View from the cheap seats

Cardinals vs. Cubs, July 6

Pathetic.

The Cardinals are lucky to have one victory in the three-game set against the Cubs, considering that the only point in the entire series they led was after the Rick Ankiel hit with two outs in the ninth Saturday. There's not much to mull over in the last game. I just wish I had copyrighted the phrase "...and the Cardinals go one-two-three" before the start of the weekend.

I guess owners still aren't convinced that the Redbirds need any help in the lineup or in the bullpen. But I'm pretty much resolved that I'm tired of the plan to just stay competitive enough to keep the fans interested game plan.

Cardinals vs. Cubs, July 5

What a huge at bat for Rick Ankiel Saturday, a guy who still hasn't been a major league position player for a year.

He came to the plate with two outs and the tying and winning runs on base. All or nothing -- After the two guys who batted before him each failed to drive the runner in from third base and at least force extra frames.

And he got the job done, ripping the ball into centerfield to drive in both runners and win an extremely importantly game 5-4.

Cardinals vs. Mets, July 3

Okay, I'm finally calm enough to say something about the 11-1 thrashing the Cardinals absorbed Thursday night.

As horrible as the line score might look, it really wasn't all Mitchell Boggs' fault. He should have only give up one run in the first, but gave up three thanks to some unfortunate defense. In the breakout six-run inning that put the game out of reach, Rick Ankiel missed a ball he should have caught, excusing Boggs for three more runs. It still wouldn't have been a great result. But it would have been way better than what the scoreboard said.

And the silver lining is that the Cubs and Brewers both lost. So the Cardinals got a free pass.

Cardinals vs. Mets, July 2

Wednesday night's game against the Mets had all the hallmarks of another game the Cardinals should have won but didn't.

After all, when you score four runs in the first inning off of Pedro Martinez, you need to find a way to make that kind of gift stand up. But they didn't and found themselves trailing 7-5 in the eighth. And when the Cardinals finally found themselves with a baserunner on, Chris Duncan came to the plate and the Mets went to a lefthanded reliever, so things didn't look very promising, to say the least. Lil Dunc was hitting .107 against lefties this year and had three extra base hits in the last four weeks when the New York hurler tried to get ahead with a fast one.

And suddenly the worm turned when Duncan hit a rocket into the rightfield stands to tie the game.

When Albert Pujols loomed in the leadoff spot in the ninth, sitting on 299 career homers, it looked like fate was on the side of the Cardinals. But the big guy popped out on the first pitch. Hopes faded even further when Rick Ankiel hit a 399-foot shot to the 400 foot marker in centerfield. But Troy Glaus hit his second homer of the game -- over the head of the might have been hero of the 2006 NLCS Endy Chavez. But, unlike the ball the former Cardinals third baseman hit, Chavez couldn't quite reach this one and the Cardinals won 8-7.

Cardinals vs. Mets, July 1

I was hoping that the Cardinals would find a groove with Todd Wellemeyer settling back into the rotation after missing a couple of games due to an elbow problem. But, after watching him get hammered Tuesday, I'm not sure Wellemeyer is healthy after all.

He barely lasted five innings, giving up 12 hits and six earned runs. And he had to count on some good fortune to do as well as he did. Wellemeyer only got one guy out on his own in the first inning. The leadoff batter singled then was caught attempting to steal a base. The inning ended when Wellemeyer threw a wild pitch that bounced right back to catcher Yadier Molina as the runner tried to score from third. The baserunner was caught in a rundown and was tagged out.

While Wellemeyer struggled, it looked like the Cardinals were prepared to pound New York hurler Tony Armas Jr. But, after scoring three runs in the first, they were pretty much shut down the rest of the game to lose 7-4

Cardinals vs. Mets, June 30

According to the Baseball Almanac, Kyle Lohse doesn't have a nickname. So I'd like to propose the moniker "prescription" because, as far I'm concerned, he's been just what the doctor ordered for the Cardinals this season.

A day after the bullpen got pressed into service for 5 2/3 innings, Lohse gave the Cardinals seven super frames, allowing only one run on five hits and a pair of walks. He spotted the ball fantastically, hitting the corners and keeping it down in the strike zone.

At the plate, Aaron Miles extended his hitting streak to 12 games and raised his batting average to .328 with a 3-5 night with a pair of runs scored. Albert Pujols drove in a pair in a 2-5 night and Troy Glaus was 2-3, reached base twice being hit by pitches and scored one run while driving in another to fuel a 7-1 win.

Cardinals vs.Royals, June 30

There wasn't a whole lot of pitching going on Sunday at Kaufmann Stadium. But at least the Cardianals hitters were able to keep up their end of the Bargain.

Albert Pujols hit one wicked homer and just missed adding a second. Skip Schumaker, Aaron Miles, Jason LaRue and even Chris Duncan chipped in a pair of hits each en route to a 9-6 game in favor of St. Louis and another lose one then win two series victory. More importantly, the Cardinals completed a gut check road trip to Boston, Detroit and Kansas City with a winning, 5-4 record. Sure, it's not much over .500 -- but there aren't many road warriors out there this season.

With the White Sox victory over the Cubs and the Twins knocking off the Brewers, the Cardinals were able to pull within 2 1/2 games of Chicago as the Wee Bears get ready to come to St. Louis for the Holiday weekend and spaces out the Redbirds advantage over their nearest trailer.

Cardinals vs. Royals, June 28

The veterans couldn't do much to stop the Royals Friday night. So a rookie took matters into his hands Saturday when Mitchell Boggs shut down Kansas City on four hits and a run in six innings. It was an encouraging sign for a team that doesn't know when it will get Adam Wainwright back and recently pulled the plug on the effort to rehab Mark Mulder and Matt Clement as starters.

The Cardinals only managed seven hits, but they oddly divided them as equally as possible with no one getting more than a lone hit. Fortunately Rick Ankiel continued his power streak with his 15th homer and Chris Duncan scored twice on a hit and two walks to help put up five runs for the Redbirds.

Cardinals vs. Royals, June 27

Auuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurgggggh!

It is impossible to consider the Cardinals a legitimate contender when they are getting their butts handed to them on a regular basis.

I'm not going to rehash this one other than to say that two runs is unacceptable from an offense that just saw the return of the best hitter in baseball from injury. And why is Chris Duncan playing pretty much every day when he is 6-36 with one RBI and one run scored in his last 10 games. During that span, he has one extra base hit, a double. His batting average has decreased nearly 20 points since he returned from an excursion to Memphis to find his swing.

On the hill... I can't believe how often Cardinals pitchers are victimized when they are ahead 0-2 or 1-2 in the count. Everybody is pitching scared and it shows.

Cardinals vs. Tigers, June 26

The Cardinals allowed three runs Thursday in an extra inning loss to the Tigers. Two of them came on bases loaded walks.

I am so hacked off that I can barely type.

I would prefer to see the batter hit a grand slam than to see the Cardinals give up a bases loaded walk. There is absolutely no honor in that.

Throw the ball over the plate and let them hit it. I've never discovered a way to defend against a walk.

I'd like to nominate Ron Villone for ex-Cardinal following his walking in of the go ahead run when the game was tied at one. And, when the Cardinals activate Mark Mulder for a planned weekend start in Kansas City, Mike Parisi and his 8.22 ERA ought to be on the first slow train to Memphis. Or Springfield.