THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Given the success of rookie Colby Rasmus, it seems increasingly unlikely that the Cardinals will bring back free agent centerfielder Rick Ankiel. What do you think Ankiel’s legacy will be in St. Louis … the wunderkind pitcher who lost it? The feel-good story of coming back with a bang in his first big-league season as an outfielder? The player who struggled to find much consistency at the plate this past year? Or are these things oversimplifications of how Cardinal fans will remember Ankiel?

JOE STRAUSS
I don’t think any of those should be discounted. For much of his career Ankiel was a curiosity, a marvelous talent wrapped within a swirl of suspicion, potential and paranoia. There was also the revelation about his HGH use that MLB and the Cardinals couldn’t wait to explain away. Though regarded as a good teammate, Ankiel never overcame resentment of media that reported on what millions witnessed in the 2000 postseason and beyond. To pass judgment in such a short forum minimizes a talent who endured more than some entire clubhouses have experienced personally and professionally. Ankiel ultimately let his departure from the Cardinals clubhouse speak for him — out the back door without a word.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Easily one of the most overhyped Cardinals in franchise history. Just think of all of the money, time and patience invested in a guy who pitched 242 innings and had 1,044 at-bats at the big-league level since joining the Cardinals in 1999.

DERRICK GOOLD
Simply and dramatically put, Ankiel is the Cardinals’ Hamlet. He was a tortured soul capable of sheer brilliance. A compelling and riveting story that didn’t end well. And, ultimately, a personality most will wish they could have known — or rather, understood — better. Ankiel’s career as a Cardinal is one of the most remarkable reinventions in baseball, but it is also a story of talent unrealized. That is his legacy. Not just the roman-candle pitching talent who burned bright before burning out. Not just the outfielder. Not just the HGH admission, or the playoff wild pitches or even the seven-RBI magic on Sept. 6, 2007. How he’ll be remembered as a Cardinal is all of that, all that he was, but also all he didn’t become.

RICK HUMMEL
You’d like to think that more fans would remember Ankiel’s stunning comeback to the majors as an outfielder or even his impressive rookie season of 2000 before his pitching meltdown. But probably more will remember what happened lately — meaning last season, when Ankiel,was never quite the same after running into the center-field wall, and had a highly mediocre offensive season.

JEFF GORDON
Above all else, fans would remember Rick Ankiel as one of the best athletes they’ve ever seen — and one of the more disappointing performers of all time. He looked like one of the best young lefties of his generation, then he broke down on the mound. His switch to the outfield was somewhat inspirational, but then he never matured as a hitter. If 2009 was his final season in St. Louis, it will be remembered with great exasperation.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
To me Ankiel will always be “The Enigma.” He’s a guy that has more raw, physical talent than almost any player in the game but what goes on between the ears disrupts what the rest of his body can accomplish on the field. That’s true of his first career as a pitcher and of his current career as an outfielder. Ankiel had an elite fastball, a knee-buckling breaking ball and a fluid, easy motion on the hill. As a position player he has very good speed, amazing arm strength and a powerful swing capable of generating 30-35 home runs per year.

In both cases, however, what goes on in his mind has interrupted his performance on the field. It’s no coincidence that he started off well in both “careers” and then tailed off viciously after experiencing some form of failure or hardship. From the time he was called up in 2007 until the All-Star break of 2008, Ankiel hit .276 with 31 HR and 89 RBI in just 479 ABs. Since the ’08 All-Star break he’s hit just .234 with 16 HR and 59 RBI in 478 AB. Prior to the 2000 playoffs Ankiel was 11-8 with a 3.46 ERA and 233 strikeouts in 208 IP. He appeared in only 11 Major League games as a pitcher following the 2000 playoffs, allowing 9 HRs in 35 IP and posting a 6.62 ERA.

I don’t mean any of that as a shot at Ankiel — I don’t think he can control whatever it is that holds him back — but it’s quite obvious that he’s capable of a lot more than he has accomplished. This is not a simple issue as it almost certainly relates in some way to off-the-field issues (his father’s legal problems for example) but there is clearly something that keeps Ankiel from being as great as he is physically capable of being. I know he’s had injuries, but they don’t seem to adequately explain the dramatic declines he experienced in both of his careers.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: As the Phillies head to their second consecutive World Series it raises the question, “What does Philadelphia have that the Cardinals do not?”

