4thebirds...: 08/01/2008 - 09/01/2008

Sunday, September 14, 2008

ABC News: Zambrano Throws No-Hitter as Cubs Beat Astros 5-0

ABC News: Zambrano Throws No-Hitter as Cubs Beat Astros 5-0: "Carlos Zambrano pitched the first no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs in 36 years, returning from a recent bout of rotator cuff soreness to shut down the Houston Astros 5-0 Sunday night in a game relocated because of Hurricane Ike."

4thebirds...
... Zambrano throws no-no, Astros get "Iked."

Cardinals not throwing in the towel yet | stlcardinals.com: News

Cardinals not throwing in the towel yet stlcardinals.com: News: "It's no secret to anyone, including those in the clubhouse, that the Cardinals are slumping. They've lost five straight, equaling their longest slide of the year, and their playoff chances are fading. But they know that's no reason to pack it in.
The Redbirds haven't been eliminated yet, and besides that, pride is a powerful motivation. A team that has played well all year doesn't want to go out on a sour note."

4thebirds...
... There's plenty to play for, and I'm glad the Cardinals are taking that attitude. Maybe this is what they mean by Play like a Cardinal.

Villone ejected after on-field argument | stlcardinals.com: News

Villone ejected after on-field argument stlcardinals.com: News: "It's probably good that the Cardinals and Pirates won't see each other again this year.

A dispute between the two teams over a play on the basepaths nearly turned into a full-on fight on Sunday afternoon. Both benches and bullpens emptied and Cardinals reliever Ron Villone was ejected, but no punches were exchanged."

4thebirds...
... Matthew Leach gets the straight talk from Aaron Miles on what was said at second base that started the scuffle that found both benches and bullpens emptying.

Small-ball helps Phillies win big | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/14/2008

Small-ball helps Phillies win big Philadelphia Inquirer 09/14/2008: "It surprised a few people, but not Charlie Manuel.

The manager had talked with Chase Utley today about the potential for a sacrifice bunt before his at-bat in the eighth inning of a 7-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park."

4thebirds...
... Game summary; not long ago, I stated of the teams in the hunt for the NL Wild Card, Philly was the team with the best shot.

Sports Update - MLB: Philadelphia 7, Milwaukee 3 (Game 1) - ArcaMax Publishing

Sports Update - MLB: Philadelphia 7, Milwaukee 3 (Game 1) - ArcaMax Publishing: "Pat Burrell's RBI single Sunday lifted the Philadelphia Phillies past the Milwaukee Brewers 7-3 in the first game of a day/night doubleheader."

4thebirds...
... Game summary of Phillies/Brewers game, having an impact on the NL Wild Card race.

ESPN - Astros' Cooper unhappy to play Cubs in Milwaukee - MLB

ESPN - Astros' Cooper unhappy to play Cubs in Milwaukee - MLB: "But with his club chasing the NL wild-card spot, Astros manager Cecil Cooper sure wasn't thrilled with the idea of playing in front of a predominantly pro-Cubs crowd at a supposedly neutral site. And he planned to make his feelings known to commissioner Bud Selig, a close friend.

'It's like a Cub home game,' Cooper said. 'Only they're not the 'home' team, we are. I'm not happy about that. I need to tell the commissioner that. I will tell him that.'"

4thebirds...
... The forums are alive with talk of the seemingly unfair decision to have this game played just outside the Cubs' back yard.

McLouth homers as Pirates sweep Cards - FOX30Online.com Jacksonville News Leader

McLouth homers as Pirates sweep Cards - FOX30Online.com Jacksonville News Leader: "Nate McLouth went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and finished with two runs driven in and three scored, as the Pittsburgh Pirates completed their first three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals since August 11-13 of 2006 with a 7-2 victory."

4thebirds...
... Game summary.

Molina sits after aggravating injury | stlcardinals.com: News

Molina sits after aggravating injury stlcardinals.com: News: "Molina, who had missed three games due to a left thigh injury, was removed from Sunday afternoon's game against the Pirates when the injury flared up on him. Officially, Molina was pulled due to 'left quadriceps tightness.'"

4thebirds...
... And the Injury Parade rolls on for the Cards, this time a relapse of Yadier Molina's bruised leg after a collision at home plate with Ted Lilly of the Cubs.

Cardinals suffer fifth straight defeat | stlcardinals.com: News

Cardinals suffer fifth straight defeat stlcardinals.com: News: "St. Louis has lost five in a row, equaling its longest skid of the season, and 11 out of 15. The Cardinals' elimination number is nine -- that is, any combination of nine Brewers wins and Cardinals losses will eliminate St. Louis from playoff contention."

4thebirds...
... Matthew Leach provides a game summary.

Early gamer: Pirates sweep St. Louis - PBC Blog - post-gazette.com

Early gamer: Pirates sweep St. Louis - PBC Blog - post-gazette.com: "Nate McLouth hit his 26th home run and Adam LaRoche drove in three runs as the Pirates pounded St. Louis, 7-2, this afternoon before 18,994 at PNC Park to cap a three-game sweep of the Cardinals.

It is the Pirates' first three-game winning streak since taking four in a row July 21-24, their first sweep since taking three in Houston in that same span."

4thebirds...
... Pittsburgh area game summary.

The Cardinal Virtue: When it rains, it pours.

The Cardinal Virtue: When it rains, it pours.: "It may be close to the end, and here are some signs of that:

1. Four losses in a row, including two to the lowly Pirates.
2. Carpenter has been shut down for the rest of the year. Apparently..."

4thebirds...
... Trey at Cardinal Virtue weighs in on the current status of the Cardinals, like most, feeling like maybe it's time to make a call on the season ... or is it?

4thebirds...LIVE Cardinals vs. Pirates 9/14/08

STLtoday - Cardinals Insider: Mozeliak pledges to be aggressive

STLtoday - Cardinals Insider: Mozeliak pledges to be aggressive: "Empty (but paid) seats were obvious at Busch Stadium during last week's three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Eleven days have lapsed since manager Tony La Russa spoke for himself and a significant portion of the team's fan base by saying, 'I think the issues are out there and it's up to the organization to prove if they want to have a fighting chance to finish first. The only way you do that is by your actions, not by the benefit of what you've done."

4thebirds...
... (comment left at Joe Strauss's article on STL-PD at the linked page)

STLtoday - Deadlock vs. Bucs

STLtoday - Deadlock vs. Bucs: "Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright's surge toward the finish hit a pothole at PNC Park, one deep enough that even given 12 innings the Cardinals couldn't pull themselves out of it."

4thebirds...
... Game summary by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

STLtoday - Isringhausen plans to pitch in '09

STLtoday - Isringhausen plans to pitch in '09: "On the brink of free agency and with a freshly repaired right elbow, Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen is so tantalizingly close to his 300th save that he is plotting a return for next season.

'I'm sure I'm going to play,' Isringhausen said Saturday from his St. Louis-area home. 'I'm going to go through the rehab so that I can make that decision, but right now I plan on playing. We'll see how it goes from here.'"

4thebirds...
... (comment left on STL-PD linked page)

Do-it-all Thompson gets call for Cards | stlcardinals.com: News

Do-it-all Thompson gets call for Cards stlcardinals.com: News: "Brad Thompson is the Swiss Army Knife of the Cardinals' pitching staff. He can be used in just about any role, at just about any time.

Just this year alone, he's taken a wide range of assignments. He's started. He's pitched long relief and mopup in the early innings. He piggybacked Mark Mulder in Mulder's return from the disabled list, entering as a reliever in the first inning. He's pitched in the ninth inning with a save chance. He's pitched as a middle/setup man, and as a long man in extra innings."

