal of putting this on the November ballot, Missouri is a step closer to allowing Missouri adults to bet on sports, while generating tens of millions in annual funding for our classrooms.”
Since the U.S. Supreme Court nearly six years ago struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most locations, allowing states to determine if they want it, 38 have approved it and Oklahoma is the only Missouri neighbor where it remains illegal.
The drive to legalize sports betting in Missouri has been supported by its major pro sports teams, which would be eligible for a license to book bets if they play in a venue with at least 11,500 seats. If approved, they could take wagers either on site or online. Missouri’s 13 casinos also could offer such betting, as well as two additional online operators not physically in the state.
But not everyone agrees. Denny Hoskins, a Republican state senator from Warrensburg who has blocked the advancement of sports-betting bills in the past, was asked at a news conference about his feelings regarding the issue moving closer to a statewide vote.
“I’m not against putting that question on the ballot, but I’ve consistently said that the ballot language that they are using I believe does not best serve the people of Missouri,” he said, adding that he thinks the tax rate of 10% is too low and “there’s not enough money in there for problem compulsive gambling, which is going to be caused by the legalization of sports betting here in the state. This is definitely a golden ticket for all of the casinos and professional sports teams.”
He added that casinos would make “another $25 million in net profit going to their bottom line. ... I want to make sure that there is enough money in there to help any problems they cause with ... compulsive gambling.”
The Missouri House of Representatives has sent sports gambling bills to the Senate in multiple recent sessions to no avail, and it seems unlikely that anything will pass in this year’s term that ends May 17. The bills have been tied to the controversial issue of attempting to legalize gambling machines in gas stations and other public places outside of casinos that has been pushed by Hoskins. If the initiative petition drive is successful, the ballot question only would be about legalizing sports betting. It would not address the unregulated machines that have infiltrated the state, which the Missouri Gaming Commission previously said were illegal.
Hoskins continues to support uniting the issues.
“I think that is the best plan if we combine those two together,” he said. “... I think a legislative plan would be better, but we’ve gone down that road and unfortunately the casinos kill any sort of compromise we try to come up with.”
Hoskins said there is an estimate that under the proposed sports betting amendment “Missouri will actually receive zero dollars going toward education, and already ... none of those additional funds can go to our veterans homes and veterans cemeteries — unlike video lottery terminals, which has a significant amount of fees that can send over $30 million to our veterans homes and cemeteries.”
“Winning for Missouri Education” counters by saying that legalized sports betting would “generate tens of millions of dollars for Missouri public education.”
Maryland, a state very similar in population size to Missouri, has legalized sports betting and its operators booked $536.7 million in wagers on athletics in March. After payouts to winners and other expenses, the sportsbooks there turned a profit of $32.4 million. With a tax rate of 15% on that final figure, the state took in $4.85 million in sports-betting revenue for the month.
Ten Hochman: Should St. Louis call Cardinals pitcher Kyle Gibson â€Gibby’?
Media Views: Cardinals broadcaster Chip Caray beams as son is 4th generation to call MLB games
. sat down with and his dad, Chip, to discuss the passing of the broadcasting torch 🤝
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics)
Like father, like son.
And grandson. And great-grandson.
This has been a special week for the Carays, the first family of baseball broadcasting. Oakland A’s television play-by-play announcer Chris Caray called his second big league series, and it happened with his dad, Chip, broadcasting the games on the Cardinals’ version of the telecasts.
“It’s a special day for our family — that’s my boy,” Chip proudly said when Chris was shown on the Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Midwest screen during the series opener Monday in Oakland.
Chris was emotional on the air, with NBC ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ California, when partner Dallas Braden brought up the meaning of the day with Chris’ dad working in a nearby booth.
“It’s really special,” Chris said, his voice breaking a bit. “I’m just so proud of him and just being here. ... It’s all coming together.”
The family linage traces to 1945 in St. Louis, when Harry Caray began calling games of the Cardinals and Browns en route to a legendary career that included a long and immensely successful run with the Chicago Cubs after jobs with the A's and Chicago White Sox following his controversial dismissal in St. Louis.
