Looking at how the 2010 St. Louis Cardinals stack up against their peers over time.
Compared to their peers since 1952, 2010 St. Louis Cardinals players have placed on seven of 18 individual “top ten” lists through the first half, 81 games. Not surprisingly, Albert Pujols appears three times and Adam Wainwright twice.
They include five positive marks:
24 doubles – Matt Holliday – tied for ninth
56 walks – Pujols – tied for ninth
21 intentional walks – Pujols – second
11 wins – Wainwright – tied for tenth
114 strikeouts – Wainwright – tenth
Two are not positive:
81 strikeouts – Colby Rasmus – fifth
15 ground into double plays – Pujols – second
First-half lists in which no one in 2010 placed in the top ten since 1952: hits, triples, home runs, RBI, extra-base hits, times on base, hit by pitches, sac flies, sacrifices, innings pitched and saves.
Thanks to researcher Tom Orf, the detailed tables follow.
St. Louis Cardinals players, first 81 games, season, 1952-2010
| Hits | Doubles | Triples | |||||||||||
| Player | Year | H | Player | Year | 2B | Player | Year | 3B | |||||
| Red Schoendienst | 1954 | 119 | Gino Cimoli | 1959 | 32 | Willie McGee | 1985 | 10 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2003 | 117 | Albert Pujols | 2003 | 29 | Garry Templeton | 1979 | 10 | |||||
| Joe Torre | 1971 | 115 | Ted Simmons | 1978 | 28 | Mike Tyson | 1976 | 9 | |||||
| Garry Templeton | 1980 | 114 | Stan Musial | 1957 | 27 | Vince Coleman | 1988 | 9 | |||||
| Red Schoendienst | 1953 | 113 | Lou Brock | 1968 | 26 | Tim McCarver | 1966 | 9 | |||||
| Wally Moon | 1954 | 112 | Edgar Renteria | 2003 | 26 | Tony Scott | 1979 | 9 | |||||
| Lou Brock | 1972 | 112 | Felix Jose | 1991 | 25 | Lou Brock | 1972 | 8 | |||||
| Stan Musial | 1957 | 110 | Scott Rolen | 2006 | 25 | Red Schoendienst | 1954 | 8 | |||||
| Lou Brock | 1971 | 109 | Matt Holliday | 2010 | 24 | Don Blasingame | 1958 | 8 | |||||
| Willie McGee | 1988 | 109 | Stan Musial | 1953 | 24 | Delino DeShields | 1997 | 8 | |||||
| Bill White | 1963 | 109 | Pedro Guerrero | 1989 | 24 | Bill White | 1960 | 8 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2004 | 24 | |||||||||||
| Scott Rolen | 2003 | 24 | |||||||||||
| Home Runs | RBI | Extra Base Hits | |||||||||||
| Player | Year | HR | Player | Year | RBI | Player | Year | XBH | 2B | 3B | HR | ||
| Mark McGwire | 1998 | 37 | Mark McGwire | 1998 | 87 | Albert Pujols | 2003 | 52 | 29 | 0 | 23 | ||
| Albert Pujols | 2009 | 30 | Stan Musial | 1954 | 82 | Jim Edmonds | 2003 | 49 | 23 | 1 | 25 | ||
| Mark McGwire | 2000 | 30 | Jack Clark | 1987 | 82 | Stan Musial | 1957 | 49 | 27 | 1 | 21 | ||
| Albert Pujols | 2006 | 28 | Scott Rolen | 2004 | 78 | Albert Pujols | 2009 | 49 | 19 | 0 | 30 | ||
| Stan Musial | 1954 | 26 | Albert Pujols | 2009 | 77 | Mark McGwire | 1998 | 49 | 12 | 0 | 37 | ||
| Mark McGwire | 1999 | 26 | Albert Pujols | 2006 | 73 | Stan Musial | 1954 | 47 | 16 | 5 | 26 | ||
| Jack Clark | 1987 | 25 | Albert Pujols | 2003 | 72 | Albert Pujols | 2004 | 45 | 24 | 0 | 21 | ||
| Jim Edmonds | 2003 | 25 | Ray Jablonski | 1954 | 71 | Jack Clark | 1987 | 44 | 18 | 1 | 25 | ||
| Dick Allen | 1970 | 23 | Stan Musial | 1956 | 69 | Gino Cimoli | 1959 | 42 | 32 | 3 | 7 | ||
| Albert Pujols | 2003 | 23 | Dick Allen | 1970 | 69 | Albert Pujols | 2002 | 41 | 23 | 0 | 18 | ||
| Stan Musial | 1957 | 69 | |||||||||||
| Walks | Strikeouts | Times On Base | |||||||||||
| Player | Year | BB | Player | Year | SO | Player | Year | TOB | |||||
| Mark McGwire | 1998 | 79 | Jim Edmonds | 2000 | 91 | Mark McGwire | 1998 | 165 | |||||
| Mark McGwire | 2000 | 72 | Ron Gant | 1997 | 91 | Jack Clark | 1987 | 160 | |||||
| Mark McGwire | 1999 | 71 | Ray Lankford | 2001 | 89 | Albert Pujols | 2009 | 158 | |||||
| Jack Clark | 1987 | 70 | Jack Clark | 1987 | 83 | Jim Edmonds | 2000 | 156 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2009 | 64 | Colby Rasmus | 2010 | 81 | Albert Pujols | 2005 | 156 | |||||
| Stan Musial | 1952 | 58 | Dick Allen | 1970 | 79 | Dick Groat | 1963 | 154 | |||||
| Enos Slaughter | 1953 | 58 | Ray Lankford | 1994 | 79 | Albert Pujols | 2003 | 154 | |||||
