Let Slip....the Dogs of War!*

7-0 whitewash. Nice.

For the first time since April 16, we're not rooting for a loser. Keep chugging, fellas.

Now, as a .500 team that happens to be in second in the division, let the serious discussions begin about making the playoffs.

Just keep an eye on the Reds in the rear view mirror. They're just as hot as the Cardinals are right now.


*Originally written by some dude named Shakespeare

Focus....FOCUS!

A couple of quick thoughts.

With Chicago and Milwaukee beating each other up this week at Wrigley, a golden opportunity presents itself to climb into second in the division or (dare I say) into the lead. To take over the division lead would take something of a miracle, as the Cubs and Brewers are virtually tied for first, Cardinals trail by 2, and both teams can't lose all three games! (although it would be cool, I'm not ready to rip the space-time continuum).

Not to mention it still makes me chuckle that we're talking about a team that's been under .500 since April 16 taking the division lead in September.

So let's focus on what's important here - taking 2 of 3 from Houston and getting level again.

Houston's had a tough year, have played better of late, but are tied with Pittsburgh at the bottom of the Central. It appears Woody Williams has regained his St Louis mojo, and Oswalt is (as always) one of the elite pitchers in the league. Nice of the Astros to line up their two best pitchers for us in the first two games of the series. It's the thought that counts. Matt Albers will toe the slab in the third game.

Adding insult to injury, today comes word that Garner and Pupura have been fired. From a callous perspective, a little disarray in the clubhouse will probably help. Of course, if Cecil Cooper is a breath of fresh air, then the club might get a bounce and play really well. We'll see.

Cardinals counter with Looper, KFW, and Piniero on the hill. Not exactly Carpenter, Mulder and Suppan, (or even Wainwright, Reyes, and a pitching machine) but they've pitched fairly well of late - St Louis wouldn't be a game under .500 without them (take that any way you want).

So let's keep our focus this week - get to .500. After that start worrying about catching the Cubs.

Nobody cares about your fantasy team - SMS version

I have (amazingly, for how much time I spend agonizing over it) not blogged much about my fantasy team this season. The club has recently run into a rough stretch, for two reasons:

- the Indians aren't hitting. Yes, the entire team has stopped hitting. Victor Martinez has hit 2 home runs since the All-Star Break. C.C Sabathia has given up 2 ER OR LESS in his last 7 starts (including tonight); he's 1-3 in those starts (including tonight's loss). Fausto Carmona: 1.80 ERA since 15 July; he's 4-4.
- My pitchers quit winning. See the Indians starters above, as well as Dice-K (Boston doesn't seem to hit for him - 3-3, 3.06 ERA since the break).

So tonight I'm monitoring the Indians game. Sabathia's starting, as mentioned, against Kansas City. Should be a grapefruit game, right? NO. Indians get 6-hit, lose 2-1.

But here's what really gets me. Cleveland's scuffling. They need some momentum; they're desperate for some momentum. They trail 2-0 in the 6th, get a 2-out clutch hit, cut the lead in half. Seventh inning, they get a 1-out triple from their #9 hitter. Up steps Kenny Lofton.

He's the leadoff hitter. A speed guy. Knows how to lay one down.

Did I mention the team's struggling? Need some momentum?

I can tell you what LaRussa would have done in that situation with Eckstein - somewhere in that at bat, Eck-er would have tried to lay one down on a safety squeeze. Damnit, get that run it. This pitcher's working his but off, and has been for over a month. Give him a break.

Instead, Lofton fouls off 2 pitches and waves at the third. Sit down. Blake then rolls out to second. Inning over.

Managers have to be willing to step outside their comfort zone occasionally and try to shake up the team. Again, LaRussa's did that by moving the pitcher to the #8 position in the order - and the team has taken off (there are other factors, I know, but you get the idea). Would it have killed Eric Wedge to try something new, like a squeeze? If it doesn't work, so what? You've still got a guy on third and your #2 hitter up. If it does, and you tie it, who knows what would have happened next?

A team that has no confidence at the plate needs help scoring runs. Way to sleep at the switch, Eric.

Yet another bone of contention with the MLB front office

It's nice to have a home field advantage again; since dropping the first game of the last home series with Milwaukee, the Cardinals have won 10 of their last 12 at home. It's a large part of their current surge - the ability to win at home.

