Westbrook: "You are the Weakest Link!"

05/29/2012

Cardinals 4 Braves 5

Dear Westbrook,

Yeah, that was harsh.  I know you are trying your best.  I appreciate it.  And I know Atlanta had lost eight straight, and it was only a matter of time before the gods of Baseball granted them another win.

It's just that all of the other starters are trending upwards and you... aren't.  Even the unearned run last night was due to your throwing error.

Oh well, clean the slate and go get 'em next time, as they say.

'Til Later

Lynn back on speaking terms with fastball (Gracias Dios)

05/28/2012

Cardinals 8 Braves 2

Dear Lance Lynn,

Thank you for not annoying me to pieces yesterday using your (four-seam) fastball yesterday. 

Batters typically do not hit your heater.  I have no idea why you were PLAYING AROUND in your previous starts and tossing beach ball-looking pitches when you have a pitch hitters flail at like it's crossing the plate a Mach 4. 

Anyway, great job. You are the league's first eight game winner, so I'll say you are a very good "replacement Carp." Shoot, Carp had, like, seven losses by this time last year, I think. (Which, granted, was due to run support issues.)

'Til Later

Second Straight Win for Waino (Bueno)

05/27/2012

Phillies 3 Cardinals 8

Dear 'birds,

Your Memorial Day game versus the Braves has just started.  Tell me how, you have the bases loaded with NO OUTS in the first inning, and can't get anyone home?

On second thought, don't.  Let's just go over yesterday's game.

 Yesterday was a happy flight from the Lou to "Hotlanta" or whatever they're calling themselves nowadays... the A? Whatever.

We scored all our runs via the home run: a grand slam, a three-run shot, and a solo shot. I loved the silent treatment ya'll gave Matt Adams after his first major league home run.  Hilarious. 

Wainwright  did amazing in the stopper role, going 6 innings and only giving up a run.  

We lost the series to Philly, but at least  we still finished a game above .500 for the home stand.  (and 1.5 games back in the division. Oh well, it's May. As long as this is the worse time we have all year and we don't whither in the August heat, we'll be good, right?)

Anyway, ten day road trip.  Let's win some series!

'Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter: 8/13
The amount I owe "Homers for Health": $15.75 for 63 home runs

You're Killing Me, Smalls

05/26/2012

Phillies 4 Cardinals 0

Dear Cards,

May has been pretty horrible. We haven't won much at all lately.  Eleven wins in 25 games. Good for a 11-14 record.  Three wins in the last ten. 

Out of nine series this month:

Three wins (two sweeps), four losses, and two ties.

Let's set a goal: Finish May above .500!

Love ya'll still. (It was so easy love this team in April, but this May is showing me how badly love hurts.)

Til Later

Basically, I jinxed Motte

05/25/2012

Phillies 5 Cardinals 3

Dear Cards,

I jinxed Motte when I said we needed to clone him into 3 more relievers-- a lefty Motte, a long man Motte, and a set-up man Motte. 

This was after he threw a very efficient and painless 9th inning. 

In the tenth inning he surrendered a 2-run home run to Hunter Pence.

So, for those who are superstitious,  I apologize for causing the loss.

Til Later.

Good Old Varsity Try

05/24/2012

Phillies 10 Cardinals 9

Dear Cardinals,

You fell behind early in this game... 6-0.  And you are out of first place for the first time all season-- a half-game behind the Reds.

I can't even be mad.  The offense did it's best to keep us in the game, observe:

First inning: Phillies score 4 runs

Second inning: Phillies score 2 runs

Cardinals are down 6-0!

Third inning: Cardinals score 4 runs

Score is 6-4 Phillies!

Fourth inning: No score

Fifth inning:Phillies score 1 run, Cardinals score 3

Score is tied at 7!

Sixth inning: Phillies score 2 runs

Score is 9-7 Phillies :(

Seventh inning: Freese hits a solo home run.

Cardinals are back within one!

Eighth inning: Phillies and Cards each score one.

10-9 Philly.

Ninth inning: No score

So, you could say that pitching failed us yet again.  Oh, yeah and David had an error that extended Dickson's inning and led to an unearned run.

Sigh. Pitching and Defense, men. Pitching. And. Defense.

'Til Later!

Is there anyone left in Memphis?

05/23/2012

Padres 3 Cardinals 6

Dear Cards,

It appears that all the Memphis Mafia members are now in St Louis.  What the crap are we going to do when even MORE guys get injured?  Matt Carpenter went on the DL yesterday and Steven Hill was called up.

