QUESTION: What kind of credentials do most hitting coaches bring to the job at the major league level? And does Mark McGwire and his .263 lifetime average seem to measure up for such a position?

JOE STRAUSS

The Chicago Cubs just made Rudy Jaramillo the game’s highest-paid hitting coach and its second highest-paid coach of any description. Jaramillo never played above Double-A but is now the longest-tenured hitting coach in the major leagues. His defection from the Texas Rangers was the equivalent to Dave Duncan leaving the Cardinals as pitching coach. There is only a loose connection between major-league success and effectiveness as a hitting coach. Charlie Lau, whose philosophies revolutionized the craft, was a career .255 hitter with 16 home runs in fewer than 1,200 major-league at-bats. Don Mattingly, a borderline Hall of Famer, is recognized for doing strong work with the Los Angeles Dodgers after serving in the same capacity for the New York Yankees. Like McGwire, Mattingly served no apprenticeship in the minor leagues. Greatness as a player does not automatically translate into the ability to recognize flaws and to communicate fixes. The greatest hitter ever, Ted Williams, quickly became frustrated trying to help those less gifted than he. Tony La Russa on Monday described the job as more art than science. The inability to predict makes the Cardinals’ selection of McGwire all the more intriguing.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

What McGwire did as a hitter in the majors is largely irrelevant, especially his batting average. But to gauge McGwire’s intelligence as a hitter, take a look at his on-base percentage and the average number of pitches he took per at-bat. Charlie Lau was considered one of the best hitting coaches in MLB history and as a player he batted .255 in the bigs, with a mediocre .318 OBP and .365 slugging percentage. Another revered hitting coach was Walt Hriniak, who batted .253 in only 111 plate appearances. One of the current hitting coaches who garners rave reviews is Rudy Jaramillo, who was just signed to a $2 million deal by the Cubs. He never played in the majors and hit .258 in the minors. Terry Pendleton and Don Mattingly are among the former players who became MLB batting coaches with no coaching time in the minors.

McGwire was a smart hitter in the second half of his career; his cerebral approach was an important part of his success. And his work ethic and dedication as a hitter was underrated. But what is his hitting philosophy? Does it fit all hitters, from the power guys to the singles hitters? Can he communicate the philosophy in a simple way? Can he repair a hitter’s mechanical flaws? Can he connect in a way that will reach and lift a struggling hitter’s confidence? McGwire has been praised for his 1-on-1 work with hitters but how will he deal with a roster of position players — 14 or 15 hitters — at the same time? These are all legit questions, and obviously manager Tony La Russa believes that McGwire has the right combination of hitting intellect and people skills. We’ll see.

JEFF GORDON

Intuitively, you would expect a hitter who used all the fields (like Hal McRae) would offer more than a dead pull hitter (like Mark McGwire). But Big Mac is something of a freak when it comes to mental preparation, concentration at the plate and mastery of the strike zone. With an OPS exceeding 1.000 during his Cards heyday, McGwire became one of the toughest outs in baseball. Even without his intentional walks, his latter-day OPS was very good in St. Louis. If some of this can rub off on guys like Ryan Ludwick, great.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

There is no such thing as a “set of credentials” that a hitting coach can bring to the table. Their backgrounds are varied and there is no “path” to becoming a successful hitting instructor, no prerequisites that prove whether or not an individual will be good at the job. Some of the best hitting instructors of all time were mediocre hitters during their playing days, some of the worst had what would seem to be perfect pedigrees.

I believe McGwire will be a good hitting instructor for two reasons: because hitting is his passion in life and because he values preparation, much like Dave Duncan does when it comes to pitching.

What McGwire was really good at as a hitter was working counts in his favor so he could do what he did best…hit the ball over the fence. His career average may have been low but his on-base percentage was .394 and he hit a home run every 10.6 at-bats. In other words, he knew how to play to his own strength. That’s what he’ll be asked to do for the Cardinals hitters: refine their approaches and identify the occasional glitch so they, too, can emphasize their strengths at the plate. Plus, he’ll know when to leave well enough (read: Albert Pujols) alone.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What does your gut tell you as far as whether or not Tony La Russa will return with the Cardinals next season?

