ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Unless you live under a rock, I'm sure you've heard about Albert Pujols' wrist injury by now. He was 3 for 3 with a home run so far in the game when he went down. Hard. I had a friend in attendance yesterday whose Facebook status read, "And that's the quitest I've ever heard Busch Stadium..." I think fans collectively held their breath as he writhed around in pain on the grass: I know I sure did.

The good news is that the injury may not be as bad as it looked. He has been diagnosed with a sprained left wrist and will undergo further testing today. If the results of said tests show anything significant, our All Star first baseman and face of the franchise may be headed to the Disabled List. So many of his teammates already occupy the DL that there might not be any room for him!

If Albert can't play for a couple of weeks then I think my Cardinals are in big trouble. Although the past 2 games at Busch have been exciting with several lead changes, our starting pitching has been anything but impressive. Westbrook, Garcia, and Fernando Salas were lucky that Matt Holliday and Skip Schumaker had some late-inning heroics up their sleeves (or should I say socks) to get their pitchers off the hook.

The key word here is lucky. If Matt Holliday was still injured then we probably wouldn't have won Saturday's game. Instead we would have ridden an 8-game losing streak into Sunday afternoon. Thank God Matt is back, and looking healthier than ever.

Now a congratulations to the man of the hour, Skip Schumaker. I read that the walk-off yesterday was his first Major League home run EVER off of a left-handed pitcher. It couldn't have come at a better time, that's for sure. This brings up a valid point however, and a question that I have to ask...

I read Buzz Bissinger's "3 Nights in August". The book is basically an in-depth look at what goes through Tony La Russa's mind before, during, and after a baseball game. It seems that the skipper is a numbers guy. He pays a lot of attention to match-ups, and pores over pages of statistics before game time every night. He even keeps index cards with his scribbles in his pockets as reminders.

Tony had to know that Schumaker had yet to hit a home run off of a left-handed pitcher. After Descalso was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double, I'm willing to bet that the thought crossed his mind. Lucky for us, Kozma had started the game. With Punto on the DL and Tyler Greene back in Memphis (thankfully!) Tony didn't have a choice but to let Skip hit. If he pinch-hit for him to no-avail, who would play second base in extra innings?

If Kozma hadn't started the game, or Berkman was still on the bench, or Pujols was still healthy, what would La Russa have done? Managing a professional baseball team has to be hard-work, which is why he makes the big bucks. It is also why he has managed over 5,000 games in his career from the dugout steps, while I sit at home on my couch with a beer in hand ready to second guess him!

Here's to hoping for good news this afternoon about Albert, and another congrats to Skip Schumaker. I hope it was a Father's Day to remember!

MR CLUTCH! (IT'S ALL IN THE SOCKS)

Last night's game against the Kansas City Royals was exciting to say the least. The best part about the eventful evening was that the Cardinals FINALLY came out on top. I would have preferred to win by more than one run, but beggars can't be choosers.

Who was the man of the hour? Matt Holliday of course! We were down by a run with 1 out in the bottom of the 8'th inning. I had a bad feeling that the game would end like the rest of the past week's worth, in bitter disappointment. Luckily Holliday had other ideas, and his 2 run bomb to straight center field gave us a lead that we would not relinquish. The Cardinals desperately missed their left fielder when he was on the DL, and last night he reminded us why. 

As we all know, our boys were in a 7-game losing streak heading into last night's game. It's common knowledge that baseball tends to be somewhat of a superstitious affair. Yadier Molina, Ryan Theriot, Skip Shumacher, Matt Holliday, and several of the guys on the bench decided that it was time to switch up their routine, because the team couldn't snap out of their downward skid. Enter the high socks...

I'm all for teams doing whatever works for them. If they believe in it, then go for it. High socks, shaved heads, and rally caps are cool with me. Some guys like Pedro Cerrano from "Major League" take it a little too far. The only thing I ask is that they wash their underwear, because dirty sweaty undies aren't lucky: they're gross.

The socks worked. I for one think they're kind of goofy. I guess Pujols and Berkman felt the same since they didn't rock the socks. Baseball isn't a fashion contest though. The only thing that matters is the end result: who goes home with the W. Last night it was St Louis, even though we won by a thread. I'm hoping that that's all the inspiration the team will need to right the ship. I want to see them come out swinging today. Get the lead fast and don't look back. With Jaime Garcia starting, there is a good chance that they can make that happen for me.

Another thing that impressed me yesterday - Tony La Russa and John Mozeliak finally agreed with me on something: Tyler Greene stinks! I was wondering how many more errors the guy would make before the club would finally do something about it. I have a baseball with his autograph on it from Spring Training. I got it because he was a first round draft pick at one point, so I figured it was a good investment at the time...I doubt I could get 50 cents for it with the way he has been playing. I might have to pay someone to take it off my hands instead. Friday night, he struck out twice in the same inning. I guess that performance earned him a one-way ticket back to Memphis!

