Schumaker delivers game-winning RBI single in the ninth
ST. LOUIS -- After 8 2/3 innings and 119 pitches, with two men on base and a dangerous hitter at the plate, Adam Wainwright finally found his pitch. It's probably one you've seen before.
For the crowning moment in what turned out to be the first complete-game win of his career, Adam Wainwright threw seven straight sliders to Hunter Pence in the top of the ninth inning on Saturday. The last one finally finished Pence off, and half an inning later, Skip Schumaker's one-out single brought home the decisive run in a 4-3 Cardinals win over the Astros.
Wainwright, establishing himself more clearly every week as the Cardinals' pro tempore ace, pitched his second Major League complete game. He saw a new high with 126 pitches thrown, but still finished it off in style. The at-bat recalled the final out of the 2006 World Series, when Wainwright dusted off Detroit's Brandon Inge with an all-slider at-bat to cinch the title.
"In that situation, I'm making him hit my pitch," Wainwright said. "I'm not giving in right there, trying to throw a strike, and all of a sudden he hits a gapper and two guys score. [I] can't take that chance. I was just going to make him hit my pitch, my location. And if he did it, tip my hat."
By his own admission, Wainwright was never quite right on Saturday. His command was shaky within the strike zone, a dangerous proposition for any pitcher, and it led to three home runs. Yet he didn't issue a walk until the ninth inning, and never allowed a hit with a runner on base.
He entered the ninth inning of a tie game already past the 100-pitch mark, but Wainwright seemed to be gaining some steam at that point. He got Kaz Matsui to fly out in a two-pitch plate appearance. He battled Miguel Tejada to a full count before Tejada grounded out for the second out.
With the middle of the order coming up, though, Wainwright decided that discretion was the better part of valor. He walked Lance Berkman on five pitches, choosing not to give in rather than to allow a third homer to the switch-hitter. He issued another walk to Carlos Lee, again staying well out of the hitting zone.
"Those are their two guys that can go deep in any situation -- Tejada also, if you think about it, but you can't walk all three of them," Wainwright said. "I was just trying to pitch them really tough, trying to make them hit my pitches. I didn't quite throw my pitches. I was kind of all over the place, but I missed out of the zone. Those two guys were not going to beat me in that situation. Berkman had already beaten me twice today, and it just wasn't going to happen again."
He was willing to walk Pence as well, but his sliders were good enough and close enough that the outfielder swung and missed at three of them. And with the tie preserved, the Cardinals offense got to the business of making sure their man got a win.
Brian Barton led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk against Dave Borkowski. Wainwright was unable to advance him with a bunt attempt, reaching first base on a force play instead. Brendan Ryan singled, putting men on first and second, and Schumaker's first hit of the game scored pinch-runner Cesar Izturis.
"I'm looking for a pitch to drive," Schumaker said. "I put a good swing on it. I'd been rolling over some balls lately and wearing [second baseman] Matsui out. I didn't want to hit it to him again, that's for sure. I was just trying to get a pitch out over the plate and it worked out for me."
Wainwright pitched the first Cardinals complete game of the year, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out six. The right-hander didn't issue a walk until Berkman and Lee drew free passes in the ninth. Wainwright outlasted Houston ace Roy Oswalt, who permitted three runs over six innings.
It was the second time in Wainwright's career that he gave up three home runs in a game. He also allowed three on June 7, 2007, against the Reds. More impressively, the game marked only the third time in Wainwright's career that he allowed even two homers in the same game.
St. Louis took an early lead with a three-run third inning. Albert Pujols hit a two-run double off Oswalt, and Troy Glaus added a sacrifice fly that gave the Cardinals a 3-1 advantage.
The game was briefly delayed in the top of the third inning when both benches and bullpens cleared. Half an inning after Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue was hit by a pitch, Wainwright threw behind Astros catcher Brad Ausmus with the first pitch of the third inning. Ausmus was clearly irritated and had words for the Cardinals. The exchange never escalated from verbal to physical, however.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Izzy can't hold on in loss to Astros
Veteran closer tagged for three runs in the ninth inning
ST. LOUIS -- For six-plus seasons in a Cardinals uniform, Jason Isringhausen has either been effective or injured. Sometimes both. Perplexingly, it appears that right now he is neither.
Isringhausen sank deeper into a slump on Friday night, allowing three ninth-inning runs, as the Cardinals lost to the Astros, 3-2, at Busch Stadium. Isringhausen has been scored upon in four of his past six outings, allowing eight earned runs in five innings in that span. He did not allow a run in any of his first six appearances.
