HOUSTON • The oldest e-mail on Ryan Franklin's cell phone is almost a year old, and the Cardinals' closer plans to keep it there as a souvenir of his perfect month.

He doesn't need a reminder of what followed.

Last August, Franklin went 11 for 11 in saves, did not allow a run in 11 innings and appeared in 12 of the Cardinals' 20 victories as they ran away with the division lead. The e-mail on his phone is the announcement that he won baseball's Delivery Man of the Month Award for his efforts. Then came September and a 6.75 ERA and three blown saves in six chances. As the Cardinals open the final month of this season, Franklin hopes to get a chance to show what he learned and what he's changed from how last fall ended.

"I feel good. Strong," said Franklin. "I think I would have like to have thrown a little more than I have this year. I guess that's part of the job, really. I'm hoping this September will be a good month. I need to be used a lot more."

Franklin approached manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan recently about being used more frequently. He did not want to go four days between appearances, save or not. ("I need to get out there, see how things are working," the righthander said.) Franklin has pitched almost the same amount of innings today as he had at the same point last season, but his saves are down from 35 in 52 games on Aug. 31, 2009, to 22 in 50 games this year.

Franklin increased the amount of time he spends working out during the week to improve his stamina for this season. After a July that saw him go five days between appearances several times and an August that offered only four save chances, Franklin is hoping those are bullets saved for September. And that the 6.52 ERA in August deflates with more use.

"I liked last year's situation better," La Russa said. "We really haven't had to go to somebody else to close games (as planned) to get Franky that time off. We haven't been winning that consistently. He should be ready."