All posts by Marilyn Green

St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of October 28-November 3

photo: Kolten Wong (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports Images)

As MLB’s award season begins, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong won two prestigious defensive honors. Our history feature looks back at prior St. Louis Gold Glove Award winners, starting with The Wizard.


First changes to 40-man roster

November is the first full month of Major League Baseball’s offseason and is the time when teams must finalize their 40-man rosters for the Rule 5 draft, which occurs in December.  Each year, teams have until November 20 to make necessary additions and subtractions to the roster to add non-roster players who the organization wishes to protect from the draft.  Teams must also make additions in the form of players who ended the season on the 60-day injured list and who must be returned to the roster.

The first wave of changes were made by the Cardinals this past week when Jordan Hicks, Brett Cecil, and Lane Thomas were returned to the roster after finishing the season on the injured list.  Pitcher Tony Cingrani had also been on the 60-day injured list, but he was not added back because he had elected free agency.

Four other Cardinals also elected free agency – Marcell Ozuna, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Matt Wieters.  Two other players came off the roster as well.  Catcher Joe Hudson and reliever Mike Mayers were placed on outright waivers.  Hudson cleared waivers and was assigned to Memphis, and Mayers was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.  Hudson will likely elect minor league free agency rather than return in 2020.

Following the subtraction of the four free agents plus Hudson and Mayers, the roster contained 34 players.  The return of Hicks, Cecil, and Thomas brought the number up to 37.

Additional changes to the roster will occur prior to November 20.  The Cardinals are likely to add several non-roster minor league players to the roster for Rule 5 protection purposes.  Prime candidates are pitcher Jake Woodford and infielder Elehuris Montero.  Should the Cardinals decide to re-sign any of the free agents (Wainwright and Wieters may be the more likely players to return) then further subtractions from the roster may be required.

For more information

Mayers Leaves Cards via Waivers, C Hudson Dropped from 40-Man


Wong honored with two defensive awards

Kolten Wong (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

This past week, Kolten Wong was announced as the winner of the Fielding Bible Award as MLB’s best defender at second base for 2019.  The Fielding Bible Award began in 2006 and recognizes the best defensive player at each of the nine positions for that season based on statistical analysis.  The award is given out regardless of league.  A panel of voters, consisting of baseball analysts and writers, make the selection and the winners are announced on the website, which is located at www.fieldingbible.com.

Wong also won last season, making this his second Fielding Bible award.  The choice of Wong was unanimous among the voters on the panel.

Wong is also the recipient of the 2019 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for second base in the National League.  The winners were announced on Sunday night, with Wong the only winner among six Cardinals finalists.  Wong led all of MLB and the NL in both Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) with 14 and Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) with a rating of 5.2.

Wong is a first time Gold Glove Award winner.  He was a finalist last season but lost out to D.J. LeMahieu of the Rockies, who is now with the Yankees.

For more information

SDI Shows Why Only One Cardinal Won a 2019 Gold Glove


Shannon named Ford C. Frick Award finalist

Mike Shannon (AP)

Former Cardinals player and long-time radio broadcaster Mike Shannon is among eight finalists for the annual Ford C. Frick Award.  The award is presented by the Baseball Hall of Fame and recognizes a broadcaster for his or her “major contributions to baseball”.  The award is named after the Commissioner of Baseball from 1951 through 1955.

Though the award is given out by the Hall of Fame, winners are not inducted into the Hall.  Each annual winner gives a speech at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in July of each year, and their names are added to a plaque located in the library of the Hall.

Shannon, 80, has been one of the voices of the Cardinals on St. Louis radio for 48 years.  He worked with the legendary Jack Buck, and currently mans the booth alongside colleagues John Rooney, and former Cardinal Rick Horton. The latter covers road games during the season in place of Shannon, who no longer travels with the team.  Shannon played for the Cardinals for nine seasons back in the 1960s.

The other finalists for the award are Boston broadcasters Joe Castiglione and the late Ned Martin, Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes, former White Sox broadcaster Ken Harrelson, Cleveland Indians play by play radio announcer Tom Hamilton, and former Montreal, and current Toronto Blue Jays French radio announcer Jacques Doucet.

The Frick Award winner will be announced on December 11 during Baseball’s Winter Meetings.


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

  • 10/31 LF Marcell Ozuna, C Matt Wieters, RHP Adam Wainwright, RHP Michael Wacha, and LHP Tony Cingrani all elected free agency.
  • 11/1 The Cardinals activated RHP Jordan Hicks, LHP Brett Cecil, and OF Lane Thomas from the 60-day injured list.
  • 11/1 The Cardinals sent C Joe Hudson outright to the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 11/1 RHP Mike Mayers was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.

Injury Report

  • P Carlos Martinez (right shoulder) had a “small procedure” that consisted of a platelet rich plasma injection in his right shoulder to address persistent shoulder soreness and weakness. His recurring issues with the shoulder kept Martinez out of the starting rotation and in the bullpen for the 2019 season.  Martinez is expected to have a normal offseason and Spring Training and also be back in the mix for the starting rotation in 2020.

Looking Ahead

Five 2019 Cardinals became free agents this past week – Marcell Ozuna, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Matt Wieters, and Tony Cingrani.  The team’s exclusive window for negotiating with free agents ends at 4 pm CT on Monday.  Any qualifying offers the Cardinals wish to tender to free agents must be made at that time.  It is likely only Marcell Ozuna will be offered the qualifying offer for a one-year contract from among the five free agents.  Qualifying offers must be accepted or declined by 4 pm CT on November 14.

The Cardinals have begun making moves to the 40 man roster prior to the Rule 5 draft.  The roster must be finalized by November 20.  The five free agents are no longer on the roster, and the Cardinals have added three players from the 60-day injured list back on to the roster – Jordan Hicks, Brett Cecil, and Lane Thomas.  The Cardinals outrighted C Joe Hudson from the roster, and RHP Mike Mayers was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels.  The roster now stands at 37.

Further roster moves are almost certain to be made prior to the November 20 deadline.  Any non-roster players the Cardinals wish to protect from the Rule 5 draft must be added by then.

Notable events occurring in November also include the General Manager Meetings on November 11-14, and the Owners Meeting on November 19-21.  Offseason awards will be announced during the period November 3-14, beginning with the Gold Glove Awards on November 3.  The finalists for all BBWAA awards will be announced on November 4.  The first of the BBWAA awards, the Silver Slugger, will be awarded to a finalist at each position in each league on November 7.


Blast from the Past

The annual Gold Glove Award winners were announced on Sunday night, November 3 on ESPN.  The Cardinals had six finalists – catcher Yadier Molina, pitcher Jack Flaherty, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, second baseman Kolten Wong, shortstop Paul DeJong, and center fielder Harrison Bader.  Wong was the only winner.  This week’s Blast from the Past takes a look at some former Cardinal winners of the award.

The Cardinals have had 22 players win Gold Gloves over the history of the award, which was first given out in 1957.  The first year, the award was given to the top fielder at each position regardless of league.  Beginning in 1958, the award was given to the top fielder at each position in both leagues.

From 1957 to 1960, separate awards were given for each of the three outfield positions.  In 1961 through 2010, the award was given to three outfielders in each league irrespective of position (so it could be three right fielders or three left fielders, and so on).  In 2011, the original method of one award for each outfield position in each league returned.

Ozzie Smith

The player with the most Gold Glove Awards as a Cardinal is shortstop Ozzie Smith, with 11.  Smith won 13 Gold Gloves overall, with the first two coming when he was with the San Diego Padres.

First Baseman Keith Hernandez has won 11 Gold Gloves overall, six of which he received while playing first base for St. Louis.  The next highest number of awards while playing for the Cardinals is nine by current catcher Yadier Molina.  Molina was a finalist for this year’s Gold Glove but did not win.  Other Cardinal catchers with Gold Gloves are Tom Pagnozzi and Mike Matheny, each with three.

(Billy Hurst/USA TODAY Sports)

Current first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has three Gold Gloves received while playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  He was a finalist this year but lost out to Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Current second baseman Kolten Wong won his first Gold Glove this season after losing out to Rockies second baseman D.J. LeMahieu in 2018.  The only other Cardinal second sacker to win a Gold Glove was Fernando Vina, winner in 2001 and 2002.

Pitcher Jack Flaherty, shortstop Paul DeJong, and center fielder Harrison Bader were first time finalists.  Former Cardinal pitchers to win the award are Bobby Shantz with three, from 1962-64, Bob Gibson, who has nine Gold Gloves, Joaquin Andujar, who won in 1984, and Adam Wainwright, who has two Gold Gloves, one in 2009 and the other in 2013.

Along with Smith, shortstop Dal Maxvill won the award in 1968, and shortstop Edgar Renteria was selected in both 2002 and 2003.  Former St. Louis outfield winners are Curt Flood, with seven Gold Gloves, Willie McGee with three, Jim Edmonds with six, and Jason Heyward, who won in right field in 2015.  Flood and Edmonds were exclusively center fielders, while McGee played both center field and right field.

St. Louis did not have a third base finalist this season, but former Cardinals Ken Boyer, Ken Reitz, Terry Pendleton, and Scott Rolen have each won the award.  Reitz won only once, while Boyer has five Gold Gloves, Pendleton has two, and Rolen earned four Gold Gloves as a Cardinal.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2019 Cardinals Comeback Pitcher of the Year


Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of October 21-27

photo: Kolten Wong (Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports Images)

As the St. Louis Cardinals move into off-season mode, free agency approaches for five players and six others are competing for Gold Gloves. Our history feature looks back at St. Louis’ 2013 World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox.


Cardinals garner six Gold Glove finalists

The finalists for the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards were announced on Thursday, October 24, and six St. Louis Cardinals made the list of top three finishers in the National League at their positions. The awards honor one player at each position in each league for their defense during the season.  The Cardinals led the NL in the number of top three finishers.

The Cardinals’ six finalists:

  • C Yadier Molina
  • P Jack Flaherty
  • 1B Paul Goldschmidt
  • 2B Kolten Wong
  • SS Paul DeJong
  • CF Harrison Bader

Molina is a nine-time winner while Goldschmidt has received three Gold Gloves over his career.  Wong was a 2018 finalist but lost to D.J. LeMahieu.  DeJong, Flaherty, and Bader are first-time finalists.

The SABR Defensive Index rankings, courtesy of SABR.org, which are 25% of the final score in choosing the winners, are unavailable until the winners are announced.  However, other defensive stats, such as Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), can give insight into player defensive performance.  Kolten Wong led the NL in DRS with 14.  His competition, Ozzie Albies and Adam Frazier, had eight and six respectively.  Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) is another such stat, and DeJong as well as Bader led the NL in UZR.

The winner from each set of finalists will be announced on Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm ET in a live show on ESPN.


Free Agency looming for five Cardinals

As the World Series nears its conclusion, the official start of the offseason and free agency is set to begin at 9 am ET on the day following the end of the World Series.  All potential MLB free agents will become official at that time.

The Cardinals have five 40-man roster players set to become free agents: Marcell Ozuna, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Matt Wieters, and Tony Cingrani.  All teams will have an exclusive window for negotiating with their free agents that ends at 5 pm ET on the fifth day following the end of the World Series.

Marcell Ozuna came to the Cardinals in a 2017 offseason trade with the Miami Marlins.  The Cardinals sent Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Magneuris Sierra and Daniel Castano to Miami in exchange for the outfielder.  In his two seasons in St. Louis, Ozuna posted a slash line of .262/.327/.451 with 52 home runs and 177 RBI.  The left fielder had a sluggish 2018 season for the Cardinals but bounced back in 2019 with better numbers.

Ozuna will turn 29 years old in a couple of weeks, and the Cardinals have a surfeit of young outfielders in the organization.  The likelihood that the Cardinals will attempt to re-sign Ozuna is low.  It is probable that Ozuna will be offered the $17.8 million dollar qualifying offer which the outfielder will likely not accept.  Should he decline the offer and sign elsewhere, the Cardinals will receive a draft pick in compensation.

Marcell Ozuna

Adam Wainwright, 38, has been with the Cardinals since they acquired him in 2003 from the Atlanta Braves minor league system.  The pitcher made his MLB debut in September 2005 and played his first full MLB season in 2006 as a reliever.  Wainwright was signed to a one-year deal plus incentives in the 2018-2019 offseason.  Wainwright pitched very well and earned every one of his contractual incentives for a final 2019 salary of $10 million.

Wainwright has a decision to make as to whether he wants to pitch another year or retire.  Should he decide to continue to pitch, the Cardinals will more than likely work out a mutually acceptable deal with him.

Adam Wainwright

Michael Wacha, 28, was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 draft and made his MLB debut on May 30, 2013. Wacha was an integral part of the Cardinals World Series run that season.  The right hander posted a regular season ERA of 2.78 in 15 games, including nine starts.  Wacha was named the NLCS MVP in that postseason run.  In his seven seasons as a Cardinal, he has a record of 59-39 and an ERA of 3.91.

Wacha’s last several seasons were marred by recurring injuries including a stress reaction in his right shoulder.  It is unlikely the Cardinals will attempt to re-sign Wacha or issue him a qualifying, making him available to be signed without penalty by another team for 2020.

Michael Wacha

In February, the Cardinals signed Matt Wieters, 33, to a one-year free agent contract to serve as the back-up catcher to Yadier Molina.  A 10-year veteran, Wieters spent eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and moved to the Washington Nationals as a free agent in 2017.  He played two seasons in Washington and was granted free agency again in October 2018.  This season, Wieters posted a slash line of .214/.268/.435 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI in 67 games.  There has been no indication from the Cardinals as to whether a reunion with Wieters for 2020 is a possibility.

Matt Wieters

Finally, Tony Cingrani was acquired in a mid-season trade that sent Jedd Gyorko to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Cingrani came to the Cardinals along with minor league pitcher Jeffry Abreu in a trade widely considered a salary dump manuever.  Both Cingrani and Abreu were injured when they were acquired; Cingrani is recovering from Tommy John surgery and was immediately placed on the 60-day injured list.  Abreu was also placed on the minor league injured list.  Neither has thrown a pitch for the Cardinals.  It is not expected the Cardinals will make an attempt to retain Cingrani.

Tony Cingrani


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

All players on the injured list at the end of the season (minus any free agents) must be returned to the 40-man roster by November 20 if they are to be retained by the team.

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and did not return to the roster.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out until mid-season 2020.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.
  • Michael Wacha (right shoulder strain) was shut down from throwing for a week following an early exit from a game on September 25. Wacha was unavailable to participate in the NLDS and was not included on the NLCS roster.  He becomes a free agent after the end of the World Series and will likely not be returning to the Cardinals.
  • P Carlos Martinez (right shoulder) had a “small procedure” that consisted of a platelet rich plasma injection in his right shoulder to address persistent shoulder soreness and weakness. His recurring issues with the shoulder kept Martinez out of the starting rotation and in the bullpen for the 2019 season.  Martinez is expected to have a normal offseason and Spring Training and also be back in the mix for the starting rotation in 2020.

Looking Ahead

Looming free agency for several Cardinals is next on the Calendar for the offseason.  The Cardinals have the following players set to become free agents:  Marcell Ozuna, Matt Wieters, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Tony Cingrani.  (See details above.)

In addition to making decisions on free agency, the Cardinals must return all injured players they intend to retain to the 40 man roster on or before November 20.  Any non-roster minor league players the Cardinals want to protect from the Rule 5 draft in December must be added to the 40-man roster by the 20th as well.

