‘Unacceptable’: Marmol questions O’Neill’s effort on bases
ST. LOUIS — On a frustration-filled night time for a Cardinals crew that surprisingly had little pop offensively towards a Braves rookie pitcher making his MLB debut, tempers lastly flared late within the recreation between supervisor Oliver Marmol and standout middle fielder Tyler O’Neill.
When O’Neill gingerly rounded third and was thrown out at dwelling to finish the seventh inning, he was approached by Marmol, who was vital of the speedy outfielder’s effort in working the bases. At the time, heavy rain was falling at Busch Stadium, and the Cardinals trailed by three runs when O’Neill was waved dwelling by third-base coach Pop Warner.
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s robust throw from proper subject simply beat O’Neill to the plate for the ultimate out of the seventh to finish a quick Cards rally.
Asked if O’Neill might need thought he would have been held at third contemplating the moist situations and the three-run deficit, Marmol responded: “Bottom line, that’s not his judgment and that’s why we have a coach standing over there. Your effort’s 100 percent until you’re told not to [run].”
O’Neill, who had one of many Cardinals’ 10 hits, disputed the notion that he wasn’t hustling. O’Neill noticed a lot of his 2022 worn out by accidents, together with two hamstring pulls that he labored to right this offseason with a brand new working type and exercise schedule.
“I think [Marmol] was pretty blunt about it and he didn’t think I gave the best effort,” mentioned O’Neill, the beginning middle fielder in 4 of St. Louis’ 5 video games this season. “I’m out here every day grinding my [expletive] off and giving it my all and trying to stay on the field for [162] games. Like I’ve said, I’ve got to get a better jump next time and get around the base a little quicker and be in there [safe] next time.”
O’Neill, a two-time Gold Glove winner when he performed beforehand in left subject, stayed within the recreation and performed the eighth and ninth innings as a persistent rain fell. O’Neill admitted after the sport that his latest harm historical past and his offseason give attention to attempting to get past the leg accidents that dogged him final season might need been on the forefront of his pondering.
“I was trying to take a tight turn,” mentioned O’Neill, who has hit .294 to this point after remaining in St. Louis via a lot of the offseason to work with the crew’s power and conditioning workers.
“I’ve been working a lot on different run-form mechanics and stuff here in St. Louis that puts me in a better position for longevity. So, maybe there was a little too much thought process in the play from me instead of just going and getting them — as I usually would. So, it’s finding that happy medium and learning from the experience, for sure.”
Much of the Cardinals’ frustration on Tuesday may very well be traced to their lack of success towards Dodd, a Southeast Missouri University product and an Illinois native who had 100-plus family and friends within the Busch Stadium crowd.
Dodd turned the eighth rookie starter to make his Major League debut towards the Cardinals and the third to stroll away with a victory [against just one loss] up to now five-plus seasons. Dodd, who was promoted solely due to accidents to Atlanta’s beginning workers, restricted the Cards to at least one run and 6 hits over 5 innings.
For no matter cause, the Cardinals’ lack of success towards rookie starters making their MLB debuts runs counter to MLB tendencies. Coming into Tuesday, beginning pitchers making their MLB debuts had been 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA in seven begins vs. St. Louis, per MLB Stats and Research. Going again to the previous 10 years (2014-23), rookie beginning pitchers making their MLB debuts had been 5-4 with a 3.15 ERA in 17 begins towards the Cards.
In the earlier 5 MLB seasons, rookie starters making their MLB debuts had been a forgettable 37-63 with a 4.82 ERA in 170 begins towards the remainder of the league. Taking it again to the final 10 years, these younger pitchers had been a dreadful 96-143 with a 4.85 ERA in 371 MLB debut begins.
Still, Dodd outpitched veteran left-hander Steven Matz. Following Matz’s four-run, 10-hit effort over 5 1/3 innings, the Cards are nonetheless ready for his or her first high quality begin of the season.
“When you look at our past week, is it ideal? No, it is not, but there’s some bright spots there,” Marmol mentioned of a beginning workers that has an ERA of seven.04. “I don’t put a whole lot of weight or overreact to the first outing. We’ll continue to lay eyes on it and go from there.”
