Game Recap: Cardinals 6, Astros 1

THE GOOD

Waino Whiffs Wandy  Wainwright was just flat out nasty last night. The wagon maker struck out 8 (including 2 whiffs by his counterpart, Wandy Rodriguez) over eight innings pitched and cruised his way to a 6 – 1 victory. His performance, marred only by an inefficient eighth and a solo blast in the second, lowered his ERA to an eye-popping 2.86. He clearly deserves All-Star consideration, especially considering the fact that he should have at least 8 wins if not for late inning guffaws by the bullpen.

There’s no “K” in Cardinals  Cardinal hitters struck out only twice last night. Once by the pitcher (Waino) and once by the human K machine, Chris Duncan (during a pinch hit appearance). Considering the Cardinals only walked a total of 4 times (and 2 of those in the first inning), that’s an impressive number that demonstrates how effective the Cardinals’ approach at the plate really was.

Barton Back on Track  After hitting his first home run in a pinch hit appearance the night before, Barton went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored from the seven hole in last night’s game. This is a good sign. Because the Cards are basically forced to keep Barton on the roster this season (Rule 5), he MUST produce. Maybe hitting in the top of the order is too much pressure for the rookie. Hitting in the second half of the order may allow him to relax and just put a swing on the ball. We’ll see if his lower-order hitting position continues…

Brendan Ryan Just Says “NO” to Kool Aid  I’ve been pretty hard on this kid – mainly because I expect he has better in him – but he had a great game last night. The kid went 2 for 4 with a run scored and no strikeouts while hitting in the lead-off spot. As if that wasn’t enough, he turned in more than one excellent play at second base. Why is this significant? Because if Barton can’t hit in the lead-off spot, and Skip continues his poor record against lefties, this team MUST identify a right-handed lead-off hitter. Maybe Ryan can be that guy…

THE BAD

Chris Duncan Just Don’t Look Right  Okay…Dunc had started to look a bit better and more confident at the plate, but it’s all gone to hell lately. The guy just looks lost in the batter’s box. Teams seem to want to throw strikes on the outside corner of the plate against the big lefty. If he recognizes the pitch, Chris lays off it knowing it’s not his pitch – and strikes out looking. If he doesn’t lay off it, he takes his full swing and whiffs. The guy has got to learn to fight those pitches off consistently. If he can learn to just stick his bat out there and punch those balls foul pitch after pitch, he’ll eventually get pitches to hit. But right now…it just looks bad…and it seems to be getting worse…

Glaus, Ankiel, and Pujols  It’s a good thing the other guys in the order stepped up, because Glaus, Ank, and Albert combined to go 0 for 10 with 2 walks. In fact, if not for Ludwick’s lone single, the heart of our order (2 – 5 spots) would have gone 0 for 14. For a pitcher struggling with command all night, that’s not good, and it’s certainly not good enough to beat a high-octane team like the Astros. Let’s hope it was just a fluke that doesn’t repeat itself tonight.

Pujols’ Mad Dashes are Starting to Make Me Mad  Albert has got to chill out on the base paths. Last night, the guy tried to advance from first to second on a ball hit to right. Hunter Pence reached back and threw him out. Other than the obvious “It’s very difficult to go first to second on a fly out to right” point, let me make two others:  1. Pujols is not fast…he’s slow. Between heel and hamstring problems, the big guy is no speedster. 2. Hunter Pence had just thrown out Rick Ankiel at home plate the night before by about 552 feet. What was he thinking?

THE UGLY

First Inning Starting Pitching  In game one of this series, Looper handed the Astros a 4 – 0 lead before we even had a chance to bat. Yesterday, Wandy Rodriguez helped the Cardinals get on the board in the first with a 3 – 0 head start. Sure, the runs were unearned due to a fielding error, but three walks, a hit, and a run-scoring wild pitch (all in the first) didn’t help him much either. Let’s hope this isn’t a pattern, because if it is, then in tonight’s game…it’s our turn…

Game Recap: Cardinals 2, Dodgers 1

THE GOOD

Lud the Stud Goes Yard  Ryan Ludwick went 3 for 4 last night and continued his massive assault on Major League pitching with his team leading 13th home run. Lud the Stud also leads the team with a .348 batting average (.001 more than Pujols) and 37 RBIs. At the beginning of the year, Ludwickwasn’t even assured a spot on the 25-man roster, but with the predictable injury to “Juan Gone,” Ludwick’s first full season with the Cardinals began. Now, he finds himself in contention (and with a somewhat commanding statistical lead) for an All-Star outfield appearance – unthinkable considering his so-called “come from nowhere” hitting barrage. Let’s hope fans are smart enough to check the stats comparison this year before casting their popularity All-Star vote.

The Wagon Maker Crafts a Win  Adam Wainwright had been struggling lately – if posting a 3 – 2 record with a 3.25 ERA (tied for the team lead) could be called struggling. But last night’s start finally looked like the kind of start you expect from your staff ace (de facto or not). Waino looked shaky early on, but soon settled in and hurled seven strong innings of one-run ball with less than 90 pitches thrown. He struck out 5, walked 2, and managed to craftily escape a runners-on-base situation in every inning. With the recent inconsistency of our pitching staff, Wainwright needs to deliver that type of start more often than not if this team is going to remain in contention until Carpenter returns.

