Bird Watching: “I didn’t know I got a ribbon!”

Ah, the innocence of inexperience. After yesterday’s win over the Phillies, Ryan Ludwick…first-time all-star outfielder for the Cardinals…was pulled aside for a quick post-game interview. When Jimmy “The Cat” Hayes asked Ludwick about getting a “ribbing” from manager Tony La Russa, the wily interviewer intentionally slurred the word to make it sound more like “ribbin” than it did “ribbing.” Ludwick’s response?

“Ribbon?! I didn’t know I got a ribbon!”

Ah, Luddy. That response has got to be number one on the David Letterman top 10 list entitled “You MIGHT be a first-time MLB All-Star if…” And the best part was the physical reaction…a quick snap of the head and a back and forth whipping motion that silently said, “Wow! Really?!”

Hehe…I love it when MLB players look like Little Leaguers..really…no sarcasm…I love it. Sometimes, there’s nothing better than watching a 30 year old man scream and jump and yell like a 12 year old. And when Ryan Ludwick was told he “got a ribbon,” you just knew he was having flashbacks from his Little League days when all the 12 year old all-star selections got to line up and receive a trophy for being named an all-star. The only thing missing for Ludwick last night? A giggling mother on one knee gleefully snapping pictures, determined not to miss a single moment of her Lil’ Luddy’s day.

That’s why I like to see players like Luddy make the All-Star team…because it means something to them. I know, I know…Albert Pujols is going to his seventh All-Star game, and he has been quoted in numerous articles saying he savors this one as much as the first…but come on…at some point, you know your reaction upon hearing you’ve made the All-Star team is naturally reduced to one word: “Cool.” And no, that’s nothing against El Hombre…I’m a huge fan of his, on and off the field…but it’s human nature. After the first few times, your experience will naturally deteriorate.

Ludwick’s experience? More than 60 text messages on his cell phone congratulating him. And, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, zero included requests for tickets. That’s impressive. And that’s the experience of a first-time all-star…dumbfounded elation. A dream realized.

You know those back-yard summer days as a 12 year old “all-star in the making” when you would swing a bat made of air and round invisible bases? You remember the crowd going wild and the announcers screaming “Kevin’s done it! Kevin’s done it! He’s won the game! Oh my goodness, he’s won the game!”?

Think back to those days for a moment…were you surrounded by sub-par players? Were you on a team made up of minor league call-ups and 40 year old has-beens? Of course not…what would be the fun in that? You were surrounded by the best of the best…Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Ozzie Smith…or, if you didn’t grow up in Missouri…Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Dimaggio…and the list goes on and on. You were surrounded by the best…because you were one of them. You belonged.

On July 15th, that experience will be Ryan Ludwick’s experience. He’s a National League All-Star. He’ll be playing in the last year of the storied Yankee Stadium. He will be joined by the best of the best: Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols, Chipper Jones, Chase Utley, Brandon Webb…and on and on. And Ryan Ludwick, for the first time, will be one of them…An All-Star…the best of the best.

And somewhere in Missouri, a 12 year old boy will be enjoying his back-yard summer as he swings a bat made of air and rounds invisible bases. The crowd’s going wild and the announcers are astounded that “Billy’s won the game! Billy’s won the game! Oh my goodness, Billy’s won the game!”…and when he plants his feet triumphantly on home plate, he will be met by the best of the best…Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, Chase Utley, Brandon Webb…and Ryan Ludwick.

I wonder if Luddy will remember to wear his ribbon?

BIRD SEEDS

Rick Ankiel Making History…?  The last time a Cardinals team finished a season with a Home Run leader OTHER than Albert Pujols was in 2000 (Jim Edmonds hit 42)…the year before Pujols made his major league debut. Rick Ankiel now sits on number 19, one more than Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick (both All-Star selections, by the way). I’ve heard multiple Cardinals “experts” mention that Ankiel, since being called up last August, has more HRs, RBIs, and game-winning RBIs than any other Cardinal. This kid is incredible…and he’s only getting better. Keep it up, Rick.