JOE STRAUSS
There are more reasons to believe TLR will return than not. It’s been 10 days since the Cardinals’ inglorious exit from the postseason. No one needs to tell the manager how much the organization invested into this season. He is soul-searching to examine what went wrong, whether he still commands his players’ attention and, at 65, to determine if he still wants to put himself through the annual 8-month grind. The Cardinals may be prepared to make him the game’s highest-paid skipper, status he briefly enjoyed before the LA Dodgers hired Joe Torre two years ago. TLR says he is not interested in managing elsewhere should he step away. However, there is some intrigue given than Torre and the Atlanta Braves’ Bobby Cox have both indicated next year will be their last in the dugout. The Dodgers job especially may be appealing. That strikes me as a longshot scenario, though.

RICK HUMMEL
Tony is back. One of his biggest concerns is that he is wearing thin with the media, which probably is exaggerated. His popularity with the fans, even though the Cardinals had an abrupt exit from postseason play, rarely has been higher. He is getting along nicely with general manager John Mozeliak and he has the best hitter and the top two starting pitchers in the National League.

DERRICK GOOLD
He’ll be back. The reasons to return far outnumber the niggling little hangups he really has to search to find. If La Russa is going to manage somewhere in 2010, the only somewhere he is ready to consider is the Cardinals. He either just wants to hear how much the team appreciates him and would like him to return, or he’s waiting for the results of Albert Pujols’ surgery to know for sure about the team’s chances to contend …

BRYAN BURWELL
To me, it’s hard to imagine that La Russa would walk away from the Cardinals with Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright at his disposal.

THE WATERCOOLER:
Tony La Russa said he has a “formula” and will take time measuring his desire to manage along with his effectiveness with the Cardinals. What do you think he’ll do on returning?

JOE STRAUSS:
Unless TLR becomes convinced that the team checked out on him during the final several weeks, I believe he’ll be back on a two-year deal. TLR offered a bit of a head fake Sunday, suggesting he isn’t close to completing the mental check list necessary before committing. However, the method is the same he employed during three other extensions agreed during my time covering him. It’s doubtful there’s an available job that would tempt him. He’s 65 and not into lengthy rebuilding jobs. Had the Cardinals tanked during the regular season, he would have a decision. Instead, on Saturday he noted the club has a stronger core going forward this October than last. I anticipate he’s back.

BERNIE MIKLASZ:
I’d be stunned if La Russa does not return as manager in 2010, and for many reasons: (1) He’s being paid over $4 million in his current contract and can expect a raise in the next deal; (2) He has a chance to move into the second spot for most career wins among managers, and given the success of this franchise, staying here will help him get him to that second spot faster; (3) He has a strong nucleus as his base, and it includes two Cy Young-caliber pitchers, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, plus the best hitter in the game in Albert Pujols — and what manager would willingly walk away from that; (4) The front office and ownership proved this season that they’d make bold deals to help him win; (5) He cherishes the rich tradition of St. Louis Cardinals baseball and being a part of it; (6) He isn’t a quitter, and to leave now after ending 2009 with such a terrible thud would be unlike the La Russa I’ve known for 15 years.

DERRICK GOOLD:
It was just a few weeks ago that Tony La Russa was talking about the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds and their run to the Pacific Coast League title. He mentioned a reliever on the Triple-A roster that had caught his eye and said he was eager to see him in person at spring training. When we asked if that meant he would be around for spring training, La Russa grinned: “I can buy a ticket, too.” Makes for a nice joke, but it was just one of many telling statements for the skipper. He was thinking about the organization’s future, and he was a part of it. While it’s clear, especially in his crestfallen comments following the NLDS, that he wants to ponder whether his message has lost its bite in the clubhouse, La Russa seems to be leaning toward a return. He’s said that he would consider a position other than manager (special advisor?) at some point in the near future, but it’s not likely to be this year. If he wants to manage, he’s not likely to manage elsewhere. Here’s the no-duh bet: He’ll be back with the Cardinals.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have been scuffling of late, just as the 2006 team did down the stretch before going on a World Series run. Do you see any similarities between the two teams, or is it entirely different this time?