Milwaukee's loss tonight means the two teams are even in the loss column. Milwaukee has played 4 more games than the Cardinals, which accounts for the two game deficit in the standings. Chicago has also played more games than St Louis (2).

While looking at the Cubs and Cardinals records against the NL, I noticed they have remarkably similar records. St Louis is actually better against the Central (30-22) than either the Cubs (27-26) or the Brewers (28-27). Cubs are .500 against the other two divisions; Brewers 1 game over, and St Louis 6 under (most of those losses are against the East).

Adding up their records against the NL, here's how it shakes out:

Cardinals 55-53 .509
Brewers 57-55 .508
Cubs 57-56 .504

That's right - without Interleague, the Cardinals are leading the Central by percentage points, and have a 2 game lead in the loss column. So it may come to pass that St Louis has the best record in the division against the division but won't win the division.

I hate interleague play. Thanks a lot, "Bud".

Don't Look a Gift Horse In The Mouth

Some will say, well, they lost 2 of 3 in Chicago (and may have lost 3 of 4, considering Zambrano was pitching).

I say, they just completed a 6-game road trip to the two cities they're chasing, and they went 4-2.

I say, they departed on the trip 5.5 games out of first and return 3 games back.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Now, the team plays 13 of its next 17 games at home - where they've suddenly become very tough to beat. Here's the golden opportunity to move even closer (or even take) over the lead in the Central.

For the first time this season, I've become more interested in the Cardinals than my fantasy team. Though that may be in part due to the fact that my once commanding 14 point lead is now down to a single point.

Thanks for the beer, fellas

Nothing like taking 3 from the division leaders to propel yourself firmly back into the pennant race.

The most ridiculous part of this remains the fact St Louis is still 2 games under .500 for the season. They shouldn't be 2.5 games back and be 2 games under .500.

Take 1 game from Chicago this weekend and it's a winning road trip. Take 2 and we split in Chicago, which would be a major victory. Anything more than that is in the realm of impossible dreams, where it will stay - especially since our best pitcher (Wainwright) pitched today, so he won't go against Chicago.

However the way the guys are throwing the ball right now it may not matter. So for now let's just enjoy the ride.

Five and a half..... 5 1/2......

If you read this site, there are probably two things we have in common. One is obviously an affection for the St Louis nine. The other is a love of most things baseball, to include cinematic treatment of America's Pastime.

Which means you probably love 'Major League'.

Vaughan's next pitch is crushed towards South America. Cerrano's gonna need a visa to catch this one...

The Indians in that movie had a pretty good team, but still spent the majority of the year hovering around .500. Until that one thing happened to "put it aaallll together".

The mood, at least according to published reports out of St Louis since Friday, in the Cardinal clubhouse since Ankiel joined the club has been positively upbeat. They've played 4 of their best games since last Thursday. Even the 2-1 loss Friday night was a nail-biter between two great pitchers. And in the other 3 games, the offense has positively exploded, with the pitching being solid across the board.

You don't think we've had our Rachel Phelps moment by calling him up, do you?

This team remains flawed. Not enough starting pitching. Too haphazard an offense. And yet, through all that, they're only 5.5 games out of first.

If I were the Cubs and Brewers, I'd be looking over my shoulder every day now. They should have left this Cardinals team for dead months ago. But they could never put the final stake through the team's heart. And now, with all that talent on the team, and all that playoff experience, and all that baptism by fire since 2000.....

And Edmonds looking more and more like the Jimm-E of 2004-2005 each day, and Rolen driving the ball, and the kids (Ryan, Ludwick, and Rick Ankiel) providing a spark...

"I figure it will take 30 more wins to win this thing. Each time we win...a piece comes off."


Other notes:
- I attended the Chargers mini-camp at MCAS Miramar yesterday. Photos and story to follow this week. I have some doozies, so stand by. I think the lads at 'Kissing Suzy Kolber' will be pleased.

- I've updated my fantasy team roster and will be adding links this week. As my team is in free-fall, but still has a 6.0 point lead in the standings, I've started to become anxious...but it's not a full-fledged panic yet (would it kill you, Justin Morneau and Victor Martinez, to hit a few more HR before the season ends?)