| Jim Edmonds | 2000 | 57 | Jim Edmonds | 2004 | 77 | Stan Musial | 1958 | 153 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2010 | 56 | Steve Bilko | 1953 | 76 | Albert Pujols | 2007 | 153 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2008 | 55 | Lou Brock | 1968 | 76 | Bill White | 1963 | 152 | |||||
| HBP | Intentional Walks | Sacrifice Flies | |||||||||||
| Player | Year | HBP | Player | Year | IBB | Player | Year | SF | |||||
| Fernando Vina | 2000 | 14 | Albert Pujols | 2009 | 28 | Pedro Guerrero | 1990 | 8 | |||||
| Fernando Vina | 2001 | 13 | Albert Pujols | 2010 | 21 | Bob Horner | 1988 | 8 | |||||
| Fernando Tatis | 1999 | 11 | Stan Musial | 1958 | 20 | Jim Edmonds | 2001 | 7 | |||||
| David Eckstein | 2006 | 10 | Albert Pujols | 2008 | 19 | Tom Herr | 1985 | 7 | |||||
| Fernando Vina | 2002 | 9 | Mark McGwire | 1998 | 14 | Ray Jablonski | 1954 | 7 | |||||
| Joe Cunningham | 1961 | 9 | Orlando Cepeda | 1967 | 14 | Keith Hernandez | 1982 | 7 | |||||
| Bernard Gilkey | 1994 | 9 | Pedro Guerrero | 1990 | 13 | Terry Pendleton | 1987 | 6 | |||||
| Solly Hemus | 1952 | 9 | Albert Pujols | 2006 | 13 | Jose Cardenal | 1971 | 6 | |||||
| Fernando Vina | 2003 | 8 | Tim McCarver | 1967 | 11 | Pedro Guerrero | 1989 | 6 | |||||
| Solly Hemus | 1953 | 8 | Stan Musial | 1957 | 11 | George Hendrick | 1983 | 6 | |||||
| Larry Walker | 2005 | 8 | Mark McGwire | 2000 | 11 | George Hendrick | 1982 | 6 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2005 | 7 | Jose Oquendo | 1991 | 11 | Ray Lankford | 1996 | 6 | |||||
| Albert Pujols | 2002 | 7 | Albert Pujols | 2007 | 11 | Stan Musial | 1956 | 6 | |||||
| Tino Martinez | 2003 | 7 | Dick Allen | 1970 | 11 | Albert Pujols | 2001 | 6 | |||||
| Brian Jordan | 1995 | 7 | Ted Simmons | 1977 | 11 | Scott Rolen | 2007 | 6 | |||||
| David Eckstein | 2005 | 7 | Ted Simmons | 1979 | 11 | Red Schoendienst | 1954 | 6 | |||||
| Reggie Smith | 1975 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Reggie Smith | 1974 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Todd Zeile | 1992 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Todd Zeile | 1994 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Sacrifices | GI Double Play | ||||||||||||
| Player | Year | SH | Player | Year | GDP | ||||||||
| Ted Sizemore | 1975 | 12 | Ted Simmons | 1973 | 18 | ||||||||
| Danny Cox | 1986 | 10 | Albert Pujols | 2010 | 15 | ||||||||
| John Tudor | 1986 | 10 | Albert Pujols | 2001 | 14 | ||||||||
| Placido Polanco | 2001 | 9 | Ken Boyer | 1956 | 14 | ||||||||
| Ozzie Smith | 1994 | 9 | Joe Torre | 1970 | 14 | ||||||||
| Reggie Cleveland | 1972 | 8 | Del Ennis | 1958 | 13 | ||||||||
| Jose DeLeon | 1988 | 8 | Edgar Renteria | 2002 | 13 | ||||||||
| Jose Oquendo | 1988 | 8 | Joe Torre | 1972 | 13 | ||||||||
| Tom Herr | 1983 | 8 | John Mabry | 1996 | 12 | ||||||||
| Eli Marrero | 1999 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Edgar Renteria | 1999 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Ken Boyer | 1964 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Julian Javier | 1970 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Stan Musial | 1956 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Ken Reitz | 1977 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Red Schoendienst | 1952 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Innings Pitched | Wins | Strikeouts | |||||||||||
| Player | Year | IP | Player | Year | W | Player | Year | SO | |||||
| Bob Gibson | 1966 | 163 | Joaquin Andujar | 1985 | 15 | Bob Gibson | 1970 | 149 | |||||
| Larry Jackson | 1960 | 157 | Joaquin Andujar | 1984 | 13 | Bob Gibson | 1966 | 146 | |||||
| Harvey Haddix | 1954 | 146 | Harvey Haddix | 1954 | 13 | Bob Gibson | 1969 | 140 | |||||
| Joaquin Andujar | 1985 | 144 | Lynn McGlothen | 1974 | 12 | Bob Gibson | 1965 | 139 | |||||
| Gerry Staley | 1952 | 143 | Gerry Staley | 1953 | 12 | Alan Benes | 1997 | 126 | |||||
| Joaquin Andujar | 1982 | 142 | Kent Bottenfield | 1999 | 12 | Chris Carpenter | 2005 | 121 | |||||
| Joaquin Andujar | 1984 | 142 | Chris Carpenter | 2005 | 12 | Todd Stottlemyre | 1998 | 120 | |||||
| John Tudor | 1986 | 141 | Bob Gibson | 1970 | 12 | Bob Gibson | 1967 | 118 | |||||
