McClellan's Mother's Day Masterpiece

Kyle McClellan (source: Wikipedia)

Kyle McClellan had a Mother's Day gift for the maters of Cardinal Nation on Sunday, pitching a gem as St. Louis beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1.  The Hazelwood West High School grad thrilled the home crowd by crafting eight innings of excellence.  It marked the longest outing of his big league career.

McClellan was impressively efficient, only throwing 108 pitches on the day.  Even more impressive is the fact that he had to throw 10+ extra pitches in the first inning due to a Tyler Greene error on a easy chance on a Prince Fielder ground-ball.  The Cardinals put the infield shift on for the left-handed hitting Fielder, and Greene did not come up with the play ranging slightly to his left on the outfield grass.

In Greene's defense, he did make good with the bat.  He went 3-3 on the day with one run scored.  But the big hit was by Colby Rasmus in the fifth inning.  Facing a tiring lefty in Chris Narveson, Rasmus stroked a two-out two-run double that gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

Milwaukee starter Chris Narveson - the former Cardinal - was on his game early.  Often he had the Cardinals flailing wildly at his pitch.  He especially picked on the hot-hitting Lance Berkman.  Berkman, batting from his weaker right side, was exposed by nice change-ups from Narveson.  But Narveson was not as efficient with his pitches, and the Cardinals followed their now usual norm of wearing down a starter and pouncing on opportunities when they tire.

The story of the day was McClellan offering even more proof that he is more than just a capable fifth starter.  He showed moxie escaping the first-inning bases-loaded jam that was set up by the Greene error.  McClellan wasn't necessarily sharp at the beginning of the game, but once he escaped another jam in the fourth (thanks to a smart defensive play by Albert Pujols), McClellan found his groove.  He breezed through the next four innings, and started the ninth inning.

In the ninth, Prince Fielder lead off and poked a seeing-eye single through an infield skewed to the right because manager Tony La Russa employed the shift.  It was a weak ground ball, and would have been an easy put-out if not for the shift.  As thanks for coaxing the big-hitting Fielder into a what should've been an out.  La Russa pulled McClellan and inserted Eduardo Sanchez to get the save. 

I do not agree with TLR's handling of this situation.  If he had no faith that McClellan could handle a touch of adversity, why put him back out there in the ninth?  McClellan induced a weak grounder from Fielder that got through the infield because of the shift. McClellan did his job, strategy failed.  If the hook was coming simply because one batter got on despite McClellan's work, why not bring in the youngster Sanchez to work from a less stressful clean slate?  McClellan was in the zone, and got what he wanted fromFielder.  If he was good enough to do that, he should be good enough to handle the rest of the inning.  But big league managers pull this crazy stuff all the time, and no one knows why - including the managers that pull this crazy stuff.

Anyway, Sanchez sandwiched two outs between two walks, and with the bases loaded could not put pinch-hitting veteran Craig Counsell away.  On the 13th pitch of the at bat, Counsell hit a sharp grounder into the hole between short and third that Theriot made a good play to stop from reaching the outfield but had to wisely stick in his pocket as Fielder scored from third.  It was a run charged to McClellan, when it was anyones fault but his.

By then La Russa had seen enough of Sanchez' drama, and fetched Fernando Salas from the bullpen.  Salas promptly dispatched Rickie Weeks, striking him out on three pitches.  The game - and the series - belonged to the Redbirds.

Should Cardinals Let The Grass Grow?

The St. Louis Cardinals are a ground-ball machine.  And no, I am not referring to the pitching staff.  I mean the hitters.  The Cards are currently leading the entire Major Leagues with 28 Grounded Into Double Plays (GIDP's), with a healthy lead in the NL (the Pittsburgh Pirates come up short yet again with only 20 GIDP's).

The Redbirds have an astounding 18 GIDP's at home in Busch Stadium in only 11 games.  Compare that to a (still) healthy ten in the team's ten road games.  Granted, in the first home-stand of the season many GIDP's were caused by a scuffling lineup rolling over on pitches and managing only weak grounders to the opposing middle infielders, while in the last five games at home it's been sharply hit balls that account for many of the double plays the team has endured.