His son Skip Caray built his own legacy in Atlanta and, like Harry in Chicago, became nationally prominent though a cable television “superstation” that carried the team’s games. Skip’s son Chip, currently the lead Cardinals TV play-by-play announcer, has kept the family business thriving. So has Chip’s half-brother Josh, who broadcasts the Angels’ Class AA team in Alabama.
The fourth generation made it to the big leagues last week, when Chris called his first Athletics game for NBC ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ California. He’s in a play-by-play rotation with — who has the bulk of the games and is the first woman to be in a team’s primary role.
So Chris was thrilled that his schedule, which did not begin until the club’s 14th game last Friday, included the series against the Cardinals.
“I’m grateful and fortunate enough that they picked this series (opener) to be my fourth game,” he told The Associated Press. “I can’t really even put it into words to tell you the truth.”
Chip Caray still had a beam in his voice Thursday after returning to St. Louis following the series in Oakland and discussing Chris’ success.
“He’s off to a great start,” Chip said. “Our family’s buttons are bursting.”
It was a family reunion in the Bay Area where Chip’s wife and Chris’ mother, Susan, also was on hand and their son was able to pull a nifty move after dinner one night.
“He did the old Irish goodbye, left his old man with the tab,” Chip said.
But there was no joking when it came to talking about Chris’ ascent.
“He’s found his niche, which is what every parent wants,” Chip said, adding that Chris has been “welcomed with open arms” by the team and his broadcast colleagues.
It might not take long for the family tree to add another big-league broadcaster branch.
Stefan Caray, Chris’ twin brother, is in his third season of calling games for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Class AA affiliate in Amarillo, Texas. He worked the past two years with Chris and also interviewed for the Oakland job.
His father thinks Stefan will get a big league job soon, although he said he didn’t try to steer either boy into the family business.
“Very little. My dad was the same way” with me, he said.
Chris’ rise to the big leagues gives his father reason to reflect. Chip was 24 — the age Chris is now — when he got his first pro sports broadcasting job, doing play-by-play for the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
“It’s very strange being on this side of passing the torch,” he said. “But it really has little to do with me — it validates what Harry started.”
And he said he hopes Harry, who died in 1998, is “out there in the universe” watching with pride — whether “he’s looking down or up.”
Blues sink
The Cardinals had their worst season ever last year in local television ratings, and the Blues have just concluded their lowest-rated campaign in nearly a decade and a half.
Nielsen, which tracks viewership, reports that an average of 2.9% of the market tuned in to Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Midwest’s Blues telecasts this season. That’s the worst figure since 2009-10, the year after the club dropped an over-the-air station as a component of its local TV coverage. The rating then was 2.3.
A combination of an up-and-down season on the ice, leading the club to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year, and BSM’s distribution problems contributed to the viewership decline. While Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Midwest is available on major programming providers in its service region such as Charter (Spectrum), DirecTV, Fubo, AT&T U-verse, Xfinity (Comcast) and Mediacom, it is not carried on YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV or Dish Network.
One difference between now and that 2009-10 season is that Bally sells a Blues streaming package directly to consumers — unlike with the Cardinals, a subscription to a programming distributor is not needed to watch the games. BSM does not release its streaming viewership figures, but it is believed it would translate into about one ratings point.
But this year’s rating is down from last year’s figure of 3.4, when the direct-streaming option also was available. That followed two seasons at 4.3.
Nonetheless, the Blues are among the top five American NHL teams in local ratings for the 11th consecutive season. Final numbers are not yet available, but heading into the final week Pittsburgh and Buffalo were battling for the top spot. Boston was firmly at No. 3, with the Blues solidly in the fourth slot.
Cardinals prospects Tink Hence, Gordon Graceffo deliver one-run starts: Minor League Report
The strong start to Tink Hence’s return to the Double-A level continued on Thursday when the right-handed Cardinals pitching prospect allowed one run on four hits and struck out six batters in his start for Class AA Springfield.
