Let's Talk Nice About the Hitting Coach

There are many thankless jobs in professional baseball.  Every decision of a manager is easily scrutinized and criticized if things don't go as hoped.   A general manager who is praised when he signs a player the fan base is clamoring for can be lambasted by the same fan base when that player gets hurt or doesn't perform up to expectations.   But the singular most thankless job in baseball is that of hitting coach.

Often, the hitting coach is unknown by a majority of fans.  Most people outside of the clubhouse don't have any idea exactly what the hitting coach does, or has any idea of how much impact he has on the performance of the team.

Yes, being a hitting coach is truly a thankless job.  Normally, the hitting coach is invisible until a team-wide slump strikes his team.  Outsiders cannot judge him any other way.  And the truth is, is he really going to change the swing and approach of great hitters like Albert Pujols, Holliday, and Berkman?  No.

Mark McGwire

The St. Louis Cardinals have a high profile hitting coach in Mark McGwire.   And perhaps it is time to note that by all appearances, he is doing a fine job.

After a horrible first week of the season, the Cardinal batters have been the class of the NL Central division.  In fact, the Redbirds lead the Major Leagues with a 286 batting average - 15 points better than second place Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Their prowess with two outs and runners in scoring position has been exceptional so far. 

Matt Holliday has been training with McGwire for years, and is off to an unbelievably hot start to 2011. Holliday is still hitting nearly . 400 - his .393 average leads all MLB players.  Lance Berkman has been the steal of the off-season free agent pool with 10 HR's and leading MLB in RBI's after showing fading skills the last couple of seasons.  And of late, Daniel Descalso has proved to be clutch in late game high-leverage situations.

Hitting a baseball is a tricky thing.  If you've played any ball at any level, you know that thinking about what you're doing courts disaster.  If you're confident, you see-ball, hit-ball.  If you're not confident you miss the meat and swing at cheese.

From all I've read, McGwire's approach has been to look for a pitch the batter can handle, and put a good, solid swing on it.  Drive the ball.  In the long haul of the baseball season, that is the essence of the equation.  The recipe for success.

Another big mark in McGwire's favor is the lessening of reliance of video scouting of pitchers.  It may be the main culprit for the disturbing trend in recent years of the Cardinals turning rookie starters into Bob Gibson.  If you rely on video to prep for a pitcher, how do you prep for someone with no video?  You don't.  You need to go out and see-ball, hit-ball.

The sample size is small, and he can't swing the bat for his charges.  But what I've seen thus far, Mark McGwire is a success as hitting coach.

Cardinals Loss on Pitchers This Time

By User shgmom56 on Flickr

The St. Louis Cardinals managed to lose to the Florida Marlins on Monday night 6-5.  For the first time in a while, this loss can be pinned fully on the starting pitcher Kyle Lohse.

Lohse was cruising through the first two innings, needing only 17 pitches to retire the first seven Marlins hitters he faced.  The lone baserunner reached on a ball that went through SS Ryan Theriot's legs for an error.  But Lohse lost the strike zone in the third inning.  After getting the first out, Marlin's pitcher Chris Volstad got the first hit against Lohse - a single.  Now pitching out of the stretch, Lohse walked two more Marlins.  You can guess what happens after you give the opposing pitcher and then walk two, right?  You guessed it, a two-out two-strike grand slam by Gaby Sanchez.

The Big Puma Strikes
The Cardinal hitters came to the rescue, and regained the lead 5-4 in the bottom of the frame on a three-run dinger by Lance Berkman - his ninth of the season.  Fresh off a second NL Player of the week award, Berkman drove in four runs on his two hits, and added a walk.  But Lohse kept struggling with the strike zone and his pitch count kept rising.  Marlins slugger Mike Stanton launched a bomb into Big Mac Land at Busch Stadium, tying the game.

The game would remain tied until the eighth, when Stanton struck again, greeting Mitchell Boggs with a lead-off triple.  The next batter, Greg Dobbs, was able to plate Stanton with a sacrifice fly and the Marlins had the late lead.

Tyler Greene Fails
Now to the bottom of the ninth with Florida leading 6-5.  Daniel Descalso lead off with a walk.  Tyler Greene was asked to move Descalso over with a sacrifice bunt but he failed, bunting straight to the pitcher who got a force-out at second.  Allen Craig - fresh off the DL - struck out.  Ryan Theriot then singled.  If Green does his job and gets the runner to second, the Cardinals tie the game.  Alas, Leo Nunez coaxed a ground ball out of Colby Rasmus, and the rally - and the game - were over.