| Larry Jackson | 1959 | 138 | Gerry Staley | 1952 | 12 | Steve Carlton | 1970 | 116 | |||||
| Rick Wise | 1972 | 138 | Steve Carlton | 1971 | 11 | Adam Wainwright | 2010 | 114 | |||||
| Adam Wainwright | 2010 | 11 | |||||||||||
| Reggie Cleveland | 1972 | 11 | |||||||||||
| Darryl Kile | 2000 | 11 | |||||||||||
| Bob Gibson | 1966 | 11 | |||||||||||
| Saves | |||||||||||||
| Player | Year | SV | |||||||||||
| Lee Smith | 1993 | 29 | |||||||||||
| Jason Isringhausen | 2006 | 24 | |||||||||||
| Lee Smith | 1991 | 23 | |||||||||||
| Jason Isringhausen | 2005 | 22 | |||||||||||
| Tom Henke | 1995 | 22 | |||||||||||
| Bruce Sutter | 1981 | 21 | |||||||||||
| Bruce Sutter | 1984 | 20 | |||||||||||
| Ryan Franklin | 2009 | 19 | |||||||||||
| Lee Smith | 1992 | 19 | |||||||||||
| Dennis Eckersley | 1997 | 18 | |||||||||||
| Bruce Sutter | 1982 | 18 | |||||||||||
| Todd Worrell | 1987 | 18 | |||||||||||
| Jason Isringhausen | 2004 | 18 | |||||||||||
| Jason Isringhausen | 2002 | 18 |
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow The Cardinal Nation Blog on Facebook.
Albert needs to work on the GIDP. Colby is striking out less so hopefully that number will go down in the second half. It’s interesting that I don’t hear as much grumbling about Albert and his GIDP’s. That grumbling seems to be reserved for Yadi.
Lest you think I am starting another one of my Yadi rants, I’m not. If Yadi isn’t trying to better his offense then he won’t be going to the ASG next year.
The line in Vegas is fairly stable at this point………..9.5 as the over and under.
The pressure is off Molina now………. he will (better) start slap hits to right this evening. The will attack Matt on the hands……….he should be looking for that……might depend who is hitting behind him………………Will Tony pressure Ryan instead of sitting Skip? Colby? or Winn…….. does he use Stava when he knows the OF will be chasing balls at the Wall………..he will want speed……….
Francis has been flimsy…………but he is a lefty against the Cardinals…………..Hawks has had good motion of late and is keeping the ball down well…………………but that isn’t good enough against this team……..they will hit him……………we need 6 runs and some luck………do you you feel lucky?
Watch Tony’s lineup tonight………. he is likely aware of how crucial these next 6 games are. I’m curious to see if he is making any statements.
Now’s the time .
Lineup: Lopez 3B, Rasmus CF, Pujols 1B, Holliday LF, Stavinoha RF, Molina C, Greene SS, Hawksworth P, Miles 2B
Colby but not Skip against a Lefty?
Colby batting 2nd against a lefty?? I’m ok with it but surprised.
Colby hasn’t been bad against lefties this year, lefty starters at least. Nothing like last year. Skip on the other hand is hopeless against them. Sill, I’m surprised Tony would but him up in the 2 hole.
What do you think of Holiday in the Hr derby crd? I like that………..plenty.
Is that the announced lineup? or a projected one crd?
He may want Francis to have to deal with the strike zone BB………. if that is the line up. I’m sure Colby has some instructions if he is batting there.
Hitting Skip against a lefty ought not be any more of a consideration than hitting Colby against a lefty (both guys need to be in the lineup every day). Despite the fact that Skip appears to be finally finding his stroke, Tony apparently has more faith in Aaron’s hitting tonight. Moving Yadier back up to the 6 slot accomplishes nothing, regardless of whether he finally begins to slap bloopers routinely into the opposite field and avoid the DP. The only thing I can think of is that Tony wants to shoot a fiery dart at Westy…
Hasn’t Brian booked Jeff Francis into The Bud Norris Club? In his last outing, Francis suffered a Chris Carpenter kind of meltdown day (3 IP, 7 H & 8 ER). Although his career ERA of 4.74 assures us that he is a bona fide mediocre, his performance against the Cardinals this season indicates the familiar mastery of inferior pitching over our vaunted offense (1-1, 3.58). Agreeing that we will need at least 6 runs to win, I am hoping that Matt will continue the dominance against former teammates that he so resoundingly evidenced against Oakland.