DERRICK GOOLD
Where to begin? How about where the difference is the greatest? The lineup. The Phillies have one of the deepest, one of the most power-packed and actually one of the most underrated lineups in baseball. Chase Utley may be the most complete lefthanded-hitter in the National League. Ryan Howard, Mr. September to the locals, is a power threat that is emerging as a Mr. October. Jimmy Rollins is a former MVP (Matt Holliday was robbed!) and a switch-hitting speed threat. And if the number of elite hitters doesn’t reveal the gulch between the depth of the Phillies’ lineup and the Cardinals’ lineup, consider Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth are complementary hitters in that lineup — and would be linchpins of the Cardinals.

Too much of the Cardinals lineup is isolated around one bat swinging well. His name: Albert Pujols. The Phillies have many players who can spark a rally, continue a rally or invent a rally on their own. They don’t need three hits to score one run. They often need one hit to score three runs. It’s easy to take potshots at the studio they call a ballpark and acknowledge that it adds to the Phillies’ power threat. But here’s the thing: Take away the power, and the Phillies still have the balance and depth to bombard teams anywhere else, too. The Cardinals just don’t have that many dimensions to their offense.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
The Phillies had a much deeper and stronger lineup. If you go by combined onbase + slugging percentage (OPS), the Phillies have the edge over the Cardinals at six of the eight positions. (We’re not counting the pitchers’ batting performances in this statistical breakdown). The only spots where the Cardinals had the better OPS than the Phillies this season were first base and shortstop. The Phillies ranked in the top 5 in the NL in OPS at six positions, and were No. 1 in the league at second base and right field. Their outfielders, overall, were No. 1. They were No. 2 in OPS at center field and fourth in OPS in left field. The Cardinals lagged terribly in the position-by-position OPS rankings at third base (15th), center field (13th) and right field (12th) and were mediocre in left field (8th) and second base (8th). St. Louis outfielders overall were 12th among 16 NL outfields with a .743 OPS — or 108 points less than the OPS generated by the Phillies’ outfield.

The Phillies also led the NL in slugging percentage and had a lot more danger in their lineup from top to bottom, finishing with nearly 100 more extra-base hits than the Cardinals.

Finally, there was a huge disparity between the teams in their batting performance against LH pitching. The Phillies were the league’s second-best team in OPS vs. LH (.787) and the Cardinals finished last in OPS vs. LH (.674).

RICK HUMMEL
The one thing the Phillies have that the Cardinals don’t have is damage up and down their lineup, from No. 1, where Jimmy Rollins hit 21 homers, to No. 8, where Carlos Ruiz has been a postseason star. Also, they seem to be better hitters with men in scoring position.

JEFF GORDON
Run production! That lineup wears out pitchers. There is danger everywhere. How many at bats would Chris Duncan, Rick Ankiel, Joe Thurston, Khalil Greene, Troy Glaus, et al, have earned in that group? Fans clamor for a one big hitter to protect Albert, but the challenge is to assemble a dangerous attack, one through eight. The Cards can move in that direction, even without Holliday, by weeding all their .230 hitters off the roster.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Power, speed, offensive depth, better left-right balance in the order and better defense. The Cardinals pitching is a little better on the whole but not by all that much.

The Phillies hit 40 percent more home runs (224 to 160) than the Cardinals, plus they stole 59 percent more bases (119 to 75), walked 12 percent more often (589 to 528) and they had a higher OPS (.781 to .747). In fact, Philly ranked 1st in the NL in OPS and HR while finishing 2nd in steals. They had four 30 home run guys this year (Howard, Utley, Werth and Ibanez) compared to one for the Cards (Pujols), which pretty much paints the picture for you.

In fact, 7 of their 8 “everyday players” reached double digits in home runs (Rollins had 21 as the leadoff man) and the only guy who missed out, catcher Carlos Ruiz, hit 9 homers despite missing 55 games.

