MLB
Anyone who has watched the Cardinals this year knows they have a tendency to go through offensive droughts. Especially with Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong on the DL. In the month of May, with their random outbursts of eight or more runs excluded, the Cardinals are averaging just over 3 runs per game. Overall this season, they rank 12th in the big leagues in runs scored. One would think that a team as offensively challenged as the Cards can be, would be looking everywhere for offense. That’s why it might be time to see Patrick Wisdom.
Patrick Wisdom by the Numbers
Patrick Wisdom was one of the most powerful hitters in Triple-A last season with 31 home runs and 89 RBI. He went unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft over the offseason, but no one claimed him, and he’s picking up right where he left off in Memphis.
Currently, Wisdom is on a 16 game hitting streak. During the streak, he is hitting .418 or 25-for-59 and his .424 average since the middle of May is the second best in the Pacific Coast League. Overall this season, Wisdom is slashing .307/.362/.489, with seven home runs, nine doubles, and 34 RBI in 176 at bats. Patrick also has a .383 BABIP, a 121 wRC+, a .372 wOBA, and a wRAA of 5.6.
Wisdom’s biggest problems in the past were his strikeout numbers and his ability to get on base. However, his .362 OBP is a far cry from his .310 a year ago. He’s also striking out 0.95 times per game, which is still high, but is down from 1.17 last season. That comes out to a difference in strikeout percentage of 5.4% from last year to this year.
How a Patrick Wisdom Promotion Could Look
First thing’s first, Patrick Wisdom would need to be put on the 40-man roster. Inevitably an injury will happen and a spot will open up, if they want to wait until then. If not, the Cards have to make room. This could be done via trade, say if the Cardinals give up two players for a return of one, but that’s likely not in the near future either. Another possibility is to take someone off, in which case they would go through waivers. Candidates for this are Luke Gregerson, though he’s owed too much money, Brett Cecil, but the same issue remains there, or Mike Mayers.
Mayers could potentially work. He’s been given opportunities to prove himself, and despite what the outside numbers say, a deeper look shows he’s not been any better. With a FIP of 5.19, the lowest swing and miss percentage in baseball on his slider, and a bottom 10% whiff/swing on his fastball, it’s only a matter of time before he blows up again in 2018.
Patrick Wisdom has done enough to get a shot at the big leagues. If that means releasing Mayers, so be it. Wisdom provides more potential benefit to the team and it’s time to see what he can do.
This article was originally written by former TSJ101SPORTS MLB Department editor and writer Canyon Clark. Due to systems modalities, the article has been assigned to the author tag designation “Former Writers”.
