From the Cards clubhouse

Mulder clobbered in rehab start at Memphis

Mark Mulder's first start at Class AAA Memphis was a disaster Wednesday.

Mulder, rehabilitating from two shoulder surgeries, was tattooed for nine hits and nine runs, seven of which were earned, in 3 2/3 innings against Salt Lake. Mulder walked one, struck out one and allowed three home runs. He threw 80 pitches, 47 for strikes, and left the game with Memphis trailing 9-0.

It's become clear that the Cardinals' patient approach with Mulder is the right course to take. Mulder will probably need his entire rehab period, which ends May 15. That gives him an opportunity to make two and perhaps three more starts before being recalled to the bigs.

If Mulder isn't ready, extended spring training is his next option. There's really no rush for him on the major-league roster. The starters, for now, are dealing. But that's all subject to change.

Cardinals' 18th win in April would be historic

It's a chance at history for the Cardinals today. A win over Cincinnati in an afternoon game at Busch would be their franchise-record 18th in April. The 2000 and 2006 Cardinals won 17 games in April. The 2000 team went on to win 95 games and reached the NL Championship Series. The 2006 team won just 83 regular-season games, but caught fire in October and won the team's 10th World Series.

It won't be easy today, with the Reds sending strikeout master Aaron Harang to the mound against Braden Looper. Harang was 2-0 against the Cardinals last year and has won four of his last five decisions against them.

Adam Kennedy, Cesar Izturis, Yadier Molina and Ryan Ludwick are on the bench. Kennedy is 1-for-6 against Harang in his career, while Izturis is an alarming 0-for-17. Molina is 4-for-21 and Ludwick is 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Here are the lineups for the rubber game of the series:

Cardinals
Skip Schumaker RF
Aaron Miles 2B
Albert Pujols 1B
Rick Ankiel CF
Troy Glaus 3B
Chris Duncan LF
Jason LaRue C
Braden Looper P
Brendan Ryan SS

Reds
Ryan Freel CF
Jeff Keppinger SS
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
David Ross C
Aaron Harang P

Ankiel pulls another stunt

This topic has been addressed one other time this season, but it's apparently one that's not going away.

Rick Ankiel hit a home run Monday night in the Cardinals' 4-3 loss to Cincinnati. Because it was overshadowed by a fly ball that left fielder Chris Duncan called for but then lost in the twilight sky for an RBI double, there was no real urgency to hear from the former wunderkind.

But in the Cardinals' 7-2 win over the Reds on Tuesday, Ankiel was everywhere. In his first three at-bats, he was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He finished 3-for-5 and made all the plays in center field.

But once again, Ankiel declined to comment about his contributions.

This isn't about the media. It's not a huge deal when an athlete doesn't want to talk. You move on to the next player, which in this case was Skip Schumaker, a media darling who understands responsibility. It's the fans who pay a premium price for tickets — or cable or satellite TV to watch the games — who are burned when Ankiel blows out of the clubhouse without talking.

Again, this guy is perhaps the most compelling player on the surprising Cardinals (17-11). People still are amazed by his pitcher-turned-player story. It's intriguing. Instead, Ankiel is acting like a spoiled 20-year-old. Really, he's no different than he ever was.

I had hoped that Ankiel would grow up in his time away from the major leagues, and I'm sure he has in some respects. But his behavior remains much the same as it was when he was a rookie in 2000.

A year later, memories of Hancock's death still vivid

Today marks the one-year anniversary of relief pitcher Josh Hancock's death. It's hard to believe.

What a strange Sunday that was. A co-worker called me the morning of Hancock's fatal car accident, about five or six hours after it happened. The news jolted me out of my slumber. Baseball's routine took a break that day. Instead of going to Busch Stadium to cover the Cubs-Cardinals game, I drove to the accident site and found skid marks, a scraped-up barrier wall that separates the westbound and eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 and a few stray pieces of car/truck parts.

As expected, the scene at the ballpark was one of sadness. Fans meandered about with empty expressions, flowers were placed at an entrance to the stadium and questions began to arise. Mainly, it was, "How did this happen?"

Hancock, driving over the speed limit and above the legal limit of intoxication, smashed into the back of a tow truck and died instantly.

A press conference was held. Walt Jocketty, Tony La Russa and Braden Looper spoke on behalf of the Cardinals, Lou Piniella for the Cubs. All were numb. It reminded me of June 2002, when Darryl Kile died in his hotel room in Chicago.

I recall other baseball deaths. Bo Diaz. Bob Moose. Lyman Bostock. Danny Frisella. Tim Crews. Steve Olin. Eric Show. J.R. Richard. Don Wilson. Mike Coolbaugh. Alan Wiggins. When I was real young, I remember hearing the new of Roberto Clemente’s tragic plane crash.

But the Kile and Hancock deaths hit close to home. They were Cardinals, guys I knew. In Hancock’s case, I had just spoken with him. It seemed impossible that he was gone. Kile and Hancock are memorialized in the Cardinals’ bullpen

I hope there’s never another day like April 29, 2007.

It's 3 1/2 hours before the game, but here are the lineups

Hey, this is unusual. The lineups have been dropped off to the pressbox before our daily trip to the clubhouse for pregame enlightenment from Tony La Russa and any player who feels like yapping it up. By the way, Ryan Ludwick is NOT leading off for the Cardinals.

So in rapid-fire time, here are the lineups:

The Cardinals vs. Johnny Cueto:
Skip Schumaker RF
Adam Kennedy 2B
Albert Pujols 1B
Rick Ankiel CF
Troy Glaus 3B
Chris Duncan LF
Yadier Molina C
Joel Pineiro P
Cesar Izturis SS

And now, the Queen City ballplayers, a.k.a the Cincinnati Reds:
Corey Patterson CF
Jeff Keppinger SS
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
Paul Bako C
Johnny Cueto P

Check back around 5 or 5:15 for more. Sunny skies and cool temperatures prevail and lovely Busch Stadium. A warning to Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel: Twilight will arrive around 8 o'clock.

Ouch! That experiment didn't go so well

Ryan Ludwick could have gone 5-for-5 from the leadoff spot Monday and not been in the No. 1 hole again Tuesday. But Ludwick's 0-for-5, four-strikeout game assured that he won't be back at the top when the Cardinals play Cincinnati again at 7:15 Tuesday night.

But at least Ludwick didn't lose a pop fly in the twilight sky. That's what happened to left fielder Chris Duncan and center fielder Rick Ankiel in the third inning. With the Cardinals already trailing 3-0, Edwin Encarnacion hit a short fly to left-center. It should have been the third out, but Duncan and Ankiel converged on the ball and let it fall, scoring Ken Griffey Jr. with what proved to be the winning run in a 4-3 Cardinals loss.

