speaking of disappointment

Well, the news just keeps rolling in, doesn't it?

AK signed a minor league deal with the AL champions. He'll work on earning a spot as a back-up second baseman, but I challenge you to find anyone who believes that he'll have an everyday job in Tampa. I guess I've already moved on from caring about the Kennedy issue, because, well... I don't care. I wish Adam the best of luck in his pursuits, and I hope he finds a situation that makes him happy. Saved us $400,000 now, didn't it?

The news that did get my attention was that Joel Piñeiro, the guy who last season (and the one before that) showed as little emotion (pre-game, mid-game, or post-game) as I have ever seen from a latino ball player, is lashing out at José Oquendo (the PR manager) for relegating him to bullpen duties for the upcoming Classic. (Maybe 'lashing out' is too subjective a term, but then, I'm a blogger, not a journalist.)

However you see it (and whatever terms you use to describe it), I can understand his feelings. Joel was eager to represent his country as a starting pitcher (as he did in 2006), and actually made statements earlier on that if he wasn't going to be in the rotation, he probably wouldn't participate. Then the Cardinals made it known that they would prefer he didn't participate in the WBC because of the Spring Training time he would miss.

Of course, LaRussa denies any direct involvement in Oquendo's decision (and I believe him), but that doesn't mean the issue wasn't in the back of Cheíto's mind when he picked his starting three and Piñeiro wasn't one of them.

Joel opted to skip the World Baseball Classic, but I choose not to see it as a spoiled player throwing a hissy-fit. I think that Joel probably knows the importance of being present for all of ST, and would have skipped out only for a really good reason (ie, taking the mound as a starter for Puerto Rico). Now that that isn't an option any more, he has decided to remain in Jupiter for camp.

Personally, I'm glad to see him finally show some corazón about something. And he has really sexy eyes.

which planet am I on again?

Huh????

Wha...????

Who????

How????

When did...????

The Cardinals released Adam Kennedy????

Sorry. I'm gonna need a minute to, um... do some stuff... in my head. You know.

Where????

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Okay, I've almost fully recovered. I can't say I have the foggiest idea where this came from (cough, Tony), or why now of all times, but there you go. If I were AK I'd be sorely ticked. Not that he didn't ask for it, but still. A week before ST. Not only did he not get the off-season to look for work or plan his retirement or whatever, but he also doesn't even get an opportunity to earn the job after all this.

To clarify, I wish they'd have traded him earlier. I was under the impression that we didn't go after an intermedista this off-season because of the $4 million we are going to be paying AK anyway. As though to say, "The job is Kennedy's to lose." Well, I've learned my lesson. I'll never presume to know what Mozeliak is thinking ever again. Promise.

A week before ST and we don't have a second baseman.

A week before ST and we don't have a second baseman.

A week before ST and... you get the picture.

Somebody tell me this was a good idea. (Cue the minor league experts and their lists of prospects...)

And what the fudge about Aaron Miles????

(Did I say I was done complaining?)

checklist

I have every honest intention of running this into the ground. In that you can believe.

The Cardinals have needs, and they have only just begun to address them. By extending Lohse's contract, re-signing LaRue, and picking up Miller and Greene, Moze has renewed my faith. But he's got a lot more work to do. The winter meetings start Monday.

Bullpen
.. Left-handed relievers
..... Charlie Manning
..... Trever Miller
..... __________

One more lefty would do it. I'm thinking Oliver Perez. There's also Fuentes (not likely), Ohman, Beimel, Shouse....

Middle infield
.. Shortstop
..... Khalil Greene

.. Second base
..... __________

Adam Kennedy seems to be the elephant in the room lately. I hope Moze isn't reluctant to sign a second baseman because of the fear of paying Kennedy to sit on the bench for most of '09.

The only problem with re-signing Lopez is that he's not an ideal lead-off man or power bat. And considering the next two items on my checklist....

Power hitter
..... __________

Here's who I don't want: Dunn. Wow, that list was even shorter than I'd thought it would be. (Not that there's any real chance of that happening anyway.) Actually, if it were up to me (which it's not), I probably would put this at the very end of the list--kind of as an "if we've got money left over and just really want to spend it" item--and focus on the real deficiencies rather than the perceived ones.

Lead-off hitter
..... __________

It doesn't sound like anyone projects Greene to take over that spot, so who does that leave? We've got Schumaker....

This spot is generally reserved for a guy who's not so much about the long ball, but more about speed. The guy who can get on base and maybe steal. And since we're known for our unique lineup in which the pitcher hits eighth, we really need two lead-off hitters. Kennedy did not thrive in that role, and Izturis certainly did not impress anyone.

Fifth starter
..... __________

My greatest hopes lay on Carp's ability to return and pitch as brilliantly as we're accustomed (the Cardinals will find out today what the odds are), but reality keeps kicking me in the back of the head and reminding me that it never hurts to have a back-up plan. How about Penny? Penny. Penny. Penny.

what do the numbers really mean?