Perhaps it's time to let the grass grow at Busch III.

That may seem like a joke, but maybe we should take a moment to consider it.  In the last five games at Busch, Colby Rasmus has three GIDP's.  Tyler Greene and Nick Punto have one each.  On the current home-stand, the entire team has a total of eight.  The three players listed represent a large portion of the team's speed.

If the infield grass was let to grow a tad higher, perhaps those grounders turn into productive outs - moving the runner up.  At worst, they may have only been force outs.  And this is important, as 11 of this season's home GIDP's  came with at least one runner on base with no outs with no runs scored in the inning - true rally killers.  Additionally, four GIDP's at home have been super rally killers, transforming two on, no out opportunities into wasted innings.  Missing that many wonderful chances to post runs has left the team vulnerable to the bullpen implosions suffered in 2011.

Of course this all supposition.  If the grass was longer, and the ground balls slower, the Redbirds could have even more  GIDP's (perish the thought).  Or well struck grounders for hits instead could become standard ground outs for Cardinal batsmen.  I know of no way to quantify this, not being a stat freak (gimme some help?)

But here's something to keep in mind.  Pitching coach Dave Duncan has pruned and preened his staff to be worm-murders - preaching the sinker and his pitch-to-contact philosophy.  With an infield defense focused on offense, would higher grass and slower ground balls mollify the middle infield's lack of range?  I know only one way to prove my theory - practice it.  Have the grass mown long.  There are proven eye-ball analysts sitting (or standing) in the Cardinals dugout every day their in Busch III.  It wouldn't take long for them to get a feel for the way it's working.  And if the experiment raises the hackles of TLR, Dunc, and the Ol' Redhead it's an easy fix to return to the way it was.

I'll admit, this all sounds like a joke.  But with the double-play hindering St. Louis' run differential, raising the issue for debate isn't really such a ridiculous a thought.

All Aboard the Berkman Bandwagon

Lance Berkman, Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The train left the station on the afternoon of March 31, 2011 as Lance Berkman was introduced as a St. Louis Cardinal on opening day.  A longtime rival as a member of the Houston Astros, Berkman epitomizes a professional ballplayer - killing your team while never doing a thing to tick you off.  He always seems affable while crushing baseballs all over the field - or over the fence.

But even this avowed Berkman fan has watched in awe as the outfielder-cum-first baseman-cum-outfielder has put on an exhibition this week of what is a true professional hitter.  His two solo home runs last night in Los Angeles against the Dodgers give him 6 HRs in his last five games.  After a disappointing 2010 season that saw his power sapped by a knee injury in spring training, Berkman is obviously feeling more comfortable and confident at the plate. 

He started slow at the plate, but swings kept getting better and balls were struck hard, but his best efforts kept finding gloves.  One way to break out of that cycle is to miss gloves, and Berkman has by transporting pitches to the bleachers.  If a home run finds a glove out there, statisticians don't care.

Of course, this pace cannot be sustained (if it is, this charter member of the #LBFanClub would be calling for PED testing right away).  But there may be a lasting legacy of Berkman's barrage this week.  Pitching coaches and staffs must now respect the return of his power.  With the emergence of a very dangerous Rasmus forming bookends around the very formidable force of the Pujols-Holliday coupling, St. Louis now has a heart of the order as intimidating to pitchers as the MV3 force from last decade.  Intimidation means a higher possiblity of mistakes, and these hitters have a history of punishing mistakes.

I knew I couldn't be the only member of Cardinal Nation who longed to see the Big Puma in a Cardinal uniform.  And I found out that I wasn't.  As I detailed here , Cardinal twitter Nation debated Berkman's approval early on in the season.  In fact, Christine Coleman of Aaron Miles' Fastball blog  declared herself the President of the #LBFanClub - and I have proof:

Christine also gave some some love to the concept (and this humble scribe) in a recent post .

