Cardinals getting maximum mileage out of platoon at 3B
With regular third baseman Troy Glaus out until at least sometime in June because of a slow recovery from shoulder surgery, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who juggles his lineups often enough anyway, has been able to help bring out the best in rookies Joe Thurston and Brian Barden at third base.
David Freese, who himself was hurt this winter (foot injury in car accident), got four mostly unproductive starts at third base and Thurston and Barden have had the rest in the first 18 games. In games he has started at third, the lefthanded-hitting Thurston, who will play today here against Chicago Cubs righthander Rich Harden, is nine for33 (.300) with nine runs batted in for nine starts. Barden, who was three for three on Saturday, is seven for 17 (.412) with seven RBI in five starts.
La Russa doesn’t have much to go on today, however, against Harden. Only one Cardinals player on the active roster has ever had a hit against the former Oakland pitcher and that is first baseman Albert Pujols, who is one for six.
The Cardinals’ lineup:
Skip Schumaker 2b
Colby Rasmus lf
Albert Pujols 1b
Ryan Ludwick rf
Rick Ankiel cf
Yadier Molina c
Khalil Greene ss
Joe Thurston 3b
Todd Wellemeyer p
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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I like this line-up against RHPs. This is IMO, our ‘everyday’ line-up.
There’s is one defensive alteration that should be made, Rasmus should be in CF.
Rasmas should be in Memphis.
ffg,
We thank the baseball gods that you’re not in charge of this team. Are you still bitter that we let Aaron Miles go? Thurston is running circles around him.
As for Rasmus (spell his name right, please), he is holding his own. Go find some other board to troll around in.
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!
Hope the guys are patient at the plate and make Harden throw a lot of pitches. Can’t imagine why anyone would think Colby should go down to Memphis. Kids’ doing well. Considering his history of slow starts at each level, I wasn’t sure how he would start off. How do you complain about a guy whose on-base percentage is over .400, especially in front of Albert?