the return of pitching tuesday

23 days until pitchers and catchers report. (Yes, that's counting today. Just work with me, please.)

23 reminds me of A-Rey, and A-Rey reminds me of pitching. The 5-man rotation has a pretty solid foundation going into 2010, but questions linger, primarily concerning the fifth spot.

We've got Carp and Wainwright (I still refuse to call him Waino), two of the best pitchers in the NL who should've shared the Cy Young in '09 but ended up with only each other to hold. Then there's Lohse, who wasn't stellar the year after signing a huge and very well-timed contract with the club, but who has the talent and experience to contribute quite a bit this season. Brad Penny rounds out the main four as the latest addition to the team, and it should be very interesting to see not if, but how Duncan is able to build on his strengths and help him pitch his way into our hearts.

The last spot in the rotation is where the question lies. Jaime Garcia? Kyle McClellan? Mitch Boggs? Or maybe someone else will step up during ST and give us another name to chew on. None of these options is ideal, Garcia because of missing all of '09 and with not much major league experience to begin with, Mac because he is so valuable in the 'pen, and Boggs because, well, he tends to go downhill very quickly when he goes. Brad Thompson is gone, but I wouldn't have been too excited about him in the rotation, anyway. There's still an outside chance of bringing Smoltz back, but I'm not holding my breath. Besides which, it's hard to imagine him lasting all year without any issues.

Truth be told, it might make sense for the Cards to sign a fifth man at this point, but I don't look for that to happen. At least not until Tony and Dave get a better feel for what we have to work with.

The bullpen is evidently going to look very similar to last year. Ryan Franklin will hold down the 9th innings, Dennys Reyes and Trever Miller will primarily come in against lefties, and Kinney and Motte will cover the gaps. Some newer additions could include Walters, Jukich, Samuel*, and Ottavino, but again, it's hard to know which of the hopefuls will have their dreams come true until we actually see them take the ball in ST.

*Youngest pitcher on the roster.... He just turned 23.


Once upon a time I heard talk of Russ Springer rejoining the team. That was probably just a fairy tale.

Know who I'd really like to have? Max Scherzer. He's a Missouri native, so I feel kind of possessive of him. I just know someday he and Mark Buehrle will wear the birds on the bat.

Think the Mariners really have a chance now that they've got Cliff Lee? Think the Phils could've made it as far as they did without him?

it's pitching tuesday again

And what an appropriate topic after a game like last night's. I'm going to start by looking at the pitching we saw, then finish up with the pitching we're going to see.

Adam Wainwright 5.1IP / 4H / 2R / 2ER / 5BB / 7K / 0HR

Adam didn't look comfortable, especially in the first inning when he got himself into a bases-loaded jam. He seemed to find a bit of a groove later on, but it certainly wasn't what we were hoping for on Opening Day against the Pirates. When he left, with 2 runners on and the 'Birds holding on to a 2-run lead, there still looked to be hope for his chances.

Josh Kinney 0.1IP / 0H / 0R / 0ER / 1BB / 0K / 0HR

Josh got one out, but then walked the second batter to load the bases, and that was enough of Josh.

Trever Miller 1.0IP / 2H / 0R / 0ER / 0BB / 2K / 0HR

Yuck. Trever struck-out 2 but allowed Wainwright's 2 runners to score and the Pirates to tie the game. It was a big job, and he didn't get it done. Blown save #1 for Miller and the Cards.

Kyle McClellan 1.1IP / 1H / 0R / 0ER / 0BB / 1K / 0HR

Kyle, the guy who was almost left off the 25-man roster (if you believe everything you read on the internet) because of a sloppy Spring, was the only reliever who didn't make me cover my eyes and hold my breath. He also made me glad I picked him for my fantasy team.

Jason Motte 1.0IP / 4H / 4R / 4ER / 0BB / 1K / 0HR

And then there was Jason. If you have a weak stomach, you probably don't want to hear about it, and you probably left the room shortly after the start of his seemingly-never-ending inning of work. It was torture from the first pitch on. Jason got lit up for 4 hits and 4 runs, but the really depressing part is that at one point he was one strike away from getting the save and the win. Unfortunately, Jack Wilson saw that strike coming and drove it deep into center, well beyond the reach of Skip Schumaker (who was playing in the outfield for those of you keeping track). The Buccos took a 2-run lead and the Cardinals couldn't answer. Motte gets the loss and blown save #2 for the 'Birds. (Not that I'm counting.)

