Take 5
Written by Mike on June 27, 2008 – 8:04 pm -Well the Cardinals couldn’t get it done against the Royals in their first four opportunities, so they’ll try again tomorrow.
Tonight was game one of the series in Kansas City, and although the action was a little different from the three games in St. Louis, the outcome was the same. The Royals won. Yeah, the Royals. Joel Pineiro pitched for the Cards, and wasn’t very sharp. On the plus side, he did go deep into the game, allowing some much needed rest for the relief crew. Pineiro lasted 7.2 innings, allowing 7 runs on 10 hits. The final score was 7-2. Here’s the full recap and box score.
The Cardinals made a roster move today. The long awaited return of Mark Mulder has finally arrived, although not as originally planned. Upon activation, Mulder was sent to the Cardinals’ bullpen, where we’ll wait to see his first ever relief appearance. Mike Parisi was sent back to AAA Memphis.
So the fifth take in the I-70 series is tomorrow night. After three straight losses, the Cardinals will look to rookie Mitchell Boggs to turn things around. Kyle Davies will pitch for Kansas City. How about a win?
What a Game!
Written by Mike on June 22, 2008 – 9:28 pm -After rolling Dice K in yesterday’s romping of the Red Sox, the Cardinals were going for the sweep today at Fenway. With Joel Pineiro and Jon Lester as the scheduled starters, and Albert Pujols and David Ortiz on the DL, who’d have guessed we were in for such an entertaining game.
The two starting pitchers matched each other frame after frame, shutting out the offenses for five innings a piece, before Brian Barton and Ryan Ludwick each drove in a run for the Cardinals in the sixth. The Sox took the lead in the eighth after a lead-off triple, a sac fly, a base hit, and three walks. Chris Perez was charged with the blown save. I remember feeling bad for Pineiro, and thinking that was the end. Surely, the Cards wouldn’t stand a chance in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon.
A pinch hitting Chris Duncan drew the first walk of the season issued by Papelbon at home. Then perhaps the most unlikely candidate for heroism, Adam Kennedy, drove in Duncan with a pinch hit double. Game tied!
The relief team of Russ Springer, Kyle McClellan, Jason Isringhausen, and Ron Villone each pitched a scoreless inning despite giving the Red Sox plenty of opportunities for a walk-off win. The ninth through twelfth innings had a desperate, playoff feel. I was on the edge of my seat for each of the bottom halves.
Kevin Youkilis hit a two run homer off of Mike Parisi in the bottom of the thirteenth to win it for Boston. It was his second home run of the day. 5-3 was the final. Here’s the complete box score.
Sure, it would have been much nicer if the Cardinals would have won it, but I enjoyed the loss more than any other loss in recent memory. The game was intense. Very intense. Here we are still a few weeks away from the All-Star break, and an interleague game feels like game seven of the World Series.
This one had everything. From great pitching, too poor pitching. From spectacular defense, to some routine misplays. From small ball to long ball. All day, both managers tried to outwit one another. It had that October excitement throughout.
Up next, the Cardinals head to Detroit to start a three game series with the Tigers. I don’t know what’s in store, but it’s going to be damn near impossible to top this one.
Wainwright Placed on DL
Written by Mike on June 9, 2008 – 8:42 pm -
The Cardinals made it official today. After meeting with team doctors to diagnose the finger injury that took him out the game in his last start, Adam Wainwright is added to the long list of disabled Cardinal pitchers.
Although fellow starter Joel Pineiro will be reactivated, Wainwright joins pitchers Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Matt Clement, Jason Isringhausen, Brad Thompson, Tyler Johnson, Josh Kinney, and Kelvin Jimenez on the shelf. Todd Wellemeyer will miss his next scheduled start, but won’t need extended time off.
Luckily, the Cardinals have so many arms in which to try to fill the rotation. The scheduled starter for tomorrow’s series opener in Cincinnati is Mitchell Boggs. So far, there’s no word on who will pitch in Wainwright’s spot on Thursday. Mike Parisi made two starts and several appearances in relief before being sent back down to Memphis. Of course Anthony Reyes is an option, as well as Cardinal reliever Kyle McClellan, and farmhands Jaime Garcia and Jess Todd.
Derrick Goold has more on Wainwright, and be sure to check out Bernie Miklasz’ take on the situation.
Cards Lose In Houston
Written by Mike on June 6, 2008 – 9:24 pm -In one of the more forgettable losses of the year, the Cardinals were able to scatter only four hits against the Astros in game one of the series. Worse is the fact that the four hits came from just two Cardinal batters. Both Skip Schumaker and Adam Kennedy had two singles a piece. Although Albert Pujols returned to the lineup, he managed to strike out twice in an 0 for 4 effort.
