STL Cardinal Rants

oldtimefamilybaseball:

The Cardinals followed their dream playbook to a T in their 8-0 victory against the Astros on Friday night. Adam Wainwright threw 8 shutout innings and the offense received home runs from Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols as the two combined for six RBI. If the Cardinals do that often enough and not only will they run away with the division, but they’ll have a good shot of going to the World Series.

Not much to say on Houston’s behalf. They only scrounged up six singles and three walks all day long and Bud Norris pitched like Bud Norris usually does. Meaning, 7.2 innings and 5 earned runs.

(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

My take?  The Cardinals are a continually UNDERachieving team under LaRussa.  It’s been that way for 14 years.  Sure, they won the series in ‘06, but not without some serious struggles and a lot of luck and Adam Wainwright as their closer.  Currently, the only real competition the Cardinals have in the Central is the Reds (though any team could probably heat up and become competitive), and while they’ve got some great players, I don’t think anyone’s picking the Reds to take the playoffs by storm.

With the All Star Break coming up, the Cardinals have to pull it together and LaRussa and Duncan both have to get a handle on their bullpen.  I have spent too many years bemoaning not just the bullpen but the managing of it.  The bottom line is no matter what the lineup looks like (I would argue that few teams have a better offensive lineup on paper), no matter how many great innings Wainwright and Carpenter (And even Garcia) pin down, and no matter how inconsistent their usually solid defense is, without the bullpen, the Cardinals are going nowhere and fast.

And I’d love to see us go back to the days when starters pitched the whole game, but that isn’t the way it is anymore (especially under LaRussa who is quick to yank Adam or Carp, but routinely lets Franklin, Motte, and Mcclellan flail about).  

The bullpen has to get their shit together.  End of STORY.