- I've added a new Cardinals link to the margin - Cardinal Nation Globe. Check it out.

Chris Young is a class act

Continuing the maddening, lurching, schizophrenic path this season has taken, the Cardinals lose 5 of 6 to the two worst teams in the NL, and turn right around to take 3 of 4 from the best pitching staff in baseball - the Padres.

I got to think the Padres must dread playing in St. Louis. It's been a house of horrors for them for years. Only since they moved into Petco Park have they been able to consistently beat the Cardinals in San Diego. Why, in the last salad days of Jack Murphy/Qualcomm, we OWNED the boys in Brown and Yellow. I used to loove going to games there. Saw my only in person no-hitter there. Not so anymore; now the Cardinals lose 2 of 3 every year here.

But in St Louis, they always seem to get ambushed. Which is, even in this lost year (which still finds the team only 5.5 out and 6 under), they still own the Padres at home.

But I don't want to talk about that. I want to discuss Chris Young. And to do that, I'll start with Rick Ankiel.

As you may (and if you read this blog, probably do) know, Rick was the #1 pitching prospect in baseball from 1999-2000. Made the majors in 1999. Second in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2000. Forgot where the strike zone was in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Braves, knocked around for 5 years before hanging them up as a pitcher and trying to make the majors as a hitter.

Well, he's back. Called up today, started in RF tonight and batted second, hit a 3-R HR in the seventh. Storybook stuff.


Cardinals fans have long memories. This is why they booed Rickey Henderson 16 years after he broke Lou Brock's single season steals record. So they know all about what Rick's gone through these last 7 years. So as he strode to the batter's box in the top of the first inning, they gave him a standing ovation.

Chris Young then stepped off the rubber to allow the applause to build.

He didn't have to do that. He's trying to win. He spent the first 6 innings allowing only 3 hits, 2 walks and 1 run to the Cardinals. But he felt it important to recognize the effort Ankiel's put in in trying to make it back to the majors. And that's the definition of a class act.

I am a Cardinals fan. Have been since I was 7, will be (barring the team moving to Mexico) for the rest of my natural life. But I have always reserved the right to cheer for the guys who play the game right, or who are examples of the kind of men we should all strive to be.

Chris Young is one of those men.

Baseball is Life

After the euphoria of taking 3 of 4 from Milwaukee, many in the blog-o-sphere (myself included) thought the Cardinals had a legitimate chance of returning to the pennant race. Especially after they one the first game at Pittsburgh - a team we've pretty much abused throughout this millennium in their home ballpark.

And then the Cardinals lose 5 straight to two of the worst teams in the NL. Now 3 games under .500 after the all-star break, 8 under overall, and 8 back.

Yep - that should just about do it.

In come the Padres. They're hot. They just got finished sweeping San Fran at home. Winners of 4 straight. David Wells is on the mound - a lefty. Not looking good.

So of course, the team ties a Major League Record with 10 consecutive hits - and explodes for ten runs in the fifth inning. 10-5 is your final.

I don't get it. Much like life, you got to take it one day at a time.

Do I think the team has a reasonable chance of competing for a playoff spot? No. I just want them to finish at .500. That, after all that's transpired this year, would be a accomplishment.

Piniero? Why?

On to the 4 game winning streak! From all accounts, the Cardinals looked like a team that played hard and knew how to win, which is refreshing (especially this season).


On the heels of the trade deadline, let's discuss pitching for a moment.


Cardinals acquired Joel Piniero from the Red Sox. I did a modicum of research on Piniero. Here's what ussmariner.com had to say:


"The Cardinals just traded for Joel Pineiro. On purpose! He now gets to team with Spiezio again. Hope the pharmacies stay open late in St. Louis."

And here's what Viva El Birdos had to say:

"the cardinals picked up joel piniero for a ptbnl. this guy's career era away from capacious safeco field is above 5.00. even in his good years (2002-03) his era was largely a ballpark illusion --- more than 1.50 lower at home than on the road in both seasons. i don't know why the cardinals even bother with players like this"

Of course, I can't find the numbers now that I looked at yesterday, but suffice it to say that Piniero's pitching numbers since 2005 are so bad only SIDNEY PONSON pitched worse.

