Cards Trying to Finish Strong
Written by Mike on September 26, 2008 – 10:29 pm -What’s going on with the Birds on the Bat? They stayed in the race all season long before an ugly, unmotivated, and injury plagued September. Now that they’ve been eliminated, they’re winning baseball games again.
Taking three of four and spoiling the playoff chances for the Arizona Diamondbacks was first, and now the Cardinals have stretched their winning streak to four games with tonight’s win over the Reds. They’re now 84-76, despite a September record of 10-13, with two more games to play in the ‘08 season.
You could argue that the games don’t count anymore, but in some ways they still do. Maybe the guys aren’t playing for October, but they could be playing for pride. Some could be playing for milestones. Some could be playing for next year’s paycheck, and some for next year’s opportunity. Whatever the reason, seeing the Cards play winning baseball is still fun, and much better than the alternative.
The latest win didn’t come until the bottom of the ninth, when Troy Glaus knocked in Felipe Lopez with a walk-off sacrifice fly. The final score was 7-6, with Ryan Franklin getting both the blown save and the win. It’s crap. Franklin was again the worst of the Cardinal pitching, and doesn’t deserve any more positive statistics. Here’s a quick recap of tonight’s action, along with the complete box score.
Tomorrow’s game features Todd Wellemeyer and Aaron Harang. Hopefully the Cardinals can continue to roll, and end this season on a high note.
In the other meaningful action, the Marlins beat the Mets 6-1, while the Brewers beat the Cubs 5-1. Milwaukee again leads the Wild Card race by a game, but I’m really hoping they blow it. If I have to see any more shirt untucking I’ll probably puke. Go Cubs!
Losing in High Definition
Written by Mike on September 5, 2008 – 11:09 pm -
As most of you regular readers know, I live in Miami, Florida, and since moving here from St. Louis, I’ve been reduced to watching Cardinal baseball via the Extra Innings package from Comcast, my local shitbox cable provider. At any rate, the games I get to watch in high definition are very few and far between. Other than the rare Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, my only hope is when the Cards face the Marlins. I didn’t have to worry about the broadcast last month when the Birds were down here in Florida because I was at all the games, but now that I finally have another chance to watch my favorite team in HD, they pull an ‘08 Cards, and blow the save to lose the game.
It was the first of a three game series against the Fish, and to my surprise, turned out to be a pitchers duel for most of the contest. Braden Looper and Ricky Nolasco matched each other pitch for pitch deep into the game. Looper was fantastic, going 7.1 innings without allowing a run on only 4 hits. He struck out 6. Chris Perez blew the save, and Ryan Franklin continued down the road of suck, and the Cardinals lost the game 4-1. Here’s the full recap, along with the complete box score.
I guess I can’t blame the bullpen entirely, as the offense only put up one run, but it’s a shame nonetheless, as the Cardinals added to their Major League leading 30 blown saves. Yummy!
And for all of you other scoreboard watchers out there, Milwaukee beat San Diego in extra innings, and the Phillies beat the Mets. The only good news of the night was that the Cubbies got their asses handed to them 10-2 by Cincinnati. The Cards remain 6 games back in the Wild Card race.
Tomorrow’s game features Todd Wellemeyer and Scott Olsen. The Cardinals need to win. I’m already on suicide watch.
Cards Earn a Split
Written by Mike on August 28, 2008 – 7:37 pm -After losing big in the first game of the short series against Milwaukee on Tuesday, the Cardinals “played a hard nine” to take game two last night.
It was Adam Wainwrights second start since coming off the disabled list. He wasn’t dominant, but he definitely got the job done. He lasted 6 innings on 89 pitches, allowing 3 runs (2 earned), and got a pair of strikeouts. Kyle McClellan and Ryan Franklin each pitched a scoreless inning to bridge the gap to the ninth for Chris Perez.
After taking the lead with a four run eighth, the Cardinals looked once again to Perez to close it out. He was outstanding. Perez picked up his sixth save with three swinging strikeouts against the heart of the Milwaukee order. Derrick Goold has an excellent article on the rookie over at Bird Land.