Hence, who entered the start with an ERA below 1.00 following his first two starts, began his road outing against Amarillo by facing two batters over the minimum in his first three innings of work. The lone run the 21-year-old gave up came on a solo homer to Amarillo’s Deyvison De Los Santos in the fourth inning of Springfield’s 6-3 loss to the Sod Poodles, the Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate. The home run was the first Hence has allowed this season and was the second run that’s been charged to Hence in his first three starts.
After walking a batter and inducing a flyout to begin the sixth inning, Hence exited the game after reaching a career-high 83 pitches. Through 15 1/3 innings, the righty has a 1.17 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and has allowed two walks. He’s kept hitters to a .132 batting average and maintained a 0.59 WHIP over his three starts.
Here are other notable performances from around the Cardinals farm system:
Right-handed pitcher Gordon Graceffo, Class AAA Memphis:Coming off his first winning decision of the year, Graceffo delivered six innings of one-run ball and collected a season-high eight strikeouts to improve his record to 2-1. Against Gwinnett, Graceffo collected 14 swings-and-misses on his 95 pitches. Nine of the whiffs came via his fastball while four were on his slider, per Statcast. The righty’s fastball averaged 92.2 mph and reached a maximum velocity of 95.3 mph. With his first quality start of the year, Graceffo lowered his ERA to 4.34 over 18 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old has fanned just over 25% of the batters he’s faced.
Infielder Thomas Saggese, Class AAA Memphis:With a pair of doubles in four at-bats against Gwinnett, Saggese improved to 15-for-52 (.288 average) through 14 games with Memphis. The first of Saggese’s two doubles jumped off his bat with a 107 mph exit velocity and plated two runs in the Redbirds’ 3-1 road win. Since going hitless in his first two games to begin the year, the Cardinals’ top infield prospect is slashing .333/.380/.489 with four doubles and a home run in 45 at-bats. His two-hit game against Gwinnett extended his hitting streak to six consecutive games.
Left-handed pitcher Cooper Hjerpe, Class High-A Peoria:In four innings, the former first-round pick struck out seven batters and kept Quad Cities limited to two hits, a walk, and no runs as Peoria’s starter. Hjerpe threw 36 of his 57 pitches for strikes in the 1-0 loss. The lefty induced eight swings-and-misses and secured five of his eight strikeouts as swinging strikeouts — the last three of which came against the final three hitters he faced. The start was Hjerpe’s longest of the first three he’s made to begin 2024. He was knocked out of his season debut after 2/3 of an inning and followed that by allowing three runs on eight hits in an April 12 start against Beloit. Across 7 2/3 frames, Hjerpe has struck out 13 batters and walked five.
Catcher Sammy Hernandez, Class Low-A Palm Beach:As Palm Beach’s leadoff hitter in a 9-2 win over Lakeland, Hernandez went two-for-four with two doubles and two RBIs. The 19-year-old, who began his spring as the youngest player in Cardinals big league camp, collected both RBIs with a two-out double in the first inning after he fell behind 0-2 in the count to Lakeland’s Jake Miller. The two-hit game improved Hernandez to a .414 average and 1.196 OPS through his first 37 plate appearances of 2024. The teenage catching prospect has five doubles, a triple, and six walks in his first eight games.
Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ owner banks on streaming TV growth, expects Amazon Prime deal by October
ST. LOUIS — Diamond ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Group believes it can rapidly grow its streaming business in the next few years and offset the sagging cable viewership that pushed the broadcast company into bankruptcy last year.
Court records filed this week show that Diamond — the parent of Cardinals and Blues broadcaster Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Midwest — expects a deal with Amazon to launch in October, ahead of the NBA and NHL seasons. As part of that agreement, Amazon Prime Video would become Diamond’s main streaming partner.
In the new filings, the company forecasts that while linear cable subscribers will continue to decline — to 24.9 million in 2026, from 29.8 million this year — direct-to-consumer streaming subscribers will grow to 3.4 million, from 1.1 million this year.
But the sports leagues that rely on Diamond to broadcast their games are raising concerns about the company’s timeline. Diamond’s networks broadcast games for 11 MLB, 15 NBA and 11 NHL teams.
