Missed double play costs Cards

April 23, 2008--Cardinals pitcher Todd Wellemeyer throws in the first inning.
PITTSBURGH — Regardless of the quality of pitches Anthony Reyes threw to the plate late in Wednesday's game, his inning imploded when he couldn't throw a strike to second base.

In the game to preserve and protect a tie score, Reyes got the groundball that was his ticket out of trouble in the eighth inning. All he had to do was turn, rifle a throw to Aaron Miles and watch a routine double play erase Pittsburgh's potential go-ahead run.

All he did was misfire.
SLIDESHOW
Pirates 7, Cards 4


Reyes whipped his throw too far ahead of Miles and straight to second baseman Adam Kennedy. Though Kennedy improvised in time to get Xavier Nady at first base, the botched double play allowed Ryan Doumit to reach second. Doumit scored the go-ahead run on Jose Bautista's loop single to right field as Pittsburgh rallied to spin a 7-4 victory out of an early 0-4 deficit at PNC Park.

"We missed," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "That's a 1-6-3 double play. Two outs. Nobody on. We paid for it."

The loss was the Cardinals' fourth in five games, a span that includes their first — and now their second — two-game losing streaks of the season. Seven of the Cardinals' nine losses this season have come with three or fewer runs. Wednesday's flirted with being the Cardinals' third consecutive game decided by one run before Doug Mientkiewicz's pinch-hit, two-run single capped the eighth.


Close has to be comfortable for the Cardinals as only five of their 22 games so far this season have been decided by five or more runs. When the taut nature of their games was mentioned to closer Jason Isringhausen before Wednesday's game, he nodded.

"It's good that way," he said.

The Pirates halted a six-game losing streak with a victory Tuesday but seemed set on starting another loss in the first inning. The Cardinals fleeced starter Ian Snell for a four-run lead. Troy Glaus doubled in two runs. With the fourth hit of the inning, Kennedy singled in two more. But an unusual thing happened on the way to another pounding at PNC.

The Cardinals stopped pounding.

Snell's steady improvement bought the Pirates time to chip away at Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer. The righthander, still unbeaten this season, no-hit Pittsburgh through three innings. He allowed two in the fourth inning, including a sacrifice fly to Nady that made him the third National Leaguer to reach 20 RBIs this season.

In the fifth, former batting champ Freddy Sanchez roped a single. Jason Bay skied Wellemeyer's next pitch to left field. It plopped down one row deep in the bleachers for a two-run shot that tied the score. Bay's fourth home run of the season was the sixth allowed by Wellemeyer in 29 2/3 innings. He allowed seven in 63 2/3 innings as a Cardinal last season, and none in his final 20 2/3 innings of the year.

"It will even itself out," Wellemeyer said. "Obviously, I'm generating a little bit of their power. It will even itself out eventually, I'm sure."

As tight as many recent games have been for the Cardinals, the loss hinged on two throws — one to Albert Pujols and the one that was supposed to be to Miles.

In the sixth inning, the Cardinals put two runners on base and up came the bat that so often sinks the Pirates. Pujols entered the game with a .753 slugging percentage at PNC and was nine for 16 with four home runs against Snell. Pujols reached base — with two singles and a hit by pitch — in his first three plate appearances against Snell on Wednesday.

But not his fourth.

Instead of yielding to Pujols' power with a walk in the sixth, Snell battled back from a 2-0 count to get it full. He shook off Doumit's call for a fastball and went with a slider. Pujols popped up to Adam LaRoche, a few feet in front of the Cardinals' dugout.

"To tell the truth, I am so happy that I held him to just (two hits)," said Snell, who left like Wellemeyer after pitching six innings. "Dude usually kills me."

Relievers traded scoreless innings until the eighth, when Reyes (1-1) entered to start the inning. Doumit singled up the middle. Nady followed with a scalding grounder back to the mound. The righthander spun to his left and rifled a throw to the first infielder he saw. The throw had more hope than accuracy. Kennedy caught it several feet behind the base. Miles, the correct target, never had a chance.