The Cardinals had a strong team, one whose pitching carried them over the course of the long 162 game season, but the Phillies have a dynamic, explosive team and one that is better suited for a playoff run.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have scuffled to find wins this past week. Is this just a market correction after the sizzling month of August or do you see some tangible areas of concern for this team moving forward?

BERNIE MIKLASZ

The Cardinals struggle against good pitching, lefthanded pitching, and no-name pitchers. All teams don’t hit as well against the first-tier pitchers, of course. With the lefthanders, the problems are basically this: (1) the Cardinals are a fastball-hitting team, and the lefties throw more breaking and offspeed stuff; (2) guys who are supposed to be hitting the lefties aren’t getting it done. Mark DeRosa is batting .214 vs. LH since coming over from Cleveland. Julio Lugo, who starts at 2B much of the time when a LH is starting, is only batting .226 against the lefties since joining the Cardinals. And in CF, Rick Ankiel (.242) and Colby Rasmus (.147) are often overmatched against lefties. About the no-name pitchers: there’s a flaw in the system. The Cardinals rely on video scouting, which doesn’t really prepare them for actual competition against a pitcher for the first time. October should be interesting, because the Cardinals figure to see plenty of quality pitchers, plenty of LH pitchers.

JEFF GORDON

Any time a team’s closer struggles right before the playoffs, that is a huge reason for concern. Also, when a team doesn’t have an effective fourth starter heading into the playoffs, that is a concern, too. And this offense takes whole nights off for whatever reason. So, yes, Tony La Russa does have serious concerns.

RICK HUMMEL

Much of the Cardinals’ August success was achieved against bottom feeders Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, San Diego, Washington and pitching-starved Milwaukee. Now they’re playing contending clubs with top starting staffs and bullpens. The hits are harder to come by.

GERRY FRALEY

The quality of competition must be considered when looking at the Cardinals. They went 20-6 during August by doing what contenders must do: pound the bad teams. Of the seven clubs the Cardinals faced in August, only one has a winning record: the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the last week, the Cardinals have played clubs more typical of what they will face in the post-season: Atlanta and Florida. That does not mean they are doomed to an early exit, but it is a reminder there are no tomato-can opponents in the post-season as there were in August.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: From all you’ve seen from Colby Rasmus so far during his rookie season, what are your expectations for the Cardinals centerfielder in the coming years?

JOE STRAUSS
Rasmus does a number of things very well. At 23, he’s a very mature baserunner and has good instincts tracking balls. He makes both look very easy. His ability to smoke a ball 440 feet is rather exceptional for a 180-pounder who has dealt with weight loss this season. He also has a good eye and bunts well. I wonder what his potential might be as a base-stealer. If anything, he has been underexposed in that regard this season, though regular appearances in the No. 2 spot in the lineup argue against daring on the bases.

Raz’ has an obvious hole: He has yet to find a comfort zone against LH pitching. Improving against lefts will dictate whether he becomes a productive everyday hitter who can hit for more than a .260 average. If there is a disappointing element to his game so far, it’s been his sluggish adjustment against lefts. That has kept him off the field enough to severely diminish his Rookie of the Year candidacy.

My opinion remains as it was before the season: a 25 HR, 90 RBI guy who may steal 20 bases while hitting .270-.280. Perhaps he will evolve into a No. 5 hitter for a very good team, but right now it’s easier to project him as a No. 2 or No. 6 bat for a NL contender. Rasmus exudes a flat-liner’s personality. Some interpret that as a lack of urgency within his game, which may be unfair. However, he may be a guy who could help himself by playing the game a little more “mad.” The attribute has served many gifted players well.

RICK HUMMEL
When Rasmus settles in and becomes more comfortable in his environment, he should be a 20-25 homer man with 25-30 steals. He may not be a .300 hitter but he’ll border on Gold Glove status in the outfield, once he learns the players and the parks. His health is a factor here, though. Rasmus, through illness and stress, lost too much weight during this season and somehow must adjust his eating habits so that he can keep weight on longer.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Rasmus has an abundance of talent. He can be a 25-homer, 25-steals guy in the majors on an annual basis. But like many young players, he has to make sure to supplement his talent through more effective workouts and nutrition. I’m not suggesting that Rasmus has been negligent. He’s just a rookie, that’s all. They have a lot to learn and they always need to be adapting. Raz needs to get stronger and he needs to maintain his stamina so he can play at a higher level more consistently. Cutting down on the strikeouts would be a plus, too.

