MVN - Most Valuable Network

Wellemeyer Dominate As Cards Top Bucs

Game # 42 Wed. May 14, 2008

Caridnals 5 Pirates 1

Dave Duncan is looking more and more like a genius. He had his eye on Todd Wellemeyer last season, and when no one else wanted him, said “We’ll take him.” He knew that Wellemeyer had a fastball in the mid to high 90’s with a lot of movement and also had good offspeed stuff. He took the relief pitcher and not only brought him to the Cardinals, but talked Tony into putting him in the rotation as a starter. And I have to admit, even I was a little skeptical about Wellemeyer at first. But the more I see him pitch, the more he is making a believer out of me.

Wednesday night, he only gave up 2 hits in 7+ innings of work, improving to 4-1 on the year. The Cardinals offense had 15 hits, scoring 5 runs. And even ‘ole Izzy got a chance to pitch in the ninth. Here is my analysis of the game:

Performance of the Game: Todd Wellemeyer

What Went Right:

1. Todd Wellemeyer - He threw 108 pitches, which is longer than I thought he would last, and was effective. He only gave up 2 hits and struck out five batters. He has an ERA of 3.27 on the season and seems to have solidified a spot in this rotation for now. I would like to see him get more ground ball outs (he had 5 ground ball outs compared to 11 fly outs). But a very solid outing from Todd.

2. Cesar Izturis - Despite making a bone head play on a pop up to shallow left, he had a good game. He collected 3 hits, raising his average on the season to .250. As good as his glove is, if he can just get his average to about .265, I will be more than happy. I didn’t like him at first, but I am warming up to him a little. I said a little.

3. Rick Ankiel - He is making plays that are among the best I have seen in the outfield, and Wednesday he went up against the wall and over it with his glove to rob a Pirate of a home run ala Jimmy Edmonds. It looked VERY similar to that catch Jimmy made in Cincinnati a few years back. From the plate, he was 2 for 5 with a double, raising his average to .294. I just hope they keep him in center and consider turning Colby Rasmus into a left or right fielder.

What Went Wrong:

1. Izzy - Even though he had a 1-2-3 inning, he did not have a good night to the trained observer. He missed his spots on almost every pitch. Molina would call for the fastball down and away, and Izzy would miss inside. Yadie would call for a curve over the dish, and he would be outside and low. His cutter is still not cutting and his fastball is missing. His curve is inconsistent. Long story short, he is still struggling.

2. LOB - I am getting so sick of ranting about this every night. But if you are going to leave 15 runners on base as a team every night, then you shouldn’t expect to win too many games. It is great that we pounded out 15 hits, but we are leaving way too many “ducks on the pond.”

3. Barton over Schumaker - Again, I make my case for “Schu.” I don’t care if he is facing a lefty, Skip should play EVERY day, period! Barton can come off the bench, but Schu is such an important part of this offense. And his defense is second to none in the outfield. Well, except maybe Ankiel’s of late.

The win puts the Cardinals record at 24-18, and still a game behind the Cubs. Tomorrow, Joel Pineiro gets the start for the good guys at noon as the Cardinals face the Pirates in the rubber game of the series.

In closing, it is with MUCH regret to tell you that Jim Edmonds, my favorite player to ever put on a uniform, is going to be suiting up in the uniform I dislike more than any other…Yep, he is now a Cub. When Edmonds was a Padre, I was rooting for him, and was even going to root for him on July 17th when the Padres would be in St. Louis. But a Cub? No, I have to draw the line there. I may have loved Jimmy, but I can no longer pull for him. I don’t even want to see him in a Cub uniform, I would prefer to remember him as a Cardinal. In any case, if he is still struggling as much as he has so far this season, maybe it isn’t such a bad idea afterall. But the Cubs, I mean, c’mon Jimmy?

Bullpen Fails Cardinals…Again!

Game # 41     Tues. May 13, 2008

Pirates 8    Cardinals 4

Once again, the Cardinals’ bullpen cost the team a win.  After tying the game and heading to extra innings, Ron Villone gave up 4 runs in the 10th sending the Cardinals to an 8-4 defeat.  Izzy’s recent struggles led him to ask for a temporary departure from his closer role.  Ryan Franklin has assumed the bulk of the closing duties.  But all I know, is that coming into this season, if we had a strong point, it was our bullpen.  And now, if we have an Achilles heel, it is our bullpen.  Here is my analysis of the game:

Performance of the Game:  Troy Glaus

What Went Wrong:

1.  Ron Villone - Terrible tonight…period.  And Tyler Johnson , it was just announced, will undergo surgery.  That means Villone is our guy for the foreseeable  future as far as lefty.  Overall, I like Rany Flores and Ron Villone as our two lefties.  But I sure do miss Tyler’s slider and mound presence.