Duncan was terse after the game, clearly agitated with the responsibility he shared with Ankiel.

"As soon as it got out of the stands, I couldn't see it," Duncan said.

The rest of the interview:
Reporter: So you get it off the bat, but then it goes up and you lose it?
Duncan: Yeah.
Reporter: It seemed like a lot of weird stuff happened like that tonight to hurt you. You had a couple of chances offensively and they make a couple of plays that are the difference.
Duncan: It's a tough break. It's all it is, really.
Reporter: Was (Bronson) Arroyo anything special or did he just make pitches when he had to?
Duncan: He made some pitches when he had to.
Reporter: This may be overstatating it, but it seems like you guys are having a little more luck getting guys on than getting them in. Is there anything to that or is it just kind of the way it's happening?
Duncan: That's baseball.

End of interview. For you statistics freaks out there, Duncan averaged five words per question over the last four questions. With reporters seeing that Duncan was going to shed no further twilight on the situation, the interview, to everyone's glee, broke up. Maybe the questions just weren't compelling enough to capture Duncan's interest.

Ludwick said it's easy to lose a ball in the sky at Busch at certain times of the day.

"Sometimes it's real tough," he said. "You can pick it up coming through the stadium. Then once it gets up in that sky, at times it can be real, real tough. Anywhere when it's a blue sky like that and the colors tend to dim and fade in with the ball, it can be awfully hard to pick up.

"Unfortunately for Dunc, he caught it at the time of day when it was really tough."

Red alert: Ryan Ludwick in leadoff spot

How's this for a change? Ryan Ludwick is leading off tonight for the Cardinals. No joke.

"If it works, I did it. If it doesn't, I'm going to blame (Joe) Pettini or (Jose) Oquendo," manager Tony La Russa said.

"I would rather have him in the middle of the lineup," TLR said, "but it disrupts the lineup the least (having him hit leadoff). He shouldn't change anything he does. Just give the best at-bat he can give."

TLR decided to rest Skip Schumaker, his leadoff hitter in 21 of the team's 26 games. That left him with a vacancy in the No. 1 spot, since Brian Barton doesn't start against right-handed pitchers and Cesar Izturis, back in the lineup after missing the last five starts, was batting ninth.

"I thought of Rickey Henderson," Ludwick said when he saw the skipper's lineup card. "I grew up watching him. He hits right and throws left (like Ludwick). He's probably the best of all time doing that. I'm going to tribute this game to Rickey. I might steal third a couple of times today, I don't know."

On that note of hilarity, here's the Cardinals' lineup for the first of three against Cincinnati:

Ryan Ludwick RF
Rick Ankiel CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Chris Duncan LF
Troy Glaus 3B
Yadier Molina C
Adam Kennedy 2B
Todd Wellemeyer P
Cesar Izturis SS

And now, introducing the Big Red Machine (well, not exactly):

Corey Patterson CF
Jeff Keppinger SS
Ken Griffey Jr. RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Adam Dunn LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Joey Votto 1B
Paul Bako C
Bronson Arroyo P

Jocketty back in town as GM of Reds

Former Cardinals General Manager Walt Jocketty, recently named to the same post with the Cincinnati Reds, is expected to talk to the media within the next couple of hours. It will be interesting to see how the conversation goes. I'm certain he will discuss his dismissal from the Cardinals, his plans for the Reds, his feelings about the Cardinals and his successor as general manager, John Mozeliak.

I'll have a later post on Jocketty, who seems an odd bedfellow for manager Dusty Baker, considering Dusty once was on the North side of Chicago with the Cubs.

Ken Griffey Jr. has 597 home runs. He has three games in St. Louis to reach 600. Remember, Griffey hit No. 500 against the Cardinals at old Busch Stadium. On the mound for the Cardinals tonight is Todd Wellemeyer. Griffey is 0-for-6 with one strikeout in his career against Wellemeyer.

Lineups on my next post around 5:15 — unless that's when Jocketty decides to talk.

A first for Glaus: He DOES have allergies

Troy Glaus learned Saturday that he has allergic conjunctivitis, a noncontagious case of pink eye that is caused by high levels of pollen produced by grass, trees and ragweed. Glaus is extremely interested in this ailment, particularly in any information that would help rid him of the plague.

Glaus' theme song when he digs into the batter's box is "Crazy Train," by the crazy Ozzy Osbourne. It's appropriate that in the early stages of the song, Osbourne screams, "Ay-ay-ay" or in Glaus' case "Eye-eye-eye." Sorry. Just a weird thought.

Glaus is 3-for-24 in night games at home. Just a reminder about his malady: It only bothers him during Busch Stadium night games when the temperature is in the 50s or lower. The bad news is it's only April. Allergy season hasn't even peaked yet. The good news is it's almost May and temperatures should begin to ascend soon. Even if they don't, Glaus can be comforted in knowing the Cardinals have three day games among their next seven.

Tony La Russa joked Saturday that he should rest Glaus on Monday and Tuesday — night games against Cincinnati. It might not be a bad option. TLR pays attention to the numbers and a 24 at-bat sampling is enough for him to at least consider a switch for one of those games, assuming it remains cool and the problem is still affecting the third baseman.

While Glaus has watery eyes, I'm wondering what's going on with Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue. Ankiel hasn't had an RBI since April 13. LaRue is 1-for-22 this season (.045).

A whole bunch of turkey-calling going on

Hey, after a crushing 3-2 loss to Houston on Friday, Jason Isringhausen and the Cardinals had every right to lighten the mood in the clubhouse early Saturday morning.

Isringhausen, who gave up three ninth-inning runs to absorb the loss, had a couple of boxes of turkey and duck calls delivered to the clubhouse. They were a hit with his teammates, as many of them honed their technique. It didn't sound like a typical baseball clubhouse. Russ Springer suggested the noise-makers be put to use in the dugout. Not sure the arbiters will allow it, but who knows?

Isringhausen was still bothered by his blown save, which culminated with a home run by Carlos Lee that gave Houston its margin of victory. Marty Mason, the bullpen coach, tried to lift Izzy's spirits, telling him he threw the ball well, but the Astros just hit it. It happens, it's baseball, Mason said.

Izzy has been booed often in his career. But this guy cares. After all the years, a blown save still rips out his insides. Izzy will go hunting on the off day Thursday for some R&R. He needs 11 saves to become the 22nd pitcher in history to get as many.

Troy Glaus is being booed, too, as he tries to figure out what's making his eyes water during night games at Busch Stadium. He had no further explanation about the problem Saturday morning. He's just praying for warmer temperatures and looking forward to two consecutive day games.

