But at least it wont be historically egregious. Or could it be that a lot of this is happening because Wainwright is 41 years old and headed to his 42nd birthday on Aug. 30? Bernie has hosted radio shows in St. Louis, Dallas, Baltimore and Washington D.C. Bernie, his wife Kirsten and their cats reside in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood of St. Louis. Will the games most enigmatic Hall of Fame candidate, a pending free agent this winter, stick around to get it? Wainwright, 40, who has played for the Cardinals since reaching the majors in 2005, is a three-time All-Star and twice led the National League in wins (2009 and 2013). Zack Greinke has had an interesting career. He surpassed 200 wins in 2019 (hes at 219 now), but with his strikeout rate dipping from 24.5% last year to 17.0% this year, hes still 201 strikeouts away from 3,000 and will probably need two seasons to reach the milestone instead of one. Wainwright did not factor into the decision, allowing five runs on four hits in four innings. Ten Position Players Who Have Most Helped Their Hall of Fame Cases in He answers the tough question on if his legacy is enough to get him into the MLB Hall of Fame alongside the all-time greats.Follow all our social media channels for more content!https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTVhttps://www.instagram.com/foulterritoryshow/https://www.tiktok.com/@foulterritoryshowhttps://www.facebook.com/FoulTerritoryShowhttps://www.twitch.tv/foulterritoryshow Watch: Cardinals honor Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright and - FanSided His contract (seven years, $175 million) ensures he will pitch in Seattle at least through 2019, but his velocity numbers and declining ERA suggest his career may be on the downside. Look at that. Five years ago, Max Scherzer had no Hall of Fame case. At least hes in better shape than 31-year-old Freddie Freeman (41.8/32.1/37.0, +1.5 JAWS), who only recently surpassed last years 3.3 WAR. By what Ill provisionally call R(eliever)-JAWS, hes climbed from 22nd all-time to 15th, which is still well below the standard for the eight enshrined relievers (29.7). He just turned 30 on August 7, and hes already fifth in JAWS and third in peak among center fielders, but this has been largely a lost year due to a right calf strain thats already required the longest recovery time in at least six years. Its just hard to pitch that long nowadays, without injuries especially. That seems to be a pretty good baseline.. By either that mark or traditional reliever JAWS, the 33-year-old Kimbrel is the biggest gainer this year. He'll retire with honors and accolades, becoming a fine coach and St. Louis area legend. Ive covered the Mets for a variety of outlets since 1997. But is 40-year-old Adam Wainwright starting for the visiting Cardinals against the Dodgers in the winner-take-all tilt also on his way to joining Scherzer in the Hall of Fame? Adam Wainwright - Taddlr Ill assume that FanGraphss weirdly defensive stance against Wainwrights pursuit of bulletin board material has subsided by then. Heres a report on Wainwrights Thursday start against the Astros from The Athletics Katie Woo: The velocity on all five of the pitches in his mix averaged between 3-4 mph slower than their average readings in 2022. Wainwrights candidacy as an elite pitcher of his time should strengthen during the five years between his retirement and his first appearance on a Hall of Fame ballot. Adam Wainwrights hybrid JAWS of 41.6 is a fair amount behind that of Dwight Gooden, and closing a 6.4 point gap is going to be a tall order. 141-80, 3.23 ERA, 1,547 strikeouts, 124 adjusted ERA. They cited various ailments that impacted Wainos performance. Among those who are retired and eligible for Cooperstown, the 65th greatest starter of all-time is actually a pretty sufficiently big nameDwight Gooden. The 40-year-old right-hander became the ninth active pitcher with 2,000. But Adam Wainwright's story also isn't complete. 1st stage: All good. Always ranking QBs. Adam Wainwright Stats. Adam Wainwright Deserves Serious Hall of Fame Consideration Perhaps his national profile and general likability increases due to his seemingly inevitable second act as a broadcasterWainwright received rave reviews as a postseason broadcaster last yearand this media visibility helps him in a media-driven contest such as Hall of Fame balloting. It just was not the type of career that was worthy of the Hall of Fame. Press release: Cardinals announce 2022 promotions schedule - MLB.com Price (155 wins) is the only active pitcher within 30 wins of Wainwright, with Cueto (135) and Bumgarner (127) much further behind. The Hall of Fame should immortalize the greatest starting pitchers of each era. Has Adam Wainwright done enough to deserve a place in the Hall of Fame? Im skeptical only because of the history of how the Cardinals do this when a pitcher doesnt pitch, or takes a delay before his next assignment. But I just want to know how far back I would have to dig to find an age-40 season in which a pitcher was good enough to get Adam Wainwright to this level of Hall of Fame worthiness. Hes 28th in R-JAWS, 1.2 points behind the lowest-ranked enshrined reliever (Bruce Sutter), and at age 33, needs to rebound if hes to have a shot at election that is, if voters will overlook his 2016 suspension under MLBs domestic violence policy, which is uncharted territory for Hall candidates. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. At least not for starting pitchers. MILWAUKEE -- Adam Wainwright joined Hall of Famer Bob Gibson as the only St. Louis Cardinals pitchers with 2,000 strikeouts, fanning Milwaukee's Luis Uras in the fourth inning Thursday. Twenty-eight are enshrined in Cooperstown everyone except Wainwright and his fellow active hurlers Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw, the latter trio of whom are expected to glide in Cooperstown, as well as Roger Clemens, Tommy John, Luis Tiant, Jerry Koosman, Rick Reuschel, Kevin Brown and Vida Blue. He'll retire with honors and accolades, becoming a fine coach and St. Louis area legend. Still, Hernandez has quite a resume over the last decade hes been named to six All-Star teams, won 156 games for a perennially-losing franchise that hasnt sniffed the postseason, and hes won a Cy Young award to go with multiple ERA titles. Pirates, Cardinals 2022 Opening Day FAQ - MLB.com It was almost a storybook season for the St. Louis Cardinals as club legends Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols, and Yadier Molina were reunited and looked primed for a deep postseason run. 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He had a 4.99 ERA in his last 11 starts in 2022 including a 7.22 ERA in his final six starts. Cy Young awards, no-hitters, and ERA titles may be better methods for evaluating the 21st century pitcher than the sheer outdated statistic of wins.. I am a big fan, not as a universal absolute but as a general guideline, of the Jay Jaffe JAWS system, a thing I have mentioned repeatedly in my writing, though I also prefer to use a hybrid model which incorporates a players career performance and his seven best individual seasons (his peak) as measured not only by Baseball Reference but by FanGraphs (in most non-catcher cases, over the course of a career, this doesnt make a huge difference, but in the most discussed cases, the margins are so thin that I am happy to look at as much data as possible). {* backButton *} It is possible that the same will be the case for a third Cardinals legend. Your email address will not be published. It's a career that includes 10 All-Star Games, nine Gold Gloves, four Platinum Gloves, two World Series titles and plenty of adulation from the St. Louis area and beyond. At age 33, hes signed for another four years after this campaign, so he should have sufficient time to make a run at 3,000 strikeouts and another Cy Young award. Sometimes a little spring-training soreness is nothing more than a little spring-training soreness. For now, all eyes are on Flaherty and Wainwright. Don't miss out - sign up for our newsletters! Upon losing in the Wild Card round, the franchise's attention shifted to the offseason and what will happen to some of their aging players. On one hand, its spring training and a lot of pitchers get pounded early in exhibition games as they prepare for the run-up to the regular season. Given the way hes been pitching as of late, thats certainly not farfetched. He went from having a 3.8 WAR in 2021 to 2.8 WAR last year. According to tracking done by Baseball Reference he faced mostly Double A hitters. The Cardinals looked like one of the best teams in the National League throughout the 2022 regular season, finishing with a record of 93-69, winning the NL Central Division in the process. Despite dealing with shoulder soreness and some rough stretches, Greinke the active leader in JAWS has pitched an AL-high 159.2 innings, though he will probably get overtaken after landing on the COVID-19 IL on Tuesday. The best pitcher in MLB? His velocity has dropped again, though Wainwright did push it up a little in his second start. He entered Thursday 16-7 on. While it seems impossible to envision it now, Wainwright was not always a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. Though hes overcome health scares and worked hard to expand his arsenal to become less reliant upon his cutter, Jansen has continued to take Dodgers fans on a rollercoaster this season. Please logout and login again. Wainwright was a three time All Star and two time Gold Glove winner, finishing in the top three of the NL Cy Young vote four times. Its a shame because he was off to a great start to his season, with 1.9 WAR and a 195 OPS+ in just 36 games. Heres what Bowden wrote: Mozeliak was cautious in his comments and reminded me that the right-hander threw only 36 innings last year. Wainwright is a Hall of Fame person, and a very good pitcher. Or follow @seeingredpod on Twitter for a direct link. His 133 OPS+ is a step down from his 201218 prime (146), but his .493 SLG is his best since leaving Arizona. If hes still got the stuff and durability to get to 3,000, the rest of the numbers might fall into place. Everyone Thinks Justin Verlander Belongs In The Hall Of Fame. So Why Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports. It may rile up some traditionalists who are married to the idea pitchers must win 300 games and strike out 3,000 batters to be considered Hall-worthy. Adam Wainwright Contract, Stats, Hall of Fame, Age, Jersey All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. On Wednesday, I took a swing at a question often asked of me: Which players have helped their Hall of Fame cases the most this year? Well know more about Jacks Comeback after he makes his first two or three pitching appearances in the Florida game. His induction was most likely heavily influenced by his passing, but I think sets the bar for what a pitcher needs to have accomplished in recent years. Adam Wainwright joined