I'm trying to be positive about the implications of this game, such as how it's only one game, but I agree that it's tough not to let this loss haunt us. After all, how many times last year did we console ourselves by thinking "it's only one game" only to be devastated again and again by the same outcome?

I'm hoping that we can learn from this loss. All of us, Tony. All of us, Dave. All of us, John and Marty and Hal and Joe and everyone else whose names I've forgotten. Instead of making the same mistakes we made last year (like sending pitchers out to the mound when they obviously didn't need to be there), it's time to make choices based on what's best for the immediate situation (eg runners on and nobody out, or bases empty and two down, or what have you) rather than trying to prove a point or giving certain pitchers a chance to right themselves. Does this sound strange coming from me? I guess I'm just ready to acknowledge that sometimes you have to work towards the greater good, and win the game at hand.

The pitching tonight will start with Kyle Lohse. Where it will end is anybody's guess at this point, but I think it's safe to say (and I think others have already said) that we probably won't see Motte, not because of his performance (really) but because of his high pitch count. Dave will want to rest him, and so if there's a save situation, we could see Franklin come in.

Ian Snell (Davila? I can't remember now) goes for the Pirates, and he'll probably pitch very well, if for no other reason than I recently dropped him from my fantasy team in favor of Matt Lindstrom. So if it's bad again, you can blame me. Of course, if it goes well, I'll expect full credit.

UPDATE: La alineación para esta noche, gracias a 101 ESPN y twitter:

Schumaker 2B
Rasmus RF
Pujols 1B
Duncan LF
Greene SS
Ankiel CF
Molina C
Thurston 3B
Lohse P

Notable observations: (1) The pitcher will hit ninth for the second consecutive game. That has to be the first time that's happened in a while. (2) Rasmus makes his major league debut and will play right instead of center. (3) Again tonight, someone other than Freese will start at third. (4) Duncan will hit cleanup and Greene slides to the five-hole.

the end of an era?

Tony said this about Izzy, "I told him to get the thing fixed and plan on pitching next year." 

Poor Jason. I wish the season could have ended differently for him. I wish Cardinal Nation had been more understanding when he wasn't pitching his best. I wish we could have gotten him 7 more saves. 

Maybe Tony's optimism means we shouldn't discount seeing Izzy in a Redbirds uniform next season. He has done such a good job (when he's healthy) as a reliever that it would be a real tragedy for him to go out on a bad note instead of with the ovations and applause that we know he deserves. 

I'm already calling on the organization to retire #44, just not quite yet. 

In other news, Wainwright will be back in the rotation on Friday. I guess this means we shouldn't expect to see Carp for a while. Adam sounds chipper and hopeful and healthy. 

The issue with Kyle Lohse and a five-game suspension has me completely dumbfounded. I totally wasn't expecting it, mostly because you usually only see suspensions after ejections, and there was no ejection (and if there had been it would have to have been an ejection of Volquez rather than Lohse). So the fine and 5-game penalty was kind of shocking. Kyle called it "pretty weak" and I'm inclined to agree. Especially considering that Volquez received no punishment even though he put two pitches close to batters' heads and hit Lopez in the back. What a load of manure. I'm glad he's appealed it and I hope they repeal the suspension.

so much for that

Dave Duncan has apparently announced (without consulting me, thank you very much) that when Wainwright returns to the roster he will be pitching out of the bullpen... more specifically, as the closer. I have to assume Dave knows what he's doing. At least this means we won't have to see Piñeiro or Wellemeyer displaced from the rotation. Plus, things went pretty well the last time Wainwright was our closer, wouldn't you say? I wonder how Adam feels about this...

gotta have faith

It's getting harder and harder to envision the Cards in playoff contention. I still believe they can do it, though... I refuse to give up. After all, lately the Brewers have shown how little cohesion they have as a team, and without them in the way, the Redbirds have a wide open door to the Wild Card. 

Last night basically summed up the season for the Redbirds... at least I hope it did. (See the end of the post for an explanation.) 

Yes, the bullpen (specifically Izzy, but I'll get into that later) gave back every hard-fought run, but in the end, after much chagrin, the offense was able to deliver a win. (Did that rhyme? Sorry.) 