Notable events occurring in November also include the General Manager Meetings on November 11-14, and the Owners Meeting on November 19-21.  Individual awards will be announced during the period November 3-14, beginning with the Gold Gloves on November 3.


Blast from the Past

As the 2019 World Series nears its conclusion, this week’s Blast from the Past reminisces about the last time the Cardinals played in the World Series.

The Cardinals’ run to the 2013 World Series began with a NL Central Division championship, then continued with a 4-1 defeat of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLDS and a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The Cardinals met the Boston Red Sox in the Fall Classic, which began on October 23, 2013 at Fenway Park.

The Cardinals lost Game 1 by a score of 8-1.  Starters were Adam Wainwright or the Cardinals and Jon Lester for the Red Sox.  Wainwright pitched five innings and gave up five runs, three earned, on six hits. Two errors by shortstop Pete Kozma and one by David Freese, plus a misplayed popup that fell between Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, added to the Cardinals’ woes.  A solo home run by Matt Holliday was the Cardinals’ only score.

St. Louis fared better in Game 2, defeating Boston 4-2.  Michael Wacha opposed future Cardinal John Lackey for Boston.  St. Louis scored first on a ground out by Molina.  A sac fly by Matt Carpenter and a Boston error led to two runs scoring and that was immediately followed by an RBI single by Carlos Beltran.  Wacha earned the win and closer Trevor Rosenthal got the save.

The series moved to St. Louis for Game 3.  The Cardinals edged the Red Sox 5-4 to take a 2-1 series lead.  Starters were Joe Kelly for the Cardinals and Jake Peavy for the Red Sox.  Kelly went 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on two hits.  The Cardinals scored two runs in the first inning on singles by Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina.  Holliday drove in two additional runs in the seventh inning on a double to left field.

In the ninth, an unusual play happened.  Molina singled, then Allen Craig doubled.  With Molina on third and Craig on second, Jon Jay hit a grounder to second and Molina was thrown out at home.  The Red Sox catcher then threw to third base to try to get the running Craig out. Craig slid into third as Boston third baseman Will Middlebrooks lay on the ground in his path after attempting to grab a wide throw from the catcher.  Craig got up and attempted to run for home but made contact with the prone Middlebrooks, slowing him down.  The umpire called interference after Craig was initially tagged out at home, and the run was counted as the umpires ruled Craig would have scored safely but for the contact with Middlebrooks, who was obstructing his path.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpT7-9evb1Y

Game 4 was a 4-2 loss for the Cardinals, tying the series 2-2.  St. Louis’ Lance Lynn faced Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz.  Lynn pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on three hits.  The Cardinals scored first on a third inning RBI single by Carlos Beltran.  The Cardinals plated their second run on a single by Matt Carpenter in the seventh inning.  The game ended in the ninth when pinch runner Kolten Wong, running for Allen Craig, was picked off first base.  Wong wore the scorn of this pickoff for several years after, as it was the first time in MLB postseason history that a game ended on a pickoff.

The last game in St. Louis was also a loss for the Redbirds, as they went down 3-1 to give Boston a 3-2 Series lead.  The losing pitcher was Adam Wainwright, who also took the Game 1 defeat.  It was not a good World Series for Wainwright.  Wainwright went seven innings and gave up three runs on eight hits.  Jon Lester again pitched for Boston.  A solo home run by Matt Holliday was again the only score for St. Louis.  Game 5 was basically the mirror image of Game 1 without the errors.

The teams went back to Boston for Game 6.  Once again it was Michael Wacha against John Lackey.  The Cardinals lost the game 6-1 and the Series.  Wacha pitched only 3 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on five hits.  The Cardinals intentionally walked Sox slugger David Ortiz four times, twice by Wacha and twice by Trevor Rosenthal.  The Cardinals’ only run came on a single by Carlos Beltran in the seventh inning.

The Cardinals were outscored by the Red Sox 27-14 in the Series.  The Cardinals would reach the postseason again in 2014 and 2015 but fell in the NLCS to the Giants in 2014 and in the NLDS to the Cubs in 2015.  They did not reach the postseason again until 2019, when they were swept in four games in the NLCS by the Washington Nationals.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

TCN’s 2019 Cardinals Minor League Player of the Year


Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 26, 2019

photo: Roel Ramirez (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Outfielder Conner Capel, infielder Kramer Robertson and pitcher Roel Ramirez were in the starting lineup for Glendale in Friday’s AFL finale. Capel went 1-for-3, a single, and Robertson went 2-for-2, both singles, plus a walk, and scored. In three innings, Ramirez gave up one run on two hits to earn the win.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Friday, October 25.


Glendale Desert Dogs 5 at Surprise Saguaros 3

Kramer Robertson (Arizona Fall League)

St. Louis Cardinals position players Conner Capel and Kramer Robertson and pitcher Roel Ramirez started Friday’s game for Glendale against Surprise.  This was the finale of the regular AFL season.

Capel played in left field and hit seventh in the lineup, going 1-for-3.  Capel flied out to center in his first at bat, then struck out swinging, and hit an infield single to first base.  He posted a slash line of .266/.330/.418 in 22 AFL games.

Kramer Robertson was the second sacker and batted ninth.  He went 2-for-2 with a walk and run scored.  Robertson singled to center in his first at bat, walked, and hit an infield single to short. The infielder posted a slash line of .269/.424/.385 in eight AFL games.

Roel Ramirez (Arizona Fall League)

Roel Ramirez was the starting pitcher for Glendale.  The right-hander went three innings and gave up one run on two hits while fanning three and walking one to earn the win.  One of the hits was a solo home run and he also had a wild pitch.  Ramirez threw 43 pitches, 32 for strikes.  He posted an AFL record of 2-0 with an ERA of 2.03 in nine AFL appearances, including three starts.

The Desert Dogs scored twice in the first and held a 2-1 lead into the fifth, when they pulled away with three runs.

No other Cardinals saw action.

By going 8-2 over their last 10 contests, Glendale ended with a 14-15 record for the AFL season and crawled out of last place, tying Peoria for second place in the AFL West.

The AFL Championship game between the winners of the AFL East (Salt River) and AFL West (Surprise) will take place on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday’s game:  No game scheduled.  End of AFL season for Glendale.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Montero Making Up for Lost Injury Time in the AFL


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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 25, 2019

photo: Ivan Herrera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Catcher Ivan Herrera and second baseman Kramer Robertson played in Glendale’s 2-1 AFL win over Peoria on Thursday night. Herrera went 2-for-4 with two singles and an RBI, but Robertson was 0-for-4, including two strikeouts.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Thursday, October 24.


Glendale Desert Dogs 2, Peoria Javelinas 1

Two St. Louis Cardinals position players were in the starting lineup for the Glendale Desert Dogs in their 2-1 home win over the Peoria Javelinas on Thursday night.

Ivan Herrera (Arizona Fall League)

Kramer Robertson was the second baseman and hit second for Glendale.  He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.  The second baseman lined out to right field in his first at bat, then struck out looking, struck out swinging and grounded into a double play.

Ivan Herrera was the starting catcher for Glendale and hit sixth in the lineup.  The backstop went 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Herrera grounded out to second in his first at bat, lined out to left field, and singled to center field twice.  He drove in the first of Glendale’s two runs in the seventh inning, when all three of the game’s tallies occurred.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 12-15 on the AFL season and is in last place in the AFL West, four games back of Surprise.

Friday’s game:  at Surprise, seven-inning regular season finale, Roel Ramirez (1-0, 1.74) 2:30 CT.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Ivan Herrera is both Very Young and Very Good


Not yet a member?

Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.

Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of October 14-20

photo: Harrison Bader (Brad Mills/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Washington Nationals in four straight in the Championship Series as the offense struggled. At least four Cards may have played their last game with the team. Our history feature looks back at key moments in past St. Louis playoff contests.


Postseason recaps

NLCS Game 3 – Monday, October 14 – Cardinals 1 at Nationals 8

Jose Martinez (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The National League Championship Series moved to Washington, DC for Game 3, following two Cardinals losses to the Nationals in St. Louis.  The offense-deficient Cardinals once again were the losers, falling behind 3-0 in the series.

The offense pushed its lone run across the plate in the seventh inning on a single by Paul DeJong that plated Jose Martinez.  The inning started with singles by both Martinez and Yadier Molina.  The offense managed seven hits against Nats starter Stephen Strasburg, with only one going for extra bases, a double by Marcell Ozuna.  Ozuna and Martinez were both 2-for-4.  DeJong was 2-for 3.

Jack Flaherty pitched four innings and gave up four runs on five hits.  The right hander fanned six and walked two.  The starter was not helped by a crucial missed catch in left by Marcell Ozuna and a wild pitch that Yadier Molina would stop most times, both of which occurred with two out in the fateful four-run third inning.

Tyler Webb and John Brebbia each pitched 2/3 of an inning, with Webb surrendering one run and Brebbia giving up two.  Genesis Cabrera followed, collecting two outs.  Daniel Ponce de Leon pitched the final two frames, yielding the final Nats run on two hits.


NLCS Game 4 – Tuesday, October 15 – Cardinals 4 at Nationals 7

Kolten Wong (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals entered Game 4 with a slightly different lineup, but the result was the same.  The Redbirds lost 7-4, despite scoring more runs than in the previous three combined.

After falling behind 7-0 in the first inning, the Cardinals got on the board in the fourth on a solo home run by Yadier Molina.  Three more runs were added in the fifth inning.  Harrison Bader, in his first NLCS start, drew a walk and Kolten Wong singled to right, moving Bader to third.  Dexter Fowler walked, and Tommy Edman grounded out to plate Bader.  Jose Martinez doubled to score Wong and Fowler.  Wong was 2-for-4 as the only Cardinal with multiple hits.

Starter Dakota Hudson lasted only 1/3 of an inning, and gave up seven runs, four earned, on five hits.  The right handler issued one walk.  Following Hudson’s exit, Adam Wainwright, Ryan Helsleyy, Giovanny Gallegos, and Andrew Miller combined to pitch the remainder of the game in scoreless fashion.

Wong made a fielding error.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals’ season ended on Wednesday, October 15, the result of a four-game sweep by the Nationals in the NLCS.

The lack of offense was the predominant issue in the poor showing, a weakness all season.  The Nationals pitchers completely shut down the offense, as the Cardinals scored only six runs over four games.

Paul Goldschmidt (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Only Jose Martinez, who did not start every game, had an OPS above .800 during the NLCS.  The next highest OPS was .702 from Yadier Molina.  Middle of the order bats Marcell Ozuna and Paul Goldschmidt had OPS’s of .438 and .125 respectively in the NLCS after leading the way in the Division Series win.

Starting pitching faltered somewhat. Dakota Hudson had a disastrous start in Game 4.  Jack Flaherty gave up four runs in Game 3, hurt by defensive lapses.  Miles Mikolas and Adam Wainwright were fine, as was the bullpen.

The major issue was the offense.  With the season now over, the Cardinals have decisions to make about next year’s roster.  Marcell Ozuna is likely leaving in free agency, so a middle of the order bat may once again be the Cardinals’ offseason goal.


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

Marcell Ozuna (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Mark Saxon of The Athletic reports that the Cardinals will not be making an offer to re-sign Marcell Ozuna prior to his reaching free agency.

All potential free agents officially become free agents as of 9 a.m. ET the day following the end of the World Series.  The Cardinals will have exclusive rights to negotiate with Ozuna until 5 p.m. ET on the fifth day following the end of the World Series.

Saxon further writes that the Cardinals are likely to make Ozuna a qualifying offer, which is $17.8 million. If Ozuna turns down the one-year deal to return, St. Louis will receive a compensatory 2020 draft pick when the outfielder signs elsewhere.

According to MLB.com’s Adam Berry, following the NLCS Game 4 loss to the Nationals, Adam Wainwright said that he hasn’t been thinking about his future plans for the 2020 season, but stated that he and the Cardinals will talk about it over the next couple of weeks.  Wainwright is set to become a free agent on the day following the World Series.

Last year, the Cardinals signed Wainwright to a one year contract with incentives, which the 38-year old right hander met with his 2019 performance.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

Carlos Martinez (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

RHP Carlos Martinez had a platelet-rich injection in his pitching shoulder this past week and is expected to have a normal off-season. St. Louis president of baseball operations John Mozeliak shared the details with KMOX Radio.

All injured players on the injured list at the end of the season (minus any free agents) must be returned to the 40-man roster by November 20 if they are to be retained by the team.

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and did not return to the roster.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 missed the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.
  • Michael Wacha (right shoulder strain) was shut down from throwing for a week following an early exit from a game on September 25. Wacha was unavailable to participate in the NLDS and was not included on the NLCS roster.  He becomes a free agent after the end of the World Series and will likely not be returning to the Cardinals.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals 2019 season ended with the four-game sweep by the Nationals in the NLCS.  All potential free agents become official on the day following the World Series, including Marcell Ozuna, Matt Wieters, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, and Tony Cingrani.  Cingrani was part of a trade of Jedd Gyorko to the Los Angeles Dodgers and was injured and unable to play when he was acquired.  It is likely the Cardinals will not make a move to retain him.  Marcell Ozuna and Michael Wacha will also likely not be retained, though Ozuna may be given a qualifying offer.  Adam Wainwright has not yet announced his plans for 2020 and it possible the 38-year old pitcher will choose to retire.  Whether the Cardinals will re-sign Wieters is unknown, but prospect Andrew Knizner is ready in the wings.

In addition to making decisions on free agency, the Cardinals must return all injured players they intend to retain to the 40-man roster on or before November 20.  Any non-roster minor league players the Cardinals want to protect from the Rule 5 draft in December must be added to the 40-man roster by the 20th as well. Prime candidates include pitcher Jake Woodford and third baseman Elehuris Montero.


Blast from the Past

This week’s Blast from the Past looks at notable events from Cardinals postseasons past.

    • October 14, 1985 – Ozzie Smith hits the first left-handed home run of his career in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Broadcaster Jack Buck gave his famous “Go crazy folks” call about this home run.
Enos Slaughter’s Mad Dash
  • October 15, 1946 – Enos Slaughter streaked home from first base on a Harry Walker single in Game 7 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. This event is known as the “Mad Dash”
  • October 15, 1964 – in Game 7 of the World Series against the New York Yankees, the Cardinals won 7-5 and became the first team with a losing record at the All-Star Break to go on to win the World Series. Bob Gibson was selected as the MVP, having struck out 31 hitters in three games.  Also, in this game, the Boyer brothers, Ken and Clete, hit home runs, Ken for the Cardinals, and Clete for the Yankees.  Both long balls were hit in their last at bats of the game.
  • October 15, 1982 – Willie McGee became the first rookie to hit two home runs in the same World Series game. The long balls were hit in the fifth and seventh innings off Brewers starter Pete Vuckovich.
  • October 16, 1985 – St. Louis first baseman Jack Clark hit a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning for the comeback win in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Dodgers. Via that win, the Cardinals were crowned National League Champions.
  • October 17, 2005 – Albert Pujols accomplished the same feat as Clark in 1985 by hitting a ninth inning, two out, three-run home run in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Astros’ pitcher Brad Lidge. The celebration was short lived, however, as the Astros won Game 6 and moved ahead on to the World Series.
  • October 19, 2006 – NLCS Game 7 against the Mets included several notable events. First was a catch by Mets outfielder Endy Chavez that robbed Scott Rolen of a two-run home run.  Then, in the ninth inning, Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run to make up for the robbed home run.  Finally, the famous curve ball from rookie reliever Adam Wainwright that froze Met Carlos Beltran to strike him out for the last out of the NLCS.  The Cardinals went on to win the World Series over the Detroit Tigers.