4thebirds...
... Earlier in the year, I was a little miffed about how Thompson was dispatched back to Triple-A after coming to the rescue of a starting rotation that wasn't able to, well, rotate. And it truly was the "how" that was irritating. Thompson had learned that he was heading back to Memphis in the locker room, informed by the media, before the Cardinals staff did. It seems no one on the staff bothered to tell him they had finished using him. Maybe there was a bus ticket in his locker that he hadn't noticed yet.

In any case, Thompson handled it professionally, and without throwing a fit, which he had been prone to do on the mound and probably his biggest hindrance to pitching his best. So here he is again. He sure has earned it.

Scott Wuerz blog: Ankiel will be going under the knife

Scott Wuerz blog: Ankiel will be going under the knife: "It's disturbing to learn after the Cardinals ran Rick Ankiel out to hit and play left field for the last month and a half that the pitcher-turned-outfielder's abdominal muscle strain is actually something worse.

He has an injury similar to Chris Duncan's 2007 sports hernia that will require surgery, the Redbirds now say."

4thebirds...
... Ankiel's injury apparently was much worse than he let on, and that's the key. I believe Ankiel had led the Cardinals to believe that he was okay to swing, but that the running bothered him.

Still, medical and coaching staff might have questioned that, knowing Ankiel is a ball player who wants to win and will try to forgo any injury.

And further still, Ankiel, who has been injured before, knows this is not something you should take lightly or put off.

Wuerz is usually pretty hard on the Cardinals, but this may be a time when it is very appropriate, or, like Wuerz wrote, something should have been done weeks earlier.

STLtoday - Lead, game slip away

STLtoday - Lead, game slip away: "Several hours after Pittsburgh pounced on a winded and sluggish Wainwright for a four-run inning that erased the Cardinals' early lead, outfielder Brandon Moss finished off the comeback with a game-winning double in the 12th. Moss' two-out, full-count drive to the right-center gap scored Adam LaRoche for a 7-6 victory Saturday.

That there was a score to be untied, let alone a 12th inning to do it, traced back to the fifth inning, when Wainwright couldn't catch his breath and didn't get an out."

4thebirds...
... By now, everyone has figured out that Wainwright was gassed in the fifth. So why didn't anyone do anything about it?

Rattler Radio: More good news from Quad Cities

Rattler Radio: More good news from Quad Cities: "The River Bandits had a great season. If there was one blemish...aside from the radio booth windows that do not open, but that's for a different day...it would have been the playing surface of Modern Woodmen Park. However, according to this Quad Cities Times story, help is on the way."

4thebirds...
... Apparently, the Quad-Cities River Bandits organization aren't the only ones glad that Modern Woodmen Park is going to get the twice-over.

But right now, I'm wondering what is happening with the home of the River Bandits with all this rainfall and the remnants of Hurricane Ike.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Raise the Jolly Roger!

Raise the Jolly Roger!: "It didn't look good early when Ian Snell gave up a run in the first thanks to some shoddy defense, but the offense, amazingly, came through against a very good pitcher, Adam Wainwright. Snell would give up many more, but the Bucs came back off Wainwright, tying things 6-6 in the 5th inning."

4thebirds...
... Game summary post on the popular Pirates' blog, Raise the Jolly Roger!

Bucs beat Cards in 12 innings - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Bucs beat Cards in 12 innings - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Right fielder Brandon Moss's two-out double to center off Cardinals reliever Chris Perez scored Adam LaRoche from first base as the Pirates beat the Cardinals, 7-6, in 12 innings."

4thebirds...
... Game summary.

Molina, Glaus close to returning | stlcardinals.com: News

Molina, Glaus close to returning stlcardinals.com: News: "Yadier Molina could start the Cardinals' Sunday game at the Pirates, and Troy Glaus hasn't given up hope of playing in that game, either.

Molina, who sustained a thigh bruise in a collision at home plate on Wednesday, practiced crouching on Saturday and was able to do so. He's not entirely pain-free, but he's close enough that manager Tony La Russa hopes to write his name in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale."

4thebirds...
... Matthew Leach explores the status of the injuries to both Yadier Molina and Troy Glaus.

Pineiro, La Russa on same page | stlcardinals.com: News

Pineiro, La Russa on same page stlcardinals.com: News: "Following the Cardinals' ugly loss to the Pirates at PNC Park on Friday night, manager Tony La Russa had some brutal honesty for starting pitcher Joel Pineiro. But that was OK with Pineiro, since he saw all the same things La Russa did -- inconsistency from inning to inning, and generally disappointing results.

So when the two men got together for a chat on Saturday, it's not surprising that they saw things eye to eye."

4thebirds...
... Uh-oh, a meeting in the boss's office can't be good. Or was it?

Carlos Delgado has cause enough to be National League MVP over Albert Pujols

Carlos Delgado has cause enough to be National League MVP over Albert Pujols: "The sudden MVP clamor in Metville for Carlos Delgado is striking a sour note in the heartland, where Albert Pujols remains the man, even if his St. Louis Cardinals are a team going in the wrong direction these waning days of September."

4thebirds...
... The Mets fans believe Carlos Delgado is more deserving of the MVP than Albert Pujols.

Pirates rally in fifth, win it in 12th | pirates.com: News

Pirates rally in fifth, win it in 12th pirates.com: News: "Nyjer Morgan and Ryan Doumit collected multihit games for the Pirates, who managed to pull out a 7-6 win over the Cardinals at PNC Park on Saturday night. However, it was Brandon Moss' RBI double in the 12th inning that gave the Pirates their 32nd come-from-behind win of the year and helped erase a tough outing by starter Ian Snell, who was shelled for six runs in four innings."

4thebirds...
... MLB game summary by Todd Krise.

STLtoday - Molina could start Sunday

STLtoday - Molina could start Sunday: "Molina was available to pinch hit if needed Saturday, and the catcher felt good enough getting into and out of a crouch that he’ll be cleared to handle his position before the weekend’s final game at PNC Park."

4thebirds...
... Derrick Goold informs us about:

status of Yadier Molina (injury)
status of Troy Glaus (injury)
Joel Pineiro meeting with TLR
info on Josh Kinney
the blue caps

Walk-off Moss gathers no loss for Bucs

Brandon Moss lashed a Chris Perez fast ball off the wall in right-center field in the twelfth inning, a walk-off double that scored Adam LaRoche from first base, the Cardinals losing 7-6 in extra innings.

The loss adds to the frustrations of the team and Cardinal Nation alike, an opportunity to gain some ground on the NL Wild Card leading Milwaukee Brewers wasted. The Brewers had lost 7-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies earlier.

Adam Wainwright gave the team initial hope, considering how well he has pitched since coming off his last rehab. But tonight he struggled in the first inning, uncharacteristically giving up two runs, losing a 1-0 lead right off the bat, the first inning ending with the Pirates up 2-1.

The Cards fought back against Ian Snell, a last minute replacement for Jeff Karstens, who had to take a seat due to an infected tooth. The second inning found the Cardinals rallying, scoring three runs with RBI hits by Jason LaRue, Skip Schumaker, and Albert Pujols. The Cards retook the lead at 4-2.

Felipe Lopez added to the lead with a two-run homer to right field in the fourth inning, the Cards bumping up their score to 6-2 and chasing Ian Snell.

Wainwright settled down for three innings, but was taken apart by the Pirates in the fifth inning, the Pirates scoring three runs. Nyjer Morgan led off with a drag bunt single, followed by Freddy Sanchez single on a hit-and-run play, the second time in the game that those two paired up to put on the play.

Nate McLouth then doubled, scoring Morgan. Ryan Doumit followed by doubling off the center field wall, scoring Sanchez and McLouth to bring the Bucs within one run at 6-5.

It was after the Doumit double that must have made fans wonder if Cards' skipper Tony La Russa would hook Wainwright. La Russa, however, left Wainwright in the game, the next batter, Adam LaRoche singling home Doumit to tie the game at 6-all.