Frankie Goes the Distance  Ryan Franklin locked down last night’s game despite a one hour and five minute rain delay with 1 out and a full count in the bottom of the ninth inning. When Franklin returned, I was sure La Russa would be forced to spend another bullpen pitcher – a wasteful expenditure considering last night was only the first in a 3-game weekend series – but Frankie quickly regained his focus after putting the tieing run on and closed out the game with a strikeout of Andruw Jones. His gutsy performance not only saved the bullpen for today’s game, but also provided a much-needed win to the game’s starter, Adam Wainwright.

THE BAD

Yadi Ain’t Lookin’ Like Yadi  Yadier Molina is having a tough year behind the plate. The normally “lights out” catcher is allowing more steals, more past balls, and committing more errors this season than any season I’ve seen since he came up. In what would eventually become a one-run game in the sixth, Yadi made a rare throwing error by attempting his patented pickoff attempt at first base. As the ball skipped off Pujols’ glove and into right field, the runner advanced to second and into scoring position. Later in the game, Yadi failed to complete what could have been a critical strike ‘im out, throw ‘im out double play to end the game. Cardinals’ broadcasters have attempted to downplay Yadi’s season by blaming it on slow-to-the-plate pitching and other oddities, but regardless of the reason – and despite his as-of-yet outstanding handling of the pitching staff – it’s clear the 2008 Molina is falling slightly short of the Molina of years past.

What Was He Thinking?!  Tony La Russa never fails to amaze me. Don’t get me wrong – I love TLR as a manager, but last night, he was wrong. With Adam Kennedy in a deep slump, La Russa promptly inserted him in the lead-off spot of last night’s lineup. Apparently, AK has a tremendous record against Lowe and a .291 lifetime average in Dodger Stadium. Um…who cares? Right now, Kennedy can’t hit the broad side of a barn…and Skip Schumaker is HOT! In the previous game, Schu turned in a 4 for 5 night with a walk in the lead-off spot. What did Kennedy do in the same spot last night? 0 for 5 with no walks and 2 left on base. The moral of the story? I don’t care if the guy is 10 for 12 lifetime against Big Bird – when the man is slumping as badly as AK has been, Skip Schumaker gets the call when the Cardinals play the Sesame Street Muppets on the baseball diamond. Simple as that.

Waino Decides He’s a Pitcher, not a Belly Itcher - or a Hitter  Adam Wainwright is arguably one of the best hitting pitchers in baseball – but not last night. Last night, Waino went 0 for 3 with 3 – count ‘em…3 – strikeouts and no less than 4 left on base (including a bases-loaded strikeout). It seemed that, at least last night, Adam traded a bit of his hitting mojo for some pitching mojo. Good thing he turned in a gem on the mound, ’cause he was more than a liability at the plate as he even failed to properly execute a sacrifice bunt. Of course, we’ll take that if he continues pitching as he did last night…

There’s Your Runs, Big Boy! The Cardinals offense looked anemic last night. 6 hits, 4 walks, and a Dodgers’ error led to just 2-runs (and that on a 2-run shot by Luddy) all night. I ain’t gonna’ say nothin’, but Adam Kennedy was flat-out non-existent as the Cardinals’ table setter. As Mike Shannon would say to Bob Gibson after providing him a one-run lead, “There’s your runs, big boy!” It’s a good thing Waino and crew were up to the task.

THE UGLY

Rules Were Made to be Broken  Major League Baseball MUST change the rain delay rule that states a game will pick-up exactly where it left off after a rain delay. Last night, Franklin was working with a full count in the bottom of the ninth of a one-run game when the home plate umpire suspended play for more than an hour. Upon returning, in accordance with MLB rules, play resumed as it was when play was suspended – meaning a cold hitter and a cold pitcher had to face off with 3 balls and 2 strikes. Franklin walked the batter with his first pitch, and the tieing run was on. This is ridiculous. When a game is delayed due to rain, I don’t care what the situation is, the balls and strikes count on the hitter should be reset to 0-0. No hitter should be expected to step up and swing the bat when a single pitch could lead to a strike out, and no pitcher should be expected to resume pitching with a full count and zero margin for error. It’s just flat out nuts. I hereby call for an amendment to the rules that states a count will be reset to 0-0 in the case of a rain delay. Get on it Mr. Selig…

Game Recap: Cardinals 11, Padres 3

THE GOOD

The Schu Fits  Skip Schumaker, despite what many Cardinals fans tend to believe, is quietly becoming one of the most valuable outfielders in the National League. Last night, Skippy went an impressive 4 for 5 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored – a performance just good enough to step back over the .300 line with a .301 batting average. And, as if his excellent table-setting ability was not enough, Skip made more than one stellar play in the outfield last night, including a spectacular diving catch that saved at least two runs and possibly the game (there’s no telling what can happen if you let a game like last night get close). It’s time fans finally realize that this Schu is just the right size for our Cardinals outfield.