JOE STRAUSS
The biggest difference is health. The ’06 team was racked by injuries to David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Jason Isringhausen. The cumulative effect nearly took them down in the stretch before an inspired bullpen performance, a rejuvenated Rolen (assisted by a well-timed cortisone injection to his shoulder) and Eckstein’s return from an oblique problem allowed the team to make its push. This 2009 team has far fewer health concerns but is being dragged down by inconsistent offense. Call it what you like — poor plate discipline, indifferent clutch hitting, cruise control — this team has not looked like the sum of its offensive parts for some time. A spark from Ryan Ludwick, now hitting sixth in the order, would be helpful. The fact that Matt Holliday is now on a 10-game hitting streak doesn’t carry much weight when the lineup is struggling at the Nos. 5-6 spots. It would be foolish to write off a team that looked like the league’s best in August. However, a different approach must be found before next Wednesday’s Division Series opener, it would seem.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I understand the similarities — namely, a dull and losing performance late in the season, especially by the hitters — but it’s a stretch. The 2006 Cardinals didn’t have its regular lineup for much of September. Injuries were a factor. CF Jim Edmonds had 28 ABs in September; SS David Eckstein had 23. Outfielder Juan Encarnacion had a hand/wrist injury, and though he kept playing, the condition would later require minor surgery. Guys like Aaron Miles and Preston Wilson received a lot of at-bats. Scott Rolen’s shoulder was especially sore, and he batted .225 in September. Trade acquisition Ronnie Belliard hit .214 in the final month. As for the pitching, Jeff Weaver had yet to take his magic carpet ride, and the bullpen was unsettled, with Jason Isringhausen transitioning out and Adam Wainwright entering as the closer.

The way I see it, the problem right now is one of decompression. The Cardinals basically had a playoff spot secured a month ago, and they haven’t been able to stay wired up.

RICK HUMMEL
The situations aren’t entirely different but this time the Cardinals have two bona fide No. 1 starters in Carpenter and Wainwright to take into any series in the playoffs and they had only Carpenter they really could count on in 2006. The World Series champion of three years ago, though, was a much more experienced team inasmuch as almost all of the prominent players, with the exception of Wainwright, had been in postseason play before. This year, the Cardinals will have a starting second baseman, shortstop, center fielder and right fielder who haven’t been in the postseason.

JEFF GORDON
Every team is different and every season is different. This team should be better equipped with front-line pitching, a (theoretically) deep offense and a solid back end of the bullpen. On paper, this is a much better team. But this team is also hitting below its potential right now, which has to be unsettling for Tony La Russa. The ’06 team proved that anything is possible come playoff time, good or bad.

GERRY FRALEY
The 2006 team was injury-riddled and unable to keep its best lineup on the field at the end of that season. This club is in far better health, at least according to the public pronouncements of a secretive organization. A healthy team that cannot slap around Homer Bailey is having lineup problems. In 2006, the Cardinals knew they would get better as soon as they were healthy. This club does not have that to lean upon going into the post-season.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I don’t see similarities between the ’09 Cardinals and the ’06 Cardinals at all. The ’06 team was falling apart down the stretch trying to get healthy while losing games. That team was 13-15 in August and 12-17 from September 1st on, for a grand total of 25-32 down the stretch that included a 7-game losing streak in the 3rd week of September. The ’09 Cardinals were 20-6 in August and are 13-12 in September entering play on the 30th. That’s 33-18 compared to 25-32, which isn’t even close. It’s +15 compared to -7, using Tony La Russa’s way of looking at things. The ’09 Cardinals are also a lot healthier and have a much more stable pitching situation.

In ’06 the Cardinals starters toward the end of the season were Chris Carpenter (3.09), Jason Marquis (6.02), Jeff Suppan (4.12), Mark Mulder (7.14), Anthony Reyes (5.06) and Jeff Weaver (5.18). Look how ugly those ERAs are and then toss in the fact that Jason Isringhausen was collapsing because of his bad hip and a young pup named Adam Wainwright was still emerging as a reliever and you had pure, unadulterated panic down the stretch.

