ALL ABOARD!
BERNIE BITS!
MIZZOU TAKES A HIT ON THE ROAD. The Tigers played at Arkansas on Wednesday night in their first SEC road game of the season. Missouri couldn’t sustain a strong early performance and went down 74-68. After sprinting to a 25-8 lead, MU was outscored 66-43 over the final 31 minutes and 29 seconds.
KOBE BROWN AND D’MOI HODGE: Brown and Hodge combined for 51 points in Mizzou’s win over Illinois, and followed that with 45 combined points in the victory against Kentucky. But in the loss at Arkansas Brown and D’Moi Hodge combined for only five made field goals and 17 points in 48 minutes. Mizzou has good depth and other capable scorers, but opponents won’t be so permissive in letting Brown and Hodge beat them. Brown became a non-factor because of early foul trouble, and Hodge couldn’t shake off the tight defense played by Arkansas guard Davonte Davis … After leading 34-27 at the break, Missouri’s defense dissolved. In the second half Arkansas made 61.5 percent of its second-half shots from the floor, and scored on 22 of 33 possessions (66.7%) … Arkansas had a 15-9 edge in offensive rebounding and used that for a 17-8 advantage in second-chance points … A Mizzou offense that usually thrives in transition was outscored 18-11 on fastbreaks … for all of the complaining about officiating, Missouri took only two fewer free-throw attempts than Arkansas for the game … bottom line: it’s tough to win on the road in the SEC, and it ain’t going to happen when your two best players (Brown and Hodge) have little impact and your defense collapses in the second half.
NO SHAME IN THIS LOSS. Arkansas, a Final Four team in 2022, is currently the nation’s No. 9 team overall according to KenPom, and the Razorbacks rank 5th nationally in defense and 17th nationally in offensive rebounding. Mizzou will learn from the experience in Fayetteville. But this undersized MU team will likely be at a disadvantage on the boards all season, and SEC coaches will use video of the Arkansas swarm to attack Mizzou’s No. 1 vulnerability by bringing even more force to the offensive glass. Mizzou will have to do a better job of blocking out and fighting for rebounds. The Tigers are ranked No. 357 in the nation by KenPom in their defensive-rebound percentage, and that’s concerning.
Moving On …
CURIOUS WORDS FROM JIM BOWDEN: The former MLB general manager (Reds, Nationals) and current baseball analyst for The Athletic had this to say about the Cardinals earlier this week in a piece that assessed what each MLB team is up to:
“Cardinals — assessing the trade and free-agent markets … the Cardinals filled their biggest offseason need when they signed catcher Willson Contreras. Now they are open-minded in looking for ways to improve their team. They are actively pursuing trades and keeping tabs on the free-agent market. It is believed the Cardinals are working to acquire a certain player but want to make sure more specifics don’t become public because it would hurt their chances of completing a trade. They’re not done making moves.”
Intriguing.
Or maybe weird.
Moving On …
BLUES AT NEW JERSEY. WHAT’S NEXT? After an unexpected 6-5 shootout victory at Toronto on Tuesday, the Blues (18-7-3) will try to follow that up with a successful Thursday night in Jersey. The Devils (24-11-3) have the fifth-best points percentage in the NHL (.671) and rank second in the league with a 59.6 percent goal share at 5-on-5. The Blues are 25th in the NHL with a 5-on-5 goal share of 46.4%. And that was a problem at Toronto, with the Blues getting outscored 4-2 by the Maple Leafs at 5-on-5.
Look, I was happy that the Blues got two points in Toronto, and they did it by scoring goals in all sorts of ways including two on the power play and one shorthanded. And to win in their first game without the injured Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko was a plus. But here’s the thing: the Toronto triumph was nice, but why don’t we see this more often? If you can win in Toronto against one of the best teams on the circuit, then you should have been winning more games all along. The Blues have an opportunity to increase their shaky credibility by winning at New Jersey. And keep this in mind: the Devils are a mediocre 10-9-2 at home this season for a home-ice points percentage of .524 that ranks 22nd in the NHL.
