A Misfire
Written by Mike on September 3, 2008 – 6:53 pm -Last night, the St. Louis Cardinals finally figured out that earning a win takes all aspects of the game. They finally were firing on all cylinders. They had outstanding starting pitching from Adam Wainwright, the offense surged with three home runs to give the Redbirds another early lead, and the bullpen allowed only one run in 3.2 innings to preserve the win. The Cards won big, 8-2.
Today’s game got off to a similar start. The offense got it started, courtesy of Troy Glaus’ 300th career home run, giving the Cards the lead in the third. Kyle Lohse threw a superb six innings of shutout baseball, where he allowed five hits and struck out seven.
The difference proved to be the bullpen once again. Kyle McClellan put Arizona back in the game, allowing two runs in his .2 innings of work. Later, one of the newest Cardinals, Jason Motte, came in with the game on the line and struck out Mark Reynolds to end the seventh. Motte also pitched a scoreless eighth before giving way to rookie closer Chris Perez in the ninth. Perez couldn’t close the door, picking up his third blown save of the year. A misfire. Arizona won 4-3. Here’s the full recap and box score.
The Cardinals really could have used a win today. They picked up a game on the Wild Card leading Milwaukee Brewers with last night’s win, but remain 5.5 games out after today’s loss despite the Mets’ triumph over the Brew Crew earlier.
For those that haven’t seen the complete list of September call-ups, here you go:
- Randy Flores P
- Kelvin Jimenez P
- Josh Kinney P
- Jason Motte P
- Mark Johnson C
- Brian Barden IF
- Josh Phelps IF
- Brendan Ryan IF
Of course we already know what to expect from Ryan, Flores, and Jimenez. Phelps is again getting accustomed to the bigs, and Motte had a remarkable Major League debut tonight. I’m hoping Kinney is as impressive as he was the last time we saw him, during the run to the ‘06 World Series Championship.
The Cards have the day off tomorrow before hosting the Florida Marlins for three games. To stay in the hunt, they’ll need a big boost after their 1-5 road trip.
Get the Brooms Ready
Written by Mike on July 20, 2008 – 9:48 am -
A dramatic come from behind win yesterday has put the Cardinals in position to sweep the Padres in today’s fourth and final game of the series.
Todd Wellemeyer got off to a rocky start, allowing five runs in the first two frames, but settled in and lasted 6.1 innings, earning him the win. He’s now 8-4, with a 4.22 ERA. Both Randy Flores and Russ Springer failed to record an out, but Ron Villone came in to put out the fire in the sixth. Ryan Franklin earned his fourteenth save, pitching the final two innings.
The Cards were trailing 5-0 into the fifth, where they plated four. They added the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth. Albert Pujols stole the show with his four RBI. Rick Ankiel and Skip Schumaker each drove in a run as well. 6-5 was the final. Here’s the complete box score.
Rookie left-hander Jaime Garcia will get his first Major League start today, hoping to help the Cardinals earn the sweep. He’s made only one other appearance so far, pitching two innings in relief on July 11 in Pittsburgh, three days after his 22nd birthday. He allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out two. Larry at Viva El Birdos has a nice piece on Garcia and the Cardinals lack of success with left-handers up today. Find it here. I’m rooting for the kid. If he can impress down the stretch, or at least until Adam Wainwright’s return, he may find himself auditioning for a larger role with the club next spring.
We’re about an hour and a half from game time. Here’s the Cards’ lineup, per Derrick Goold:
- Skip Schumaker LF
- Aaron Miles SS
- Ryan Ludwick RF
- Rick Ankiel CF
- Troy Glaus 3B
- Chris Duncan 1B
- Jason LaRue C
- Jaime Garcia P
- Adam Kennedy 2B
So, looks like Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Cesar Izturis all get the day off. No big deal. Should still be a winner!
Cards on a Roll
Written by Mike on July 18, 2008 – 9:19 pm -The St. Louis Cardinals are a fun team to watch. No one could have predicted the club to be in the position they’re in. After winning the first two games of the second half, the Cards are 12 games over .500, at 55-43, trailing the division leading Chicago Cubs by only 3 games. The Small Bears are the only team in the National League with a better record than the Cardinals.