Here is the Cardinals' lineup for this afternoon's game against Houston:

Skip Schumaker RF
Rick Ankiel CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Chris Duncan LF
Troy Glaus 3B
Adam Kennedy 2B
Jason LaRue C
Adam Wainwright P
Brendan Ryan SS

And now, introducing the Astros:

Michael Bourn CF
Kaz Matsui 2B
Miguel Tejada SS
Lance Berkman 1B
Carlos Lee LF
Hunter Pence RF
Mark Loretta 3B
Brad Ausmus C
Roy Oswalt P

Glaus perplexed by watery-eyes issue

From the strange-but-true department, Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus left the game against Houston on Friday night because his eyes were watering so much that he couldn't hit.

Glaus has been experiencing this problem during night games at Busch Stadium when the temperatures dip into the 50s and below. It only affects him when he's hit and it hasn't been a factor in any road game. Glaus has seen doctors, and they believe he has allergies. But Glaus is dumbfounded by that diagnosis. He's never had allergies in his life.

Glaus is hitting .225 with 10 strikeouts in 40 at-bats at home this season. In night games at Busch, he's 3-for-24 (.125) with eight strikeouts and no extra-base hits in seven games. The average temperature in the Cardinals' 13 home games has been 55.7 degrees. For night games, the average has been 53.6 degrees.

It's been a strange first month for Glaus. He's hitting .268 and has a National League-high 11 doubles. He ranks second on the Cardinals in RBIs with 14 and his 13 walks are tied for second on the team. But Glaus, who owns 277 career home runs, has none in 82 at-bats through Friday.

The Cardinals have a 12:10 game this afternoon. Manager Tony La Russa said Glaus will play against Cardinals nemisis Roy Oswalt. Anyone for long ball No. 1?

Nine-game homestand ready to roll

Houston is at the ballpark tonight at 7:15 — the opener of a nine-game homestand that also will see the Cardinals play the Walt Jocketty-led Cincinnati Red and the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. For what it's worth, I'm predicting a 5-4 homestand, which would keep the ballclub in the thick of the race heading into the second week of May.

Just a few odds and ends from the clubhouse tonight. Ryan Franklin was fooling around with a rather loud megaphone that apparently belonged to (who else?) Todd Wellemeyer. The pregame tranquility in the clubhouse was drastically altered when Franklin turned on the megaphone's siren mode.

Cesar Izturis still isn't ready to play after being hit by a pitch on the right elbow by Milwaukee's Eric Gagne on Tuesday. Brendan Ryan is back at shortstop. Ryan said he's still experiencing "tightness" in the upper part of his right side. He suffered a sprained oblique late in spring training.

Here's the St. Louis lineup against Astros right-hander Shawn Chacon:
Skip Schumaker RF
Rick Ankiel CF
Albert Pujols 1B
Chris Duncan LF
Troy Glaus 3B
Adam Kennedy 2B
Yadier Molina C
Braden Looper P
Brendan Ryan SS

And now, the Houston Astros:
Kaz Matsui 2B
Darin Erstad CF
Miguel Tejada SS
Lance Berkman 1B
Carlos Lee LF
Geoff Blum 3B
Hunter Pence RF
J.R. Towles C
Shawn Chacon P

Barton easing into big-league effectiveness

If he hadn't been a Rule 5 pick, Brian Barton would not be in the major leagues this season.

Thank goodness he was a Rule 5 pick, because the rookie has given the Cardinals a jolt of speed and energy, areas the team was so sorely lacking in last season.

Barton had a pinch-hit double in the ninth inning Monday night and scored the eventual winning run in a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Barton is batting .345 in 29 at-bats, with a .387 on-base percentage. Some would like to see him play more, but Tony La Russa prefers the cautious approach. He has no interest in overexposing Barton to extended periods of playing time.

“There’s nothing wrong with taking a young player and giving him bits and pieces (of playing time) to where he gets better and better — not treating him like he’s got everything figured in his first month of big-league action," TLR said.

Besides that, which of the other four outfielders would you sit if Barton played more frequently? Barton is the fifth man in the outfield mix.

Defensively, Barton remains a liability. He took a bad route on Bengie Molina's two-run double Sunday and his throwing arm is the worst among the outfielders. Barton typically heads to the bench in the sixth inning in games he starts, replaced in left field by Skip Schumaker, a plus defender.

"That’s the reason you take him out," La Russa said. "You’ve got a guy who’s a potential Gold Glove outfielder that’s been replacing him. This is not the minor leagues. He’s getting enough playing time. Why expect him to be a Gold Glove outfielder in his first month when he can be improving right along?"

TLR expects defensive improvement from Barton.

"As we get deeper in the season, he’ll play more and more," the manager said. "He’s willing to work, he’s got speed, he’s smart. Absolutely (he will improve)."

On another note, it's interesting that the Cardinals have apparently changed direction with Mark Mulder's rehabilitation. It appeared he was one or two starts away from rejoining the big club, but now there's talk he could take 10 more minor-league starts to ensure he's ready.

I understand being conservative with Mulder. He's been through two operations and the Cardinals need him to be the guy they thought they would get when they made the trade with Oakland in December 2004. If Mulder remains in the minors, Braden Looper needs to kick into gear. He's the weak link in a rotation that still is doing admirable work without Mulder, Chris Carpenter and Matt Clement.

When Mulder returns, Looper should move to pen

I've never been a huge Mark Mulder fan. If he returns in a week to 10 days and is ineffective, I won' t be surprised. But all indications are he is healthy and ready to contribute to the Cardinals' rotation.

When that happens, Braden Looper needs to go back where he belongs — to the bullpen. Looper was pressed into service as a starter last season because the Cardinals were desperate. The perception is that Looper had a good year, but his ERA was 4.94 and he surrendered 183 hits in 175 innings.

Looper blew up Sunday, allowing six runs in the third inning of the Cardinals' miserable 8-2 loss to San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO! His final line: three-plus innings, 10 hits, seven earned runs. Yuck. Looper is 3-1, but he hasn't lasted longer than six innings in any start. His ERA is 5.49. He's given up 33 hits in 22 2/3 innings. This man is a reliever, as his track record indicates. Before last season, he never had made a start.

Looper loves being a starter. He's made it clear he has no desire to return to the bullpen. But this is a business. The Cardinals are in the business of winning, and despite his three victories, Looper hasn't pitched effectively enough to believe he will be a part of the long-term solution.

Mulder is not going to work out of the bullpen when he returns, possibly as soon as April 30 against Cincinnati at Busch Stadium. Let's all understand that. If Looper doesn't return to the bullpen, who does? Adam Wainwright? Todd Wellemeyer? Joel Pineiro? Kyle Lohse? That would be no, no, no and no.