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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 20, 2019

photo: Elehuris Montero (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Three St. Louis Cardinals saw action in Glendale’s 5-2 victory over Scottsdale on Saturday.  Elehuris Montero went 1-for-4, a double, and an RBI.  Roel Ramirez pitched the first two innings and gave up two runs. Kodi Whitley tossed the final two scoreless frames for his third AFL save.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Saturday, October 19.


Glendale Desert Dogs 5 at Scottsdale Scorpions 2

Elehuris Montero (Arizona Fall League)

One St. Louis Cardinals position player and two pitchers saw action in Saturday night’s game between Glendale and Scottsdale.  Glendale was the winner in the road contest by the score of 5-2.

Elehuris Montero played third base and hit sixth in the Glendale starting lineup and went 1-for-4, a double, and an RBI.  Montero reached on a throwing error in his first at bat in the second inning, then doubled to right in the fourth plating teammate Devin Mann. He popped out to first in the sixth and struck out swinging in the seventh.  Montero is hitting .214/.353/.333 in 13 AFL games.

Kodi Whitley (Arizona Fall League)

Swingman Roel Ramirez got the start and pitched two innings, gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits, struck out two and walked one.  Ramirez also made a throwing error.  The right hander threw 45 pitches, 31 for strikes.  Ramirez has appeared in eight AFL games, including two starts, and has an ERA of 1.74.

Kodi Whitley pitched the eighth and ninth innings in scoreless fashion, striking out three to earn his third save.  He threw 25 pitches, 18 for strikes.   Whitley has appeared in eight AFL games and has an ERA of 0.90.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 10-14 on the AFL season and is in last place in the AFL West, six games back of Surprise. The Desert Dogs are the first team to have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Scottsdale, Bernardo Flores (CWS) (1-3, 6.62) 2:30 CT.


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Seth Elledge Increases Prospect Stock in AFL


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 19, 2019

photo: Ivan Herrera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Four St. Louis Cardinals position players and one pitcher saw action in Glendale’s 3-1 loss to Surprise on Friday night. Elehuris Montero and Ivan Herrera were hitless, but Herrera walked and scored his team’s only run. Conner Capel and Kramer Robertson each singled. Reliever Seth Elledge took the loss, allowing all three Surprise runs in the eighth inning.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Friday, October 18.


Glendale Desert Dogs 1 at Surprise Saguaros 3

Four St. Louis Cardinals position players and one pitcher saw action in Friday’s contest between Glendale and Surprise.  The Desert Dogs lost to the Saguaros 3-1.

Elehuris Montero was the designated hitter and hit fifth.  Montero went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.  He struck out on a foul tip in his first at bat, then popped out to first base, struck out looking, and grounded out to the shortstop.  Montero is hitting .211/.362/.316 in 12 AFL games.

Ivan Herrera (Arizona Fall League)

Ivan Herrera hit sixth in the lineup.  The backstop was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.  Herrera grounded out to short in his first at bat, walked and scored in the fifth inning, grounded out to third in the seventh, and was hit by a pitch in the ninth.  Herrera is hitting .269/.424/.346 in 8 AFL games.

Conner Capel hit seventh and played left field, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout.  The outfielder struck out looking, singled to center, grounded out to second, and popped out to short.  Capel is batting .234/.306/.266 in 18 AFL games.

Kramer Robertson played at second base and hit eighth, going 1-for-3.  Robertson grounded out to second, flied out to center, and singled on a ground ball to center.  Robertson has posted a slash line of .235/.381/.353 in five AFL games.

Capel and Robertson had two of Glendale’s three team hits.

Seth Elledge pitched the eighth inning and had his worst AFL effort, yielding all three Surprise runs on four hits. The reliever walked two and was tagged with a blown save and the loss.  Elledge threw 27 pitches, 12 for strikes, and also had a wild pitch.  The three earned runs charged to Elledge were the first earned runs he has allowed in the AFL season.  The right hander has appeared in seven AFL games and now has an ERA of 3.38.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 9-14 on the AFL season and is in last place in the AFL West, seven games back of Surprise.

Saturday’s game:  at Scottsdale, Jordan Johnson (0-2, 3.86) 8:30 p.m. CT.

Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Seth Elledge Increases Prospect Stock in AFL


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of October 7-13

photo: Jack Flaherty (David Kohl/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals are down two games to none to the Washington Nationals in the Championship Series as the offense struggles mightily. The Cards need the hitters and ace Jack Flaherty to step up again in Game 3. Our weekly history feature looks back at the 2012 NLDS between the same two clubs – the Pete Kozma Series.


Postseason recaps

NLDS Game 4 – Monday, October 7 – Cardinals 5, Braves 4 (10 innings)

Paul Goldschmidt (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals eked out an extra innings one run victory to force Game 5 in Atlanta.  St. Louis scored two runs in the first inning as Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna hit back to back solo home runs. After the Braves put one on the board in the third, the Cardinals added a run in the fourth on a second Ozuna solo home run.

The Braves took the lead with three runs in the fifth, but the resilient Redbirds knotted it up again with a fourth run on a single by Yadier Molina in the eighth. The game went into extra innings, and in the 10th, Molina was again the hero.  After Kolten Wong hit a ground rule double and advanced to third on a ground out, Molina’s sac fly to left field brought Wong home for the walk off victory.

Goldschmidt went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two doubles and two runs scored.  Ozuna was 2-for-5 and Tommy Edman was 2-for-3.

Starter Dakota Hudson pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs, one earned, on five hits.  The right hander struck out two and walked two.  Seven pitchers combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.  They were Tyler Webb (2/3 inning), Giovanny Gallegos (1/3 inning), John Brebbia (2/3 inning), Andrew Mlller (2/3 inning), Ryan Helsley (one inning), Carlos Martinez (one inning) and Miles Mikolas (one inning).  Mikolas got the win.

In the field, Matt Carpenter made a fielding error and Molina had a passed ball.


Wednesday, October 9 – Cardinals 13 at Braves 1

Jack Flaherty (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Faced with a win or go home scenario in Atlanta for Game 5, the Cardinals chose the former in the biggest way possible.  The Redbirds came out swinging in the first inning and didn’t stop for air until 10 runs crossed the plate.

The scoring went like this.  Dexter Fowler walked, Kolten Wong bunted him to second. Paul Goldschmidt singled, Marcell Ozuna singled to plate Fowler.  Yadier Molina reached on an error, Matt Carpenter walked, Tommy Edman doubled to score Ozuna and Molina.  Paul DeJong was intentionally walked, Jack Flaherty walked, and Carpenter scored.  There were still no outs.  Fowler doubled to plate Edman and DeJong.  Wong doubled to score Flaherty and Fowler.  Then Goldschimidt lined out, Ozuna struck out, and Molina grounded out and the inning was over.

The Cardinals added one run in the second on a DeJong double.  In the third, Harrison Bader pinch hit for Carpenter and singled in a run, and DeJong did the same to make the score 13-0.  The Cardinals did not score again, but they didn’t need to, as the Braves were held to only one run in response to the onslaught.

Jack Flaherty pitched six innings and gave up one run on four hits while fanning eight and walking one.  Giovanny Gallegos, John Brebbia, and Genesis Cabrera each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.


NLCS Game 1 – Friday, October 11 – Cardinals 0, Nationals 2

The Cardinals entered the NLCS at home against the Nationals having won Game 5 of the NLDS in Atlanta in a slugfest. Perhaps the Redbirds were exhausted, as the team was certainly sluggish in Game 1 of the NLDS on Friday.  They were blanked by the Nationals 2-0 and nearly no-hit by Anibal Sanchez.  A pinch hit single by Jose Martinez in the eighth ended the no-hitter and was the only Cardinal hit in the game.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings and gave up one run on seven hits.  The right hander struck out seven and walked two.  Giovanny Gallegos started the seventh and surrendered one run. Andrew Miller and John Brebbia finished the seventh without further damage.  Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless eighth.  Tyler Webb and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch a scoreless ninth.

Kolten Wong and Randy Arozarena each stole a base.


NLCS Game 2 – Saturday, October 12 – Cardinals 1, Nationals 3

Adam Wainwright (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

The Cardinals managed to scratch one run across the plate, but the offense remained sluggish and the game was lost 3-1 to the Nationals, who now take a 2-0 lead in the series back home to Washington.

Again, the Cardinals were nearly no-hit, this time by Max Scherzer.  The Cardinals had previous success against Scherzer this season, winning both games he pitched against them in the regular season.  Postseason Scherzer, however, befuddled them.  Paul Goldschmidt finally got to the Nationals’ hurler with a single in the seventh inning.  Pinch hitter Jose Martinez drove in the Cardinals’ only run on a double in the eighth after Paul DeJong singled for one of the three Cardinal hits in the game.

Starter Adam Wainwright pitched very well, but received no run support for his efforts.  Wainwright hurled 7 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on three hits.  Two of the three runs scored in the eighth.  Andrew Miller got the final two outs of the eighth and Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless ninth.

Kolten Wong stole his second postseason base.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals won the NLDS with a whirlwind final two games to dispatch Atlanta. The Cardinal Nation named Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna co-Most Valuable Players.

Goldschmidt and Ozuna – TCN’s NLDS Co-Most Valuable Players

All that scoring meant nothing in the NLCS as the offense seemed to have nothing left.  St. Louis scored only one run in two games and most of the offense came from a pinch hitter.  There were two hits in Game 2 from regulars, singles by Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong.  Jose Martinez had a pinch hit single in Game 1 and a pinch hit double in Game 2.

Miles Mikolas (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Solid pitching kept the scores in both games from getting out of hand.  Miles Mikolas and Adam Wainwright pitched very well but received no help from the offense for their efforts.

The offense struck out a combined 18 times over the two games and had four hits total.  The defense, while on paper showing one error and one passed ball, was not the best the Cardinals had to offer.  The Cardinals put out their best offensive lineup while diminishing the defense, and the effort has so far failed in the NLCS.  Whether that strategy will continue and bear some fruit remains to be seen.

The Cardinals hope to play three games in Washington starting on Monday afternoon.  They must win two of the three to force the series back to St. Louis.  Jack Flaherty will pitch on Monday against Stephen Strasburg and Dakota Hudson will face Patrick Corbin on Tuesday.  No pitchers have been announced for a possible Wednesday Game 5.


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report. The Cardinals kept the same roster for the NLCS as they had in the NLDS. Michael Wacha was deemed not quite ready to go.


Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and will return next season.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on Sept 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • Michael Wacha (right shoulder strain) was shut down from throwing for a week following an early exit from a game on September 25. Wacha was unavailable to participate in the NLDS and was not included on the NLCS roster.  His status for the World Series, should the Cardinals advance, is uncertain.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals are set to play Game 3 of the NLCS in Washington on Monday.  The Cardinals lost the first two games at home and will play at least two games in Washington.  The Cardinals must win 2 of the 3 games in Washington to force a return to St. Louis for Games 6 and 7, which would be played on Friday and Saturday, October 18 and 19.

The postseason schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

The Cardinals will play Game 3 of the NLCS against the Nationals in Washington on Monday.  The Nationals lead the series 2-0 after defeating the Cardinals in the first two games in St. Louis.  This week’s blast from the past remembers the only other time these two teams met in a postseason series.

The Cardinals met the Washington Nationals for the National League Division series beginning on October 7, 2012 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Cardinals were a Wild Card team, while the Nationals were the NL East Division Champs.  The first game was played in St. Louis due to a new format introduced because 2012 was the first year of two Wild Card teams.  The NLDS format was 2-3, instead of the prior 2-2-1 format.  The format would return to 2-2-1 the next season.  The second Wild Card was implemented in March 2012 after the regular season schedule had already been set.  The Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Braves in the first Wild Card Game prior to entering the NLDS against the Nationals.

The Nationals won Game 1 3-2 in St. Louis.  Adam Wainwright started for the Cardinals and Gio Gonzalez took the mound for the Nationals.  The Nationals took the initial 1-0 lead but the Cardinals went ahead 2-1 with two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a wild pitch and a sac fly by Jon Jay.  Cardinals reliever Marc Rzepczynski gave up a two run single in the eighth inning to give the Nationals the 3-2 lead, but both runs were charged to reliever Mitchell Boggs.

The Cardinals roared back from the Game 1 loss with a 12-4 Game 2 win.   Jaime Garcia started for St. Louis against Jordan Zimmerman for the Nationals. Allen Craig and Daniel Descalso each hit a solo home run.  Carlos Beltran had two home runs, a two run and a solo shot.

Game 3 moved to Washington and the Cardinals blanked the Nationals, 8-0.  Chris Carpenter got the start while former Cardinal Edwin Jackson started for the Nationals.  Carpenter pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the win.  Pete Kozma hit a three-run home run off Jackson in the second inning.  Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso, and Yadier Molina all drove in runs.

The Nationals tied the series with a 2-1 win in Game 4.  Kyle Lohse started for the Cardinals while Ross Detweiler got the start for the Nationals.  Carlos Beltran drove in the only St. Louis run in the third inning on a sac fly.  The Nationals hit two solo home runs, one off Lohse and the other off Lance Lynn.

Pete Kozma (USA TODAY Sports Images)

The deciding Game 5 was played on Friday, October 12.  Adam Wainwright got the start facing Gio Gonzalez for the second time.  The start did not go well for Wainwright, as he gave up six runs in the first three innings and exited with one out in the third inning.  The Cardinals offense was not discouraged, however, as they began chipping away at the 6-0 deficit.  Matt Holliday doubled in the fourth to drive in the first run.  Two more came home in the fifth on a wild pitch and a walk to make it 6-3.  Jon Jay scored on a Holliday ground out in the seventh and Daniel Descalso hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth to make it 6-5.

The Nationals scored in the bottom of the eighth to increase the lead to 7-5.   Then, in the top of the ninth, magic happened.   Carlos Beltran doubled and both Yadier Molina and David Freese walked, and Descalso singled to score Beltran and pinch runner Adron Chambers to tie the game at 7-7.  After Descalso stole second base, Kozma singled to right to plate Freese and Descalso and give the Cardinals the 9-7 lead.  Jason Motte pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to send the Cardinals to the NLCS.  This game forever cemented Kozma as enemy number one to Nationals fans.

With the Nationals in the driver’s seat in the current NLCS, one must hope magic can again happen for the Cardinals.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals 2019 Arizona Fall League Mid-Season Update


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 13, 2019

photo: Ivan Herrera and Seth Elledge (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Both St. Louis Cardinals representatives, catcher Ivan Herrera and pitcher Seth Elledge, appeared in Saturday night’s AFL Fall All Stars Game.  Herrera entered in the sixth inning and finished behind the plate. The backstop had one at bat and struck out swinging.  Elledge retired his two batters in the eighth with one strikeout.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Saturday, October 12.


AFL West 2 at AFL East 4

Both St. Louis Cardinals representatives saw action in Saturday’s AFL All Star Game.  Catcher Ivan Herrera and pitcher Seth Elledge played for the AFL West, which lost to the AFL East 4-2.

Herrera was not in the starting lineup but came into the game in the sixth inning to replace starting catcher Tyler Stephenson, his Glendale Desert Dogs teammate.  The catcher had one at bat, in the seventh, and struck out swinging.  Herrera has played in six AFL games and has hit .300/.417/.400.

