Rasmus back in Cardinals’ lineup
CINCINNATI _ In the first half of the season, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has been juggling his four regular outfielders, giving each a significant chance to play. “Everybody’s got at-bats,” said La Russa.
But now, as the Cardinals head for the All-Star break and the second half of the season, La Russa said that he would play the best three and he said today rookie Colby Rasmus is one of the three. Since he came back from a stomach ailment which required a visit to the doctor, Rasmus has gone seven for 12. Meanwhile, Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan, the other lefthanded “starting” outfielders, have struggled.
“In Rick’s case and Chris’ case, they’re capable of better at-bats,” said La Russa. “I think they’re pressing more than anything else.”
Against Cincinnati righthander Micah Owings today, La Russa wants as much lefthanded presence as possible, so he is playing Rasmus, Duncan and Ankiel, with righthanded-hitting Ryan Ludwick sitting. Duncan, a .347 hitter in Great American Ball Park, is batting fourth despite the fact he hasn’t had a hit in his last 13 at-bats/La Russa said he was hoping that being in a setting where had succeeded would jump-start Duncan.
The lineups:
Cardinals:
Skip Schumaker 2b
Colby Rasmus cf
Albert Pujols 1b
Chris Duncan lf
Rick Ankiel rf
Yadier Molina c
Joe Thurston 3b
Brad Thompson p
Brendan Ryan ss
Cincinnati:
Chris Dickerson lf
Willy Taveras cf
Joey Votto 1b
Brandon Phillips 2b
Jay Bruce rf
Edwin Encarnacion 3b
Jerry Hairston Jr. ss
Ramon Hernandez c
Micah Owings p
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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LaRussa has definitely lost his mind. I guess he is just going to go out of his way to show all the great Cardinal fans that the more we complain about Duncan playing the more he will be in the lineup. How on God’s green earth can he justify sitting Ludwick for Duncan. Ludwick is finally getting his stroke back and now we are going to sit him again for Duncan in the clean up spot. I give up!!!!! This is the biggest injustice that I have seen in my 50 years of watching Cardinal baseball. Duncan does not deserve to be playing. He needs to be shipped to Memphis to try and get his stroke back which isn’t likely to happen. Ludwick should demand a trade at the end of the season. His totals for the year project to 22 homeruns and 82 rbi. Duncan who has more at bats this year than Ludwick, will end up with 10 home runs and 60 rbi if he is lucky. Does Duncan playing ahead of Ludwick make any sense to anyone other than the over managing, genius LaRussa???
Seeing the donkey feeb around in left field is good for the same of TUMS, a St. Louis product, so maybe Tony is trying to help the economy. God knows there’s no other reason for Duncan to be in the lineup. Oh, that’s right….Tony knows his daddy.
Guys it’s simple.
Vs. Micah Owings:
Duncan 0-2
Ankiel 0-2
Obviously those are strong enough numbers to warrant a start today.
the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. the definition of the biggest thing in the world must be tony’s ego. he just can’t refrain from injecting his presence in every situation. is it any wonder that he scored so badly in the recent poll of players when asked who they do not want to play for? how many runs will thurston cost today? now that luddy gets his stroke back it’s time to sit him. madness!
Why not play Skip Schumacher in the outfield and play Greene and Ryan?
I have to agree sitting Ludwick makes no sense. The guy is getting his stroke and you sit him for guys that aren’t hitting their IQ. So Tony is trying to prove how good he is instead of putting the best team out there
It’s official. Tony needs to be drug tested. Either that, or he needs his head examined. No friggin way should Dufus Duncanthit be in the lineup let alone batting 4th! And, Dick Ankiel batting after Duncanthit..LOL A JOKE!!!
Don’t you people ever get tired of complaining about the lineups ? This is a very simple lefty-righty matchup: a no-brainer. Take some deep breaths and sit down quietly for a few minutes, till the fit passes.
Duncan batting cleanup and Ludwick sitting? Thurston again in the lineup? I am officially putting in storage all Redbird clothing, and will not watch or read anything to do with this team until LaRussa is gone. This just proves how big of an ego this man has and he puts himself before the good of this organization. And the puppet front office sits back and lets him do this. PATHETIC! By the way, I have been a Cardinal fan for 40+ years.
This has been well-established. As long as Chris Duncan is on the team, Tony LaRussa is going to keep putting him in the line-up ahead of better players. That’s why Mo has to step up and TRADE CHRIS DUNCAN NOW!