"You figure it out," Isringhausen said. "Tell me. I don't know what I'm doing different. No idea. So I'll just have to go back to the drawing board, start from scratch and claw my way back."
After Isringhausen struck out leadoff man Kaz Matsui, he permitted a single to Darin Erstad. Miguel Tejada, who has repeatedly tormented the Cardinals already this season, tripled into the gap in right-center to get Houston on the board. Lance Berkman's sacrifice fly tied the game, and Carlos Lee hit a two-out solo homer for the game-winner for the visitors.
The collapse ruined a brilliant outing from Braden Looper, who pitched seven exceptional innings. Looper allowed two hits and one walk, handing a 2-0 lead to the St. Louis bullpen. Ryan Franklin pitched an uneventful eighth before Isringhausen ran into trouble in the ninth.
The rally began innocently when Isringhausen threw a backdoor cut fastball to Erstad, and the outfielder poked a single under third baseman Aaron Miles' glove. Isringhausen fell behind Tejada, 3-0, before working the count full. He left the 3-2 pitch right in Tejada's preferred hitting zone, on the outside part of the plate and thigh-high. Tejada drove it deep into the outfield, scoring Erstad.
"I made a couple good pitches, made a couple bad pitches," Isringhausen said. "I made a good pitch, I thought, to Erstad, and he got it through the infield. And then Tejada battled me well. I threw a pitch away and he was able to go with it, hit it in the gap."
With the lead cut to 2-1, Isringhausen tried to stay out of any reasonable hitting zone for Berkman. But on a 2-2 pitch, he left a fastball up and over the plate, and Berkman was able to connect for a sacrifice fly that tied the game.
The next pitch was the worst one Isringhausen threw. He left a cut fastball over the plate and up to the dangerous Lee, and Lee drilled it to left field for the game-winner.
"It's just tough," Isringhausen said. "I feel bad for Looper. He pitched such a great game. It's my job to preserve a win, and I just didn't do it. When you let down 25 guys, it's not a fun job."
What's puzzling is that nothing seems to be particularly amiss with Isringhausen. His velocity was good, as was his movement, for the most part. He was simply missing with location, a deadly sin against a dangerous offense like the Astros'.
"For me, he's probably as tough as any pitcher in the league on me, so I have a tremendous respect for him," Berkman said. "Anybody's hittable. Very rarely are you going to catch a guy that's just unhittable. That doesn't happen very often. Let me say he doesn't blow very many saves. He's very capable."
Only a small fraction of the announced crowd of 41,193 was still around for Isringhausen's struggles, or for the Cardinals' attempt to come back in the bottom of the ninth. Heavy rain delayed the start for two hours, so the game didn't end until 12:02 a.m. CT.
The Cards did get a chance to bail Isringhausen out, though. Brendan Ryan managed an infield single to open the ninth, then stole a base and took third on Skip Schumaker's groundout. But Rick Ankiel struck out, Albert Pujols was walked intentionally, and Chris Duncan popped up to end the game. The Cardinals stranded 11 baserunners and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
"You get the feeling if you add a little something here or there, it makes it a heck of a lot tougher for them to come back," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "So you're vulnerable to what happens in the ninth. But we also hit quite a few balls hard that were right at outfielders. So it wasn't like we didn't keep taking our at-bats."
It would have been nice to let Isringhausen off the hook, but they were unable to do so. His strikeout of Matsui was his first in five appearances. Isringhausen has only walked one batter during his recent slump, and Lee's homer was the first he's allowed all year. But he's having a hard time just the same.
"Izzy's saved a lot of games for me, and I've been over there in that chair a lot myself," Looper said. "I've blown a lot of games in my day as a closer. He's going out there and giving 100 percent. He's our guy. We're going to win with Izzy, that's for sure."
ST. LOUIS -- For six-plus seasons in a Cardinals uniform, Jason Isringhausen has either been effective or injured. Sometimes both. Perplexingly, it appears that right now he is neither.
Isringhausen sank deeper into a slump on Friday night, allowing three ninth-inning runs, as the Cardinals lost to the Astros, 3-2, at Busch Stadium. Isringhausen has been scored upon in four of his past six outings, allowing eight earned runs in five innings in that span. He did not allow a run in any of his first six appearances.
"You figure it out," Isringhausen said. "Tell me. I don't know what I'm doing different. No idea. So I'll just have to go back to the drawing board, start from scratch and claw my way back."