It's not as if we have left Memphis completely talentless.  Shelby Miller is still there.  And Zack Cox and Ryan Jackson.  Its just that the latter two aren't hitting, Steven Hill was.  

Also, last I checked, the Memphis Redbirds were like 10 games under .500.

I hope these guys come off the DL healthy and hitting and pitching well.

We need them back to restore the balance.

The big club is hemorrhaging, and now everyone else is suffering too.

Good Things about Last Night

• Lance Lynn's seventh victory.  And the way he settled down after giving up 3 runs in the first.
• Freese did not swing-and-miss so much.  In fact, he had an RBI single and a solo HR.
• Carlos Beltran untied the game with a two-run shot.
• Skip and  Furcal had amazing defensive plays.
• No one was injured.  I think.

'Til Later

Emotional Win Last Night

05/22/2012

Padres 0 Cardinals 4

Dear Adam Wainwright,

Congratulations!  As someone who witnessed my sister rehab from knee surgery this past winter, watched her frustrations earlier this track season, and shared in her joy when she received three state medals last weekend,  I have a little insight into the emotions you experienced after last night's victory.

Your emotional post game comments about what last night's victory meant to you after you spent a year rehabbing from Tommy John-- I can only imagine the struggles you through daily and the doubt that surfaced this year in your mind after a inconsistent starts.

Let me just say, Waino, I believe in you.

Great work last night:

 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 9 K

 

Til Later!

Move over Spider Man, I'm in love with Captain America!

05/22/2012

Padres 3 Cardinals 4

Dear Cards,

 Steve Rogers/ Captain America: Doc... I think now is the perfect time for you to get angry.

Dr. Bruce Banner/ Hulk: That's my secret, Cap. I'm always angry.

I saw the 6:45 showing of The Avengers last night.  It was amazing! Well- written and funny.  I love Captain America.  Steve Rogers, the Avengers' great leader.  I adore his assertiveness, his confidence, his courage, his selflessness.  And his very nice physique.

Honestly, I love all the Avengers. But I would marry Captain America in a heartbeat.

I missed the game because it started at 7:15 PM.  The plan was for me to watch the replay at 12 AM when I came back from my night out.  However, Fox Sports had serious issues last night and did not show the game replay. :(

This is the first game of the season where I had to make due with post game comments and Internet video.

I was able to rewind the DVR back to the eighth inning to watch the Padres take a 3-2 lead over the Cardinals and the Cardinals reclaim that lead in the bottom of the eighth with a 2-run bomb by Tyler Greene (of all the guys to save us from another defeat).

Great job, Tyler!   And Jaime, way to go deep into the game! Too bad you didn't record an out in the 8th inning, but maybe next time, right?  Also, I think it's sick that you struck out 7 over 7 innings using only 92 pitches.  Efficiency for the win!

Now, we just need the other starters to step up and go deeper into games.  Our next off day is a long ways away-- June 11th (the last one was May 10th)-- and the bullpen is going to fall apart even more if you starters don't get you stuff together.*

Jaime seems to have his stuff together, now.  Our last win before last night's was his last start (May 16 vs. San Francisco).

No, don't apologize! It was pleasurable!

Last night, Fox Sports Midwest was one of the Fox Sports outlets that experienced technical difficulties.  Fortunately for Cardinals fans, this resulted in viewing the (less painful, due to legendary broadcaster Dick Enberg) Padres broadcast with NO COMMERCIALS!!

I pretty much missed the best night of Cardinals baseball ever (ha ha, hyperbole, much?), considering that I wouldn't have had to suffer through Dan, Al, and Rick (although he later joined the telecast and the Padres post game show).

FSM apologized to Cardinals fans today.  But in all honesty, the technical mess Fox Sports dealt with last night probably prevented some fans from succumbing to the strong urge one feels when watching the Cardinals broadcast at times-- the overwhelming desire to get rid of your hearing organs any way, any how. 

Til Later!

*Edited on May 30th to add: I can't count or read a calendar correctly, the next off day is  tomorrow, May 31st. (I want the team to have a break, but WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH MYSELF TOMORROW?!)

Let's Be Positve (HAHAHAHHAHA)

05/20/2012

Cardinals 5 Dodgers 6

Dear Cards,

Positives from last night's game:

1. Matt Adams saw his first major league pitch and stroked it to center for a single!

Play smarter, harder this home stand, boys! Have FUN!

Love ya!

Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 7/12

What a spectacular week!!!!

05/19/2011

Cardinals 0 Dodgers 6

Dear birds,

I am enjoying your painful fall toward .500. 

What a great week this has been! Two wins out of seven games!  How great is that!

Wonderful.

Let's look at something even more amazing...

Those Who Have Fallen: Casualties of the Weak Week

Jon Jay joined the disabled list Tuesday, May 15 due to a right shoulder sprain suffered to that fight he lost with the wall weeks ago. 

Allen Craig strained his hamstring (while showing SUPERB athleticism during a dive catch attempt) and was disabled on  Thursday, May 17.

Kyle McClellan strained his right elbow and was placed on the DL the day after Craig bit the dust.

And Lance Berkman returns to the DL after suffering from a collapsing knee during last night's ballgame.

***

Hey! Matt Adams has been freed! He's batting seventh tonight and playing first.  I hope he's a good defender, unlike Matt Carpenter who seems to have misplaced his glove this road trip (ugh).

'Til Later!

PS: Yes, most of  this letter reeks of irony. What of it?

Up to Par

05/18/2012

Cardinals 5 Dodgers 6

Dear Birdnals,

Please start winning at a better clip, okay? This is turning into an awful May (8-9).

The worse part about our losses is how close we come to winning.  Last night we lost due to a walk-off walk in the ninth inning.

The pitching isn't executing.  The players who are replacing the injured guys aren't executing on defense.

This team seems to be in a tail spin because of injuries. So often this year, guys aren't available for a few days, and the Cardinals have to play with a short bench.  For example, Jon Jay did not play for a few days after he injured his shoulder.  I thought then that he should've gone on the disabled list, because the shoulder is a very important part of a batter's swing.  For confirmation: See Scott Rolen. He has not been the same since colliding with Hee-seop Choi.  Jon Jay has been hitting so well, and it would have been better if he had more rest and avoided aggravating the shoulder by coming back too early.  I hope he returns completely healthy.

We need him.

And we need Lance Berkman and  Allen Craig. 

One more thing: free Matt Adams if Lance Berkman sees more time on the disabled list.

Til Later!

Well, they had a bit of fun BEFORE the game

05/17/2012

Los Cardenales de San Luis 5 Los Gigantes de San Francisco 7

Birds,

I loved the bad tuxedos you all wore to the ballpark. (And apparently you all wore them  on the ride to Los Angeles! I am happy that "bad fashion" road trips are back again this year!) Look at Wainwright's kilt!

Photo courtesy of third baseman David Freese. The Cardinals also posted pictures of individual Cardinals on their Facebook fan page.  Some of the comments there are laugh-out-loud reckless.  I'm just going to say that we women Cardinal fans know and love our birds!

I have to post this.  Jaime Garcia in baby blue (courtesy of the Cardinals Facebook page). Do you see how... handsome he looks sans shirt?  

And David Freese just looks adorable in his Cat in the Hat hat (courtesy of his twitter page):

I wonder if this picture will change once @dfreese23 changes his profile picture?

Unfortunately, the game wasn't as awesome as the terrible tuxes.  It was, in fact, as ugly as the tuxes are tacky. The past week or so this team has made a habit of walking batters (nine today) and committing errors (three!).  In April the pitching was outstanding, perhaps a bit better than we should expect daily, but it shouldn't be as bad as it's been at times in May, either. The defense has no business being any worse than it was in April.  And in April the defense was outstanding.  No excuses out on the field, guys, play hard and play smart!

Pitching and Defense need to shape up because pitching and defense WINS BALLGAMES!!

'Til Later

P.S. I don't know whether I'll have internet access this weekend-- going out of town!  I hope to be able to post about Friday's game on Saturday, God willing.

"Happy Flight!" meter: 7/11

McCovey Cove

05/16/2012

Cardinals 4 Giants 1

Dear 'birds,

Game time temperature in the ballpark by the bay was in the 50s, but Mr. Freese's bat shook it's thaw and delivered three hits, including the game winning RBI.

Interesting David Freese home/road issue:

At home (15 games): .196 average/ .646 OPS/ 2 homers/ 10 RBI. And on the road (20 games): .346 average/ 1.021 OPS/ 6 homers/ 18 RBI.

The pitching last night was spectacular.  It was fun watching the young lefty starters (Jaime Garcia and San Francisco's  Madison Baumgartner) showcase their skills.  I am glad the Cardinal batters were able to break through, because it was definitely a clinic in pitching last night.