This year they’ve got Carpenter (2.30), Wainwright (2.58), Joel Pineiro (3.44), Kyle Lohse (4.84) and John Smoltz (3.18) in the late season rotation and while Ryan Franklin has struggled more of late than he did early in the season, his ERA is still just 1.95 and he’s saved 38 games in 43 chances. Franklin’s 7.56 ERA and .382 opponent batting average in September is scary, no doubt, but that isn’t enough to compare the ’09 Cards to the ’06 Cards.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: There’s been much talk about which of the Cardinals two aces is the stronger Cy Young contender, Chris Carpenter (16-4, 2.30 ERA) or Adam Wainwright (19-8, 2.58 ERA). More importantly, which of the two do you think should take the mound for Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series?

JOE STRAUSS

Either seems appropriate when you’re discussing the possible 1-2 finishers for the Cy Young Award. A five-game Division Series would mean that whomever is bypassed for the Game 1 start would open the NLCS should the club gets that far. I don’t think the debate rises to a controversy, especially after Wainwright threw a team season-high 130 pitches in Saturday’s win over the Rockies. Carpenter may be better equipped to make two starts in a first-round series. I await more compelling pending Round Two discussion, such as the make-up of the bullpen’s right side.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

On the surface, go with Carpenter. He has more postseason experience as a starting pitcher. But other factors are in play. The opponent? Home or away? It depends. Perhaps Carpenter matches up against a certain team better than Wainwright — or vice versa. The manager can’t go wrong on this one.

DERRICK GOOLD

In almost every way, Chris Carpenter is viewed as the leader of the pitching staff. And that doesn’t even begin to cover it. Carpenter is one of the rare pitchers whose influence crosses the aisle to the position players as well. Infielders, outfielders, whomever, describe how Carpenter is a leadership presence — perhaps even the strongest leadership presence — in the Cardinals’ clubhouse. He’s comfortable offering “suggestions” to youngters about how to carry themselves on the field, just as he’s willing to offer some celebration pointers to a member of the Cardinals’ front office. Simply, Carpenter sets the tone for the Cardinals — and that is why he should start Game 1. Adam Wainwright may win the Cy Young Award this season, and he may in fact be a Carpenter-in-training, but Carpenter’s experience in the playoffs and contagious poise is why he should make the first start for the Cardinals in the postseason. That, and he kinda, you know, pitches pretty well.

RICK HUMMEL

Wainwright is the stronger candidate because he will have anywhere from two to four more victories than Carpenter and if Wainwright reaches 20, there is no question that he should be the Cy Young Award winner. He probably should be the winner at 19 anyway. But that having been said, Carpenter is the acknowledged ace of this team — by Wainwright, too — and Carpenter will and should pitch the first playoff game.

JEFF GORDON

Wainwright is the sturdier of the two right now, so I would open with him knowing that he is the best candidate to get extra or short-rest starts as the playoffs go on.

DAN O’NEILL

I think Carpenter is the right choice to pitch Game 1. He is a former Cy Young Award winner, he is recognized as the leader of the Cardinals staff by his peers and the rest of the league, and he is recognized as one of the best pitchers in the game. Wainwright will win the NL Cy Young this season, and is certainly deserving of “ace” recognition … on many staffs. On this staff, Carpenter has earned that designation. And Wainwright would be the first to say so.

GERRY FRALEY

Chris Carpenter should start the playoff opener. He’s pitched well, and every extra day of rest that Adam Wainwright can get at this time of the season will only help him. Carpenter has less wear on him than other playoffs-bound starters because he spent six weeks on the disabled list in the first half. Wainwright has not missed a turn and has six more starts and 39 1/3 more innings than Carpenter. That is significant. So are Wainwright’s pitch totals. In his last start, on Saturday at Colorado, he threw 130 pitches in eight demanding innings. It was the second-highest pitch total in the National League this season, one fewer than former Pittsburgh righthander Ian Snell had on April 29. It was also Wainwright’s fourth start of 120-plus pitches this season. Only two major-leaguers have more 120-plus pitches starts: Detroit’s Justin Verlander with nine and San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum with five. For Wainwright to make it through another month, manager Tony La Russa must use every method to get him extra rest. Going second is a good way to start.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: If Kyle Lohse can replicate the success he had in Houston Monday night over his next few appearances, what do you think the deciding factors will be for Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan in choosing between Lohse and John Smoltz as the Cardinals’ fourth starter in the playoffs?