TWEET FROM JEREMY RUTHERFORD: “Blues veterans much better after chat with GM Doug Armstrong.” This isn’t directed at JR, the top-notch Blues beatwriter for The Athletic. I just wanted to say that it’s really swell how the veterans feel after the big boss told them they need to raise their performance level and bring dedication and intensity to every game. Via Brayden Schenn, the players agreed with Armstrong’s assessment. That’s really gracious of them.
ARMSTRONG AND COACH CRAIG BERUBE: I appreciated Army’s criticism of his team’s performance when he offered blunt comments on Monday. But Armstrong put this team together, and spent a lot of payroll dollars on underperforming players, and assumed that they’d at least work hard to clean up their mistakes and display more commitment to the 5-on-5 game. So even if his criticism is on point, Armstrong is ultimately responsible for the team that we see on the ice. And he’s made mistakes with his payroll investments. As for Berube, here’s a simple but important question: he repeatedly cites the things the Blues must do to improve, but the players aren’t close to being consistent about putting Berube’s words into action, which means they aren’t paying much attention to those words … So what does this say about the coach and his players?
Moving On …
ASSORTMENT OF STUFF: Bad loss for Saint Louis U, which surrendered too many times on defense in a 90-81 loss at UMass. The Billikens are 9-6 overall, and that’s ridiculous considering that they’re the 12th most experienced team in the nation (per Ken Pom) … SLU ranked 81st in defensive efficiency last season and that’s dropped to the No. 159 ranking this season … the Billikens are also ranked No. 356 in the nation defensively in the percentage of forcing turnovers …
Excellent hire by Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz, who is bringing in Fresno State offensive coordinator Kirby Moore to take over the same job for the Tigers. Moore is a rising-star coach who played an important role in Fresno State’s 10-win season. Fresno State became the first team in FBS history to win 10 games after going 1-4 to start the season. The Bulldogs averaged 34.4 points per game during their nine-game winning streak. After missing two games Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener completed 72.2% of his passes for 2,042 yards, 16 touchdowns and only two interceptions in his final seven games …
Swing and a miss: By last count, and as of this writing, Kevin McCarthy was 0-for-7 in the voting on his bid for Speaker of the House. And you thought Paul DeJong has a strikeout problem.
I love watching George & Tammy on Showtime … and do not expect me to apologize for this. I’ve been a big fan of the late George Jones, aka The Possum, for decades. And what can we say about Tammy Wynette, the Heroine of Heartache? She stood my her man too many times, but true love does that to people. Just remember the lyrics to one of their biggest duet hits … lyrics that offer a lesson on true love: “By itself, it’s just a cold metallic thing / Only love can make a golden wedding ring.” Then there’s one of many George Jones classics: “If Drinkin’ Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will.)”
I’m surprised that no MLB team has taken a flier on the frequently injured ex-Cardinal pitcher Alex Reyes …
Maryland-style Cream of Crab Soup: I made a pot on New Year’s Day, and it was fabulous, and you should be envious … all kidding aside, here’s a simple recipe. I add some of my own flourishes, but this recipe is great on its own.
Writing at STLtoday, the great Derrick Goold offered these five names of available free agents that could potentially help the 2023 Cardinals: lefty relievers Andrew Chafin and Matt Moore, righty relievers David Phelps and Michael Fulmer, and switch-hitting utility tool Jurickson Profar …
I never got the chance to watch “Ray Donovan” as it was airing on real time at Showtime, but I’ve now completed the first two of seven seasons. I have a question: does Ray ever sleep?