Still with no outs, La Russa brought in Russ Springer, who got the Cards out of the jam. From there, the game remained knotted at 6-each through the ninth inning, carrying to twelve innings. La Russa would call upon Ryan Franklin, Ron Villone, Jason Motte, Kyle McClellan, and Chris Perez in relief. The Pirates used seven relievers.

The bottom of the twelfth seemed under control, Perez's second inning of work, recording five fly outs in a row before walking Adam LaRoche. The fateful Moss walk-off double broke the tie for the 7-6 loss.

The Cardinals get a shot at avoiding a sweep by the NL Central's last place team tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. CT.

4thebirds will carry a LIVEcast live blogging session during the game, providing limited play-by-play and leaving the blog open to anyone who wishes to post remarks about the Cardinals and/or the game.

photo by David Watson

4thebirds...LIVEblogcast Cardinals vs. Pirates 9/13/08

LIVEblog reminder

Mostly Memphis for the St. Louis Redbirds

Who else noticed that at one point in last night's ball game, over half the squad on the field had coupons for Autozone Park sticking out of their back pockets?

Translation: At one point during this season, the five out of nine fielded players of which I speak had played for the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

And it could've been seven if manager Tony La Russa had made the wholesale battery change of catcher Mark Johnson and pitcher Kelvin Jimenez a bit earlier.

In any event, at one point in the game (if memory serves, the sixth inning), La Russa fielded Brendan Ryan at shortstop, Brian Barden at second base, Nick Stavinoha in left field, Brian Barton in center field, and Josh Phelps in right field.

Does that make the team the St. Louis Redbirds?

Earlier in the game, Josh Phelps had played first base, meaning that Class AAA Memphis had a hand--or should I say, glove, at every position but third base.

photos by Barbara Moore

Cards looking to ride ace to victory | stlcardinals.com: News

Cards looking to ride ace to victory stlcardinals.com: News: "PITTSBURGH -- The Astros have hitched their wagon to Roy Oswalt. The Brewers are riding CC Sabathia as far as they can. If the Cardinals are going to get back in the National League Wild Card race, one thing they'll need to do is get as much as they can out of burgeoning ace Adam Wainwright."

4thebirds...
... Matthew Leach examines the usage of Adam Wainwright.

Raise the Jolly Roger!

Raise the Jolly Roger!: "Ian Snell is starting in place of Jeff Karstens, who was pushed back a day due to a 'dental procedure.' He can be added to the long list of injured Pirates: Tom Gorzelanny was pronounced out for the year yesterday, capping off a miserable year for him. Jimmy Barthmaier will come up, keeping the 6-man rotation intact."

4thebirds...
... Preview from a Bucs blogger at Raise the Jolly Roger!.

Cards' Carpenter Done for Season

Cards' Carpenter Done for Season: "St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Chris Carpenter will miss the rest of the 2008 season because of continued weakness from a muscle strain in his pitching shoulder."

4thebirds...
... more about Carp's shutdown.

InGameNow » Who’s Coming Back First - Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire?

InGameNow » Who’s Coming Back First - Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire?: "Everyone knows Barry Bonds’ absence from the baseball diamond is not completely voluntary on his part. In fact, he went even so far as to say he’s “not retired” when he took part in celebrations at AT&T Park in San Francisco earlier this summer. The truth is, his rumored steroid use and legal troubles make him a pariah within the game. He brings so much baggage that not even the spiraling Yankees offered him a desparation contract."

4thebirds...
... In some of the forums, the word it has been said that the passing of the 10-year McGwire historic event, #62, has gone quietly, and for the better, one poster calling the event a "juiced up milestone."

Unfortunately, about the only hitting McGwire might be able to do is to call Barry; the two of them can stand about 715 feet apart and hit the ball back and forth.

UCB Autumn Roundtable reminder...Cubs/Cards LIVEcast

UCB members can use this tool to give themselves a reminder for the UCB project, but should email me separatly using the Email the author below this post, or if you have my regular e-mail. This is not required, but I'll only have so much room for "throughs" without moderation, so if you can send me a short note telling me you'll be attending, I can e-mail back a panelist's link (to the first ten, anyway.) NOTE: Although it would be cool to embed the live blog on your blog, it is not necessary to participate, as you can use the live blog that will be up here or on any participating UCB blog.

I would advise testing the live blog out prior to the event if you haven't done so in the past, in order to iron out any issues you may have with your site. The live blog window seems to embed without a hitch on Blogger and MLBlogs, with an extra step needed for Wordpress. There is also a way to paste it into a browser window, if nothing else.

To those receiving e-mail invites, they will be branded with Cover-it-Live, and often end up in the junk mail.

Anyone wanting to get on as a panelist to one the LIVEcasts I'll be doing this weekend and during the week can email me or hop on the live blog. I now have most of the email addresses, so I can flick out an email invite so you can test it, even if you're only on there for a few minutes.

LIVEcast reminder

Cardinals continue set in Steel City

Cardinals continue set in Steel City: "Adam Wainwright gets the nod for the St. Louis Cardinals this evening, when they resume a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park."

4thebirds...
... Game preview.

New York-Penn League: News: Article

New York-Penn League: News: Article: "Jermaine Curtis' first homer in six weeks pulled the Batavia Muckdogs within a victory of the first championship in their 51-year history."

4thebirds...
... Game summary by John Torenli regarding the St. Louis Cardinals' Low-A affiliate Batavia Muckdogs as they get off to a good start in the New York-Penn League Championship.

Daily Farm Report 9/12/08 | Future Redbirds

Daily Farm Report 9/12/08 Future Redbirds

4thebirds...
... The DFR from Future Redbirds.

STLtoday - Season over for Carpenter

STLtoday - Season over for Carpenter: "The Cardinals announced Friday night that Carpenter will be sidelined for the rest of the season because of the muscle strain that put him on the disabled list in August and a nerve irritation recently discovered. The two ailments have contributed to Carpenter's inability to regain strength and recover effectively after his one and only relief appearance."

4thebirds...
... Derrick Goold continues to swarm all over the Cardinals' news that means something. This Carp stuff may (or may not) be bad news, depending on how you loo at it, but it is important to his career, the St. Louis Cardinals' organization, and to the fans.

STLtoday - Surgery for Ankiel?

STLtoday - Surgery for Ankiel?: "Ankiel received a shot Friday to address the irritation, and he was diagnosed with an abdominal strain/sports hernia."

4thebirds...
... Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch gives us the line on a lot of Cardinal-concerns, including:

Rick Ankiel's abdominal injury
status of Yadier Molina (injury)
status of Troy Glaus (injury)
coin toss to determine home/away in the case of playoff with Philadelphia
coin toss to determine home/away in the case of playoff with Milwaukee
rotation of affiliate coaches with major league team
info on Brian Barden

STLtoday - Birds take a beating from Bucs

STLtoday - Birds take a beating from Bucs: "'It all exploded,' Piñeiro said. 'Quick.'

It was that kind of day for the Cardinals."

4thebirds...
... Game summary form Derrick Goold.

This and That and More of the Same: Albert Pujols joins elite club

This and That and More of the Same: Albert Pujols joins elite club: "On Thursday, the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols (above) drove in his 100th run, becoming only the third player in history to reach that milestone in each of his first eight seasons. Ted Williams did it in his first eight seasons and the champion Al Simmons (below) did it in his first eleven seasons."

4thebirds...
... Fresh piece re: Pujols.

McLouth's career night carries Pirates | pirates.com: News

McLouth's career night carries Pirates pirates.com: News: "PITTSBURGH -- Friday night's 10-2 pounding of the Cardinals in front of a rain-soaked crowd of 14,903 at PNC Park was long overdue for the Pirates.