Other questions loom for the Cardinals. Who leaves when Russ Springer is activated this week? Brad Thompson or Anthony Reyes? When Mulder comes back, who's the odd man out? Reyes? Perhaps. Rookie Kyle McClellan? I can't imagine that.

It's a fun time to be an armchair general manager.

With outfielders producing, no rush for Rasmus

Center fielder Colby Rasmus, the Cardinals' top prospect, hasn't yet adjusted to the Class AAA level. He is batting .205 with one home run, five RBIs and 14 strikeouts in 68 at-bats at Memphis. He at least is coaxing walks (11), helping him register a .313 on-base percentage.

But with the Cardinals' five-headed outfield monster firing so well at the major-league level, there's no hurry to promote Rasmus, who in a perfect world would remain in Memphis until September.

Everyone is eager to see Rasmus, 20, arrive on the scene. He's going to be a wonderful player — when he's ready. He's not yet at that point.

Cardinals outfielders Ryan Ludwick, Chris Duncan, Rick Ankiel, Skip Schumaker and rookie Brian Barton are batting a combined .329 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. With that type of production, I don't care if Rasmus is battiing .350. He needs to remain in Triple-A to fine-tune his wealth of talent.

Glaus gets a break; Springer throws to hitters

Two bits of news this morning from the ballpark, where it's cloudy, windy and chilly.

Troy Glaus gets a needed day off, replaced at third base by Rico Washington. It's been a real struggle for Glaus, who's batting just .220 with a .329 on-base percentage and a .305 slugging percentage. Glaus has handled himself well at third base, but he's got to begin producing soon, and I think he will. Tony La Russa doesn't believe the veteran is a victim of self-imposed pressure, yet one has to wonder. Glaus cares a lot. TLR pointed out that Glaus has changed teams twice since he left Anaheim. But going to Arizona and Toronto can't be the same as going to St. Louis, whose tradition in baseball is about as rich as any organization.

It will be interesting to see how Washington handles himself against Tim Lincecum. Washington was the 25th man on the roster and he has labored, going 2-for-14 (.143) with six strikeouts. Still, a start will be good for him.

Reliever Russ Springer threw to hitters and appeared recovered from the inflamed ulnar nerve in his right elbow. He probably will come off the disabled list Monday in Milwaukee. If TLR sticks with a 12-man pitching staff, something I believe he'll do, Brad Thompson and Anthony Reyes are candidates to be sent to Class AAA Memphis. My instincts tell me it will be Thompson.

Stay tuned.

Here's the Cardinals lineup for the afternoon tussle with the Giants:

Skip Schumaker RF
Chris Duncan LF
Albert Pujols 1B
Rick Ankiel CF
Adam Kennedy 2B
Yadier Molina C
Rico Washington 3B
Joel Pineiro P
Cesar Izturis SS

And now, introducing the Giants:
Fred Lewis LF
Jose Castillo 3B
Randy Winn RF
Ray Durham 2B
Aaron Rowand CF
Rich Aurilia 1B
Steve Holm C
Brian Bocock SS
Tim Lincecum P

Earthquake talk with the Cardinals

Tony La Russa slept right through the Friday morning earthquake. So did Anthony Reyes. Kyle McClellan and Randy Flores awakened from their slumber and worried very little.

Tyler Johnson and Ryan Ludwick were at the other end of the spectrum. Both were not only awakened, but greatly concerned. Both thought someone was trying to break into their homes.

"I freaked out," said Johnson, who grabbed his gun and nervously began searching for an intruder at his Chesterfield, Mo., house. "I actually called the police. I thought for sure someone was coming into my back sliding door."

Johnson was unable to go back to sleep even after determining there was no boogie man. The police told him there had been an earthquake, and Johnson remained unnerved about the situation.

"I turned all the lights on," he said. "I'm not afraid of earthquakes, but I wasn't expecting it."

Nor was anyone else, including Ludwick.

"I thought somebody was breaking into my house," said Ludwick, who lives in Brentwood, Mo. "I'm a pretty light sleeper. I kind of hobbled out of bed and said, 'What's going on?' Then I went back to sleep."

Skip Schumaker remained cool, calm and collected. At least that's what he claims.

"I've been through a few of those," he said. "I just thought it was a storm."

Ludwick back on bench after huge game

It didn't come as a complete surprise to Ryan Ludwick that he wasn't in the lineup for the Cardinals' scheduled game at 7:15 tonight against San Francisco. Ludwick, who was a career-best 4-for-5 with a home run and a double Thursday, handles his situation with equanimity. If he starts, great. If he doesn't, he hopes to contribute to a win at some point.

Considering all the injuries Ludwick has had, he can appreciate just being healthy. He also understands that he has one of only 750 jobs available in the big leagues. In short, he gets it.

Tony La Russa said Ludwick will start Sunday against left-hander Jonathan Sanchez. TLR didn't rule out starting him Saturday against Tim Lincecum, another of the Giants' terrific young starters.

As rain pelts down at Busch Stadium, here are tonight's lineups:

Cardinals
Schumaker RF
Duncan LF
Pujols 1B
Ankiel CF
Glaus 3B
Kennedy 2B
LaRue C
Wellemeyer P
Izturis SS

Giants
Lewis LF
Velez 2B
Winn RF
Molina C
Bowker 1B
Rowand CF
Castillo 3B
Bocock SS
Cain P

The few, the proud, the Cardinals

Cardinals pitchers have latched onto T-shirts with a United State Marine Corps slogan emblazoned on the backs: The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.

"It's a team shirt and we buy into it," Ryan Franklin said. "I don't think you should wear the shirt if you don't believe it. Know what I mean?"

The shirts come in three colors: red, blue and gray. Franklin said the slogan can foster motivation and boost team unity.

"I think with the majority of guys, it works like that," Franklin said. "All of us in here work hard. Being successful starts with hard work. It's hard work that got us all here, probably. And it's hard work to keep us here and it's more hard work to be successful and win."

Winning is what the Cardinals (11-5) are doing. Their 5-3 loss in 10 innings to Milwaukee on Thursday was a disappointment for the players, but taking two out of three against a talented team like the Brewers is a blueprint for success in any division.

The Giants (6-10) will provide the competition at 7:15 tonight at the yard. It'll be a pair of right-handers on the mound: Todd Wellemeyer for the Cardinals and Matt Cain for San Francisco. Cain has filthy stuff and is capable of dominating teams. Wellemeyer struck out seven against the Giants last weekend by the Bay.