The throw made sure the Cardinals didn't either.

With Doumit at second, LaRoche popped up for the second out of the inning, what could have been the final out. Reyes then bored an inside pitch to Bautista that the third baseman flared to right field to bring in the winning run.

"I turned around a little too quick and thought somebody would be there," Reyes said. "I was just hoping that it would get to him."

Said Miles: "The game is going so quick. He saw Kennedy, and (the throw) was just out of my reach. … Now you've got the winning run on second base instead of a double play."

Cardinals are showing flaws after hot start

By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/21/2008

After an impressive takeoff to start the season, the Cardinals leveled off in recent days. A little air came out of their balloon. It's nothing drastic, and nothing that can't be reversed. But yes, it's happening. Some flaws have been exposed.

Sunday's 8-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants was embarrassing in a couple of respects. By dropping their second in a row to the visitors and getting outscored 11-2 in the process, the Cardinals lost the season series to the Giants, winning only three of seven games. The Giants will undoubtedly finish among the NL's worst teams — so what, if anything, does this say about the Cardinals?

Second, it's one thing to be controlled by supremely talented Giants starter Tim Lincecum, who was the boss player in Saturday's 3-0 win. But Sunday's victor, Jonathan Sanchez, entered the proceedings with a career 5.55 ERA.

The lefthanded Sanchez, described as "erratic" by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, walked four and had to heave 101 pitches but somehow managed to shut out the Cardinals for five innings.


Here we go again: The Cardinals are traditionally helpless against lefthanders, and that futility is taking hold again. In their last 12 games, they're batting .216 vs. lefties. So was it a surprise to see Sanchez chew up their bats?

"The guy who pitched yesterday (Lincecum) was outstanding," La Russa said. "I don't care what your offense is doing, that guy shuts you down. That guy today (Sanchez), he's got a good arm, and he made some pitches early. I think if we would have stayed close, especially since he was using so many pitches, we could have had a chance to win the game later against him or the bullpen."

That became virtually impossible when Cardinals starter Braden Looper got torched for six runs in the third inning by a fetid Giants lineup that entered the game tied for last in the majors in runs scored. The Giants batted .292 against the Cardinals this season; against other NL teams they're batting .210. Go figure.

Looper's thrashing gave Cardinals starters a 5.05 ERA in the last 12 games. That's another point of concern, though Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer are in sharp form.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals lineup is wavering. Yes, the Cardinals jacked the Giants for 11 runs on Friday, but scrimped only five runs, total, in their three losses during the disappointing 3-3 home stand.

In the last six games, the Cardinals have undermined their offense by hitting into 12 double plays. Moreover, Cardinals hitters have struck out 56 times in the last eight games.

Rick Ankiel, Yadier Molina, Cesar Izturis and Brian Barton are slumping, and third baseman Troy Glaus has yet to homer. The infield bench strength is weak, which puts La Russa at a tactical disadvantage.

"We've been able to get some key hits when we've needed them the first 16, 17 games," Glaus said. "We've gotten some timely hitting so far. The last couple of days we haven't. But I think if guys from top to bottom — if we get going and everybody starts putting it together, maybe we can go on a pretty good run."

What does this all mean?

After a scintillating start, some bad habits have appeared, and some distressing trends are forming. Still, their record is a healthy 12-7, and the Cardinals rate among baseball's biggest first-month surprises.

It means that the Cardinals go to Milwaukee for two, then to Pittsburgh for two, and they'll have to find a way to make corrections and get back on track. That's what quality teams do.

Friday, when the Cardinals return to town, they launch an interesting nine-game home stand against the Astros, Reds and Cubs.

After the initial glow generated by a quick start, some questions about this team have surfaced. The Cardinals will have an immediate opportunity to answer them, starting tonight in Milwaukee.

