Midwestern Banter

LOS ANGELES – Oh to be a St. Louis Cardinal in 2008. What have you got to lose?

Nobody expected much of the team with preseason predictions putting the Redbirds at the bottom of the National League Central. Now the end of May is upon us and somehow a team of no-names has drawn attention to itself, and sits tied with Chicago’s “Team of Destiny” for the top spot in the division. Oh, by the way, the Cardinals beat the rest of the NL in the race to 30 wins after posting a 4-0 shutout against the surging Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday (only the Boston Red Sox have more wins than St. Louis).

Head man Tony La Russa must be thrilled and confused all at the same time. All but three players on this year’s roster (Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, and Troy Glaus) are fighting for a consistent starting role. La Russa has changed his lineup more times this season than the Cincinnati Bengals have had players arrested. In 51 games the Cardinals’ skipper has filled out 41 different lineup cards, and has recycled only five of them.

The situation has gotten so bad that the current major league roster lists five different outfielders – all producing when their name is called leaving the Cardinals management scratching their collective heads to figure out when to play who, and what day to give which player time off. It’s also leaving a very worthy prospect stuck in Triple-A.

Outfielder Joe Mather has been putting up Nintendo-like numbers in the Pacific Coast League, but hasn’t been able to even make the major league roster as a bat boy. Any other year, Mather would have already been added after batting .302 with a .404 on-base percentage, a .647 slugging percentage and 10 home runs in only 116 at-bats. But La Russa can’t justify calling his name when Ryan Ludwick’s team-leading 13 homers, .346 average, .424 on-base percentage and .750 slugging percentage doesn’t even  warrant a fulltime spot.

“I wouldn’t even discuss him, because there is no role for him,” La Russa told the team’s website. “How can he have a role? I’m sitting Ryan Ludwick today. So what’s [Mather’s] role? To sit? As it is now, these guys are scuffing for playing time. I’m having trouble getting [Brian] Barton at-bats.”

The position players aren’t the only young guns turning heads. Rookie pitcher Chris Perez has been a pleasant surprise, and if Jason Isringhausen has any hope of being the Cardinals’ closer when he returns from the DL, he better come prepared to throw some of the best outings of his career.

Perez landed a spot in the bullpen when the veteran staff started taking turns on the slumping train to the infirmary. Since his debut, Perez has made five appearances, allowed one hit, one walk, has struck out five, and has yet to allow a run. If those numbers stay consistent, the bullpen worries should go away and Isringhausen might be heading to the post office to fill out a Change of Address form.

SAN DIEGO – Shoulder problems? By listening to Cardinals manager Tony La Russa commenting on center fielder Rick Ankiel prior to Wednesday night’s game in San Diego, it sounded like there might be a chance that Ankiel would be ready to play this weekend against the Dodgers.

“Unless he has a setback, I think there’s a good chance he’ll play there,” La Russa told the team’s website in a pregame press conference.

Fast forward to the eighth inning. Though it is his right shoulder giving him problems, you still hate to see a player as crucial as Ankiel rush back to action too quickly. But as usual, La Russa knew more than he was letting on and sent him to the plate to pinch hit for Ron Villone. With a 3-1 count, Ankiel sent a fastball into the right field stands to extend to Cardinals lead to 11-3.

After missing five games because of discomfort in his non-throwing shoulder, his teammates probably would have been fine to see him simply make contact. But the blast removed any doubt as to whether he is game ready and gave La Russa the confidence to let the league’s game-winning RBI leader return to center field. Now the Cardinals can return to fielding their strongest defensive outfield with Ankiel in center, Skip Schumaker in left, and Ryan Ludwick in right.

The homer was Ankiel’s seventh of the season and leaves him third in home runs on the team trailing only Ludwick (12) and Albert Pujols (11).

NEW JERSEY — The situation couldn’t have worked out better for Chicago. After slapping the Bulls in the face with his mind-boggling decision to take the disaster of a job with the New York Knicks, Mike D’Antoni’s reaction at the NBA Draft Lottery was priceless when he found out that it would be Chicago getting the No. 1 pick and not his new employer.

What you didn’t see when the cameras panned away from his formerly grinning mug was his fingers fast at work texting his agent to get back on the phone with Jerry Reinsdorf.

Sorry D’Antoni. It’s too late. All you had to do was wait a few more days to get an offer from the Bulls. But you apparently, as you put it, heard and found out everything you needed to know to make your decision. Perhaps next time you should take a deeper look into the future – all the way to the year 2000.

Regardless of whether or not the Bulls choose Beasley or Rose, they will immediately upgrade a less than enthused lineup. As for the coaching  decision, you have to wonder if the already attractive position will draw even more interest in the coming weeks.

The talk now is Avery Johnson and some other lesser known candidates. The question is whether to get a coach in place to help make the pick, or decide on a player and choose a coach that will work with your new franchise player that the team will ultimately be built around.

There are also rumors surfacing of the Bulls possibly trying to acquire Carmello Anthony. If that happens coupled with the No. 1 pick, should Chicago fans start popping champagne? The right selection could make all the difference. Keep in mind, it’s too early to tell and you should never put the cart before the horse, but the Bulls only had a 1.7 percent chance of winning the Lottery in the first place.

ST. LOUIS – The Cardinals pitching staff is starting to look more like an infirmary than part of a professional baseball roster, and it only seems to be getting worse.

Just when Mark Mulder looked to be on the fast track to returning, management sat him down, extending his rehab assignment. Matt Clement hasn’t even been talked about, Tyler Johnson has been scheduled for surgery, and Jason Isringhausen’s mental break most recently turned into a laceration on his hand. Oh yeah, and the once promising Kyle Lohse will soon be on the DL with shoulder problems.

Everything seems to be pointing down. But if a Monty Python reference can be forgiven, Cardinals fans should “Always Look on the Bright Side.”

Nobody expected anything at all from the 2008 Cardinals, and the team currently sits 2.5 games out of first place. Any other year, that might seem like a negative. But also remember that it’s only May 16 and there is a lot of baseball left to be played.

Remember the 2006 World Series? The Redbirds largely won in the post season with young pitchers. This could be another win-win situation. Giving a veteran pitching staff a break this early in the season will not only let La Russa and Duncan learn what they might be able to expect from their prospects, but give the proven guys a rest and the ability to go strong in the second half of the season.

In the ideal world of La Russa, Chris Perez and Mike Parisi will end up being stars just in time for the second-half return of the injured Cardinals. If the Redbirds can stay within reach, the post-All-Star Break rotation could be Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Mulder, Lohse, Braden Looper … and what do you do with Clement, Joel Pineiro, and Todd Wellemeyer.

As far as the closer situation, the St. Louis management might have been better off lacerating the hand of Ron Villone instead of Isringhausen. Every time Randy Flores, Ryan Franklin, or Kyle McClellan have a solid outing and hold the opposition, apprehension sets in when Villone enters the game. Perhaps the Yankees felt the same way when they decided to get rid of the 38-year old veteran who has been with 11 teams in 13 years.