Greene was particularly brutal this game.  He went 0-4 and failed to get the sacrifice bunt down.  Now batting .219 on the season, Greene again is failing to show he has the stuff to be a Major League ball player.  As Bernie Miklasz points out, Greene is now 1-6 in his career in sacrifice situations.

With David Freese's broken hand and Skip Schumaker still on the DL, the Redbirds will need someone to step up and replace some of Freese's slugging.  Greene has shown good power in the minors, but at the big league level, he just doesn't hit.  Plus, Greene has been inconsistent with the glove with the parent team.  Daniel Descalso has had some good at bats lately, but he went hitless on Monday also.

Monday's loss went to Mitchell Boggs, but Kyle Lohse finally had a poor start.  He was due one, though.  He still looks healthy and this observer expects a very good season from him. 

The Lance Berkman Factor

Lance Berkman celebrates a home run (Getty/Bob Levey

I remember when I heard the news that one of my most favorite players was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.  I was bartending at the time, and as I came into work my customers broke the news to me.  I was delighted.  I knew this player was solidly in the autumn of his career - a career that seemed to be snowballing to the end because of injuries.  But I did not care.  I cherished the idea that his ability to take over any given game with his bat was only matched by a tremendous amount of baseball savvy.  I believe I did in fact dance a little jig once I determined they weren't pulling my chain.

The year: 2004.  The player: Larry Walker.

Now it is deja vu all over again.  In the past off-season I was thrilled in a like manner with the news that Cardinals GM John Mozeliak had fought off the efforts of his Chicago Cubs counterpart and secured Lance Berkman for a year.  I did not dance a jig this time, but I was pleased.

I knew of Berkman's knee injury.  I knew that he had in his past played a passable if ugly outfield, but had been relegated for years to first base.  I had concerns, but the pluses of having this guy with the Birds on the Bat far outweighed the negatives - despite the overwhelming response of an underwhelmed media.  I did not hesitate to claim a charter membership in the Lance Berkman Fan Club  amongst the Cardinal fans on twitter.

But I never thought Berkman would be this good.  Apparently, the Houston Astros never thought he'd be this again, either.

Berkman returned to his old stomping grounds this week and destroyed Houston in Minute Maid Park.  He laced 8 hits in 14 at bats during the series, including 2 home runs, two doubles, and drove in eight runs.  That gives a slashline of .571/.571/1.143 and and an incredible OPS of 1.714.  On Thursday, Berkman raked in a 4-5 night, 2 homers, a double and 11 total bases.  He had a home run, a single, and 4 RBI in the Cardinals 9-run sixth inning alone.  His 3-run blast that inning was from his weaker right side giving St. Louis a lead it wouldn't relinquish and made a winner of starting pitcher Kyle McClellan.  He also added a solo shot in the ninth.

And he wasn't simply a weapon with the bat, he showed some glove with at least two eye-popping catches in right field.  His wonderful running catch deep in the right field corner on Wednesday was a big factor in St Louis holding off the Astros late inning rally.

Berkman is now batting .410 on the season, which is second in the Major Leagues behind teammate Matt Holliday's .432 mark.  Berkman's 8 HR is second in MLB and he ranks 3rd in RBI with 22.  He is also riding a streak of seven straight games with multiple hits.  Additionally, he ranks first in the majors with 66 total bases, first in slugging at .795, second with an OPS of 1.263, and fourth in on-base percentage with .467.

It's a helluva start for a player deemed to be over the hill.  But his knees have been given a chance to heal and provide a solid base from which he can hit the ball with authority.  And he has.

It is only April, and the baseball season is a long one.  It is not out of line to remain concerned if Berkman's health will hold up enough to maintain his regained power.  But unlike Walker, Berkman does not suffer from a degenerative condition that leaves his short-term future cloudy.

If he stays healthy, Berkman could leave Mozeliak open for questioning his judgement in signing the Big Puma.  No longer wondering why the GM went out on a limb to sign Berkman, but rather "why for only one year?"