Three triples last night.

What?

That's right. Three. And one of them off the bat of the pitcher. Who has a problem with the pitcher in the 8-hole? Not I.

Speaking of which, there was some more discussion of the Tony-rific lineup last night, and the final conclusion that was drawn was that it is neither better nor worse than batting the pitcher ninth. The difference, may I point out, is that while other teams have started putting their power guy in the clean-up spot to get more runs in, we're doing the same thing, only we're not sacrificing any of Albert's at-bats.

At least that's the theory. I dug up some numbers, but what I ended up with was that Albert has actually had fewer AB/game than many of his counterparts.

It's entirely possible that this means nothing, and it doesn't matter because Tony will continue to put the pitcher in the penultimate spot in the lineup anyway, but it of kind puts a crimp in my defense of the skipper.

[Mere minutes after I wrote this, I found this. Go figure.]

If I were to go a different direction with this post, I'd point out that Kennedy seems to have taken on the wait-till-the-last-minute approach to batting average and slugging percentage. I've tried that approach with various things throughout life and generally have found that all it gets you is a headache. Maybe it'll work out better for Adam.

There's a rumor that Jim Hayes is going to get shaved during the telecast tonight.

the friendly confines

Kelvin Jimenez is a terrible pitcher. He's just not good. Can we all finally agree on that? Seriously, if your team is ahead by 10 (and then by 6 after you give up some late-inning goods) and you get pulled with only one out left to record, how do you look at yourself in the mirror? I mean, with a six-run margin, how many bad pitchers get left out there? But not you. You're not even as good as bad. You're awful. Dreadful. Shockingly, upsettingly worthless.

Adam Kennedy really wants to play somewhere else and he was showing the scouts what he's made of today. That's perfectly all right with me, because the better he plays, the higher his trade value. I wonder where he'll end up...

It would also be fine with me if Chicago played like they did again tomorrow and Sunday. Especially if Milwaukee keeps losing and New York actually does get abducted by aliens. But I'm not getting my hopes back up, I just enjoy watching our rivals get dismantled.

I love the Cardinals, I realize that our playoff hopes have all but vanished, and I know that my role as a St Louis fan now becomes that of rooting against our much-hated and long-time rivals (yes, the Cubs, duh). However, if there were one player in the Chicago organization that I would love to see earn a World Series ring, it's Big Z. I love his energy, his sense of humor, and especially his arm. The rest of the team can wait another hundred years as far as I'm concerned, but Zambrano is too good a pitcher not to make it to the October Classic. S'pose there's any chance he'll get traded to the Angels or Dodgers or Phillies this week? Yeah, I was afraid of that.

not a complete waste

(sigh)


(SIGH)


Things are looking rather dim.

But, no matter what happens, I refuse to give in to the pessimism. Here are some positives we can take away from the pile of disappointments that was the game last night:

1. Braden Looper pitched like a superhero.

7-1/3 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 6 strike-outs

He had guys chasing and spinning all night. Go Braden! and I hope we see him a Cards' uniform next season.

2. Springer and Villone got it done. (They each get brownies.) Ron especially impressed me because it seems like his command has been a little off lately, and while he wasn't exactly perfect last night, he was good enough... and that's good enough.

3. Felipe López played a little right field and is well on his way to cementing himself in the utility role for Tony. Maybe next we'll get to see him pitch an out or two. Wonder what will happen with him in the off-season...

.

4. Kennedy was on fire (at least by Kennedy standards) and made a couple of really tough, really important plays at second base. He also provided the only RBI we had.

5. Albert had a couple of hits, and Chipper had none, and apparently even Atlanta can beat Washington. (And, no, that doesn't have anything to do with anything.) So if you're focusing on individual accomplishments in an effort to block the pain, José Alberto's .360 currently has him in the lead for the batting title.

That's all I can think of right now. If anything else occurs to me, I'll get back to you.

(The Cubs lost.)

Pujols for MVP.

mmm, meaty

David Brown has a way of putting my thoughts into his articles. Time to break out the aluminum foil hat. Anyway, here's what he wrote about the series in Boston (which the Cardinals dominated):

"It figures that a Kennedy would make good in Massachusetts...."

"...add the '2008 Cardinals' to the list of things that could survive nuclear war."

"Mike Parisi did pretty well in relief, then the Cardinals lost about 12 guys so he had to start a couple of games, and ever since then he's become 'the guy Redbirds fans don't want to see come in because the game's about to end badly.' He's now 0-3 with an 8.06 ERA, and the Cards are 3-8 when he appears."

"Aaron Miles went 5-for-6. All singles. No runs, no RBI. Reached second base once. Weird!"

two outta three ain't bad

I'm trying to stay positive in the face of a heartbreaking 13-inning loss, but it's hard. 