To the casual observer, this game may have seemed tense, messy, even ugly. And it was. But you have to look beyond the ninth inning meltdown to find the true spirit of the game and this team. 

pre-game: Chris Carpenter was sidelined with injury for well over a year, and now that he's back, he operates under pitch-count limitations. Going into the game he was already predestined to leave after 80-85 pitches. He's the ace, and Tony will take no chances with his arm. 

innings 1-5: Carp got through the first five only allowing three hits, and finished having only thrown 51 pitches. If the damn rain hadn't come in (or should I say, if the damn umps hadn't called for the tarp with a slight mist coming down) who knows how much farther into the game he'd have gone. It's best not to speculate, I suppose. 

bottom of the first: Albert ended a too-long Oh-fer streak with a single up the left side and then stole second (with a little help from the LA catcher who couldn't handle the ball), but nothing came of it. 

bottom of the fifth: The Cards opened up the scoring when Kennedy drove in Izturis. Kennedy doesn't play much, and when he does he usually seems a little rusty (as should be expected). Last night, however, when we needed him to, he made it work. Adam went 3 for 6 in the game, a sight above his season average of .260 or so. Kennedy has really improved his game since last year when many were questioning his abilities both at the plate and in the field. 

bottom of the sixth: This was a disappointment. The bases were loaded and the only RBI we came out of it with was thanks to Rick Ankiel getting hit by a pitch. 

bottom of the seventh: Kennedy singled (for the second time) ahead of Albert, and then Albert reminded us why he's the best in the game. A two-run shot put the 'Birds up four to nothing. 

the bullpen: Brad Thompson was on. Three batters, three ground-outs, 1-2-3. 

Kyle McClellan needed a few more pitches than I would have liked, but after giving up the only hit he would allow, he got a double play to end the seventh inning, and then another to end the eighth after a one-out walk. 

Ron Villone came in for the ninth because with a four-run lead, there was no save situation and therefore no closer. Unfortunately, the lefty he was brought in to face was Andruw Jones, the switch hitter, and he opted to bat right-handed. Even worse, he opted to turn it on for this game and hit his third home run of the season. (Yes, Andruw Jones. I'm not sure if it's more surprising that he hit a home run or that he only has three this season. I guess that depends on how closely you follow the Dodgers.) And that's where things went terribly, horribly wrong. 

Jason Isringhausen, who may not be a professional baseball player much longer, was completely ineffective and maybe even a little sloppy. 

Two more runs would score for LA before Tony finally pulled his closer, and then Ryan Franklin came in to clean things up and allowed another of Izzy's baserunners to score. He was able to get the final two outs of the inning, though, possibly thanks to the squirrel. That left us tied at four going into the bottom of the ninth. 

Franklin pitched again in the tenth and gave up two hits but got out of a bases-loaded jam without giving up any more runs. 

Jaime García came in for the eleventh and was very good. He walked one, but didn't allow any hits or runs, and kept the tie intact for one more inning. 

bottom of the ninth: A single and a walk were followed by a fielder's choice and and a high fly to left that ended that particular threat. 

bottom of the tenth: With two out, Miles and Izturis each singled, but Schu couldn't get the ball past the second baseman and that was the end of that. 

bottom of the eleventh: Kennedy singled again in a clutch spot (good for you, Adam), Albert slapped at one that was waaaay out of the zone and popped it up for the first out, and then...

Ryan Ludwick sauntered to the plate. 

He owned four homers over the weekend. 

He hit one deep to left center, and that was the game. 

So here's how it breaks down: 

►The Cardinals' starter was sharp, but only pitched five innings. 

►The Cardinals scored early, but were unable to add on late in the game. 

►The bullpen leaked and gave up the tying run, denying the starter a "W". 

►Instead of playing small ball, the Cardinals offense depended mostly on the long ball to score. 

►The 'Birds stranded almost as many runners as they had hits. 

►Rain delays interrupted the game. 

►The Redbirds did not play spectacularly well at home. 

►The 'Birds were 1 for 2 in stolen bases. 

►The first and second spots in the lineup combined to hit over .400. 

►Pujols hit .400. 

►Glaus hit a double. 