RICK HUMMEL
One factor is that Smoltz probably could revert to short relief, having been used in that role before. Lohse probably would need too much time to warm up to do that. The Cardinals are paying Lohse $41 million for four years to be one of their top starters. If he has two decent games between now and the end of the season, the starting job for the playoffs (at least the first round) is probably his although knowing manager La Russa, he may not announce his fourth-game starter until a day before the game. If then.

DERRICK GOOLD
Versatilility and durability will likely be the two traits that guide their hand. John Smoltz has the much better resume and deeper experience as a reliever — Kyle Lohse had a turn in the ’pen with Philadelphia back in 2007 — but Smoltz’s shoulder and how much he could be used in a short series is an unknown. Starting every five (plus) days is a different grind than pitching three out of four games. He’s confident that his shoulder can handle whatever role he lands. Late Wednesday night after his start in Houston, Smoltz said his “ego isn’t so big that I won’t accept whatever they want me to do. I know that it’s the playoffs and anything can happen, so you can be used in any way.” Lohse has to duplicate his success from Monday’s start and show the consistency he had in 2008 and this past April. He also has to show stamina and strength, otherwise this question is academic. Some see Lohse as the more natural fit in the No. 4 spot because of Smoltz’s seasoning as a shutdown reliever. If Lohse is healthy, the Cardinals seem ready to assume he’ll be effective in October, just as Tony La Russa said he’s comfortable banking on both pitchers being ready for either job once the playoffs arrive — even if that’s when the team decides.

JEFF GORDON
Smoltz’s vast bullpen experience would make him extra valuable in the bullpen. Unlike the fourth starter, he could be a factor in the first series. So if Lohse looks capable of filling the fourth spot — as he did in his last time out — that would allow the Cards to put Smoltz in position to strengthen the pen. If Lohse goes to the pen instead, he would offer nothing more than an innings eater. The Cards have other choices there.

GERRY FRALEY
The bullpen must be considered in this discussion. This is Ryan Franklin’s first full season as the closer. The job is more draining physically than it is mentally. If the Cardinals decide Franklin needs help to get through the playoffs, Smoltz is the likely choice. The innings he is getting as a starter are preparing him to be a reliever. Even if Franklin is hale and hearty, the bullpen could use an extra arm. Relievers are more important in the post-season because the fatigue factor has set in with starters. Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel considered Lohse to be his”secret weapon’’ as a reliever in the 2007 playoffs. That did not work out so well. In his only appearance, Lohse allowed Kaz Matsui’s grand slam that sent Colorado to a comeback victory.

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: Chris Carpenter is 11-0 in his last 13 starts. Obviously he is a dominant pitcher when healthy. What do you think are the more important characterics of Carpenter as a pitcher that make him as good as he is?

RICK HUMMEL
He may look like a mild-mannered chap but Carpenter is one of the most intense competitors at his craft. He doesn’t give in to the opponent, the weather or anything else. And, more to the point, he throws 95 miles an hour with a good breaking ball and outstanding control and works quickly. It should not be an overlooked facet of his game that his pace enables his defense to stay sharp behind him.

DERRICK GOOLD
It would be tempting to parrot Tony La Russa here, unleash the fancy adjectives and say it’s Carpenter’s unbending poise, relentless competitiveness and killer instinct. Carpenter is one of the biggest influences in the Cardinals’ clubhouse, a pitcher whose talent and production has a gravitational pull and a rare starter whose leadership reaches across the aisle to inspire hitters as well. All that is true. But c’mon. It’s his stuff. Carpenter can buzzsaw hitters with his cutter. He can be both a power pitcher and a contact pitcher — sometimes in the same at-bat. His curveball may be second-best on his team, but it’s top-five in the league. Over at FanGraphs, the number gurus there track the effectiveness of individual pitchers and their individual pitches. This season, Carpenter is the only pitcher to rank in the top 10 for fastball, slider and curveball. All three are or border on elite. But the rocket science only confirms what our eyes already told us: When Carpenter is healthy, Carpenter is filthy.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Intelligence, mental toughness, a competitive meter that’s off the charts, and a physically imposing presence. Obviously he has a gifted right arm. But he maximizes his talent with intangibles. And technically, he’s very strong. He makes his fastball do a lot of wonderful things. He runs it away from lefthanded hitters, and he busts it on on the fists of righthanded hitters. And everything else he throws is set up by that fastball. He gets hitters to beat a lot of pitches into the ground; his GB rate (68.3) is 4th highest in the league. When healthy, Carpenter is the complete package.