Two months overdue, in fact."

4thebirds...
... Game summary by Todd Krise.

Karstens questionable with dental issue | pirates.com: News

Karstens questionable with dental issue pirates.com: News: "PITTSBURGH -- Pick any body part, and it's likely at least one Pirates player has sustained an injury in that spot this season.
And as of Friday, you can add teeth to that list."

4thebirds...
... This Todd Krise article gives you the low-down on Jeff Karstens' dental dilemma. And we all know, an aching tooth can bring down a giant, let alone a human baseball pitcher. Odd but true. Only his dentist knows for sure.

staugustine.com: the oldest city's home on the Net

staugustine.com: the oldest city's home on the Net: "PITTSBURGH -- Nate McLouth homered and had a career-high five RBIs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night."

4thebirds...
... Game summary; Florida publication.

Cheap seats blog: Someone make the suffering stop

Cheap seats blog: Someone make the suffering stop: "I am often asked if I think the season is over these days or if I hold out hope that the Cardinals could turn things around and make the playoffs.
My response has always been that, while the odds have grown increasingly unlikely that the Birds could dig themselves out of the hole they put themselves in, it's not over until the numbers say it's mathematically impossible to catch up."

4thebirds...
... This Belleville blog by Scott Wuerz rages with frustration over not only the shellacking the Cardinals took in Pittsburgh last night, but when seems to be a lack of enthusiasm, Wuerz going so far as to accusing the non-star Cardinals of not trying as hard as the star-power.

There's not much positive here except the mathematical fact that the Cardinals are still in the hunt of a playoff spot.

If you like Wuerz, who covers the Cardinals inside and out throughout the season, read it; if you're indifferent, you can hear this tone in any Cardinals forum.

The Fat Lady Has Sung | Mike On The Cards

The Fat Lady Has Sung Mike On The Cards: "For those that missed it, the Cardinals got pummeled by the Pirates 10-2."

4thebirds...
... He calls em likes he sees em.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Bucs pound Cards in road trip opener

Joel Pineiro probably wished St. Louis Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa had switched the starters one more time tonight as he got rocked by the Pittsburgh Pirates, seven of the 10 Pirates run scored on him, all earned.

The 10-2 pounding is not what the Cardinals imagined going into Pittsburgh for the first game of a nine-game road trip.

Tonight's game started late due to rain, while several other MLB games were postponed. There was speculation as to how much the delay might've affected Pineiro, but the Pirates' pitcher, Paul Maholm, pitched under the same circumstances, and Maholm went 8.0 innings, allowing only two runs, those in the ninth when he was out of gas but left in so he could attempt a complete game.

In a post-game interview, La Russa admitted he didn't know what was wrong with Pineiro but that something had to be done, because there had been just too many occasions where Pineiro wasn't getting it done.

Pineiro got stung right away when Nyjer Morgan tagged up and scored from third on a Brandon Moss sac-fly.

The Pirates added two more in the third when Nate McLouth lined a two-run homer out in right field.

McLouth struck again in the fifth, cracking a bases loaded (and clearing) double, sending home Maholm, Morgan, and Luis Cruz to increase the Pirates' lead to 6-0. The double chased Pineiro, La Russa bringing on Randy Flores.

Flores got hit right away, Moss trading places with McLouth at second base, adding another run to make it 7-0. That seventh run was charged to Pineiro, all seven earned.

Maholm then helped himself, singling with the bases loaded off of Flores, Moss and Raul Chavez scoring, extending the Bucs' lead to 9-0.

The Pirates added one more in the next inning, McLouth tagging up at third and scoring on a sac-fly by Adam LaRoche.

Flores ended up allowing two of the later Pirates' runs, Ron Villone letting the tenth run cross the plate. These two were followed by Josh Kinney and Kelvin Jimenez, who gave up no more Bucs' runs.

The Cardinals didn't score until there last at bats, when Maholm was pretty much gassed but left in to see if he could get a complete game. That didn't happen, Josh Phelps hitting a leadoff single, followed by an Aaron Miles double into the right field corner.

Mark Johnson, a Fall call-up and now third-string catcher, chopped an infield single down the third base line, Phelps scoring the first Cardinals' run and breaking up Maholm's bid for a shutout. Felipe Lopez took a batting practice speed pitch back up the middle, advancing Miles to third and Johnson to second.

The Pirates' brought in Romulo Sanchez, who got Nick Stavinoha to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, Miles scoring, but the Cardinals running out of outs fast. Kennedy flew out to end the game, the Cardinals dropping a tough one, 10-2, on a night when the Wild Card race teams they were chasing all were postponed from action.

The loss finds the Cards slipping back another game in the NL Wild Card, now 5.0 games behind the NL WC leading Milwaukee Brewers. As well, the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies are both 2.0 games ahead of the Cardinals.

Adam Wainwright is slated for tomorrow night's start, hoping to help his teammates get this all-important road trip back on track. Jeff Karstens will get the nod for Pittsburgh.

Game time at PNC Park tomorrow night is 6:05 p.m. CT.

The 4thebirds...LIVEcast is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

photo by David Watson

Sore back forces Chipper to sit out | braves.com: News

Sore back forces Chipper to sit out braves.com: News: "Chipper Jones will not be in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets because of a sore back. Martin Prado will start at third base, if weather permits and the game is played as scheduled.

Jones, who is in a race for the National League batting title with Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, enters Friday with a .362 average and 71 RBIs. He went 2-for-8 with one RBI and two runs scored in his last three-game series against the Mets from Aug. 19-21. Against Johan Santana, who is set to start Friday at Shea Stadium, Jones is a lifetime 5-for-11 (.455) with an RBI and a strikeout."

4thebirds...
... News regarding Chipper Jones.

4thebirds...LIVEcast Cardinals vs. Pirates 9/12/08

Blue caps, to answer your question

By now, of course, the guest on the 4thebirds LIVEcast blog last night is long gone, but just in case, we finally found the answer to his/her question: Blue caps.

The question: What color are the caps the Cardinals are wearing?

I didn't have the heart to admit I was colorblind and didn't know for sure, but I guessed: black.

And then others who were posting comments about the current game strategy or play-by-play were offering their opinions. The top choices were black and navy blue.

The commemorative caps (911) were indeed described as blue in a related news story I'd found later.

So on a night when we were frantically posting our frustrations over the umpires' "non-balk call" relative to Marmol's super-tricky pick-off move to first base, we give pause to study and debate the color of a cap.

Crimanee, we'll blog up anything that moves on our LIVEcast, and we learn something new, every game.

Redbird Randoms...9/12/08 Piniero, Thompson

In a late change, the Cardinals are now switching back some starting pitchers.

To wit, Joel Piniero will now start tonight's game, while Brad Thompson will get Sunday's start.

photo by Barbara Moore

Stay aggressive, Brendan

It's quite all right that Brendan Ryan over-slid third base last night.

You just can't argue with that kind of hustle.

Sure, a lot of other Cardinals would've held up, but then, a lot of other Cardinals would've have gotten the kinds of jumps Ryan gets. Nor do Ryan's teammates (except a few) seem to get up to top speed so quickly.

So there Ryan was, hell bent for canvas, and with a smart slide, too, similar to the one he used to win a game for the Cards about 24 hours earlier. Except for one little thing.

The slide took him a bit beyond the bag, Redbird hearts filling with glee one moment, sinking the next as his fingertips drifted away from the base.

By strategy, maybe he shouldn't have gone. But when you run bases on strategy alone, you miss out on extra bases. Albert Pujols, for all his hitting prowess, is a genius at picking up the extra base, knowing when and knowing himself well enough to quickly calculate whether he has a great chance at making it.

But mind the word, chance, because that is definitely part of it. Ryan took a good chance. And although the replay showed him safe, even that doesn't matter. What does matter is that the play was so close, you know it was the right way to go.