Braden Looper took the loss. Although he wasn’t at his best, only two of his five runs allowed were earned, and he labored through six innings to give the bullpen a rest. The final two frames were handled by yet another Cardinal rookie, Mitchell Boggs. He took the roster spot of the demoted Mike Parisi.
Houston won it 6-1. Here’s the full recap and box score.
Off the field, there seems to be some trouble brewing. Both Rick Ankiel and Todd Wellemeyer weren’t with the club tonight in Houston. Instead, they were back in St. Louis having their ailing parts scoped by the doctors. Bernie Miklasz posted this update. Rotoworld is already reporting that Wellemeyer has been placed on the disabled list, which if true, is very bad news for the Cardinals. Matt Clement’s rehab has now taken him to Springfield, where he’ll start Sunday’s game for the AA Cardinals.
Tomorrow, it’s Shawn Chacon and Adam Wainwright in game two. Wainwright, along with some better defense, should be able to contain the Astros while the Cardinal bats come back to life.
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.
Wagonmaker’s Wheels Come Off
Written by Mike on June 2, 2008 – 8:44 pm -I’m back! I finished moving into my new place, and my internet is working somehow, even though the cable guy can’t get out here until Thursday. Oh well. I’m not complaining. So, barring any interruption in service, I’m back to my normal routine of posting every day. Be sure to check back daily.
Unfortunately, in this first post from my new home, I’m reporting a loss. The Cardinals dropped a tough one to Pittsburgh tonight, which ended the four game series in a split.
Through the first six innings, it looked as though the Cards were on their way to eleven games over .500 for the first time this season. Starter Adam Wainwright was dealing. Someone flipped a switch in the seventh, and the Pirates loaded the bases before a Jason Michaels pinch-hit grand slam to even the score at four. Wainwright allowed the go-ahead run in the eighth, and finished after 103 pitches through eight. His ERA rose to 3.12. It was his first loss of the season at Busch.
The Cardinals offense plated four runs in the first three innings, thanks to a pair of RBI each from Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick. After that, the bats were pretty quiet, although there were some missed opportunities, and six runners left stranded. Here’s the full recap and box score.
Now the Cards are 34-25, and three games behind the red hot Chicago Cubs. The next nine games are on the road. A three game series in Washington starts tomorrow night, followed by three in Houston, an off day next Monday, and finishing in Cincinnati.
More bad news. Joel Pineiro will miss his second straight start. Rookie Mike Parisi will get his second start in Pineiro’s place on Thursday, despite a poor outing in his first audition. Matthew Leach has more.
So you want some good news? Guess who was selected as the National League’s pitcher of the month for May? Our very own Todd Wellemeyer.
“I never thought I would get that,” said Wellemeyer.
Neither did we. Check out the numbers. Wellemeyer made six starts in May, combining for 37 innings. He compiled a 4-0 record with a 2.19 ERA. That’s quite an achievement for a guy that even the Royals didn’t want. He’s quickly becoming one of my favorites, and not much of a stretch to pencil in a win on days that he pitches (next turn on Wednesday). Lee Hurwitz has more on Wellemeyer.
The Cardinals need to win tomorrow. I’d hate to have to move again.
Looper Pounded in Loss
Written by Mike on May 28, 2008 – 4:48 pm -
Last night’s 8-2 loss to Houston was ugly. It started with the very first batter, and by the time the first three outs were recorded, Braden Looper had allowed four runs to score. It was definitely a bad night for the Cardinals’ starter. He lasted only 4.1 innings, throwing just 55 of his 101 pitches for strikes. Seven of his eight runs allowed were earned.
“I didn’t get the job done, didn’t give us a chance from the beginning,” Looper said.
Most of the Cardinals’ offense was provided by Albert Pujols. His solo homer in the fourth got the Cards on the board, and he finished 4 for 4 on the night. Rick Ankiel missed a home run on the very next at-bat by a few inches, and Brian Barton’s first career home run was somewhat lost in the beating that his team endured. Here’s the full recap and box score.
The loss put the two teams in a tie for second place at seven games above .500, and 1.5 behind the Cubs. Tonight, Adam Wainwright hopes to get the Cards back on track. He’s coming off a strong outing last Friday against the Dodgers. Wandy Rodriguez takes the mound for Houston. Although he beat the Cardinals back on April 7, tonight’s game is his first since going on the disabled list on April 20. I’d guess he’ll be less than sharp, and Wainwright has as good a chance to quiet the Astros lineup as anyone.