This mess with USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter and the Reyna family is an embarrassment for all involved and I don’t see how Berhalter can retain his job. His contract is up, and the men’s national soccer program doesn’t need the distractions and clouds that will linger if he’s brought back …
If you combine the fourth quarter of last year’s national college football championship with the fourth quarter of Saturday’s national semifinal win, here’s what Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett did (combined) in those fourth quarters: a completion rate of 88 percent, 273 yards passing, four touchdown throws, and no interceptions. Georgia came back to win both games, erasing late deficits against Alabama and Ohio State …
Here’s another reason why the peoples love TCU football. We present the number of four-and-five star recruits on the rosters of the four teams that made it to the college-football semifinals: Georgia 68, Ohio State 66, Michigan 66, TCU 18. Georgia is a 12.5-point favorite to defeat TCU in the national title game …
Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino … gee, what can go wrong? Two massive egos and stubborn coots working in the same suite of offices at Texas A&M? How long before Petrino attempts a palace coup?
Sigh. Earlier this week Our Town’s Bradley Beal injured his left hamstring for the second time in two weeks and has missed 15 of Washington’s first 39 games of this NBA season. “It’s just tough with hamstrings, man, because you just don’t know (when it’s fully healed),” Beal said. “I think that’s the frustrating part. You can feel fine and you go out and you try to run, try to do something explosive, and it’s just like, ‘Oh, no! I’m not ready.’ “
Moving On …
DYLAN CARLSON: Despite a cold start to 2021 and the wrist and thumb injuries that deflated his offense over the final two months of 2022, Carlson still ranked 18th among MLB outfielders with 5.0 WAR over the last two seasons. (Minimum 1,100 plate appearances.) And from July 19 of 2021 through the end of July of 2022, here’s what Carson generated in 566 plate appearances: .266 average, .335 onbase percentage, .455 slug, .790 OPS, 36 doubles, four triples and 17 home runs. During this stretch he was 19 percent above league average offensively per wRC+. Carlson is 24 years old.
NL CENTRAL WATCH: CUBS SIGN ERIC HOSMER. Pretty good move by the Cardinals’ historical rival. They added a solid starting first baseman at a salary of $720,000 for 2023. The cost was cheap because the Padres will be paying Hosmer $39 million guaranteed over the next three seasons. Last summer the Padres traded Hosmer to the Red Sox and then the Red Sox designated him for assignment earlier this offseason. Hosmer has performed six percent above league average offensively over the past two seasons, with a decent OBP (.336) and some power (.389 slug.) The Cubs were in need of a starting first baseman, and Hosmer makes sense as a short-term fix. The Cubs have quietly improved their infield from last season by signing shortstop Dansby Swanson to a seven-year $177 million contract, moving Nico Hoerner from shortstop to second base, and bringing in Hosmer for minimal dollars. The Cubs also boosted their center field defense – and maybe offense – by signing Cody Bellinger to a one-year deal. Cubs center fielders combined for only 1.5 WAR last season and were 10 percent below league average offensively. In addition, Cubs center fielders were a hideous minus 19 in defensive runs saved in 2022.
NL CENTRAL WATCH: BREWERS SIGN DREW MILEY. The veteran lefty starter gets a one-year deal for $4.5 million. Miley can gain an extra $1.5 million through incentives. As a Cub last season Miley missed 138 days with shoulder and elbow injuries but had a nice ERA (3.18) in his nine appearances (eight starts.) He pitched well for the Reds in 2021, filing a 3.37 ERA in 163 innings. This is a reunion of sorts; Miley went 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 16 starts with the 2018 Brewers. If Miley (age 36) can stay healthy, he’ll help the Crew. But if he has another physical breakdown, the sunken cost won’t be too painful for the Brewers front office … Milwaukee added more pitching insurance by signing former Braves-Pirates righthander Bryse Wilson, who has a 5.54 ERA in 56 MLB games. But he’s only 25 and still has some potential.
Thanks for reading …
–Bernie
Bernie invites you to listen to his opinionated and analytical sports-talk show on 590 The Fan, KFNS-AM. It airs Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. and Friday from 4-6 p.m. You can listen by streaming online or by downloading the show podcast at 590thefan.com or the 590 app.
Follow Bernie on Twitter @miklasz
All stats used here were sourced from FanGraphs, Baseball Reference, Stathead, Bill James Online, Fielding Bible, Baseball Savant, Brooks Baseball Net and Spotrac.