Piñeiro was sharp. 

Our bullpen (with one glaring exception) looked terrific.

Izzy found his groove. Maybe he's on the path back to the place where he doesn't have to load the bases before striking out two in a row. 

Our offense faltered just a little, but if you really want to zero in on the play that defined the game, you have to go back to the "triple" (that was really an error) when Ankiel literally fell down on the job. If that catch gets made, the run doesn't score and the Cards don't have to play catch-up. 

My hero of the game: Adam Kennedy. He seems so much more at-home in AL ballparks. He drove in the run that put us back in a tie game, he made a couple of really important defensive plays, and tried to drive in the go-ahead run (when Duncan was tagged out at home plate). Well, we won the series. On to Detroit.

bouncing back

It seems like every time someone drops the ball, someone else comes back and picks it up for the Cards. Kyle Lohse did the picking up today. He pitched 8 innings and only gave up 2 runs. He retired the last 12 batters he faced. He saved the bullpen and picked up his 8th win on the season. He brought peace to the war-torn countries of the Middle East. Okay, so maybe not that last one, but it was still a good game and a much-needed win for the Redbirds.

Tony called it, "a hell of a ballgame," and I agree.

In other news:

• Adam Kennedy hit his first home run of the year.

• Joe Mather and Mark Worrell hopped the bus back to Memphis.

• Jason Isringhausen and Anthony Reyes rejoined the Daddy-Birds in STL.

• Chris Carpenter's rehab hit a pothole.

• Mark Mulder and Matt Clement are both scheduled to start today at Springfield.

.167 is the opposite of good

Primero, gracias a Dios para Andruw Jones. Le salvó a Franklin. 

And thank God for Joe Torre's decision to send Jones to the plate with a one-run deficit, runners at the corners, and two out in the bottom of the ninth. 

Was he smoking crack? I tell you what, if I were a Dodgers fan, I'd be seriously considering burning them both in effigy. However, I'm a Cardinals fan, and am considering making Joe an honorary Redbird. (And yes, I am aware that he used to play for St Louis.)

I've been reading some other blogs lately and feeling some hostility from people towards Adam Kennedy. 

Here are some of his numbers (thank you, Yahoo! Sports):

Yes, he's only hitting .244 overall, but... 

• his average is .252 if you don't count his PH stats; 

• he's hitting .345 at Busch; 

• .400 with the bases loaded; 

• .313 with runners in scoring position; 

• .300 against NL Central teams; 

• and .364 when he bats second in the line-up. 

He started the season well--through May 6 he was hitting .325--and may be in a bit of a slump right now--since May 7 he's hit .075--but I have faith he'll come out of it. 

He's no Andruw Jones, after all.

is it me, or is it me?

Okay, so thank god we're coming back home. Time for some of that selective memory we're so good at, and let's just focus on what's coming up. 

Three games against Pittsburgh (who have been on fire lately), and then three against the Rays (another team not to be taken lightly), and then we head to the West Coast for two series with the Padres and Dodgers. 

...Allright, so let's focus on what's after that. Three games with Houston, then four games with Pittsburgh, all at Busch. Somehow not even that makes me feel better. 

And on a side note, can someone please explain what is up with all the four-game sets this year? 

Let's be honest here, though... We've lost five of the last six, but we're still six games above .500 and only one game behind Chicago in the division standings. Things may not be perfect, but we're not falling apart at the seams, yet. Plus, it's still only mid-May. There's a lot of season left and a lot of games to play. 

I turned off the game last night. I admit it, I was disheartened. I love the Cardinals, but it's hard watching them lose, especially to a team like the Brewers (not that they're so bad, just not particularly good). Anyway, I'm watching the re-broadcast right now, and it's coming to the part where the wheels kind of fell off. 

I know Adam Kennedy did not just flip that ball into the stands. 

I think it's just my mind playing tricks on me. 

It didn't happen last night, so it can't be happening now, right? 

I must be having a stroke. 

Please let me be having a stroke. 

It's not a stroke, is it? 

Anyway, I'm watching because I read that Yadi and Tony got thrown out and I'm curious how that came about. As I watch, however, I'm wondering if it's worth it. 

