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Cards Not Done Yet

Written by Mike on September 10, 2008 – 2:54 pm -

The Cardinals were able to come away with a win last night in the first game of a three game series against the division leading Chicago Cubs.  Two key swings stood out in the win.  One, a rocket three run homer off the bat of Albert Pujols to tie the game in the sixth.  The other, a weak, check swing dribbler past the pitcher from Cesar Izturis to score the winning run from third.  Baseball is funny that way.

This was one of those games that I was waiting for what I thought was inevitable, a Cardinal mistake, and loss.  Instead, the Birds got solid contributions from all facets, and picked up an important win.

It started with Kyle Lohse.  After struggling  early on, he was able to settled in, coming within two outs of another quality start.  Aside from Ron Villone, who walked the only batter he faced, the bullpen pitched very well.  And the offense, held quiet for most of the game by Chicago starter Ryan Dempster, played a hard nine, ending the game in walk-off fashion, complete with an on-field celebration after Brendan Ryan’s fantastic slide.

The final score was 4-3.  Matthew Leach has the full recap, and here’s the complete box score.

The Cards have now matched their win total from a year ago, and have pulled to 3.5 games behind the Brewers in the Wild Card race.  It sure is fun to watch a team still in the hunt this late in the year.  Braden Looper will hope to keep the winning streak alive tonight in game two.  He’ll face lefty Ted Lilly.  I’m hoping last night’s win has added some fuel to the Cardinals’ hopes in the playoff race. Boo the Cubs!

Finally, a couple of links.  Over at Bird Land, Derrick Goold has a follow up post concerning the latest UCB project, where all the bloggers rated the team’s top prospects.  Also from the Post Dispatch, Joe Strauss has the latest news about Pujols’ elbow, and whether or not he’s planning on surgery this offseason.


Posted in Izturis, Lohse, Looper, Pujols, Ryan, UCB, Villone | No Comments »



UCB Project: Top Prospects

Written by Mike on September 8, 2008 – 8:24 pm -

The United Cardinal Bloggers are back, and this time, we’re looking at the system’s top prospects.  Each of the participating blogs are weighing in on what they believe to be the seven highest ranking youngsters.  Here’s my take:

1.  Colby Rasmus

I’d be surprised to see Rasmus anywhere but the top spot on these lists.  Despite having a rough season for AAA Memphis, he was still ranked among the top prospects in baseball at midseason by Baseball America.  He’s considered a five-tool player at a premium position, and we Cardinal fans haven’t anticipated a rookie’s arrival like this in a while.

Rasmus has been known to struggle for a short period following each promotion, and that certainly was the case this season.  Unfortunately, his injury kept us from seeing him bust the slump.  Depending on what the Cardinals do with their glut of outfielders this winter, Rasmus’ arrival may have to wait even longer.  Either way, he’ll be a great major leaguer.

2.  Chris Perez

We’ve all seen enough of Perez to be excited about the back end of the bullpen once again.  His high nineties fastball and plus slider can make a deadly combination, and it’s nice to see Tony La Russa finally trusting the kid to get the job done.

3.  Brett Wallace

I’ve got to be honest here.  I haven’t seen this kid at all, and aside from a couple of swings I found on Youtube, I don’t know anything about his play.  So, I have to stick to the stats on this one.  Wallace is a big time hitter, we know that from his peripherals from college.  He burst onto the Cardinal map with his very first professional game for Quad Cities.  His jump to AA Springfield clearly shows that he’s on the fast track, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a September call-up next season.  If we compiled another one of these lists next year, Wallace’s name would be at the top.

4.  Bryan Anderson

Good hitting catchers don’t grow on trees, so the Cardinals are lucky to have one. Anderson was raking for Springfield before cooling off late in the year for Memphis, but he can still hit.  I think his defense is improved, and will only get better with time (and some more tutoring from Mike Matheny).  I’d think Anderson would be ranked higher for other teams, but the Cardinals already have one of the best catchers in the league, and it’s not like he’s nearing retirement.  I look for Anderson to be playing another full season in AAA before he can break camp with the Cards.  On the other hand, he’s probably one of the club’s best trading chips.

5.  Jason Motte

After seeing his major league debut, I was sold.  Motte throws very hard, and is quite capable of handling big league hitters.  He still has a lot of work to do with his secondary pitches, but remember, he’s only been pitching for a couple of years.  With time, Motte will be deadly.  I’m already envisioning a late inning trio of Kyle McClellan, Motte, and Perez.  Exciting!