JEFF GORDON
His mental toughness sets him apart, along with his knowledge of how to pitch. A lot of pitchers have great stuff, but not many put it all together. Even when his command slips, he can gut out a victory. And when he does have his command, look out. He moves the fastball around and runs it off both sides of the plate. That sets everything else up.

GERRY FRALEY
For Carpenter, it’s all about command of the fastball. When he can get ahead with that pitch, it puts the hitter at a huge disadvantage because they are caught between looking for the fastball and having to guard against the curveball. Against Milwaukee on Monday, Carpenter threw a first-pitch strike to 18 of the 29 batters faced. That included 13 first-pitch strikes with the fastball. That remains the best pitch in his arsenal.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
While Carpenter does have high-end “stuff” as a pitcher, there are a lot of guys out there who can match his raw ability. What makes Carpenter better than most, when healthy, is discipline. His attention to detail is admirable and his focus in game situations is remarkable. Coaches constantly preach about keeping things simple, taking one pitch at a time, and not thinking backward or too far forward. Carpenter is the master of the “single pitch” strategy, understanding that the only pitch that matters at the point of delivery is the pitch you are about to throw and then putting all your energy into executing that pitch the way you want to. He certainly has a game plan that he wants to execute but if you lose focus on even a single pitch early in the game, whatever plans you might have had for later may not matter. It’s that focus, that ability to concentrate completely on the pitch about to be delivered, that sets Carpenter apart from most pitchers.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Given Todd Wellemeyer’s recent run of poor starts, what are the Cardinals’ best options concerning a fifth starter as they move forward?

JOE STRAUSS
The path of least resistence would be to give Wellemeyer Friday’s start against the Houston Astros before re-setting the rotation following Monday’s day off in New York. That said, organizational patience with Wellemeyer’s inconsistency may have been exhausted in his last three outings, including a poor showing in relief against the Cubs before the break.

Blake Hawksworth is in the house. He had been pitching well in Memphis — his last Triple-A start was a 7-inning, 1-hit outing in which he received no decision — and could easily be aligned for Friday’s outing. Brad Thompson also started in place of Kyle Lohse when Lohse was on the DL. PJ Walters struck out 14 in this weekend’s start in New Orleans, but his style of pitching has yet to win backers within the major-league clubhouse. Mitchell Boggs also has improved recently, though his propensity to work in and out of trouble spooks pitching coach Dave Duncan.

GM John Mozeliak remains attuned to the trade market, though finding low-cost help for the rotation (Ian Snell?) is difficult at this time of year.

Something will be done, perhaps as early as this afternoon. But the answer remains elusive.
Barring trade, the best option may be reversing roles between Thompson/Hawksworth and Wellemeyer. Most would agree, however, that represents only a temporary fix.

RICK HUMMEL
For one more start, Friday vs. Houston here, Wellemeyer is the best option. After that, the Cardinals won’t need a fifth starter for about 10 days. Then the landscape might change.

GERRY FRALEY
The fifth-starter situation calls for bargain shopping. The biggest bargain out there may be Arizona lefthander Doug Davis. He is only 5-10 but has a 3.75 ERA for a team that gave up weeks ago. Arizona’s bullpen has three blown saves behind Davis, and the offense has scored two runs or fewer in 11 of his 21 starts. The drawbacks are Davis’ slow pace and high walks rate: 4.5 per nine innings. When it comes to a fifth starter, flaws should be expected.

In this search, the Cardinals will be better served looking outside the organization. The minor-league arms tried so far have been found lacking. A pennant race is no place for an overmatched kid.

BRYAN BURWELL
I think in the very short term the way the schedule sets up, La Russa could resort to a modified four-man rotation. In the long term, the club could resort to bullpen games.

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.