Cards Win As Reds, Phillips Blow Into Town

A foul wind blew into St. Louis Friday afternoon.  And no, it was not the big mouth of Cincinnati Reds 2B Brandon Phillips.  Mother Nature unleashed her fury with devastating tornadoes that damaged Lambert International Airport, and delayed the highly anticipated start of the Cardinals-Reds series.  The game was played amongst the debris.  And now the NL Central is part of the debris as the Redbirds roost alone atop the division - 1/2 game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Forgive me if I sound flippant about the storm sitting cozily in warm weather in Tucson.  My son lives in Ellisville with his mother.  I have friends and family in Maryland Heights, Overland, Florissant, and Hazelwood.  Additionally, my mother still lives in southern Illinois which has not been spared by the recent weather.  I am very concerned about the news.  My prayers go out to the entire area.

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa showed a heapin' helpin' of Hall of Fame cool for playing chicken with the weather.  LaRussa made a last minute decision to start Miguel Batista against the Reds, knowing full well what the forecast portended.  And he was vindicated when the game was delayed six pitches in.  Reds manager stuck with scheduled starter Edinson Volquez, and he was done without throwing a single pitch in the game.   Perhaps Baker knew what he was doing with Volquez, who's given up 6 HR's, 20 hits, and 17 runs in 22.2 innings thus far this season.

When the storm abated and the game resumed, Kyle McClellan also resumed his anticipated start (technically in relief).  With no outs and a runner on second, McClellan escaped the first without damage.  And he continued to perform as he has all year - 6 innings pitched, 2 ER, 7 hits, 3 BB, and 2 K's on 93 pitches.  Actually, it may have been his worst start of the season - if it was indeed a start.

Ryan Theriot is proving himself to be quite the brown-noser, proving Cardinals GM John Mozeliak correct for bringing the former Cub aboard.  Theriot went 3-4 with a double, and scored 2 runs to get the home team to an early lead they never relinquished.  Theriot is now batting .321 as the replacement for light-hitting Brendan Ryan.  Albert Pujols managed 2 RBI's, and the Lance Berkman Fan Club was thrilled as the Big Puma keeps impressing, matching Theriot's line exactly.  Yadier Molina again had one big hit, a two-out RBI single in the fifth that gave the bullpen the space needed to lock down the victory.

Is it fair to lump the job former reliever McClellan did into the body of work the bullpen did tonight?  I don't think so.  Their performance stands alone.  Eduardo Sanchez was called upon in the sixth inning to save K-Mac in a two-on no-out situation.  The rookie showed jitters, throwing two wild pitches that lead to one Red run, but limited the damage and escaped the jam.  Jason Motte worked himself into a jam, giving up two singles in 2/3 of an inning.  He gave way to Mitchell Boggs who went old-school, pitching over an inning to earn his second straight save.

Let us not forget about the man who created the hype of this series and the burgeoning rivalry between the clubs - Brandon Phillips.  He was the one Red to get good wood on a McClellan offering, depositing his second home run of the season into the left-centerfield bleachers in the fifth.  Phillips showed some class by not grandstanding the performance - he hustled his way home on what had to be a satisfying home run trot.  Cardinal Nation hates him, but his antics upped the hype, and has the final two games of the series on national TV - Saturday afternoon on FOX, and the Sunday night game on ESPN. Here's what the Reds All-Star second baseman has to say after tonight's show:

  You can follow him on twitter @DatDudeBP.  Honestly, he's one of the best MLB players to follow. 

We have national TV, national media, controversy, adversarial competitors, and two good divisional teams facing off in late April.  This rivalry is everything the Cards-Cubs should be, it's Yankees-Red Sox for the rest of the nation.  It was an exciting win for the Redbirds tonight.  I can't wait for tomorrow.  I can't wait to see how this drama plays out through the summer.

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.

The Lance Berkman Fan Club

Lance Berkman's
2011 Topps Baseball Card

If you are one of the hundreds in Cardinal Nation following on twitter, you probably have run across mention of the Lance Berkman Fan Club (hashtag #LBFanClub).  It all began on April 4 of this year when some of the tweeps couldn't show love for the Big Puma because of the "Astros Ick" (wonderfully phrased by @annabell151).

The twitter crowd was split between those who are still under the influence of the heated rivalry last decade between Berkman's old team - the Houston Astros and our beloved Redbirds, and those who saw Berkman as a talented, classy player despite the damage he inflicted on the Cardinals.