6.  Jaime Garcia

I was considering leaving Garcia off this list because of his injury.  We won’t see him pitch again for a year, and chances are, he could get passed by other arms by then.  But, because he’s so young, it’s easy to still envision him competing for a spot in the rotation down the line.  Aside from a couple of bad outings, I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from Garcia, and he gets bonus points for being a southpaw.

7.  Daryl Jones

Jones has figured it out, and put together a great ‘08 campaign.  He was hitting .326 in 87 games for Palm Beach before his promotion to Springfield, where he hit .290.  He’s still only twenty-one years old, and now has the confidence with something to build on.  I’m sure we’ll be talking a lot about Jones next year, when he’ll probably be ranked in the top three.

Since we’re stopping at seven, my honorable mentions would include Jess Todd, Jon Jay, and David Freese.  With some hesitation, I’ll include Mitchell Boggs too, solely on his minor league resume.

Find the links to all the UCB prospect lists over at C70 at the Bat.  You’re sure to see most of the same names, but likely in a completely different order.  Check back for updates on this project in the near future.


Posted in Anderson, Boggs, Freese, Garcia, La Russa, McClellan, Minors, Motte, Perez, Rasmus, UCB, Wallace | 3 Comments »


UCB Game Blog - Third Inning

Written by Mike on May 3, 2008 – 4:08 pm -

Today’s game against the Chicago Cubs is being collectively covered by ten different Cardinal blogs in a unique project from the UCB group.  Find the pre-game notes over at C70 at the Bat.  Stan Musial’s Stance has the first inning, and The Cardinal Virtue has the second.

After a couple of quick innings, the Cubs came to bat in the top of the third with the only hit on the scoreboard in a scoreless game.  Cardinal starter Kyle Lohse was very efficient in the first two, and the third was no exception.  Facing the bottom of the order, Lohse got Mike Fontenot to ground out to first, Reed Johnson to line out to center, and Ted Lilly to ground out to third, retiring the side on just 11 pitches.  His pitch count through three was just 34, while facing the minimum with the help of the double play in the second.

In the bottom half, after Yadier Molina and Lohse both grounded out to the left side, shortstop Cesar Izturis picked up the first Cardinal hit with a single to center.  Last night’s hero, Skip Schumaker, grounded out to Derrick Lee for the second time, stranding the Cards’ first baserunner.

Interestingly, while the Redbirds lead the league in walks, averaging nearly five per game, only three of their first ten batters in today’s contest saw a two ball count.

So, not a lot of action to this point, but with the Cubs in town, there’s bound to be some fireworks.  Coverage continues at Cardinals GM.

Go Cards! 


Posted in Izturis, Lohse, Molina, Schumaker, UCB | No Comments »



Cards Win on a Skip-Off Homer

Written by Mike on May 2, 2008 – 9:56 pm -

In the bottom of the eleventh inning, with the score tied at three, Cardinal outfielder Skip Schumaker went deep with a runner on third to win it.  Although it was the first meeting of the season between the Cubs and Cards, the game had a late season pennant race feel to it throughout.

Adam Wainwright got the start for the Redbirds, and pitched brilliantly. Because of his extended pitch count in his last appearance, Wainwright got the early hook after giving up a hit after 85 pitches in 6 1/3, but still leading by a pair.

With only three outs to go, closer Jason Isringhausen gave up a game tying home run to Alfonso Soriano, who made up for his earlier misplays in left field.

Other notables:

  • Kyle McClellan continues to dominate in high pressure situations.
  • Troy Glaus went a dreadful 0 for 5 with 2 Ks and 4 LOB.
  • Ron Villone earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings.
  • Isringhausen now has more blown saves (3) than he did in all of ‘07.
  • Cubs suck.

So the Cardinals start off the second month just as hot as they did in the first.  19-11 is good for the second best record in baseball.  5-3 was tonight’s final.  Here’s the full recap and box score.

Bears and Birds game two tomorrow afternoon.  It’ll be Kyle Lohse against Ted Lilly. Don’t forget to check in on the latest UCB project.


Posted in Glaus, Isringhausen, Lohse, McClellan, Schumaker, UCB, Villone, Wainwright | No Comments »


Bring on the Cubs

Written by Mike on May 1, 2008 – 8:01 pm -

With April in the books, and the Cardinals sitting alone at the top of the NL Central standings, a half game up on Chicago, one couldn’t have scripted a better a time for the Baby Bears to come to town.  The Brewers are one and a half games out, so the upcoming series really is a battle for first place.  The Cubs will be just the second Cardinal opponent with a winning record.