Elledge came into to pitch the eighth inning.  He retired both batters he faced on a strikeout and a ground out and left with two outs and no runners on as the managers made non-traditional moves to get everyone in the game.  Elledge has appeared in six AFL games and has not allowed an earned run.  He has pitched seven total innings and struck out 11 while keeping hitters to a .200 average against him.  Elledge has also posted one save.

Minnesota’s no. 1 prospect, outfielder Royce Lewis of the East, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after homering on the first pitch he saw.

Sunday’s game:  No game scheduled.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Coach Allen on Cardinals AFL Fall Stars Elledge and Herrera


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 12, 2019

photo: Kramer Robertson (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Three St. Louis Cardinals position players appeared in Glendale’s 8-3 Friday Arizona Fall League loss to Peoria. Kramer Robertson went 1-for-3 with a single, a run scored and plated the other two Desert Dogs runs. Conner Capel and Elehuris Montero went hitless.

Results for the game played on Friday, October 11.


Glendale Desert Dogs 3 at Peoria Javelinas 8 (seven innings)

Kramer Robertson (Arizona Fall League)

Three Cardinals position players saw action in Friday’s contest between Glendale and Peoria. The 8-3 loss by Glendale was the team’s 13th of the AFL season. As the Desert Dogs starting pitcher Bobby Wahl (MIL) was knocked out after getting just two outs, the visitors fell behind in the bottom of the first inning and trailed the rest of the way. Friday’s AFL games were all limited to seven innings because of Saturday’s Fall Stars Game.

Kramer Robertson played second base and led off for Glendale. He was 1-for-3 with two RBI, plus drew a walk in his first at bat and later scored on a passed ball.  In the second inning, Robertson singled on a line drive to center to plate Glendale’s second run, and in the fourth he drove in his club’s third and final run on a ground out.  He grounded into a double play in the seventh.  Robertson either scored or drove in all three Glendale runs.

Elehuris Montero started at third base and hit fifth in the lineup.  He was 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base.  In his other two plate appearances, Montero flied out to right field and popped out to third.  He is hitting .194/.375/.290 in 10 AFL games.

Conner Capel was the center fielder and hit sixth for Glendale. He went 0-for-3, including a strikeout, a fly out to right field and line out to second.  He is hitting .204/.271/.222 in 15 AFL games.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 6-13 in the season and is in last place in the AFL West.

Saturday’s game:  AFL Fall Stars Game, 7:08 CT. The Cardinals have two players on the West Division roster, catcher Ivan Herrera, and pitcher Seth Elledge.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Coach Allen on Cardinals AFL Fall Stars Elledge and Herrera


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 11, 2019

photo: Griffin Roberts (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Pitcher Griffin Roberts was the only St. Louis Cardinal to appear in Thursday’s contest between the Glendale Desert Dogs and the Peoria Javelinas.  Glendale won the road game 5-2.  Roberts pitched four innings and gave up one run on three hits and no walks while fanning four.

Results for the game played on Thursday, October 10.


Glendale Desert Dogs 5 at Peoria Javelinas 2

Griffin Roberts (Arizona Fall League)

One St. Louis Cardinals pitcher saw action in Thursday’s 5-2 victory by Glendale at Peoria.  Griffin Roberts took the mound as the starter for the Desert Dogs and pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked none.

The run scored via a solo home run in the third inning.  The other hits yielded were a double and a single in the fourth inning.  Roberts threw 61 pitches, 36 for strikes.  The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.07 in four AFL starts.

Despite the solid outing, Roberts was in line for a 1-0 loss when he departed, but was taken off the hook when the Dogs plated a run in the sixth. The home squad recaptured the lead with a run in the eighth, but Glendale roared back with four in the ninth, two unearned after the Peoria first baseman dropped a popup, to seal the win.

No other Cardinals, pitchers or position players, appeared in Thursdays contest.

Glendale is 6-12 in the season and is in last place in the AFL West.

Friday’s game:  at Peoria, TBA 2:30 CT.


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TCN’s 2019 Peoria Chiefs Starting Pitcher of the Year


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of September 30-October 6

photo: Adam Wainwright (Jeff Curry/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals are down two games to one to the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series as the bullpen and offense struggle. Adam Wainwright’s gutsy Game 3 start was wasted. Our weekly history feature looks back at the 2012 Wild Card between the two clubs, remembered as the Pete Kozma Infield Fly Rule Game.


National League Division Series game recaps

Thursday, October 3 – Cardinals 7 at Braves 6

Marcell Ozuna (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals pulled out the one-run victory in Game 1 of the NLDS with a late inning offensive surge.  St. Louis scored its first run and tied the score in the fifth inning when Harrison Bader led off with a single, advanced to second on a bunt, stole third base, and scored on a Dexter Fowler ground out.

In the eighth and ninth innings, the Cardinals offense put up six runs.  Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run, and Matt Carpenter added an RBI single in the eighth.  In the ninth, doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong brought four runs home.  Tommy Edman, Goldschmidt, Ozuna, and Wong each had two hits.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched five innings and gave up one run on three hits.  The right hander struck out two and walked two.  Tyler Webb started the sixth and surrendered two runs, one earned.  Giovanny Gallegos finished the inning without further damage.  John Brebbia, Andrew Miller, and Ryan Helsley combined for the next 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Carlos Martinez gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings to finish the game and despite the rough performance, was awarded the win.

Bader stole his first postseason base.  Wong and Paul DeJong each made throwing errors.


Jack Flaherty (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Friday, October 4 – Cardinals 0 at Braves 3

In Game 2, the Cardinals were blanked 3-0 by the Braves to tie the series at 1-1.  St. Louis’ offense managed just six hits, all singles.  Marcell Ozuna and Yadier Molina were each 2-for-4.

Starter Jack Flaherty pitched seven innings and gave up three runs on eight hits, while fanning eight and walking one.  Two of the three runs given up came in Flaherty’s final inning on Adam Duvall’s back-breaking pinch-hit home run.  Tyler Webb tossed a scoreless eighth, but the offense was unable to come back.


Sunday, October 6 – Cardinals 1, Braves 3

Adam Wainwright (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals suffered a heartbreaking loss in the final inning of Sunday’s Game 3 at Busch Stadium.  Adam Wainwright pitched a gem, going 7 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing four hits, striking out eight and walking two.  Andrew Miller got the last out of the eighth, escaping a bases-loaded jam created by Wainwright.  The game was lost in the ninth inning by poor pitching from closer Carlos Martinez, who gave up three runs on three hits.

The Cardinals scored their lone run in the second inning.  Marcell Ozuna doubled, advanced to third on a ground out by Yadier Molina, and came home on a sac fly by Matt Carpenter.  St. Louis missed other chances and took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning, but the bullpen couldn’t hold on.

Harrison Bader, pinch running for Carpenter, was caught stealing third base.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals are on the brink of elimination from the Division Series after two consecutive losses to the Braves, in which the offense scored only one run combined.  The offense appears flummoxed by Braves pitching, which has a collective 0.96 ERA, and the lack of offense has been the primary reason for the current predicament.

Marcell Ozuna has been the bright spot, while Paul Goldschmidt has provided some offense but not enough.  Dexter Fowler has gone 1-for-12 in the series. Kolten Wong and Yadier Molina are 2-for-12, and Paul DeJong is 2-for-10.  Harrison Bader, who has also struggled, was benched on Sunday, and Matt Carpenter was inserted into the lineup.  Carpenter, who is 1-for-1 in the series, drove in the only run on Sunday on a sac fly, drew a walk, and struck out.  The offense was just not there in the last two games and it has brought the Cardinals to the brink of elimination.

Good starts by Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright were wasted and closer Carlos Martinez has allowed six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Monday’s game is a must win or go home.  The offense has to show up.  If the Cardinals win, they go back to Atlanta for the final game of the series.


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and missed the remainder of the season.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on September 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • Michael Wacha (right shoulder strain) is shutdown from throwing for several days. Wacha is uncertain for the NLDS but could return at some time in the postseason.

Dakota Hudson (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals enter Game 4 of the NLDS on Monday behind 1-2 in the series.  Game 4 will be played in St. Louis and if the Cardinals win, the series moves back to Atlanta for Game 5 on Wednesday. Dakota Hudson will be starting on Monday with Miles Mikolas likely available in relief. Jack Flaherty is ready to start Game 5 if needed.

If the Cardinals advance to the NLCS, the first game will be played on Friday, October 11 against the winner of the Nationals-Dodgers series. LA is currently up 2-1.

The postseason schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

Last week’s Blast from the Past looked at the last time the Cardinals played the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series.  This week’s article discusses the last time the Cardinals played the Braves in the postseason.

The infamous 2012 Wild Card game between the Cardinals and the Braves was the first Wild Card game played under the current format of two Wild Card teams per league.  The Wild Card was introduced in 1994 and was one team per league, with that Wild Card team playing in the Division Series against a Division champion.  In 2012, with two Wild Card teams per league, the two teams played each other in a single game to determine which team would go on to play in the Division Series.

This game between the Cardinals and the Braves was held in Atlanta on October 5.  The starting pitchers were Kyle Lohse for the Cardinals, and Kris Medlen for the Braves.  It turned out to be the final game in the career of Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.

The Braves scored first on a two-run home run by catcher David Ross in the second inning.  The Cardinals went ahead 3-2 in the fourth on a double by Allen Craig, a groundout by Yadier Molina, and a sac fly by David Freese.

The Cardinals added a fourth run in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Matt Holliday.  Two more runs to make it 6-2 came in the seventh on a fielder’s choice by Pete Kozma, and a single by Matt Carpenter.  The Braves scored in the bottom of the seventh to make it 6-3.

In the eighth inning, the Braves had two men on first and second with one out.  Andrelton Simmons hit a pop fly to shallow left which inexplicably dropped between left fielder Matt Holliday, and shortstop Pete Kozma.  Instead of the pop fly being a single, umpire Sam Holbrook signaled the infield fly rule, and called Simmons out.  Had the pop fly been a hit, the bases would have been loaded with one out.

Matt Holliday/Pete Kozma (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The Braves, both the fans and the team, were unhappy with the call.  Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez filed a protest.  Braves fans, meanwhile, began throwing bottles, cans, and whatever else was available out onto the playing field.  The game was stopped and the players ordered to leave the field.  An announcement over the public address system was made that the Braves would forfeit the game if the debris throwing continued.  The field was cleaned of trash and the game resumed after the 19-minute delay.

The Cardinals won the game 6-3 and the Braves’ protest was denied by MLB Vice President for Baseball Operations Joe Torre immediately after the game.  Torre stated it was a judgment call and could not be overturned.

The Cardinals advanced to the NLDS against the Washington Nationals, won that series, and played the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS, where they lost.  The Giants went on to win the 2012 World Series.


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 6, 2019

photo: Elehuris Montero (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Three St. Louis Cardinals position players saw action in Glendale’s Saturday afternoon shutout of Surprise. Conner Capel, Ivan Herrera and Elehuris Montero all went hitless, though the latter drew a walk.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Saturday, October 5.


Glendale Desert Dogs 2 at Surprise Saguaros 0

Three St. Louis Cardinals position players were in the staring lineup for Glendale on Saturday afternoon.  Glendale blanked Surprise 2-0 for the Desert Dogs’ fifth AFL win, on solo home runs from Jonathan India (CIN) and Blake Rutherford (CWS).

Conner Capel played right field and hit sixth in the Glendale lineup.  Capel went 0-for-4 with one strikeout. The right fielder popped out to third, flied out to left, struck out swinging, and grounded out to first.  The left handed hitter is slashing .205/.262/.205 in 11 AFL games.

Elehuris Montero (Arizona Fall League)

Elehuris Montero was the designated hitter and hit in the seventh spot in the order.  Montero was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.  Montero drew a free pass in his first at bat, struck out swinging, flied out to right, and grounded out to the shortstop.  The third baseman/DH is slashing .158/.333/.316 in six AFL games.

Ivan Herrera was the Desert Dogs’ catcher and hit ninth, going 0-for-3.  The backstop grounded out to third, flied out to right, and grounded out to short.  Herrera is slashing .263/.300/.316 in five AFL games.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale improved to 5-9 in the season but remains in last place in the AFL West, four games behind Surprise.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Scottsdale, Gerardo Carillo (LAD) (0-1, 2.53) 2:30 CT.


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Cardinals Minors Attendance Declines as MiLB Grows


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – October 5, 2019

photo: Griffin Roberts (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Four St. Louis Cardinals appeared in Glendale’s Friday extra-inning win – one position player and four pitchers. Shortstop Kramer Robertson went 1-for-4 with a triple, walk and an RBI. Starter Griffin Roberts went four scoreless innings, striking out five. Roel Ramirez and Kodi Whitley each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.  Seth Elledge pitched the final inning and gave up an unearned run but received his first AFL save.

Results for the game played on Friday, October 4.


Kramer Robertson (Arizona Fall League)

Glendale Desert Dogs 7 at Surprise Saguaros 6 (11 innings)

One St. Louis Cardinal position player and four pitchers saw action in Friday’s extra inning contest between Glendale and Surprise.

Kramer Robertson hit leadoff for Glendale.  He went 1-for-4 with a walk, a triple and an RBI.  The triple came on his first at bat of the game.  The shortstop also grounded out, flied out and drove in a run on a fielder’s choice.  Robertson has a slash line of .182/.357/.364 in three AFL starts.

Griffin Roberts (Arizona Fall League)

Griffin Roberts was the starting pitcher for Glendale.  Roberts pitched four scoreless innings, allowed two hits, fanned five and walked one.  The right-hander threw 60 pitches, 36 for strikes, and has an ERA of 3.38 in three AFL starts.

With the score tied 4-4, Roel Ramirez added a scoreless eighth, allowed no hits, and struck out one.  He threw 17 pitches, 13 for strikes.  The reliever has an ERA of 1.42 in five AFL appearances.

To send the game into extra innings, Kodi Whitley pitched a scoreless, hitless ninth inning an struck out one.  The right hander threw 13 pitches, 10 for strikes.  Whitley has not yet given up a run in five AFL appearances.

In the top of the 11th, Jonathan India (CIN) drove in the eventual
game-winning run on a sacrifice fly, scoring Tyler Stephenson (CIN).

Seth Elledge (Arizona Fall League)

Given a two-run lead to protect, Seth Elledge pitched the bottom of the 11th and surrendered one unearned run (batter placed on second base) on two hits.  The right-hander struck out one to collect his first AFL save in support of winning pitcher Clayton Andrews (MIL).  Elledge threw 18 pitches, 11 for strikes and has an ERA of 0.00 in five AFL appearances.

No other Cardinals saw action in the first extra-innings game of the 2019 AFL season.

Glendale is 4-9 and in last place in the AFL West, five games back.

Saturday’s game:  at Surprise, RHP Victor Castaneda (MIL), 2:30 CT.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Minors Attendance Declines as MiLB Grows


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of September 23-29

photo: St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals won Game 162 to finally clinch the Central Division – for the first time since 2015. The Atlanta Braves await in the Division Series. Our weekly history feature looks back at the last time the two teams played in the NLDS, in 2000.


Game recaps

Monday, September 23 – Cardinals 9 at Diamondbacks 7

Yadier Molina (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

St. Louis began the last week of the regular season with a three-game series at the Diamondbacks.  The Cardinals took Game 1, 9-7.

The Cardinals offense scored nine runs on nine hits, including home runs by Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt, Yadier Molina, and Harrison Bader.  Edman hit a solo shot in the first inning and Goldschmidt blasted a two-run home run in the third.  Molina thumped a two-run homer in the fifth, and finally, Bader smacked a solo shot in the eighth.  Molina drove in four runs and was 2-for-4.  Goldschmidt was also 2-for-4, while Edman and Marcell Ozuna were each 2-for-3.