DERRICK GOOLD
What a learning experience his rookie season has been for Young Rasmus, the three-time top prospect and the organization’s figurehead for its renovated farm system. For the first time in his life, he hasn’t been a featured or everyday starter. He’s had to change his diet, deal with nagging injuries, soldier through extended slumps and adjust to the culture shock that a major-league clubhhouse can be for some. And yet … He’s done alright. For awhile he was leading the Rookie of the Year conversation, and while weight loss and a long season may have put him on the backburner in the ROY race, he’s still shown ample improvements as a player.

All of that bodes well for when he takes over as the everyday centerfielder next season. Rasmus has the athleticism to be an excellent defensive player at a key position. He has the nose for base hits and the legs for extra bases, so 100 runs will come with playing time. And, as he adapts his in-season work to improve his stamina he’ll show the power that could make him a 20- or 25-homer threat. A 20-20 season isn’t out of the question for a center fielder who could soon be the best at his position in the division.

JEFF GORDON
He should fit somewhere between Aaron Rowand and Jim Edmonds. He is already a nice major league outfielder. But can he make the adjustments at the plate? Rick Ankiel roared into the majors as a promising power hitter, then he suffered a massive relapse when pitchers adapted to him. That is a cautionary tale for Rasmus. Big league pitchers prey on weaknesses. Rasmus must work daily to fill those holes, then continue to make adjustments throughout his career. It’s too early to define that side of Colby’s profile, I’ve been impressed by his ability to produce even while moving in and out of the lineup.

GERRY FRALEY
Rasmus could be a Jim Edmonds-type player. He gets good angles on balls hit to center field, and he has a better arm than Edmonds. The big step will be hitting left-handed pitching. Edmonds hit lefthanders from the moment he arrived in the majors with the Angels. Rasmus has not done that, hitting only .149 with a .230 slugging percentage against lefthanders. If he improves there, the Edmonds comparison becomes more valid.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have many pending free agents, not to mention a clock ticking on Albert Pujols’ current deal. Keeping in mind money will have to be set aside for Albert, how many of the pending free agents do you think this team can realistically re-sign? And how might you prioritize those signings?

RICK HUMMEL
The Cardinals probably can sign as many of the free agents as they want, but they would have to move salary elsewhere, perhaps a Ryan Ludwick, who will be due another big raise as an arbitration-eligible player. The pecking order:
1. Matt Holliday
2. Joel Pineiro
3. Mark DeRosa
4. Trever Miller
5. Rick Ankiel
6. Jason LaRue
7. Todd Wellemeyer

No chance category: Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If they go “all in” on Matt Holliday, that’ll be it. There won’t be enough money (realistically) to deal with Mark DeRosa or Joel Pineiro, unless the players are willing to stay here at a steep discount. I’m wondering if the Cardinals will regret the contract they gave Kyle Lohse after last season.

DERRICK GOOLD
How many they sign depends mostly on who they sign. The priority has to be re-signing Matt Holliday. The Cardinals gave up a lot to get him, and they did so with the intention of keeping him beyond this season as the long-term heavy to hit behind Albert Pujols. A successful pursuit of Holliday will not only limit who else the Cardinals can go out and sign — or go out and keep — but also how they then approach Pujols about an extension. Holliday will limit the budget for other signings and help set the internal market for Pujols’ next deal. Signing both Holliday and Mark DeRosa isn’t unreasonable, and it may be necessary for the Cardinals to bring back DeRosa as an option at third base and second base. After that, the Cardinals usually move quickly to sign their backup catcher (Jason LaRue has done nothing to change his status) and will need to find a lefty specialist (will Trever Miller return?). The rest, including Joel Pineiro, are on the backburner or not in the conversation either because of the price tag, need or 2009 performance.