The pitching match-ups leave a sense of optimism, as the Cardinals won’t face Carlos Zambrano.  Tomorrow night’s game features Adam Wainwright and Rich Hill.  Saturday it’s Kyle Lohse against Ted Lilly, and Todd Wellemeyer faces former Redbird Jason Marquis in the series finale on Sunday.  At first glance, you might be haunted of seasons past with the thought of facing two left handers.  So far this year, the Cards have been pretty balanced at the plate, whether facing a righty or lefty.  Here are the splits (avg/obp/slg):

  •  vs RHP  .282/.372/.417
  •  vs LHP  .272/.378/.409

Tony La Russa knows how to mix and match his lineup to give the offense a chance. This series won’t be any different.

The rivalry between the Cardinals and Cubs is one of the best in baseball (although lately the Astros are trying to squeeze into the fight).  It’s always a series that I pay close attention to, and I get a kick out of talking smack with Cubs fans.  Something about 100 years.  This season, many picked Chicago to win the division, and St. Louis to finish near the bottom, which is why Bernie Miklasz, of the St. Louis Post Dispatch feels the pressure is on Chicago.  Find his article here.

This weekend, as you’re keeping tabs on the first match-up between the two clubs, also look for a first of its kind breakdown of Saturday’s game with combined coverage from ten different Cardinal blogs, including this one.  C70 has all the details.  It should be a lot of fun.

Beat the Cubbies! 


Posted in La Russa, Lohse, UCB, Wainwright, Wellemeyer | No Comments »



UCB Roundtable Discussion

Written by Mike on March 22, 2008 – 11:21 pm -

The United Cardinal Bloggers Group is winding down the roundtable discussions, with one more debate to be posted on Monday.  Yesterday I posted three questions to the group for open discussion.  In addition to me, we had four other Cardinal bloggers participate:

Here are the questions, and everyone’s thoughts:

1.)  Yesterday, there was some talk about who you’ve been impressed with up to this point in Spring Training.  What about the opposite?  Which players are you surprised to see having a disappointing spring? Do you think they’ll turn it around?
Daniel:  There haven’t been a lot of disappointments.  There’s disappointment in the same old same old with injuries, as noted with Tyler Johnson still not throwing.  Izturis, to me, has been the biggest on-field disappointment, though.  I know he’s not much of a hitter, so the average wasn’t that disappointing, but the fielding?  He’s making an error a game, it seems like, and I know TLR is big on him, but right now, it’s not looking so good.
Haedar:  Gotta agree with Daniel and say Izturis.  He was never known for his offense, but he is supposed to be a high caliber defensive player and at least put up an average of .250, but he’s made tons of errors this spring and is hitting around .150.  Tony is being stubborn and  stating that he is the starting shortstop to avoid the “Spivey 2008″ tag.  If Cesar keeps this up, he will be relegated to the bench in no time.
Bryan:  Cesar Izturis has definitely been the most disappointing player this spring.  And to add to it, Tony La Russa has been equally as disappointing with his rigid position that Izturis is still doing well defensively and should still start.  I’m not sure Cesar has anything left in the tank anymore.  Molina’s slow start is disconcerting, but I think he’ll turn it around at some point.  Blake Hawksworth really disappointed me this spring, as this was a chance to make a good impression on the big league club.  I’m not too optimistic about him.
Michael:  Duncan’s horrible spring at the plate was a surprise to me.  Also to see Molina regress at the plate, after the progress he showed during last season, has been disappointing.  The other disappointment was Clement’s physical readiness not being what we expected/hoped it would be at the start of spring training. I hadn’t been aware of Izturis’ struggles with the glove until I saw your guys’ comments.
Daniel:  I’d like to see Molina hit better in the spring, but I wouldn’t say I was worried enough to call it a disappointment.  If it continues well into April, then that might be a different story.
Me:  Of course Izturis is the big one.  I was okay with the signing when it happened, and was willing to watch a sacrifice in offense for a defensive upgrade at short.  Turns out Izturis sucks with the glove too.  Tyler Johnson disappoints me too.  Last year, despite changing his jersey number and his hairstyle, he still got knocked around a bit.  I read that he had a baby, and was maturing quickly.  To hear that a little more work in the off season might have prevented his injury was very disappointing.
Daniel:  The only thing I’ll add is that I’m not sure that more work would have prevented his injury.  It might have helped, but this seriously sounds like a surgery thing coming pretty soon, in which case more work might have blown it out earlier or at best delayed the problem.
2.)  Opening Day is just ten days away.  There are a lot of new faces on this year’s team.  How would you grade John Mozeliak in his first off season as GM?  What were his best and worst moves?
Daniel:  Still a little hard to judge Mozeliak since a few moves were made while he was interim GM and some still haven’t really panned out.  All in all, though, I think he’s doing a pretty good job.  If he’s one of the reasons so many young guys are still in camp or got long looks this spring, he jumps up another notch.  His next big test will be the amateur draft.  If they can get a quality draft in, he’ll move even farther up.
Haedar:  Can’t really grade him accurately at this point but he’s made some good and some bad moves.  The two worst moves of the offseason were signing both Izturis and Miles to guaranteed deals instead of minor league deals with invitations to spring training.  The best move came a day or so ago locking up Wainwright long term.
Bryan:  I would give Mozeliak a B so far.  It was probably a B- before the Lohse signing, but the signing was such a good deal that he has to get a B.  On the other hand, the Miles re-signing was a very questionable move (and still is, considering Miles’ terrible spring so far).  Trading Rolen was good for the team, trading Edmonds was neutral (although it opened up a position in our already crowded outfield), and the Izturis signing was just plain bad.  Overall, however, I’m very satisfied with the direction this team is going.
Michael:  Mozeliak:  average or slightly better than average so far, but it’s still too early to tell.  I’m not a big fan of Lohse after watching him get torched in Cincinnati for the past few years, but with our starters in disarray again Mozeliak didn’t have much choice but to sign another pitcher.  He at least got Lohse on the relative cheap.  Hell, he can’t be any worse than Kip Wells, right?  Managing to move Rolen for more than a used glove and a bucket of baseballs was a victory.  The Miles signing, I agree with all, is a head scratcher unless viewed through the “Tony wanted him” prism.  Signing Wainwright yesterday was a great move.
Daniel:  The middle infield situation definitely is Mozeliak’s biggest drawback.  Especially when he himself admits he’d have signed Adam Everett if he had thought he’d been nontendered.  (Though that wouldn’t have helped with the offense, it’d done wonders defensively.)  Adding Miles to the mix was really unnecessary save to appease La Russa, I’d guess.
Me:  Overall:  B+.  With the exception of Miles and Gonzalez, I think the Cards made all the right moves. The Molina and Wainwright deals are by far the best.  Payroll flexibility is much better than it has been in recent years.  We’ll see what they do come draft time.
3.)  How much better (or worse depending on your answer to question 2) is this team compared to last year’s squad?  How many wins will the Cards have at the end of the season, and where do they finish?
Daniel:  I think this squad might be a little better than last year.  I think the pitching will be better, at least on the whole.  The offense is pretty intriguing.  If Kennedy hits like he has this spring and Molina hits like he did last year, there’s only Izturis as a “OK, nothing is happening here” spot in the lineup.  I’m still holding out hope for a .500 season.
Haedar:  I think the starters are a little better, the offense is better, or at least has more potential to put up better power numbers, but the bullpen will not be as good because people will be moving in and out and therefore some integral parts will not know their main role.  I think most bullpens can be decent as long as the guys in it know what their main role is and in what situation they are called upon to pitch.  With a lot of injured players coming back from the DL, there is going to be a lot of shifting around and some pitchers will not get comfortable in their temporary role.
Bryan:  I think the team is better than last year, but a few injuries could really turn this season into a disaster.  I think 80-85 wins is a very optimistic prediction, but I’ll go ahead and make it.  I’m confident in our outfield and returning pitchers.  Still don’t think that’ll be good enough for anything but third.
Michael:  Even with all the moves the team has tread water overall since last season ended.  The bullpen is still a plus but didn’t improve; the starters overall are still a minus and didn’t improve; the lineup is a wash; the bench is slightly better.  It seems all our eggs for a good team are in the respective rehab baskets of Carpenter, Mulder, and Clement.  I expect they’ll finish within +0, -10 games of .500 with the team they have now.
Haedar:  I think the Cardinals’ record will get worse before it gets better.  That’s to the tune of 75 wins this season.
Me:  I think it depends on how you look at it.  Before Opening Day ‘07, the Cards looked good.  The pitchers all had good springs (even Wells), and no one thought they’d finish under .500.  A ton of injuries changed the outlook dramatically.  I’m optimistic about the offense.  I think the potential to score a lot more runs is there.  The starting pitching may be a wash, and I agree that the bullpen could be worse this year.  I’m also wondering if the clubhouse will miss Edmonds, Rolen, and Eck.
That’s it.  Lots of good points from everyone, and I’m sure they’ll be a lot more in the next installment.  I love talking baseball!

Posted in Carpenter, Clement, Duncan, Eckstein, Edmonds, Gonzalez, Hawksworth, Izturis, Johnson, Kennedy, La Russa, Lohse, Miles, Molina, Mozeliak, Mulder, Rolen, UCB | 3 Comments »



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