Brendan Ryan Pressing  Here we go again. Brendan Ryan was handed a golden opportunity to excel when Cesar Izturis went down…and he blew it. I like the kid. Really. But when you are a young player trying to show the organization you’re a viable option at SS for the foreseeable future, you HAVE to grab hold of those opportunities and squeeze the life out of them. Especially when the opportunity includes a home series against the Cubs. Ryan may very well be a middle infield option over the next few years, but he needs to show more than he’s shown the last few weeks, or he ain’t gonna’ cut it.

Jason Isringhausen has GOT to be Ready  Izzy has looked good. Not perfect, but good. Franklin is losing his edge in the closer’s role. Let’s take a quick look at the stats for the months of June and July for both pitchers. 

Franklin in June – 13 app., 13.0 IP, 6 ERs, 4.15 ERA - and in July – 3 app., 2.0 IP, 2 ERs, 9.00 ERA.
Izzy in June – 7 app., 10.1 IP, 2 ERs, 1.74 ERA – and in July – 2 app., 2.0 IP, 0 ERs, 0.00 ERA. 

Franklin has done an outstanding job as a fill-in, but he’s a better setup man. As long as this team has no permanent solution at closer, the bullpen will continue to flounder. Izzy is ready. He may not be the Izzy of old, but he is our best option in the ninth right now. Plug him in there, spell him a few times with Franklin or Perez, but plug him in there. It’s time Izzy returned to the closer’s role in St. Louis so the rest of our bullpen can regain some stability.

Mark Mulder Returns  Oh boy. I watched his start in Springfield (the last one), and he pitched very effectively. He clearly labored (physically) in the final two innings, so the 4th and 5th innings of his start tonight will be key. Honestly, I don’t think anyone, including Mark, really knows what to expect from him tonight. So, our final words this week are very simple. Good luck, Mark.

UPDATE!  Dude…this is hilarious:  http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/pictures/pictures/2008/06/cooler-on-wheels/

Bird Watching: Beautiful Beginnings

I’m back! After a very chaotic, fast-paced, blurred weekend of wedding jitters and river rage, your faithful blogger-extraordinaire has returned from his hiatus to bring you the latest and greatest in St. Louis Cardinals blog-tastic commentary. I can’t say I’m recharged, but I can say I’m no longer alone…and in the end, “there can be only one.” But enough about me, let’s get to it with the much anticipated return of Bird Watching!

I just don’t get it. I really don’t. In an effort to keep up with the discussion and interest trends among Cardinals fans, I routinely surf the well-known forums and/or websites of Cardinals Nation. And it amazes me just how negative the so-called “best fans in baseball” can be when it comes to their team. Enough already. Seriously. It’s old, it’s been done, and you’re just flat-out pissin’ me off. It’s hard work constantly battling the tide of pessimism that surrounds this team.

The Cardinals were picked to finish dead last in a 90-loss season. Instead, this scrappy and lovable team has managed to piece together a 45-33 (.577 winning %) season up to this point. In case you haven’t noticed, that’s second in the National League, 12 games over five hundred, and good enough to lead the Wild Card race while playing in what has become possibly one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Enough already!

In one hour, I’ve waded through stories and discussions about Mulder’s ineffectiveness, Duncan’s inability at the plate, and even Ankiel’s inconsistent and lower-than-desired batting average (seriously?). Fans love to hop on Izzy when he’s struggling and Duncan when he’s breathing. For goodness sake, fans…it even took a call-out by Tony La Russa to hopefully wake-up St. Louis fans and “get them to the polls” to cast Cardinals all-star votes. Ridiculous. When a team’s manager has to remind the game’s so-called best fans to show up and be counted, it is simply ridiculous.

Even attendance is down. I almost couldn’t believe it when I heard that Busch Stadium had finally failed to sell-out a game. Why??!!! Because it’s a little cold? Because ”Handsome” Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen had left to join sub-par teams with unrealistic expectations? Because Eckstein and his 20 + errors “accidentally” followed? Hell, for a good part of last year Cardinals fans were screaming for a youth movement – “Call up Ankiel!” and “Play the young guys!” and “Jimmy should retire!” were all heard reverberating off the red brick walls of new Busch Stadium well into January.

All of that happens (in a manner of speaking), and what do Cardinals fans do? Do they approve, yell encouragement, or ecstatically show up for games giddy with anticipation? No. They stop buying tickets. They start blog entries bitching about how TLR didn’t pinch-hit for Ankiel against a lefty. They buy into the anti-hype of the national media and just flat out stop supporting their team.