Izturis is injured

MILWAUKEE — The Cardinals will activate infielder Brendan Ryan in time for tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after shortstop Cesar Izturis suffered a severe contusion when struck by a pitch below his right elbow during Tuesday's ninth inning.

X-rays of Izturis' arm proved negative, but a compressed nerve caused him to lose feeling. The Cardinals do not expect him to be available for tonight's series opener, but general manager John Mozeliak remained optimistic the club would not have to use the disabled list.

"I would anticipate we would make a move," Mozeliak said after Tuesday's marathon 9-8 loss. "But anything more than that, I can't say."



To make room for Ryan, the club is expected to option reliever Brad Thompson to Class AAA Memphis. Thompson surrendered four runs during an eventful sixth inning Tuesday. He has one option remaining and could be moved to the Memphis rotation.

Thompson has allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings since being removed from the rotation after two starts to make room for Joel Pineiro. Thompson has a long-held preference for starting, but that role appears closed with the pending return of Mark Mulder.

Ryan entered Tuesday 10 for 31 (.323) with seven RBIs in seven minor-league games. He was seven for 19 with three doubles, a home run and three RBIs in his first four games at Class AA Springfield.

Earlier this week manager Tony La Russa and Mozeliak suggested Ryan may have to wait several more days to be activated. But that was before Eric Gagne's two-strike pitch found Izturis and forced the issue.

THE OLD DUDE COMETH

Russ Springer showed no rust in his first appearance since enduring a stay on the disabled list with an inflamed nerve.

Springer struck out the first batter he faced, third baseman Bill Hall, before allowing an opposite field double to right fielder Gabe Gross, then a fly out and grounder to short.

Springer, 39, had not worked since April 4, when he allowed three runs without getting an out against the Washington Nationals.

Springer is likely to be called upon again tonight as fellow righthanders Kyle McClellan and Ryan Franklin threw 26 and 31 pitches, respectively, Tuesday.

HISTORY KNOCKS

Sunday's 8-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants was rather ordinary except for the extended relief appearances made by Ron Villone and Anthony Reyes. The game marked the first time since July 27, 1990 that two Cardinals relievers worked at least three innings apiece. That day, Frank DiPino and Scott Terry each worked three innings of a 10-1 loss started by Bryn Smith.

ET CETERA

La Russa wasted no time making good on a suggestion he could employ starting pitchers as pinch hitters while playing short one position player. Adam Wainwright contributed a sacrifice fly during the Cardinals' four-run sixth inning Tuesday, less than 18 hours after lasting seven innings in his team's 4-3 win. Wainwright now has four hits, a sacrifice fly, a .636 slugging percentage and two RBIs in 12 plate appearances. Braden Looper delivered a sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning. ... Third baseman Troy Glaus contributed three hits, giving him six in the last three games. ... … Second baseman Aaron Miles' four-hit game was one shy of his career high but still lifted his average from .250 to .317. ... Tuesday's 12-inning game included 420 pitches thrown by 15 pitchers to 113 hitters.

La Russa: I Like Brendan Ryan

By Bernie Miklasz
04/23/2008 12:43 am

As much as I’d like to think I am on call 24 hours a day, sometimes I can’t get to the phone. Such was the case Tuesday morning when I was sitting in the dentist’s chair.

(Dr. Kevin Thorpe, by the way. He’s excellent, as is his staff, which includes Michelle and Jackie).

Anyway, I’m in the chair, and for once my Crackberry Blackberry was turned off. Much later in the day, I checked messages.

There was one on the voice mail from Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who was about 90 minutes away from the first pitch of Tuesday’s game in Milwaukee.

