4thebirds...LIVEcast Brewers vs. Cardinals 8/26/08

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Pujols named NL Player of the the Week

Albert Pujols was named by Major League Baseball as the NL Player of the Week after he went on an 11-for-19 tear, batting .579.

Pujols has been bestowed the NL Player of the Week before, six times, making this the seventh. He had four games in which he had more than one hit, tallying 10 RBIs.

Currently, Pujols is in a battle with Atlanta Braves' Chipper Jones for the league lead in batting average, but Pujols has stated (more than once) that regardless of this fact, or whether he is playing against the Braves or anyone else, he does everything he can to help his team win.

photo by Barbara Moore

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C.A.R.D. 8/24/08

Gulf Coast League Cardinals: GAME #1 -- Lost 7-4 to the GCL Nationals.

• Devin Sheperd went 3-for-3

Gulf Coast League Cardinals: GAME #2 -- Won 9-8 over the GCL Nationals.

• Devin Sheperd went 2-for-4
• Rainel Rosario was 1-for-4 with a home run

Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie): Won 6-2 over the Bluefield Orioles.

• Joseph Hage went 2-for-4
• Jose Mateo struck out three Orioles in 5.0 innings

Batavia Muckdogs (Low-A): Won 4-3 over the Williamsport Crosscutters.

• Colt Sedbrook was 3-for-4
• Xavier Scruggs was 1-for-3 with a home run

Quad-Cities River Bandits (A): Lost 5-3 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

• Domnit Bolivar went 2-for-4 with a home run
• Adron Chambers was 1-for-4 with a home run
• Deryk Hooker struck out six Timber Rattlers in 6.0 innings

Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A): Lost 9-3 to the Brevard County Manatees.

• Tyler Henley went 2-for-3 with a double

Springfield Cardinals (AA): Won 6-5 over the Arkansas Travelers.

• Daryl Jones went 3-for-5 with a home run
• Daniel Descalso was 3-for-4
• Brett Wallace went 2-for-4 with two home runs
• Brad Furnish struck out six Travelers in 6.0 innings

Memphis Redbirds (AAA): Lost 5-4 to the Omaha Royals.

• Nick Stavinoha was 3-for-5
• David Freese went 2-for-4 with a home run

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Redbird Randoms...8/25/08 Wellemeyer, Pujols, Molina

On-deck: The Cards start a two-game set tomorrow night with the Milwaukee Brewers. Game time is 7:15 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Probables: MIL-Ben Sheets RHP (11-7, 3.16) vs. STL-Todd Wellemeyer RHP (11-4, 3.79)

Birds' Perch: The Cards hold steady in third place, 8.0 games out of first place and 3.5 out of second place, behind the Cubs and the Brewers, respectively.

Whatcha done for me lately? Over the last 5 games, these are the Cards with the most hits:

• Albert Pujols -- 11 hits
• Yadier Molina -- 8 hits
• Skip Schumaker -- 7 hits
• Cesar Izturis -- 6 hits
• Ryan Ludwick, Felipe Lopez -- 5 hits

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Back on the job

4thebirds... will be back on the job tomorrow, Monday, August 25. We were called away on feature business over this weekend: northeast Indiana; Hebron, Valparaiso; and in Lynwood, Illinois.

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C.A.R.D. 8/22/08

Dominican Summer League Cardinals (DSL): Lost 6-4 to the DSL Mariners.

• Michael Avila went 1-for-4 with a home run
• Tharick Martines went 1-for-3 with a home run

Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie): Lose 4-2 to the Princeton Devil Rays

• Edgar Lara went 2-for-4 with a home run
• Jack Cawley went 3-for-4 with a double
• Yunier Castillo went 2-for-3

Batavia Muckdogs (Low-A): Lost 4-2 to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

• Chris Swauger went 2-for-3
• Alex Castellanos was 2-for-3 with a double
• Edwin Gomez was 1-for-3 with a double
• Scott Gorgen struck out seven Scarppers in 5.0 innings

Quad-Cities River Bandits (A): Won 5-3 over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

• Nico Vasquez went 2-for-5 with a double
• Francisco Rivera went 2-for-5 with a double
• Domnit Bolivar went 2-for-4
• Blake Murphy was 1-for-4 with a double
• Oliver Marmol went 2-for-4 with a double
• Ryan Kulik struck out nine Timber Rattlers in 7.0 innings
• Matt Spade struck out four Timber Rattlers in 2.0 innings

Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A): GAME #1--Lost 6-2 to the St. Lucie Mets.

• Steve Hill was 1-for-3 with a home run

Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A): GAME #2--Won 6-0 over the St. Lucie Mets.

• Brian Cartie went 2-for-2 with a home run

Springfield Cardinals (AA): Won 5-4 over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

• Casey Rowlett went 2-for-4 with a double
• Andrew Brown went 1-for-4 with a double
• Brett Wallace was 2-for-4
• Kyle Mura struck out four Naturals in 4.0 innings

Memphis Redbirds (AAA): Won 5-0 over the Omaha Royals.

• Cody Haerther was 1-for-4 with a double
• Mark Johnson was 2-for-2 with a double

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Redbird Randoms...8/21/08 Wainwright, Schumaker, LaRue

On-deck: The Cards start a three-game weekend series home stand at Busch Stadium tomorrow versus the Atlanta Braves. Tomorrow night's game starts at 7:15 p.m. CT.

Probables: ATL-Charlie Morton RHP (3-7, 5.95) vs. STL-Adam Wainwright RHP (6-3, 3.14)

Birds' Perch: The Cards are currently in third place in the NL Central Division, 8.0 games behind the first place Cubs and 2.5 games behind the second place Brewers.