The offense was quiet until the sixth, when Ryan Ludwick hit a solo homer off of Manny Parra. Ludwick still leads the team in home runs with 32. The Cards stranded the bases loaded in the seventh, and some words were exchanged between Albert Pujols and Carlos Villanueva. The rally came in the very next inning, with RBI going to Ludwick, Troy Glaus, Aaron Miles, and Felipe Lopez. More on the extracurriculars from Bernie Miklasz.
The final score was 5-3. Here’s the complete box score. The win bumped the Cardinals back up to 3.5 games behind the Brewers in the Wild Card race. The Phillies loom just a half-game behind the Cards, although they’ve just started a four game series against the Cubs in Chicago.
Following the day off today, the Cards will open a three game set in Houston tomorrow night. Kyle Lohse gets the ball for the Redbirds, while lefty Randy Wolf will start for the Astros. Milwaukee plays Pittsburgh, so anything less than a sweep of Houston would have to be considered unsuccessful. Go Cards!
A Frustrating Loss for the Cardinals
Written by Mike on August 26, 2008 – 11:10 pm -
The clock is ticking, and the Cardinals need wins. We would have liked to see a two game sweep to begin the home stand against Pittsburgh. But the Cards split. We would have liked to see a three game sweep against Atlanta. But the they could only take two. And in what seems like the most important series of the second half, we would have liked to see the Redbirds get redemption with a pair of wins against Milwaukee. Game one is in the books. Brewers 12, Cardinals 0.
From looking at the final score, you would think that starter Todd Wellemeyer had a bad game, and it got out of hand in a hurry. That wasn’t the case at all, as Wellemeyer was down by only three runs after six. He left the game after two batters in the seventh, on 112 pitches, finishing with a line of 6 innings, 5 runs (4 earned), and 5 strikeouts.
The Cardinals used four relievers to finish the game, the worst being Brad Thompson, who allowed four runs in his one-plus. Jaime Garcia allowed three more runs before finishing the top of the ninth.Nothing doing for the St. Louis offense. They managed seven hits, five of which were off of Ben Sheets, but couldn’t get anyone around, stranding eight runners on base. Here’s tonight’s full recap and box score.
So it’s another loss, moving the Cardinals record to 3-3 on this home stand and 73-60 overall. They now trail the Brewers by 4.5 games in the Wild Card race. Is it a more significant loss than any other? Depends on who you ask.
“I think, to us, these are our biggest games all year,” said Cardinal reliever Ryan Franklin.
Manager Tony La Russa knows these games are important, but also acknowledges that they won’t determine whether or not the Cards make the playoffs.
“The biggest thing is that this two-game series will not determine October chances for either club,” La Russa said.
So while we die hard Cardinal fans feel like the playoff bus is leaving the station, and we don’t have tickets, we have to remember a couple of things. First, these same two clubs play again tomorrow, and win for the Redbirds ensures no more lost ground. And secondly, there are still 28 more games after that one. A lot can happen.
Look for Adam Wainwright to lead the Cards to a win tomorrow night, and we’ll all feel better afterwards.
Offensive Outburst Earns Cards a Split
Written by Mike on August 21, 2008 – 11:17 pm -Just a quick post today, as the team has the day off. I’m working on a rather lengthy post for the weekend when the team hosts the Braves.
Last night the Cardinals were able to trounce the Pirates 11-2. They tallied 13 hits, and scored in five of their eight innings at the plate. Jason LaRue got the scoring started in the second inning with a sacrifice fly, and added a two-run homer in the seventh. Rick Ankiel also went deep with a two run shot in the third, his 24th.
Todd Wellemeyer earned his eleventh win of the season, pitching 5 innings, giving up a pair of runs on 5 hits. He also struck out five. Russ Springer, Jaime Garcia, Ryan Franklin, and Chris Perez threw a shutout for the remaining four frames. Here’s the complete box score.