Berkman's easy going manner in the clubhouse and in the papers is refreshing.  His production is invigorating.  And now to one of MLB's largest fanbases, Lance Berkman is finally lovable.

Theriot Big Piece of Cards Offensive Revival

Lost in the recent explosion of offense from the St. Louis Cardinals is the role shortstop Ryan Theriot has played.  Since taking a day off on April 9, Theriot has been on a tear going 10-24 in the last 5 games of the road trip - a .417 clip.  It is no coincidence that those five games correspond to the 5 straight games the Redbirds have scored at least six runs.

During the off-season, the Cardinals added Theriot to the roster and shipped fan favorite Brendan Ryan to the Seattle Mariners.  Many fans in Cardinal Nation were unhappy with the switch sensing that Theriot would be a major defensive downgrade from Ryan, not to menition his taint as a former Chicago Cub.  Then on opening day, Theriot mishandled the exchange off a poor throw from the outfield and the San Diego Padres scored the go-ahead run in the 11th inning.

Plugged in as leadoff man in the Cardinal lineup, Theriot was caught up in the offensive malaise that gripped the Redbird bats during the season opening homestand, hitting just .182 through the first six games.  In fact the last home tilt on April 6 is the only game of the young season that Theriot went hitless.  But since the plane left Lambert International for the west coast, the veteran shortstop's bat has heated up with 12 hits in the six games he has played.

Despite the small sample size, The Riot appears to be the upgrade in the lineup that GM John Mozeliak was shooting for.  Theriot's average is .314, with an on-base percentage of .386 and a slugging percentage of .353 for the season.  He has also been clutch, getting seven hits in 12 chances with two outs and more importantly is batting .500 with runners in scoring position.  Add in a surprising five RBI from the leadoff man, and Theriot has put up numbers vastly superior to the black hole in the lineup the shortstop position was last season.

The questions about defense may be valid as Theriot has already committed four errors this year, though he had two after the first two games.  But the middle infield has not been a wasteland of leather as the most pessimistic of Cardinal fans feared entering the season.  Skip Schumaker looks far more comfortable at second base thus far, and the Theriot/Schumaker double-play combo has jelled early on.

Matt Holliday's return to the lineup, Albert Pujols return to a level of normalcy, and Colby Rasmus' consistent hitting has been key to the resurgence of scoring.  But Theriot has also been a vital part of the offense as well.  Former Cub or not, his performance early in the season deserves some love from the Cardinal faithful.

Holliday's Return Should Help Cardinals Offense

The St. Louis Cardinals hope to get a big lift today as slugger Matt Holliday returns to the line-up.  Out since the second day of the season due to surgery to remove his appendix, the Redbird outfielder has successfully paid off the team's gamble to not put him on the 15-day DL.

Holliday has been sorely missed in a line-up that has found runs extremely hard to come by.  The Cardinals offense has been consistent in 2011 - consistently ineffectual both in the number of hits and for power.  Despite playing only one game out of St. Louis' eight thus far, Holliday accounts for a full 33% of the Cardinals home runs.

Protection for Pujols
Brought to the ballclub to provide protection for Albert Pujols, his absence has been glaring.  Pujols is hitting a meager .167 and worse, he is only slugging at a .267 rate. Cardinal Nation is hoping that Holliday's return boosts Pujols to his usual outrageous production.

But Holliday offers more than that.  His presence changes the whole dynamic of the line-up.  With Holliday back, the heart of St. Louis' order is much more frightening to an opposing pitcher.  It is what manager Tony La Russa imagined coming into the season - numbers 2-5 would be Colby Rasmus, Pujols, Holliday, and Lance Berkman.  Rasmus is one of the few Cardinals hitting well, and adds danger to the two-hole.  Berkman has been hitting the ball hard, but not getting much luck.  And it's simply a matter of time before Pujols' bat heats up to normal.

Cards Need To Improve Run Support
The Cardinals starting pitching has been fantastic so far this season, but has little to show for their superlative effort.  Getting only 2,6 runs/game in support, the pressure on the staff is suffocating.  Add in the alarming number of mental mistakes the position players are making and one gets the feeling that a Cardinal starter could lose a game while pitching a no-hitter.