Before I tell you what he wanted to discuss, please permit some background: La Russa is in his 13th year as the Cardinals manager. I’ve been a columnist and talk-show host in St. Louis for that entire time. Manager and columnist in a baseball-crazy town for 13 years? Sparks will fly on occasion. It’s inevitable. Every now and then, we have a disagreement. It’s really not a big deal, and as I have repeatedly said, I appreciate the fact that La Russa is a pro, and you can discuss things with him, and he’s willing to listen, and he’s also fair-minded that he’ll move forward instead of holding a grudge against a sportswriter. If he feels he’s been wronged, yeah, he’s aggressive. Just as I wouldn’t expect any sportswriter (including me) to succumb to initimidation. There is a healthy balance in this give-and-take.

Last year, however, was a rough one. The Cardinals had a brutally tough year. I don’t have to review all of the adversity that rocked the 2007 team; any Cardinal fan who pays attention is well aware of what went wrong. But Tony and me … well, let’s just say that the old manager and columnist didn’t communicate as well as we should have. (Blame that on me).

But near the end of the season, we had a long heart-to-heart talk, and cleared the air.

And we agreed that no matter what, we would try harder to keep the lines of communication open. I made sure La Russa had my mobile phone number. And I told him: call me anytime, even if you want to chew me out. I won’t take it personally. I prefer that the people I cover be candid, even if it means they’re going to raise some hell. It’s not an issue. After all, I don’t hesitate to state my opinion and sometimes it can be brash or harsh — so why should I be offended when an athlete, manager or coach wants to vent? They should be able to do so. And in my own airspace.

Over the winter, I talked to La Russa a few times. We kept the communication open. And so far this season, no problems. Sure, I won’t always agree with him on things — but that doesn’t really matter. That’s baseball. And second-guessing the manager (for fans and sportswriters alike) is a cherished baseball custom. La Russa is OK with that. He isn’t trying to hush dissent — but as a columnist, it isn’t up to me to censor his contrary opinions, either.

So if La Russa really wants to get something onto the record, I will get his words out. It’s only fair.

Accordingly, La Russa believes I’m incorrect in my opinion that he doesn’t seem to like Brendan Ryan, or is somehow irritated by the young infielder. And he’s concerned over the impact the perception may have on Ryan.

And so that’s why La Russa called from Milwaukee — to clear the air. And I positively think it was a good thing for him to do.

(A note: I tried to get into the Ryan stuff with TLR after Sunday’s loss to the Giants but he wasn’t in the most talkative of moods, which I understand. So we didn’t get very far. It happens. No harm, no foul.

(And keep in mind that when La Russa chose to address his opinions on Ryan, he did so in a call BEFORE the game against the Brewers, and hours before shortstop Cesar Izturis got injured. Because of that injury, Brendan Ryan will be called up from his minor-league injury rehab on Wednesday, and he’ll join the Cardinals in Pittsburgh. But it’s important to note that La Russa praised Ryan before he actually needed to summon Ryan).

Anyway, here’s what TLR had to say, and yes, he was polite:

“It’s a mistake to say that there’s something I don’t like about Brendan Ryan. I’ve heard that, and read that the other day, and I know people are thinking that. So…

“When you manage, you can’t afford to be personal with dislikes or likes. It has to be objective, because there’s a lot at stake. But also, besides that qualifier, there isn’t anything about Brendan that bothers me. There isn’t anything personal.

“I like him, and I think he knows it. I’m concerned that he would start to have some doubts, and this would affect his game.

“The only thing is, he plays ‘young.’ And at some point you need to call that to his attention. Otherwise, he’s not going to improve, and he’s not going to be the player he can be. This is a guy that played a lot for us last year, because he played well, and he deserved it.

“And when he gets in shape, and he can help us, he’ll be a part of the team.

“But the big thing is, there isn’t anything about Brendan Ryan that I don’t like, nothing that’s an issue. And it bothers me that there’s that belief by anybody. And I worry about the consequences. It’s not the case. I like him. But whether it’s him or anybody else, you have to set a guy straight because that’s the only way players improve.”