I think this game might give me a stroke.

just to clear things up

I KNEW Izzy could do it. I NEVER doubted. I never will. If you don't know that about me, you don't know me.
Molina WILL get a gold glove one of these years. (As soon as everyone gets their collective head out of their collective ass.) Last night was NOTHING compared to what he can do.
Chris Duncan is NOT the strongest left-fielder in the league. Hell, he's not even the strongest left-fielder on our team. What he is, is a decent left-fielder who is REALLY a first-baseman, and a HELL of a hitter (or at least that's the theory). If you don't see him in the line-up much in the near future, it's because he hasn't really been producing like Tony would like. Don't worry. He'll get it back. (On a side note: Duncan makes EVERY PLAY look like a circus performance. I love you, Dunc.)
Rick Ankiel may be sick of hearing about "The Rick Ankiel Story", but I am WAY sicker. And of all people, Joe Buck was getting in on it? Come ON.
I have to admit, and I've probably admitted this before (but it bears repeating), Adam Kennedy surprised the HELL out of me. Last year everyone kept saying, "Oh he's really not this bad... He was good when he played for Anaheim... He just needs to get into a groove...." et cetera. And now all of a sudden, I believe them. More salt with that crow, please.


P.S.--Happy Birthday Ba-Dunc-a-Dunc! Wow, 1981. I feel so old. On the plus side, I've always gotten along with Tauruses.

beginning of week 2

I'm more than a little concerned about Chris Duncan and the lack of playing time he's had. I know it's still early, and I know he had a sore hamstring for at least a couple of games, and I know Tony doesn't like to start him against left-handed pitchers, but really, it seems to me that the list of excuses could be endless. I'm not panicking yet, but if I don't see him in the line-up against Houston tonight, that may change. 

On a more positive note, Rick Ankiel looks extraordinary, both behind the plate (of course) and in what I can only assume is his permanent place in center field. 

And even though Skip Schumaker has yet to get his first hit for 2008, I have very high hopes that he could do so during the upcoming road trip (cause let's face it, the two road series ahead of us could provide a lot of opportunities for forward movement, assuming we're able to take advantage). Skip's going be a great lead-off man someday, but the important thing is that he not let this slow start get to him. 

King Albert, though a little dry on the HR front, is contributing plenty and drawing walks like you'd expect. What else can I say about the big guy but that he's so reliable it's scary. There's a reason Pujols is the face of the Cardinals. 

Glaus has been a little disappointing. I wasn't sure what to expect from him, to be honest, but maybe on some subconcious level I was hoping he'd come in and blow everybody's socks off and make us question why we kept Rolen around for so long when this guy was out there all along. I guess that isn't really fair to Troy, and so I'm trying to do better by him and give him the benefit of the doubt that he's just having a hard time adjusting to the NL and he'll eventually show us what he's made of. It's not like he's been going around piling up the errors and Ks, he's just playing very average-ly, and I'm used to third base being occupied by a Gold-Glover with unusually good reach who plays almost too shallow for comfort. 

Adam Kennedy has been a pleasant surprise so far this season. After last year I was ready to put him in stocks in front of the Stan Musial statue and leave him, but he seems to have found whatever he was missing. Believe it or not, I'm glad we've got him. I remember Dan and Al commenting last year that Kennedy's manager from the Angels was surprised that he was having such a bad year last year, but I figured it was just PR, kinda like when you buy a junk car from someone who tells you it's a real deal, and then after you find out what a lemon it is, they say something like, "well it drove great when I had it." I guess I was wrong. I have no problem admitting that. 

Of course, Molina is doing his thing, as always. He's such a phenomenal catcher, and he does so well with the pitchers, he never ceases to amaze me. You know what else never ceases to amaze me? That he could be overlooked for a Gold Glove again. Oh yeah. Well, we Cardinal fans know how much of a difference he makes and how valuable he is every time he takes the field. And his offense is nothing to take lightly, either. 

The starting pitching is amazing, I only wish Anthony Reyes could be part of the fun. I've been a huge fan of his since the first time I saw him pitch, but I have this awful suspicion that his and Dave Duncan's ideas of how he should be pitching are just too different to overcome. I'll always be a fan, no matter what team he's pitching for, I just hope that someday he finds his rhythm and confidence, cause he's got potential up to his eyeballs. The bullpen is also amazing, and considering how much work they've gotten (and will probably continue to get) it's great that we have such a talented bunch of guys back there. 

Isringhausen is back to being Isringhausen. I'm personally rooting for the Cards to retire #44 someday (just not too soon). He's such a big arm for us, and I never lost faith in Izzy, even when his hip wasn't letting him do his best. I was actually kind of disappointed in a lot of supposed Cardinals fans when he was having trouble. I was disgusted to hear half the stadium erupt in boos when Izzy would take the mound, and I'll never forget how ugly some people were about the situation. Fortunately, he got the surgery, got rehab, and is throwing better than ever. I just hope all those people who booed him now realize how wrong they were to lose faith. 

As for Ludwick, Barton, Izturis, Miles, and LaRue, well they're doing what I knew they would: they're playing their hearts out and giving us everything they've got. What more can you ask for? (A side note on Barton, though, would be something like, "can we get the man a chin strap for his helmet, please?" Seriously.) Overall, I'd say we have a good mix of experience levels among the players. The veterans are providing quality leadership and setting the pace, and the young guys are eager and hungry and giving the team a fresh perspective.