The San Diego series started with another gem from starter Kyle Lohse. He’s now 12-2, with a 3.35 ERA, and as close to automatic as you can get. Rick Ankiel and Joe Mather each hit a home run, while Troy Glaus hit a pair. The Cards won last night 4-3.
Game two was back and forth. Braden Looper was knocked around for six runs in three-plus innings, but the Cards were able to get to Maddux as well. Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick each hit their 22nd home runs and collected three RBI a piece. The Cards practiced what Tony La Russa preaches, played a hard nine, and scored 11 runs on 17 hits, winning it by 4. Here’s the full recap and box score.
Poised to win the series tomorrow afternoon, the Redbirds will send Todd Wellemeyer to the mound to face lefty Randy Wolf. Jaime Garcia is scheduled to make his first Major League start on Sunday.
The Cards made a couple of roster moves prior to tonight’s game. Randy Flores was activated from the disabled list and Joe Mather was sent back to Memphis. Also, Kelvin Jimenez traded places with Chris Perez. Lee Hurwitz has more on the story.
Ankiel’s Two Homers Not Enough
Written by Mike on June 26, 2008 – 7:13 am -
In a battle of the bats at a rain soaked Comerica Park, the Detroit Tigers came out ahead after a lengthy delay to even the series. The Cardinal offense was potent, but their pitching left a lot to be desired.
The Cards took an early lead on a lead off home run by Skip Schumaker, and another solo shot from Rick Ankiel. Ankiel added a second bomb in the fifth. He now has fourteen. Seven runs were not enough, as the Tiger’s attack was even better. They out hit the Cardinals 19-10, and came out on top after a walk-off RBI in the ninth.
Even though Cardinal starter Kyle Lohse got knocked around for 5 runs on 11 hits in 4 innings, it was the bullpen that couldn’t hold leads late in the game. After Chris Perez threw a pair of shutout innings, Jason Isringhausen, Randy Flores, and Kyle McClellan each allowed a run. 8-7 was the final. Here’s the complete box score.
The Cards will try to take the series this afternoon with Todd Wellemeyer on the mound. Nate Robertson gets the start for Detroit.
Albert Pujols should be in the lineup today. Rick Hummel reports that he’ll come off the DL today and be thrown right back into the action. No word yet on who gets moved to make room for Pujols. Here’s the full story.
Cards Can’t Sweep Reds
Written by Mike on June 12, 2008 – 9:27 pm -In the final game of both the series and the road trip, the Cardinals four game winning streak ended tonight with a 6-2 loss to Cincinnati.
In his first game back from the DL, Cardinal starter Joel Pineiro cruised through five innings with 70 pitches. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 6. He yielded to the bullpen with the game tied at two. After last night’s complete game shutout from Braden Looper, the relief crew should have been well rested. Mark Worrell and Randy Flores struggled in the seventh as the Reds tacked on four more runs.
The only offense for the Redbirds was supplied by a two run homer from Troy Glaus in the fifth. He now has 8 home runs and 40 RBI. Perhaps the best news from the game was that no one got hurt. Here’s the full recap and box score.
Thanks in part to a game tying home run from former Cardinal Jim Edmonds, the Chicago Cubs won in dramatic fashion earlier today. Coupled with the Cardinals’ loss, the Cubs increased their lead in the division to 3.5 games.
The Cards are now back home for six games, beginning with a three game series against the NL East leading Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow night. Todd Wellemeyer will get the start for St. Louis, and Kyle Kendrick for the Phils. If Wellemeyer is at full strength, I like our chances.
Also, be sure to check out Random Forgotten Player of the Day, where today they profiled former Cardinal Ray Lankford. Don’t worry Ray, we still remember you!
Cards Lose, Johnson Shelved
Written by Mike on March 2, 2008 – 12:12 am -
The Cardinals hoped to extend their winning streak today in a game against the Florida Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. Although the pitching was good, the Redbirds lost 3-2. I was at work all day, and didn’t get to see or hear the game, but I did follow along with the box score.
