Ain't That Some Shildt

I honestly don't know what to make of all this Shildt/Cardinals mess.

I know what my gut says, but I'm sure that's only due to rumors around town. Good luck to finding any definitive proof about Albert & Shildt or at least who was at fault for this year's batting problems or who was the savior. Our own sports reporters can't agree on it. One article says Albert was the reason batting improved halfway through the year and the next will say Shildt stepped in and took over.

The only thing the prognosticators seem to agree on is that it wasn't Reyes coming in the 9th inning to lose the game. (Which I absolutely agree with...managers make human errors calling up certain players or plays which lose a game...it happens).

I think where there is smoke there's fire...or do we want it to be Albert's fault? I don't really know, but when you look at Wong taking shots at the "Cardinal way" and its effect on his hitting or Tommy Edman's comments back in June/July of this season about lack of preparation & confusion, it does make you wonder.

I understand that baseball is really embracing analytics. The surge of teams using it successfully does make a great case for it. However can tech override an athlete's natural ability? Do those with natural ability struggle? Should a player with a natural feel for their body & performance be told science says do it this way? I'm not sure. I'm definitely not an athlete. But it would be hard pressed for someone to tell me to squat in shoes when I'm more comfortable being barefoot.

Fact is...we probably won't know until one of three things happen: 1. Hitting will SUCK this year because Albert won't be stopped by the new manager; 2. Hitting improves drastically because his philosophy will be unhindered; 3. Someone writes a book, gives an interview YEARS from now

So we wait. And we theorize.

See? Sports lovers aren't that different from comic book/movie nerds.