Starter Adam Wainwright pitched five innings and gave up five runs on eight hits.  The right hander struck out six and walked two.  Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.  John Brebbia surrendered two runs in the eighth, before Carlos Martinez tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.  Wainwright earned his 14th win.

Ozuna made a fielding error.


Tuesday, September 24 – Cardinals 2 at Diamondbacks 3 (19 innings)

Jack Flaherty (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The second game of the series was a grueling 19-inning marathon that ended in a loss for the Cardinals.  The offense managed only two runs on 13 hits.  Dexter Fowler hit a solo home run in the first inning, and Paul Goldschmidt smacked a solo shot in the 13th.  Goldschmidt, Yadier Molina, and Harrison Bader were each 2-for-8.

Starter Jack Flaherty pitched seven scoreless, one hit innings while striking out 11 and walking two.  Giovanny Gallegos added a scoreless eighth.  Andrew Miller surrendered one run in the ninth to blow the save opportunity.  Tyler Webb and Ryan Helsley combined to toss two scoreless innings.  Genesis Cabrera pitched a scoreless 12th.  John Gant surrendered one run to begin the 13th and was replaced by Junior Fernandez, who completed the 13th. Fernandez was charged with a blown save for allowing an inherited runner to score.  Daniel Ponce de Leon followed Fernandez with three scoreless innings.  Dominic Leone tossed the next two scoreless innings. John Brebbia surrendered the winning run in the 19th.

Molina stole his sixth base of the season.


Wednesday, September 25 – Cardinals 7 at Diamondbacks 9

The Cardinals fell to the Diamondbacks in the final game of the series, 9-7.  Starter Michael Wacha lasted only 1 2/3 innings, leaving the game with a shoulder injury.  Wacha gave up two runs on four hits while striking out three and walking two.  Mike Mayers followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. John Gant pitched 1 2/3 scoreless.  Genesis Cabrera surrendered three runs in the fifth.  Junior Fernandez started the sixth and allowed four runs while recording only one out.  Tyler Webb added 1 2/3 scoreless innings, but the damage was done.  Dominic Leone tossed a scoreless eighth.  Fernandez was tagged with the loss and a blown save.

St. Louis offense, minus most of the regular starters, scored seven runs on 10 hits.  Randy Arozarena hit a sixth inning solo home run.  Jose Martinez was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.  His hits included a triple and a double.  Tommy Edman was 2-for-4, as was Arozarena.

Arozarena stole his second base, and also had an outfield assist at third base.  Edman and Matt Wieters committed fielding errors.


Thursday, September 26 – Off day


Friday, September 27 – Cardinals 2, Cubs 8

The Cardinals ended the regular season with a three-game weekend series at home against the Cubs.  The team entered the series with a magic number of three to win the division.  It didn’t come easy as the Cardinals lost the first game of the series, 8-2, despite the Cubs sitting many regulars.  Fortunately for St. Louis, the surging Brewers lost the first game of their series in Denver.

The offense only scored two runs on nine hits.   Matt Carpenter hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.  Their second run came home in the seventh on a single by Yadier Molina.  Tommy Edman went 3-for-4.  Marcell Ozuna was 2-for-4, Molina was 2-for-5, and Carpenter was 2-for-3.

Starter Dakota Hudson pitched five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, fanned 10 and walked five.  Giovanny Gallegos surrendered one run in the sixth.  Andrew Miller and Ryan Helsley yielded seven runs between them in the seventh, while Genesis Cabrera got the last out of that inning.  Mike Mayers tossed a scoreless eighth, and Junior Fernandez pitched a scoreless ninth.

Edman stole his 15th base of 2019 with St. Louis.


Saturday, September 28 – Cardinals 6, Cubs 8

The Cardinals made taking the Division more difficult by losing the second game of the Cubs series on Saturday.  Once again, the Brewers lost in Denver to keep the Cardinals Division lead intact.

St. Louis fell behind early and had to play catch up.  The fifth inning began with a solo home run by Harrison Bader, his 12th of the season.  Tommy Edman later hit a two-run triple and the Cardinals cut the lead to 6-3.  The offense added two more in the seventh on an Edman single and a double play ball by Paul Goldschmidt.  Paul DeJong hit a solo home run in the eighth, but rally fell short, as the Cubs had added two more in the top of the eighth.  Edman was 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Starter Adam Wainwright had a tough go of it in his final start of the regular season.  Wainwright pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up six runs on 12 hits, including a career-high four long balls.  The right hander struck out three.  Dominic Leone got the final two outs of the fifth before Tyler Webb followed with two scoreless innings.  John Brebbia surrendered two runs to begin the eighth before Andrew Miller got the final two outs.  Carlos Martinez tossed a scoreless ninth.


Sunday, September 29 – Cardinals 9, Cubs 0

With the Division title on the line, and a Cardinals win or a Brewers loss needed in the final game of the regular season, the Cardinals came out with guns blazing and blanked the Cubs 9-0.  The win came behind a stellar pitching performance by Jack Flaherty, who pitched seven scoreless, two-hit innings, striking out six and walking one. It took Flaherty only 69 pitches.  Giovanny Gallegos and Carlos Martinez each tossed a scoreless inning to complete the shutout.

Home runs by Dexter Fowler, Matt Carpenter, and Paul Goldschmidt accounted for six of the nine runs scored.  Fowler’s long ball was a two-run shot in the second inning.  Carpenter blasted a three-run home run in the third, and Goldschmidt thumped a solo home run in the fourth.  Fowler was 2-for-3, Goldschmidt was 3-for-4, and Marcell Ozuna was 2-for-5.

Goldschmidt stole his third base of the season.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals lost four in a row in the middle of the final week of the regular season, losing 2 of 3 to both the Diamondbacks and the Cubs. Despite the final sputtering, the Cardinals had built up a cushion that kept them in first place until the end, finally clinching the Division in Game 162 on Sunday.

The loss in the 19-inning marathon in Arizona on Tuesday didn’t help the situation.  The Cardinals played the third game of the series with most of the starters on the bench due to the long game the night before.  Though the B team gave it a valiant effort, the Diamondbacks prevailed in the end.

Bullpen issues and a poor start by Adam Wainwright also figured into the mix.  Unlike most of the season, the offense was not the primary issue in the losses, it was pitching.  Only the 19-inning game on Tuesday and the first game of the Cubs series were a result of low offensive output.

Tommy Edman (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Tommy Edman continued to perform at the plate, with an OPS of 1.266 over the last seven days.  Paul Goldschmidt improved to an .804 OPS for the week, not counting Sunday’s game. The rest of the starters had an OPS in the .700s or lower for the week, minus Sunday.  Runs were scored with contributions across the board by different players on different days.  Contributors with the long ball were Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter, Paul DeJong and Harrison Bader, each with multiple home runs during the week.

Defense remained the team’s strength and baserunning was also a plus.  Pitching, especially by the bullpen, was the weakness.

The Cardinals will begin the National League Division Series against the Braves on Thursday.  The first two games will be played in Atlanta, followed by two games, if necessary, in St. Louis.  A potential Game 5 would be played in Atlanta.


NL Central Standings (Final)

Team W L Pct GB
St. Louis 91 71 0.562
Milwaukee 89 73 0.549 2
Chicago 84 78 0.519 7
Cincinnati 75 87 0.463 16
Pittsburgh 69 93 0.426 22

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and will return in 2020.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on September 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • 2B Kolten Wong (left hamstring) injured his hamstring on September 19. A subsequent MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain of the hamstring.   Wong may possibly return to the roster for the NLDS.
  • Michael Wacha (right shoulder strain) is shutdown from throwing for several days. Wacha is unlikely for the NLDS but could return later in the postseason if the Cardinals advance.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals finished the regular season on Sunday with a 9-0 win against the Cubs to take the NL Central Division title.  St. Louis concluded the regular season with a record of 91-71 and a two-game division lead over Milwaukee.

They begin NLDS play against the Braves on Thursday, October 3 in Atlanta.  Games 1 and 2 will be in Atlanta, before the clubs head to St. Louis to play Game 3 and possibly Game 4 on Sunday, October 6 and Monday, October 7.  Should the series go to Game 5, it will be held in Atlanta on Wednesday, October 9.

If the Cardinals advance to the NLCS, the first game will be played on Friday, October 11 against the winner of the Wild Card (Brewers or Nationals) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers.

The postseason schedule can be viewed here.

Update

Initial game times have been announced.


Blast from the Past

As the Cardinals head to Atlanta to begin the National League Division Series on Thursday, this week’s Blast from the Past looks at the last time the Cardinals played the Braves in a Division Series.

In 2000, the Cardinals won the Central Division and played the NL East champion Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.  The 95-win Cardinals had home field advantage, so Game 1 was played in St. Louis.  The 2000 NLDS was mercifully short, as the Braves were no match for the Cardinals, losing to St. Louis in a three-game sweep.

Rick Ankiel (Getty Images)

Game 1, played on October 3, was a 7-5 Redbirds win.  Rick Ankiel faced Greg Maddux on the mound.  Neither starter pitched particularly well.  In his game, and Game 2 of the NLCS, Ankiel lost control that ultimately led to the end of his pitching career.  Ankiel threw five wild pitches in this game and had to be removed in the third inning.  Maddux also did not last more than four innings for the Braves.  Despite the issues with Ankiel, the Cardinals won the game, 7-5.  Reliever Mike James was the winning pitcher.  Jim Edmonds’ fourth-inning home run was the only long ball by either team.

Game 2 was played in St. Louis on October 5 with starters Darryl Kile for the Cardinals and Tom Glavine for the Braves.  Kile pitched seven innings and gave up two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.  Will Clark, Carlos Hernandez, and Mark McGwire all hit home runs for St. Louis.  Clark’s home run was a three-run shot, while the other two were solo home runs.  The Cardinals won the game 10-4.

Jim Edmonds (Getty Images)

The third and final game of the NLDS was played on October 7 in Atlanta, with Garrett Stephenson opposing Braves starter Kevin Millwood.  St. Louis won 7-1 behind long balls by Fernando Vina and Jim Edmonds.  Vina’s home run was a solo, while Edmonds hit a two-run shot.  Stephenson pitched only 3 2/3 innings and gave up one run three hits.  Reliever Britt Reames was the winning pitcher with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.  Mike James, Matt Morris, and Dave Veres pitched the final four innings of relief.

In 2000, while both teams had identical regular-season records of 95-67, the Cardinals were clearly the dominant team.

The 2019 Cardinals enter the NLDS against the Braves with a 91-71 record, while the Braves are 97-65.  Atlanta has the better record, but that doesn’t always result in the better team coming out on top.  Still, a three-game sweep, as in 2000, is unlikely.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Sign 16-Year Old Australian Catcher Jake Burns


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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 29, 2019

photo: Ivan Herrera (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

Four St. Louis Cardinals prospects played in Glendale’s loss to Peoria on Saturday. Third sacker Elehuris Montero went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. Center fielder Conner Capel and catcher Ivan Herrera each singled and Herrera drove in a run. Roel Ramirez closed the game for Glendale with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Saturday, September 28.


Ivan Herrera (Arizona Fall League)

Glendale Desert Dogs 4, Peoria Javelinas 9

Three St. Louis Cardinals position players and one pitcher saw action in Saturday’s home game between Glendale and Peoria.  Glendale took the loss in the 9-4 contest.

Elehuris Montero hit second and played third base for Glendale.  Montero had a rough night, going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.  The infielder reached on an error in the second of his five at bats.  Montero has not fared well in the AFL to date, posting a slash line of .077/.250/.154 in four games for Glendale.

Roel Ramirez (Arizona Fall League)

Conner Capel played in center and hit third in the lineup.  He was 1-for-4 with a single and a strikeout.  The single was a popup to the shortstop in the sixth inning.  Capel also grounded out twice.  He has posted a slash line of .192/.276/.192 in seven AFL games.

Ivan Herrera was the catcher and hit eighth for Glendale.  Herrera went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. The backstop singled on a line drive to right in the sixth to drive in one of Glendale’s two runs in that inning.  In his other at bats, he grounded out to first in the third inning, grounded into a force out in the fifth, and drew a walk in the ninth. Herrera has posted a slash line of .333/.385/.487 in three AFL games.

Roel Ramirez pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to end the game for Glendale.  The right hander allowed no hits, no walks, and fanned three.  Ramirez has an ERA of 1.69 in four AFL appearances, including one start.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 3-6 in the season and in last place in the AFL West.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Salt River, Gerardo Carrillo (LAD) (0-0, 0.00) 8:30 CT.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Cardinals Sign 16-Year Old Australian Catcher Jake Burns


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 28, 2019

photo: Seth Elledge (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

In Glendale’s 5-2 loss to Peoria on Friday, four St. Louis Cardinals saw action – two position players and two pitchers. Conner Capel and Kramer Robertson each went hitless, but Robertson drove in one of Glendale’s two runs.  Griffin Roberts was the starting pitcher and took the loss and Seth Elledge pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on Friday, September 27.


Kramer Robertson (Arizona Fall League)

Glendale Desert Dogs 2, Peoria Javelinas 5

Two St. Louis Cardinals position players and two pitchers appeared in Friday’s contest between Glendale and Peoria.  The home Desert Dogs fell to the Javelinas, 5-2.

Conner Capel played in right field and hit fifth in the lineup, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.  Capel has played in six AFL games to date and is hitting .182/.280/.182.

Kramer Robertson was the second baseman. The eighth-place hitter was 0-for-3 with strikeout and an RBI, which came on a ground out in the fifth inning. Robertson has played in two AFL games and his line is .143/.333/.143.

Seth Elledge (Arizona Fall League)

Griffin Roberts was Glendale’s starting pitcher, going 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits. The right hander fanned six.  Roberts had one wild pitch and hit one batter.  He threw 68 pitches, 45 for strikes. Roberts took the loss, his first decision in two starts.

Seth Elledge pitched a scoreless ninth for Glendale on one hit and two strikeouts.  Elledge threw 19 pitches, 12 for strikes and has yet to surrender a run in AFL action. He has allowed just two hits, no walks and fanned six in four innings.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 3-5 in the season and in last place in the AFL West.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Peoria, Victor Castaneda (MIL) (0-0, 0.00) 8:30 CT.


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 27, 2019

photo: Kodi Whitley (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

In Thursday’s night’s AFL game between Glendale and Salt River, three St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers played – one position player and two pitchers. Elehuris Montero was hitless but scored one of Glendale’s five runs after reaching base on a second inning hit by pitch. Pitchers Roel Ramirez and Kodi Whitley made appearances in the eighth and ninth innings.  Ramirez gave up a run, and Whitley tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his second save.

Results for the game played on Thursday, September 26.


Glendale Desert Dogs 5 at Salt River Rafters 4

One Cardinals position player and two Cardinals pitchers saw action in Thursday’s contest between the Glendale Desert Dogs and the Salt River Rafters.

Elehuris Montero was the designated hitter and hit seventh in the lineup for Glendale.  He went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a hit by pitch.  Montero came home to score in the second inning following the hit by pitch.

Elehuris Montero

Roel Ramirez pitched the eighth inning and surrendered one run on two hits while fanning two.  Ramirez threw 13 pitches, 12 for strikes.  The two hits he yielded were doubles, one of which resulted in the run.

