#Fielding Bible

2022 stats: 148 G, 5 HR in 500 PAs, .195/.285/.262 (58 OPS+), +0.7 bWAR, Date of birth: October 22, 1999 (23 years old), 2023 status: On 40 man roster. As a top prospect, expectations were high. In 2020, MLB.com ranked Geraldo Perdomo the 79th best prospect in baseball. In February 2022, ZiPS ranked him as the 70th best prospect in baseball and…

Pitchers and catchers report next month. Somewhere in the middle of it. A long way from Opening Day on March 30 in Boston, but the distance is shrinking. The holiday themes are over unless I'm suddenly motivated by Valentine's Day. Nothing so far about Cupid's arrow, but I decided this morning to take a stab at some 2023 predictions. Here are five,…

The Cubs are getting ready to play ball and take on St. Louis and Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. The three teams have more time to enhance their rosters before the start of the 2023 season, but as it stands now the Cardinals are less likely to have an easy jog to the division title. And that's true even after their signing of…

As I noted Friday, MLB Network host Greg Amsinger told St. Louis sports station 101 ESPN that he expects to see free-agent shortstop Trea Turner in a Cardinals uniform on Opening Day, 2023. To recap for those who missed it: "He's the perfect fit, the missing link, and if the Cardinals don't recognize that they're missing out," Amsinger said. "He…

Give the Rangers this much: They're interesting, which beats unwatchable. On any given night, you never know what you might get. One minute, Eli White gives his teammates a ride on his Superman cape; he comes to the plate, and he's Clark Kent again. The bullpen comes to the rescue or sets itself on fire. Adolis Garcia runs through a wall or falls…

There are so many unknowns when it comes to the 2023 Rockies. Who will make up the rotation and can it improve? How can the Rockies hit more homers? Who will play center field? How can the bullpen be more effective? Who will be on the 2023 roster? Who will the hitting coach be? It's overwhelming and we've got all offseason to analyze and fantasize.…

The Los Angeles Angels are entering a new era: After 19 seasons, Mike Scioscia will no longer be the manager. In 39 years before Scioscia became their manager, the Angels averaged 76.6 wins per full season, had only 12 winning seasons and made the playoffs three times (without winning a series). In 19 seasons under Scioscia, the Angels averaged…

Welcome to my series of Report Card postings for individual members of the 2022 Cardinals. I strive to present a thorough profile for each player, and that takes time because I'm also writing about other topics. Today, this one is pretty simple and easy. Next Up: Paul Goldschmidt. I figured it was appropriate to highlight his 2022 season on Nov.…

Today the focus is on Christian Vazquez, the 32-year-old veteran free agent who is gaining in popularity with St. Louis media and fans. THE OVERVIEW: Vazquez spent seven-plus seasons with Boston before being traded to Houston last summer, and he teamed with Martin Maldonado to form a catching tandem that was part of the Astros' run to the World…

Embrace the chaos of the 2022 MLB postseason. Enjoy the upsets, the unlikely heroes, and seeing 100-win teams going down in a October inferno. Your attitude on this topic probably depends on your personal rooting interests. So I wouldn't expect much cherish-the-postseason sentiment from fans of the Dodgers, Braves, Mets and Cardinals. Their teams…

The Cardinals are in the market for a catcher. Hopefully they'll be smart about this and view the opening as an opportunity to upgrade their offense. Defense must be a consideration, which doesn't really need to be stated. But in this case the defensive requirement has been overstated, with too much attention being paid to the standard established…

Last week, we kicked off our A's offseason outlook series with the infield and outfield groups. Next up, we take a look at the A's catching situation. Overview: In a season filled mostly with gray skies, the A's catching group was a ray of sunshine. It was the only position group worth positive bWAR (0.6) and was the ninth most valuable catching…

By Rob Biertempfel, Katie Woo and Nick Groke Each of the three finalists for the National League Gold Glove Award at third base has a fascinating backstory. The old master is the Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, who has won the award in each of the past nine years. Ke'Bryan Hayes of the Pirates is the new kid, a defensive whiz in the minors who just…

You don't need me to tell you that the 2022 Chicago White Sox significantly underperformed against expectations, but I'll do it anyways: the 2022 Chicago White Sox significantly underperformed against expectations and the 2022-2023 offseason is critical in retooling the roster in pursuit of not only returning to the postseason, but winning their…

The Houston Astros will enter the World Series with a nine-game winning streak including their 7-0 record in the postseason. With the playoffs added in, they've won 113 games this season and figure to be the common-sense choice to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Since the start of the 2017 season the Astros lead the American…

The Cleveland Guardians did something that no one expected them to by clinching the American League Central on Sunday. The Guardians defied every obstacle to win this division. Before the season started, the Cleveland Guardians were projected to win 76 games and be a fourth-place team. They had+800 odds to win the division and were the youngest…

It could be a festive Tuesday night for the Cardinals in Milwaukee. With a victory over the Brewers the Cards will clinch the NL Central division title. They can spray champagne, and douse each other with Anheuser-Busch products. And if the fellers are in the mood for mischief, they can make like the 2004 Cardinals and celebrate the coup de grace…