A projected lineup for tonight, since I was so close yesterday:

Schumaker RF
Duncan LF
Pujols 1B
Ankiel CF
Glaus 3B
LaRue C
Kennedy 2B
Wellemeyer P
Izturis SS

Wow, there went another earthquake or aftershock ... Hope the stadium stands.

Second-guessing the Cardinals' 10th inning

I was surprised Thursday when Tony La Russa didn't flash the bunt sign for Aaron Miles with the Cardinals trailing the Brewers 5-3 in the 10th inning. The Cardinals had Ryan Ludwick at second and pinch-runner Jason LaRue at first with nobody out and an erratic Eric Gagne on the mound.

Sure, Miles has just eight sacrifices in 870 at-bats with the Cardinals. But he has two in 30 at-bats this year, and I'm certain he could have gotten one down to move both runners into scoring position and apply a little more pressure to Gagne, who formerly was great, but now is ordinary and prone to fits of wildness.

Instead, Miles flied out to left. Rico Washington then struck out and Cesar Izturis fouled out to end the game. Adam Kennedy was on the bench. Why not bunt with Miles, pinch-hit Kennedy for Washington and then see what Izturis can do? If the Cardinals tied the game, Kennedy could have played second with Miles shifting from second to third, since Troy Glaus already had been double-switched out of the game.

TLR is right more often than not. He reasoned that Washington and Izturis never have faced Gagne, while Miles had a better chance based on previous experience against Gagne. It could have worked out. It didn't. But different opinions are part of what makes baseball so fun.

Springer's almost ready; who will leave?

Russ Springer reiterated Thursday that he will be ready to come off the disabled Monday. Springer threw in the bullpen before the game against Milwaukee and will throw to hitters Saturday. Some type of meeting will take place Sunday, and Springer will be activated Monday in Milwaukee.

Tony La Russa will maintain a 12-man pitching staff. When Springer returns, who will depart? Rookie Kyle McClellan has been strong out of the pen, allowing runs in just two of eight appearances. Ron Villone is a veteran who has pitched just 2 2/3 innings, but without him, the Cardinals would have just one left-hander in the bullpen in Randy Flores.

Jason Isringhausen and Ryan Franklin are untouchables. That leaves Anthony Reyes and Brad Thompson as possibilities to be sent to Memphis. Both have one option remaining. Reyes has been aggressive and effective out of the pen; Thompson opened the season in the rotation, making two starts. Joel Pineiro returned and Thompson was sent to the bullpen, where he's had one scoreless outing.

A tough decision for TLR and Dave Duncan.

Taking a swing at La Russa's lineup

Tony La Russa was painstakingly filling out the Cardinals lineup card early this morning. I walked into his office, sensed his mood was good (a necessary ingredient in the following scenario) and asked him whether he needed any assistance. I told him I would leave, come back in a short while and give him the batting order I thought he would use. Well, I was wrong — by one player.

I figured TLR would give catcher Yadier Molina a day off and use Jason LaRue. But Molina is playing and batting fifth. All the other players players were in the spots I had projected. Wow, this lineup thing isn't too complicated. LaRue chuckled when I told him it was easy.

With that, here are the lineups for the 12:15 p.m. game:

Cardinals
Brian Barton LF
Rick Ankiel CF
ALbert Pujols 1B
Troy Glaus 3B
Ryan Ludwick RF
Yadier Molina C
Aaron Miles 2B
Kyle Lohse P
Cesar Izturis SS

Milwaukee
Rickie Weeks 2B
J.J. Hardy SS
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Corey Hart RF
Gabe Gross CF
Mike Rivera C
Craig Counsell 3B
Manny Parra P

In-game report: memorable at-bat for Ankiel

It might have been one of the best at-bats by a Cardinal this season — at home or on the road.

Rick Ankiel forced Milwaukee right-hander Carlos Villanueva to throw 17 pitches in a first-inning confrontation that had the fans buzzing.

Ankiel, batting with Albert Pujols at second and nobody out, worked the count to 2-2 before fouling off four straight pitches. The count went to 3-2 before Ankiel fouled off seven more pitches. One of the fouls was a smash that was barely foul down the right-field line.

Ankiel finally drew a walk on pitch No. 17 from Villanueva, who needed 34 pitches before recording his first out and 45 pitches to get out of the inning.

Pujols' two-run double one batter ahead of Ankiel's at-bat put the Cardinals ahead 2-0. Adam Wainwright, already dealing on the mound by retiring the first six Milwaukee hitters, also just went yard — a bases-empty homer to left to make it 3-0 in the second. It was Wayne-O's third career homer.

No surprises in Cardinals' Wednesday lineup

Tony La Russa is superstitious. He's proven that over and over again in his 12-plus seasons as the Cardinals' manager. So it was no surprise that he used the same lineup Wednesday as he did Tuesday when the Cardinals pasted Milwaukee 6-1 in the opener of a three-game series at Busch.

But TLR said it's more than superstition. The Brewers will throw another right-hander at 7:15 tonight in Carlos Villanueva. In the 12:15 p.m. game tomorrow, lefty Manny Parra will get the ball, opening up spots for rookie Brian Barton and Ryan Ludwick.

At any rate, here are the lineups for the second game of the series:

Cardinals
Skip Schumaker RF
Chris Duncan LF
Albert Pujols 1B
Rick Ankiel CF
Troy Glaus 3B
Yadier Molina C
Adam Kennedy 2B
Adam Wainwright P
Cesar Izturis SS

Milwaukee
Rickie Weeks 2B
Gabe Gross CF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Bill Hall 3B
Corey Hart RF
J.J. Hardy SS
Carlos Villanueva P
Jason Kendall C

Check here for early look at Cards lineup

Check this blog or visit www.bnd.com each day of a Cardinals home game. I'll file a brief pregame report and post the starting lineups for both teams.

Typically, I'll have this information provided no later than 5 p.m. Yesterday would have been an exception, however, as Chris Carpenter was unavailable to talk about his rehab work until about an hour before the first pitch between the Cardinals and Brewers. I suspect there won't be the same difficulty today.

It will be interesting to see how Tony La Russa utilizes his outfielders. In the Cardinals' 6-1 win last night, he started Chris Duncan in left, Rick Ankiel in center and Skip Schumaker in right. I expect the same alignment tonight, given TLR's superstitious nature. But Ryan Ludwick is wielding a hot bat and he is a strong option against the Brewers' Carlos Villanueva.

Cardinals stand tall in early test vs. Brewers

Outside of five walks issued by Braden Looper, everything went right for the Cardinals in their 6-1 victory over Milwaukee on Tuesday night. And perhaps Looper can be excused. Three of the walks were to the Brewers' biggest power threat, Prince Fielder. The Cardinals were the aggressor. They played with a chip on their shoulder, as if to tell the Brewers they will be around for the long haul.