Even the bench boys can get in this………..
Start with this sentence……….. Interesting WC, but I differ on a few points. I think this is how it will run………………….etc………..or I’m looking for these scenarios………..
you don’t have to wager………….you don’t have to root against your own team in the hopes that your picks will reflect well on your sensitivities. Your opinion needn’t be absolute.
Example…………………do you think AP is the key match up here…………. will they go around, or do the fear MH more?
crdswmn, where did you get that lineup so early, anyway?
He isn’t batting Yadi 6th is he 57………..???????
According to the lineup presented by crdswmn, he most certainly is!
Fox Sports Midwest tweet.
I’m looking all over this page for the ghost of a hint of a wager… Just WHO is rooting against their own picks in the hope that their picks will reflect well upon their sensitivities? And, pray tell, WHO would dare to express opinions as absolute than yours?
I think Colorado would rather get beat by Albert than former employee Matt, so I look for them to pitch to Albert.
Perhaps Yadi will go all out to have his avg in the 230′s rather than the 220′s by the ASG. He doesn’t have to try getting on Sports Center anymore.
I look for Colby to try catching up with Albert in the HR department.
Matt has been blasting long ones in BP far more than Albert, so maybe he’ll do well in the Derby.
My wife doesn’t care much for baseball, only a passing interest. She saw the lineup over my shoulder just now.
Wife: Isn’t Greene the fastest guy?
Me: Yah.
Wife: Isn’t Molina the slowest?
Me: Yah.
Wife: So how come the fastest guy is hitting right behind the slowest guy?
Me: Um. . . . . . . . . .
I agree that they will likely jam AP good tonight. The standard approach is to let him pull a few titanic foul balls and get him out away or out front into the DP ………. Francis is about getting guys to chase………..Tony will be using Colby with the understanding that he “tones down his approach a bit”….. we need to front run this game to have a chance…………….. Miles is actually a good choice against Francis.
You’ve got quite an intellect, blingboy. All four of your thoughts have merit: The first is natural (the Rockies are well aware of the mess he made of Oakland). The second reflects as assessment of what you know about Yadier’s ego (indeed, .230 looks just a tad better upon that national scoreboard than .220 and may elicit less unfavorable commentary of the media announcers). While the third reflects a shared wish, the fourth expresses MY personal hope, based upon performance I believe that YOU have witnessed.
Marry her BB………………. I’ve never been married…………but I know a good gal when I here one described on line……….she was there delivering a cold spot right BB……….and some more antacids for the buffalo burps.
Confessing that I had not thought of those two critical issues (Greene’s speed versus Molina’s slowness in their placement in the batting order), I must say that your wife’s keen, intuitive observation is certainly deserving of commendation.
Molina will bat ninth in the AS game………….if no one gets on base, he might not get an at bat in the 3rd…………………….
1. Lopez, 3B
2. Rasmus, CF
3. Pujols, 1B
4. Holliday, LF
5. Stavinoha, RF
6. Molina, C
7. Greene, SS
8. Hawksworth, P
9. Miles, 2B
Rockies lineup:
1. Fowler, CF
2. Herrera, 2B
3. Gonzalez, LF
4. Giambi, 1B
5. Olivo, C
6. Smith, RF
7. Stewart, 3B
8. Barmes, SS
9. Francis, P
57, this is the first year in a decade or so that I haven’t witnessed BP almost every home game. All three of my sons carry on the practice learned as lads, as was the case with me. and one or the other at least is almost always in attendance. So I get very good reports, usually by cell phone. I know Matt hit one onto the patio before it lands a lot of times.
No Helton………..that’s good……or tula-wiskey……………..
Ryan is under fire at this point………..I’m guessing Mo is shopping him……… they would never demote him at this point………… if your willing to take on salary…he gets you a hitter.
crdswmn: Your early posting of the line-up (every day, if possible) would be very much appreciated!
While I’ve heard that Helton is having a “mini-slump”, I have no idea why they would bench their “uber-shortstop”! Could “tula-wiskey” be injured? Whoever the Cardinals could get for poor Brendan would surely produce greater than the Mendoza Line. If they are actually thinking about shopping him, they must now believe that he no longer has the inner stuff to regain his former offensive effectiveness.
Unlike Colby, Brendan is out of options, so if we try to demote him somebody will nab him for sure. He will of course return to form as soon as he gets somewhere else. If he goes to Baltimore or Pittsburg, they’ll make him King.
Well, your valuable information, blingboy, has certainly fanned the flames of my hopes. The fact that the Home Run Derby is so much ESPN-inspired window dressing notwithstanding, I want so much for Matt Holliday to be hugely successful!
Westy: The front office has already outrighted Kinney, presumably to make room on the 40-man roster. Your suspicion of a move concerning Brendan is therefore quite interesting…
Tulo has a broken hand………..Helton? Brendan fell into a rut here………. it happens. He is the squirrel on Ice Age………after an acorn……….