Wild Card: The Cardinals are 2.5 games out of the NL Wild Card spot, behind the Brewers.

Whatcha done for me lately? These Cards got hits in last night's rout of the Pirates.

• Skip Schumaker -- 3 hits
• Ryan Ludwick -- 2 hits
• Albert Pujols -- 2 hits
• Jason LaRue -- 2 hits
• Rick Ankiel -- 1 hit
• Troy Glaus -- 1 hit
• Felipe Lopez -- 1 hit
• Todd Wellemeyer -- 1 hit

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C.A.R.D. 8/20/08

Dominican Summer League Cardinals (DSL): Won Game #1, 2-1 over the DSL Athletics (Team #2).

• Jorge Lopez was 2-for-4
• Eduard Estalis stuck out five Athletics #2 in 4.0 innings
• Charlian Jimenez struck out three Athletics #2 in 6.0 innings

Dominican Summer League Cardinals (DSL): Lost Game #2, 4-2, to the DSL Athletics (Team #2).

• Michael Avila went 2-for-4 with two doubles
• Pedro Peno stuck out five DSL Athletics #2 in 4.1 innings

Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie): Lost 7-6 to the Bluefield Orioles.

• Luis Mateo went 3-for-6 with a home run
• Edgar Lara was 2-for-4
• Matt Rigoli went 1-for-3 with a double
• Jon Bravo struck out four Orioles in 3.0 innings

Springfield Cardinals (AA): Lost 6-5 to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

• Daryl Jones went 1-for-4 with a home run
• Donovan Solano went 2-for-3 with a double
• Brett Wallace went 1-for-4 with a double
• Jose Martinez went 3-for-4 with three doubles
• James Rapoport went 1-for-4 with a double

Memphis Redbirds (AAA): Lost 7-6 to the Omaha Royals.

• Nick Stavinoha went 2-for-5 with a home run
• Josh Phelps went 1-for-3 with a home run
• Jarrett Hoffpauir went 2-for-4 with a double

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Frontier Communications drops the ball

Due to connectivity issues with our local ISP, 4thebirds has was unable to run the LIVEcast of yesterday's Cardinals/Pirates game.

As well, there are other problems this ISP has caused, and we will have to make up for their inability to keep us "on the air."

We will take this weekend to retool the damage Frontier has caused our business, and will continue to blog the Cardinals as much as we can, as often as we can, in the interim, and should be back to our regular schedule by next week.

We may have posts over this weekend as the Cardinals take on the Atlanta Braves in a weekend homestand, but cannot promise so at this time.

Thank you for your patience.

Frontier Communications has no explanation for the problem, and as yet, has offered only continued billing instead of a make-good.

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4thebirds...LIVEcast Pirates vs. Cardinals 8/20/08

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Redbird Randoms ... 8/20/08 Carpenter, Isringhausen, Waiwright, Wallace

On-deck: The Cards play the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Game time: 7:15 CT.

Probables: PIT-Jason Davis RHP (1-2, 1.80) vs. STL-Todd Wellemeyer RHP (10-4, 3.79)

Birds' Perch: The Cards remain in third placed in the NL Central, 8.5 behind the first place Cubs and 2.5 behind the second place Brewers.

Wild Card: The Cards are currently 2.5 games behind the Wild Card leader, Brewers.

Izzy done: Chances are, reliever Jason Isringhausen is finished for the 2008 season with tendenitis.

Carp continues to mend: Former ace Chris Carpenter will be handled with care by the Cardinals, who are rehabbing him on-site. "Carp" is now throwing, but not yet pitching off a mound.

Waino ready: Rehabbing pitcher Adam Wainwright has proclaimed himself ready to face big league hitters, but admits he doesn't know what role the Cardinals wish him to pitch in. Wainwright has stated he will accept a role as reliever or starter, whichever the club needs him to do more.

Wallace adds an A: Brett Wallace has been promoted from Class A Quad-Cities River Bandits to Class AA Springfield Cardinals.

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C.A.R.D. 8/19/08

Johnson City Cardinals (Rookie): Won 8-1 over the Bluefield Orioles.

• Luis Mateo went 3-for-5
• Jack Cawley went 2-for-5 with a double and a triple
• Osvaldo Morales went 1-for-5 with a home run
• Rickey Noland went 2-for-4 with a home run
• Scott McGregor struck out five Orioles in 5.0 innings

Quad-Cities River Bandits (A): Lost 5-1 to the Burlington Bees.

• Francisco Rivera went 2-for-4

Springfield Cardinals (AA): Lost 8-4 to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

• Mark Shorey went 4-for-5 with a double
• Jose Martinez went 2-for-3

Memphis Redbirds (AAA): Lost 4-3 to the Albuquerque Isotopes.

• Josh Phelps went 2-for-3 with a double
• David Freese went 2-for-4 with a double
• Jesse Todd struck out six Isotopes in 6.0 innings

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Izzy latest wrinkle in hardluck hurlers

Jason Isringhausen, according a news feature on the St. Louis Cardinals Official Web Site, is likely done pitching for the balance of the 2008 season. Medical staff report "right elbow tendinitis and a partial tendon tear in his flexor group."

It is highly likely that "Izzy" will be able to return to action next season.

As for former ace Chris Carpenter, he had a throwing session (not pitching) yesterday, and will throw again today at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals are taking plenty of time with Carpenter to be careful of his health.

Yet another former ace, Adam Wainwright, threw a bullpen session yesterday, and has announced that he is once more ready for major league action. The big question now is whether the Cardinals need him more in a reliever's role or back in the starting rotation.

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