Perhaps adding Holliday is the tonic for the belly-aches all Cardinal fans are suffering.

Breaking Down The Cardinals Loss & Franklin's Third Blown Save

Another blown save by Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin.  Another St. Louis loss.  This one in the most excruciating fashion imaginable.  The San Francisco Giants were down to their last strike.  Runners on 1st and 2nd, and Mr B-12 himself - Miguel Tejada - at the plate.

Let's stop right there and recap a bit.  Jaime Garcia was absolutely masterful tonight.  He had no-hitter stuff.  But in the fifth inning, a Garcia pitch gets away and hits Pat Burrell up around the head and neck.  Next, Miguel Tejada grounds a single between short and third.  Then former Cardinal Mark DeRosa shortened his swing, punched a little flair to right, and the Giants took a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Skip Schumaker drew a walk, two groundouts moved him to third, and he scored on a wild pitch.  Then in the eighth, Colby Rasmus hit a towering home run to the deepest part of AT&T ballpark to give the Cardinals the lead.  Miguel Batista gave up a two-out triple to Nate Schierholz, but then struck out Freddie Sanchez swinging to take us to the ninth.

In the top half of the inning, and desperately needing an insurance run or two to take some pressure off the struggling Franklin, the Cardinals manages to sandwich a weak fly out between two soft ground outs. A rather uninspired effort at a time when more was needed.

So we reach the bottom of the ninth.  Franklin comes in and promptly got Aubrey Huff to ground out.  The next batter was Buster Posey.  Posey then did something Cardinal fans had forgotten could be done.  He shortened his stroke and took a decent pitch the other way for single.  It was a fabulous piece of hitting - one I wish some St. Louis player would do (Skip is doing that this season...he's it).  Franklin looked to be a bit rattled at this point and walked Pat Burrell.  Giants rookie first-baseman Brandon Belt pinch-ran for Burrell.

Now, Cardinal twitter Nation started going beserk.  Everyone seemed to know what was coming.  Aaron Rowand was coming up, and the end was nigh.  But the ever-fading Rowand hit a fly ball caught by right-fielder Lance Berkman.  So in walks Tejada.

Franklin gets a called striked on a fastball.  It was a good pitch.  Then Tejada fouled off a nice sinker.  Up in the count, Franklin put a pitch in the dirt, but Tejada took it for a ball.  Tejado ruined a 1-2 fastball by fouling it off.  Next, Franklin threw a splitter in the dirt, but Tejada didn't go fishing.  Another pitch out of the zone, and we have a full-count.

This was a very exciting at bat.  The two veterans were really in a battle.  Franklin hadn't made a mistake, but neither had Tejada.  With the count full, I was certain that Franklin would bust him in on the hands and he did.  What I didn't expect was the bat speed of Tejada to get around on the pitch and rip it just foul down the third base line.  It was the perfect pitch from Franklin, but at 91mph, I guess it didn't have enough oomph.

After Tejada fouled off another cutter to stay alive, the at bat was getting interesting.  Franklin started out having control, but after the last two foul balls I began wondering what the Cardinals closer would do.  What he did was throw a fastball around the plate that Tejada got a good swing on.  He struck it well, and lifted it into left-centerfield.  The crowd thought he got it all - and I did too.  But Franklin had missed the sweet spot of Tejada's bat.  Jon Jay and Colby Rasmus raced back towards the warning track and converged on the ball.  A sure out to end the game.

But No!  As unbelievable as it seems, Rasmus had it in his glove and had it pop out.  He used two hands as our dads taught us, and he dropped it.  Posey scored.  Belt raced around from first and scored the winning run.  I could not believe what I just saw.

The play looked strange.  While it was no can of corn, it was a play you see major league outfielders make all the time.  But Jon Jay was very close to Rasmus as the ball came down, and it appeared to this observer that Rasmus may have been worried about a collision at the last second.