Roel Ramirez

Kodi Whitley closed out the win in the ninth to earn his second AFL save.  Whitley pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit, a single, and striking out two.  The right-hander threw 17 pitches, 15 for strikes.  Whitley has yet to allow a run in his three AFL appearances of one inning each on two hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

Kodi Whitley

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 3-4 in the season and is tied with Peoria in second place in the AFL West.

Friday’s game:  vs. Peoria, TBA 8:30 CT.


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of September 16-22

photo: Cardinals clinch playoffs, 09/22/19 (St. Louis Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals won four straight one-run games in Chicago to clinch a playoff berth and all but eliminate the Cubs, as well. The Cards’ next goal is to win the Central Division. Our weekly history feature looks back at the team’s last four-game sweep in Chicago – in 1921.


Game recaps

Monday, Sept 16 – Cardinals 4, Nationals 2

Marcell Ozuna (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals began a three-game series at home against the playoff-contending Washington Nationals, and the opener ended in a victory for the Redbirds.  St. Louis’ offense scored four runs on five hits against Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg.  Marcell Ozuna blasted a two-run home run in the first inning and he finished it off for St. Louis with a two-run double in the seventh for a four RBI night.  Ozuna was a one-man show with the only extra base hits in the game.  Tommy Edman was 2-for-4.

Starter Dakota Hudson won his 16th game of 2019, pitching seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out one and walked two.  John Brebbia, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch a scoreless ninth.

On the base paths, Yadier Molina, Kolten Wong, Dexter Fowler, and Edman stole one bag each. Ozuna had an outfield assist at home.


Tuesday, Sept 17 – Cardinals 2, Nationals 6

The Cardinals offense couldn’t get it done against Nationals lefty starter Patrick Corbin on Tuesday.  They managed six hits, but none resulted in scoring.  The first Redbirds run came home in the third inning on a fielder’s choice by Paul DeJong.  The next came in the sixth with Jose Martinez at the plate. With Harrison Bader on first base and Tommy Edman on third, Bader stole second base and Edman scored on a throwing error by the Nationals catcher.  The only extra base hits were doubles by Paul Goldschmidt and Yadier Molina, who went 2-for-4.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings and gave up three runs on eight hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked one.  Giovanny Gallegos followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.  John Gant and Ryan Helsley gave up one run in each in the eighth.  Genesis Cabrera surrendered a run in the ninth.

Bader stole his 11th base of the season.


Wednesday, Sept 18 – Cardinals 5, Nationals 1

Adam Wainwright (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals were the winners in the rubber game of the series on Wednesday.  The offense knocked Nationals starter and St. Louis native Max Scherzer around for five runs on eight hits.  Tommy Edman kicked it off with a solo home run in the third.  In the seventh, Edman plated a run on a single, and Matt Wieters hit a two-run blast.  Edman went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored and Kolten Wong was 2-for-4.

Starter Adam Wainwright pitched seven innings and gave up one unearned run on eight hits. The right hander struck out three and walked one.  Giovanny Gallegos, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Martinez combined to toss the final two scoreless innings.  Wainwright earned his 13th win and Martinez his 21st save.

Wong both stole a base and was caught stealing.  Matt Carpenter and Dexter Fowler committed fielding errors.  Edman had an outfield assist at home.


Thursday, Sept 19 – Cardinals 5 at Cubs 4 (10 innings)

Matt Carpenter (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

In the opener of a crucial four-game series at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals pulled off a one-run win in extra innings against the Cubs.  The Cardinals scored first against Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks on a bases loaded double play by Dexter Fowler.  Another run was added in the fifth on an RBI single by Harrison Bader.  In the sixth, Yadier Molina plated a run on a single, and Bader followed with an RBI double for his second run driven in.

The Cubs battled back in the ninth against Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez, scoring three runs to tie the score and send it into extra innings.  In the 10th, Matt Carpenter’s solo home run gave the Cardinals the winning edge.  Paul Goldschmidt went 2-for-5, Tommy Edman went 2-for-4, and Bader went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Starter Jack Flaherty pitched eight innings and gave up one run on three hits.  The right hander struck out eight and walked one.  After Martinez surrendered three runs in the ninth, Andrew Miller finished the inning and later received the win, but was charged with the blown save for allowing the inherited runners to score.  Giovanny Gallegos pitched a scoreless 10th to earn his first save.

Kolten Wong was caught stealing for the fourth time.


Friday, Sept 20 – Cardinals 2 at Cubs 1

Yadier Molina (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

On Friday, the Cardinals beat the Cubs in the second one-run win of the series.  St. Louis was behind 1-0 until the sixth inning, when Yadier Molina came through with a two-run single.  Molina went 3-for-4 in the game and Tommy Edman had the only extra base hit, a double.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched four innings and gave up one run on five hits.  The right hander struck out one and walked two.  Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless fifth.  Tyler Webb, John Brebbia, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch the final four scoreless innings. Helsley earned the win, his second, and Martinez logged his 22nd save.


Saturday, Sept 21 – Cardinals 9 at Cubs 8

Paul DeJong (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals continued the one-run trend with a 9-8 win over the Cubs on Saturday.  St. Louis’ offense scored nine runs on 13 hits in this see-saw battle.  Dexter Fowler went 2-for-5 with two RBI.  Tommy Edman went 2-for-4.  Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run home run in the seventh.  Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong hit crushing back to back solo home runs against Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth and were 2-for-5 and 2-for-4 respectively.  Matt Carpenter was 2-for-3.  Other extra base hits included a double by Carpenter and a triple by Edman.

Starter Dakota Hudson pitched three innings and gave up three runs on three hits.  The right hander struck out two and walked four.  Dominic Leone surrendered two runs to begin the fourth before  Junior Fernandez finished the inning.  Genesis Cabrera tossed a scoreless fifth.  Ryan Helsley gave up one run in the sixth.  Giovanny Gallegos allowed two runs in the seventh and was replaced by Tyler Webb, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.  John Gant and Carlos Martinez combined for a scoreless ninth. Gant got the win, his 11th, and Martinez earned his 23rd save.

On the base paths, pinch-runner Randy Arozarena was caught stealing.


Sunday, Sept 22 – Cardinals 3 at Cubs 2

Paul Goldschmidt (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals completed a historic four-game sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday with another one-run victory, via another comeback in the ninth inning, this time from a 2-1 deficit.

Paul DeJong got St. Louis on the board with a solo home run in the third inning to tie the game 1-1.  The Cubs took the 2-1 lead in the sixth, while the Cardinals failed to add on until the ninth.  In that inning, pinch hitter Jose Martinez got a fly ball just past the glove of Cubs center fielder Albert Almora for a triple.  Dexter Fowler’s sac fly to center scored Martinez and knotted the game.  Following Tommy Edman’s single, Paul Goldschmidt skipped a low pitch into the left field corner for a double that plated Edman.  Edman and Goldschmidt each went 2-for-4.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched 7 2/3 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on eight hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked one.  Lefties Tyler Webb and Andrew Miller combined to toss the 1 1/3 final scoreless innings. Webb earned the win, Miller the save.

Edman stole his 14th base of the season.  In the field, Yadier Molina had a passed ball.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals ended the week with a record of 6-1, having won 2 of 3 from the Nationals, and executing a four-game sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field.  The Cardinals have clinched a postseason berth but have not yet clinched the division.  The also-hot Milwaukee Brewers refuse to lose and hang on at three games back of the Cardinals with six games left.  The Cardinals’ magic number is four, in any combination of St. Louis wins and Milwaukee losses.

The four-game sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley was historic, having not occurred since May of 1921.  At times during the series, it seemed like the offense wasn’t going to come.  The Cardinals offense has frustrated fans all season, and this weekend series continued in that mold.  Two of the four games were won with three runs or less.

Hot hitters for the week were Matt Carpenter, Tommy Edman, and Yadier Molina, with OPS’s of 1.318, 1.256, and .839 respectively.  Yet other players contributed with situational hitting, including Paul Goldschmidt, with the double to score the winning run on Sunday.  Paul DeJong has struggled for weeks but contributed crucial home runs on Saturday and Sunday.  Marcell Ozuna had a .596 OPS for the week but drove in all four runs against the Nationals on Monday.  Harrison Bader drove in two of the five runs on Thursday yet put up an OPS of .739 over the last seven games.  Contributions have been spread around the lineup in different games.   The offense has been inconsistent as usual but has come through with just enough when it mattered.

Jack Flaherty (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Pitching and defense are what have put the Cardinals on top.  Base running has also contributed much to the winning effort.  Jack Flaherty has had a Cy Young Award-caliber second half.  Adam Wainwright continues to pitch well.  Miles Mikolas has been decent, while Dakota Hudson and Michael Wacha had indifferent starts this past week, but it ended up not mattering.  The bullpen, sans a bad inning by Carlos Martinez on Thursday, continues to be a plus.

The team will finish the regular season with three games against the Diamondbacks and three games with the Cubs in the final weekend at Busch Stadium.  With the Brewers still hot on their heels, the Cardinals need to win four of their final six without a loss by the Brewers to clinch the Division.  A loss or two by Milwaukee while on the road at Cincinnati and Colorado this week will ease that burden. The Brewers’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is three.


NL Central Standings 

Team W L Pct GB Elim #
St. Louis 89 67 0.571
Milwaukee 86 70 0.551 3 4
Chicago 82 74 0.526 7 E
Cincinnati 73 83 0.468 16 E
Pittsburgh 65 91 0.417 24 E

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback and is done for this season.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on Sept 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • 2B Kolten Wong (left hamstring) injured his hamstring in Thursday’s game against the Cubs. A subsequent MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain.   Wong’s return to the lineup is uncertain at this time.

Looking Ahead

To begin the last week of the regular season, the team travels to Arizona for a three game series with the Diamondbacks.  Adam Wainwright is scheduled to make the Monday start in Phoenix, followed by Jack Flaherty on Tuesday, and Michael Wacha on Wednesday.

After a travel day on Thursday, the Cardinals return home to play the final series of the regular season against the Cubs for three games.

The Cardinals clinched a postseason berth with the win against the Cubs on Sunday.  Should the Cardinals fail to win the division, they would play in the NL Wild Card game on October 1.  If they win the division, they will play the first game of the NLDS on October 3, likely against the NL East-winning Atlanta Braves. In the current leading scenario, the Wild Card winner would face the NL West’s Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.  The postseason schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

The Cardinals executed a four-game sweep over the Cubs at Wrigley Field this past weekend to clinch a postseason berth, and eliminate the Cubs as contenders for the division title.  This week’s Blast from the Past looks at the last time in franchise history a similar event occurred.

On May 27-29, 1921, the Cardinals swept the Cubs in four games at Wrigley Field (called Cubs Park at that time).  The two teams played a doubleheader on the 28th.  The Cardinals won the four games – 10-7, 8-7, 9-2, and 6-1.

Bill Doak

On May 27, St. Louis starter Bill Doak pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up six runs, three earned, on nine hits.  Relievers Roy Walker pitched the last out of the fifth, and Bill Sherdel tossed the final four innings and earned the win.

The Cardinals hit no home runs, but pinch hitter Burt Shotton delivered a three-run triple. Right fielder Joe Schultz and third baseman Milt Stock each drove in two runs.  Center fielder Jack Smith and left fielder Austin McHenry had one RBI each.

In Game 1 of the doubleheader on the 28th, reliever Roy Walker was the winning pitcher.  Walker pitched five innings and gave up two unearned runs on three hits. First baseman Ray Grimes went 3-for-4, including a home run.  Left fielder John Sullivan also contributed a long ball. Second baseman and future Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby went 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Jesse Haines

In the nightcap, Jesse “Pop” Haines pitched a complete game and gave up two runs on seven hits.  McHenry hit a long ball and had three RBI.  Third baseman Jack Fournier tripled; Schultz doubled twice and catcher Verne Clemons once. Stock went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

In the final game of the series, pitcher Marv Goodwin pitched a complete game, giving up one run on seven hits. Smith and SS Doc Lavan homered.  Smith also doubled, as did Schultz.  McHenry went 3-for-4 with two RBI.

The 1921 Cardinals went 87-66 that year and finished third in the National League.  Against the Cubs they were 14-8.  Five years later, in 1926, the Cardinals would win their first World Series title with Hornsby as player-manager.


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 22, 2019

photo: Elehuris Montero (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Two St. Louis Cardinals position players and one pitcher saw action in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of Scottsdale by Glendale. Connor Capel and Elehuris Montero each had a hit – Capel a single, and Montero a ground rule double. Montero scored the lone run. Kodi Whitley earned the save for Glendale, pitching a hitless ninth inning with one strikeout.

Results for the game played on Saturday, September 21.


Glendale Desert Dogs 1, Scottsdale Scorpions 0

Kodi Whitley (Arizona Fall League)

Two St. Louis Cardinals position players and one pitcher appeared in Saturday’s 1-0 blanking of Scottsdale by Glendale. The win by Glendale is its first of the early season.

Connor Capel played center field and hit third in the lineup.  Capel went 1-for-4 with a single, struck out twice, and was caught stealing for the second time in the AFL. The outfielder’s single was ground ball to right field. Capel also grounded into a force out.

Elehuris Montero was the designated hitter and hit ninth.  Montero went 1-for-3 with a double, and he scored the only run of the evening.  He also struck out and flied out.

Pitcher Kodi Whitley pitched the ninth inning for Glendale and did so without allowing a run or a hit.  Whitley struck out one to earn his first save of the AFL season, completing the three-hit shutout shared by five Desert Dogs pitchers.  The right-hander threw 11 pitches, eight for strikes.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 1-3 in the short season and in last place in the AFL West.

Sunday’s game:  at Mesa, Roel Ramirez (0-0, 0.00) 8:30 CT.


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 21, 2019

photo: Seth Elledge (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

Two Cardinals pitchers saw action in Friday’s game for the Glendale Desert Dogs against the Scottsdale Scorpions.  Starter Griffin Roberts threw three scoreless innings and Seth Elledge pitched innings five and six in relief, for a scoreless outing as well.

Results for the game played on Friday, September 20.


Seth Elledge (Arizona Fall League)

Glendale Desert Dogs 2 at Scottsdale Scorpions 3

Two St. Louis Cardinals pitchers saw action in Friday’s game between Glendale and Scottsdale.  Right-hander Griffin Roberts from Palm Beach started and pitched three scoreless innings. He danced around six hits, a walk and a wild pitch and struck out three.  All six of Roberts’ hits allowed were singles and he needed 61 pitches, 36 for strikes, to collect his nine outs.

Memphis reliever Seth Elledge tossed two run-free innings, allowing one hit, a single, and fanning two. The right-hander was more efficient, throwing 25 pitches, 18 for strikes.

No other Cardinals saw action.

Glendale is 0-3 in the short season and in last place in the AFL West.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Scottsdale, Springfield’s Roel Ramirez (0-0, 0.00) 8:30 CT.


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Cardinals Arizona Fall League Notebook – September 20, 2019

photo: Elehuris Montero (Springfield Cardinals FANatic Photos)

Three St. Louis Cardinals position players and two Cardinals pitchers saw action in Glendale’s Thursday loss to Peoria. They went hitless, but Conner Capel and Elehuris Montero reached twice and the latter scored a run. Roel Ramirez and Kodi Whitley pitched a scoreless inning each.

Results for the Arizona Fall League game played on September 19.


Glendale Desert Dogs 3, Peoria Javelinas 10

Three Cardinals position players and two pitchers saw action in Thursday’s 10-3 rout of the Desert Dogs by the Peoria Javelinas.