While the absence of both Helton and Tulo certainly represents a tremendous break for Blake, the biggest question emanates from our questionable offense. I certainly hope that we opportunistically take advantage of the situation and bomb on them heavily tonight, tomorrow night and the afternoon after that…
I can’t promise I”ll be here for every game but I will do my best 57.
So who thinks Brendan is toast?
Bad news: http://yourenotagolfer.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/07/penny_cuts_throw_short.html
Unless the patience (and BELIEF) of Tony and the Powers-That-Be can be indefinitely stretched, I think we’re nigh unto the point of critical mass with Brendan. I simply don’t know what they could possibly get for a sub-Mendoza Line hitter…
“I wasn’t going to get too serious until he threw off the mound,” manager Tony La Russa said. “Now he’s throwing off the mound and I was looking to the second half where he would fit in. This is a big negative.”
I think he is in trouble in St. Louis. But I feel he is one of those players who will improve with a change of scenery.
The Braves liked him early on and may still like him. And Brendan would do super good on that team as they are a fun bunch of guys to be around, pranks every other day. And Bobby likes a loose clubhouse.
The cardinals style of play is a mental nightmare, especially for a person who is a fun loving guy. Its like water boarding, it will break you down at some point in the year.
If I were a reporter quoting from the words of Warrior, my article would frequently include the appending words , “…a source close to the clubhouse said.”
In view of the fact that we’ve likely lost Penny completely and of the belief that the Cardinal system has driven Brendan under, I wonder what a team like the Braves would give us for such damaged goods. Could other teams be viewing them in the favorable (promising) light that Warrior is viewing them?
I didn’t realize it was that bad. They hide it well. Is it Tony or something else/
57 Tim Hudson is a close friend of mine and he is a nut to be around. He is a keep it light kind of guy. And we have spoke at length many many times about Bobby Cox and what he wants them to do to keep everyone together as a team. So I’m not really a source close to the clubhouse.
Brendan is not damaged goods. He is one of those square pegs that cannot be jammed into a round hole. I’ve said it a thousand times some players play better in a situation where they can keep it light. He is one of those guys. He will have success again. He is a really good player.
I was referring to the Cardinal clubhouse, Warrior. Your relationship with Tim, however, DOES bring you closer to the Braves clubhouse than the ordinary fan (like myself). When Tim and Mark Mulder together left Oakland, I was saddened that we didn’t get Tim.
I say “damaged goods” with regard to Brendan, because of the stigma attached to trading a man with a sub-Mendoza Line average. In the eyes of a reasonable person, that qualifies as “damaged goods” (albeit only for as long as it takes for Brendan to arrive at his destination.
TLR’s style is just more businesslike. There is nothing at all wrong with that but not everybody likes to play baseball under those conditions. They can do it but they don’t like it. And who’s to tell TLR to change when he has had so much success with his style of managing. I stated this a while back, when you have Tony as your manager you need to surround him with the type of players he is comfortable using. The Randy Winn and Aaron Miles type guys.
Rain delay.
Warrior Your analogy to waterboarding made it sound verey bad.
Warrior: While other former professional baseball players speak of a pervasive emotionless deadness and a lack of chemistry, your characterization of “businesslike” is quite polite…
Methinks Warrior wanted to amend his true feelings, hoping not to contribute to the fan dissatisfaction which has affected the Cardinal Nation.
That’s understandable. Still, it is disturbing to hear.
RC: “He is one of those square pegs that cannot be jammed into a round hole. I’ve said it a thousand times some players play better in a situation where they can keep it light. He is one of those guys.”
Are you sure you’re talking about Brendan, RC. Seems like I’ve heard that material before somewhere about somebody else.
Brendan might be a good hitter………….away from AP and MM…and TL………….. His mental health is the question…………someone will put him in a program of confidence building challenges. I’m sure allot of teams would be interested.
RC………… Colby will be looking for a certain pitch to drive. I’m hoping he will be reasonable if he doesn’t see it, especially in a 2 strike count……….. he is being scouted well at this point… he needs to take that into consideration. Hit what they throw……….. until they don’t know what to throw…….then hammer them.
crdswmn and 57, you would both be fascinated to read some of RC’s past posts and the conversations surrounding them. I think the archive here goes back a year. Well worh the effort to look through the comments.
57 Colby wouldn’t be a good person to talk with about the cardinals clubhouse as last year burnt him with many in it so I wouldn’t be giving you an even keeled opinion about the cardinals clubhouse so my opinions in regards to it come from former players I have spoken with and from watching from the stands.. He is one of those guys that if you ever do him in a way that he feels is bad he will never like you. And I mean never. Hence I don’t engage in anything that is cardinals team member type of stuff.
I can tell you Colby lifts with Matt Holliday and that they compete in every type of lifting measurement they have against one another and Colby likes him but other than that its all business. And I believe that is the way it is done in that clubhouse. Like I have said earlier, the impression I get is it like a team full of golfers, they go about worrying about their games and not much else.
I’m not sure i want to know. :>)
Actually, the archives go all the way back to the first day I opened this blog, back in December 2008.