Why was Jay right there?  Did Colby fail to take charge of the play?  He's the center-fielder - it's his call.  Did Rasmus flake out and think Holliday was the left-fielder?  I doubt Holliday has the range to be right there like Jay was.  Perhaps it was too loud as the Giants fans thought it might be a home run off the bat.  If that's the case, it would be tremendous breakdown in fundamentals for a Tony LaRussa managed team.

LaRussa didn't give much insight, as he was testy in the post-game interview.  Understandably so, since this had to be one of the most brutal losses he's had to endure in his long managerial career.  And coming at a time when his ball club could really use the win.

And an even bigger question lies with Franklin who was clearly quite emotional and shaken after suffering his third blown save in four chances this season.  A question mark at the end of the bullpen is not what a reeling team that can't score runs needs.

Another unfathomable facet on this nightmarish night was the fact that it was scored a double for Tejada.  How can that possibly be?  The ball hit Rasmus in the glove - that must be an error.  Must be.  I'm a fan of home cooking as the next guy, but this is another example of how official scorers in Major League baseball have become nearly as corrupt as the judges in a professional boxing match.  A travesty.  A sham.  A mockery.

There was no comment I heard from Jaime Garcia about not getting the win out of such a brilliant performance.  I'm not sure I would understand all of what he would have to say, but I am certain that this Arizona-based scribe could pick out the curse words.

Cardinals McClellan Does Good, Pujols Clutch in Win

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle McClellan took the ball at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night.  This night was a little different for the career reliever - this time the his name was called with no outs in the first inning.  The hometown boy from suburban Florissant MO made his first big league start after spending three years as a bullpen stalwart.

Perhaps showing a bit of understandable excitement and nervousness, McClellan gave up a lead off double to Jose Tabata, but recovered to strike out the next two Bucs batters before making his one singular bad pitch of the game to Lyle Overbay - a 421-foot home run to stake the Pirates to a 2-0 lead.  McClellan shrugged that shot off to strike out Pedro Alvarez to end the inning.

McClellan Settled In
After that, McClellan was sharp.  He kept the Pirate batters off balance with his variety of pitches, changing speed, and location that lead to 7 strikeouts in his 6 innings.  McClellan avoided trouble until the sixth inning when Andrew McCutcheon and Lyle Overbay stroked back to back one-out singles.  Facing what would ultimately be his last batter, McClellan induced Pedro Alvarez to ground into the double play.

McClellan's work was over after that, leaving with the score tied 2-2.  He scattered six hits while issuing only one walk and striking out seven.  Perhaps the strikeouts took a toll on his efficiency as he needed 95 pitches to complete his six innings of work.  But clearly McClellan showed what pitching coach Dave Duncan has said for a while - McClellan will be a solid starting pitcher.

Bats Don't Help McClellan
Meanwhile, McClellan needed to be sharp as the Cardinals batsman failed to do enough to get him the 'W' he deserved.  In the bottom of the first, Colby Rasmus and Albert Pujols drew one-out walks but the rally fizzled as Lance Berkman was called out on strikes and Allen Craig flied out.  In Berkman's defense, he had an extended at bat, peppering the red-clad crowd at Busch Stadium with well struck foul balls.  But he never got a chance to straighten one out as he was rung up by umpire Kerwin Danley on a call that had Berkman visible upset.

Berkman got his revenge on Pirates starter James McDonald in the fourth, leading off with a double.  Allen Craig followed that with a single to score Berkman.  David Freese then walked to extend the rally, but the bugaboo of the Cardinals so far in 2011 - the double play - raised its ugly head again.  Skip Schumaker was the offender this time.  Gerald Laird couldn't get the clutch two-out hit, striking out to end the inning.

Setting the Table
A theme of the game for the St. Louis offense was the table-setting at the top of the order.  The fifth inning is a prime example.  Ryan Theriot stroked a one-out single and moved to third on Rasmus' single. Cardinal Nation held it's breath as Albert Pujols came to the plate, hoping that he wouldn't ground into another rally-killing double play.  Though he didn't drive the ball as we've been accustomed to (spoiled by) in the past, he did get the ball in the air and his sacrifice fly scored Theriot.  A Berkman pop fly to shortstop ended the inning with the score 2-2.

