Cards set to face Zito in finale
For the 26th time this season, St. Louis will face a left-handed starter when 2002 AL Cy Young winner Barry Zito takes the mound at Busch Stadium tonight against Todd Wellemeyer. The Cards are 12-13 against lefthanded starters this season, but they scored three runs in 6 2/3 innings against Zito in a 6-2 win at San Francisco against May.
The 31-year-old has looked well past his prime this season, going 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA. But he got enough run support to go 3-1 in five starts in June, despite posting an ERA of 5.81.
The Cardinals have struggled mightily at the plate against lefties this year, batting just .224 with an OPS of .668 compared to .266 and .763 against right-handers. Ryan Ludwick is the only player in today’s starting lineup hitting better against left-handed pitching than right, with an average of .278 compared to .220.
Even Pujols is hitting .351 against righties and .304 against lefties. But he has hit the long ball a lot more often, hitting a home run in better than every four at-bats against lefthanders, compared to a slightly more mortal one in every 10 at-bats against righthanders. Last night’s hero, Colby Rasmus, is hitting a woeful .143 against lefthanders with one home run.
Here’s the lineup LaRussa will be sending out to try to get the split against San Francisco in tonight’s game, which has an early 6:15 start time:
1. Brendan Ryan, SS
2. Skip Schumaker, 2B
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Ryan Ludwick, RF
5. Yadier Molina, C
6. Chris Duncan, LF
7. Tyler Greene, 3B
8. Todd Wellemeyer, SP
9. Colby Rasmus, CF
(7 votes, average: 4.14 out of 5)
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If you have to pick between Ank and Dunc, I take Ank everytime. At least he can catch and throw the ball.
The solution to not playing Duncan’t or Ankiel every night is to bring Stavinoha back up.
I have never been a Duncan hater but Ankiel and Duncan are just killin’ the Cards. I think Mo’ should see what he can do to get Holliday while keeping Ludwick. If he has to give up some young pitchers let’s do it, then see what he can get for Duncan and Ankiel. Surely a team will trade a good, young, unproven arm for one of them, won’t they? replenish the pipeline he traded for Holliday. An outfield of Holliday, Rasmus and Ludwick looks good to me. Even Holliday’s .274 avg. right now looks a lot better than what we have been getting.
During the off season use what ever money is freed up from the contracts to Kennedy, Glaus and Ankiel to extend Pujols and sign Holliday. If Pujols sees Holliday hitting behind him for a few years maybe he will give a bit of a home town discount.
If T. Greene plays shortstop (and Ryan’s better), I’d understand, but Greene doesn’t hit enough to play 3rd. Why if Brian Barden at Memphis? At least he can field well, plus he could hit .250 or so. When DeRosa heals, he should play 3b every day. Then we can send out Thurston and use T. Greene as a pinch runner!
Does anyone else find it remarkable that we have a player who gets to start almost every day, yet he has absolutely ZERO trade value (as in nobody wants him)? What on earth did Duncan do last night to earn another start tonight? Ankiel isn’t much better (if at all) offensively, but at least he can play defense and has pretty good range. I think Colby is in the 9 spot because they’re facing a lefty tonight, plus we know Tony likes to get as many guys on base in front of AP as possible. With Duncan in the lineup, it’s probably our only hope! At least Thurston is out–though Greene has been frustrating to watch at the plate lately, too.
Do we need to say why Chris Duncan plays every night? He used to at least hit for power and now suddently has none. It’s amazing how bad he and Ankiel have looked after seeing the promise they showed a year or two ago. Sad.
Joe Thurston is just not good in any facet of the game. His defense is shaky, his base running is pathetic, and well you can see how he hits.
Please, Tony spare the true baseball fans this ridiculous line-up. don’t you a player would be better prepared if he knows where he will be in the line-up, night in to nite out. STOP the experimenting…bat the pitcher last!!! No stats to support this non-sense.
How about we send Duncan to Memphis and recall Nick Stavinoha — he’s certainly a step up in the outfield and is a much-needed RH bat.
I love the “fans” that have the video game mentality…trade a bunch of scrubs and get a decent player in return (i.e. dunc and ank)…what team would take ankiel’s ~4 million dollar pricetag and .233 batting average and give up a decent player. Use your brain
Anyone with a clue can see that Rasmus (he will only get better, let him play) and Ludwick should play every day. Period. Duncan clearly has a problem with his swing, maybe he’s still hurt, I don’t know but if he’s not hitting the long ball he offers you nothing except defensive liability. So..why not platoon Ankiel (for his defense) against righty’s and Stavinoha (he’s had some nice timely hits) against lefty’s and let Duncan try to fix himself at AAA. Short of another trade this is our best chance to win. Why do we make it so hard?