Honestly, when it comes to Cardinals and days late and dollars short, the crystal ball isn't tuning in to a base hit at the next at bat.

On the ball field, I always say: If you're gonna make a mistake, do it at a hundred miles an hour. Leave no doubt in the opposition's mind that whether out or safe, you're going to put every bit of pressure on them you possibly can.

And there were plenty team reason for the loss, anyhow.

Final analysis: Stay aggressive, Brendan Ryan.

photo by Barbara Moore

Cardinals at Pirates 7:05 p.m. (maybe) 09-12-08 - PBC Blog - post-gazette.com

Cardinals at Pirates 7:05 p.m. (maybe) 09-12-08 - PBC Blog - post-gazette.com: "Something already has been postponed by the Pirates today -- the scheduled Clemente Day activities on Federal Street outside PNC Park. Those now will be held next Friday before the Pirates play Houston."

4thebirds...
... Game preview.

Watertown Daily Times Online - Sports

Watertown Daily Times Online - Sports: "Jamie Moyer can rest his arm when he retires. For now, the old man is doing whatever it takes to extend the Philadelphia Phillies' season.

Moyer pitched 5 2-3 effective innings on three days' rest, Ryan Howard hit his major league-leading 43rd homer and the Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 Thursday night to gain ground in the playoff race."

4thebirds...
... Of concern to the Cardinals, this entire series.

Bird Land » Blog Archive » Title Bout: Pujols v. Jones

Bird Land » Blog Archive » Title Bout: Pujols v. Jones: "True to the scouting report that had him hitting well at home this season (.400), hitting well against Colorado in his career (.313) and pounding the opposing pitchers (.358), Atlanta’s Chipper Jones raked his way back into the batting title lead with a 6-for-12 series against the Rockies. That thrust him a few points ahead of Albert Pujols, .362 to .360.

This weekend, it’s Pujols’ turn to play the splits."

4thebirds...
... This race will go down to the wire, obviously, but for Pujols, it will be a distraction as long as the Cardinals are mathematically in the hunt for whatever is left over in the NL.

Knowing how Pujols sneers when asked about home run hitting, I can just imagine the look on his face as he has to answer media questions regarding his 100th RBI, which occurred during a one-run loss to the Chicago Cubs, at Busch Stadium, and on a night when Pujols made a costly fielding error and made the last out with two men on base.

photo by Barbara Moore

Above average: Cards' Pujols setting the mark

Above average: Cards' Pujols setting the mark: "Albert Pujols, perhaps the greatest St. Louis athlete since Wayne Gretzky had a cup of coffee with the Blues in 1995-96, is trying to lead the Cardinals back into the playoffs and fend off an Atlanta superstar for a batting title."

4thebirds...
... Pujols, Pujols, Pujols. Wow.

Redbird Report

Redbird Report: "Sadly, I was able to catch the balk instantaneously, while these Major League umpires couldn't pick it up. Any of the three other umpires could have stepped forward, but no call was made by any of them."

4thebirds...
... Yes, folks, this is a game summary from Redbirdfan13, the same fellow who stepped up to the plate for 4thebirds and assisted with the better portion of last night's play-by-play on the LIVEcast blog of the rubber match of the Cardinals/Cubs game.

Our viewers might have had a hard time keeping up, RB13 was posting so fast, at times, down to the pitch-by-pitch.

And during the game, RB13 had a lot to say about the shortcomings of the umpiring crew when it came to a "non-call," which I figured would be part of today's game summary, posted on his MLB Blog, Redbird Report. (There are a few blogs by the same name, but this link takes you to his blog.)

RB13's article hits all the important aspects of last night's game, and he has a more current article re: K-rod as well.

Raise the Jolly Roger!

Raise the Jolly Roger!: "This series was so terrible that I was able to write every recap before the completion of the game. I don't like to do this, but when the Bucs are getting pounded and the game is going late, I try to summarize the game while covertly not mentioning anything that happens in the last few innings. I still watch/listen and would change something if a comeback struck, but that has not yet happened. That way I can get to bed and forget about things rather than dwell on such a miserable game any longer than I have to."

4thebirds...
... A popular Pirates' blog entry from Raise the Jolly Roger!

Pittsburgh Pirates Blog | Blogging about the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirates Tickets, Pirates Rumors and more!

Pittsburgh Pirates Blog Blogging about the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirates Tickets, Pirates Rumors and more!: "For the third straight night, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost to the Houston Astros. The Astros got the best of the Pirates by the score of 7-4 as the continue to play very good baseball. It’s too bad the Pirates couldn’t learn something from the hot playing Astros."

4thebirds...
... A Pirates' blog game summary from recent game with Astros.

Cardinal Nation Globe: Pujols is human... maybe

Cardinal Nation Globe: Pujols is human... maybe

4thebirds...
... Cardinal Nation Globe weighs in on Pujols milestone.

Harden makes strong return in Cubs win :: Naperville Sun :: Sports

Harden makes strong return in Cubs win :: Naperville Sun :: Sports: "What's the big deal?
That's what Rich Harden said about his two-week hiatus over shoulder concerns, all the way up to the eve of his return Thursday to the Cubs' rotation in St. Louis."

4thebirds...
... Game summary from a Chicago-area publication.

Cards clubhouse blog: Agonizing loss for Cardinals

Cards clubhouse blog: Agonizing loss for Cardinals: "BY DAVID WILHELM
News-Democrat

It was a game of close calls and missed opportunities Thursday for the Cardinals, whose 3-2 loss to the Cubs could have been their most frustrating setback of the season."

4thebirds...
... Frustration for Cardinal Nation abounds in this piece.

680 The Fan - Atlanta's Sports Station

680 The Fan - Atlanta's Sports Station: "Albert Pujols became the third player in major league history to drive in 100 runs in each of his first eight seasons when he hit an RBI double in the sixth inning of the Cardinals' game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night."

4thebirds...
... Another take on the Pujols' milestone.

Wild Cards

The St. Louis Cardinals' Elimination number for the NL Wild Card is twelve as they linger 4.5 games behind the WC-leader, the Milwaukee Brewers. Both the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies are 3.0 games out of the NL WC, both the share an "E" number of 12.

That puts them only one digit farther from elimination then the Cards, but the more important state is that if the Cards cannot catch the Brewers, it's all a moot point.

Bucs may opt to alter rotation plans | pirates.com: News

Bucs may opt to alter rotation plans pirates.com: News: "HOUSTON -- The Pirates will not know the severity of Tom Gorzelanny's finger injury until the left-hander is examined by a specialist in Pittsburgh on Friday. However, with a strong possibility that Gorzelanny might not be able to make his next start, manager John Russell may have to alter the six-man rotation plan that he was set to go with until at least Sept. 22.

'[General manager] Neal [Huntington] and I have talked about that,' Russell said. 'We could move somebody from the bullpen to that spot. Since the [Minor League] season just ended, there's still the opportunity to call somebody up. We have a couple days to figure something out.'"

4thebirds...
... Pirates news now of interest to Cardinal Nation.

Rerouted Cubs wait to face Astros | cubs.com: News

Rerouted Cubs wait to face Astros cubs.com: News: "ST. LOUIS -- You don't mess with hurricanes, which is why the Cubs will have unexpected down time Friday and Saturday, part of what Lou Piniella called 'Hurricane Ike hiatus.'

The Cubs were originally scheduled to open a three-game series in Houston on Friday night at Minute Maid Park. But the Friday and Saturday games were postponed while Houston waits to see what Hurricane Ike decides to do. The storm was expected to make landfall in Texas early Saturday, and the city of Houston was in its path. Better to be safe, so Major League Baseball opted to postpone the games and take a wait-and-see approach."