The Cardinals’ current deal with Bally ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ could continue into 2025 and beyond, depending on decisions made in the bankruptcy proceedings. But Cardinals officials have said they want to give fans more ways to access games and would study various options, regardless of what happens with Bally.
Diamond filed for Chapter 11 protection last March, following years of mounting financial pressure and declining cable subscriptions. The case set off a period of uncertainty for the dozens of professional teams that Diamond pays for the right to broadcast games.
After nearly a year in bankruptcy, the company in January announced that it had secured a lifeline: a series of deals to inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the business. A settlement agreement with parent company Sinclair promised $495 million in cash. And a deal with Amazon promised to bring the cable-reliant company further into the streaming business.
If executed properly, the proposal would allow Diamond to emerge from Chapter 11 proceedings and continue airing professional sports.
Over the past few weeks, the plan hit a hurdle when the NBA, MLB and NHL pushed back on Diamond’s request to take more time to work out those deals.
“These entities are beginning to get concerned,” said Abigail Willie, a visiting assistant professor at St. Louis University School of Law who reviewed the leagues’ responses. “They’re sitting there biting their nails, waiting to see if the debtor can pull this off.”
The bankruptcy court judge approved an extension for Diamond this week, and the company offered assurances to the leagues at a hearing Wednesday. But the filings show that Diamond is under pressure to pull off several key negotiations in coming months.
In the court documents, attorneys for the NHL and NBA raised concerns that the bankruptcy case could stretch into another season. The NBA wrote that if Diamond fails to reach deals quickly and is forced to wind down its business, the league won’t have enough time to arrange another method of broadcasting its games and monetizing its rights for the 2024-25 season.
“These things do not happen overnight,” the NBA lawyers wrote. “They require time-consuming and costly preparation and sometimes challenging negotiations with third parties. After having had two NBA seasons adversely affected by (Diamond’s) financial distress and bankruptcy, the NBA and its fans should not be subjected to a third season of disruption and uncertainty.”
An attorney for Diamond said during the hearing that the company is moving quickly and could get a plan finalized by mid-June, ahead of the basketball and hockey seasons.
Attorneys for MLB and seven of its teams (the St. Louis Cardinals were not among them) wrote in filings last week that they had “serious concerns” about the assumptions underpinning the bankruptcy plan. The league noted that Diamond depends on three distributors for the majority of its revenue — DirecTV, Charter and Comcast — but so far had only announced a renewal agreement with Charter. And the company hadn’t given evidence to support projections for its streaming business. Without those details, the attorneys wrote, the MLB couldn’t determine whether Diamond’s bankruptcy plan is viable.
Brian Hermann, an attorney for the company, said during Wednesday’s hearing that Diamond is confident it can reach agreements with DirecTV and Comcast.
Diamond filed a more detailed set of disclosures this week about its plan to emerge from bankruptcy, including its forecasts for streaming growth. On Wednesday, the judge said he planned to approve the disclosures, which a Diamond spokesperson called an “important step” in the company’s restructuring.
Ten Hochman: Hitting .300, Cardinals’ Willson Contreras is doing what most teammates aren’tĚý
How former big leaguer Damion Easley helped shape Cardinals young slugger Nolan Gorman
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PHOENIX — Seated in the front row of the home dugout at Chase Field hours before that day’s ballgame, former big league infielder and current Arizona Diamondbacks assistant hitting coach Damion Easley couldn’t help but break into a grin while talking about an opposing player on a National League rival team.
Of course, Cardinals second baseman Nolan Gorman isn’t just a name on a scouting report or a vaguely familiar figure in a different jersey.
Easley has been watching the 23-year-old Gorman play for roughly 14 years, including four years when Gorman made himself a highly touted draft prospect at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Glendale, Arizona. Easley served as a member of the high school coaching staff for Gorman’s entire prep career. They’ve remained in contact since Gorman graduated in 2018.
Asked if he’s been able to follow Gorman’s trek through professional baseball, Easley replied, “As much as I can.”