Edit: Though the total is increasing faster than Ronald is selling burgers, the site total for comments since its inception is currently 14,223. Lurker counts are considerably higher.
Last winter I suggested Colby show up at spring training wearing a middle finger salute T-shirt and carrying a box full of shaving cream pies. We’d probably be in first if he had.
Bling wrote, “Are you sure you’re talking about Brendan, RC. Seems like I’ve heard that material before somewhere about somebody else.”
I’m sure there are others that may fit the bill as a square peg being jammed into a round hole. Up and coming players may all find it a struggle as they are continually dunked time and time again as part of the water boarding process.
What I’ve gathered about Colby I like (I judge him not only as courageous, but the kind of person you’d want as a neighbor). Little tidbits, such as his friendly relationship with one of my all-time favorite stars (Matt), are intensely endearing and only add to the high esteem that I have for your son. With regard to your disclaimer concerning the fact that you are indeed a “source close to the clubhouse”, you’ve said very little to dissuade me. And, yes, I also think that you would like to retract statements like the “water boarding”, because you do not wish to feed the mounting negativity. Your true feelings are shared and your candor is much appreciated…
Bling, and he has. Thats the only way to make it it that type of situation. You meet fire with fire. I’d actually like to see one guy in particular in a cage match with Colby at this point. I think it would be entertaining.
The Penny situation changes many things……………… He is unlikely to be covered by any insurance with that type of injury and his history. That probably affects Brendan even more since he is one of the few “glass beads” the Cardinals have left……………
Santana has lost velocity. His change up is showing some stress too I’d say. He is finessing the Reds at this point though.
57 the term water boarding refers to the constant pressure to compete at a high level without any levity. Some people can handle that with no problems, others are those square pegs that may have a hard time doing that under those conditions.
Rain delay is over. Lets rip these bums a new one.
Not a promising start.
Missed the inning. Holiday will be looking for that pitch that Albert just duffed.
Brendan will be on the top step soaking up Clint Barmes’s sidearm sling. Taking notes.
I wonder if Hawk knows he’s auditioning for real now.
We are not going to see Jimenez after all.
Colorado feed is fun……… lots of goofy St Louis observations…………..
Yadi put that smile on his face and turns it over to the short stop………… oh well.
If Mo is dumb enough to sell low on Brendon then the franchise is most likely doomed on various levels. I’d like to hope he’s smarter than that.
I guess Penny is as good as gone since he wont throw his rehab before the break.
Carioca: While I am not sure how Mo can possible sell high on Brendon (with a .198 average), I am certainly in agreement that “Penny is as good as gone”…
Hawk is throwing 94′s and a 95 or two. Hope he gets out of this jam.
C’mon Blake! Induce a DP, damn it!
Well, the third strikeout is fine (as long as we can follow-up with another out)
Of course he cant sell high on Brendan but there is no requirement to sell.
The word, “sell”, was yours… I am only wondering what kind of return we could possibly get in return for the “damaged goods”.
39 through 2 innings…………. he is throwing well…………
Agree, I’ve been impressed with Blake ever since his first start in Kansas City…
into the wind……….Tony is a genius………like I always say…….aaahaahahhaaaa!!
All RIGHT! Now THAT is what I call a lead-off man!
Colby did his job & Albert did his job! Matt will come back next time for more damage…
I’m too afraid to hope. Reds lost though.
crdswmn: If we keep on keepin’ on, we’ll only be a game back at the end of this night…
That was a good swing by Albert on a pretty good pitch. Missed Colby’s at bat again.
NOW is the time for that DP, damn it!
The inability to induce the double play in this game is one of the contributors to the mounting pitch count.
Lets hope this visit gets it done. He needs at least 5 innings
Blake is losing control…
I hope that was the plan??????????????????
Going 5 will be difficult when Blake is at 70+ pitches after 3…
When does Tony use his long man? does he let him pitch the 5 if he is approaching mid 90′s?
Advantage Rockies………we better get those runs now.
At least 3 more, Westy
We must capitalize here. This effects the pens of both teams….we need to keep it even.
Well, at least Blake lessened the possibility of a DP with that sacrifice…
If Aaron comes through here, the praises of “Genius” will REALLY be heaped upon you know who…
How ’bout that?
Flip is at it again!
Who are those guys in the Cardinal suits?
Tony was attacking Francis with Colby’s bunt…………..he wanted to make the Rockies lift him before he faced Albert.
Hey, we got 2 more, we’ve confirmed the mediocrity of Francis and it’s only the 4th inning! There’s reason for hope!
At least Yadi didn’t make an out.
Felipe is hot.
Yadier is 0 for 1 (and down to .228) so far, but he’s got a couple more At Bats to begin turning it around.
All RIGHT! 88 pitches after 4 innings! Although I had hoped that he would go 6 or 7, we at least know that Blake will be going for 5!
Miles shoo’s away the buzzards again. I’ve got a feeling Tony is going to put Skip in now.
The Yadi player page at TCN main site has Yadi’s weight at 220, so he’s still OK at .228. If the slide continues, we’ll have to pitch in for that case of celery and the stairmaster.
All right, Matt; knock him in!