So naturally the Cardinals have decided to give him a slot in the rotation and bump Brad Thompson, one of the rare starters the team has used this year that can actually get people out consistently, to the bullpen.

Why do we insist on giving these hopeless rejects a chance? It's as if the Cardinals clubhouse has turned into the Betty Ford clinic for recalcitrant pitchers. I can see the slogan now: 'Made the Majors? Having trouble sticking? ERA over 4.00 career? Lost more than you've won? Then come on down! We've got a uniform and a plane ticket for you. Believe in yourself!"

When you want pitching really bad, you get really bad pitching. If La Ro Ro and Dunc would stick with Wainwright, Looper, Reyes, Thompson, and a pitching machine as their rotation, they might actually make up ground in the race. Sure, you'd lose with the pitching machine...but would you notice the difference between the machine's outing and KFW's? Or Maroth's?

[update 2300] So much for the 4 game winning streak. Looper and Maroth get baked.

[update 2 August 2129] I found the story I was looking for yesterday. It's here. Never mind about the article, just read the gray box at the top right hand corner.

Well, That Really Didn't Solve Anything...

I thought the team needed a 5-2 homestand - take 2 of 3 from Chicago, and 3 of 4 from Milwaukee. They went 4-3. So we really haven't solved anything; they're still not quite out of it, but not quite in it, either.

Some random thoughts from this recently completed homestand:

- The Cubs have the look of a legitimate playoff team. In fact, I daresay right now they are the best team in the NL. This pains me for a couple of reasons: (a) it's the Cubs; (b) I hate to see a team that spends $300 million rewarded immediately - it makes the hole in the space/time continuum that much bigger; (c) Jason Marquis is on a winner AGAIN (although his 11-1 pasting in the salvage game of that series was fun). It's not a big pain, though.

- How good would Milwaukee be if their bullpen was worth a shit? Realistically the Cardinals should be very fortunate they're not 11 games out and buried right now. A legit playoff team doesn't blow leads of 6-0 and 5-0 in consecutive days.

- Welcome back to the fight, Scott Rolen.

- Anthony Reyes finally got off the schneid (is that even a word?). Apparently he looked good as well. I continue to maintain he's a better option both short-term this season and long term for the franchise than KFW (or, unfortunately, Mike Maroth), so it would be nice if the team pulled him aside now, said, 'nice start kid - you're on the big club for the rest of the year, so just pitch', and let him go to work - regardless of the outcome.

- Team's .500 at home again.

- I haven't been keeping that close tabs on the pennant race, mostly because the club's been so bad for long stretches this year. But today I noticed that St. Louis is only 4 games out on the loss side. Yep - the Brewers have played 4 more games, and the Cubs 2 more, than the Cardinals. Not sure if that's significant, but there you go.

So it's off to Pittsburgh and the Nation's capital for 6 games. With two of the NL West's teams (San Diego and LA) coming to town on the next homestand, the club needs a good trip here. 4-2 at least. 5-1 puts them back at .500 for the season. I don't know if I could stand that much excitement.

Atta Boy, Skip!

Striding to the plate after David Eckstein couldn't get the sac bunt down n the tenth inning, Skip Schumaker hit an 0-1 pitch into the right field seats, breaking a 2-2 tie and leading the Cardinals to a 7-2 win. Way to step up, Skip!

Several things to like about this game. Taguchi played well in CF. Molina cut down Willie Harris twice trying to steal (although the first time it appeared Harris beat the tag). Thompson limited the damage to 2 runs through 6 innings - and picked Andruw Jones off first for good measure. AP with yet another clutch HR - this one to tie the game in the 8th. Rolen homered. Yes, it was piling on, but given his offensive struggles this year it was good to see.

And most importantly, the team trailed 2-0 after 5, with Eckstein's single to start the game their only offense, and still came back to win.

I said earlier I would be very pleased if they ended up 5-5 on this road trip. They did, and I am.

What's this? Momentum headed into a key 7-game home stand against the Cubs and Brewers? Maybe my last post was a trifle premature.

Then again, KFW is starting Tuesday night. Let's not get too excited (yet).

