Cardinals vs. Cubs May 2

Skippy Schumaker pulled the Cardinals' bacon out of the fire in extra innings with a walk off homer after the team wasted numerous opportunities to build their lead  and Jason Isringhausen frittered away another one.

This one would have been pretty tough to swallow after a dominating performance by Adam Wainwright kept the Cardinals ahead the whole way... until the ninth inning, at least. So Skippy gets the nod for View From the Cheap Seats Cardinals Star of the Game.

Izzy gets the wagging finger of the Cardinals Lowlight.After hitting the Cubs leadoff batter with a pitch and allowing a homer to Alfonso Soriano, Isringhausen was met with a chorus of boos when he walked the go ahead run on base with two outs. Then he walked the next guy and finally had to be relieved by Ron Villone. It's never good when your closer walks off the mound with the game still going on...

I don't know how much longer the Cardinals can compete with Jason Isringhausen in the mix.

He blew his second two-run lead in a week and third save of the season Friday, completely ruining a supurb pitching performance by Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals should have scored at least five runs with the opportunities they had throughout the game. But it seems like Izzy always comes up with exactly enough to lose.

It doesn't appear that Izzy is hurt. It just seems like he has crummy control on occasion and that he insists on throwing his cutter to excess when the pitch isn't exactly what it used to be.

I've said since spring training that I was giving Troy Glaus a lot of leeway on his arrival in the trade for Scott Rolen. After all, it's not fair to compare him to the guy he was traded for when Rolen's the one who demanded the trade.

Well, that's over. I'm completely sick and tired of watching him hit pop ups to right centerfield or strike out with runners in scoring position. He must single-handedly be responsible for the Cardinals leading MLB in runners left on base.

Who woulda thunk that Cubs starter Rich Hill would be pulled from the game in the middle of pitching a no-hitter. I guess that had something to do with him walking four of the six batters he faced...

Hopefully 10 innings of relief pitching will take its toll on the Wee Bears bullpen.

Comments

[Cardinal John]

Dead on. 100% right.

[Jesse]

Don't get me wrong, Izzy's blown save makes me mad but Pujols's inability to come through in the clutch disturbs me much more. Time, and time again he cannot produce when the game is on the line, but nobody holds him accountable. Example, today with 2 chances, and a few days ago with his 10 runners left on base.

[Cardinal John]

Not coming through in the clutch--pressing cause of no protection. Glaus is not the answer. Protection for #5 should be our top priority.

[View From the Cheap Seats]

I agree with Cardinal John.

The Redbirds need a cleanup man behind Pujols more than anything.

Albert's biggest fault as a hitter is that he expands the zone and tries to do too much sometimes because he feels like it's all on him.

That's when he starts popping the ball up. And, while I find it frustrating, it's easy to understand why he does it. When he walks -- and he leads the majors in free passes -- the guys behind him aren't doing the job.

[Jesse]

On the subject of Izzy, didn't he pitch much better when LaRue was calling the pitches for him? Molina is the greatest catcher defensivly in baseball, but I think he loves Izzy's cutter as much as him. Btw, anybody think experimenting with putting Pujols in the 2 or 4 slot is a good idea? Just a thought, if he were in the 2 spot he would get more ABs and it would allow him to have hitters in front still as the pitcher bats 8th. Pujols batting 4th, less ABs more people in front of him.

My proposed batting order to produce more runs.

1. Shumaker/Barton
2. Kennedy
3. Ankiel/Pujols
4. Pujols/Ankiel
5. Duncan/Ludwick
6. Molina
7. Glaus/Miles
8. Pitcher's Spot
9. Ryan/and trade Izturez along with someone else(Reyes and or Minor League talent) for better cleanup hitter, heck try signing Bonds cheap as I would take his baggage if it meant Pujols would have the best protection possible.

[View From the Cheap Seats]

I would love to see Pujols moved to the fourth spot. La Russa claims that he bats the pitcher eighth and a position player ninth because that makes it more likely people will be on base for Albert to drive in.

So why not bat Albert fourth so that there is a better chance there are runners on base for him to drive in?

I wonder if Glaus would get a lot more pitches to hit if Albert batted behind him instead of in front of him.

RF Schumaker
SS Ryan
3B Glaus
1B Pujols
CF Ankiel
LF Duncan/Ludwick
C Molina
2B Kennedy

There is no way anyone is going to take Izturis in a trade. Who wants a .210 hitting shortstop? But the Cardinals might be able to deal some of their pitching surplus along with a prospect like Bryan Anderson for a bat.

I'd rather have the Cardinals finish last than see them make a deal with the devil and sign Bonds.

[Jesse]

I think we could package Reyes, Anderson, and Izturez possibly to the Pirates for Wilson, and Bay or Nady. Wilson is injured but he would be back eventually and we have Ryan to play SS until he did. Bay or Nady I think would do well in a winning atmosphere. A trade like this might require by us to part with an outfielder, otherwise we would have too many to have to play. Course maybe you could have Duncan either in the trade, or in a larger part time role as Pujols backup.

[Joe]

i agree with scott, no ones going to take izturis in a trade. take out anderson and insert chris duncan :)

no thanks on nady, he'll fall off. always does. and bay hasn't been himself since the beginning of last season.

who thinks izzy is hurt and isn't telling anyone? the only good thing about that is the Cardinals are 1 for 1 winning the world series in seasons izzy blows a lot of saves by not disclosing an injury :)

[View From the Cheap Seats]

The thought that Izzy is hurt again was the first thing that crossed my mind when he started his current funk.

When he had his hip fixed, I remember that he said it wasn't if it would go bad again but when it would go bad again.

With that in mind, I couldn't understand why the Cardinals picked up his option. Especially in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year.