JEFF GORDON
Having Julio Lugo for free next season helps the budget. Also, David Freese appears back on track to replace Troy Glaus at third base. That helps as well. I would try to extend Mark DeRosa ASAP for a moderate raise over his current deal. He is a classic Cardinal. Surely he wants to stay, right? If the Cards have DeRosa in hand, preferably before the end of the season, that allows the team to remain patient on the Matt Holliday front. The team will be assured of having a solid offense next year. If Holliday wants to stay, the Cards could give him a nice contract, turn the page on Ankiel and Pineiro and lean on younger starting pitching. If Holliday decides to explore the market and chase the top dollar, then the Cards could spend money on Ankiel, Pineiro and/or other pitching and hitting. This could go a lot of ways, but I would lock in DeRosa early to simplify the equation.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
They should be able to sign the two or three they really need in addition to leaving room for Albert’s contract down the road without too much difficulty. The three I’d recommend focusing on are Matt Holliday, Joel Pineiro and Mark DeRosa, in that order. Holliday is the presence you need behind Albert. Pineiro has become a reliable starter and they have no apparent in-house replacement for him. DeRosa is an incredibly valuable, versatile player with leadership ability and a solid bat. As long as their demands — in terms of dollars and years — aren’t totally out of whack the team should be able to afford them and leave room for Albert’s new deal here in a couple of years. Minus their current obligations on Adam Kennedy, Troy Glaus, Khalil Greene and Todd Wellemeyer, the Cardinals save $27 million and that should give them some wiggle room to work with.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Joel Pineiro will take the mound vs. the Mets tomorrow night sporting a 2.84 ERA on the season. Pineiro has far exceeded expectations this season with a renewed emphasis on the sinker. As he will hit free agency at the end of this season, and given the many other Cardinals players also reaching free agency, what do you think the chances are that the team will be able to lock up Pineiro to a new contract?

JOE STRAUSS
The Cardinals gave Kyle Lohse $41 million over four years last September. Based on numbers other than win percentage, Pineiro is enjoying a better season. It’s hard to imagine Pineiro taking a significant lower Annual Average Value than Lohse, who did agree to backload his deal. A baseline of 3 years/$27 million may be discussed. Length of contract may be more an obstacle than AAV. It’s a matter of priorities, which underscores the organization’s need to read the Matt Holliday situation. If Holliday is extended, the club may have to scrimp on starting pitcher or delay talks of an extension with Albert Pujols. It already appears a mortal lock that next year’s No. 5 starter will come from within the organization (Garcia, Walter, Boggs, Hawksworth, McClellan). Look for any deal(s) to be weighted heavily after 2011, when several deals now on the books expire.

RICK HUMMEL
They’ll have a much better chance if they lock him in as they did Kyle Lohse last year, i.e. before he goes out on the open market. Believe it or not, Pineiro, because of his outstanding control and ability to keep the ball in the ball park, will be one of the most sought-after pitching free agents.

DERRICK GOOLD
Today, those chances seem minimal. Joel Pineiro has the look of a pitcher who will follow Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis, heck, even Jeff Weaver, and so many other reanimated pitchers on the path out of town. His reinvention as a sinkerball pitcher has been well-timed and mutually beneficial — the Cardinals are getting his performance in a division-title race and he’ll get the benefit of recasting his career in a contract year. The one catch is this: Are the Cardinals convinced they have a pitcher ready to move into that spot? Are they willing to turn two spots in the rotation over to a competition of Todd Wellemeyer and minor leaguers like P.J. Walters, Blake Hawksworth, Mitchell Boggs, etc.? If Pineiro is gone — and most likely he is — the Cardinals better be content with who’s coming up or be willing to pay to replace him.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
If the Cardinals act early, it will improve their chances. Pineiro has reinvented himself this year; his ground-ball rate of 73.3 is the best in the majors to this point. I think Pineiro is smart enough to realize he has a great pitching coach and a terrific situation here. That said, we’ve seen jumpy MLB teams give insane contracts to pitchers, so if Pineiro hits the open market, he could be very attractive to some bigger-market teams that need a 4th or 5th starter.

GERRY FRALEY
Pineiro’s agent, Adam Katz, is a realist, and that bodes well for the Cardinals.

The coming free-agent market could be flush with top starting pitchers. Righthanders Josh Beckett, Rich Harden and John Lackey and lefthanders Cliff Lee and Jarrod Washburn could all be available this fall.