►Ludwick had an extended hitless streak (0-5), then came through in the clutch. 

►The defense was sharp; they did not commit an error, and they turned three double plays. 

With a few tweaks, this breakdown could be applied to any one game or the entire season. Go ahead, try it. 

I was tempted (more than once) to go to bed and let them sort it out by themselves, but I stuck it out and stayed up. I am glad I did. 

In other news: Wainwright is getting closer to returning. After his latest test (throwing pitches to some of the Cardinals' hitters) he said, "My arm felt good and my finger felt great." He's supposed to start in Memphis on Saturday. 

The 'Birds signed recently released SS/2B Felipe López and sent Brendan Ryan down to Memphis. We'll see how this works out. Sometimes you find gold, and sometimes it's just a shiny rock. 

Someday Rick Ankiel will be back in the lineup, and I'm waiting none-too-patiently.

a few notes

What's new? 

►Chris Duncan (as I may have mentioned) will have surgery tomorrow to try and repair a herniated disc in his neck. You're in my thoughts, Chris.

 

Symbiotic relationship?

►Izzy pitched a four-out save last night. He's up to 293 now. 

►Ryan Franklin has some sort of growth on his face (mostly around his mouth and chin) that could well be controlling him. He and the growth pitched out of a jam in the top of the ninth tonight to keep the Phillies to a one-run lead.

 

►The Cardinals released Matt Clement today. I wondered for a while if anybody even remembered he was around, and now I guess I have my answer. Apparently, he couldn't get his sinker down and was just generally a disappointment. Now there's room on the roster for someone more productive. 

►Wainwright (I refuse to call him Wain-o no matter what you do to me) pitched around eighty pitches at 100 percent today and said he felt great afterward. His "In My Own Words" segment is on FSN right now. 

►Ludwick has three home runs in the last two games. 

►Glaus is cold. Ice cold. But he can still draw walks. 

►I can't wait to see Manny Ramirez in the next series. I like Manny even if Rick Horton does too.

good choices, bad choices

Jim Edmonds is turning out to be just what the Cubs needed, even if they didn't know it at the time. He hit two home runs in one game again yesterday (one was a grand slam) and helped the North-siders finish off a four-game sweep of the Bloated Brewers. And here I thought Milwaukee was going to prove more of a challenge. I guess that's just when they're visiting Busch. thhhhhbbbppppt...

Glaus got the day off yesterday, and I can't help but wonder if it isn't because of the slump he's been in (and I'd call a .139 average over nine games a slump). Maybe a little rest will help him get back on track. He's very streaky, and we're ready for the next hot streak.

When asked why he continues to give back runs and blow leads, Piñeiro replied, "I wish I knew, so I could stop doing it." 

What a stupid question. I feel bad for pitchers after they have games like Joel had last night, and I feel even worse when they have to answer questions like, "So how bad does losing feel?" and, "Why can't you pitch better?" Jeez, come on.

Albert is back to being Albert. He's up to 21 home runs, and as Al pointed out last night, it's no longer a question of if he'll make it to 100 RBIs, it's when.

Wainwright will throw a "game-like" bullpen session tomorrow and work on the most challenging of his pitches: his curveball. Hopefully this means it won't be too much longer before he's back. Then the question is, whom will he replace in the rotation? 

I'd take Carp off the list of choices, and Lohse as well. That leaves three possibilities. 

Wellemeyer's last outing was painful to watch (especially with all the sweating) but he only gave up two runs and the team won the game. 

Looper won his last decision, putting him at ten wins on the season. When he's sharp, he goes deeper into games than any of the others. 

I intentionally saved Piñeiro for last. He has not looked good lately, and last night was no exception. He only has three wins this season, and the last one was on July 8. His ERA is above five, and what's probably working against him as much as anything is the fact that Tony does not agree with Joel's attitude toward winning and losing. Joel takes more of a "qué será será" approach to pitching, while Tony prefers his pitchers to reach deep down inside and release the true competitor within. In other words, go out there and bring it. I'd hate to make any assumptions, though, so we'll just wait and see.

Coming up...

The Redbirds play 3 games against the Phillies at Busch, have a day off, then play 3 more home games against the Dodgers (and their new outfielder).

The Cubs have two 3-game home series, first against Pittsburgh, then Houston, before a day off.