Few and far between are the voices of optimism and support – I don’t mean blind optimism born of wishful thinking and a failure to accept reality – I mean realistic optimism grown from the recognition that this team may have holes, but it has a hell of a lot of potential as well, and the future is now. 

I attended my first ever Opening Day this year. I paid just short of $100 per ticket to sit in the center field bleachers of Busch Stadium in the rain. You know why? Could you possibly understand what could make me do such a thing?

Anticipation. Giddy, ecstatic, wondrous anticipation.

I love this team. They play with fire; they play with heart; and they play with potential and hope for the future. Remember this time, Cardinals fans. It won’t last long. In a few short years, gone will be the Hall of Fame Manager who currently ranks third on the All-time wins list, one of only 2 MLB Managers to win a World Series in both the AL and NL. In a few short years, gone will be the invigorating hope for improvement and energy as our now-young players become once-young players; as our future stars become current stars mere seasons away from declining talent and ability.  

Remember those seasons when Rolen and Edmonds were at the top of their game? We’ll get there…and then it will be over…and oh how we’ll long for what we have right here and now…the beginning of the future and yet another Cardinals youth movement. Soon, the acrobatic plays of Rick Ankiel and bull-headed toughness of Yadier Molina will be replaced by limping veterans and concussion-plagued former all-stars. When the next Chris Duncan emerges, will we saddle him with the burden of ridicule the same way we have with the Jr. Dunc? Will we ravenously jump on a young, promising career and beat it into submission until all that is left is a guilt-ridden, fan-fearing shell of a player desperate to simply contribute something to his team who still looks to him for strength - all because we are jealous – jealous that a guy like Dunc MIGHT have gotten a little edge by accidentally being the coach’s son?

Give it a rest, fans. Go to the games. Encourage the team. Appreciate this time we have right now…the dawn of the next Cardinals era populated by young stars and hungry players. Because with every dawn comes a horizon, and when we reach that horizon sometime in the next 5 or 6 years, all that’s left is the impending sunset and the end to a beautiful day.

Let us hope that the next day is half as exhilarating as the one we find ourselves waking up to right here and now.

Go Cards!!!

BIRD SEEDS

AP-Less Cards Grow Into Their Own  With Pujols on the DL and a series sweep by the – GAH! – Kansas City Royals, the Cards came back in style and won 3 of their last 4 in hostile, American League environments against intimidating lineups. Amazing. Our offense is finally starting to figure it out…just imagine what we can do when AP returns now that we’ve seemingly cut the Albert Pujols umbilical cord.

Looper Makes Me Loopy  Braden Looper has been flat-out excellent. In a flurry of injuries, Looper has anchored the starting rotation and battled his way to his ninth win of the season. There are few pitchers I actually trust to take the mound, but Looper has now become one of them. Hopefully the All-Star break only serves as a rejuvenation period and not an unwelcome interruption.

Brendan Ryan Gettin’ it Done  I think Ryan has finally traded in his Kool Aid for Gatorade. He’s playing with the big boys and swinging a solid stick. Ryan is going to be a key factor in the coming weeks with Izturis out and the inconsistent Kennedy getting more and more playing time. Let’s hope he can continue his energetic ways.

Rumor Mills Suck  I just read a post by someone on the Post Dispatch forums asking if they thought it was possible for Oquendo to move to the Reds’ organization and become Walt’s new Manager. It got me thinking…isn’t Dave Duncan’s contract up this year? And didn’t Tony sign with St. Louis before knowing where and how Walt would land? Isn’t it possible that Tony could ask out of his contract after this season to take his winning road show (and Duncan Sr.) to Cincinnati with the Reds? *shudder*

Wedding Day Jubilation  June 21st was a magical day for me…Kim Vines became Kim Reynolds in a wonderfully simple and chaotic ceremony. I couldn’t be happier. Just to show you all what kind of woman I married, she surprised me with a groom’s cake shaped like a baseball and sporting a Cardinals mini-helmet AND two St. Louis Cardinals garters! What a woman…and how did I repay her? By flipping her, cooler and all, into the river during a post-wedding float trip. Sorry, babe!

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…