Pineiro has pitched well this season, but he still runs the risk of being squeezed on the free-agent market and forced to take a leftover of an offer. If the Cardinals make a fair offer, Pineiro and Katz would be wise to take the sure thing.

The alternative is to become the next Jeff Weaver. He has had a rocky ride since his standout performance for the Cardinals in their 2006 run to the World Series title. Weaver jumped to Seattle in 2007, and did not make it through the season. He spent all of last season and part of this year in the minors before making it back with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a long reliever-spot starter.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’d call it 60-40 in favor of Pineiro being kept around. Both he and Wellemeyer are up after the season and the Cards don’t appear to have two Major League ready kids to take those spots heading into 2010, nor does it seem likely that Welly is brought back. In that case you almost have to re-sign Pineiro unless his demands are outrageous.

Not counting the contracts of Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa (because they came in later in the season) the Cards will have roughly $40 million freed up after the season, though that includes Pineiro’s money and the contracts of Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick. Keeping Holliday would knock $15-18 million off that right off the top, leaving $22-25 million for Pineiro, DeRosa, Ludwick and any other potential free agents they’d like to retain (Ankiel, Jason LaRue, Trever Miller, etc.). Things could be tight unless payroll goes back up to the 2008 level next year.

If Pineiro isn’t looking for a Kyle Lohse contract of 4 years and $41 million (which is what I’d be asking for if I were his agent) then his chances of staying will be better. If he is seeking that big deal the Cards will be facing some difficult decisions.

THE WATERCOOLER:
For the season, Rick Ankiel’s batting numbers are worse than Chris Duncan’s so is Tony La Russa correct in saying Duncan has been treated unfairly by the fans?

RICK HUMMEL:
Duncan would have to hit .280 with 25 homers and 80 RBI and field 1,000 to win over the fan base here, some of which unfortunately think he is on the team because his father is the pitching coach. Ankiel almost always has been the feel-good story, where people seem to root for him. Duncan, for whatever reason, has folks rooting for him not to succeed. The skipper has some merit in his complaint although neither Duncan, nor Anklel, nor Rasmus for that matter, is not helping the club much now.

JEFF GORDON:
Yes, Chris Duncan has gotten a rougher ride from fans due to his family ties. It’s not easy playing for your father’s team. Expectations are higher. Fans won’t cut you slack as you play hurt and play out of position. But Chris had every chance to win over fans when Ankiel and Ludwick went down. He had every chance to reestablish himself as a good offensive player and he failed. Now he is REALLY struggling at the plate. That, combined with his painful defensive limitations, makes him an easy target. It’s not fair, but that is life in the big leagues.

JOE STRAUSS:
Tony’s right only if he means everyone should start criticizing Ankiel,too.

DERRICK GOOLD:
Rick Ankiel’s numbers are worse. Chris Duncan is hardly alone in his current struggles (i.e., Colby Rasmus is 4-for-37). Other’s defensive faux pas are easily forgiven. And few truly know — or take the time to care — the kind of pain Duncan was in and the radical surgery he required to sleep comfortably again, let alone play baseball. For some reason, Duncan is, as Tony La Russa put succinctly here yesterday, the “whipping boy.” Well, wait … we know the reason. He’s the pitching coach’s kid. Fans have the right to wail about Duncan’s amount of playing time and his lack of production, and there is plenty to be critical about. Start with the fact that Duncan’s most recent appearance was against Jose Valverde and he could start tonight against Roy Oswalt. Not exactly slump-busting assignments. But the solid, reasonable criticisms of Duncan cannot be heard above the loony din. The tone of some of the emails I receive are vicious, bordering on obsessive. It’s not healthy. One person with the team told me earlier this season that the best thing for Duncan would be to hit well, hit for power, and hit his way into a trade. I see what he means.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: It appears Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick is starting to come out of his slump. Are you seeing any differences in Ludwick’s approach at the plate or is he simply returning to form?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Ludwick is taking more pitches. He has drawn more walks. Clearly getting a better look at the ball and using the count in his favor. Even when he’s off on a pitch he’s fouling it off instead of swinging and missing. The timing is better. There is less air in his swing. And obviously his confidence must be growing. And as his 3-run homer off Todd Coffey showed, Ludwick is now able to handle fastballs from RH pitching again. That was a strength last season but for the first three months this season Ludwick was often overmatched against hard stuff from righthanders. But he’s doing damage again.