4thebirds...
... info on Ike as it relates to the Astros/Cubs series.

Wood walks tightrope to close thriller | cubs.com: News

Wood walks tightrope to close thriller cubs.com: News: "ST. LOUIS -- There were two outs and two on when Lou Piniella went to the mound in the ninth inning Thursday to talk to Kerry Wood before Albert Pujols stepped into the batter's box. The message was simple, as was Piniella's arm gesture.

'It was a hand confirmation -- 'Go get him out,'' Piniella said. 'And then I said a little prayer back to the dugout.'"

4thebirds...
... Never shy to take center stage just when his team has the big advantage, Cubs' manager Lou Piniella goes to the mound with two outs in the ninth, instructing his closer, Kerry Wood, to get Albert Pujols out.

Duhhhh!

How Piniella can figure out these complicated game strategies, and so spontaneously, I'll never know.

Imagine that, I mean, telling the pitcher to try to get the batter out. You learn something new in baseball every game, I suppose.

But if that's all it takes, TLR better plan on visiting Perez, Franklin, Izzy, Motte, Springer, ect. a whole lot more.

photo by Barbara Moore

Redbird Randoms...9/12/08 Thompson, Hurrican Ike, Molina, Pujols, Miles

On-deck: The Cardinals start a nine-game road trip tonight in Pittsburgh, playing the first game of a three-game set with the Pirates at PNC Park. Game time is 6:05 p.m. CT.

Probables: STL-Brad Thompson RHP (5-2, 4.61) vs. PIT-Paul Maholm LHP (8-8, 3.74)

Birds' Perch: The Cards remain in fourth place in the NL Central, the Astros winning last night and pulling ahead by a full game, now 1.5 games ahead of the Cards in third. The Cards are 4.5 games behind the second place (and Wild Card leading) Brewers, and 10.0 games behind the first place Cubs.

Pujols milestone: Albert Pujols collected his 100th RBI in last night's loss to the Cubs.

Miles where?: Utility fielder (not just Utility infielder, now) Aaron Miles started in left field last night, but had no balls hit to him.

Molina recovers: Catcher Yadier Molina will be out a few more games while his severely bruised leg mends. The injury resulted from a home plate collision with the Cubs' Ted Lilly.

Ike demands respect: Hurricane Ike is expected to make landfall in the Houston area soon, causing MLB to postpone the start of the Cubs/Astros series. It is yet to be determined whether the teams will attempt a double-header on Sunday with a single game on Monday (an off day for both clubs) or whether the entire series will be moved to another MLB ball park. Likely candidates are Atlanta and Florida.

Redbirds extended: The Cardinals have agreed to a four-year contract that would keep Memphis as the Class AAA affiliate team.

Batavia in playoffs: Low-A affiliate Batavia Muckdogs are in the finals of the New York Penn League.

photo by David Watson

STLtoday - Cubs-Astros series delayed

STLtoday - Cubs-Astros series delayed: "Just as Chicago Cubs fans were readying themselves to celebrate a second consecutive division title, the Cubs brought the Milwaukee Brewers and even a couple of other clubs back into the fold by losing eight of nine games.

And now, as the magic number has shrunk a little more and the end is in sight, another roadblock was tossed in their way Thursday."

4thebirds...
... Imagine the Cubs playing in Busch Stadium, but not against the Cardinals. That probably won't happen, but it could if the case would come up that MLB couldn't find a neutral site for the Astros/Cubs series due to Hurricane Ike's potential landfall in the Houston area.

So far, the best scenario for these clubs puts them (in Houston, of course, if everything is okay) in Atlanta, as the Braves will not be returning from their current road trip until Tuesday.

STLtoday - Carp shut down

STLtoday - Carp shut down: "Chris Carpenter, limited by continuing soreness in his right shoulder, is likely to be shut down for the rest of the season after an evaluation by team medical officials Thursday."

4thebirds...
... Derrick Goold hits many points: Carpenter, Molina, Batavia Muckdogs, Memphis Redbirds, Brad Thompson, Colby Rasmus

Charitable ballplayers up for award | MLB.com: News

Charitable ballplayers up for award MLB.com: News: "NEW YORK -- Fans know of five-tool players, the highest designation given by scouts of an individual's ability. An award that fans can assist in bestowing is for six-tool players. That sixth tool is devotion to community service."

4thebirds...
... Here's the particulars on the Man of the Year deal involving Pujols. Learn about the Vote.

Smith, White talk about defense | stlcardinals.com: News

Smith, White talk about defense stlcardinals.com: News: "KANSAS CITY -- The subject was Defense 101 and the professors were Ozzie Smith and Frank White."

4thebirds...
... We heard it was quite a show. Now you can, too.

Pujols reaches RBI century mark | stlcardinals.com: News

Pujols reaches RBI century mark stlcardinals.com: News: "It's hard to remember, but at one point this season, it looked like Albert Pujols' streak of 100-RBI seasons might end at seven.
Perish the thought."

4thebirds...
... Matthew Leach's take on the Pujols' RBI milestone.

Shuffled rotation brings up Thompson | stlcardinals.com: News

Shuffled rotation brings up Thompson stlcardinals.com: News: "Kyle Lohse's five-day suspension has led to an extensive rejiggering of the Cardinals rotation, and the tweaking starts immediately.
Brad Thompson will start Friday night's game against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, while Joel Pineiro will be pushed back from Friday to Sunday. Pineiro will take Lohse's originally scheduled start, which he will miss as a result of the suspension."

4thebirds...
... This is how the Cards will rotate the starters with Lohse now serving his suspension.

STLtoday - Cards agree to 4-year extension with Memphis

STLtoday - Cards agree to 4-year extension with Memphis: "The Cardinals announced today that they have agreed to a four-year extension with the Memphis Redbirds, the team's Class AAA affiliate."

4thebirds...
... Looks like we get to keep our Memphis Redbirds.

STLtoday - Pujols hits milestone in loss to Cubs

STLtoday - Pujols hits milestone in loss to Cubs: "A series of isolated incidents conspired to extend a pattern Tuesday night. A Cardinals team needing to do much right to create a playoff push instead backslid because of little things done poorly."

4thebirds...
... Joe Stauss game summary.

Pujols at center of Cards' tough loss | stlcardinals.com: News

Pujols at center of Cards' tough loss stlcardinals.com: News: "Albert Pujols once again re-wrote his name alongside -- no, among -- baseball's absolute immortals on Thursday night. Then he showed that even a baseball immortal is human.

On the same night when he reached 100 RBIs for the eighth time in as many seasons, Pujols committed a costly error and popped up to end the game as the Cardinals lost to the Cubs, 3-2, at Busch Stadium. The loss certainly can't be hung on Pujols' neck. But a team that has gotten used to otherworldly performances from its superstar needed another one on Thursday, and it didn't get it."

4thebirds...
... There's just no blaming Mr. Lopez this time. Pujols had his turn for a rough night, and with a lot on the line. And the worst part for Pujols is that the best thing that came out of last night's performance was his 100th RBI of the season, something he may have accepted better if the Cardinals had won. The RBI accumulation is more of personal stat, and doesn't have "team" written on it, at least, not on the outside.

Matthew Leach hits the important points of the game in this summary.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

4thebirds...LIVEcast Cubs vs. Cardinals 9/11/08

Redbird Report

Redbird Report: "With Derek Lee at the plate, Lilly tried to score on a soft chopper to Ceaser Iztruis, who threw Lilly out at home. With the close play at home, Lilly went in hard at home, trying to jar the ball loose from Yadier Molina, where Lilly's knee went into the thigh of Molina. Molina suffered a bruised thigh which would later be the reason for him leaving the game after his at-bat in the bottom of the 4th-inning."

4thebirds...
... Here's a game summary from a young sportswriter whose blog was featured on MLB Blogs. Quite a writer.