2.  Kyle Lohse - He hasn’t been as good his last couple of outings, sending his ERA to 4.91 on the season.  He allowed 4 runs on 5 hits over 7 innings.  One thing I have noticed is he isn’t getting as many ground ball outs.  He is pitching higher in the zone, and the opposition is hitting fly balls…and that is not a good thing for a ground ball pitcher.  I do think he is a keeper, but he needs to make some adjustments.

3.  Playing Barton over Schumaker - I am sick of Skip not starting EVERY single day.  The guy has been phenominal for us this year, and I think LaRussa over manages the whole righty vs. lefty matchup thing.  I don’t care if the pitcher we face is a lefty, send “Schu” out there…period!   It upsets the entire offense.

What Went Right:

1.  Troy Gluas - He was 2 for 5 with his 2nd home run, a 3 run blast.  But the bad news is he is still only hitting .237 on the season.  I hope this home run was a sign of more to come.

I was hoping because we were at home and because we were playing Pittsburgh, that we could pick up an easy win.  I am starting to see that with our bullpen, there is no such thing as an easy win.  Let’s not give up yet though, I do think we have what it takes to win this division.

Parisi Called Up To St. Louis As Reyes Heads Back To Memphis

I don’t know which part I am happier about.  To see Mike Parisi, one on my favorite Cardinals’ minor league prospects get the call to the majors or to see Anthony Reyes earn his much deserved demotion to AAA.  Reyes moved to the bullpen and started out okay, but is back to his old tricks with an ERA of 5.27.  I think this may be Reyes’ last shot with the Cardinals.  It is no secret that they are shopping him.  He is viewed as fixable but unproven, and not many teams are willing to deal the top prospect in return, which is what the Cardinals and Mozeliak are seeking.  I  think Reyes needs to stop relying on his fastball so much and find more “out” pitches.  He has become predictable with little movement at times, a death sentence for many pitchers.

Mike Parisi is 6′3″, 215 lbs. and is 2-1 with a 4.44 ERA for Memphis in 6 starts this season.  I have seen him pitch several times last year and once this season.  He has a great fastball and above average change up.  The one thing I have found about him though is that he is either “on” or “off.”  There doesn’t seem to be much in between.  He has been a starter here in Memphis, but will work out of the bullpen in St. Louis.  I would look for him to get his first opportunity Monday night in Colorado.  He was in St. Louis for the Sunday night game against the Cubs, but didn’t play.

All in all, this is an upgrade for the Cardinals.  And despite his pride being hurt, this is the best thing for Anthony Reyes as well.  He is loaded with talent.  Now it is time to realize some of that potential and improve on his mistakes.  I am hoping he can get back what he looked to have for a brief moment.  But for now, he will be trying to find that in Memphis.

Rivalry Resumed, Game 1: Schumaker Wins It With Walkoff Home Run

Game # 30 Fri. May 2, 2008

Cardinals 5 Cubs 3

Did you know…

The Traffic Light, the modern day Bra, the Ford Model T, and Instant Coffee have all been invented since the Cubs last won a World Series… Thought you Cardinal fans would love that one…

Friday, the rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs resumed. For most of Cardinal Nation, it is the biggest rivalry for St. Louis. Me personally, I prefer the Cardinals/Astros rivalry. I do not enjoy the Cub games as much. I don’t like the Cubs and I love to see them lose. Well Friday, I got my wish.

Skip Schumaker, who seems to be Mr. Clutch this season, provided the heroics with a walk off home run to dead center. The Cardinals had a win in their grasp in the 9th inning, only to see Izzy blow the save when Alfonso Soriano hit a game tying home run. I will give Soriano this, he can hit. But he is by far the WORST left fielder I have ever seen. He make Chris Duncan look like a gold glover. Twice Soriano horribly misplayed balls that should have been outs. But we will take it, especially against our arch rival Cubs. The only frustrating thing was to see Adam Wainwright stuck with a no-decision after a brilliant outing. Here is my analysis of the game:

Performance of the Game: Adam Wainwright / Skip Schumaker

What Went Right:

1. Patience at the Plate - The Cardinals loaded the bases and then got an RBI, all via walks in the first inning. Pinella was so peeved that he pulled his starter, Rich Hill after only 2/3 of an inning. Albert Pujols walked twice, once intentionally. And he is on pace to have 172 walks this season!