RIP, 2007

Chris Carpenter to have Tommy John surgery. Good luck on your rehab, my friend. We'll add you to our intentions.

Mike Maroth gets pummelled by Atlanta.

This photo sums it all up.

Photo courtesy of Deadspin.com and joesportsfan.com

I have to ask: When they looked at Carp's elbow earlier in the year, and decided he needed to have bone spurs removed, don't you think they would have noticed his shredded elbow ligament then? How did they miss that? Were no X-rays taken of his arm?

Carp has been hurt - literally - since day one of the season, and his return was a hope and a prayer in my book. But this new diagnosis, somewhat out of the blue (at least until last week), boggles the mind. It sounds a lot like the medical bungling of Rolen's shoulder injury 2 years ago. I asked it before, and I'll ask it again - do we have quacks on the Cardinals medical staff?

[Update 22 July 8:50pm] Bernie Miklasz asks this exact same question in his Sunday column. Proving we here at the Stance have our fingers on the pulse of those burning questions you want answered. :) Or it could just be coincidence.

No Way

You're kidding, right? Can't be.

KFW threw a 2-hit shutout? Nah. I'm living in bizarro world. Hang on, I've got a phone call...

"Hello? What? He did? No shit. Yeah. Yeah. See you then."

Guess he did throw a 2-hit shutout for 8 innings. Cards win 6-0. Apparently, the Novena is working. So keep going once around the beads, burning those votive candles, giving to the poor.

Can't hurt.

More importantly, the Redbirds have won 3 of 4 since being blown out of 'The Vet' those first two games after the break. That levels their record at 3-3. Hey, got to start somewhere.

So it's on to Atlanta for 4 against the Braves. Keep building momentum, fellas. 9 out in the Central, 7.5 out in the Wild Card. I have no reason to think this is a playoff team. But, if I can finally fix my softball swing (which I did) and start driving the ball again (which I am), any thing's possible.

KFW a winner. Wow. Don't blink, you might miss it.

Now Wellemeyer is hurt

Whacked his elbow on his knee during his last start. So he's headed to the 15 Day DL.

Which means we're stuck with Wells (hereafter abbreviated as KFW).

So we go to war in the second half with Looper, Wainwright, Thompson, Maroth...and KFW.

Perhaps now is a good time to start a novena to St. Jude.

Wells instead of Wellemeyer?!?!?!?!

Well, the All-Star game extravaganza is over yet again. NL loses, AGAIN. Oh, I long for the salad days of my youth (1980s) when the NL ruled this exhibition.

So the AL will host the World Series again this year, as they have every year since 2001. I despise this method of selecting the host team, and have a much better alternative, but that's a blog for a later time.

Today we discuss Kip friggin' Wells returning to the starting rotation. Let's look at this logically: Wellemeyer is 3-1. Wells is 3-11. The Cardinals are 7-1 (I believe) in Wellemeyer's 8 starts. Wells is 3-11. Wells has a 0.82 ERA as a reliever.

So why is this a good idea? Has La Russa finally lost his mind?

Tony's job is to give the team the best chance to win. Wells has not done that when it counted. Just because he had a great spring, and then had a reasonably successful 3 week stint in the bullpen, doesn't invalidate the 3 in-between months of shitty pitching. Wells, as a starter, does not give this team it's best chance of winning. He essentially gives them NO chance of winning. Tony might as well start sending me out there every fifth day.

I hope LaRussa and Duncan aren't stubbornly sticking to Wells as a starter in a lame attempt to salvage their reputations as geniuses overhauling journeyman pitchers.

Stick Wells in the bullpen or release him. Let Wellemeyer keep starting until Mulder and/or Carpenter return, with Brad Thompson holding down the other slot. You've already (probably) permanently damaged Anthony Reyes with your incessant yo-yoing of him between AAA and the majors, as well as constant tinkering with his delivery/pitches.

Where have you gone, Fernando? The Senior Circuit turns its lonely eyes to you...

So much for the first half

I'll bet the Redbirds are collectively glad to have the week off, if for nothing else, to regroup from a below expectations first half.

Some quick notes before I'm booted off the computer for the night:

- Lots of people in Redbird Nation don't like Taguchi. I've seen that sentiment on message boards and in blog articles over the past year (since I joined in the fun). I have not been able to figure out why. For those who don't like him, read this short article on Taguchi that appeared in today's Post-Dispatch. That attitude is why he's one of my favorite players.