All eight position players had hits. Four of the Cardinals' runs came with two outs. Adam Kennedy went from first to third on an infield out. Sure, it was a hit-and-run play, but Kennedy wouldn't have even considered going to third last season when his right knee was an issue. Kennedy also made another stellar defensive play at second base, moving deftly to his right to scoop Joe Dillon's smash and throwing Dillon out at first. Skip Schumaker continued to set up the offense at the top of the order and contributed two RBIs. The Cardinals showed they don't always need the long ball to succeed: 11 of their 12 hits were singles.

With each passing game, it becomes easier to envision that this team is a contender in the National League Central. Being a contender in this division in recent years was only one hot streak away, but manager Tony La Russa said after the game Tuesday that he believes it will wind up being one of the tougher divisions in baseball. It has four teams over .500 now, with the Cardinal on top at 10-4.

The Brewers and Cardinals will do it again at 7:15 tonight at Busch, followed by a 12:15 matinee Thursday. Today is Game 2 of a 15-games-in-19-days stretch at home, a time when the Cardinals can assert themselves. TLR downplayed the significance of being at home, but it's truly where his team must clean up. The Cardinals were dismally ineffective on the road last season, but a 4-3 trip to Houston and San Francisco offers encouragement that some of those problems will ease. Still, the Cardinals need 45 to 50 wins at home to offset any difficulty they might have away from Busch. At 6-1 through seven games, they're far ahead of that pace.

Surprising Cardinals try to fatten up at home

While I'm sure the Cardinals' 9-4 start has earned the attention of the National League, one must be mindful that the season is just two weeks old. That's not to suggest the Cardinals don't have the makings of a contender. In the NL Central, a hot week or two can make any of its teams a factor in the race.

Despite the calendar still telling us it's April, the Cardinals have a real opportunity. They have 36 games in the next 36 days before finally taking a breather May 22. Twenty-one of those games are at home, where the Cardinals thus far have gone 5-1 and exhibited lights-out starting pitching.

More importantly, 16 of the next 19 games are against NL Central foes. Only four of those games — April 21-22 against Milwaukee and April 23-24 against Pittsburgh — are on the road. We'll know much more about whether this team is for real when this stretch of 19 games ends May 4.

The starting pitching that was such a bright spot in the first week of the season took some hits on the road trip. Joel Pineiro absorbed a beating Sunday in his season debut in San Francisco, and the question remains: Outside of Adam Wainwright, is this a rotation that projects to be among the best in the league? The answer remains an emphatic no.

Braden Looper is serviceable, but he was a career reliever until last year. Kyle Lohse has been an outstanding pickup, but he's nine games under .500 in his career. Todd Wellemeyer? There's nothing in his history to suggest he will contribute big things. I'm starting to get the feeling that Mark Mulder will be a very welcome addition in May, followed by Chris Carpenter in July. Matt Clement remains a wild card.

The starters don't have to be great, just something in between what they were in the season-opening homestand and the first road trip. The Cardinals will hit. It's up to the rotation to determine where this team is in mid-May.

First road trip looms; how will Cardinals fare?

The Cardinals are about to face Houston to kick off their first road trip of the season. To make the 5-1 homestand even more special — and to have any chance to contend in the National League Central — the Cardinals will need to dramatically improve away from Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals were 35-46 on the road in 2007, and that was after winning their final five. This team seems to do the little things right. It makes the routine play, it has run the bases well and has had enough clutch hitting to survive. Of course, the starting rotation and Rick Ankiel have been the two biggest stories.

A 0.96 ERA by the starters and three home runs by the reclusive center fielder were the highlights of the season-opening six-game homestand. I can see Ankiel having a blast in Houston. It seems the Cardinals used to have a center fielder that absolutely loved playing in that ballpark.

Following three games in Houston, it's off to San Francisco to face the Giants, who might have the worst team in the NL West. If the Cardinals can go 5-2 or 4-3 on the trip, imagine the excitement as they return to St. Louis April 15 to face Milwaukee. It will be their first game in the division, and it will be against a team many believe have the personnel to win the Central. The Cardinals could have a lot to say about that.

Cardinals' start nothing short of sensational

Baseball is a long six-month grind. For Cardinals fans, it's important to keep a level head about their hometown heroes, staying on an even plane and maintaining command of their senses. Division championships never are won in April. Remember, there are 156 games to play.

Still, how can anyone not be impressed with the performance turned in by the Cardinals' rotation? No one expected this. NO ONE. A 0.96 ERA through six games from Kyle Lohse, Adam Wainwright, Brad Thompson, Todd Wellemeyer and Braden Looper? Are you kidding? It's been quite a week. A 5-1 week. Only National League Central rival Milwaukee has a record equal to the Cardinals.

Let's see how the rotation performs this week in the bandbox in Houston. Hunter Pence, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee are sure to challenge the Cardinals. Not to mention Cardinals killer J.R. Towles. Remember him? He was 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBIs in an 18-1 win over the Cardinals last Sept. 20 at Busch Stadium.

I love the blend of youth and talent on the Cardinals. This is easy to say now, but I never really believed the team would miss Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and David Eckstein. I may be wrong, but when I consider those three, I see three aging, declining players. Center fielder Rick Ankiel will outproduce Edmonds by a wide margin this season. Troy Glaus hasn't hit much so far, but he's played, which is more than can be said for the injured Rolen. And Izturis, although he probably isn't as good as Tony La Russa would lead you to believe, has been a major upgrade as Eckstein's successor at shortstop.

Throw in the likes of confident right fielder Ryan Ludwick, a healthy second baseman Adam Kennedy, first baseman Albert Pujols (only the best hitter in the National League), the youthful energy of Brian Barton and catcher Yadier Molina, and one realizes this is a pretty good team.

Of course, everything hinges on the pitching. With the Fab Five performing so well, what's the rush in bringing any of the disabled arms back? No disrespect, but the Cardinals are in a position — for now, at least — to make doubly sure that Joel Pineiro, Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder are ready to rock when their stints on the disabled list are over. I'm hardly counting on Matt Clement anymore. If he comes back, it will be a bonus.

So far, so good with new postgame routine

The Cardinals implemented a new postgame media policy Friday, and so far, it’s been a hit.

Late in games, a member of the Cardinals’ media relations team asks reporters for three players with whom to discuss the transpirings on the field. Those players are informed and told to be available at their clubhouse cubicles immediately after manager Tony La Russa’s postgame briefing.

