Here is some more room for thought as we wonder why Duncan is playing ahead of Ludwick AGAIN and batting cleanup in today’s game. At bats for the season: Duncan-242, Rasmus-238, Ludwick- 213, Ankiel- 200. Strikeouts, Duncan- 78, Ankiel- 48, Rasmus- 45, Ludwick-43. Home runs- Ludwick-11, Rasmus-8, Ankiel- 5, Duncan- 5. RBIs, Ludwick- 41, Duncan- 32, Rasmus-29, Ankiel-21. Duncan’s strikeout total is embarrassing and 30 more than the next closest player on the team which is Ankiel. Actually if you total his walks and strikeouts, Duncan has only put the ball in play 127 times in 242 plate appearances. Unbelievable!!! But he still plays ahead of Ludwick and bats clean up today. Again, UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! LaRussa continues to baffle us all with this nonsense and arrogance!!!!! As I have said before on this site, our pitching has been good enough for us to be 5-10 games ahead in our division. So I don’t want to hear anyone saying anything about us being in first place by one game. If LaRussa had put out the best lineup every game this year we would be much farther ahead.

Norman, nice perspective, I couldn’t have said it any better. However, I will add that DeRosa can’t get back quick enough.

Duncan should not start the rest of the year. Ther is no jump starting him. Why wouldn’t you be giving Ludwick every AB in the world so he can be back to form. Ludwick’s upside is ten times greater than Chris Duncans. Even if you are balancing the lineup for 2nite, and Duncan got a few hits, your interfering with Ludwicks rhythm and bat, which will screw us in the most important aspect, getting Ludwick back to his old self, which will ultimately help us make the playofs. Perhaps the alterin of the Outfield lineups, and Ludwick sitting so often is why he can’t get in a rhythm. But hey, I’m no Tony!!!

I thought the reason Chris Duncan was on the team. Was because he was his fathers ride to the ball park. I guess it something much worse than that. Blind Favortism! Is Chris TLR’s god son or something, it’s getting real bad. And it’s a shame, maybe Ryan Ludwick would be better off being traded. Because he doesn’t deserve what he’s getting from Tony.I don’t want it to happen but whats going on here isn’t right.

I have read for a couple of years that Little Duncan is a loser and can’t hit.. I thought lets give him a chance..well, they have given him a chance.. after watching him let fastballs down the middle go for strikes, swing at balls over his head and a foot outside, strike out numerous times with men on base, and every time when the bases are loaded make some kind of an out, I have easily now come to the conclusion those people were right.. He has had numerous chances to help the club offensively, but he just can’t come through when they need him.. It is time to bench him and play Luddy and Rasmus everyday. The bad part is.. Ank isn’t doing much better.. and what’s with playing Thurston?..the kid has more base running blunders then kids 6-8 years old in “t”ball.. He should have been shipped back to Memphis a month ago.. I can’t wait for De Ro to heal and be back in the lineup.

I totally agree that Tony has lost his mind. With that said, he finally has put Colby in the starting lineup. What is it with Thurston starting again? Isn’t he hitting six for his last 58, 59, or 60? Doesn’t matter. I guess DeRosa is not ready afterall. If not, he should be in there instead of Thurston. How about Hoffpauir at second and Shoe in left. With us not scoring at a consistent rate, Tony still puts his 200 to 240 hitters in the lineup. Lefty verses Right handed pitching scenerio has got to go. Well this is Tony, we have to live with it, pull for the CARDS, cheer them on for victory. I hope Ankiel, Duncan, and Thurston all have a great game. But I am not looking for it to happen. GO Thompson and GO CARDS. Pull another one out.

I gotta admit I just don’t get the Thurston start again either. His play just doesn’t merit all the playing time LaRussa is giving him, even if he is a LH batter against a RHP. The Duncan/Ankiel argument will always favor Rick because of his defense. But Luddy should be in there somewhere. Even the LaRussa apologists have to see that if his dad wasn’t the pitching coach and close friend of the manager, Chris wouldn’t even still be on the team, let alone playing so much. Ridiculous.

How many times will Albert walk today with the automatic outs batting 4th and 5th?

Ludwick and Rasmus should be in there. They are hitting the ball and don’t look lost at the plate. I can see TLR wanting to get DUNC and Ankiel going, but to have them hitting in RBI holes when they are clueless at the plate right not just does not make sense. Especially when Ludwick is beginning to to break out and Rasmus has been the only consistent outfielder of the mix. TLR is stuck on Ankiel and Dunc and when a guy gets stuck on something its pretty hard to tear him away from it. It they don’t start hitting they are just going to be embarrassed and demorlized. Not good for them or the team. It’s tough being in there shoes right now.

The “lefty-righty” emphasis is an approach TLR has used effectively for many years. The question becomes when does a player merit playing against BOTH sides. In Ludwick’s case, I agree that his latest improvement at the plate and the abysmal at bats by the other two (I have never seen a worst at bat than Ankiel’s pinch-hitting the other night…not since Little League) warrant his batting against both sides. Hopefully Dunc and Ankiel will come through. If I was Ludwick, I would question the manager’s decision in cases such as this.