After Isringhausen struck out leadoff man Kaz Matsui, he permitted a single to Darin Erstad. Miguel Tejada, who has repeatedly tormented the Cardinals already this season, tripled into the gap in right-center to get Houston on the board. Lance Berkman's sacrifice fly tied the game, and Carlos Lee hit a two-out solo homer for the game-winner for the visitors.
The collapse ruined a brilliant outing from Braden Looper, who pitched seven exceptional innings. Looper allowed two hits and one walk, handing a 2-0 lead to the St. Louis bullpen. Ryan Franklin pitched an uneventful eighth before Isringhausen ran into trouble in the ninth.
The rally began innocently when Isringhausen threw a backdoor cut fastball to Erstad, and the outfielder poked a single under third baseman Aaron Miles' glove. Isringhausen fell behind Tejada, 3-0, before working the count full. He left the 3-2 pitch right in Tejada's preferred hitting zone, on the outside part of the plate and thigh-high. Tejada drove it deep into the outfield, scoring Erstad.
"I made a couple good pitches, made a couple bad pitches," Isringhausen said. "I made a good pitch, I thought, to Erstad, and he got it through the infield. And then Tejada battled me well. I threw a pitch away and he was able to go with it, hit it in the gap."
With the lead cut to 2-1, Isringhausen tried to stay out of any reasonable hitting zone for Berkman. But on a 2-2 pitch, he left a fastball up and over the plate, and Berkman was able to connect for a sacrifice fly that tied the game.
The next pitch was the worst one Isringhausen threw. He left a cut fastball over the plate and up to the dangerous Lee, and Lee drilled it to left field for the game-winner.
"It's just tough," Isringhausen said. "I feel bad for Looper. He pitched such a great game. It's my job to preserve a win, and I just didn't do it. When you let down 25 guys, it's not a fun job."
What's puzzling is that nothing seems to be particularly amiss with Isringhausen. His velocity was good, as was his movement, for the most part. He was simply missing with location, a deadly sin against a dangerous offense like the Astros'.
"For me, he's probably as tough as any pitcher in the league on me, so I have a tremendous respect for him," Berkman said. "Anybody's hittable. Very rarely are you going to catch a guy that's just unhittable. That doesn't happen very often. Let me say he doesn't blow very many saves. He's very capable."
Only a small fraction of the announced crowd of 41,193 was still around for Isringhausen's struggles, or for the Cardinals' attempt to come back in the bottom of the ninth. Heavy rain delayed the start for two hours, so the game didn't end until 12:02 a.m. CT.
The Cards did get a chance to bail Isringhausen out, though. Brendan Ryan managed an infield single to open the ninth, then stole a base and took third on Skip Schumaker's groundout. But Rick Ankiel struck out, Albert Pujols was walked intentionally, and Chris Duncan popped up to end the game. The Cardinals stranded 11 baserunners and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
"You get the feeling if you add a little something here or there, it makes it a heck of a lot tougher for them to come back," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "So you're vulnerable to what happens in the ninth. But we also hit quite a few balls hard that were right at outfielders. So it wasn't like we didn't keep taking our at-bats."
It would have been nice to let Isringhausen off the hook, but they were unable to do so. His strikeout of Matsui was his first in five appearances. Isringhausen has only walked one batter during his recent slump, and Lee's homer was the first he's allowed all year. But he's having a hard time just the same.
"Izzy's saved a lot of games for me, and I've been over there in that chair a lot myself," Looper said. "I've blown a lot of games in my day as a closer. He's going out there and giving 100 percent. He's our guy. We're going to win with Izzy, that's for sure."
Joel Pineiro kick save
Amazing play that Pineiro had for the Cardinals when they played the Pirates on 4/24/08
Lee Elia Tirade - Chicago Cubs - 4/29/83
On April 29, 1983, during Lee Elia's tenure as the Cubs' manager, the Cubs suffered a one-run home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the game, he lashed out at Cubs fans for their fair weather support of the team. (Their consistent booing and heckling at Wrigley completely unnerved Elia.) A member of the press secretly recorded this "off-the-record" session with reporters.
For Love of the Cardinals
y Cardinal John
Dear Cardinals Admin,
I'm not the only one. Sure, I've brought it up before, but I'm saying it again now. Pujols is in the prime of his career and you all didn't sign him to that big contract to watch him get walked 1/3 of his AB. Even worse, he isn't on this team so that he can get waked 50%+ with MoB. I'm not saying Pujols isn't a team player, but you have to think that he may get the itch to play with a team that will give him chances.
