Rookie St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Allen Craig has seven RBI in his first 15 career games.
Depending on your point of view, there is either much concern or much interest in the St. Louis Cardinals third base position. With incumbent David Freese out for the season, Allen Craig, moved from the hot corner to the outfield two years ago, made his first MLB appearance at third base Tuesday night.
Whether that is an indicator of a change ahead or a novelty like Aaron Miles pitching in the 18-4 home blowout administered by the Houston Astros remains to be seen.
However, with the bat, despite considerable focus on his low batting average, Craig has shown an early proficiency in plating runs. In fact, he has been among the most productive Cardinals in their first 15 career games in that stat since 1980.
Cardinals since 1980-7+ RBI in 1st 15 career games
(name, RBI, batting average)
J.D. Drew 13 (.385)
Adam Kennedy 12 (.291)
Albert Pujols 12 (.389)
Andy Van Slyke 10 (9-of-61 .173)
Bo Hart 9 (.412)
John Morris 9 (.204)
David Bell 8 (.280)
Tom Pagnozzi 8 (.219)
Luis Alicea 8 (.235)
Chris Duncan 8 (.294)
John Mabry 8 (.302)
John Rodriguez 8 (.356)
Eli Marrero 7 (.256)
Andy Rincon 7 (.206)
John Gall 7 (.222)
Stan Royer 7 (.375)
Allen Craig 7 (6-of-42 .158)
Thanks to researcher Tom Orf for the above table.
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Wednesday’s lineup:
Lopez 3B, Rasmus CF, Pujols 1B, Holliday LF, Craig RF, Molina C, Ryan SS, Carpenter P, Miles 2B
Is Jon Jay sick or injured?
Assuming that sickness or injury is keeping Jay out of the lineup…
If Tony had logically placed Craig at 3B, he could have placed either Lopez or Miles at 2B and Jay at RF. I suppose then, that the reason for the misplacement of Craig and Lopez and the snubbing of Jay was for the sake of entering Miles in the game…
I’m assuming that they need to let Craig work with Oquendo for a short while before trying him out during meaningful game time at 3B.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/jake-westbrook-trade-works-for-everyone-080210
interesting chronological observations.
Thank you, Nutlaw… That makes better sense to me than what I was thinking…
Motte is on the DL. Salas brought up.
I am home to watch the game.
I’ve heard nothing about a problem with Jay. He might be in the dog house for that bonehead baserunning play, but then, who wouldn’t be in it with him. His 1 for 12 slump might be percieved as due to mental fatigue from overuse exacerbated by trade induced stress. Whatever the case, Jay is the new Colby and will suffer the same indignities, despite Mo’s efforts.
Last night’s game was a steaming pile, lets hope for better tonight.
Concerning Westy’s link, the trade may appear to be everybody’s everything from the standpoint of the owners and general managers involved. The article itself is based on the presumption that we actually did need a 4th starter more than we needed an offensive/defensive middle inflelder…
Talk about “bonehead baserunning”, nothing tops the mental imagery you provided in the description of Flip sliding face-first and stopping two feet short of the bag!
Completely gratuitous comment–the cousin I watched the game with the last two days is at the game tonight.
Poor ol’ Happ… We gave him an inning of 31-pitch Hell…
I won’t believe the Cardinals have a chance to win this game unless they score 20 runs.
I can’t believe Chris pitched around Wallace: The kid’s ego must be soaring!
Someone jumped into Chris’ uniform after he hit that RBI single: This is definitely NOT the same man who breezed through the Astros last inning on 14 pitches!
Believe it nor not, Chris got out of this one on only 16 pitches!
Flip (with some help from the umpire) sure knows how to work him (a couple of those “balls” were actually strikes)
Colby gave us another example of patience and discipline. The table is now set!
That, my friends, was a MEANINGFUL home run! Thank you, big Albert!
13 more runs and we’re home free.
Flip and Colby set the table and Albert cleaned it off: Just exactly how things are supposed to work!
Thanks to Albert, that was a great inning!
Fielder’s choice?
Something I meant to mention earlier, and it probably has no significance at all, but the pitch that Carp made to Johnson for the HR, was a pitch thrown after Carp shook off Yadi. Carp rarely shakes off Yadi so I was surprised to see him do it.
It’s been lights-out ever since Figueroa took the mound… We need to change that!
Well, well, just checked in to see how our birds are doing tonight, and I am pleased to see they are in the lead so far. Let’s hope they continue in this vein. Sometimes a beating like last night is an eye-opener. Poor fellows…it must be frustrating to be in the middle of politics and favortism.
Albert is 3 for 3!
Right on, BirdTalk!
Albert has been the only one to figure-out Figueroa…
ANOTHER fielder’s choice?
Chris is firing a two-hitter and will likely get us through the 7th inning…
Albert’s homer was a high pitch, out of the zone I’d say, that he stayed on top of just like the old days. A beautiful textbook swing on a ball up.
the temperature was 100 today and very near that at game time, with humidity. So Carp may not go 8 or 9. Hope crdswmn’s ‘cousin’ has plenty of cold frosty beverage.