“Definitely, I want to see him succeed and play a long time just because I know the person that he is,” Easley continued. “You root for people like that, that are talented but have some humility to them. He’s just a good person that’s talented. So I’ll always watch. I watched when he was in the minor leagues.”
Gorman just might have the largest potential impact of any of the Cardinals young core of homegrown position players. A 6-foot-1, 225-pound left-handed-hitting middle infielder who led the club in home runs (27) and slugging percentage (.478) last season, Gorman still has played fewer than 230 games in the majors.
His career slugging percentage of .454 entering the season was the third-highest for a Cardinals left-handed hitter before reaching age 24 and ranked only behind Hall of Famers Stan Musial (.539) and Enos Slaughter (.464).
Much of what the Cardinals hope to reap the benefits of for years to come with Gorman — his ability to play on the infield, his impactful bat and approach at the plate — were influenced by Easley during some of Gorman’s formative years as a ballplayer.
How impactful were the interactions? Enough that when tasked with identifying the biggest thing he learned from Easley, Gorman sat back in his seat, his eyes wandering slightly as if searching for the appropriate starting point.
“It’s hard to pick out just one thing,” Gorman said. “There’s so much, from defense to hitting, that if I were to pick one thing, I think it wouldn’t do him justice in how good of coach he is.
“So really, just how to play the game. How to see things on the field. Being aware of situations, different situations that you get in a game, in the box, how to approach pitchers. Literally, the list goes on.”
Moving around the dirt
Easley enjoyed a long playing career of his own before he helped shaped players like Gorman and many others. Easley’s son Jayce (now a minor league player in the Texas Rangers organization) played the infield alongside Gorman at Sandra Day O’Connor.
A 30th-round draft pick by the California Angels in 1988, Easley spent parts of 17 seasons in the majors as a second baseman, shortstop and third baseman, and he played for the Angels, Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and New York Mets. He earned an All-Star selection and won a Silver Slugger Award (both in 1998).
Gorman came into the Cardinals organization as a third baseman, and he played third base exclusively in the minors until the 2021 season. He debuted in the majors in May of the following season at second baseman.
The defensive metrics show Gorman has made strides at second base each season at the big league level, particularly coming in on grounders and going to his backhand. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol points to those areas when talking about Gorman’s improvement.
“He’s playing a really good second base, and he has put in a ton of work to be able to do that,” Marmol said. “I mean, this is a guy that you thought about, defensively, replacing. And now, you trust him out there regardless of situation. He turns a really good double play. He’s getting to balls, backhand, four-hole, it doesn’t matter. He’s doing a really nice job there. To his credit, he’s put in a heck of a lot of work.”
Gorman wasn’t a third baseman until he met Easley. Gorman played shortstop up until his freshman year of high school. He credits Easley with helping him make his initial move around the infield.
“He’s the one who helped me with that transition over to third base, and it’s probably what made it a lot easier for me to transition to second base,” Gorman said. “He kind of treated me as a shortstop still at third base, and then that translates into second base because you’re always wanting to move your feet and not get in a standstill.”
Gorman still recalls Easley pushing the entire high school team defensively and instilling the importance of getting 27 outs cleanly. They’d need to record 27 outs successively or they’d start over at the beginning, “no matter what.”
Blending power with patience
Gorman’s initial impression on Easley came when Gorman’s youth team clashed with Jayce’s team. ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ were rival squads from ages 9 to 13.
Even then, Gorman smacked baseballs to the far reaches of the Little League fields.
“It was definitely the swing,” Easley said of Gorman’s power. “He has a short, compact swing — sometimes even too short at times. But he always had the bat speed. You can see he’s physically built. He’s always been that way. Even at 9, 10 years old, he still had a strong build to him. So I think that was just genetics from that aspect, but the swing is tight. It’s connected. It’s not long and lazy.”
That swing quickly gave Gorman a reputation in the prep ranks.
Gorman earned the first of three consecutive all-state selections in 2016. In a span of a month in 2017, he won the High School Home Run Derby at the MLB All-Star Game at Marlins Park, the Area Code Games Home Run Derby at Long Beach State University and the Under Armour All-American Game Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field.
