But for MLB The Show 19 players, as professionals, you don't think about that. You just try to turn
the page and try to move on."Matheny might not have been the main reason the Cardinals missed October
in 2016 and 2017, but the past few years of Groundhog Day-esque mediocrity showed that he wasn't the
best answer, either. The fan base was growing restless, no doubt, both with the way the team missed
the playoffs and the front office's seeming refusal to do enough to reverse that course. The inaction
sent a signal that the status quo was OK.
Firing Matheny proved the front office believed the status was not quo. "This franchise, you know,
demands wins," said Molina, who went out of his way to say he learned from Matheny and wished him the
best. "We've been up and down the last couple months and they decided to make a move."So, now what?
What should be the front office's goal for the rest of the 2018 season? RIVERA: Mike Trout doesn't
have to MLB The Show 19 Stubs for sale change for anybodyA playoff spot isn't impossible, but it's a steep — and crowded — hill to
climb.
They entered Friday's action 8.5 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central and 5.5 back of the Brewers.
They're 4.5 games out of a wild-card spot (those two are owned by the Brewers and Braves), behind the
Diamondbacks, Rockies and Giants, and with the Nationals and Pirates on their heels. The lost their
second-half opener at Wrigley Field, 9-6, with ace Carlos Martinez done in by shoddy defense (sound
familiar?), and seven of their next 10 games are against the Cubs, too.
That's as much of a make-or-break stretch as you'll see in July. Even if they sweep all seven of
those upcoming games against the Cubs (they're 1-0 after an 18-5 win Friday), here's a very
reasonable statement: Going all-in to reach October 2018 isn't the right call.The thing about being a
contender every single season — the Cardinals made the playoffs an incredible 12 times in 16 years
before missing the past two — is there's never a chance to MLB 19 Stubs catch your breath, organizationally
speaking. High draft picks and "we're not contending" trades are two staples of building a playoff
contender, but the Cardinals haven't had access to either of those avenues for almost two decades.
How they managed to stay so consistently relevant is, honestly, pretty amazing.
the page and try to move on."Matheny might not have been the main reason the Cardinals missed October
in 2016 and 2017, but the past few years of Groundhog Day-esque mediocrity showed that he wasn't the
best answer, either. The fan base was growing restless, no doubt, both with the way the team missed
the playoffs and the front office's seeming refusal to do enough to reverse that course. The inaction
sent a signal that the status quo was OK.
Firing Matheny proved the front office believed the status was not quo. "This franchise, you know,
demands wins," said Molina, who went out of his way to say he learned from Matheny and wished him the
best. "We've been up and down the last couple months and they decided to make a move."So, now what?
What should be the front office's goal for the rest of the 2018 season? RIVERA: Mike Trout doesn't
have to MLB The Show 19 Stubs for sale change for anybodyA playoff spot isn't impossible, but it's a steep — and crowded — hill to
climb.
They entered Friday's action 8.5 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central and 5.5 back of the Brewers.
They're 4.5 games out of a wild-card spot (those two are owned by the Brewers and Braves), behind the
Diamondbacks, Rockies and Giants, and with the Nationals and Pirates on their heels. The lost their
second-half opener at Wrigley Field, 9-6, with ace Carlos Martinez done in by shoddy defense (sound
familiar?), and seven of their next 10 games are against the Cubs, too.
That's as much of a make-or-break stretch as you'll see in July. Even if they sweep all seven of
those upcoming games against the Cubs (they're 1-0 after an 18-5 win Friday), here's a very
reasonable statement: Going all-in to reach October 2018 isn't the right call.The thing about being a
contender every single season — the Cardinals made the playoffs an incredible 12 times in 16 years
before missing the past two — is there's never a chance to MLB 19 Stubs catch your breath, organizationally
speaking. High draft picks and "we're not contending" trades are two staples of building a playoff
contender, but the Cardinals haven't had access to either of those avenues for almost two decades.
How they managed to stay so consistently relevant is, honestly, pretty amazing.
