St. Louis Cardinals fans confused as manager Oli Marmol says team better when Willson Contreras catches: "A bizarre couple weeks" "What changed?"
Just a week after Willson Contreras was moved out of the St. Louis Cardinals catcher's role and made a designated hitter, he was back behind the plate calling pitches Monday night.
The move seemed to work as the Cardinals annihilated the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 18-1, largely thanks to a 10-run eighth inning.
However, it was embattled Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol's comments after the game that had St. Louis fans confused.
Not even a full week after taking catching duties away from Contreras, Marmol said in Monday's postgame that Contreras' presence provided Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty with confidence as the hurler put up his best numbers of the season – three hits, two walks, no earned runs and 10 strikeouts over seven innings – and that:
"(Willson) will be an everyday catcher. We're a lot better that way."
Marmol says Contreras' presence behind the plate helped provide Flaherty with confidence in the #STLCards' win over the Brewers: "They worked really well together."
On plans moving forward for Contreras: "He will be an everyday catcher. We're a lot better that way." https://t.co/wRB4fVQh68
On May 12, Marmol said that Willson Contreras was "making progress" and that the team was still working to getting him to the point of being able to catch again.
Apparently, that progress took just four days. Must've been quite a catching boot camp. Fans are confused, and many are blaming Marmol for "scapegoating" the newly-signed Contreras for the team's ills.
@BallySportsMW He continues to say the wrong things. I think all of this was never Contreras fault and he was just a scapegoat. But to go 6-1 in the last 7 games when Knizer has been catching and then to say “we’re a lot better when Contreras catches” is a weird thing to say. Feel bad for Kiz
@BallySportsMW Someone , anyone make this make sense ! Why didn’t they just keep this in clubhouse if they were going to try a short trial with Contreras as DH ? Instead everyone in MLB is making fun of this team ! Is this a Mo or Oli issue ?
@BallySportsMW What changed in a week?
Pitching - not really (barring last night's Jack start)
Game Calling - nope, ERA higher under Knizner
Bats - now you got it.....the bats woke up and won you some games
Scapegoating and giving superficial credit to Contreras in the same week is tired.
Andrew Knizer had been playing catcher since Willson Contreras' pseudo-benching. While Knizer has three home runs and 10 RBIs in 10 games, he is also batting .226. Contreras has three homers, 18 RBIs and a .250 average in 40 games, but is acknowledged as a better bat.
A better explanation may be the logjam in the Cardinals' middle infield since the return of shortstop Paul DeJong. DeJong has hit .305 with four homers and seven RBIs in 17 games since returning, but the team also has middle infielders Tommy Edman and Nolan Gorman to get into the lineup for their hitting abilities.
With Contreras catching Monday, Gorman played designated hitter and drove in five runs on a 3-for-5 night.
@BallySportsMW So is Oli trying to gaslight fans into forgetting that they threw WC under the bus for no reason whatsoever?
@BallySportsMW Contreras is a multiple time all star catcher . Mikolas was an all star one year . Wainwright hasn’t pitched to Contreras this regular season. I’ll leave it at that .
Marmol continues to confound Cardinals' fans. While St. Louis has played better as of late – seven wins in the last 10 games – the team is still stuck in last place in the National League Central with a 17-25 record after Monday's win.
@BallySportsMW Of course this makes Marmol look like a willow further twisting in the wind.
@BallySportsMW I can't stand Oli. He looks like a boy in a man's world.
Maybe this will all be forgotten in October if the Cardinals right the ship.
@BallySportsMW As bad as the management and front office handled Contreras and the PR the past week, if the Cardinals just go on winning a bunch then it will all be a weird footnote at the end of the season.
@BallySportsMW Well that was a bizarre couple of weeks
@BallySportsMW What changed? https://t.co/DVqE8kWY7P
Willson Contreras a three-time All-Star for Chicago Cubs
Willson Contreras hit 117 home runs with 365 RBIs and a .256 batting average over seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs before signing as a free agent with St. Louis this offseason. He was named to three All-Star teams and drove in a run in the Cubs' 2016 World Series-clinching Game 7 win against the Cleveland Guardians.