Exit Interview 2019: 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.

If we’re talking about 2019, we’ve got to highlight the brand that made the most impact this season: Primos and their partnership with Jose Martinez.  Throughout the span of these interviews (today through Dec. 5) you can get 10% off your order of that sweet, sweet Cafecito coffee (well, I guess you probably have to doctor it to make it sweet) or anything else at their site.  My wife is a coffee snob and we’ve bought multiple bags of the medium roast.  It’s a great stocking stuff or Christmas gift as well, especially when you expand your order to pick up the Jose Martinez coffee mug.  So use code C70SAVE10 at checkout and show your support of their ties to the Cardinal fanbase!

Player: Chasen Shreve

Season stats: 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 3 G, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 4.21 FIP, 1.500 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, -0.1 bWAR

Statcast: 16.7% barrel %, 85.2 exit velocity, 16.7% hard hit %, .414 xwOBA

Hero/Goat: None

Overall grade: D

Positives: Gave up zero runs in his first 1.2 innings in the majors this year….battled back from being designated for assignment at the end of spring training to return to the 40 man roster….got a hold in a 12-11 win over Cincinnati….went 2-2 with a 3.45 ERA at Memphis….lefties hit .176 against him at AAA.

Negatives: Was designated for assignment twice in the season….gave up two runs in 1/3 of an inning the second time he saw the Pirates, which got him DFA….was surpassed by Giovanny Gallegos as the good return from the Luke Voit trade….Cards signed him to a $900,000 contract before the season instead of risking arbitration.

Overview: We thought a lot of Shreve when he came over from the Yankees last year but he never really showed it in St. Louis.  He might have had more chances in the big leagues had the Cardinal bullpen not been such a strength this year, but his work in Memphis, while good, wasn’t really good enough for him to press the issue, especially when he would have to be added–again–to the 40-man roster.  Life without options can be tough for players in the majors that are right on the edge of being MLB contributors, unfortunately.  His place was taken by Tyler Webb and, with Andrew Miller also on the roster, just the fact that he was left-handed wasn’t enough to get him playing time.

Outlook: The Mets signed Shreve to a minor league contract and he’ll have a chance to make their squad in spring training next season.  Hopefully he’ll be able to capitalize on that and become a productive major leaguer.  If he does, he’ll be in the NL East where the Cards don’t have to see him often, so the sting won’t be very great if that happens.

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