Hall of Famer Bob Gibson as the only St. Louis Cardinals pitchers with 2,000 strikeouts, fanning Milwaukee's Luis Uras in the fourth inning Thursday. The just-turned-40-year-old is currently in the midst of a late-career renaissance (2.97 ERA, 3.1 WAR), leaving many to wonder what might have been if not for the injuries that effectively cost him three seasons from ages 29 to 36. Yadier Molina, though certainly less overwhelming of a candidate than Pujols, is probably going to make it inparticularly with the modern embrace of pitch framing, Molinas defensive reputation has only improved, and his high longevity and peak scores by FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (which, unlike Baseball Reference, incorporates framing), are well within the normal catcher standards for Cooperstown, even if the rank-and-file voter bestows his candidacy with fewer goat emojis and general fawning than St. Louis does. Your email address will not be published. ago. His cutter was next, dropping from his 2022 average of 84.3 mph to 80.8 mph, and his curveball decreased from 72.9 mph to 70.2 mph.. Via his 10 All-Star selections, nine Gold Gloves, two World Series rings, and reputation for handling pitching staffs, Molinas already been anointed presumptive first-ballot honoree status. Reports on Wednesday, October 26th, say that Wainwright will return to the Cardinals for his 19th MLB season with the club, as he continues to chase his 200th career win. He became a member of the Cardinals when the Atlanta Braves traded him for J.D. Of course, theres no prorating stats when it comes to evaluating Hall of Fame candidates, and so Wainwright appeared to be in the company of the likes of Roy Oswalt Wainwrights most similar pitcher per Baseball-Reference.com Cliff Lee and former teammate Chris Carpenter as pitchers who had terrific peaks but lacked the length for serious Cooperstown consideration. Keep your fingers crossed, St. Louis fans.. All rights reserved. The slugger hit .274 with 32 homers and 97 RBIs in 160 games last year. As noted above, for the past few election cycles, Ive turned away from reliever JAWS in favor of a hybrid metric using WAR, WPA, and WPA/LI. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, Comment and participate in our online community. Required fields are marked *. I found While wins arent everything, Ive chosen to list them chronologically by career win total as a benchmark of evaluation. by Retrosheet. I like that its a round number, but I assure you that this is merely a coincidence. Rolen, a member of the Cardinals Hall of Fame, was welcomed to the 'family' of Hall of Famers during an event and press conference Feb. 28, 2023 in Cooperstown, N.Y. (approx 1 - 2 per week). St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright reaches 2,000 career After nearly two seasons in the wilderness, he regained his dominant form with the Cubs, and while hes scuffled since being traded to the White Sox while pitching in a setup role in front of Liam Hendriks, his 2.02 ERA, 2.24 FIP, and 43.2% strikeout rate make this his best season since 2017 and put him in line for another substantial free-agent payday if the White Sox decline his $16 million club option. Wainwright attributed the late 2022 freefall to a hitch in his delivery after hed been struck on the knee by a batted ball. 9 mo. 156-111, 3.18 ERA, 2,286 strikeouts, 126 adjusted ERA. But he didnt become a full-time starter until his age-24 season, and hes now pitched for a quarter of the American League teams. Theres a good chance no pitcher will again crack the 300-win plateau, a mark that has been achieved 24 times throughout the sports history. However, their overall record forced the Cards to play a Wild Card series against Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies. FASTBALLS JET ACROSS the baseball atmosphere in this era, booming into catchers' mitts at 100 mph or faster, and amid that sound of speed, there is Adam Wainwright's curveball. Adam Wainwright in 2021 His lifetime ERA is 3.35 and has dropped nearly a tenth of a point over the last two seasons. Between that, his three Cy Youngs, and eight All-Star appearances, hes probably punched his ticket even before getting to 200 wins (hes at 187). This is a question that has been frequently raised throughout the season as the Cardinals' 'Big Three' (Pujols, Wainwright, Molina) were constantly praised by St. Louis fans. Drew. As if on schedule, we have our first spring-training round of Is Anything Wrong? with the pitcher. But over the last three seasons, Jack has pitched only 154 innings. But lets see: frequently injured pitcher, already off schedule in spring training, not quite prepared for a full-on pitching test. Its only the normal spring-training grind, building up arm strength, minor inflammation, no reason to think hell have to go on the IL, our trainers feel good about it. Just want to take care of some minor inflammation after he ramped up his throwing and pitch counts. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images), Wainwright strongly hinted he would retire alongside longtime batterymate Yadier Molina following next season. Those skills may eventually result in a spot in the Hall of Fame. It is possible that the same will be the case for a third Cardinals legend. This doesnt mean that Wainwright definitely deserves to make itTim Hudson, who barely qualified for a second turn on the BBWAA ballot and didnt receive the 5% of votes needed to qualify for a third, ranks ahead of him, for instance.