I know that the Giants have outstanding pitching, but has anyone ever wonder if their pitching is so good because the ballpark is so cold?  Maybe that's why their offense is so bad.  Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad if they didn't play in frigid temperatures half the time.

I guess I should look up some home/road splits for the Gigantes:

This season, Giants hitters, at home (18 games): .256 average/6 homers/52 runs scored. And on the road(19 games): .260/19 homers /82 runs scored .  No major difference in average, but a considerable difference in power, though.

This season, Giants pitchers, at home (18 games): 2.37 ERA/8 homers/51 runs against, 44 earned runs. And on the road (19 games): 4.32/15 homers/91 runs against, 78 earned runs. So, much worse on the road than at home. Oh, the benefits of playing 81 games in a pitcher's ballpark! Although, looking at other years, Giants pitchers were pretty much spectacular regardless of the setting.

'Til Later!

Walk Off Winner!

05/15/2012

Cubs 6 Cardinals 7

Dear Redbirds,

Yadi, you are officially out of the Mississippi River. That walk off hit yesterday afternoon was a thriller!

This was suppose to be a post looking at the numbers showing the ineptitude of the Cardinals this weekend, but that will probably come tomorrow... the game has just come on (West Coast start).

Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter:  7/10

Here's the problem

05/14/2012

Cubs 6 Cardinals 4

Dear Deadbirds Cardinals,

If the starters keep bowing out before the seventh or eighth inning, especially in the midst of playing 20 games straight, the arms in the bullpen are going to be in trouble. And ineffective!

The starters have been uninspiring. Pitching scared or something. I feel as though you all are not attacking the strike zone.  The walks are piling up, and they are hurting you!

Someone (or a few someones) in the rotation need to step up and play "stopper!"

The offense needs to start doing some situational hitting! Also, we keep failing to come up with the big hit.  Last night, Allen Craig had a lead off double and was stranded on second.  No one could  even moved him over to third! Come on. 

Does the pitching and hitting have to go bad at the same time? (Although, honestly, the offense is scoring enough runs to win ball games).

One more thing: The defense last night was horrible!

It has been horrible all home stand! Allowing runners to take extra bases because you throw to the wrong base!  Allowing TWO runs on passed balls. Throwing errors!

Remember: PITCHING AND DEFENSE WINS BALL GAMES!   BE AGGRESSIVE BUT PLAY SMART!

Meanwhile you all have lost FOUR straight.  Five games here at home, and thus far FOUR losses. FOUR.

'Til Later

Let me tell you how I feel about this

05/13/2012

Braves 7 Cardinals 4

Dear Cards,

I am a bit scared. And confused from all these questions running through my mind....

Did we not win at all this weekend because we actually aren't as good as all our numbers say?  Have we just  gorge ourselves on inferior competition?

OR did we just play poorly? And are we still deserving to be considered among the best in the National League?

This weekend was particularly confusing after the convincing way you all manhandled and swept the Diamondbacks.

The Cubs are coming to town for two games. They are 6 games under .500, but at least they did  win their series against the Braves.  They have been playing tough against strong teams.

The Cardinals and Cubs are tied at 3-3 for the season series.

Play a good game tonight, boys.  Hard nine. 

'Til Later!

Tossed into the 'ssippi: All pitchers and  catchers (sorry Yadi, but you know why)

Waino es no bueno

05/12/2012

Braves 7 Cardinals 2

Dearest 'birds,

Please stop the losing!

I am glad I listened to the game on the radio.  I would have been more annoyed at Wainwright missing the strike zone constantly if I had watched it.  I think.

You do realize that if you lose today, not only would you have been swept, you would have a losing home stand?  Ugh.

So win today. Please. *sweet smile*

Til Later!

Losses are depressing

05/11/2012

Braves 9 Cardinals 7

Final/12

Dear Cardinals,

Hey, at least you all made it a ballgame yesterday. We came very close to giving a crappy effort and losing outright on the day that Tony La Russa's number was  retired.

The worse part is that the offense obviously showed up, we just failed to execute on other parts of the game.  I hate when that happens.  For instance, 2 Braves runs scored on passed balls in the first inning.

It looked as though it was going to be a loooong night for Jaime, and it kind of was, but his teammates kept him in the game and he wound up pitching okay.  He got a no decision, at least. Almost had the win.

Anyway, get 'em today! I want a rubber game tomorrow!

Til Later!