But, even if you don't do it for the team or for Pujols, you should do it for me. I don't want to watch Skip stretch a single into a double only to watch someone fly out and then 1b is glaringly open. With Pujols 3rd, 9,1, and 2 are not gettin' on base enough. EVERYONE knows that's why the pitcher hits 8th on this team. But I'm gettin' off topic.
I'm not even saying that you have to go out and get Barry Bonds. But, if you care for Pujols, who obviously cares for this franchise (look how cheaply you got him for many years), if you care for his legacy (and thus the future legacy of the Cardinals), if you care for releasing a quality product for your fans, then by any and all means necessary GET SOME FREAKING PROTECTION FOR THE MAN! Ortiz has Manny, A-Rod has an entire team, and Vlad has half a team. I'm not saying that the Cards go out like the American league Warbuckses. But this team needs another superstar. Rolen filled the roll nicely for a couple of years, but the time has come for protecting YOUR INVESTMENT. Your money will be better spent if a fearsome hitter is acquired. Glaus is solid, but not even close to your answer.
I am thrilled for the potential of Ankiel, Ludwick, Ryan, et.al., but they are not the answers either--at least not that I can see now.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Cards, but this is a glaring weakness and problem. Pujols is one of those players that will be legendary. He's one of those guys who is willing to get paid less than others of lesser talent just for the team. Let's make sure this continues to be a place where the relationship is mutually beneficial. Ask not what your Pujols can do for you! Ask what can you do for your Pujols!
Dear Cardinals Admin,
I'm not the only one. Sure, I've brought it up before, but I'm saying it again now. Pujols is in the prime of his career and you all didn't sign him to that big contract to watch him get walked 1/3 of his AB. Even worse, he isn't on this team so that he can get waked 50%+ with MoB. I'm not saying Pujols isn't a team player, but you have to think that he may get the itch to play with a team that will give him chances.
But, even if you don't do it for the team or for Pujols, you should do it for me. I don't want to watch Skip stretch a single into a double only to watch someone fly out and then 1b is glaringly open. With Pujols 3rd, 9,1, and 2 are not gettin' on base enough. EVERYONE knows that's why the pitcher hits 8th on this team. But I'm gettin' off topic.
I'm not even saying that you have to go out and get Barry Bonds. But, if you care for Pujols, who obviously cares for this franchise (look how cheaply you got him for many years), if you care for his legacy (and thus the future legacy of the Cardinals), if you care for releasing a quality product for your fans, then by any and all means necessary GET SOME FREAKING PROTECTION FOR THE MAN! Ortiz has Manny, A-Rod has an entire team, and Vlad has half a team. I'm not saying that the Cards go out like the American league Warbuckses. But this team needs another superstar. Rolen filled the roll nicely for a couple of years, but the time has come for protecting YOUR INVESTMENT. Your money will be better spent if a fearsome hitter is acquired. Glaus is solid, but not even close to your answer.
I am thrilled for the potential of Ankiel, Ludwick, Ryan, et.al., but they are not the answers either--at least not that I can see now.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Cards, but this is a glaring weakness and problem. Pujols is one of those players that will be legendary. He's one of those guys who is willing to get paid less than others of lesser talent just for the team. Let's make sure this continues to be a place where the relationship is mutually beneficial. Ask not what your Pujols can do for you! Ask what can you do for your Pujols!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Splitting
By Cardinal 70
The Cards have been doing a lot of .500 ball playing lately. They are 5-5 in their last 10, with a pattern of win two, lose one, win one, lose two, win one, lose two, win one. It's a roller-coaster ride after the smooth winning pattern of the first couple of weeks.
They got back on the horse last night with patience and strong pitching. While I wanted to go Hero-wise with Brian Barton, who was 2-4 with a walk and got the scoring started with a two-run double (on the first hit of the game), it's tough to argue with the numbers Joel Pineiro put up last night. Seven innings of one-run ball, four hits, six strikeouts and bonus points for the kick-save out that will on highlight reels for years to come. I think that's the second time this year that Pineiro has done a kick move like that, but the first time it's actually worked. Besides Barton, honorable mention goes to Yadier Molina for three hits, including two doubles, and Albert Pujols for reaching base five times (though once was when he was thrown out going for a double).
Goat-wise, I guess you have to go with Ryan Ludwick for his 0-5 night. He wasn't even able to coax a walk out of Tom Gorzelanny, something that just about everyone was able to do. I really like the patience that the team is showing so far. Especially with the weaker hitters. If they are able to get on base, that just makes the offense that much more potent.