The Cardinals could have used some of those runs on Tuesday, when the offense was silent until the ninth inning. The series split didn’t allow the team to gain any ground on Milwaukee in the Wild Card race.
A three game series against Atlanta starts tomorrow night, with Adam Wainwright scheduled to take the mound for the first time since his finger injury. Charlie Morton will pitch for the Braves. With the regular season winding down in hurry, hopefully the Cards feel a sense of urgency, and can string together a nice winning streak. Who better to start the streak than Wainwright?
Falling Off the Pace
Written by Mike on August 8, 2008 – 7:50 pm -
Dammit Jimmy! Stupid Cubs! This is no way to start a road trip. Even though it took 11 innings, the Cardinals came up on the short end today at Wrigley, and now sit seven games back in the NL Central standings.
Braden Looper turned in a fine performance, allowing just two runs in seven innings. Ironically, the two runs came off the bat of Looper’s former teammate, Jim Edmonds, via a pair of solo home runs. What a kick in the nuts. The bullpen turned in three scoreless innings before losing it in the eleventh. The culprit: Ryan Franklin. Again.
This is a loss that we can’t really pin on Franklin. I suppose most of the blame could fall on the offense, for their lack of timely hitting and base running blunders. Scoring only two runs against the Cubs is never going to get a win. That said, I still can’t seem to stop hating on the bullpen, especially the back end. I know that somebody had to take the loss today, but why does it seem like it’s always the same one or two guys?
I’ve changed my stance on Adam Wainwright’s return. I’m now in favor of him pitching in relief after his rehab assignment. What we’ve been doing isn’t working. I’m still hopeful that rookie Chris Perez gets more and more crucial innings, and I think having Wainwright right there with him could be a big plus.
Here’s some links:
- Today’s recap and box score.
- More on Wainwright’s status, from Derrick Goold.
- The Rick Ankiel story on FSN.
- Ryan Ludwick for MVP?
Game two of the series is tomorrow afternoon. Carlos Zambrano against Todd Wellemeyer. Let’s go Cards!
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!
You Can’t Put a Chain on a Junkyard Dog
Written by Mike on June 29, 2008 – 8:15 pm -
It’s a saying that I first heard from my good friend Jimmy, and there’s no better one that could describe the breakout game today from Cardinal backup catcher Jason LaRue. It was his performance, both offensively and defensively, that allowed the Cards to win the series today in Kansas City.
In the first inning, with the Royals threatening to take an early lead, LaRue stood strong at home plate to endure a collision with David DeJesus. The Cardinal backstop was upended, but held on to the ball for the out. LaRue’s two-run homer in the second put the Cards on the board first. He wasn’t done there. Later, in the fifth, he knocked in two more with a ball hit to center that knuckled away from Joey Gathright for a triple. From Matthew Leach’s recap:
“My goodness,” marveled manager Tony La Russa. ”What more can you do? Big hits, big collision at the plate, and he got another couple balls that he hit well that were outs. He just had a terrific day.”
Braden Looper didn’t have it today, and left the game with the bases loaded and only one out in the fourth, clinging to a two run lead. Chris Perez came in to put out the fire and pick up the win. The Cardinals used five relievers, combining for 5.2 innings and allowing three runs.
Luckily, Junkyard LaRue and all of his facial hair showed up to play today. His action has been limited, but when you let him off the porch, LaRue has shown that he’s quite capable. Other notables from the game:
- Albert Pujols hit his 299th home run of his career.
- Former Cardinal Mark Grudzielanek went 4 for 5.
- Adam Kennedy was the only Cardinal without a hit.
- Mark Mulder warmed up, but didn’t get in the game.
The final score was 9-6. Here’s the complete box score.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals may be short handed in the relief department for the series opener tomorrow against the Mets. I would imagine that Perez, Jason Isringhausen, Kyle McClellan, and possibly Ryan Franklin, will all be unavailable due to their taxing workload. Now that interleague play is over, I think there will be a roster move made before the game, possibly sending down Nick Stavinoha for a pitcher.