RICK HUMMEL
Ludwick appears to be swinging at fewer “pitchers’ pitches” and more of his own choosing by hitting ahead in the count. He still could finish with 25-plus homers and 90 RBI.

DERRICK GOOLD
Ludwick said a week ago that he felt he was getting closer because he was being more assertive with the one pitch he was getting to hammer. He may have fouled it off or lobbed it out to center — but he was recognizing it and wasn’t missing it. Now it looks like he’s driving it. He’s not quite returning to the form that carried him through 2008, but his swing is more productive and the power is starting to spike again. For the Cardinals, the best thing Ludwick can do is become more productive driving in runs and with runners on base because batting behind Albert Pujols there is often going to be at least one runner on base.

JEFF GORDON
He is fighting off more tough pitches than before. He is staying alive at the plate by fouling off pitches rather than whiffing at them. He is earning the opportunity to attack more mistake pitches. Little by little, he fought his away out of a pretty deep funk. If only Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan could do the same …

DAN O’NEILL
Ludwick appears to be seeing the ball a little better, seems to be laying off pitches he was offering at before. But I wouldn’t be too excited. He’s hardly tearing the cover off the ball. If he continues the revival in Chicago over the weekend, the All-Star break couldn’t come at a worse time.

GERRY FRALEY
The decision to have Ludwick skip a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment before being activated looks worse by the day. Had Ludwick faced minor-league pitching for a few days, he would have returned on an upswing. By not taking a rehab assignment, Ludwick tried a cold start against major-league pitching. That does not work. It has taken him this long to get everything right.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Some of Ludwick’s resurgence is simply the numbers finding sea level. While he may not be the hitter he was last season, he’s certainly better than his performance so far this season. Things were bound to level off. That said, Ludwick looks like he’s letting the ball get deeper in the hitting zone here in recent days and that’s keeping him from being fooled on pitches as much as he had been. The home run to right center the other day at Miller Park was a great sign and fastballs don’t seem to be giving him as much trouble either. I wouldn’t say he’s “back” to where he was last year but he is getting back to the point where he’s going to provide some support for Albert.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With four home runs in his last seven games and his batting average up to .283, is it safe to assume that Colby Rasmus has now earned the job as the Cardinals’ EVERYDAY centerfielder?

DERRICK GOOLD
If he hasn’t already, it cannot be long before he does. At the least, Rasmus is an everyday outfielder and has been for some time. The rookie has thrived in the No. 2 spot, batting .292 there with a .506 slugging percentage. Seven of his 11 home runs have been hit from the spot ahead of Albert Pujols. And that’s where Tony La Russa has wanted him to excel. A few weeks ago, La Russa was in his office discussing his lineup and the notion of having Rasmus bat cleanup: “You know I like him a lot in the two spot.” The two-spot for the Cardinals just may be the best spot in baseball to hit. La Russa’s checklist to hit that spot includes a lot of the assets Rasmus has shown. Rasmus has the speed to score from first on a Pujols’ extra base hit and he has the strike-zone feel and aggressiveness to pounce on the strikes he’s going to see ahead of the MVP. That has been keenly obvious since his return from the hernia and as he’s surpassed 200 major-league at-bats. It seems obvious the best bat the Cardinals have for the best spot to bat in baseball is Rasmus. That makes him an everday player.

RICK HUMMEL
No question, although that doesn’t mean that manager La Russa won’t sit Rasmus against a particularly tough lefthander once in a while. But Rick Ankiel will be the regular left fielder or in a platoon in left.

JEFF GORDON
Absolutely. Rick Ankiel is lost at the plate. Ankiel showed some signs of life back in April, but his months-long funk is turning him into a pine-time player. Rasmus is a natural in center field. He isn’t as flashy as Ankiel, but he is more sound defensively. And right now he is the team’s second-best offensive player, behind only Albert. He will be in center field for a long, long time. What happens to Ankiel is anybody’s guess.

