Episode
Step 1: Tarps On. Step 2: Go To Game. Step 3: TARPS OFF
- Published
- May 21, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4865
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/b7f4b2ac
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Summary
The Cardinals are 28-19 and there's a shirtless movement happening in right field. Tarps off started as one row of guys on a Friday night, expanded to the entire section by the weekend, and now the Cardinals have officially designated it as a high-energy zone. We dig into what it means, how long it can last, and whether two guys who have admittedly aged out of the tarps off crew can still appreciate it from a distance. Nolan Gorman is having an MVP-level May. His expected wOBA in May is .427, he's leading the team in exit velocity and barrels, and his defense at third has quietly become solid. We talk about whether this version of Gorman is different from the streaks we've seen before, and what it means if the Cardinals actually have their third baseman locked in. Matthew Liberatore had 14 strikeouts over two starts and a 7.45 ERA. That gap between his stuff and his results is the Liberatore experience in a nutshell, and a .536 BABIP might be the explanation. We talk about whether this is just bad luck or the continuation of a real pattern. Plus: Matt Pushard is back with a completely different pitch mix, George Soriano's changeup is reaching Devin Williams territory, Victor Scott's role as a designated speed guy, Lars Nootbaar's rehab is going well, Jimmy Crooks keeps mashing, Nelson Velazquez is dominating Triple-A, Chaim Bloom dropped hints about taking on salary at the deadline, and Busch Stadium officially announced the tarps off section. On the league side: Colt Emerson gets called up and homers in his first game, Pete Crow-Armstrong gets fined for yelling at a White Sox fan, and the Phillies are 16-5 since firing Rob Thomson. Have a question or comment for the show? Text or leave us a voicemail at: (848) 48-BIRDS (848-482-4737) Talking About Birds is listener su…