The Cardinals go home and get to match up with the streaking Houston Astros, who have won five in a row. The Cardinals beat them two out of three in Houston earlier in the year, but the Cards will only face one pitcher they saw in that matchup.
That pitcher is Shawn Chacon, who goes tonight against Braden Looper. The Cards were able to beat him last time, 5-3, but historically they've had their troubles against him. Chris Duncan has had success in limited action against him, so you figure to see him out there tonight. Then again, since it's a right hander on the mound, you figure all the lefties will be in the lineup. Which is too bad for Brian Barton, after his strong game, but if Ludwick got benched after hitting home runs in three straight games because a righty was on the mound, Barton has little room to argue.
Looper has done all right against the Astros and hopefully will continue that this evening. He wasn't anything special last time out, allowing three runs in 5.2 innings, but he did get the win. Which is what counts the most, right?
The biggest key to this series will be getting the guys out in front of Lance Berkman. Berkman always seems to kill the Cardinals, so the pitchers are going to have to do their best to limit the damage. To a lesser degree, Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada are also threats, but I personally will always breath easier when Berkman is retired.
And Saturday's matchup should be a lot of fun, with Adam Wainwright against Roy Oswalt. If Oswalt's on his game (something that's eluded him a lot in 2008), that could be a pitcher's duel that ranks right up there with another Saturday afternoon game against the 'Stros.
The Cards have been doing a lot of .500 ball playing lately. They are 5-5 in their last 10, with a pattern of win two, lose one, win one, lose two, win one, lose two, win one. It's a roller-coaster ride after the smooth winning pattern of the first couple of weeks.
They got back on the horse last night with patience and strong pitching. While I wanted to go Hero-wise with Brian Barton, who was 2-4 with a walk and got the scoring started with a two-run double (on the first hit of the game), it's tough to argue with the numbers Joel Pineiro put up last night. Seven innings of one-run ball, four hits, six strikeouts and bonus points for the kick-save out that will on highlight reels for years to come. I think that's the second time this year that Pineiro has done a kick move like that, but the first time it's actually worked. Besides Barton, honorable mention goes to Yadier Molina for three hits, including two doubles, and Albert Pujols for reaching base five times (though once was when he was thrown out going for a double).
Goat-wise, I guess you have to go with Ryan Ludwick for his 0-5 night. He wasn't even able to coax a walk out of Tom Gorzelanny, something that just about everyone was able to do. I really like the patience that the team is showing so far. Especially with the weaker hitters. If they are able to get on base, that just makes the offense that much more potent.
The Cardinals go home and get to match up with the streaking Houston Astros, who have won five in a row. The Cardinals beat them two out of three in Houston earlier in the year, but the Cards will only face one pitcher they saw in that matchup.
That pitcher is Shawn Chacon, who goes tonight against Braden Looper. The Cards were able to beat him last time, 5-3, but historically they've had their troubles against him. Chris Duncan has had success in limited action against him, so you figure to see him out there tonight. Then again, since it's a right hander on the mound, you figure all the lefties will be in the lineup. Which is too bad for Brian Barton, after his strong game, but if Ludwick got benched after hitting home runs in three straight games because a righty was on the mound, Barton has little room to argue.
Looper has done all right against the Astros and hopefully will continue that this evening. He wasn't anything special last time out, allowing three runs in 5.2 innings, but he did get the win. Which is what counts the most, right?
The biggest key to this series will be getting the guys out in front of Lance Berkman. Berkman always seems to kill the Cardinals, so the pitchers are going to have to do their best to limit the damage. To a lesser degree, Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada are also threats, but I personally will always breath easier when Berkman is retired.
And Saturday's matchup should be a lot of fun, with Adam Wainwright against Roy Oswalt. If Oswalt's on his game (something that's eluded him a lot in 2008), that could be a pitcher's duel that ranks right up there with another Saturday afternoon game against the 'Stros.
Cards address Ankiel's slide
PITTSBURGH — For manager Tony La Russa, there is nothing alarming about Rick Ankiel's sudden offensive fade because when the outfielder swings the only thing he's missing is hits.
"Rick is making good contact. He just can't get a hit," La Russa said. "When he busts loose, a lot of hits are coming. He's getting the barrel on the ball a lot."