GERRY FRALEY
By easing Rasmus into the lineup, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa played it just right. That allowed Rasmus to find his footing in the majors without any added pressure. Rasmus is now free to take off, which appears to have been La Russa’s plan all along. Rasmus can hit less than .283 and still be the everyday center fielder because he is clearly the club’s best defensive player at the position.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Absolutely. In addition to being the hottest of the Cardinals four regular outfielders at the plate, Colby also happens to be the best defendsive center fielder on the team. That combination should be enough to get him “everyday” at-bats, regardless of whether the opposing starter is right- or left-handed. The key thing to remember is that Colby is also at the stage of his career where significant improvement can come simply from getting reps. The more he faces lefties, the better he’ll get at it. In contrast, guys like Ankiel and Duncan essentially “are what they are” at this stage of their careers. If they’re not hitting lefties yet, they probably aren’t going to. Rasmus has the ability to be an impact player now and in the future and impact players don’t sit because the other team’s starter throws with the wrong hand.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals made a long-awaited move this weekend in acquiring Mark DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians. With this team still hovering near the top of the NL Central and with a chance to win the division, do you think they are done dealing, or do you think there is still a chance they make a run at someone like Matt Holliday to fortify this lineup?

JOE STRAUSS
The Cardinals are not done exploring other deals but they may have bought some time. GM John Mozeliak said Sunday he will take the next couple weeks to assess DeRosa’s effect on the club and act accordingly. Five weeks remain until the trade deadline. The club may believe its greatest need is a pitcher. Should Troy Glaus go on a rehab within the next couple weeks, there will be additional willingness to wait. The benefit of acquiring DeRosa now is first his production, but also assessing where he fits best on the club. He appears slotted as the everyday third baseman with Khalil Greene returning to the DL. But should Glaus progress, DeRosa also becomes an OF option, freeing up chips to acquire a starter or set-up man. Holliday will apparently remain on the market for awhile given Oakland’s heavy asking price.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Another move is possible, but Matt Holliday is probably too big of a fish to reel in next month. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pursued a starting pitcher to fill Todd Wellemeyer’s spot in the rotation.

DERRICK GOOLD
Adding DeRosa is clearly the move the Cardinals had to make — and make as soon as possible — because it keeps them in contention. It isn’t, however, the only move needed to cinch their intent to contend for a title. What they have done by adding DeRosa is put themselves in position to make a deadline deal with an eye on being better in August, September and then, in a Larry Walker-esque way, October. That includes — but isn’t exclusive to — monitoring the market for Matt Hollliday and seeing if the cost of doing business with Billy Beane drops as the clock ticks toward August 1. Pitching should also be on their radar. DeRosa fills a need. Now the Cardinals can look to augment. The bottom line is the, well, bottom line. Swallowing the remainder of DeRosa’s $5.5 million contract is palatable enough for the Cardinals that they still maintain that “payroll flexibility” to offer any trade-deadline fruit that hangs low enough some dry powder to land in.

GERRY FRALEY
Mark DeRosa batted cleanup on Sunday in his debut with the Cardinals. If that does not say the lineup needs one more bat, nothing does. DeRosa is a solid hitter, but he does not belong in the cleanup spot. He is an ideal No. 6 hitter, maybe with some time in the fifth spot. Given righthander Todd Wellemeyer’s struggles, the Cardinals are going to be in the market for another starter soon, if not already. Wellemeyer is 3-5 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 10 starts and has drained the bullpen by going five innings or fewer in six of his 16 starts overall. That does not fit with a contender.

JEFF GORDON
This team still needs more. If Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan continue to struggle with run production, this team won’t have enough offense to make a serious playoff run. Perhaps DeRosa will take some heat off those guys and spur better production. We’re seeing a lot of poor at-bats in critical situations. It’s shocking, really, how badly some of these guys are hitting.

DAN O’NEILL
I would think the Cardinals are done dealing. The Matt Holliday trade never has made sense to me, especially if it includes Ryan Ludwick. Seems to me you’re trading very similar players, trading your only righthanded-hitting outfielder to get a righthanded-hitting outfielder. I think if the Cardinals get Lohse back, they are set with their club for a while, if not for the duration.