Hitting less than your weight is a terrible, terrible thing!
C’mon, Matt! You’re supposed to do here (in the thin air) what you did to Oakland!
Jon Jay just doesn’t know when to stop hitting!
Yadier is up to .231! And he did it with an RBI! Attaboy, Yadier!
Nice one Yadi. Off the end of the bat, just plunked it out there.
While it is true that we are playing a gutted-out club (minus Helton and “Tulo-wiskey”), I’d still feel much better with 2 or 3 more…
The 6 hitter singled and the 7 hitter struck out. Not what everyone was expecting I imagine.
True enough 57. Maybe next inning Colby will knock a big honker way out there. He needs another set of those golf clubs, what is it, 470 ft. to get them?
470 feet is definitely Colbian!
Shake it off, Blake! Settle down, damn it!
Even though Blake has 98 pitches, he’s looking sufficiently fit to go one more inning.
Greene has flubbed the cutoff thing a couple times now. As I remember from little league, you position yourself in a line between the catch and the base, and if the throw doesn’t come right at you then its off-line and you cut it off. Shouldn’t that be easy enough, or am I a rocket scientist?
That’s a fundamental “mental error” that you don’t want to make when you’re fresh from AAA and want to remain on the parent club…
That’s it for Hawksworth….. now Bogs………this is when it get hairy.
Colby got set up well…………but he looked before he threw, effectively killing his momentum……..that was as scouted play by the Rockies. And he wasn’t that deep. He has to starting gunning them down if he wants it to stop.
You’re right about Miles and the buzzards Westy. Rascal keeps twitching.
I dare Chacin to serve Colby another one low and inside…
That strike-out was way low (nigh unto being in the dirt) and inside… Colby, however, can’t resist…
NOW is Matt’s moment! NOW is his time to show his stuff!
Boy was I red hot tonight…………
Yep! That was my man’s big moment!
Matt’s damage brought the 2 or 3 that I wanted. Why is it, then, that I want the Cardinals to keep running it up?
Well, OK, I was a little off. The part about Colorado pitching to Albert instead of Matt. Of course, they should have listened.
Doesn’t 5 innings, 2 ER and 5 K count for a “quality outing”? In any case, Blake certainly deserves another standing ovation. The kid keeps giving us a little more than what we expected.
I think its 6 innings 3 ERs. My understanding is the Cards were hoping Hawk could move up to the next level. This good start is staying even with what he’s done.
Tony is playing to win use Kmac for 2 innings.
All right, fellas; RUN IT UP!
That’s a tough lineup BB………….five was credible………………….I hate to see K-mac pressure himself with a lead like that.
You’ll have to admit; ’twas deep into the opposite field. Butcha gotta hit ‘em where they ain’t!
The buzzards are rippin’ Winn to shreds! He’s down to .226 now…
At least he didn’t GIDP.
Baby steps.
Yadi comes up with a fresh “chaw” , starts circling with his right elbow……….a veritable hitting machine…. after a single……………….. he slapped when he had to, but that was a big boy swing again. He is head tripping.
McClellan was supposed to throw HOW many innings?
Yah. He’s still at .230, that’s the good news. The bad bews is Miles is outslugging him by 104 pts. But like you said, baby steps.
If you were to place the word, “respectable” in from of .230, you would have the classic oxymoron
Trevor simply ain’t the pitcher he was last year…
All RIGHT! Jason! It’s entertainment time!
- unless, of course, Yadier wants to get stinky and force him to throw fancy stuff
When it’s letter high and 99 mph, the best batters in the world are made to appear helpless and foolish!
One down: Two to go!
On a fielder’s choice, we’re two down and one to go…
On a good ground-out, Jason Motte acceptably cleaned-up the mess he inherited from Trevor Miller.
Does Motte inhale caffeine before he pitches?
Kmac was leaking a little oil………if he has an easy inning, he goes two…
Buttressed by his two hits tonight, Aaron could go down swingin’ now and it won’t hurt him! The buzzards have been shooed-off and he will live to fight another day.
It’s Colby time! The kid won’t settle for a 1 for 5 night…
It was low and in, all right; but Colby got too far under it. Damn it!
Had a fun conversation today. The premise: Since the Cards will be in the WS this year, we want the NL to win the all-star game. So who would you want on the roster that isn’t on it? You can only name two.
After debating it all day at work, my choices were Strasburg and Billy Wagner.
Reyes needs to have another night like the last one (and distance himself from the string of humiliating failures)
While I would at once choose Strasburg, I will have to look at that “modified Elias” gem to choose the other guy…
With the DP he induced, Reyes is definitely having another night like the last time out!
Here comes the Murderers Row!
Hint. Look at Wagners stats this year. Compare to any other closer.
I did and I’m amazed: You’re right…
I see it now. Let Albert pull one foul, then get him out down and away. Very perceptive.
Wagner is 38 yrs old. I had been proposing the Cards go after him this past winter, and trade all-star closer Franklin for a bopper. The idea was roundly poo pood as I recall.
1.35 ERA and 14 K’s per 9 innings! Billy is looking phenomenal (like his much younger self)!
That was great entertainment by Reye’s……….
