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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Im glad its not just me bashing larussa anymore, ive been saying the same thing for 2 1/2 years now this guy is the worst major league baseball manager that i have ever seen. If you no anything at all about the game then you must see the moronic decisions this guy makes.Also I truly believe he does things just to stroke his ego,just to prove he can do it and still keep his job.I can make a list of things 3 pages long of moves that he has made than cannot be justified as anything other than totally incompetant!EXAMPLES; Kip wells; kept starting this joke even after loosing 14 games in a row. and kept saying there is nobody else.#2several times ive seen tony in the late innings in a close game with men on base let the pitcher bat make the final out and then take the pitcher out before he pitched in the next inning.This is absolute proof this guy is a moron.#3 Kept sending isringhausen in to close last year and costing the team at least 10 games and would have kept on doing it but izzy stepped up and said im not going out there and hurting the team anymore.Larussa kept saying perez wasnt the closer when he was 100 times more capable of closing the game than izzy was.#4 Last week rasmus hits a walkoff homerun ,the next game he was dropped 7 spots in the batting order.And believe me there are many more too many to list.Its amazing to me how many people dont even seem to notice these things or they wont admit that these are terrible decisions.And they really think tony is a great manager.Tony is only lucky to have had the teams hes had and has way under achieved considering.Ill tell you whats gonna happen if he stays with the cards hes gonna continue to cost us games until pujols gets fed up and goes to the yanks or redsox.Remember the all star game when aaron rowand was a better choice to bat w/ the game on the line then his own player pujols,what a idiot, please mo grow a pair and fire this joke and quit letting him embarass this great city,team and organization!!!