Cards Add Villone
Written by Mike on February 20, 2008 – 4:14 am -
The Cardinals signed veteran left-hander Ron Villone to a minor league contract today. Villone, 38, is a journeyman reliever coming off a two-year stint with the New York Yankees. St. Louis will be his 11th team since first making it to the big leagues in 1995. For his career, Villone is 55-57, with a 4.76 Earned Run Average. Used mostly as a reliever, he’s appeared in 580 games, with 93 starts. He pitched 42 innings in ‘07, compiling an ERA of 4.25. View all of his stats here.
2008 Team Outlook - Part 1
Written by Mike on October 16, 2007 – 8:30 pm -
What do you do this time of year, when your favorite team isn’t in the playoffs? We Cardinal fans haven’t had this problem very often during the Tony La Russa era. When Colorado finished their sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks last night, and we all had to relinquish the title of National League Champions, the time to really start thinking about next season’s roster began. For me, it probably began before the ‘07 season even started. I’ll start taking a detailed look at the Cards’ roster, examine who is under the team’s control, and speculate possible options to fill the empty slots. I figure to keep this post from being too long, I’ll break it down into parts, examining only one component of the club at a time. Because of the two recent signings, let’s start with the bullpen.
In 2007, the Cardinals used a total of 25 pitchers, and only 4 of those were never used in relief. That stat really tells how terrible the starting staff was. At times the bullpen seemed to be the only bright spot on the team. Later, in the second half, the pen had a few troubles, due to being overworked, and fell back down to earth. They finished 30-12, with a 4.07 ERA, good enough for 17th in the majors.
The Cardinals generally prefer to carry 12 pitchers, which means 7 relievers. We know that closer Jason Isringhausen is returning. He had a stellar year, converting 32 of his 34 saves, while compiling a 2.48 ERA. Although he had limited save opportunities, he did appear in 63 games, and struck out 54 batters in 65 1/3 innings, while only walking 28. These numbers were far better than his pre-surgery ones of ‘06. Having Isringhausen back for next season was a no brainer, and he should continue to experience similar success.
Back in July, the Cardinals signed right-handed setup man, Ryan Franklin , to an extension. He too had a great 2007 season, pitching in 69 games, and finishing with a 3.04 earned run average. Although he was a former starter with Seattle, he hasn’t started a game since 2005. His career ERA is 4.25, much higher than last season’s performance. I’d have to think that’s closer to what we’ll see in ‘08.
Russ Springer, also a right-hander, will be back next season as well. The team just gave him a new, one-year deal worth $3.5 million to be a middle reliever. He and Franklin should bridge the gap to Isringhausen quite nicely. I’ve already discussed Springer further here.
The Cardinals already control two lefties. Randy Flores, threw 55 innings, and had an ERA of 4.25 last season, while Tyler Johnson threw only 38, due to some time spent on the disabled list. His ERA was 4.03. Barring a trade, I expect both will be in the pen again next season. The club doesn’t have any major league ready left-handers in the system. Both Troy Cate, and Randy Keisler pitched in limited action in ‘07, and have since been designated for assignment.
Here’s how it looks thus far:
1. Isringhausen R
2. Franklin R
3. Springer R
4. Flores L
5. Johnson L
6. ?
7. ?
That leaves several to compete for the final two spots. Under team control, Brad Thompson, Todd Wellemeyer, Kelvin Jimenez, Brian Falkenborg, Andy Cavazos, and Dennis Dove, all spent time in last year’s pen. Josh Kinney, didn’t pitch in ‘07 due to injury, but will be given every opportunity to earn a spot if healthy. He played an important role during the championship run last October. Mitchell Boggs, who is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League, and Christopher Perez, the 22 year old closer out of the University of Miami, could also be considered, although neither is on the 40-man roster as of yet. Troy Percival is likely headed elsewhere to to be a closer, and I’d rather not see any more of Scott Spiezio or Aaron Miles on the mound next year.
I’d say at least one of the spots should be for a long-relief guy. One that could be used as an occasional spot starter if neccessary. That could be Thompson or Wellemeyer, or both.
If no relievers outside the organization are brought in, I’d assume the combined salaries of the seven to be somewhere around $16 million.
Overall, I expect the bullpen to be a strength again in ‘08. If the Cardinals can solve their rotation troubles, the pen will be less fatigued, and should be better than the group from ‘07.
