Joe Strauss: All right, everybody up!!! It's time for your weekly salvation courtesy of STLToday.com, the cyber-Tsunami known as JSL!!! No shortage of interest today given the odd and unfortunate happenings of Tuesday night. One day fans are asking for World Series ticket info and the next they're ready to storm the Bastille. I've done my Cardinal Beat posting (check it out before piling on with more Carp' questions) and an appearance with Bernie M. on his wildly popular radio show. Now let's get to what's really important: unfiltered chat with the ChatMeister. Put down the torches and pitchforks!!! Time to get it on!!!

randy prater: El Diablo

asked this of gordo on monday but was wondering about your take on this issue....if ludwick sets as much as the three others in the outfield 'rotation', does this create a problem between luddy and TLR....i'm thinking its awfully tough to ask a silver slugger and all star of to sit while others play, but maybe ludwick doesnt let himself be bothered by such things. What's your read?

Joe Strauss: The ChatMeister typically doesn't handle Gordo leftovers. But since Tuesday's game only inflamed the issue, here goes:
TLR insists Ludwick will play more than the other three OFs. That said, there is a natural tendency to stack a lineup with lefthanded bats when confronting a top-end righthanded starter, even a developing hard-thrower like Max Scherzer. The fan base is naturally agitated by this. Ludwick played it off last week, saying he has full confidence in the manager. Since, however, he has asked TLR what he needs to do to play daily. Questions about the time-share increasingly chafe the manager. What a reporter may intend as an obvious, respectful question can be contrued as a second-guess by a manager who gets such questions daily. It IS becoming an issue. Ankiel and Ludwick enjoyed productive or very productive seasons in 2008. Their playing time is being impacted by introducing a talented young OF (Colby Rasmus) into the mix. Any time a veteran sits to provide opportunity to an unproven player it's going to create a sensitive situation.
Complicating matters is the suggestion that Ludwick was a so-called one-year wonder. He pounded himself last winter and may have pressed his way into a spring training funk because of his sensitivity to the issue. The season's first two weeks probably have resurrected the issue given his failure to start in three of the first nine games.

jealousblues: not a question but: Good Luck Joe after this game tonight, I cant even imagine the questions.


oh, if you get a chance IF Carps out for a while who get the call up to Start?
Walters or Boggs?

Or Does Kyle Mc start and Perez to the pen?


well, that turned into a question didnt it?
anyway good luck

Joe Strauss: Looks like Boggs starts Sunday unless he's needed to protect the bullpen before. If Boggs is unavailable, McClellan appears the favorite. This is a developing story as we speak. Tomorrow's P-D or later editions of Cardinals Beat will update the situation.

Tony La Russa: Is Brendan Ryan out of options? I read on MLB trade rumors that he was. Derrick Goold has stated he is out of options, but I heard Hummel say he was not out of options that there was one left. He did not get into detail but he did say that it was a strange occurance and kind of a loop whole. Please let me know if he is or if he is not out of options.

Thanks,
TLR

Joe Strauss: Ryan has an option left.

Tony La Russa: Why did Trevor Miller get charged with a blown save on opening day. I did not think you could blow a save in the 6th inning. Let me know how that scoring works.

Thanks,
TLR

Joe Strauss: A blown save can be assigned any time after the fifth inning, since a starting pitcher need only carry a lead five innings to qualify for a win. Multiple blown saves -- but only one save -- can be assigned during the same game.