Later in the day, in exchange of text messages, La Russa said: “It can never be personal. It’s always about the best chance to win. Ryan just needs to be good enough, in my opinion.”

As I close, let me say this: anytime La Russa wants to address an issue in this blog, he’ll be given the chance.

We’ll call it Tony Talk.

This was the first installment.

Thanks for reading…

The Wildest Times of the World

By Cardinal 70

Lohse blowing a 2-0 lead. Cards trailing 8-3. Rallying for four, then scoring the tying run off a missed double play in the ninth. 12 innings. Albert Pujols playing second. And then the Brewer who scored the game winning run is traded to Tampa Bay. (They couldn't do that just a little earlier?) What's next, cats and dogs, living together?

It was a crazy game, made a little more so because it was a day game and I was following along at the CardsClubhouse game thread. One of the great things about the internet and the rise of game threads (almost every forum has them now!) is that you can "watch" the game together. As close as sitting with a bunch of people in the stands as you can get without spending money.

Anyway, it was a very unorthodox game. Lots of what ifs. Most people will dwell on the missed call by the umpire on Pujols's slide home. I didn't see it, but it sure sounded like he was safe. Obviously, that run plus the fact that it made first and third two outs instead of one out could have made a difference in the game.

The one I want to talk about, however, is one of LaRussa's questionable moves, at least in my mind. As soon as a right hander came into the game, LaRussa pinch hit Rick Ankiel for Brian Barton. This seemed a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction. At the time, the Cards were down by 5, which seemed like a perfect opportunity to see what Barton could do. I realize that TLR always goes all out for a win and the team did rally, but it didn't have much to do with Mr. Ankiel, who is really slumping right now. Besides, if he'd kept Ankiel on the bench, he could have used him at a more strategic time.

Many people say that TLR doesn't like the youngsters, that he'll do anything not to play them. A theory I've come up with in the last week or so is not that he doesn't like the young players. I mean, look at his use of Kyle McClellan, the way he used the bullpen in 2006, his four ROYs under his watch, stuff like that. No, I think what TLR's bias relates to is first impressions.

Rick Ankiel made a heck of a first impression as a pitcher and Tony immediately liked him. Now, he'll go almost out of his way to give Ankiel shots. Brian Barton started off the spring slow and didn't make the best of first impressions on the field. That seems to be what LaRussa remembers and possibly part of why he starts on the bench.

It's not really a personality thing--I mean, he probably likes Barton as a person, just like he likes Brendan Ryan--but being that his first impression of Barton as a baseball player was negative, that keeps factoring into his decisions.

It's just a theory, but it seems to fit some of the decisions he's made over the last few years.

Anyway, back to the game. It's a rare decision, but I think the Hero of the game has to be Aaron Miles, who went 4 for 5 with a run and an RBI while playing two different positions without an error.

The Goat is Jason Isringhausen, who quickly ruined the afternoon by allowing a walk, a stolen base and a hit. You can't be walking people in the 12th if at all possible, especially when your first baseman is playing second and would have to cover on the steal. (Though, to be fair, it sounded like Molina's throw was on the wrong side of the bag.)

While Izzy gets his third Goat of the year, it was one of the first and few times where you could actually consider Albert Pujols for the role. Sure, AP had a nice game (2-6, 2 RBI, a run--should have been 2--scored) but look at his last two at-bats, when the game was on the line. In the ninth, he impatiently swung at pitches with the game on the line and would have ended the game on a double play if not for Rickie Weeks' bad throw. Then, in extras, he strikes out. The Goat is not always about who had the worst game.

Still, I love his attitude about playing second. (And also like the fact that he lobbied to play shortstop. Like that was going to happen with his bad elbow, but the man wants to do anything he can to help the team.) When he was given instructions about not turning a double play and to be careful, he said he would. But later.....

"What do you think, that I wasn't going to turn a double play?" scoffed Pujols. "I was. I was going to turn a double play. I'd be careful. First of all, I'd make sure I catch the ball and not try to get too fancy and drop it. But I was going to try to turn it."