2. Adam Wainwright - He was his normal self…spectacular. He allowed only 1 run on 4 hits in 6 1/3 innings of work. He threw 85 pitches on the night and struck out 5. It is so frustrating to see him get stuck with ANOTHER no decision. He also did great at the plate, lacing a double and raising his average to .316 on the season.

3. Tony’s decision to put Schumaker in for Barton - With a lefty on the mound, Tony had decided to give the left handed hitting Schumaker a night off, with the day game tomorrow. But when Hill was yanked in the 1st inning, La Russa made the wise decision to put Skip in. And aren’t we all glad he did. He is much better defensively than Barton. He had a major catch in leftfield to prevent a Cubs rally. And I don’t have to tell you what he did at the plate to send us all home.

4. Yadier Molina - He was 2 for 4 with a double and 2 RBI’s. He also threw a runner out at 2nd, although the blind umpire called him safe. No matter, we won anyway.

5. Ron Villone - He has a really nice slider!

What Went Wrong:

1. Izzy - Question…What do you call a cutter that doesn’t cut? I don’t know either, but Izzy sure threw that to Alfonzo Soriano and paid dearly for it. Blown win for Waino, blown save for Izzy.

2. Cesar Izturis - He went 1 for 5, reducing his pathetic batting average to .212 on the season. I know we got him for defense, but he is NOT helping us at the plate. And especially when we are playing a team as good as Chicago, I would have played Ryan at short, and Kennedy at 2nd. But that’s just me.

3. LOB - I have to harp on this again. St. Louis is leaving far too many ducks on the pond to expect to win consistently.

The win puts us at 19-11, and 1 1/2 games in front of the Cubbies. Tomorrow Lohse gets the start for the good guys in an afternoon game, the FOX game of the week by the way. See you tomorrow Cardinal Nation!

Cardinals Set Franchise Record For Wins In April

Game # 29 Wed. April 30, 2008

Cardinals 5 Reds 2

The Cardinals have never won 18 games in April in the history of their existence until today’s 5-2 victory vs. the Reds. Strong pitching has been a large reason for our success this season, and Wednesday was no different. Looper allowed 2 runs early, but then settled into a rhythm, holding the Reds scoreless for the rest of his outing. The Cardinal offense was led by Aaron Miles and Rick Ankiel. Here is my analysis of the game:

Performance of the game: Rick Ankiel

What Went Right:

1. Rick Ankiel - He was 8 for 13 in the 3 game series against the Reds. He has raised his average to .290 with a 3 for 3 performance Wednesday. I think it is safe to say his little “slump” is over. I cannot wait to see what he can do against the Cubs this weekend.

2. Aaron Miles - This guy stays under the radar, but I tell you, he gets the job done wherever you put him. Second base, shortstop, third base, pinch hitter, batting lead-off, batting ninth, batting second, it doesn’t matter. The little guy is the ultimate team player. He was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s Wednesday hitting 2nd and playing 2nd. He is hitting .288 on the season.

3. The Bullpen - McClellen, Villone, Franklin, and Izzy combined to throw 3 scoreless innings in relief of Looper. It was Izzy’s 9th save so far this year.

4. Albert Pujols - He was 1 for 3, continuing his perfect streak of being on base in every Cardinals game this season.

What Went Wrong:

1. Troy Glaus - He was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts and left 5 on base.

The win puts the Cardinals at 18-11, tied with the Cubs (yes, unfortunately they won tonight) for first place in the NL Central. But the big news is we won 18 games in April. All those “experts” that said we were “rebuilding” or would finish 5th or 6th, where are they now? All I know is that this is an exciting team that wants to win. And with people like Rolen out of the picture, the team chemistry is perfect. These guys come to play and contribute no matter what role they find themselves in on any particular night. And on a Tony LaRussa team, it takes all 25 guys to be successful. So here’s to a great April, and hopefully an even better May.