How about that titanic foul ball by AP………out of the stadium.
Whew! With Reyes grounding-out, Yadier’s off the hook and his .230 is preserved!
This is a good time for the inducement of another DP, Reyes!
Reyes is just out of shape……….he needs to lose 30 lbs.
Reyes was great for an inning. Then he fell apart and allowed his good outing to go to Hell in a hand basket.
Frakie could turn it into a save opportunity.
It’s a good thing that it wasn’t a 1 run game and we were depending on him to save it!
No way they ruled that a PB on Yadi
Or else Franky Boy could give up another 5 and allow our offense to turn it into a win for him!
Didn’t it used to be if it hit the glove at all it was a PB?
Well boys………..not so good. Especially for tomorrow.
Sombody could send me a million dollars . . . . .
C’mon guys, with that .230 Yadier has enough to contend with: Let it be a wild pitch, courtesy of that guy who can’t go beyond a single inning.
Can’t say that Reyes didn’t deserve for those runs to be on his record. It just confirms what I’ve been saying all along about Franky Boy and our need for a real closer.
A save opportunity for Franky Boy, blingboy? “Or else Franky Boy could give up another 5 and allow our offense to turn it into a win for him!”
Things happen in baseball………..but it is tough to recognize that your team is really just meat.
Wow!!!
I can’t believe this.
Now, fellas! Let’s win one for Franky Boy!
He wasn’t satisfied with a save opportunity, blingboy. Hell, no… Franky Boy’s shootin’ for the Moon: He wants to really put our offense to the test and see if they can’t put a “W” on his record!
“Winn”, as in “lose”!
Ah, yes! The negativity and foul-mood shall now reach heights hitherto unknown!
How shall we enshrined the Reyes-Franklin combo?
Yikes, that is a tough loss…
Undoubtedly the ugliest loss this season – to date.
I believe FMW put up a table showing the cards were 37 – 0 when leading after 7 innings. 37 – 1 now..Wow! That is one big time comeback.
What just happened?
Don’t blame it on Albert, Matt or any of the other guys of the offense: They did their jobs tonight. Don’t blame it on the starting pitchers: Blake did more than we could ask for and our starters almost always do us proud. Sooner or later, the idea and good faith in a weak-throwing “closer” was going to catch-up to Tony and bite him in the ass!
The positive side of this isn’t too hard to understand………… Franklin can pitch just fine. But, he has a propensity for pressured collapses. We’ve all seen it……………. do you think he would have a chance in hell of beating the Yankees……….for money………on his best day……… its been illuminated again…………luckily I think. Tony protected K-mac, used up the pen and ended up screwing with Reyes……….hitting him…….and then sending him out…….to light the match.
Real issue is……….they are better hitters than us……….we could never have done that to them. They were hitting the ball hard………. Winn with his back to the wall…takes it on one hop….huh??????///
Oh, the carnage! “Oh, the humanity!” Oh, the recriminations!
I wouldn’t want to be in the Cardinal clubhouse right now.
What a truly rotten way to remain 2 games behind the Reds! We can’t take over first place even when they give it to us!
Franky Boy and Reyes must surely be thankful that they are not at Busch and that this is the beginning of a road trip…
I’m going to study this one a bit………….. Franklin’s loss of color and other symptoms makes me think he suffers from adrenal fatigue……… when he needs it, it just isn’t there….. stress addiction of some sort. Its likely video gaming is the culprit.
Downside……… Colorado doesn’t believe we can close a game at this point. Whether that’s true or not remains to be contested, but it is a powerful relaxant……….
RC……..the extension that Gonzales gets early is what created the opposite field shot. It is to be admired……………………..I’m curious to see if we will in fact win a game this week. It is not set in stone. We will be lucky to win two.
While we struggle through the week, the Reds will have their hands full again tomorrow and throughout their 4 game stand against the Phillies. My prediction on Sunday was that we would win 1 out of 3 against the Rockies and 2 out of 3 against the Astros, that by Monday we would be two games behind the Reds. What is horrible is the devastating way that we lost tonight: It inflicts a deep wound in the Cardinal Nation. But, as Westy pointed out, it was necessarily enlightening: Proving to us that we cannot prevail against the Yankees with our weak closer.
I recall labeling Saturday’s beating a “colossal debacle”…
Remember, 57, that the Phillies have been struggling. Reds may have an easier time of it than you think.
I think that the Phillies are towards the end of their mid-season swoon and ready once again to take advantage of their awesome pitching and batting depth.
Recall that Saturday’s colossal debacle had numerous culprits in all facets of our game. The culprits tonight, however, were only two and can be readily seen:
IP H ER BB SO HR
1.1 2 3 2 1 0 Reyes
0.1 6 6 0 0 2 Franklin
This loss is Tony’s responsibility. He better own up to it.
I agree… He is the acknowledged mastermind.
Saturday 7/3 : “The Cardinals arrive wheezing at the midpoint of their regular season, unsteady in the standings, stinging from their ugliest loss of the first half” PD
Tuesday 7/6 : “Undoubtedly the ugliest loss this season – to date” BW
Perhaps a trend?