In other news, St. Louis placed starting pitcher Joel Pineiro on the DL today. Mike Parisi is now scheduled to make the start on Saturday, and Kelvin Jimenez was called up to fill the void in the bullpen. Rick Hummel has the full story.
Bullpen Better; Offense Not
Written by Mike on May 16, 2008 – 9:10 pm -In the first interleague game of the season, Rays’ starter Andy Sonnanstine kept the Cardinal offense in check, keeping St. Louis off the scoreboard through seven. Tampa held their lead, and won it 3-1. Here’s the box score.
It wasn’t a pretty performance from Braden Looper, but he kept his team in the game. He couldn’t keep the ball down and was getting hit hard. He labored through six innings on 117 pitches, but allowed just 3 runs on 10 hits and a pair of walks, earning him another quality start.
Chris Perez made his Major League debut, pitching a scoreless seventh. He brought the heat, and recorded his first strikeout getting Evan Longoria to swing through a high fastball.
Mike Parisi was also impressive, striking out three in the eighth, and pitching around a lead off double in the ninth. His curveball was solid.
The offense was not. They scattered eight hits (two from Looper) but didn’t get on the board until Chris Duncan’s solo homer in the bottom of the eighth. Skip Schumaker, Rick Ankiel, Albert Pujols, and Adam Kennedy went a combined 0 for 16. Pujols’ streak of reaching base in every game of the season is finally over. Sonnanstine wasn’t afraid to pitch to him, and kept most of the Cardinal hitters off balance.
Don’t look now, but a couple of Redbirds have quietly increased their batting averages. Troy Glaus is now hitting .271, and Molina is up to .300.
After the loss, the Cards are now just four games over .500, and have won only two of their last ten. They’re now three games behind the first place Cubs, and a half game behind the Astros. Adam Wainwright will try to be the stopper tomorrow. Matt Garza will get take the mound for Tampa Bay.
Izzy Shelved; Perez Gets the Call
Written by Mike on May 16, 2008 – 3:46 pm -
The Cardinals made another roster move today, placing struggling closer Jason Isringhausen on the 15 day disabled list, and calling up Memphis closer Chris Perez. Here’s the full press release.
The move is no surprise. Isringhausen had already been pulled from his ninth inning duties to try to build confidence in easier spots. Last night’s poor outing was his sixth blown save and fifth loss of the year. Something had to be done. Hopefully he’ll be able to come back fresh after the DL stint.
Meanwhile, Perez joins fellow youngsters Kyle McClellan and Mike Parisi in the Cardinals’ bullpen. In 18 games this season in AAA, Perez is 1-1 with a 2.04 ERA, and has struck out 22 batters in 17.2 innings. View all of his stats here.
I watched Perez pitch a few times this spring here in Florida. The guy throws hard, touching 98 at times. It will be interesting to see how Tony La Russa will use his newest reliever. It took no time at all for McClellan to be thrown into pressure situations.
Derrick Goold has more on the Cardinals’ young fireballer.
Cards Take First Two
Written by Mike on May 6, 2008 – 9:37 pm -Last night, the Cardinals used their old motto, “Play a hard nine” to win the first game of the series against Colorado. Tonight, they held off a late comeback from a Rockies team that seemed to be living by the same slogan.
A few highlights from last night:
- Ron Villone continued to impress with 2 scoreless innings.
- Mike Parisi made his ML debut with 2 of his own.
- Yadier Molina had a three hit night.
- Albert Pujols scored from second on a ground out!
Some from tonight:
- Braden Looper came within 2 outs of a complete game.
- Rick Ankiel had 2 unbelievable outfield assists.
- He also hit his 6th home run of the season.
- Ryan Ludwick had 4 hits and a walk.
In my opinion, Ankiel has the best outfield arm in the league. We saw some great throws from him last season, and the two tonight were just as good or better. He’s a lot of fun to watch out there.
With the win, the Cardinals move to 22-12, ten games over .500, and keep a 2.5 game lead on the Chicago Cubs. Tonight’s win also guarantees at least a series split. Out of the twelve thus far, the Cards have only lost one series, dropping 2 of 3 at home to San Francisco last month. At some point, we’re going to have to declare this team legit.
Tomorrow night, Adam Wainwright goes against Jeff Francis in a rematch of the Opening Day rainout.
Now, a few links. If you haven’t heard, rehabbing pitcher Mark Mulder has had yet another setback. The news conveniently comes after his second poor outing for AAA Memphis. Find the full story here.
Secondly, Bernie Miklasz, of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, points out Chris Duncan’s power outage in his latest column. Duncan had an awful night at the ballpark in the series opener.
Finally, a tribute to Matthew Beaudoin, the Red Sox fan who was tragically killed last Friday. 2672243457