Information like that, for me “in the blind”, is valuable to the extreme! Thank you so much, blingboy
Albert has squared up, and pressed back a bit. He is getting good extension including his bat position on the first double which was a nice piece of work with his hands. He is covering the plate and staying back………………all good. Holiday is being used. He stands at square one. Sweeping breaking pitch is killing him……he is chasing anything else.
Silly SS…….he thinks Yadi is hitting behind Craig at second with no outs. That will teach him.
Allen and Yadier have figured-out Lopez (I’m glad Figueroa is no longer on the mound)
I’ll give you the weather report anytime, 57.
That is one advantage the Astros have…they are conditioned to the hot humid weather.
Yadi has pulled the ball twice. The Astros were confused I think.
69 pitches BB………..no more than 7, unless they just give him short innings.
MinuteMaid park has a roof and air conditioning.
He already looks a bit droopy at times, Westy. But who wouldn’t.
BT50 made a good point earlier about last night’s fiasco. Getting your pants pulled down in front of the homies like that would get your attention.
They’re talking about Albert needing a triple for a cycle. Good luck with that.
“MinuteMaid park has a roof and air conditioning.” Good point blingboy; however, anyone who is athletic and has a life does not spend their entire time indoors. One would think as a result there would be some type of weather adaptation for those who live in those sort of conditions.
Two of their outfielders would have to break their legs on the play.
Or fall head first and slide.
Undoubtedly true in at least some cases. St. Louis summer weather can be just about as bad as Houston’s. Not quite though, I’ll give you that.
I thought that one was going out. Great play by Matt.
I notice Colby is sticking with playing shallower than earlier in the season.
Great leaping catch up against the wall by Holliday to end the inning. Got back in good time, stutterstep to kill time, timed the jump. Not a super high jump to pick it off the top of the wall, but a very fine play.
This will be interesting……………..Carp is dog tired……….Tony fear the pen? I say you see Kmac and then Franklin for work.
Of course Albert’s chances of a triple go up tremendously since he will ignore any sign by Oquendo to stop at 2nd.
If he jumps higher BB…he misses the ball.
You saw that picture too?
Soup warming up……..gulp.
Albert is .306 and Matt is .298
I thought for sure that it would be Kyle…
Might see MacDougal if he’s available. Tony talked him up after the fiasco.
Lyon did a job on us…
Temp down to 87 at the stadium, 57. Maybe Carp gives it a go.
I would LOVE to see him go for 8…
Motte is gone. They think that if MacD survives, he can contribute. Molina was definitely thinking about the glory.
Shot off Carps foot. Trainer out. He’s OK.
Carp done.
Nailed him! I thank you, Yadier. We thank you and Chris thanks you….
Not injured 57, just done.
Shut ‘em down, Kyle!
blingboy, you’re a prince!
He wanted too. Tony had him on the short leash.
Wasted day for Colby………he was intent on the deep drive all game long. Not wise…..When he saw 95, he couldn’t catch up which in a way is a good sign concerning his hand position. No time to relax.
Yet ANOTHER fielder’s choice?
Kyle certainly manhandled El Cabayo…
Colby let his perfect pitch go on by Westy. Early in the game. FB down, inner half.
Couldn’t make the DP on that one 57. Ball hit too slow, nice try though.
No, “Oh, for…!” for Brendan tonight…
Now at .234, Winn is becoming as useless as tits on a boar hog…
Uh, uh… Aaron ain’t goin’ down too far below .300…
Isn’t that one of the seven words 57?
(Oops! I think you’re right, blingboy…)
Flip definitely didn’t flop that time!
Once again, just like against Pittsburgh, both our small ballers and our big boppers are gettin’ a good share o’ the kill…
First inning update on Julio Gotay’s nephew: Reuben knocked in two with a double at Memphis.
(except Colby)
Apparently, Albert had his fill at 3 RBI… Oh, well; 8 to 2 is sufficient for a win…
I will feel a lot better when Franky pitches low and induces grounders on a consistent basis…
…like that at bat against Johnson
No ’bout a doubt it, we need not a weak-arm contact pitcher for a closer: We need an intimidating fire-baller…
If this had been a one-run ball game, that triple would have represented a blown save…
Franky is making a good case for seriously looking for a bona fide closer…
I am happy that Chris got the win and that we didn’t allow the doormat team to sweep us again… Now, we have a particularly tough road trip to worry about…
Now that’s the way to play boys! Good Job!
Waino is pitching against Nolasco. I was hoping it would be Johnson.
They won’t yield to Penny 57……… if he comes back, he is your likely closer on a playoff team. He is capable of throwing 96 for short periods. I don’t like the way Franklin pressures himself. He did not execute pitches.
I quite agree, Westy. Wouldn’t it be a dream if Penny were actually thus used?
Stavi not sulking in Memphis 3-3 with a HR so far tonight.
Thanks for the great news, Carioca. I’m looking forward to Stavi coming back, after getting to play on a daily basis.
