WHERE DO I BEGIN...

I have 2 days worth of games and events to discuss today, but I don't know where to start. Let me warn you: the things I have to say aren't good.

Let's start with Tuesday night. Kyle McClellan was 6 outs away from beating Roy Halladay and walking away with the W. That's pretty impressive for a guy in his first season as a starter, going toe to toe with the best of the best.

Tony lifted K-Mac in the 7'th for a pitch hitter, so it was up to the bullpen to close out the game. Kyle had gotten 21 outs at that point, while only giving up one run. Unfortunately, the game was far from over. The Cardinals bullpen deteriorated before my eyes. It took 64 pitches from 5 different relievers to secure 3 outs and get to the bottom of the inning. The top of the 8'th began with the score 2-1 Cards, and ended at 10-2 in favor of the Phillies.

Don't get me wrong - I'm angry that the pen gave up 9 runs in a single inning. I think the most frustrating part though was how they gave up those runs. I wouldn't be happier if the Phillies smacked us around, but it would be much more understandable. Instead of throwing quality pitches, we beaned batters and walked in runs.

Tuesday was the Cardinals first of several games without #5 in the lineup. A win would have been a huge confidence booster, both for the team and the fans. Instead, we witnessed a meltdown to remember.

How did the club react to the embarassing 8'th inning? They announced yesterday that Miguel Batista has been released. I don't agree with that move one bit. Batista is 40 years old and way past his prime, I will admit that, but he was a veteran presence in a very young bullpen. I know that his strikeout to walk ratio was pitiful, but I'm pretty sure that he wasn't the only problem!

Batista was supposed to be the long-man in the bullpen. He could eat up innings for us. Tony had already used him once as a spot starter. I think that he was a valuable piece to the bullpen, and we gave up on him a little too early. He really wasn't doing that bad for us. However if John Mozeliak has decided to start trimming the fat, when can we send Ryan Franklin packing??



As for Wednesday night, the Cardinals couldn't muster anything against Cliff Lee. He pitched a 6-hit shutout, and St. Louis was handed their second consecutive loss. It's a good thing that the Brewers keep losing when we do. Remarkably, we are only 1/2 game out of first place. The Reds are 2 games out though, and closing fast.

We have an awful lot of rookies on the team right now. We have an inexperienced bench, and our best player is injured. The good news is that Nick Punto and David Freese are both doing well in their rehab assignments. Hopefully both will be back with the big club soon.

The announcers last night kept saying that playing against Halladay and Lee wouldn't give us a fair indication of how our team will perform without Albert, because they are 2 of the best pitchers in baseball. Al, Dan, and Rick, I hope you're right.

Hang in the Cardinal fans...

RICK ANKIEL: ONE OF THE BEST STORIES IN BASEBALL

2 straight sweeps = 6 losses in a row. Yet for some reason (don't ask me how) the Cardinals are only 1 game out of first place. We've been lucky, and I have a feeling that luck is about to run out. Tony La Russa, it's time to stop the bleeding. Big surprise: I'm bitter. Yadier Molina's game tying home run in the top of the 9'th gave me hope. Danny Espinosa crushed that hope with one swing of the bat.
I don't want to talk about how bad my boys are doing right now. I don't think Cardinal fans need a reminder of how horrible we have been playing. A glance at the box scores of the past 6 games is depressing enough. It was only a week ago that we took 2 of 3 in Houston, but it feels like a lot longer than that.
I'm done ranting. Instead, I'm going to talk about one my all-time favorites. He was a Cardinal forever, but now he dons a Nationals jersey. We saw him play only half an inning in the series opener before he hurt himself. I for one was bummed because I was looking forward to seeing him play...

Who am I talking about? You guessed it: of course it's none other than Rick Ankiel. His story is one of, if not THE best in all of Major League Baseball. I'm surprised no one has made a movie about him yet. In case you're not familiar with Ricky, or you can't quite recall how incredible his journey has been, here's a quick walk down memory lane. Enjoy the ride.
Rick Ankiel was drafted as a pitcher by the Cardinals out of a small high school in South Florida (less than 30 minutes from my house in case you were wondering). Before even stepping on the mound as a professional baseball player, word was spreading that he was the next Sandy Koufax. That's an awful lot for an 18 year-old to live up to.

Ankiel met the challenge head-on. He was named the Minor League Player of the Year for all of baseball in 1999. He was on the fast-track to the Majors, and he didn't disappoint when he made it to the show in '99. He was merely 20 years old in 2000, his first full year with the Big League club. He made a fashion statement with those high pants and old-school long striped socks. He was impressive throughout the season; that is, until the Birds reached the playoffs.
He started Game 1 of the NLDS against the Braves and had a memorable meltdown in the 3rd inning. He then started Game 2 of the NLCS and couldn't get out of the 1'st after letting loose another 5 pitches to the backstop.
Rick went back to the minors to try and get his stuff under control. Unfortunately, things got worse instead. He briefly re-appeared in the Majors, and after being sent down again he decided that he was done being a professional pitcher.


Most guys, after experiencing what he had, would have hung it up and walked away from the game. Remember, he received a $2.5 million signing bonus when he was 18. Ankiel had always been a solid hitter though. He went all the way back to Single A and made up his mind to try and make it back as an outfielder.
Did he make it? Oh, did he ever. Rick was back at Busch in August of 2007 as an outfielder for Tony La Russa. He hit a 3-run bomb in his first game back, and to this day it is one of the only times I have ever seen Tony show emotion during a game. The skipper has said that it was one of his proudest moments as a manager, seeing Ankiel's career come full-circle again. Tony, those dark glasses don't hide anything you big softie. Look who got a curtain call in his first game back.

He manned center field for us for the next 2 seasons. I think most can recall those 2 crazy outfield assists against the Rockies. Cardinal fans held their collective breaths when he collided with the wall in '09. He gave us a thumbs up as he was carted off the field though: what a trooper. He signed with the Royals in the offseason and ended 2010 in a postseason run as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He even sent a shot into McCovey Cove last year to win a playoff game against the eventual Champion Giants.
Now Ricky plays for the Washington Nationals. His hitting has declined since he was a Redbird: He was barely batting .200 going into the series against the Cardinals. No matter how and when he finishes his  career though, Rick's is a story of strength and perserverance in the face of adversity.
As an example of his character, when the Nationals came to town earlier this season, Rick took out a 1/2 page ad in the St Louis Post-Dispatch, thanking Cardinal fans for their support over the years. Now how many pro baseball players would do something like that? It's been a pleasure cheering for you Rick, and I will continue to do so!