- Lots of hitters decline the HR derby invitation because they're afraid it will mess up their swing. I think AP accepted this year because he's looking for his swing. Since he's not hitting HR with the regularity we've come to expect from him, perhaps entering this competition is a good idea. However, I always caveat that comment with this thought: Edmonds entered the HR derby in 2003, and stated later that he hurt himself doing it. His production clearly suffered that year after the All-Star break (28 HR, 67 RBI first half; 11/22 second). This team cannot afford AP to go in the tank in the second half. Again, just a thought.

Posts may be scarce this week. See you for sure after the break.

Mets fans don't like Taguchi? OK, that I do get.

Wishful thinking and bad defense

After I wrote my last post, I thought it may have been wishful thinking to believe the Cardinals could sweep San Francisco. We were to face 2 of the best young pitchers the Giants have in Lowry and Lincecum, and then a lefty (Zito) who, like all lefties, will give our lineup fits.

And then the first two games happened. And if certain folks could FIELD their POSITION, LaRussa's boys would have won both games.

First, Friday night's 4-3 loss. Key play: Taguchi's drop of Benji Molina's fly ball led to three runs - and a 4-0 lead. I love Taguchi. He's my favorite Cardinal after AP. I play softball most nights in a Taguchi #99 shirt. He hustles, was willing to re-make his approach at the plate in the minors just to have the opportunity to play at the Major League level in the States, and he's a great defensive outfielder. Although you wouldn't know it from last night's highlights.

Sorry, So - I love ya, but you should have made that catch. Cost us the game.

Of course, it is always difficult to predict what would have happened if a particular play had been made or a hit had been gotten in a specific situation. However, I think it's entirely reasonable to believe LaRussa would have deployed his bullpen almost the same way (maybe Franklin instead of Cate in the eighth) and that the Cardinals would have started the ninth tied 1-1. Then Duncan's double wins it.

Next, tonight's 7-6 loss. Aaron Miles had one of those horrible innings. His 3 errors (in one frigging inning!) led directly to 3 Giant runs, indirectly to a fourth, and the margin of victory. If he fields his position, the Cardinals win this game 6-5. The throw to first on Sweeney's slow roller - shit happens. The ball Randy Wynn hit that went through him - inexcusable. The other bad throw - the first two plays were clearly in his head at that point.

We've lost enough games because our starting pitching is God-awful, or because our big bats haven't produced this year. Now, with the first two finally starting to click, to be betrayed by our defense? That REALLY hurts.

So much for being .500 at home. Best case scenario is we win tomorrow and go into the break 5 games under overall, 21-22 at home. Ugh.

I can't wait for the All-Star break. At least my Rotisserie Fantasy team is kicking ass....

kids: If you want to learn how to play short, DON'T watch the highlights of this game.

The Cardinals reach .500! The Cardinals reach .500!

Hey, Happy Day! We're a .500 team again!

Er.....at home.

See what this season has been reduced to? I'm actually excited that the Redbirds are now 20-20 at home. Although they very nearly weren't, based on the game highlights courtesy of the WWL. Let's thank the designers of Busch III for making the warning track out of concrete - otherwise Stephen Drew's 9th inning double scores the tying run from first. Instead, it's second and third with one out, Izzy walks them loaded, and gets the inning ending twin killing.

Hope for the future? StL took 3 of 4 from the Diamondbacks - one of the better teams in the league. It's tough to leap over two teams, and they are still 4 games under .500 overall, but they're now only 7.5 games back of Milwaukee. If by some miracle they can sweep the Giants (matchups: Lowry vs. Maroth Friday, Lineceum vs. Looper Saturday, and Zito vs. Wellmeyer Sunday - not the most favorable for the Redbirds, I'd say), they'd enter the break only 1 game under. To play as badly as they have this year and only be 1 game under at the break would be a miracle.

Well Done

As was announced by MLB this afternoon, Chris Young (P, Padres) won the All-Star bakeoff and was added to the NL roster.

Pat yourselves on the back, dear readers - well done.


Apparently Chris is pretty pumped about it as well.