There's a reason he's the best.

So on to Pittsburgh, a land that has been favorable to the Cardinals in the past. Last year, they went 12-6 against the Pirates and are 88-41 (.682) against them this century. The last time the Cardinals had a losing record against the Bucs was 1999, when they went 5-7.

Tonight, Ian Snell tries to shut down the St. Louis machine. El Hombre is really looking forward to this one. He has four homers (and a .563 average) in 16 ABs against Snell. There's a strong likelihood that Pujols will get his third three walk game of the season tonight. The rest of the lineup looks pretty good against him as well.

Todd Wellemeyer is on the hill for the Cardinals. Most of the Pirates haven't seen him much, but what they have seen, they've not liked. Ronny Paulino does have two hits against him, however.

Finally, a couple of small notes. If you've not heard, Brendan Ryan will be joining the team in Pittsburgh. Brad Thompson is going down to Memphis for a bit, which is probably good because he's had some struggles in the bullpen in two of his three outings.

Barry Pujols

Teams are walking Albert Pujols at every opportunity, and it's causing Albert to change his approach at the plate for the worse:

After leading in the count 3-0 against Guillermo Mota, Pujols took a strike, then swung at two low pitches to strike out for only the seventh time this season. "I felt I didn't want to walk, and I took myself out of the strike zone to swing at that pitch," Pujols said. "The 3-0 pitch was a little low. But I tried to push too much. I should've taken my walk. It's something you learn. You press. It's the way the game goes."

The game increasingly steps around Pujols. He has never walked 100 times in a season but now finds himself on pace for 154.

Through Monday, Pujols' six intentional walks led the major leagues. Only Cincinnati Reds left fielder Adam Dunn had more walks overall (22).

The number was partly responsible for Pujols, as of Monday, being the game's on-base king with a .500 on-base percentage, but it also fed his frustration about too few pitches to hit with runners on base.

More than half his walks (11) have come in 26 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.

Albert needs to take the Bonds approach. The walks are good, the walks help his team. There will be times when the opposition can't walk him, and then he needs to wait for his pitch. That's what made him such a great hitter this decade. There's no reason to change just because teams are pitching around him. The more he gets on base, the more the Cardinals score.

Winning It The Hard Way

By Cardinal 70

Adam Wainwright on the mound. A pitcher the Cardinals beat around last week. Should be an easy win, right? With this year's bullpen, never say never.

I'm not advocating that Wainwright should have stayed in the game, mind you. At 99 pitches, especially after throwing 115 or so last time out, getting him out of there with a lead was the best idea. I am just not sold on Ryan Franklin being that dominant eighth inning guy that we saw last year.

I'll give him some credit, though--at least part of that inning was out of his control. I listened to it on the radio and it sounded worse than it was on the highlights. After the double by Braun, he struck out Fielder, but the ball got away and Braun was able to go to third. Then what on the radio sounded like a deep drive was a fairly mid-range ball that Ludwick lost in the lights. If everything goes like it should, Franklin has Braun on second with two outs instead of a runner on third, a run in and only one out. For that potentially game-losing misplay, you have to give Ryan Ludwick the Goat from last night's game.

Wainwright pitched a good game, but did allow the Brewers to tie it up right after the Cardinals had taken a 2-0 lead. Troy Glaus got a two-run double, so he's in contention for the Hero selection as well. Skip Schumaker had the game winning RBI. But I want to go a little different way. Brian Barton sits on the bench all night, watches the Brewers tie up the game, and then is the first batter in the ninth against a flamethrower. Hitting a double in that situation was huge and led to the win.

Afternoon baseball today, as Kyle Lohse and Manny Parra revisit their matchup from last Thursday afternoon. Lohse was very effective until his last inning, so hopefully with Kyle McClellan especially rested the Cardinal bullpen will be able to bail him out and get the series sweep.