Last year Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina threw out 50 percent of the runners who tried to steal on him. That caught-stealing rate led all MLB catchers. The Cubs swiped a base Saturday, and that’s two-for-two in the series. For the season, Molina has nabbed only three of 15 stealers. Something ain’t right.
Until Saturday, Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse hadn’t given up more than three runs in an inning this season, and that happened only twice. But the Cubs hung six on Lohse in the fourth inning of Saturday’s 9-3 loss. Big innings were one of Lohse’s problems before he arrived in St. Louis. In 2007, he gave up three runs or more in an inning 14 times. The Cardinals must hope that this isn’t the start of a regression.
Busch Stadium had been a very kind yard for Lohse until Saturday; in his previous seven starts here he went 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA.
When Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol hit Rick Ankiel in the back of the legs with a pitch in the ninth inning Saturday, do you suppose it was some sort of response to the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright hitting Aramis Ramirez on the wrist in Friday’s game? Probably not, even though Ramirez missed Saturday’s contest with a bruised and swollen wrist. I’m just sayin’ …
Update: Troy Glaus at Busch Stadium this season … .194 / .273 / .313
Every year (it seems) the Cubs have one hitter who bedevils the Cardinals. It doesn’t matter how they pitch the guy; he hammers them. The list of Cubs who have owned the Cardinals in the past include Hector Villanueva, Mike Barrett, and Daryle Ward. Apparently, it’s Mike Fontenot’s turn now.
As you know, manager Tony La Russa likes to bat the pitcher eighth in the lineup. Here’s a little stat for you: so far this season the Cardinals have gotten only six fewer RBIs from the No. 8 spot than they have from the No. 4 spot in their lineup. The No. 8 hitters have combined for 12 ribbies; the cleanup hitters have only 18.
It’s the former Cub (Todd Wellemeyer) vs. the former Cardinal (Jason Marquis) on Sunday night at Busch. Wellemeyer has never faced the Cubs. Last season, in his first with the Cubs, Marquis went 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA. Wellemeyer has leveled off in recent outings. In his last four starts he has a 5.04 ERA.
The Cubs’ terrific all-around performance in Saturday’s win showed why they’re the only team in the NL Central capable of sprinting off and running away from the others in the division …
Cubs starter Ted Lilly really pounded the strike zone in Saturday’s win; I don’t know why more pitchers don’t try to do that to the Cardinals, who lack home run power.
Albert Pujols has an onbase percentage of .518. There’s a long way to go to the end of the season. But since 1900, only six players have finished a season with an OBP higher than .500: Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Ted Williams, Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle and John McGraw.
Enjoy Sunday’s game…
–B