Kyle Lohse will start the game for the Redbirds tomorrow night. He’s coming off a subpar outing in Detroit, but the talented Mets club is having a subpar season. John Maine gets the start for New York.
Finally, don’t forget to vote your favorite Cardinal players into the All-Star game. Only three days of voting left.
The Twilight Zone
Written by Mike on June 20, 2008 – 8:53 pm -I wasn’t sure what to think after Kansas City Royally kicked our ass in the last series. I’m a bigger fan than most, but can honestly say that I didn’t expect much from the series opener tonight at Fenway. Earlier today, when I scanned over the lineups for tonight’s matchup against the Sox, I thought the Cardinals didn’t stand a chance. But, I guess that’s why the games aren’t played on paper. Cue the music!
The Cardinals won 5-4.
How is it even possible that the Cards can score more runs in one game against the World Champion Red Sox, in Boston, than they can in an entire series against the bottom feeding Royals, at Busch?
Well, start with a little Kyle Lohse, who pitched brilliantly around a couple of defensive miscues, mix in a few home runs, add a little Russ Springer and Ryan Franklin, and voila! A win!
Personally, I thought tonight’s game was far more entertaining than any of the ‘04 World Series games. I’m glad the Cards picked up the win, and momentum, avoiding the prolonged losing streak to teams from the lame league.
If you missed it, here’s the full recap and box score.
Tomorrow is an afternoon start, with Mitchell Boggs slated to pitch against Dice K. Don’t worry. Remember, the games aren’t played on paper!
Almost a Sweep
Written by Mike on June 5, 2008 – 9:43 pm -The Cardinals played two today in the nation’s capital. Nothing like a full day of baseball. However, the two games couldn’t have been more different.
In game one, Cardinal starter Todd Wellemeyer continued to build on his outstanding month of May, throwing six shutout innings, and padding his resume for a possible second straight pitcher of the month honor. The offense was led by Troy Glaus, who hit his fifth home run of the season. Five other Cardinal pitchers combined to preserve the lead, and the Birds won 4-1. Here’s the full recap and box score.
Game two was a circus. What started out as another pitiful start from Mike Parisi, ended in dramatic fashion in extra innings. Parisi put the Cardinals in a 7-0 hole which seemed to have the game over before the fourth inning. Five of the eight runs he allowed were earned, but the eight is a much better indication of how Parisi pitched. Everything was hit hard. Seriously. Hard. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s flying to Memphis instead of Houston.
Somehow, even with the most makeshift of all Tony La Russa lineups, the Cards fought back, tying the score at eight in the ninth. Had it not been for a terrible call on a third strike to the pinch hitting Albert Pujols, they might have taken the lead. Instead, a Joe Mather solo home run in the tenth put the Cardinals up by a run, only to see the save blown by Ryan Franklin in the bottom half, courtesy of an Elijah Dukes walk-off.
Other notables included a two run double for Parisi’s first Major League base hit. Later, fellow rookie pitcher Mark Worrell hit a three run homer in his first big league at-bat, putting a rare smile on La Russa’s face. Troy Glaus hit his sixth home run, giving him one in each of the games of the double header. 10-9 was the final. Here’s the full box score.
So, what could have been the biggest comeback win of the season turned into a loss, but the Cards still leave Washington with the series victory. They remain ten games over .500, at 36-26.
Up next, three games against the Astros at the Juice Box. Tomorrow night, Braden Looper will face Brian Moehler. Lucky for the Cards, no Roy Oswalt this series. Unlucky for me, no Brandon “Bitch Boy“ Backe either. Hopefully, another series win is in the Cards.
Finally, the draft. The Cardinals had the 13th pick today, and took Brett Wallace, a third baseman from Arizona State. Jeff Gordon has a nice summary of the first round pick here, but for more in depth coverage of the all the Cardinals’ picks, visit Future Redbirds. They’re the experts, and have been anticipating this day for quite a while.