On Friday, La Russa aggressively led the charge into the clubhouse, making sure the requested players — Kyle McClellan, Rick Ankiel and Braden Looper — were at their posts. McClellan and Looper were; TLR chased Ankiel out of the food room. For good measure, La Russa also told rookie Brian Barton to hang around. Barton had just collected two hits in his first major-league start.

The new policy was introduced after an extended period of standing around Thursday. Many reporters — print, radio and TV — waited more than 45 minutes for a word with catcher Jason LaRue, who in the sixth inning had dived and tagged out Todd Helton at home after left fielder Skip Schumaker’s throw was up the first-base line. It was a pivotal play in the Cardinals’ 5-4 victory. LaRue eventually emerged, and in five minutes, interviews were over and the clubhouse was clear.

Media-relations members don’t want reporters in the clubhouse as long as they were after the game Thursday. We don’t want to be there, either. Sure, leaving always is an option. But it wasn’t an attractive one Thursday. LaRue was a key figure in the outcome of the game, and the assumption was fans would enjoy hearing from him.

So far, the players have bought into the new measure. Why wouldn’t they? Interviews are completed soon after the game and then it’s on to the next item on their agenda. What would George Hendrick think?

As with Martinez, La Russa goes to bat for Izturis

In 2002, the Cardinals signed Tino Martinez to replace Mark McGwire as their new first baseman. On paper, it seemed like a great move. A veteran left-handed bat and a player who was accustomed to being in the spotlight after spending most of his career with the New York Yankees.

Martinez got off to a slow start, was combative with the media and simply never fit in. It was clear very early that he was not being received well and that the National League didn't agree with him. The short porch in Yankee Stadium was gone, and so, too, was Martinez's 30 or more home-run swings. He batted .262 with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs in 2002, followed by .273 with 15 homers and 69 RBIs in 2003.

Manager Tony La Russa was a big Martinez fan. He insisted Martinez would be fine. "Just watch his at-bats," was TLR's famous quote. Martinez lasted two seasons in St. Louis and no one has missed him since he left.

New shortstop Cesar Izturis' case draws comparisons to that of Martinez. Izturis was signed to replace David Eckstein, a formidable task given the popularity of Eckstein. In spring training, Izturis was struggling in the field and at the plate, but La Russa — perhaps trying to boost Izturis' confidence — stood firmly in his corner. La Russa raved about the way Izturis fielded ground balls and expressed optimism that Izturis could once again become the offensive player that he showed in 2004 when he batted .288 with 193 hits with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also won the National League Gold Glove Award that season.

Izturis is batting .231 with one RBI in his first five games. He ranks second on the team in walks with five — Albert Pujols has six — has a .474 on-base percentage and just one error. He was charged with another error, but La Russa, perhaps predictably, petitioned the official scorer to change the decision. The play was reviewed and the call was reversed, crediting Colorado's Ryan Spilborghs with a hit.

The Cardinals hope Izturis will be rejuvenated in St. Louis after three consecutive seasons of injuries and general ineffectiveness. He's with his third team in three years. It's clear he's on a long leash. Will he reward La Russa for his steadfast allegiance?

Red-hot Nats arrive at Busch Stadium

Washington is at the ballpark tonight for the start of a three-game series. The Nats are off to a strong start at 3-1, and would be 4-0 were it not for blowing a 6-1 lead and losing 8-7 in 10 innings to Philadelphia on Thursday. Former Cardinals Ray King, Ronnie Belliard and Dmitri Young are with Washington. Besides those three, Austin Kearns, Ryan Zimmerman, Paul Lo Duca, Aaron Boone, Nick Johnson and Chad Cordero might be the only names recognized by the casual fan.

Braden Looper gets his first start of the year tonight. It will be interesting to see whether the rotation continues to thrive this weekend. A 0.54 ERA against Colorado was impressive, but everyone knows there will tougher times ahead. The pitching pairings seem to favor the Cardinals. Looper will be opposed by Odalis Perez. On Saturday, Adam Wainwright pitches against Matt Chico and on Sunday Kyle Lohse will match up with John Lannon.

After his fine outing Thursday, it was interesting to hear Brad Thompson's take on the rotation. He considers every start an audition, and I can't imagine that any of the other starters, save Lohse, can think about it any differently. The quartet of Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Joel Pineiro and Matt Clement are coming at various points in the next six weeks. They are not relievers.

Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan will face some interesting decisions.

LaRue's secret: Play with a chip on your shoulder

There might not be a more competitive battery than the one the Cardinals trotted out Thursday afternoon against Colorado: pitcher Brad Thompson and catcher Jason LaRue. Thompson was the winner in a 3-0 victory, while LaRue made a nimble defensive play to tag out Todd Helton as Helton tried to score from second on Garrett Atkins' single to left in the sixth inning. Skip Schumaker's throw was up the first-base line, but LaRue corralled the ball and dived to his left to apply the tag on the sliding Helton.

LaRue is an interesting character. Long hair, tattoos, a Danny Cox-like mustache and a tough-minded approach. Told after the game Thursday that the Cardinals' rotation has a 0.54 ERA in the first three games of the season, LaRue insisted he wasn't surprised. Is he serious? Has his escape from Kansas City caused him to take leave of his senses? Has he taken one too many foul tips off his mask?

Kyle Lohse, Todd Wellemeyer and Thompson allowed one run in 16 2/3 innings against the defending National League champion. Lohse, Wellemeyer and Thompson, the same pitchers who were a combined 21-22 with a 4.61 ERA last season and are a liftetime 85-92 ?

Did anyone beside LaRue besides expect that trio to so completely dominate the defending National League champion Rockies? After all, their lineup includes Helton, a former batting champion, rising star Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Holliday, the runner-up in the National League Most Valuable Player balloting last season, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe.

Friday might be a good opportunity to pursue this subject again with LaRue. I think what stands out the most about the scenario Thursday was that LaRue seemed absolutely stunned that anyone would even ask him about the rotation's dominance. If this is how Lohse, Wellemeyer and Thompson will pitch all season, the Cardinals need to consider printing playoff tickets.

On another note, Rick Ankiel took 52 seconds out of his schedule to talk to reporters after the game Thursday. Five routine questions, five routinely short answers. No insight into anything. No biggie, I suppose. It's just the way it is. He continues to perform. Ankiel had an RBI single Thursday and is batting .364.

Ankiel's postgame no-show a disappointment

Rick Ankiel enjoyed one of the best games of his career Wednesday night, going 3-for-5 with a home run, an outstanding catch in center field and a swift advancement from first to third on a hit by Yadier Molina in the Cardinals' 8-3 victory over Colorado. Yet after the game, Ankiel bolted without talking to the media.