Ank the Tank Opens Fire  I have to say, I was one of those fans second-guessing TLR and wondering if he should have DL’ed Ank in order to bring up the ball-crushing Joe Mather from Triple A. But wouldn’t you know it…I was wrong again (between this and the Izturis thing, this is getting to be an unpleasant habit). Ank came in cold off the bench – after not playing since Friday – with a potentially still-injured shoulder… and promptly hit a 2 run shot. I admit it…you were right, Tony. A player like Rick is just too valuable to DL if there is a possibility of him getting well enough to play even a few games he would likely miss from a 15-day stint. Guess that’s why he gets the parades and I’m stuck in the confines of the blogosphere…not that I’m jealous…not at all…well…maybe a little…

It Works! It Works!  Last night was a small sample of how this offense is supposed to work. Guys in front getting on base, guys in back bringing them in, and everyone with opportunities to contribute. We haven’t seen our offense click like that since…well…a long time ago. As a fan, it’s difficult to watch all this lineup tinkering TLR has become fond of…but a few more games like this could actually produce a bit more regularity to the lineup. For more on the success of a lineup like last night’s configuration, see my previous Adam Kennedy post: “Fear vs. Reality – The AK Experiment.”

The Boys are Back in Town  Chris Duncan and Troy Glaus continued their simultaneous hitting recovery in the 5 and 6 spots going a combined 4 for 7 with 4 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and 3 walks. Even the 1 strikeout between them was the result of a tough pitch running low and away on the outside corner that Duncan is learning to recognize as a pitch he can’t handle consistently. If the two keep up this joined-at-the-hip hitting streak, I may just have to start referring to them as the Twin Towers…I know, I know…overused…but Bash Brothers was already taken…

Looper’s Lazy Day  With all the oddities in last night’s game, it’s a wonder Braden made it as long as he did. Between the Cardinals’ long offensive innings, the two unusual Padres injuries, and the lengthy warm-up session by Young’s pitching replacement, it’s a wonder Looper could even take the mound again…but he did, and he battled through 5 innings with 92 pitches despite a lazy day with perhaps more time spent on the bench between innings than he actually spent on the mound pitching. He may have only lasted 5 innings, but he earned his 6th win of the year.

Katie Bar the Door!  On the flip side of Looper’s gritty performance, the bullpen was asked to pitch 4 full innings to secure the win. They came through admirably. Of the four pitchers who entered the game, only McClellan allowed a hit (2) while Villone and Parisi walked a batter each – but none came around to score as the bullpen effectively shut the door on the down-trodden Padres.

THE BAD

Young and Bard  Early in the game, Pujols reached out and drilled a line drive into pitcher Chris Young’s face. He left the game with a broken and lacerated nose. In the same inning, Pujols’ hard but clean slide into catcher Josh Bard’s extended left ankle (an ill-advised attempt to block the plate) sent the Padres’ backstop to the disabled list with a sprained ankle. Early indications suggest both will eventually be okay…but any true baseball fan hates to see that happen to anyone. We send our prayers to both players and wish them a speedy recovery.

Pujols’ Psyche  After the injuries he inadvertently inflicted, Pujols was clearly rattled. In fact, that was his only hit of the game. The distraught first baseman went 1 for 5 on the night and was lifted late in the game by La Russa due to his clear inability to focus at the plate. Pujols stated the injuries did in fact bother him quite a bit and would bother him for a day or two afterwards. Thankfully, the Cards have an off day Thursday that should afford Albert some much needed down time to collect himself.

A Disturbing Trend  Despite Looper’s admirable perseverance, his string of I-didn’t-have-my-best-stuff starts is becoming a trend. Too often Looper has had to gut it out in games where he reportedly did not have his best pitches working for him. This, of course, is an improvement over last year when he would routinely lose games without said stuff, but one has to wonder just when exactly we will see a game when his stuff actually returns. One also has to wonder if Looper is feeling the effects of consistently throwing 100 pitches per start for the first time in his career. Let’s hope he figures it out soon…if nothing else, the All-Star break is on the horizon and could allow him a much-needed break to rest and reboot.

THE UGLY

Dude…Seriously…Lay Off the Kool Aid  On a night when everything seemed to be falling the Cardinals’ way, Brendan Ryan turned in a disappointing 0 for 4 performance at the plate. Many fans in St. Louis feel this guy is the shortstop of the future, and perhaps his occasional hitting woes are the result of inconsistent plate opportunities, but whatever it is, it needs to get fixed. With Izturis playing well, Ryan needs to show he can keep up regardless of how many regular at-bats he gets; otherwise, he will again be overlooked this winter when the Cardinals are considering who their starting shortstop/second baseman is going to be for ‘09. With the only clear offensive hole in the lineup residing at the middle infield positions, Ryan needs to make his case now if he expects to be considered over other available free-agents and trade targets during the off season. If he can’t do it, high-priced options such as Dan Uggla become all-too inviting. Such a signing/deal not only imperils Ryan’s roster spot with the club, but also squeezes him out of starting shortstop contention – remember, he’s considered the future for his bat, not his defense. If we sign an offensive second baseman, we can easily afford to go the experienced defender route at short, and Ryan is not that guy.