Well, ’tis time for this old man to close-down and enjoy some wine with his lady (who wants to toast the Cardinal victory). She just so happens to be a native Houstonian, by the way…
Good Night guys!
Luddy just broke up Padilla’s 4 inning no no against the Padres.
It was a 6 inning no no and Luddy made a great defensive play that was highlighted on ESPN. Padres were shut out by the Dodgers. Seeing Luddy in a Padres uniform is hard to take.
4 RBIs for Reuben Gotay, last night. Rube must be stoked to realize how close he is to ML meal money.
Jumbo, how do you rate Rube as a third base glove, compared to Craig-Lopez-Miles? He is Yadi’s pal I believe.
Seeing Luddy bat clean-up for the winningest team in the NL, and play solid defensive RF for them as well, is hard to take.
Cy watch: Jimenez is 17-2.
Lopez would probably be the best 3B defensively.
Craig is not a ML calibre defender at 3B, so it reflects the injuries to Freese and Greene that TLR would have to play him there. If Craig could defend 3B, he would not have been moved to 1B/LF.
Miles probably does not have an arm well suited to 3B. Greene has a strong arm, but made some throwing errors from 3B during spring training; TLR thinks Greene could learn to play 3b, but how quickly would be the question.
Gotay is like Miles a switch-hitting 2Bman. As was Terry Pendleton. As such, he can probably pick it at 3rd. If his arm is strong enough, he could defend the position. The Cards have had Gotay playing 3B at Memphis most of the year, over an experienced AAA switch-hitting 3Bman, Howard. This implies the Cards like Gotay well enough at 3rd. If we were to suffer an injury to another infielder, Gotay is probably next up. He has played several years in the majors already, so is no more a rook than MacDougal.
During the 2005 stretch drive, the Cards played lifer utilityman Abe Nunez at 3B. Honest Abe did a good job. Switch-hitter like Miles, Lopez, Gotay, lifted his average to circa .285. Abe’s career year. He scored a good contract from the Phils and we collected a compensation pick (Mark Hamilton at Memphis).
Maybe Abe was a friend of Yadier. Molina is friendly, provided you are not a big mouthed Hungarian.
Gotay is the least offensive of a group of bad options at 3B in Memphis. I predict they will find a scrap-heap third baseman for St. Louis before we see Gotay on the 40-man.
Gotay also leads the Memphis Redbirds in errors (16).
Red Sox placed Mike Lowell on waivers yesterday.
crdswmn, in case you are not familiar with August waivers, here is a brief explanation.
Teams routinely place many if not their entire rosters on waivers to gauge interest in their players. If the player is claimed, they can pull him off waivers and are allowed a short window to try to work out a trade with the claiming team. If not, the player remains.
If the player clears waivers, he can be traded anywhere until August 31.
In Lowell’s case, he would never be claimed because he is still owed $4 million for the final two months of the season. If the Cards claim him, in a normal environment Boston would be thrilled as the Cards would get stuck paying the entire remaining salary. When Lowell clears waivers, which he will, then any teams can inquire about him. It will all come down to how much of his salary Boston is willing to eat. With Youkilis hurt and Boston trying to pass the Yankees and Tampa Bay, I can’t see why they would be motivated to dump Lowell at a big loss.
I know how waivers work. I just put that out there for everyone’s information. Frankly, I don’t see Lowell as being any significant improvement given his injury history.
If Boston paid his salary, then there is no risk other than maybe the loss of a mid-tier prospect or something in trade (think Pineiro deal), but I don’t see that happening.
Consider the waiver tutorial for others who were not aware of how it works…
Brian, thank you for the education. Until your posting, I was not familiar with the rules concerning August waivers.
I don’t see Mo claiming anyone unless he finds somebody cheap and worth claiming. He will wait to see who clears waivers and hopefully he can make a deal that doesn’t require trading Albert.
I found this over in Cards Talk;
Ozark Bob wrote;
Iza readin that New York guy writen for my Fox news and he said that them Padres was buying the Westbrooke for themselves, and the the Cards warn’t gonna pay them good money for no piture.like that. If we was competen with them, how did they know anyway that we might be thinken about trading my favorite player Ryan Ludwick. Was Mo tellen people that all along. We needed him. And my daughter wanted to meet him, which would be alright with me. And hows come he said we was lookin for a way to not spend any money for a player. They was 41,ooo people at the game on Wednseday, and it was hot. I bet they was drinkin them 8$ beers as fast as a jackrabbit runs. Whats he do with all that musket powder if he ain’t gonna buy players with it. Felipe has gone to sleepe at third. He is so tired all the time he can’t help with any of the other chores like they promised he would. Is we gonna let that Walter Jocketty get the best of us just to save more powder? What they gonna blow up with all that powder anyway?
Thanks for the chuckle, WC.
I was hoping you might chastise me for following such a bad precedent.
So, you’re Ozark Bob over there are you?
Thanks for the rundown Jumbo. And Brian. I didn’t think there was an answer in Memphis.