Sweep Victory! (Finally)

04/09/2012

Cardinals 7 Diamondbacks 2

Dear Redbirds,

Hold on while I knock the cobwebs off this here broom...

*Attempts to beat broom into a presentable state* Go away you nasty cobwebs! *Resumes beating*

There. Whew. That was gross. Do me a favor and sweep fairly often so I don't have to do that ever again.  Thanks.  (I know @carlosbeltan15 tweeted that "sweeps are hard to get."  To that I say they shouldn't be as hard as you all make them out to be, especially with this team... should they?) 

By the way, I love the new home run celebration line.  I call it "the conga line." 

I showed my sister and she was like, "in no way does that resemble a conga line. I don't see no freaking conga."  But, whatever, in my head, whenever I see it, I call it the conga line (at least until a better term comes along, I guess).  I hope you all keep it up because I like seeing it!  For some reason, seeing it only twice on Tuesday and once on Wednesday isn't enough. *Shrugs* (You all should have came up with this Monday night, then you would have done it FIVE times!)

Oh yeah, and you all had a HAPPY FLIGHT! from Arizona, landing in the Lou at 4 AM (according to @dfreese23).  So, cheers on that and for finishing the road trip above .500!

Til Later!

"Happy Flight!" meter:  6/9

Oh yeah: The picture is from Viva El Birdos! Conga, conga, conga!

First things first...

05/08/2012

Cardinals 6 Diamondbacks 1

Dear Cardinals,

Should I keep the broom in the closet tonight or are you guys actually going to get 'er done?

How awesome is Carlos Beltran? So awesome that he hit a  two-run home run and a grand slam in back-to-back innings, making my night considerably less stressful.

'Til Later!

Bullpen tries to hand Arizona a victory

05/07/2012

Cardinals 9 Diamondbacks 6

'Birds--

I just want to vent:

Lance Lynn left the game after the fifth inning last night.  He was up 7-0 and I guess Mike Matheny thought he'll get his 6th victory in 6 tries.  I didn't have faith that the bullpen would be able to hold a lead for four innings.

JC Romero attempted to prove me correct in the sixth inning.

I watched in horror as JC Romero did not record an out in the sixth inning.  He faced FIVE batters. His ERA for the game is infinity. Infinite.  When Mike Matheny finally pulled him from the game, the Cardinals only led by three runs.  For some inexplicable reason,  Matheny then handed the ball off to the Cardinals' second worse reliever, Fernando Salas (trying to build confidence?).  He gave up 3 hits, but also recorded 3 strikeouts.  The Cardinals escaped the innning with a one run lead.

This loss would have been on Matheny and it would have been a painful no decision for Lance Lynn. Fortunately, Allen Craig and David Freese went back-to-back to (deep) center field in the seventh inning and the Cardinals won by three.

Crazy Power:

The first five batters had solo home runs. The five homers in one game were the most by a NL club this year, and the most home runs by the Cardinals in a single game since 2007.

'Til Later!

Finished with the NL Central (for now)

05/06/2012

Cardinals 8 Astros 1

"Now we won a ballgame yesterday. If we win one today, that's two in a row. We win one tomorrow, that's called a winning streak. It has happened before." 

Lou Brown in Major League II

Dear Tyler Greene,

It's like you heard me complaining about you being in the lineup Sunday. I mean, that's the only explanation I can think to explain your beast mode performance. 

Your batting stats from Sunday:

3 for 3, with 2 HR, 1  double, 3 Runs Scored, 4 RBI.

I think that warrants another start. Your batting average is now .256. It was .200 before the game.

Who knows? Maybe you are on an upward swing?

EXTRA:
Adam is now a game under .500! Strong start yesterday! (Dare I say it? Waino Bueno!) And, happy flight! from Houston to Phoenix, Arizona.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter:  5/8

Cinco de Mayo

05/05/2012

Cardinals 2 Astros 8

Deadbirds,

Just a wee poem expressing my misery over your three game losing streak (and against the Pirates and Astros, smh):

Oh, woe is me! My birds

have dropped three straight

to the worst of the league!

I would ugly cry, but it's early May-- not the dog days of August. Though I will definitely ugly cry if hindsight reveals this to be the early arrival of the dreaded June Swoon (when "good" teams go bad and stay bad).

Go get 'em tomorrow, men!  Meanwhile, your road record is going to look ugly if you continue on this track. 

Just sayin'.

'Til Later

Last night at the Juice Box...

05/04/2012

Cardinals 4 Astros 5

Dear Deadbirds (actually, the deadbirds hasn't shown up yet this year, but this is the closest ya'll have come to the lifeless team that occasionally took the field last year),

I don't like it when you play with my emotions-- losing games you should win, playing poorly against teams you should dominate, looking like dunces on the field, striking out in crucial moments.

Plus, why do you all always seem to get stuff started once there are two outs?  I mean, getting hits with two outs is AMAZING (see 2011 World Series, Game 6, innings 9 and 10), but so often you all don't get the BIG hit.  Well, at least you guys don't look anemic.

Anyway, your Kryptonite (Bud Norris) is pitching tonight. Good Luck.

'Til Later

"It's comical, but disgraceful"

05/04/2012

Pirates 6 Cardinals 3

Dear 'birds,

The above is what Mike Shannon said during yesterday afternoon's ball game.  He was describing how
S L O W Pittsburgh's Erik Bedard pitched when the Cardinals loaded the bases in the second inning.

However,  I think it best describes the yesterday's offensive input, observe:

• SEVENTEEN strikeouts
• TWELVE runners left on base
• 5 for 14 with men in scoring position. Honestly, this shakes out to a .357 average and thus it completely boggles my mind why we only scored 3 runs. But I'm sure I'm missing something because in Tuesday's game the offense scored 10 runs and were 3 for 11 with RISP and Wednesday offense scored 12 times and were 5 for 17 with RISP.  I'm thinking home runs do not count as a hit with men is scoring position? Tuesday's game featured 2 home runs, while Wednesday's featured 3.

Anyway a sad showing-- comical and disgraceful.

'Til Later

"Happy Flight!" meter: 4/7 

Pixie dust? Lance Lynn is 1st NL starter to 5 wins.

"Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again.  That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is."-- Bob Feller

05/02/2012

Pirates 3 Cardinals 12

Dear Carlos Beltran,

It's funny how on the day your slump reached the magnitude (3 for 32) that inspired a worried press to interview you before the game about whether you were actually in a slump, you proceeded to go 4 for 5 with two 3- run home runs, finishing the game with a career-best seven RBIs. You told the beat reporters that you aren't hitting because you've lost that hitting feel and that it has nothing to do with batting clean up.  (Although you did mention that you are being pitched differently in the fourth spot than you were in the second.)  I'm just impressed that a reporter at least questioned whether you were in a slump because of your new lineup position.  I mean, your slump started when you went to the clean up spot. I'm glad someone noticed and asked whether that was a problem instead of just saying you were just in a slump that happens to correlate with a new spot in the lineup.  But I digress.

I'm guessing that you have that "feel" back.  I think you got that feel back when you sent the Aj Burnett's sixth pitch of the game over the right field fence with a nice, easy swing.

Yes, I wrote AJ Burnett's SIXTH pitch.  The man threw only six pitches to the first four Cardinals batters and found himself down 4-0.  And there were no outs. What do you even do as a pitcher when that happens?  I guess you shouldn't wave the white flag,accepting that it isn't your night; you should buckle down, weather through it and refuse to give up any more runs.  AJ did a good job of weathering through the start-- his problem came because he still gave up runs.  Twelve runs in 3 innings look very good added to your ERA. No, it doesn't actually.

'Til Later

P.S. Congratulations to Lance Lynn on winning his first 5 games!

The first W

05/01/2012

Pirates 7 Cardinals 10

Dear Cards,

Congratulations for scoring your first runs while Wainwright's on the mound!  It only took a whole month!

Allen Craig-- welcome back.  You're like a shot in the arm.

David Freese-- you strike out a lot, but somehow you always come through at the best times.

Yadi Molina-- I really think you have some invisible shield you put on when on the bases. Two stolen bases last night and you're second on the team in stolen bases. 

Matty-- great game yesterday.  I hope this is the start of your average trending upward. Oh, and can you take your friend Carlos Beltran along, too?  He is starting to tailspin (of course, I think it's because he hits best in the two-hole, but no one else thinks this argument has any weight.)

Adam Wainwright-- congratulations on your first "W" since 2010!

Fernando Salas-- please get your stuff together because it is getting ugly.  Last night you came into a 10-4 game and proceeded to make it a proper ball game instead of keeping it a laugher.  I like laughers (clarification: when the Cardinals are winning).  I do not like two hits and two walks in a one inning relief appearance. Confounding.  It was even more confounding how Matheny left you in after it was obvious you weren't going to get any more than two outs.

'Til Later!

Tossed into the 'ssippi:  Fernando Salas