Ankiel isn't fond of reporters. He has said that in the past. There's a trust issue involved that prohibits him from giving anything but terse responses to questions. But thousands of fans would have loved to hear from this talented, still-inexperienced position player. He's perhaps the most intriguing player on the Cardinals, if only for the vast potential that he continues to realize.

I understand that most fans don't care whether players cooperate with the media. They want them to produce on the field. But teams tell players from the early stages of their career that dealing with the media is part of their job responsibility. Ankiel is struggling with this concept. Sure, he has every right to leave as soon as he wants after a game. But you, the fans, also have every right to hear from him.

Ankiel is 28 now. He's no longer the 20-year-old pitching phenom who has to talk after a start every five days. He's an everyday player on one of the most storied and successful teams in baseball. I like to believe he's matured enough to handle five minutes of questions after the kind of game he had Wednesday, but it appears he still hasn't reached that point.

For the media's sake, and ultimately yours, that has to change sometime soon.

Healthy food in the press box? No kidding

Baseball press boxes have long been known for serving up standard fare like cheeseburgers, hot dogs and bratwursts. For many years at old Busch Stadium (not Sportsman's Park), those items were on the menu every day.

When the Cardinals moved into new Busch in 2006, the press lounge was moved to the bottom floor, well below the writers' perch high above home plate. The days of smoke waffling off the grill and the aroma of grilled beef were gone, replaced by pasta, fish, chicken or whatever else the chefs are cooking downstairs. In the press box, there were snacks like brownies, cookies, ice cream, peanuts and popcorn.

Well, the brownies, cookies and ice cream are gone this year. Apples, oranges and bananas are in — food that actually is good for you. I have heard few complaints. In fact, the entire bowlful has been gobbled up in each of the first two games.

For the old-timers, they still get their fix. Hot dogs are available in the fifth inning, something new this year. After eating all that fruit, one would think they wouldn't be such a hit. But only a few remained after the game Tuesday, proof that old habits are hard to break.

Visiting Kansas City's baseball past

A recent trip to Kansas City, Mo., featured a little bit of everything: basketball, barbecue, baseball and a walk into the past.

For years, I have wanted to visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, located in the historic neighborhood of 18th and Vine, northeast of the city. Before heading for home, I made it happen. It was time well spent, wandering through the halls of the museum — employees emphasize that it’s NOT a Hall of Fame — and learning about greats like Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, James “Cool Papa” Bell, Judy Johnson, Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Ernie Banks and Rube Foster, to name just a few.

After a few minutes in the museum gift shop, I drove a few blocks to the former location of Municipal Stadium, where the Kansas City Monarchs played. Several Monarchs reached the major leagues after baseball finally integrated in 1947, with Robinson, Page and Banks three of the most noteworthy.

Municipal Stadium was located at 22nd Street and Brooklyn Avenue. After the Negro Leagues disbanded, the stadium hosted the Kansas City A’s, who moved to Oakland in 1968, and the Kansas City Royals, who moved into their current home, Kauffman Stadium, in 1973.

Municipal Stadium closed Oct. 4, 1972 and was demolished in 1976. The former site is mostly an open field now, although there are single-family dwelling being constructed in what used to be deep left field. There’s a tablet with a picture of the ballpark in its heyday for fans to visit. It’s located at the corner of 22nd and Brooklyn, which previously was the right-field line.

I was moved as I tried to imagine what the stadium was like. Where did fans park? Where did the players enter the ballpark? What was it like on game day? I walked into the grassy area, trying to locate medium-deep right field. I think I got close, but as I drove home, I couldn’t stop thinking about my visit.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan both played at Municipal. La Russa, who was with Kansas City for 34 games in 1963, said this week that the playing surface was the best he’s ever seen, even better than the ones today. He credits legendary groundskeeper George Toma. La Russa loved the stadium, but said he hasn’t visited the site since he was a player.

The stadium had some unique features, mainly because Charlie Finley was the A’s owner before he moved them to the Bay Area. Finley kept a mule in a stable in right field. There was a mechanical rabbit named Harvey that provided umpires with new baseballs and a compressed-air machine that kept home plate clean.

So if you’re in Kansas City any time soon, take time out to visit the museum and 22nd and Brooklyn. If you love baseball and history, you won’t regret it.

Official season opener a downer for Franklin

It's hard to say Ryan Franklin deserved a better fate in the Cardinals' 2-1 loss to Colorado in the season opener Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.

Franklin, who had a 9.49 ERA in 13 games in September last season, absorbed the loss as the Rockies rallied for two unearned runs in the eighth inning. One of them scored on a throwing error by third baseman Troy Glaus, the other on a bases-loaded walk by Randy Flores.

Franklin bemoaned a bad pitch that Troy Tulowitzki laced for a single to start the inning. Franklin then went to the well once too often against Todd Helton, throwing three consecutive cutters. Helton lined the third one for a ground-rule double that set up Colorado's rally.

But hey, there were a few bright spots. Kyle Lohse was exceptional in his first start, Yadier Molina homered and Chris Duncan made solid contact in his first two at-bats and finished 1-for-3 with a walk. Duncan batted .167 in spring training and was under .100 until the final week.

Brian Barton had his first big-league at-bat in the seventh and reached on a pinch-hit single to deep short. Barton was so intent on reaching first that he sprinted through the bag and never even saw the ball glance off the glove of shortstop Tulowitzki. No one cared, particularly the fans, who gave him a warm ovation.

"It felt pretty good," Barton said. "It was good placement."

St. Louisan Kyle McClellan, another rookie, was impressive in throwing a perfect sixth. Rico Washington, rookie No. 3, grounded out as a pinch-hitter. Washington's string of 3,980 minor-league at-bats is over.

Hooray! Things are back to normal at Busch

As much as I enjoy Opening Day, I'm glad it's over. Oh, wait. It's not over. The Cardinals are on the field now, getting ready for their official season opener against Colorado after the rainout Monday.

Routine has returned. The scribes checked the lineup card and held their first (or second) pregame chat with manager Tony La Russa. The clubhouse was subdued today. Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan and Skip Schumaker were sitting around a table visiting. Other players, including pitcher Russ Springer, were lounging in front of the new high-definition television. It had to have been tough to get up.

There was still a buzz about the fantastic diving catch left fielder Skip Schumaker made in the first inning Monday, robbing Troy Tulowitzki of extra bases. Schumaker has developed into a fine player. Two years ago, he seemed destined to be a career reserve. But he has made solid strides at the plate, is a good baserunner and has the best arm on the team outside of Rick Ankiel. And for now, he's the Cardinals' answer at the top of the order.

Many empty seats as the game begins. Perhaps the first-pitch temperature of 46 degrees has something to do with that.