NL Central Focus: 6/29/16

As the trade deadline nears, recent performance goes under the magnifying lens around the NL Central.

Here are the updated NL Central standings:

Chicago Cubs

A 7-2 win hardly seems like headline news, but it is the Cubs. What made the win so impressive was the fact that the Reds couldn’t take advantage of the way the Cubs were forced to use three different relievers. Travis Wood, Pedro Strop, and Spencer Patton all spent time playing left field last night.

One reliever the Cubs have been reluctant to use is Clayton Richard. After being remade in the Pirates’ system last season while with the Indianapolis Indians, Richard was dealt for cash considerations. At the time, I was among those disappointed Richard wasn’t promoted before his opt-out deadline. He had a 2.09 ERA. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen with the Cubs, he posted a 3.83 ERA in 2015. This season has been a different story. Richard has a 7.30 ERA in 22 games.

With Richard struggling, the Cubs have looked into left-handed reliever options, including the Yankees’ Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, but ESPN’s Jesse Rogers looked at other options the Cubs may consider, namely Tony Watson. This season, Watson has shown the effects of being overworked, but the Pirates by no means should deal him, least of all to the Cubs, unless of course the Cubs are willing to offer Kris Bryant or Jake Arrieta in return? I thought not.

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals just can’t seem to wait to get on the road again. After correcting an abysmal start at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals have put themselves back into contention for a wild card spot with their play on the road. This season, the Cardinals are 25-15 when playing away from the nest, an unusual trend given that they were the only team to play better at home than the Pirates over the past three seasons.

One person who is glad to be home is Trevor Rosenthal. The Cardinals’ defrocked closer has been able to stay at his childhood home in the suburbs of Kansas City while the Cardinals continue interleague play against the Royals. For the Pirates’ sake, let’s hope the trip down memory lane doesn’t help him rediscover what made him one of the most effective relievers in the National League. Rosenthal rediscovering himself would be invaluable to the Cardinals heading into a stretch run.

While one man is no longer being highly regarded on the roster, Matt Carpenter may never have been valued highly enough. As one of the most effective leadoff batters in all of baseball, Carpenter has been a thorn in the side of opponents for years, but even after being one of the best players in the National League over the last several years, Carpenter still may be one of the most undervalued, which stands in stark contrast with a contract to rival Joey Votto’s.

Milwaukee Brewers

Ever wonder what it’s like to go through the rigorous demands of an underpaid, underappreciated minor league baseball player? The Sun Herald did exactly that taking you into the daily life of Brewers’ minor leaguer Chris McFarland.

One man who no longer has to experience the long bus trips, at least for the time being is Jake Elmore. The Brewers recalled him from Triple-A affiliate Colorado Springs. The corresponding move was the designation of former Pirate Alex Presley for assignment. Presley has never been able to stick with a major league roster, despite several brief stints of solid performance.

One man who has been putting together a solid performance on the bases this season is Jonathan Villar. Villar is just one of two players ahead of Starling Marte in steals. However, Villar also has the lowest stolen base percentage of the top five. He has been caught nine times on 35 attempts, but Villar is still on pace to finish third in franchise history for steals in a single season.

Cincinnati Reds

Zack Cozart has been the Reds best player for much of this season, which reasonably makes him the most likely candidate to be traded from the hapless Cincinnati club. As the trade deadline approaches, attention surrounding Cozart and Jay Bruce will only intensify. Several clubs have already been connected as potential trading partners. Despite being due a sizeable raise in his final year of arbitration next season, Cozart is still a bargain.

One player who is familiar with departing the Reds this season is Jumbo Diaz. The former Pirates minor leaguer known for having the most appearance-appropriate name in all of professional sports was recalled this week for his third stint with the big league club. He has a 6.10 ERA in 12 games with the Reds.

Many clubs would be remised of any defense if they were to promote a player with such a poor track record, but the Reds are not most clubs. With the worst pitching staff in baseball, Diaz actually presents a more appealing option than J.J. Hoover. A year after he posted a 2.94 ERA, Hoover has been one of the worst relievers in baseball. Hoover was the pitcher of record in the Reds’ 15th inning meltdown last night against the Cubs. His ERA now stands at 13.50, and as a result, Hoover was demoted for the second, and possibly final, time this season.

That’s a wrap for this week. Check back next week for all of the latest news around the NL Central.