A problem accompanied that reputation: Opponents didn’t want to pitch to Gorman.
“He was easily the best hitter in his class, at least in Arizona,” Easley said. “So he had notoriety everywhere he went. There were a lot of times he didn’t get pitched to — a lot of times. He just didn’t get pitches to hit or he’d get soft stuff, a lot of soft stuff in any count because they didn’t care if they walked him. They didn’t want to just intentionally walk him because there was scouts there to watch him. ...
“There were times he got frustrated with that, tried to fire on some pitches that he shouldn’t. You get it. You’re there to play baseball. You don’t want to hold the bat on your shoulder. So he did as good as he could with what he got.”
Gorman walked 46 times as a senior on his way to a .640 on-base percentage to go along with a .421 batting average and 10 home runs. He led his team to the program’s first state championship.
With opponents feeding him a steady diet of pitches away, Gorman and Easley focused on Gorman being able to hit the outside pitch for power the other way, up the middle and even to the pull side.
Was there an overarching message Gorman received from Easley?
“I think the biggest thing he would say is, â€Take your walks,’” Gorman said. “Literally, that’s all you can do. And if you’re out there chasing pitches, trying to impress people that are in the stands that are decision-makers, they don’t want to see you swinging at bad pitches. That’s just going to hurt you more than anything. So it was just all about taking my walks and waiting for that one good pitch that maybe I get in a game.”
Familiarity among foes
While Easley now wears a different uniform than Gorman, he certainly knows what makes the Cardinals young power hitter tick.
Gorman maintains a relatively stoic demeanor on the field. Whether he’s on a tear or in a slump, he typically gives an even-keeled vibe. Easley recognizes Gorman’s reserved nature, but he also knows what lies beneath the surface.
“It affects him more than you would think because he is truly, truly driven, not just to be great but to win,” Easley said. “So I just have a lot of respect for how he goes about his business. It bothers him more than he lets on, for sure.”
Gorman entered Thursday’s off-day having not gotten into a consistent groove so far this season. He’s batting .197 and slugging .379 with three home runs and 26 strikeouts. He had a hit in each of the three games in Arizona, but he went 0 for 8 in the two games he played in Oakland.
“He’s got a big fire in his belly,” Easley said. “He is really, really competitive. Not just wants to win but expects to win. Don’t be fooled by the (reserved nature). It’s burning hot, not out of control, but he definitely has that drive.”
Even when Gorman was in the minors, the two kept in contact and exchanged texts. Gorman described it as having a resource “in my back pocket.” Gorman took advantage of Easley as the sounding board, another voice to bounce things off in addition to the Cardinals coaches.
The Cardinals and Diamondbacks clashed last weekend in Arizona, and they will next week in St. Louis. Gorman said he usually catches up with Easley at least once when the teams play.
Often, the discussions veer more toward life in general than baseball.
“I guess you consider him a friend, but he’s a little bit more than a friend to me,” Gorman said. “He’s just a really good dude that I want to be able to stay in contact with for a long time. He’s someone that has helped me in my career so much so that I’m grateful for him and everything that he’s done. So I try to get with him and just talk, whether it’s about baseball or not. ... He’s an unbelievable dude.”
Willson Contreras showing improved framing as All-Star brother pays a visit: Cardinals Extra
The bond between brothers Willson and Williams Contreras, a pair of big league catchers that catch for division rivals, can be summed up fairly simply by the Cardinals starting backstop.
“It’s just a really healthy, professional rivalry,” Willson, the older of the two brothers, said Friday before the Cardinals opened a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. “He’s trying to win for his team. I’m trying to win for the Cardinals. We don’t trade any thoughts before games. We just go out there and compete.”
That doesn’t mean there can’t be some compliments.
“He is the best,” Willson said of William, the Brewers’ Silver Slugger-winning catcher who entered the series opener with a .358 average, four home runs, and 17 RBIs in 17 games. “He has a Silver Slugger (award). I don’t have one. I think he has more votes for the Gold Glove than I have in my whole career. I think the more experience he gets, the better he’s going to be.”