I will state for the record that I am in the latter category, and I am proud to be a self-described charter member of the Lance Berkman Fan Club.  There is plenty of room on the bandwagon.  And we're going to need a big bandwagon now, after the awe-inspiring display of power LB just unleashed in the desert against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

April 11:  2-5  2R, 2HR, 3RBI, 8 Total Bases


Berkman started the series with three pathetic at bats against D'backs starter Barry Enright.  But against the Arizona bullpen, LB began to heat up.  In the 7th inning with St. Louis holding an increasingly tenuous 4-1 lead, Berkman took a Sam Demel pitch deep the other way for a solo shot.  Then in the ninth, Berkman did what he was brought in to do, scoring Albert Pujols (and himself, of course) with a two-run dinger, and blew the game open.  It was his first two home runs of the season.

April 12:  3-5 1R, 1HR, 2RBI, 6 Total Bases 


Though the Cardinals lost 13-8 in this slugfest, Berkman again shone at the plate.  In his first at bat  Berkman hit a solo home run again against Diamondback's starter Armando Galarraga, giving him homers in three straight at bats.  He added two other singles in the game, one in the sixth inning that drove in Ryan Theriot.

April 13:  1-3 2R, 1HR, 5RBI, 1 BB, 4 Total Bases


What could Lance do to finally endear himself to the entirety of Cardinal Nation?  How about delivering the ultimate in retribution to a pitcher that had just plunked a teammate?  In the top of the 2nd, struggling Arizona starter Ian Kennedy hit Matt Holliday in the wrist to load the bases.  Kennedy was getting beat up badly and the Cardinal dugout appeared to take the beaning as an insult - especially the pitching staff. Berkman answered the best way possible as he launched a 3-2 Kennedy pitch into the stands at Chase Field for a grand slam to the obvious delight of the pitchers who hooted and offered catcalls to the shell-shocked the D'backs righty.  The score was now 8-0, and the rout was on.


When Berkman was available in the off-season, the Cardinals jumped at the chance to grab the veteran switch-hitter - even upping the offer to  $8 Million for one year to keep the Cubs out of play for him.  It was not only his career offensive production that intrigued, but his easygoing personality and positive clubhouse presence.  The fruition of the former showed itself in the series in Arizona, and Bernie Miklasz gives us a glimpse of the latter here.

Berkman is coming off a lost 2010 season that saw him suffer a knee injury in spring training and then dealt at the trading deadline from Houston to the New York Yankees as the Astros finally committed to rebuilding their aging, disappointing roster.  Berkman had the worst season of his career in 2010, and many felt he had gone past his prime.

The decision to return Berkman's glove to the outfield was heavily debated.  So far, he has not been anything other than he was with the Astros - adequate for the job.  He is no ballerina on defense, but he is a professional veteran who knows the fundamentals.  He knows to keep balls in front of him from getting past him, and can reliably hit the cutoff man.  These are not things we have seen from other, younger, more lithe Cardinal outfielders thus far this season.

Once given the nickname Fat Elvis for his portly appearance, Berkman has noticeably lost weight.  The knee injury of 2010 seems to be behind him, as he is running the bases and in the outfield surprisingly well.  The elbow soreness that slowed him early in spring training this year appears to not to be a problem any longer.

Cardinal Nation is well acquainted with the destructive power of Berkman's bat from his time with Division rival Houston.  The reluctance to love a player that has done such damage to the hometown team is understandable.  But these past three games give testimony to why this fan is bullish on the Big Puma wearing the Birds on the Bat.

So does recent history leave a bad taste in your mouth, or are you a member of the Lance Berkman Fan Club?  Give us  your vote in the comments.