Mark Mulder Gets A Start For AAA Memphis As Birds Take On Bees

Mark Mulder continued his long journey back to the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, with a start for the Memphis Redbirds. It was a battle of the Birds and the Bees as Memphis took on the Salt Lake Bees. Mulder’s previous two starts came while pitching for the Springfield Cardinals (AA). He gave up 4 runs on 6 hits for a no-decision in his first start for Springfield, then in his last outing he tossed 6 scoreless innings for his first victory of the year.

Today was my first look at him up close and personal this season. His fastball was just under 90 mph. The line on Mulder early on today was a little bit deceiving. With a runner on first, the Salt Lake Bee’s batter hit it to Josh Phelps, playing first base. Should have been a 3-6-3 or 3-6-1 double play, right? Well, not so fast. Phelps fielded the ball and instead of getting the lead out at 2nd, threw the ball about 20 feet high and right of second base. So instead of two out and no one on, Mulder now faced two on and no out. He gave up two runs in that first inning, but neither of them were earned.

Mulder’s outing lasted 3 2/3 innings. He gave up 9 runs, 7 of them earned (17.18 ERA) on 9 hits, throwing 80 pitches on the day. He also gave up three home runs. One in the second, and two more in the fourth inning. The Salt Lake batters have made great contact and hit Mulder hard, but keep in mind they have the best record in professional baseball right now, at 22-2. I am a bit concerned, but no overly so. It is by no means one of his best outings, but he also has had some less than stellar defense behind him. What I was looking for today was three things. Whether or not he was altering his delivery (which it looks just like the good ole Mark we all know and love), his speed (which does seem down a bit), and hitting his spots (hard to tell, but I would give him a B on location). He is hitting his spots for the most part, but the ball doesn’t have all that much movement on it. It looks like he is throwing batting practice. I would like to see him pick up a few mph on his fastball. He needs to be around 92-93 to get back to where he was. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the movement on his pitches, it should return when his mechanics get back to normal.

Mulder is in no rush to get back to the St. Louis rotation. The Cardinals are wisely taking their time with him. And the way that the rotation has been pitching lately, they can afford the luxury of taking their time with Mark. And all in all, I would say Mark is progressing just fine. The real problem is not Mark Mulder, but who will lose their spot in the rotation once he does come back. Isn’t that a nice problem to have though? Too many quality arms. The way things are right this second, my five guys once Mulder comes back would be Wainwright, Lohse, Mulder, Pineiro, and Looper. But it is way too soon to begin that discussion. For now, we just need to watch Mulder make his way back and pull for him to regain his old form that made him one of the winningest lefties in all of baseball for several years.

April 29th Much Better For Cards In 2008

Game # 28   Tue. April 29, 2008

Cardinals 7    Reds 2

A year ago today, the Cardinals were supposed to play the Cubs on Sunday night baseball.  They never played that game.  It was cancelled, when Josh Hancock was killed in an auto accident in the early morning hours of April 29th.  It shook the team to its core, and changed things forever.  This year was a much happier day for Cardinal Nation.  They demolished the Reds 7-2 in a game that should have been a 7-0 1 hit shut out in my opinion.   Here is my analysis of the game:

Performance of the game:  Joel Pineiro

What Went Right:

1.  Joel Pineiro - WOW!  He was amazing.  He threw a one hitter over seven innings of work.  I think Tony was crazy for taking him out too.  Tony was managing by his beloved pitch count, so when Pineiro was at 98, Tony pulled him.  I think when you are throwing a one-hit shut out, you have the right to keep pitching until that changes or you want to come out.

2.  Skip Schumaker - He was 4 for 5, raising his average to .323 on the year.

3.  Rick Ankiel - He was 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, raising his average to .268.  I told you his slump is over.

What Went Wrong:

1. Anthony Reyes - It only took Reyes a few pitches to screw up a one hit shutout.  I am starting to see Reyes falling back into his old habit of using that darn high fastball as his “out pitch.” While he has been much better out of the bullpen, I still at this point would trade him for almost anyone out there, sight unseen.

2.  Albert Pujols - You aren’t going to see too many Cardinal games where we win 7-2 with Albert 0 for 4.  But let’s not come down too hard on the guy.  After all, he is hitting .366.  And he did get a walk, keeping his streak in tact of reaching base in all 28 games this season.

The win puts the Cardinals at 17-11 and in a tie with the Cubs for first place.  Tomorrow, Braden Looper gets the start for the good guys in a day game, the rubber game of the series.

Josh Hancock… Gone, but not forgotten.