The Brewers travel to Atlanta for 3 games, then Cincinnati for 3 games, then have a day off.

try to keep up

Wow. Everything happens when I'm sick. Let's see if I can recap it all.

Franklin made me eat my words. He pitched a stellar 9th inning in game 3 at Houston, striking out the side.

Wellemeyer and Wainwright are both hurt. Adam will probably go on the DL, Todd will probably be back in the rotation for his next start.

The Cards capitalized on a bunch of errors/mistakes by the 'Stros and reminded everyone that a win is a win is a win.

Pujols is hurt. And it's terrible. But Duncan will most likely be back up to replace him on the roster when he's officially DLed. As upset as I am to lose Albert, you gotta know how excited I am to have Chris back.

Boggs held his own in both first starts and will undoubtedly be a huge asset to the team depending on how things go with (insert name of most-recently injured pitcher here).

Speaking of Piñeiro, he's going to start Thursday. Hopefully it'll be a good thing.

♥ In other news, Michael Strahan is retiring. Football will ne'er be the same again. ♥

got his game on

If you ever get the chance to sit in section 371, row 2, seat 17 at Busch to see a Cardinals game, decline. Don't do it. I don't care if it's free (or even if someone offers to pay you to sit there). You won't see any of left or center field (including the left and center fielders), and instead of watching the batter and the third base line, you'll be watching the left field foul pole, although you'll have a great shot of the home plate umpire and the ball/strike calls.
Yes, I sat there last night, and I have absolutely no doubt that my terrible seat and inability to follow the game had everything to do with the late innings meltdown that I heard about and watched replays of on the jumbo-tron (since I couldn't actually see). Regardless of the bad luck associated with my situation, though, this loss is totally on Tony. Even from my ridiculously pitiful vantage point, I could tell that Adam was tired and on the verge of giving up a big hit. So one would assume that Tony, from the far better position he was in, should have known. Now I'm sure that when Dave went out to the mound to talk to Wainwright, Adam told him that he was fine and could definitely get this last guy out, no problem. However, since when does Tony listen to the pitcher? Even Adam. For that matter, when does Dave?
Wainwright looked so good early. The offense had it turned on early. And I was definitely enjoying the game early (the blocked view and annoying neighbors notwithstanding). So I guess it wasn't a total loss. I still really enjoy going to games. The atmosphere, the food, the thrill of seeing my idols in person (if not quite so up-close). The next time I go, though, I'll see you on the first base line. No binoculars required.

it's slight

Either Adam Wainwright is 8½ feet tall, or Jim Hayes is 3½ feet tall. No offense, Cat.

what's up?

I know it's only been a couple of days, but it feels like I haven't written anything in a while. Must be that I keep staring at a blank page searching for words to express myself, and I keep coming up short. Is that writer's block? Does it apply to blogging? 

Barton hit his first ML home run in the dreadful loss to Houston the other day. 

Looper looked terrible--4 runs in the first inning--and Berkman, along with the rest of the Astros line-up, looked très haute. So good, in fact, that I realized it would be a travesty of justice if he didn't make it to the All-Star Game. 

What a mess that whole situation is. I'd say it's a complete joke, but since home-field goes to the winner's league, it's really more serious than that. Stay with me. I'll think of the word.

Boy, when our pitching is on, it's on, and when it's not, it just pulls everything else down with it. The last two games were a perfect example. There is no particular difference between Chacón and Rodríguez, but when Looper came out Tuesday and gave up four runs in the first inning, the Cards were unable to get those runs back. Then Wainwright shut down the same lineup on Wednesday, and our boys came through with the big hits. 

Tonight it'll be Lohse (4-2)--with some good games and some bad ones--against Oswalt (4-4)--who's had some very good luck pitching to the Cardinals. But I won't speculate or try to predict anything, as that usually only gets me in trouble. (I think it's best if I stick to picking apart games after they're over.) 

One more thing... I'm not touching the Chris Duncan issue. Okay, I'll say this, I have the utmost respect for Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan, and I have a bit of a bias towards Chris (he's my hero), and I would never, never, never in a million years believe Tony would put a player in the lineup for any reason other than merit. 

Chris earned his spot. 

Period. 

Think what you want, I know what's up.

there's nothing funny about it

Ugh... interleague play. 