My Wish for Today's Cardinal Lineup

Here's today's St. Louis Cardinals lineup (via Matthew Leach):

1. Theriot SS
2. Rasmus CF
3. Pujols 1B
4. Holliday LF
5. Craig RF
6. Freese 3B
7. Schumaker 2B
8. Laird C
9. Lohse RHP

And here is the lineup this armchair manager would take out to the home plate umpire:

1. Skip Schumaker 2B
2. Colby Rasmus CF
3. Albert Pujols 1B
4. Matt Holliday LF
5. Lance Berkman RF
6. David Freese 3B
7. Gerald Laird C
8. Kyle Lohse RHP
9. Ryan Theriot SS

Notes on why:

• I think Skip is the only Cardinal taking good at bats consistently
• Colby must get back on the horse after last night's debacle
• I would play Berkman today with Holliday back. Berkman's getting good swings but bad luck
• Freese needs to play to get hitting stroke back.  He's so important for St. Louis in this season
• I didn't play Yadier Molina because I respect TLR's knowledge when to rest the all-star's knees
• I like Theriot to be the second lead off guy.  I'm not a fan of batting pitcher 8th, but now is the time

Share your ideas on today's lineup in the comments.

And today is the day the Cardinals season turns around!

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.

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.

When a Season Flashes Before Your Eyes

I was innocently listening to the St Louis Cardinals game on the MLB 11 app on my iPhone, listening to Mike Shannon comment about how Chris Carpenter must have an early tee time today.  He was working so fast that he was making 2 pitches before the came back from commercial break.  And he was mowing down Marlins, and seemed to be focused on the curveball.  And it was working.

After all the early drama of camp, this was a wonderful tonic for a angst-ridden Redbirds fan.  Suddenly, Carpenter pulls up, comes out, and my breath got short.  My phone exploded with texts as I passed along the breaking news. 

Alas!  We all moaned and whined about how the season is broken before it starts.  How if it would be possible to overcome losing Wainwright?  No way we could overcome losing 2 aces.

It Got Worse

While we all were still wringing our hands over Carpenter, Mitchell Boggs had to leave the game with an injury.  Suddenly McClellan would be necessary in the bullpen.  We would have to waste precious payroll on a scrub like Kevin Millwood.  The proper plan of progression the organization has for Shelby Miller would be shelved.  Lance Lynn would be pushed up too soon.  Miguel Batista is now an important signing. The season - and the future - was blown up in 15 minutes time.  Oi vay!

Whew!

Eventually, word came out that Carpenter has a strained hamstring, and Boggs has a back strain.  Whew!  Not a mention of the dreaded words "elbow" or "shoulder".  But these are not injuries to gloss over.  Both will require plenty of rest to heal properly and not linger throughout the season.  Pitching through such injuries could force either pitcher to change their deliveries to compensate for the pain and later in the season provide us with such unwanted terms as "elbow", "shoulder", "evaluation", "Paletta", and worse of all, "Dr. James Andrews".

Of course, true St. Louis Cardinals fans know better than listen too closely to optimistic medical prognosis from the front office (see: Carpenter, Chris; Lohse, Kyle; Penny, Brad; et al).  Bill Belachik is a friend of TLR, and La Russa seems to have picked up his bud's crazy NFL injury reports (the first time Tom Brady was not listed as "probable" was the game he had the knee injury and was lost for the season).


Too Much Excitement

I am excited about every baseball season - no matter the realistic hope I have for my Cardinals.  But so far this spring training has been FAR too exciting.  I have much trepidation about Lance Berkman's elbow.  If he can't play the outfield regularly, it is a huge blow to the lineup.  Jon Jay is exciting, Lance Berkman is an all-time special hitter.  Berkman will be on the "Pujols" plan that was implemented when Albert's elbow blew up while he was still an outfielder - hit the cut-off man who is standing 40 feet into the outfield.  It's not optimal, but the Red Sox won a World Series with a CF who's uninjured arm was so bad his LF felt compelled to cut off his throws. (a tip of the cap to Manny for the single funniest thing I've ever seen in baseball).  But it doesn't stretch the imagination one lick to see that elbow affecting Berkman at the bat, and that isn't much fun to think about.

Excitement The Right Way

The Cardinals exploited the wind for 4 HR's today.  The Marlin's didn't.  That means the St. Louis pitchers were all down in the zone.  That's a great thing.  The routine plays on defense were made, and Jon Jay made an outstanding play in LF today.  Thats great news.  Matt Holliday hit a HR.  An average season from Holliday is a great thing.  Losing Wainwright is a massive blow to hopes, but there is still outstanding talent on this team.  There is players like David Freese, Allan Craig, and Tyler Greene who are ready to show talent on the big league level.  And Albert is still on the roster.  This season should be fun and the team competitive.  But no more drama, please!