Theriot showed some leadoff man moxie in this game, getting on base three times with a single and two walks.  Rasmus also set the table with two singles and his fifth walk of the young season.  Rasmus' OBP is now .550, good for fifth in the NL.   These two Redbirds were also instrumental in the winning run for the home team.

In the seventh, Theriot walked and Rasmus singled in front of Albert Pujols.  Pujols stroked a ground ball single to score Theriot from second and give the Cardinals the 3-2 lead.

Miguel Batista pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of effective, but sleep inducing, relief.  Honestly, can't he pick up the pace a bit?  If St. Louis' defense is suspect, slowing the game down to drowsy isn't going to improve their alertness.  Trevor Miller allowed a walk in the eighth to put two runners on, but struck out Pedro Alverez to end the threat.  Closer Ryan Franklin did allow a two-out single in the ninth, but did get the save without overdone dramatics.

Cardinal Nation Relaxes
McClellan was the story in this one.  His won-loss record is still stuck on 0-0, but to say he didn't factor in the decision is a misnomer.  His six innings were key, and in his first career start mimicked Jaime Garcia last season in effectiveness - showing how close the battle in 2010 spring training for the fifth starter spot actually was.  And the table setting of Theriot and Rasmus relaxed the vexation of Cardinal Nation, if only for one night.

Now if the team can string two games of stringing together baserunners, we will feel much better before the upcoming west coast road trip.

Opening Day 2011

It is upon us.  The first step in a grand journey to the land of October.  Hope is the very essence of the season.  Can't you smell it in the brisk spring air?  Can't you see it in the bright sunshine?  Major League Baseball's glorious opening day is here, and I'm a happy, happy fan.

Dreaming is the goal on this day.  Dreaming of Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday combining for 4 tape-measure HR's.  Dreaming of Lance Berkman greeting the faithful at Busch III with a 5-5 day.  Dreaming of Colby Rasmus doing the usual at the plate, while positioning himself appropriately in center field.

Fearless leader Chris Carpenter will take the ball today.  The nightmare of Opening Day 2007 with him walking off the mound with a right arm about to fall off is a distant memory.  Dreaming today of the long awaited no-hitter for our bulldog - the last remaining hole in his Redbird resume.

This fanatical, occasional blogger will man the twitter along with 100+ friends.  You can find my list of BIG St. Louis Cardinal fans @stimpy66/stl-cardinals.  Join us, and share the emotional roller-coaster that will be today.

The wonder of America's "Beautiful Game" is that we have no idea what will happen on any given day, nor do we know how we will feel at the end of the day.  Euphoria may be quashed tomorrow.  Likewise, despair will be banished soon (sorry, Cub fans, you are the exception that proves my rule).  That is the unique condition thrust upon those of us that live and breath a sport that is dominated by failure.  A hall of fame hitter fails nearly 70% of the time at the plate.  A superior team disappoints 60 times a summer.  Ain't it great!

This desert rat has the great fortune to be in the heart of Cardinal country.  Alas, I will not be in the STL today for the festivities, but in a smoky sports bar in Herrin, IL, sharing the joy of the day with fine folks dressed in similar red apparel, leaving my poor mother alone for 3 hours in the afternoon.  Sometimes, blood is not thicker than fandom.

Jay Provides Spark, But Where Will He Play?

St. Louis Cardinal outfielder Jon Jay has been asked only to fill-in during his rookie year, but he's doing his best to break into one of the best outfields in the National League.  Called up from Triple-A Memphis on July 3rd to replace the DL-bound Ryan Ludwick, Jay has been a revelation.  Since then his exciting play has been a much needed catalyst for the club's disappointing offense.
 