I'm one of those anti-DHers who has a strong suspicion the AL wouldn't be nearly as good a league if they didn't CHEAT so much. 

Yeah, I said it. Not batting your pitcher is cheating, and I'll gladly listen to any argument you might have as to why it's not.

     

(dramatic pause)

That's what I thought. 

Having a player whose only job is to hit is insulting to the players who actually PLAY a position, and I can only guess that it's a bit insulting to the designated hitter, too. After all, you're basically telling the guy that you like his bat, but stay the hell away from the field if you don't mind. 

Personally, I wouldn't give up any of our pitchers as hitters. Braden Looper is 5 for 14 (.357) this season, Adam Wainwright's 6 for 25 (.240) with a home run, and Joel Piñeiro drove in two with a double at the beginning of May. I do, however, feel like it's unfair to the NL teams whose pitchers aren't as gifted at the plate. (And I really resent the fact that home-field advantage at the World Series is decided by the All-Star Game.) But most of all, I feel like having a DH takes away from the true nature (the INTENDED nature) of the game. 

Seriously, if you're going to use a DH, you might as well just have two separate teams like football does--offense and defense--and let everyone specialize. And then go ahead and let them fight over the bat while they try and tag each other with the ball. Think that sounds crazy? Yeah, me too.

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.

give Wainwright a break

Wow. Can somebody please tell me what it's gonna take for Adam to get another win? I guess he's just gonna have to do it all himself.

complete game, baby!

Complete game win for your hero and mine, Adam Wainwright. 127 pitches, 5 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 6 strike-outs. He is just SICK. And kudos to Skip for coming through in the clutch with a base hit to score the winning run. 

You'd've thought they'd clinched the division or something they way they were celebrating at the plate. But I wouldn't take any of it away from them. It was a heck of a game and they played hard and fought hard for the win. Any time you beat a great pitcher like Oswalt you deserve some celebration.

Just a word about the "incident" in the third. . . 

First, Wainwright is NOT that pitcher. Maybe Ausmus is used to working with THAT pitcher, and maybe there's a guy or two wearing the same uniform as Adam that wouldn't have a problem with a little retaliation here and there, but there's no way you will ever convince me that throwing behind Ausmus was ANYTHING but a missed location. Hell, it didn't even hit him. . . 

Second, can you say o v e r r e a c t i o n ? 

If Ausmus HAD been involved in a game where his pitcher hit the batter, and then he himself felt the breeze of a pitch as it passed behind him in the next inning, and this pitcher from some other team had possibly done it with the slightest of intention, well, then Ausmus should have been a man and taken the next pitch out of the park instead of acting like a baby and crying about it. 

Really? You want to throw down? Bring it, little girl. 

Troy Glaus has discovered what those of us from Missour-ah already knew, namely that spring in the midwest (particularly St. Louis), while beautiful, has two very ugly side-effects: road construction and nasal allergies. I don't know what to tell you about the driving delays, but a dose of Claritin in the morning does wonders for itchy eyes and a runny nose.

woooo! Wainwright!

Lordy, lordy. A no-no (and no) into the fourth, a home run and a base hit, and the win. If we get a healthy Carpenter and Mulder back, watch OUT.

ready? on nine. onetwothreefourfivesixseveneight...nine

Okay, I have to admit I haven't watched the end of last night's game against San Francisco yet. As one of my friends so eloquently put it, "I'm old and have trouble staying up past 10 pm." Anyway, I watched through the Cards half of the 6th, then taped the rest, and even though I know the outcome, I still plan on watching it. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. 

Wainwright looked good, but he was definitely on the receiving end of some hard-luck plays and other misfortunes. The bounce off second base, then Kennedy's throwing error... but the biggest hurdle of the game was Correia's pace. For a guy that supposedly had the flu, he sure looked to be on top of the world. 

Oh, and on a side note: WTF? The game on Saturday won't be televised? stupid Fox and the stupid Yankees.... But that's okay, cause John and Mike are just as good as Dan and Al, only without any visual accompaniment. I guess I'll have to download some photos of Glaus to stare at while John tells me about the "blue caps and road gray uniforms with 'Cardinals' across the chest and the birds on the bat," and Mike fills me in on how well Yadi blocks those balls in the dirt and how often Wellemeyer checks on the runner at first.