Conner Capel played center field and hit leadoff for Glendale.  Capel went 0-for-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch.  Capel was also caught stealing.  Elehuris Montero played third base and hit seventh.  Montero was 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.  Ivan Herrera was the catcher and hit eighth.  Herrera was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

Roel Ramirez

On the mound, Roel Ramirez pitched a scoreless third inning, He threw 13 pitches, eight for strikes and allowed one hit.  Kodi Whitley added a scoreless sixth inning, also yielding one hit and striking out one.  Whitley threw 16 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Kodi Whitley

Glendale is 0-2 in early season action and is in last place in the AFL West.

Friday’s game:  at Scottsdale, Griffin Roberts (0-0, 0.00) 8:30 CT.


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of September 9-15

photo: Paul Goldschmidt (Joe Puetz/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals lost both series this past week as their National League Central lead slipped to two games. Paul Goldschmidt won Friday’s game almost single-handedly. Our weekly history feature looks back at the Cardinals career of retiring field coordinator Mark DeJohn.


Game recaps

Monday, Sept 9 – Off day


Tuesday, Sept 10 – Cardinals 1 at Rockies 2

The Cardinals played three at Coors Field, and the first game ended in a one run loss to the Rockies.   The Cardinal offense was sparse, and the only run the team could scratch across came on a ground out by Paul Goldschmidt following a Dexter Fowler double and a Kolten Wong ground out.  The offense managed six hits, with no Cardinal having multiple hits.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched four innings and gave up two runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out three and walked one.  Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos each tossed two scoreless innings of relief.

On the base paths, Marcell Ozuna was caught stealing for the second time.


Wednesday, Sept 11 – Cardinals 1 at Rockies 2

The Cardinals take a second 2-1 loss against the Brewers on Wednesday.  Offense was again virtually non-existent, and again it was Paul Goldschmidt who drove in the lone Cardinal run, this time on a double.  The double was Goldschmidt’s only hit.  Dexter Fowler and Paul DeJong were both 2-for-4.

Starter Dakota Hudson pitched six innings and gave up two runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out seven and walked five.  John Gant, Tyler Webb, and John Brebbia combined to toss the final two scoreless innings of relief.


Thursday, Sept 12 – Cardinals 10 at Rockies 3

Dexter Fowler (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals salvaged one game of the three game series in Denver with a 10-3 win over the Rockies.  The long ball was featured prominently in the win, with five Cardinals hitting one out of the park.  First it was Dexter Fowler with a solo home run in the first inning, followed immediately with a solo shot by Kolten Wong.  Rangel Ravelo, playing first base on a day with a rare Paul Goldschmidt day off, hit a solo home run in the second inning.  Also hitting solo home runs were Marcell Ozuna in the third inning, and Harrison Bader in the fourth. A sac fly by Wong, a two run double by Matt Carpenter, an Andrew Knizner single, and a balk with a runner on third, were the ways the remaining five runs came home.   Fowler was 2-for-3, Wong was 2-for-4 and Knizner was 2-for-5.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched five innings and gave up three runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out five and walked one.  Tyler Webb, Giovanny Gallegos, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch the next three scoreless innings.  John Brebbia tossed a scoreless ninth.  Mikolas earned his ninth win.

On the base paths, Paul DeJong and Kolten Wong each stole two bases.


Friday, Sept 13 – Cardinals 10, Brewers 0

Paul Goldschmidt (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals began a crucial three game series with the Brewers over the weekend, and the first game was an offensive outburst for the Cardinals.  Two home runs by Paul Goldschmidt, a grand slam and a three run shot, went a long way toward victory for the Redbirds.  A sac fly by Matt Carpenter and a two run single by Kolten Wong rounded out the Cardinal scoring.  Wong went 3-for-4 in the game, and Goldschmidt was 2-for-4

Starter Adam Wainwright kept the Brewers off the board with a six inning scoreless outing.  Wainwright allowed only two hits, fanned seven, and walked three.  Ryan Helsley, Dominic Leone, and Giovanny Gallegos finished the game with a scoreless inning each.  Wainwright earned his 12th win.

On the base paths, Tommy Edman and Harrison Bader each stole a base.  Dexter Fowler was caught stealing.


Saturday, Sept 14 – Cardinals 2, Brewers 5

The second game of this crucial series did not end well for the St. Louis team.  Starter Jack Flaherty, whose has had a brilliant second half on the mound, faltered somewhat in this start.  Flaherty pitched a quality start, however, going six innings and giving up three runs on five hits.  The right hander fanned 10 and walked two.  It was a decent start for Flaherty, but his usual brilliance was dimmed a little. John Gant followed with a scoreless seventh.  Tyler Webb started the eighth but couldn’t record an out while also surrendering the winning two runs for the Brewers.  John Brebbia and Junior Fernandez followed with a scoreless inning each.

The offense put up two runs in the second inning on a solo home run by Tommy Edman, and a throwing error on a steal of third base by Harrison Bader.  The Cardinals would not score again in the game.  Edman and Kolten Wong both went 2-for-4.

On the base paths, Bader stole his 10th base of the season.


Sunday, Sept 15 – Cardinals 6, Brewers 7

The Cardinals suffered a brutal loss to the Brewers in the final game of the series.  Two home runs by Harrison Bader plus home runs by Paul DeJong and Tommy Edman were not enough to stave off a hot Brewers team fighting for a postseason spot.  The first of Bader’s home runs was a solo shot in the third inning to give the Cardinals the 1-0 lead.  Though the Brewers would take the lead in the seventh inning, the Cardinals fought back with three runs in the bottom half of the seventh on home runs by Bader and DeJong.  Milwaukee would make it closer in the eighth following a defensive miscue in the outfield.  The blow for the Cardinals came in the ninth.  John Gant pitched the ninth due to an ill Carlos Martinez, and Gant was not sharp, walking the bases loaded and setting the stage for the grand slam by Ryan Braun that came off Cardinal reliever Junior Fernandez.  Tommy Edman hit a two run home run in the bottom of the ninth, but the rally ended there.  Bader was the only Cardinal with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched five scoreless innings, allowed five hits and struck out one.  Genesis Cabrera surrendered one run in the sixth.  Ryan Helsley allowed one run in the seventh and Giovanny Gallegos finished the inning without further damage.  Andrew Miller gave up one run in the eighth.  John Gant, Tyler Webb, and Junior Fernandez combined to pitch the ninth.  Three runs of the grand slam by Braun were charged to Gant, and one to Fernandez.  Gant took the loss.

In the field, the miscue in the outfield was charged to Bader.


The Big Picture

Marcell Ozuna (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

It was not a good week for the Cardinals, as they lost 2 of 3 to the Rockies, and 2 of 3 to the Brewers to end the week 2-4.  The losses cut St. Louis’ lead over the Cubs in the NL Central from four games to two.  The remainder of the Cardinals schedule is brutal, as they play three games with the Nationals, three games with Diamondbacks and seven games against the Cubs.

Paul DeJong (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The offense was scarce in two of the three games in Denver.  The inconsistent offense has been the major issue all season with the Cardinals.  Middle of the order bats have been the most inconsistent.  Paul Goldschmidt goes long periods without producing much, then has outbursts of offense like the one on Friday against the Brewers.  This is not a good formula for winning.  Marcell Ozuna and Paul DeJong have been similarly inconsistent.  When you have to rely on your bottom of the order hitters for your offense, something is wrong with the picture.  Goldschmidt’s Friday offensive surge put him in the top five for OPS on the team for the week, but it is small consolation when the inability to consistently do that results in four losses in six games.   Tommy Edman and Dexter Fowler have been very good, and Matt Carpenter has mostly come through in a small amount of playing time.  Bader hit three home runs in his last four games and has produced with his legs as well.    Kolten Wong continues to be good at the plate and with the glove as well.

Starting pitching has been fine to very good.  The bullpen has been fine sans the meltdown on Sunday.

The defense continues to be a plus despite the unfortunate miscommunication between Bader and Fowler in the outfield on Sunday that resulted in a routine fly ball not being caught.  That error was the only one recorded by the Cardinal defense during the week.

The Cardinals have three games with the Nationals and four games with the Cubs this coming week.  The four losses this last week have given the Cardinals little wiggle room in these upcoming seven games.  Winning against the Cubs in these last couple of weeks may be the difference between a postseason berth or a couch in front of the television in October.


NL Central Standings 

Team W L Pct GB E#
St. Louis 83 66 0.557
Chicago 81 68 0.544 2 12
Milwaukee 80 69 0.537 3 11
Cincinnati 70 80 0.467 11.5 E
Pittsburgh 62 81 0.434 16.5 E

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

There are no transactions to report.


Injury Report

  • RHP Carlos Martinez had to spend Saturday night in the hospital due to a respiratory illness. He was released on Sunday, but was not at the ballpark. Update: Martinez has been diagnosed with asthma for the first time in his life, aggravated by allergies, and with treatment, was cleared to pitch on Monday.
  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback.  He is unlikely to return to the roster this season.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on Sept 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • C Matt Wieters (left calf) continues on the 10 day injured list. The catcher has been engaging in baseball activities and a return to the roster is coming soon.

Looking Ahead

The Nationals come to Busch Stadium for a three-game series. Dakota Hudson is scheduled to make the Monday start, followed by Miles Mikolas on Tuesday, and Adam Wainwright on Wednesday.

The Cardinals then travel to Chicago to play the Cubs in a four game series beginning Sept. 19.  Jack Flaherty will make the first start of the series on Thursday.

The team leaves Chicago to travel to Arizona for a three-game set.  After a travel day on Thursday, Sept 26, the Cardinals return home to play the final series of the regular season against the Cubs.

The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

On Monday night during St. Louis’ game with the Nationals, the Cardinals will honor Mark DeJohn, Minor League Field Coordinator, for his 33 years of service with the organization, which ended with his retirement last month.  This week’s Blast from the Past looks at the career of DeJohn, known as “DJ”.

Mark DeJohn (1999 – Getty Images)

 

Mark Stephen DeJohn was born on September 18, 1953 in Middletown, Connecticut.  The infielder’s professional baseball career began when he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 1971 MLB draft.  DeJohn spent 10+ years toiling in the minor leagues for the Mets, and then with the Detroit Tigers who signed him as a free agent in 1978.  DeJohn finally made his major league debut on April 28, 1982 at the age of 28.  DeJohn played in only 24 games with the Tigers that year, eight as the starting shortstop.  DeJohn returned to the minor leagues for 88 games in 1983 with the Tigers Triple-A team before ending his baseball playing career.

Chris Swauger, Mark DeJohn and George Greer (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

DeJohn began his coaching career with Detroit following the end of his playing days and was one of four managers to manage Detroit’s Double-A affiliate in 1985.

DeJohn left the Detroit organization in 1986 to take a position with the Cardinals as a minor league manager.  His career with the Cardinals began with being a minor league manager from 1986 to 1991, at Savannah, Springfield, Johnson City and Louisville, then as Field Coordinator of instruction from 1993-1995.  DeJohn became a member of Tony La Russa’s major league staff from 1996-2001.  He returned to manage in the minor leagues, with the organization’s New York-Penn League affiliate, and assumed his previous position of Field Coordinator in 2010, the position he held at the time of his retirement.

Mark DeJohn and Mitch Harris (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

DJ is a two-time winner of the George Kissell Award, the prestigious annual honor voted-upon by the entire player development staff. He won as manager of Double-A Tennessee in 2004 and short-season Class-A Batavia in 2008. Both teams were league champions. Among the many he mentored was Mike Shildt, who began his professional coaching career under DeJohn at New Jersey in 2005.

DeJohn will be missed by all those who benefited from his expertise and his commitment to the game, and especially development of youngsters.  Players, coaches, managers, and all who have come in contact with him will miss him, and his retirement leaves a void in the Cardinals’ organization.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

2019 Cardinals Minor League System Disappoints


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© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of September 2-8

photo: Chris and Dave Duncan (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)

The St. Louis Cardinals have extended their lead in the NL Central to 4.5 games by taking series over the Giants and Pirates. Our weekly history feature looks back at the career of late Cardinals outfielder Chris Duncan.


Game recaps

Monday, September 2 – Cardinals 3, Giants 1

Adam Wainwright (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals began a four game series with the Giants at Busch Stadium on Labor Day and were the winners in game one 3-1.  Starter Adam Wainwright pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits and struck out one to earn his 10th win.  Giovanny Gallegos, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch the eighth.  Gallegos surrendered the lone Giants runs.  Martinez returned to toss a scoreless ninth to earn his 17th save.

St. Louis’ offense put up two runs in the first inning on a Kolten Wong triple and a ground out by Paul Goldschmidt.  A Paul DeJong single in the third plated the third run.  No Cardinal had more than one hit.

Tommy Edman and Edmundo Sosa each stole a base.


Tuesday, September 3 – Cardinals 1, Giants 0

The Cardinals were the victors in a low scoring pitchers’ duel on Tuesday.  Starter Jack Flaherty was masterful, pitching eighth scoreless, one hit innings, fanning eight and walking one.  Carlos Martinez tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 18th save.

The Cardinals lone run came on a solo home run by Marcell Ozuna.  Ozuna went 2-for-3 and was the only Cardinal with multiple hits.


Wednesday, September 4 – Cardinals 8, Giants 9

The Cardinals lost a hard fought third game in the series with the Giants. This game had big innings and multiple lead changes.  The offense put up eight runs on 13 hits which ordinarily would be enough to win, but not in this case.    St. Louis put up the first run of the game on a single by Dexter Fowler in the third inning.  In the fourth, Paul DeJong hit a solo home run, and in the fifth, Paul Goldschmidt tripled to plate a run.   The Cardinals put up four runs in the sixth on a Tommy Edman triple, a Harrison Bader sac fly, and a Goldschmidt double.  Goldschmidt, Edman, and Kolten Wong were each 2-for-4.  DeJong was 2-for-5.

The pitching in this game was a bullpen game.  Michael Wacha pitched two scoreless innings on short rest to start.  Wacha allowed two hits, struck out two and walked one.  Tyler Webb surrendered four runs in the third and was removed with one out and replaced by Ryan Helsley.  Helsley tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings.  Dominic Leone allowed three unearned runs in the sixth.  John Gant pitched 2/3 scoreless innings, while Andrew Miller gave up one run in 2/3 innings.  Giovanny Gallegos pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and gave up one run.  Gallegos took the loss.

Wong stole his 20th base of the season.  In the field, Paul DeJong made a throwing error.


Thursday, September 5 – Cardinals 10, Giants 0

Dakota Hudson (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The final game of the four game series was vastly different than the game the previous night.  The Cardinals shellacked Giants 10-0 behind six scoreless innings of pitching from starter Dakota Hudson.  Hudson allowed only one hit, struck out two and walked two.  Genesis Cabrera finished the game with three scoreless innings of relief.  Hudson earned his 15th win.

The scoring by the offense began with an RBI single by Paul Goldschmidt followed by a two run home run from Paul DeJong.  The Cardinals put up five runs in the third inning on singles by Yadier Molina, Matt Carpenter, and Hudson, and one run on a fielding error.  Finally, Rangel Ravelo hit a two run home run in the eighth.  Goldschmidt and Carpenter were each 2-for-3.

Randy Arozarena stole the first base of his MLB career.