     The 25 year old product of the University of Miami made his first big league appearance earlier this season, and performed well both as a starter and as a pinch-hitter.  He is currently amidst a NL-best 11-game hit streak and is batting .377 for the season in 34 games.  But in this latest 8 games stretch with St. Louis, Jay has really turned it on - hitting at an even .500 clip with 2 HR, 9 RBI and has scored 12 times for a slugging percentage of .594.  Unbelievably, he has either scored or drove in a run in 10 of the 24 innings the Cardinals have scored since he joined the big league club.  That's a direct effect in 41.7% of all Cardinal rallies.

     Timely hitting is one thing, but Jay has also shown a high-level of baseball smarts.  The best example is the third inning of Sunday's Cardinals game against Houston.  Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez cruised through the St. Louis line-up, retiring the first 10 batters and looking quite relaxed pitching from his wind-up.  With St. Louis down 2-0 and needing to shake things up, Jay noticed the Houston infielders playing back and laid down a bunt for a hit (the first such hit of season for the team).  Rodriguez now had to pitch from the stretch, and St. Louis pounced.  An Albert Pujols single and a Matt Holiday 3-run homer gave the Cardinals all they would need to go into the All-Star break on a needed high note.

       Jay's awareness of the situation and ability to make things happen did not get by St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa.  As reported by Joe Strauss in Monday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, LaRussa remarked about Jay, "He does what the situation demands. He's aggressive and he's intelligent. That's a good combination for any player. He's been very impressive."  Ironically, those comments may spell the end of reserve OF Randy Winn with the Redbirds.  The Cardinals picked up Winn following his release by the Yankees, and Jay - performing quite well in his initial stint in the majors - was sent down to make room.  LaRussa explained that first demotion as an opportunity for Jay to continue to play every day.  But he and the organization did admit that Jay had "impressed".  While providing a jump to the ball-club initially, Winn is now suffering through a 2-27 slump.  There is now little justification for the Cardinals in keeping him over the impressive Jay.

     This is a wonderful story, but let's not forget our hero only has 34 big league games under his belt.  While it's clear Jay has brought electricity to an unexpectedly staid line-up, his brief time with St. Louis has protected him from the attention of opposing scouts and coaches.  Word has certainly gotten out, and adjustments will be made in the approach to Jay.  The key is his adjustments to those changes.  Other Cardinal rookie outfielders have hit The Show with a splash.  But will Jay sustain the the glory like former MVP and two-time batting champ Willie McGee, or will the holes in his swing be exploited like Rick Ankiel's. 
  
     Questions like those have Jay's future MLB career in a tremendously wonderful state of flux.  He has enjoyed regular playing time due to starting RF Ryan Ludwick being on the DL with a calf injury.  Ludwick is expected to return soon, and he is a proven player of impact - both with the bat and the glove.  Starting the last two games for hobbled CF Colby Rasmus (mild hamsting strain), Jay showed enough aplomb with the glove to be the back-up In center the team has been looking for since spring training.  But Rasmus is a budding superstar with all the talents  of Jay  - and more.  Matt Holliday in left field already is a superstar, and recently signed the largest contract in franchise history, and he is earning it.  So despite all that Jay brings to the line-up, there is no room left at the inn.
  
     But bright signs are in his future.  His production as a left-handed hitting outfielder on the bench fills a desire the club has had since spring training, plus LaRussa is renown for giving plenty of playing time to his reserves (often to the chagrin of Redbird fans).   Jay has a real possibility of playing a valuable role on a World Series team.  Or there is the opportunities of the upcoming trade deadline.  Injuries to starting pitchers Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse make the Cardinals buyers, and Jay's solid play - and rookie contract - make him a valuable pawn in the upcoming chess game.  He just might find himself a starting outfielder on some lesser big league team by August 1st.

     That's not something Cardinal Nation wants nor wishes to hear.  But no matter what happens, Jay is taking the right approach.  He told the Post-Dispatch, "I know it's a game. I've got to have fun, fun with a reason.   I'm more of a happy-go-lucky guy. I'm not going to let things bother me. I'm not going to get too high and not going to get too low. I'm just playing the game."

     So far in 2010, Jon Jay is just playing the game the right way, the Cardinal way.  And he's not the only one having fun. Watching him, Cardinal Nation is having a blast.