This is his About Me profile on the MLB site.

About Redbirdfan13
A St. Louis Cardinals fan all of my
life, I've grown up knowing quality baseball with the knowledge of the best fans
in the game. I've recently begun writing about baseball and just got an article
I wrote published in a decently sized newspaper that has quite a following in
the area I live in. I'm 19 years old and love baseball, hoping to enter into the
world of sports reporting or writing after college is done.
Interests
Watching baseball, writing, keeping up with
the MLB, and spending time with the Mrs's.

LIVEcast reminder 9/11/08 Cubs/Cards

NOTE FOR ANY OTHER CARDINALS' BLOGGERS: You are more than welcome to hook up with the live blog, which can be run on your site and this site simultaneously (and any number of other sites as well, i.e., the live blog we use will run concurrently on three other sites related to 4thebirds. If you're interested, use the Email the Author link below this post, or just use the remark box during the live blog and inquire.

NOTE FOR UCB MEMBERS: Any United Cardinals Bloggers who wish to test the live blogging code, or use via e-mail invite, or otherwise would like to jump in for a few minutes to test the functionality of this device, please use the Email the Author link below this post if you do not already have my e-mail address. I will need your e-mail address that you would use for your Cover-it-Live account to send you the invite. Your invite will contain all the instructions needed to set up a live blog window, either in a browser window separate from your site, or with the addition of the live blog window within a post on your site.

For tonight's game, I will be doing limited posting in case someone needs some help on this. If you have a Wordpress site, you can still use this system, but you will have to do it a different way. Generally, Blogger blogs handle this very well, and most sites that can embed html code.

Redbird Randoms...9/11/08

On-deck: The Cards play the rubber match of the Cubs/Cards series tonight at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Game time is 7:15 p.m. CT.

Probables: CHC-Rich Harden RHP (9-2, 1.99) vs. STL-Todd Wellemeyer RHP (12-6, 3.74)

Birds' Perch: The Cardinals have slipped into fourth place in the NL Central, 9.0 games behind the first place Chicago Cubs, 4.5 games behind the second place Milwaukee Brewers (also NL WC leaders), 0.5 games behind the third place Houston Astros.

Next series: The Cardinals start a 9-game road trip tomorrow with the first three games at Pittsburgh, then three games in Cincinnati, then a day off before finishing the road trip with three games at Chicago.

Bird is the word | Future Redbirds

Bird is the word Future Redbirds: "Just when we see former River City Rascal Josh Kinney back in action in the big leagues again, we learn that the Cardinals have purchased the contract of 24-year old RHP Ryan Bird from the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League."

4thebirds...
... If they're up-and-coming Redbirds, Future Redbirds has the "word on the Bird."

Bird Land » Blog Archive » Prospect Audit: The Bird Land 7

Bird Land » Blog Archive » Prospect Audit: The Bird Land 7: "In the past couple Farmnik entries, we’ve set the stage for the prospect ranking season and the revising of the Baseball America Top 30 (on bookshelves next February, of course). First, we revisited this year’s Top 30 and then a poll of the readers for the top 2009 rookie, breakout candidate and sleeper.

Now, the Bird Land 7."

4thebirds...
... Here's a neat list of top prospects, compiled with the help of some United Cardinals Bloggers.

STLtoday - Cubs won't be playing Astros here

STLtoday - Cubs won't be playing Astros here: "Don't expect to see the Cubs stick around for the weekend to play the Astros here at Busch Stadium.

There was buzz around the stadium Wednesday night that if Hurricane Ike disrupted things in Houston this weekend, the scheduled series between the Cubs and Astros could be moved here."

4thebirds...
... Probably won't happen, but whatever the outcome is, it will be interesting, given the nature of the NL Wild Card.

STLtoday - The Free Agent 15

STLtoday - The Free Agent 15: "Here at STLtoday.com Sports, we get pounded with questions about the ’09 free agent class. Which players should the Cardinals target?"

4thebirds...
... Here is a thought-provoking piece by Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This one is fun because every one's opinion is desired, but nobody can claim they're right, or that anyone else is wrong, at least, not until and unless the Cards actually deal for one of the players on Gordon's Free Agent 15.

STLtoday - Cards suffer world of hurt

STLtoday - Cards suffer world of hurt: "I'm assuming it was a little breezy late Wednesday night on the streets of Wrigleyville. But that wasn't a gust coming off Lake Michigan on Chicago's North Side. More likely, the mighty wind was whipped up by thousands of Cubs fans who exhaled simultaneously after their heroes put down the Cardinals 4-3 at Busch Stadium."

4thebirds...
... A much more even-tempered and effective piece by Miklasz, whose normal column seems to contain at least one item that pisses somebody off.

(Then again, don't we all?)

You can see he's still trying to ease his way back from his "Redbird Write-off" a few days ago.

This is how you do it, Bernie: When I projected Pujols would go on a tear for the last two games of this series with the Cubs, I was wrong. Oh, he has hit (2-for-4), but honestly, not like I was figuring. So the correct response is: "Man-oh-man, did I ever call that one wrong!" I'll say that, and I don't even have an audience. (Maybe that's why? Hmm.)

Must forgive Bernie, however, because we know if he didn't care about the subject matter of which he writes (in this case, the Cardinals), he wouldn't rant and would probably become a bit dull. We're pretty sure the Post-Dispatch don't pay for "Dull," so we get it.

In any event, the article explores we can speculate is just about how most of Cardinal Nation feels, and there-in lies Bernie's gift.

(Note: This isn't a love-hate rant; Bernie Miklasz really is respected around here.)

Daily Farm Report - 9/10/08 | Future Redbirds

Daily Farm Report - 9/10/08 Future Redbirds: "We are so very near the end, but thankfully Batavia has kept the DFR’s alive for a little while longer. Derrick Goold follows up the UCB’s top seven lists with his own. His methodology was a little different from Erik’s, as he didn’t consider Perez, Mather, Garcia or Boggs eligible. It’s always good to get DG’s take on the prospects."

4thebirds...
... DFR

Pujols is clutch; is that even news worthy? « Redbird Ramblings

Pujols is clutch; is that even news worthy? « Redbird Ramblings: "so, what do you know? the big bad central division leading cubbies came to town yesterday. looks like the cards caught them at the right time.

big z and harden are both out, but the cubbies still had dempster (who has had a very good season as a starter) start for them last night. it did not start out very well. the cubs got two runs off of lohse in the first inning and another one in the third. dempster seemed to be on for five innings."

4thebirds...
... Ramblings from Redbird Ramblings.

Not to be confused with 4thebirds "Redbird Ramblings," which had been used some time back, before realizing there was blog by that name. It's quite a common phrase, and no doubt, there's plenty more of them out there somewhere. But since, we've called one of our (almost daily) features, Redbird Randoms.

In any event, the link points to the blog, not any of our old posts.

SportingNews.com - The Sporting Blog - Molina Learns the Hard Way Not to Be on the Tracks When the Lilly Train's Coming Through

SportingNews.com - The Sporting Blog - Molina Learns the Hard Way Not to Be on the Tracks When the Lilly Train's Coming Through: "When you hear the name Ted Lilly, you probably think 'crafty lefty, decent stuff, a good middle rotation guy.' But when I think Ted Lilly, I think of two words: Bad."

4thebirds...
... And you can guess what the other word is.

Clean play, cheap shot, no matter. The point is that Ted Lilly is the example of old school baseball, the type that the Cubs need to make their way through the eons to glory. (And I do mean eons.)

There have been many stories that include last night's collision, and a few, like this one, that have zeroed in on the play. The odd thing is that all the stories seem to take the tone that Molina is the guy to be hated in all this.

Why? Because he's a catcher that got ran down by a base runner?