Ankiel's batting average has plummeted from .304 to .244 in the span of 25 at-bats, and the Cardinals' starting center fielder has hit .211 over the previous 10 games. In his first April as a major-league outfielder, Ankiel surged at the start, hitting three home runs in the season-opening home stand and providing needed pop for an offense craving production. That made him a regular in the middle of the order and a catalyst for rallies.
His skid, by contrast, has La Russa employing his tricks to prime a slumping hitter: Ankiel hit in front of Albert Pujols on Wednesday and got the night off Thursday.
"A guy gets hot, you ride him out," La Russa said Thursday. "He cools a little bit, and you save him some at-bats. You give him the at-bats he needs to get right but not to get (frustrated). Rick is not getting beat at the plate. He's just not getting hits."
To support that statement, La Russa points to the limited number of strikeouts in Ankiel's 25 at-bat decline. Ankiel has had two three-strikeout games this season, and a week ago he had as many strikeouts as the Cardinals had games played. But as he has gone three for 25 in the previous seven games, he has struck out only five times. Hitting in front of Pujols against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Ankiel went 0 for four but stung three flyouts and grounded out.
La Russa chose Thursday to give him a second night off on this road trip and plans to play him against Houston's three scheduled righthanded starters this weekend. That day off came despite Ankiel's going three for three with a homer against Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny. But that was last year.
Ankiel said this is not last year.
"I don't think I'm the same hitter that I was last year," he said. "I think that's apparent. ... I'm using the other way more and up the middle more. I think you go up there with a plan, and you try to stick to that plan."
Though he has been with the Cardinals longer than any other member of the roster — he debuted in 1999 — Ankiel remains a greenhorn hitter. Not yet 300 at-bats into his career as a big-league outfielder, he's only now seeing opponents for a second or third time. He said he's learning the pitchers, learning how they approach them, but he's not "making an assumption of what they're going to do." He has refined his approach at the plate — becoming less of a free swinger, not looking to pull so many of the pitches.
And he is more willing to drive the outside pitches he is so often getting, like he did in his 0 for four Wednesday.
"I don't think he has a hole," La Russa said. "He's still learning, but I don't think he has an obvious hole he has to fix. It's just a question of executing. All he can do is hit. He can't place the ball out there."
"Rick is making good contact. He just can't get a hit," La Russa said. "When he busts loose, a lot of hits are coming. He's getting the barrel on the ball a lot."
Ankiel's batting average has plummeted from .304 to .244 in the span of 25 at-bats, and the Cardinals' starting center fielder has hit .211 over the previous 10 games. In his first April as a major-league outfielder, Ankiel surged at the start, hitting three home runs in the season-opening home stand and providing needed pop for an offense craving production. That made him a regular in the middle of the order and a catalyst for rallies.
His skid, by contrast, has La Russa employing his tricks to prime a slumping hitter: Ankiel hit in front of Albert Pujols on Wednesday and got the night off Thursday.
"A guy gets hot, you ride him out," La Russa said Thursday. "He cools a little bit, and you save him some at-bats. You give him the at-bats he needs to get right but not to get (frustrated). Rick is not getting beat at the plate. He's just not getting hits."
To support that statement, La Russa points to the limited number of strikeouts in Ankiel's 25 at-bat decline. Ankiel has had two three-strikeout games this season, and a week ago he had as many strikeouts as the Cardinals had games played. But as he has gone three for 25 in the previous seven games, he has struck out only five times. Hitting in front of Pujols against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Ankiel went 0 for four but stung three flyouts and grounded out.
La Russa chose Thursday to give him a second night off on this road trip and plans to play him against Houston's three scheduled righthanded starters this weekend. That day off came despite Ankiel's going three for three with a homer against Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny. But that was last year.
Ankiel said this is not last year.
"I don't think I'm the same hitter that I was last year," he said. "I think that's apparent. ... I'm using the other way more and up the middle more. I think you go up there with a plan, and you try to stick to that plan."
Though he has been with the Cardinals longer than any other member of the roster — he debuted in 1999 — Ankiel remains a greenhorn hitter. Not yet 300 at-bats into his career as a big-league outfielder, he's only now seeing opponents for a second or third time. He said he's learning the pitchers, learning how they approach them, but he's not "making an assumption of what they're going to do." He has refined his approach at the plate — becoming less of a free swinger, not looking to pull so many of the pitches.
And he is more willing to drive the outside pitches he is so often getting, like he did in his 0 for four Wednesday.
"I don't think he has a hole," La Russa said. "He's still learning, but I don't think he has an obvious hole he has to fix. It's just a question of executing. All he can do is hit. He can't place the ball out there."
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