Or some help, just as there was this past winter.
The two brothers regularly work with each other over the offseason and continued to do so in the lead-up to the 2024 season. Transforming the way Willson, 31, receives and frames pitches was a focal point in his work with William, 26, who ended 2023 with a plus-seven in catcher framing runs and 48% in strike rate, per Statcast. The Milwaukee backstop’s framing runs were tied for fifth in the majors among qualified catchers.
With the help of his younger brother, Willson came into spring training with an approach behind the plate in which he has one knee down and with a setup to how he sets his glove and adjusts his body positioning.
Through nine games behind the plate (or 77 innings), Willson ranks in the 53rd percentile in framing and has a 47.5% strike rate, per Statcast. A season ago, the Cardinals’ starting catcher was in the 13th percentile in framing and had a 44.3% strike rate that had him ranked 44th among qualified MLB catchers while his minus-5 catcher framing runs was 52nd.
“A lot,” Willson, who had been hampered by a bruised left hand in recent weeks, said pregame Friday of how much the work with his brother has been on display. “I know that I didn’t catch in a week because of my hand and now I still don’t feel 100% about my hand, but I’m doing my best behind the plate. I think I had a pretty good two games in Oakland, which is good for me because we had two tough umpires behind the plate.”
Ahead of Friday’s series opener at Busch Stadium between the Brewers and the Cardinals, the brothers could be seen on the field during batting practice sharing a hug and chatting briefly before one another returned to resume pregame work with their respective teams. The Friday night matchup marked the Contreras brothers’ first meeting of 2024 and a potential chance for Willson to showcase his improvements to the person who helped him get there.
“I’m still doing my best to become one of the best framers in the game,” Willson said. “I know there’s always room to improve. I’m looking forward just to keep doing my stuff and whoever wants to say something nice to me about it, I’m more than welcomed (to that) because I know that I’ve heard a lot over the years about my framing that it’s not good, but this year is a lot different.”
Injury updates
Center fielder/utilityman Tommy Edman (right wrist) took swings as a left-handed hitter on Friday after taking swings from the right side on Thursday. Both of the swinging sessions were off a hitting tee.
Infielder Matt Carpenter was scheduled to take batting practice on the field for the first time since being shelved with an oblique strain in early April. Carpenter is set to be reevaluated on Saturday to see how he responds to the swings.
Outfielder Dylan Carlson (sprained shoulder) continued to take swings on Friday. The switch-hitting outfielder has been able to hit off a hitting tee, front toss, and inside in the batting cage while also going through defensive work. His batting cage work came as a lefty. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Carlson’s throwing progression has been “the easiest thing” in his rehab.
Right-hander Riley O’Brien (flexor tendon) visited team doctors on Friday to get cleared to begin his throwing progression. O’Brien pitched on opening day and has been on the IL since March 31 — a move retroactive to March 29.
Right-hander Keynan Middleton (forearm strain) had a “recovery day” on Friday as he goes through a throwing program during which he is scheduled to throw two consecutive days and received an off-day on the third day. He has played catch from up to 110 feet and will continue his program as planned on Saturday.
Left-hander Drew Rom (biceps tendinitis) has continued going through plyometric exercises, but “hasn’t made the progress that we have hoped for,” Marmol said. Rom was placed on the IL near the end of spring training and last pitched in a game on March 15.
Extra Bases
Before Friday’s game, the Cardinals honored late Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog with a moment of silence and a tribute video that featured highlights of the former Cardinals skipper. A wreath adorned with Herzog’s retired “24” was placed in center field in front of the hitter’s eye for the pregame ceremonies Herzog died at the age of 92 from an illness. … Rookie outfielder Victor Scott II was presented with his 2023 minor league Gold Glove award on the field before the start of Friday’s game. … The Cardinals’ Nike City Connect uniforms are set to be unveiled on May 20 and will make their in-game debut on May 25 at home against the Chicago Cubs.