Happens all the time, by big burly base runners and diminutive base runners. It's part of the game.

And yes, Molina should've known better than assume a base runner is going to allow him a "gimme touch-out." But since when does Molina become the object of hatred?

I guess if the publication posting this wants to alienate Cardinal Nation, so be it. We'd appreciate it, however, if they stated the publication's bias in the title or subtitle, perhaps, something that says certain players get the "up slant" and and others get blindsided.

Just wondering if the writer hates the St. Louis Cardinals, or Yadier Molina in particular, or perhaps his ethnicity? After all, he was run down by a "Lilly" white Caucasian. See? That Card don't play.

Clean play, cheap shot? Don't matter. Fair reporting does matter.

Cubs Even the Series | Mike On The Cards

Cubs Even the Series Mike On The Cards: "Ted Lilly is good, and that sucks. Really, he’s good. Seriously, that sucks. Lilly kept the Cardinal hitters off balance all night, lasting eight innings, giving up just one run on five hits. He was brilliant. To me, he looks hittable. I guess to Major League hitters, he’s not."

4thebirds...
... Yes, Ted Lilly is really good. And he's smart (about pitching, anyway). And, he has command. And, he can change speeds.

These qualities make for a really good pitcher. The thing that makes Lilly look so hittable is that he doesn't throw all that hard. But his location and choice is outstanding, and make no mistake, Lilly knows hitters.

The earned run statement is valid, and frustration is valid. But so is Lilly, and as a Cardinals' fan, that does suck.

Texas Teams Monitoring Hurricane Ike - Sports News Story - WFSB Hartford

Texas Teams Monitoring Hurricane Ike - Sports News Story - WFSB Hartford: "The Houston Astros are scheduled to open a key three-game series with the Chicago Cubs starting Friday, and several high schools along the Gulf Coast and in Central Texas have already decided to call off or reschedule weekend games."

4thebirds...
... Ike is wanting on the schedule, and there's nothing baseball can do about it.

New York Mets may not need to worry about Philadelphia Phillies, writer says - New York Mets baseball - NJ.com

New York Mets may not need to worry about Philadelphia Phillies, writer says - New York Mets baseball - NJ.com: "New York Mets fans are talking about it and the papers are reporting it; the 2007 collapse is still far from an afterthought. But one writer has openly admitted (via a nifty grading system) that the Philadelphia Phillies will have a much harder time trying to catch the Mets this season."

4thebirds...
... Right now, Phillies news is important to Cardinal Nation, due to the current state of the NL Wild Card.

Cardinal Nation Globe: CNG posts used for evil

Cardinal Nation Globe: CNG posts used for evil

4thebirds...
... Season and series ain't over yet. I seen in a forum post yesterday, a fair-weather fan twist old Ernie's phrase in speaking about the current series: "Let's lose two!"

Making a move | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader

Making a move News-Leader.com Springfield News-Leader: "The Springfield Cardinals finished with the best full-season record in the Texas League's North Division (76-64), but they didn't make the playoffs -- victims of a first-half tiebreaker."

4thebirds...
... Erin Bolen of the Springfield News-Leader covered the end of the Class AA affiliate Springfield Cardinals' season.

Change cropped up for Bandits in '08 / QCTimes.com

Change cropped up for Bandits in '08 / QCTimes.com: "On and off the field, the 2008 season will be remembered as a year of change for the Quad-Cities River Bandits.

Manager Steve Dillard dealt with a changing roster throughout his team’s 68-66 season, in which more players suited up for Quad-Cities than any of the 47 seasons that preceded it."

4thebirds...
... Steve Batterson covers the QC River Bandits like no other. Always something new to report from the Class A affiliate.

Lilly, Cubs clip Cards - :: Cincinnati news story :: LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati

Lilly, Cubs clip Cards - :: Cincinnati news story :: LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati: "Ted Lilly hurled eight strong innings and the Chicago Cubs held on for a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, in the middle contest of a three-game set from Busch Stadium.

Lilly (14-9) allowed five hits and one run, while striking out five and walking none to get the win. Felix Pie, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez each recorded an RBI for the Cubs, who had dropped two in a row coming in."

4thebirds...
... Game summary.

Lilly calms concerns, stifles Cards | MLB.com: News

Lilly calms concerns, stifles Cards MLB.com: News: "ST. LOUIS -- Ted Lilly did not hear Lou Piniella's rant after Tuesday's game, but the left-hander got the message.

Lilly pitched eight solid innings and survived a head-on collision at home plate as the Cubs took advantage of two errors by third baseman Felipe Lopez in a four-run second inning to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3, on Wednesday night."

4thebirds...
... Game summary.

Cubs keep lead over Brew Crew

Cubs keep lead over Brew Crew: "Ted Lilly pitched eight superb innings as the Chicago Cubs downed the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3, in a critical National League Central Division battle on Wednesday.

Lilly (14-9) yielded just one run and five hits while striking out five without a walk. Kerry Wood picked up his 29th save despite allowing a two-run homer by Ryan Ludwick in the ninth."

4thebirds...
... Game summary.

Cards clubhouse blog: Kinney's comeback highlights losing effort

Cards clubhouse blog: Kinney's comeback highlights losing effort: "The Cardinals lost to Chicago 4-3 on Wednesday, the latest blow to their playoff hopes for this season. But for one Cardinal, the night was a success.
Reliever Josh Kinney, a former Frontier League pitcher, threw a scoreless seventh inning in his first regular-season game since Oct. 1, 2006. Kinney needed just six pitches to dispose of Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome."

4thebirds...
... David Wilhelm of the Belleview News-Democrat present a transcription of Josh Kinney's statement after yesterday's game.

It's good to see a writer hit upon Kinney's comeback in some detail. Kinney could have more impact on the Cardinals current and long-term destiny than people are yet realizing. Wilhelm seems to have spotted the significance.

Rockin' the Red: Are the Cards still in it?

Rockin' the Red: Are the Cards still in it?: "I'm not totally sure what to write here. Every time I declare the Cardinals out of the Wild Card race, they get back in it. Every time I jump back on the bandwagon, they fall right back off it."

4thebirds...
... Kujo, you are a Cardinals' blogger, of course the Cardinals are still in it.

All kidding aside, check with Rockin' the Red often to find out if any discussion has developed re: Cards in? Cards out?

Cheap seats blog: Carp is still ailing

Cheap seats blog: Carp is still ailing: "A month after he injured his shoulder at Wrigley Field, things apparently still aren't well with Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter."

4thebirds...
... Scott Wuerz asks tough questions about Carp's condition.

STLtoday - Cubs, Lilly make good things happen

STLtoday - Cubs, Lilly make good things happen: "But mostly this was about starting pitching. Lilly, who had been 4-2 with a 2.98 earned-run average against the Cardinals while pitching for Toronto and the Cubs, was not much short of stifling."

4thebirds...
... Last night's defeat at the hands of Ted Lilly and the Chicago Cubs had, as most games, dozens of plays that factor in to how the game developed, and eventually, the result of its conclusion.

But the biggest factor, addressed here by Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was Cubs' pitcher Ted Lilly. Give credit where credit is due.

Lilly takes Piniella's message to heart :: Beacon News :: Sports

Lilly takes Piniella's message to heart :: Beacon News :: Sports: "ST. LOUIS -- Maybe Barack Obama is right about the power of words.

As soon as Cubs manager Lou Piniella roared about his team's need to ''go out and kick somebody's ass,'' pitcher Ted Lilly showed teammates the way -- by crashing through St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina trying to score in the second inning Wednesday night."

4thebirds...
... A Chicago-are newsgroup article hyping the Cubs win and trying to make a direct connection between Piniella's fiery speech from the day before with Ted Lilly's trying to knock Yadier Molina's block off at home plate.

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