Sensing that his starting shortstop could use a day off to rest and reset after Thursday's disastrous error, manager Tony La Russa sat Rafael Furcal for the first time in nearly a month.
"He was beating himself up after the game so much that he could use a break," La Russa explained. "He's made a couple errors lately. Just a good day to get a break."
Furcal had a chance at starting a double play that could have quashed the Mets' ninth-inning rally Thursday, but he botched the toss to second and the Mets went on to score six runs and win 8-6. The error was Furcal's fifth in six games, and the shortstop has had difficulties on plays and throws that didn't result in errors. Nick Punto, a steady veteran, started in Furcal's place, combining with second baseman Ryan Theriot for the first time this season. Skip Schumaker made his first start in left field.
La Russa batted away a question about Furcal needing a breather after Thursday's loss, saying that only if the switch-hitter was sore would he sit. He changed his mind before Friday's game.
The Cardinals acquired Furcal from Los Angeles at the trade deadline, and he already played much more for the Cardinals in less than two months than he did with LA in four months. Furcal has played 10 more games with the Cardinals than he did with the Dodgers. Limited by injuries and stints on the disabled list, Furcal logged 304 1/3 innings in the field for LA. He's played 400 1/3 innings at shortstop for the Cardinals.
HOLLIDAY IS LIKELY TO START
Left fielder Matt Holliday expects to be in the lineup this afternoon against the Cubs, returning from a hand injury that made it difficult to swing a bat for more than a week. Holliday strained a tendon in his right palm at Pittsburgh, feeling an acute pain in the on-deck circle Sept. 13.
The Cardinals' cleanup hitter took a standard round of batting practice before Friday's game. He was available to pinch-hit, if needed.
"Everything is fine, feels good," Holliday said.
CARDS HIT 3 MILLION, AGAIN
The Cardinals surpassed 3 million in total announced attendance with Friday's crowd. This is the eighth consecutive year the Cardinals have sold more than 3 million, and that includes all six seasons at Busch Stadium III. The Cardinals have averaged around 38,000 a game this season, a 6.6 percent drop from 2010 and the steepest decline since Busch III opened. It is the first time the Cardinals have not had an average of more than 40,000 at the new ballpark.
WESTBROOK FALLS SHORT
For the first time in his career, Cardinals sinkerballer Jake Westbrook will make at least 30 starts and not reach 200 innings in a season. Westbrook has one scheduled start remaining, and his six innings Thursday took him to 181 innings. Last year, Westbrook pitched 202 2/3 innings in 33 starts, 12 of which were with the Cardinals.
The righty cited National League rules and being lifted for a pinch hitter as one reason his starts have been abbreviated this season, but added that overall it's been his inconsistency that kept him from the 200-inning benchmark. Ten of his starts have been five innings or less.
"It's disappointing because I feel like I'm definitely capable of being that guy," Westbrook said. "I chalk a lot of it up to being inconsistent and not being as sharp as I'm capable of being. That doesn't give them a lot of confidence in throwing me out there and leaving me out there in big situations because of how erratic I have been."
EXTRA BASES
Before Friday's game the Cardinals honored the coaching staffs of both championship affiliates, the rookie-level Johnson City Cardinals and Class A Quad Cities River Bandits. The JC-Cards won their second consecutive Appalachian League title, and the Bandits won the first Midwest League title for the club since 1990. Mike Bertani, the director of stadium operations, was also honored before the game before his retirement after 55 years with the club.
