Exit Interview 2018: Chasen Shreve

Every year since 2012, we’ve spent some time after the season looking back at those that wore the Birds on the Bat.  Whether it’s a bit player that got into just a couple of games or someone that played almost every day, we’ll look at their stats, their positives, their negatives, and grade them based on what we would have expected from them.  The stat line is from their time in St. Louis, though splits and other numbers may include time with other teams, if applicable.  Think of this as like the players packing up their locker and then seeing Mike Shildt before they head off for the winter.  Once again, our great header work comes to us from cardinalsgifs, who continues to be a master.

Player: Chasen Shreve

Season stats: 1-2, 3.07 ERA, 20 G, 14.2 IP, 14 H, 3 HR, 9 BB, 16 K, 5.48 FIP, 1.568 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 0.2 bWAR

Hero/Goat: Goat 1

Overall grade: C

Positives: Acquired in the deadline deal with Giovanny Gallegos that sent Luke Voit to New York….was not charged with a run in his first two appearances with the Cardinals, though he did allow an inherited runner to score….also was not charged with a run in his last two appearances, though he allowed two inherited runners to score in that span….batters hit .225 away from his home place of work….had a 2.84 ERA in the second half….batters had a .552 OPS in April….had a 1.80 ERA in July….cleanup hitters had a .485 OPS against him….batters had a .550 OPS with two strikes….batters hit .236 with two outs in an inning….batters also hit .224 with runners in scoring position….batters had a .756 OPS with two outs and runners in scoring position and only one home run came in such situations….had a 2.81 ERA in the ninth inning….had a 0.71 ERA with one day of rest….the Cubs and Brewers went a combined 2 for 9 against him.

Negatives: Allowed 45% of inherited runners to score while in a Cardinal uniform….put up a 4.50 ERA in nine September games….had less than a 2 K/BB ratio for St. Louis….for the year, left-handers had a .911 OPS….five of the 11 home runs he allowed on the season came from the left side….his K/BB ratio dropped from 2.59 in the first half to 1.80 in the second….had a 9.72 ERA in May….batters hitting first put up a 1.510 OPS against him….hitters slashed .391/.400/.739 on the first pitch….they had a 1.082 OPS when ahead in the count….in medium leverage situations, allowed a 1.433 OPS….had a 15.00 ERA when he was on zero days’ rest….had a 4.20 ERA in day games.

Overview: When Shreve was acquired from the Yankees, there were a lot of folks that believed that Yankee Stadium was a large part of his problem and a move to the National League and to a pitcher’s park in Busch Stadium would help him be much more effective.  The logic was sound and likely was part of the reason that the Cardinals acquired him in the first place, but it didn’t really pan out.  As a Cardinal, lefties got him for a .323 average, which was not at all what they were looking for when they got Shreve to hopefully supplant Brett Cecil and others as the main left-handed weapon.  The strikeout ratio went way down and really nothing much worked for Shreve down the stretch, though he never fully imploded as some others in the bullpen did.  Then again, it’s not like Mike Shildt was relying on him much given the body of work he put up.

Outlook: Shreve survived his first obstacle as he was not dropped off the 40-man last week when the club had to set their roster to protect folks from the Rule 5 draft.  The non-tender deadline is Friday but it seems unlikely the club would have kept him around (and risked losing someone like Conner Greene) if they didn’t plan on offering him a contract.  That said, if they make improvements to the bullpen this winter, Shreve could be a roster casualty and wind up looking for a job with another team.  I’d say it’s probably a 70% chance that he’s in Jupiter as the second lefty in the pen, though he could get squeezed out because it’s cheaper to let him go than Cecil.

Series Navigation<< Exit Interview 2018: Ryan SherriffExit Interview 2018: Edmundo Sosa >>

Next Post:

Previous Post:

Please share, follow, or like us :)

Archives

Series



Other posts in this series: