Lineup 3.16: Schu-Bart’s 1-2 punch
JUPITER, Fla. — Manager Tony La Russa is deflecting all questions about the makeup of his lineup and the construction of the club’s bullpen until after the off day. Two more games of information are essential, he said. And Tuesday offers a natural break in camp for such decisions to be made.
Doesn’t mean a few decisions haven’t already been revealed.
As detailed in the paper this morning — Brian Barton vs. Juan Gonzalez as symbol for the Cardinals’ spring – the Cardinals are about to make calls on the roster that hinge on experience vs. youth, track record vs. promise. Some couldn’t be more obvious. Look no further than how La Russa has structured his lineup for today’s game against Atlanta and lefty Tom Glavine:
- For the second consecutive day Skip Schumaker is hitting leadoff.
- For the second consecutive day Barton, starting in left field, is batting second because La Russa likes how he pounds the ball the other direction, likes how an extra-base hit from Albert Pujols means a run with Barton’s speed, like’s the kid’s on-base eye.
- Troy Glaus, is at cleanup … against a lefty.
- And, this may very well be the outfield that starts against Colorado’s Jeff Francis on March 31 at Busch Stadium.
The lineup:
THE CARDINALS
- Skip Schumaker, RF
- Brian Barton, LF
- Albert Pujols, 1B
- Troy Glaus, 3B
- Rick Ankiel, CF
- Yadier Molina, C
- Adam Kennedy, 2B
- Todd Wellemeyer, RHP
- Cesar Izturis, SS
Bench: C Mark Johnson, INF Aaron Miles, INF D’Angelo Jimenez, C Jason LaRue, OF Chris Duncan (who will spend his first hour searching for his swing on the at-bat rotiserrie back on the minor-league fields), OF Colby Rasmus, INF Brendan Ryan, OF Ryan Ludwick, OF Joe Mather.
Bullpen: RHP Mike Parisi, RHP Kelvin Jimenez, RHP Chris Perez, RHP Jason Motte, RHP Jason Isringhausen.
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Derrick Goold said he was going to Mizzou for capital-J journalism, but after growing up in the Time Zone Baseball Forgot he was really drawn to MU sitting between two major-league cities. Goold joined the Post-Dispatch in 2001 after working for The Times-Picayune and Rocky Mountain News, covering sports from LSU to NHL and every level of baseball in between. 
DG, sounds like Izturis will have to pull a Kennedy (only with the glove instead of bat) to lose his starting spot say, a Brendan Ryan. Is that accurate?
Izturis is the starter. La Russa’s comments Saturday all but said it. It’s as much out of absolute need as it is their belief that Izturis’ game will come around.
they say rasmus has a chance to compete for a spot, but it seems like he never gets a start.
FGC,
With the way Barton, Schumaker & Mather are hitting Rasmus should go back to AAA for a while. Let him go play CF in Memphis and get some more seasoning. Then if he’s hitting hard come July you make a deal for one of the other guys to get something we need.
Plus, by leaving him in AAA for the first half we get to keep him for an extra season before he gets too expensive.
Clevy…gotta agree. Let him take his first crack at Triple AAA, bet his bat a little hot, and bring him back up. 11 walks in ST is impressive, but I’d like to see him get a chance in come August, when pitchers are throwing strikes and the games matter.
(…not to say that April games aren’t important…yadayadayada.)
If Barton keeps making things happen like he has, I really like him in that 2 hole.
It sure seems that with Ankiel, Barton, Schu, and Ludwick playing well there is no need to rush Rasmus. Add Duncan who we hope comes around. I wonder if Duncan might be the one traded if Rasmus progresses?
Might as well play Izturis every day. The only way for him to go is up, so I hope he pulls out the best he should have, but wow it has been rough so far. Aside from the rotation, is the middle infield scenario really this scary?, Kennedy’s decent hitting not withstanding.
I have a real problem with Barton in the #2 hole. He is the only one on the team that can steal a base. If you put him in that spot, he won’t be allowed to run ahead of Pujols because he’ll get walked. If Barton can come near a .400 OBP, than I’ll take his SLG% from the #1 hole. Especially if TLR continues to bat the pitcher #8. He’ll have RBI opportunities from there, but he’ll have the opportunity to make things happen with his speed.
Yeah, Barton would have opportunities to knock in runs at the #1 spot, except for Izturis is the one batting ninth. Izturis is awful, it’s only a matter of time before B. Ryan takes over due to a lack of options.
i think duncan just needs to get the confidence to go 110 per cent. he needs to trust that his body has recovered from the surgery. i think he i tentative right now and will come around by early april.
i think ryan should start. izturis just keeps proving he’s not ready. let him back up and play himself into game readiness. meanwhile, ryan just continues to do everything ask of him.
i think juan gone should start the season in memphis. he could help draw attendance where the organization needs it. otherwise, we might be saying goodbye to memphis. this aaa roster has a chance to be something special, with the promotions from a good springfield team and quality players like juan and colby who just don’t have room on the twenty five man roster. redbird fans should be excited a ways farther down the big muddy. bring on the season!