I'm a Cardinals fan. I don't want to see guys like Greene or Ryan Franklin struggle. I feel for them, just like I'm sure their coaches do. However, enough is enough. They have jobs to do and games to win, and players are either assets or liabilities for their clubs. Let's write Franklin off next! I want to see my Birds doing this dance again come the end of October.

BIG PUMA KEEPS THE PUNISHMENT COMING

When the Astros decided to trade Lance Berkman to the New York Yankees last July for 2 minor leaguers, Lance okayed it. He could have declined the deal and stayed put in Houston, exercising his 10 and 5 rights (10 years in the league and at least 5 with the Astros). He also had a no trade clause, which he waived in order to make the deal happen.
Berkman made his Major League debut with Houston in 1999 and had been a 'Stro ever since. One had to wonder what was going through his mind when he agreed to go to New York. The Astros had tried to trade him to the White Sox earlier in the year, but he had declined the deal. When the Yankees came crawling, it seems that he couldn't resist the opportunity to wear the pinstripes.

Lance played the second half of the 2010 season in New York. He was used mainly as a DH and struggled in the role, with injuries taking a toll on his body and affecting his performance. After the Yankees failed to beat the Texas Rangers and advance to the World Series they released him.
This left Big Puma free to entertain offers for the 2011 season. The first place that he looked was back in Houston. He wanted to go home. Except the feeling wasn't mutual. The Astros GM told him that there was no room for him on the club anymore. They had younger, faster outfielders and a rising star in Brett Wallace at first base.

I for one am extremely thankful that the Astros didn't want their Puma back. Their loss is the Cardinals gain. Lance worked hard and got himself healthy in the offseason. He signed a 1-yr, $8 million deal with St Louis and hasn't looked back since. He is 35 years old and doing a pretty decent job out in right field. Sure John Jay may be a little bit quicker out there, but whose bat would you rather have in the lineup on an everyday basis?
Berkman proved that he has plenty left in the tank, and he couldnt wait to return to Minute Maid Park and make the Astros regret their decision. He has succeeded in doing just that. In 5 games so far this year against his former team, Lance has 4 home runs and 10 RBI's. He broke up opposing starter Bud Norris' no-hit bid last night by sending a shot over the right field wall.
I don't understand why the Astros would pass on re-signing a fan favorite and former face of the franchise. The only thing I can think of is that they thought his career was over. Berkman continues to shove down their throat that he is far from being finished though. It's cool, the Cardinals got Houston's sloppy seconds, except there's nothing sloppy about Berkman's .329 batting average, good enough for 3'rd best in the National League. The Cardinals and Astros have the rubber match tonight. Keep the punishment coming Big Puma.

PHAT ALBERT...HE'S BAAAACK

EL Hombre. The Machine. Winnie the Pujols?? Whatever you want to call him, if this weekend's Cards-Cubs series indicates anything, it's that #5 is back. That is, the old #5 St. Louis fans have grown accustomed to watching over the past 10 years. Albert went 3 for 4 in Saturday's game, knocking in 4 RBI's and scoring 3 of the team's 5 total runs. 2 of those 3 hits were home runs, and the last one came of the walk-off variety, in the bottom of the 12th inning no less.
Albert's batting average sits at .275 now. Granted that's nothing to jump up and down about, but it's better than going 5 for 35 and the .143 average he was sporting going into Ariziona in April. It was the first couple weeks of the reason, and Tony La Russa and company were quick to defend their star slugger: there was nothing wrong and he would be hitting like he always did soon.

How about later. Here we are on June 5 and he still hasn't broken .300. Optomists will say that in his 10 Major League seasons, Albert has never finished with a batting average under .312. Pessimists will say that there's a first time for everything.
Here's the problem, at least in my opinion. I want Albert to be the clutch hitter he always has been, and I want him and Berkman and Holliday to carry the Redbirds into the postseason and beyond. If Pujols returns to form as the Albert of Old and brings that batting average up, I am willing to bet that his price tag is going to go up with it.
No one really knows what he wants moneywise except him. There is a lot of media specualtion about a 10 year, $300 million contract that will give him about $30 million a year. Key word: speculation. The last time that he was interviewed in Spring Training on the topic, he told the reporters, "You guys are way off on your numbers". If he went to the Cubs next year and made ridiculous amounts of money, he wouldn't have a chance of winning another Word Series championship. So the question is, does he want to win, or does he want to make more money than he can ever hope to spend in his lifetime?
Everyone in Cardinal nation wants to see him in red next year (Cardinal red, not Cincinnatti) including Tony La Russa. It has been said over and over again that St. Louis has the best fans in baseball. Whether we have a winning club or guys who can't win, fans will fill Busch Stadium every year and hope for the best. If Albert succeeds in free agency and #5 is on the back of another team's jersey next year, Cardinal fans will be unhappy, bummed, even heartbroken. But they won't stop going to the games.
I'm glad to see Albert digging his way out of this slump, and I hope that he finishes the year with a .350 average and another World Series ring. Maybe if he wins another one with the Birds on the Bat he will realize that he is and always has been where he belongs...