TOWER GROVE — As mentioned earlier, all Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick had to get before this off day was five plate appearances and his name would appear into the league-leading averages, like some kind of balloon set finally loose from a wrist or a name written in invisible ink and finally unveiled.

He got five plate appearances exactly. And here he is:

• No. 2 in SLUGGING, and over here.
• No. 6 in BATTING AVERAGE, and over yonder.
• No. 9 in ON-BASE PERCENTAGE, and here.
• No. 3 in OPS (on-base plus slugging).

It will be interesting to see what all that leads to in the coming weeks when it comes to the other place league leaders are ranked. But here’s the other thing about Wednesday’s game in San Diego for the Cardinals surging (resurgent?) outfielder. It did more than mark his “qualification” for the leader board when it comes to averages, it was also this:

His 162nd game as a Cardinal.

That’s the equivalent of a full season as a Cardinal. In those 162 games, Ludwick has 434 at-bats and a triple-crown line of .288 average, 26 home runs and 87 RBIs. The popular question floating around CyberCardsNation, local sports radio and, sure, the press box, is what can be expected from Ludwick. Hard to tell. He’s said last year showed him he could play at this level, that it confirmed all the things he’d been told about his ability when he was a rising prospect. He and others have said he’s healthy, and that a healthy Ludwick is a raking Ludwick.

There’s also this matter of playing time: He’s getting it.

The 162 games and the 434 at-bats does offer a guide. It includes some rises, some falls, some weeks of sparse playing time and the current scorched-Earth approach to opposing pitching. He’s one of nine hitters to have at least 400 plate appearances with the Cardinals since the start of last season. They are listed below, ranked by at-bats.

Compare what he’s done, where he fits for yourself (does not include Wed.’s game):

ALBERT PUJOLS … 731 AB … 127 R … 43 HR … 134 RBI … 75 K … .334/.442/.579

AARON MILES … 507 AB … 65 R … 2 HR … 39 RBI … 48 K … .294/.334/.347

YADI MOLINA … 494 AB … 38 R … 8 HR … 56 RBI … 49 K … .283/.350/.374

CHRIS DUNCAN … 485 AB … 68 R … 25 HR … 82 RBI … 148 K … .258/.356/.462

DAVID ECKSTEIN … 434 AB … 58 R … 3 HR … 31 RBI … 22 K … .309/.356/.382

RYAN LUDWICK … 429 AB … 71 R … 26 HR … 84 RBI … 107 K … .289/.364/.559

ADAM KENNEDY … 397 AB … 38 R … 3 HR … 32 RBI … 51 K … .229/.290/.292

SCOTT ROLEN … 392 AB … 55 R … 8 HR … 58 RBI … 57 K … .265/.331/.398

JIM EDMONDS … 365 AB … 39 R … 12 HR … 53 RBI … 75 K … .252/.325/.403

That, what Ludwick has done as a Cardinal, would qualify as a quality season.

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