Friday, September 6 – Cardinals 4, Pirates 9

The Cardinals suffered another tough loss in the first game of a three game series against the Pirates at Busch Stadium.   The team took the lead in the game in the second inning on a two run home run by Tommy Edman.  They increased their lead with two more runs in the seventh with a second home run by Edman, a solo shot, and a Matt Carpenter double.  Edman went 2-for 4 in the game.

The wheels came off the bus in bottom of the seventh on a meltdown by the Cardinal bullpen.  Miles Mikolas had started the game and pitched five innings with one run allowed.  Mikolas gave up three hits, struck out seven, and walked four.  Tyler Webb pitched a scoreless sixth.  Then seventh came, and three Cardinal relievers, John Gant, Andrew Miller, and John Brebbia combined to give up six runs in that inning.  Two runs were charged to Gant, three runs to Miller, and one run to Brebbia.  Mike Mayers added to the pitching woes by giving up two runs in the eighth.  Miller was charged with the loss.


Saturday, September 7 – Cardinals 10, Pirates 1

Marcell Ozuna (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals played much better in the second game of the series, pummeling the Pirates by the score of 10-1.  The offense put up four runs in the third inning to begin the scoring.  Dexter Fowler plated a run on a single and Marcell Ozuna blasted a three run home run.  St. Louis added on with two runs in the sixth on singles by Tommy Edman and Harrison Bader.  In the seventh, Paul DeJong doubled to score two more.   A double by Harrison Bader and a ground out by Rangel Ravelo brought the final two runs home in the ninth.  Kolten Wong went 2-for-5.  Bader and Adam Wainwright were 2-for-4.

Starter Wainwright pitched seven innings and gave up one run on six hits.  The right hander struck out three and walked one.  Junior Fernandez and Daniel Ponce de Leon each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.

On the base paths, DeJong stole his seventh base, and Bader stole his eighth base.  In the field, Dexter Fowler had an outfield assist at second base.


Jack Flaherty (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Sunday, September 8 – Cardinals 2, Pirates 0

In the final game of the series the Cardinals blanked the Pirates 2-0.  Starter Jack Flaherty continued to shine on the mound, following up his eight scoreless innings earlier in the week with eight more scoreless innings in this game.  Flaherty allowed five hits, fanned 10 and walked one.  Carlos Martinez pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 19th save.  Flaherty earned his 10th win.

The Cardinals scored their two runs on a single by Harrison Bader in the fifth, and a double by Paul Goldschmidt in the sixth.

In the field, Flaherty picked a runner off first base.


The Big Picture

The Cardinals finished the week with a record of 5-2, having taken 3 of 4 from the Giants, and 2 of 3 from the Pirates.  The team stands at 81-62 and are in first place in the NL Central, 4.5 games up on the Chicago Cubs.

The Cardinals continue to play good baseball on both sides of the ball.  Starting pitching has been good.  The bullpen has had a couple of shaky outings, more specifically Tyler Webb in Wednesday’s game against the Giants, and John Gant, Andrew Miller, and John Brebbia in Friday’s game with the Pirates.  Other than those two games, the bullpen has been fine.

The offense continues to roll, though a couple of games during the week were won with little offense.  Paul Goldschmidt, Kolten Wong, Tommy Edman and Matt Carpenter hit well during the week.   Paul DeJong improved from the prior week.  Harrison Bader cooled off slightly earlier in the week but picked it up over the weekend. Yadier Molina and Dexter Fowler also have cooled off a little bit.   Marcell Ozuna had been struggling but came through with two home runs during the week.

The defense and base running continue to be a plus.  Paul DeJong made a couple of errors on the infield, one of which contributed to the late loss against the Giants on Wednesday, DeJong failed to make a routine play, inexplicably changing his mind on which base to throw to, which resulted in no out on the play. Had the play been made it would have resulted in the third out.  The error led to a three run home run by Brandon Crawford, the batter following the error. DeJong has been a reliable defender, so the errors were hopefully just a blip on the radar.

The Cardinals go to Colorado this coming week to play a three game series in Coors Field against the Rockies.  The Cardinals return home to play the final series with the Brewers.  The team needs to take both series to cement their lead over the Cubs.


NL Central Standings

Team W L Pct GB
St. Louis 81 62 0.566
Chicago 76 66 0.535 4.5
Milwaukee 74 68 0.521 6.5
Cincinnati 67 77 0.465 10
Pittsburgh 62 81 0.434 14.5

Former Cardinal Chris Duncan passes away at the age of 38

Cardinal Nation received very sad news on Friday night during the game with the Pirates.   Fox Sports Midwest broadcaster Dan McLaughlin broke the news to Cardinals fans that former Cardinal and St. Louis radio host Chris Duncan had passed away.  The announcement was made by McLaughlin during the broadcast of the game.

Chris Duncan (Getty Images)

Duncan, 38, was the son of former Cardinal pitching coach Dave Duncan, and played for the Cardinals for five seasons. He was a first round draft pick by the Cardinals in the 1999 June Draft, and made his major league debut on September 10, 2005.

Duncan had been battling Glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, for several years.  His mother, Jeanine, died of the disease in 2013.  Duncan was diagnosed with the cancer in 2012 but the cancer was found early and he underwent surgery and chemotherapy.

Duncan had been working on 101 ESPN radio in St. Louis doing “The Fast Lane” with Randy Karraker and D’Marco Farr and also a show called “The Turn” with Anthony Stalter. Duncan announced in 2018 that the tumor had returned, and in January 2019 Duncan told radio followers that he was leaving 101 ESPN and returning to Arizona where his family resided to continue his fight with the cancer.

Duncan is survived by wife Amy, father Dave Duncan, and brother Shelley Duncan.


Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

  • 9/2 The Cardinals recalled SS Edmundo Sosa from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/3 The Cardinals recalled OF Randy Arozarena from the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback.  He will not return to the roster this season.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on September 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • C Matt Wieters (left calf) suffered a mild calf strain running the bases in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday, August 31. Wieters is considered day to day.  The catcher did some running on the field on September 6.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals have a travel day on Monday, September 9, then begin a three game series in Denver with the Rockies on Tuesday September 10.  Michael Wacha is scheduled to make the start on Tuesday, followed by Dakota Hudson on Wednesday and Miles Mikolas on Thursday.

The team returns home for a weekend series again with the Brewers, the last between the clubs in the regular season.   No pitchers have been announced but will likely be Adam Wainwright, Jack Flaherty, and Michael Wacha.

On September 16 the Nationals come to Busch Stadium for a three game series.  The Cardinals then travel to Chicago to play the Cubs in a crucial four game series beginning Sept. 19.

The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

This week’s Blast from the Past briefly looks at the Cardinals career of Chris Duncan, who passed away last week at the age of 38 from brain cancer.

Chris Duncan was the son of former Cardinal pitching coach Dave Duncan.  His brother Shelley Duncan was a pitcher with the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays in a career that spanned seven major league seasons.

Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)

Duncan was drafted by the Cardinals in the 1999 June Draft in the first round. He was the 46th pick, a compensation pick for the loss of Delino DeShields to free agency.   He debuted with the Cardinals on September 10, 2005.  Duncan played both first base and in the outfield throughout his five seasons with the Cardinals.  During those five seasons he posted a slash line of .257/.348/.458 with 55 home runs and 175 RBI.  His first major league home run on October 2, 2005 was the last home run hit in Busch Stadium II.  In his first full season in 2006 Duncan hit .293/.363/.589 with 22 home runs and was a contributor to the Cardinals World Series Championship that year.   That 2006 season was Duncan’s best season as a Cardinal.  Duncan hit 21 home runs and had a career high 70 RBI in 2007.

Duncan suffered an injury riddled 2008 and had season ending neck surgery in July of that year.  He returned to the Cardinals in 2009 but hit only .227 with five home runs and 32 RBI in 304 plate appearances.  On July 22, 2009 Duncan was optioned to Triple-A then traded to the Boston Red Sox the next day.  Duncan was immediately optioned to Boston’s Triple-A affiliate and was released a month later after hitting only .188 with two home runs and 10 RBI.  Duncan signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals in January 2010 but was never called up to the major league team.  Duncan left baseball after the 2010 season.

Duncan then signed on with ESPN radio in October of 2011, where he remained until leaving in January 2019 to return to Tucson to be with his family.  He passed away from brain cancer on September 6, 2019.  His wife Amy, father Dave, and brother Shelley survive.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Johnson City Cardinals Notebook – 2019 Week 12


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St. Louis Cardinals MLB Notebook – Week of August 26-September 1

photo: Harrison Bader (Jeff Curry/Imagn)

The St. Louis Cardinals won both home series on the week, going 5-2, and opened up a three-game lead in the NL Central. CF Harrison Bader has performed well offensively and defensively since his return. Our weekly history feature looks back at the uncommon back-to-back Cardinals double-header.


Game recaps

Monday, August 26 – Cardinals 12, Brewers 2

John Gant (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals manhandled the Milwaukee Brewers in the first of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.  St. Louis scored three runs via the long ball, a solo shot by Yadier Molina in the fourth, and a two-run home run by Paul DeJong in the sixth.  Molina also plated a run in the first inning on a single and DeJong added a sac fly in the eighth.  In the second inning, St. Louis put six runs on the board.  The lineup batted around beginning with Harrison Bader who singled.  Fowler singled to score Bader.  Marcell Ozuna plated three on a double, and Bader hit a ground rule double to drive in two more.  Tommy Edman went 3-for-6.  Fowler, Ozuna, and Bader were 2-for-5.  Molina was 2-for-4.

Starter Adam Wainwright pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on six hits.  John Gant tossed two scoreless innings of relief and earned the win.  Dominic Leone followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, Andrew Miller pitched one scoreless frame before Carlos Martinez got the last out of the ninth.


Tuesday, August 27 – Cardinals 6, Brewers 3

Yadier Molina (Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports)

In Game 2, the Cardinals took the series with a 6-3 win over the Brewers.  Molina hit his second and third home runs of the series, a solo home run in the fifth, and a two-run shot in the seventh.  Molina went 3-for-3 in the game.  Kolten Wong doubled to drive in a run in the seventh and plated a second run on a single in the ninth.   Harrison Bader was 3-for-4 with an RBI double in the ninth.  Marcell Ozuna was 2-for-4.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings and gave up one run on four hits.  The right hander fanned 10.  Giovanny Gallegos surrendered one in the seventh.  Andrew Miller allowed one run in the eighth and got one out; he was relieved in the eighth by Carlos Martinez, who tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings to earn his 16th save.  Mikolas earned his eighth win.

On the base paths, Wong stole his 18th base.  Dexter Fowler was caught stealing for the third time.


Wednesday, August 28 – Cardinals 1, Brewers 4

The Cardinals were unable to complete the sweep as they lost to the Brewers, 4-1.  Starter Jack Flaherty pitched six innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits.  The right hander struck out seven and walked one.  John Brebbia tossed a scoreless seventh.  Tyler Webb surrendered one run in the eighth, and left with two outs for Dominic Leone, who got the final out of the inning.  Flaherty took the loss.

The Cardinals scoring came on a solo home run by Kolten Wong in the sixth inning.  Wong went 3-for-4.  Yadier Molina was 2-for-4.

Paul Goldschmidt stole his second base of the season.


Thursday, August 29 – Off day


Friday, August 30 – Cardinals, Reds (postponed)

The opener of the four-game series with the Reds at Busch Stadium was rained out on Friday night.  The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, as a doubleheader was already previously scheduled on Saturday to make up a previously rained out game from back in June.


Saturday, August 31 – Cardinals 10, Reds 2 (Game 1 doubleheader)

Dakota Hudson (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

In the first of a twin bill, the Cardinals battered the Reds by the score of 10-2.   Solo home runs by Dexter Fowler and Yadier Molina highlighted a 10 run, 12 hit offense.  Fowler went 3-for-5.  Molina and Paul Goldschmidt were 2-for-4 and Kolten Wong was 2-for-3.  Molina, Wong and Goldschmidt each had two RBI.

Starter Dakota Hudson pitched 7 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on four hits.  The right hander fanned eight and walked two.  John Brebbia relieved in the eighth but surrendered a run without recording an out.  Giovanny Gallegos got the final two outs of the inning.  Carlos Martinez pitched a scoreless ninth.

Wong stole his 19th base of the season. Fowler was caught stealing for the fourth time.


Saturday, August 31 – Cardinals 3, Reds 2 (Game 2 doubleheader)

Michael Wacha (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

In the second game of the twin bill, the Cardinals claimed a ninth-inning walk off win.  St. Louis fell behind 2-0 and was held scoreless until the seventh inning, when Dexter Fowler had an RBI single.  In the bottom of the ninth, with the Cards behind 2-1, Harrison Bader singled to left to score the tying run.  Pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter singled to right to score Bader for the walk off 3-2 win.  Tommy Edman went 3-for-4 and Dexter Fowler was 2-for-4.

Starter Michael Wacha pitched seven innings and gave up two runs on three hits.  The right hander struck out seven and walked two.  Dominic Leone and Tyler Webb combined to pitch a scoreless eighth.  John Gant tossed a quiet ninth to earn the win.

Marcell Ozuna made a fielding error.


Sunday, Sept 1 – Cardinals 4, Reds 3 (Game 1 doubleheader)

Harrison Bader (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The Cardinals began the second doubleheader of the weekend with a 4-3 walk off win against the Reds.  St. Louis scored first when Harrison Bader reached on a missed catch error that scored Yadier Molina.  The Reds took a 3-1 lead in the third.  The Cardinals didn’t score again until the seventh when Bader singled to bring in Jose Martinez.  They added a run to tie on a sac fly by Paul DeJong in the eighth.  In the ninth, Bader faced an extreme Reds shift of five infielders and two outfielders and hit a fly ball over the head of the center fielder to score the walk off run.  Bader and Yadier Molina were each 2-for-4.

Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings and gave up three runs on four hits.  The right hander struck out five. Ryan Helsley tossed two scoreless innings of relief.  Carlos Martinez struck out the side in the ninth and was the winning pitcher.

Jose Martinez and Tommy Edman each stole a base.


Sunday, Sept 1 – Cardinals 3, Reds 5 (Game 2 doubleheader)

The Cardinals were unable to complete the four-game back-to-back doubleheader sweep against the Reds.  The Redbirds scored all three of their runs in the third on a two-run home run by Andrew Knizner and an RBI triple by Kolten Wong.  Wong went 3-for-4.

Starter Daniel Ponce de Leon pitched four innings and gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits.  The right hander struck out two and walked one. Dominic Leone tossed a scoreless fifth.  Mike Mayers surrendered one run in two innings of relief.  Junior Fernandez and John Brebbia combined for the final two scoreless innings.

Knizner committed a fielding error.  Harrison Bader had an outfield assist at home plate.


The Big Picture

St. Louis finished the week with a record of 5-2, winning 2 of 3 from the Brewers and taking 3 of 4 from the Reds in back to back doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Their 18 wins in August tied April for the most in any month this season.

Kolten Wong (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

As the Cardinals continue to win, this week they did so without significant contributions from their middle of the order bats.  Paul Goldschmidt, Marcell Ozuna, and Paul DeJong were all cold at the plate for the week with OPS’s of .569, .603, and .715 respectively.  Yadier Molina, Tommy Edman, Dexter Fowler, and Harrison Bader were hot.  Kolten Wong hit well in limited appearances coming off a toe injury.  Matt Carpenter had some good moments, including the walk off hit in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Cardinals fans enjoyed some top notch defense from Bader this week.  A diving catch in center on a Freddy Galvis fly ball in the second game of Saturday’s twin bill was dazzling.  Bader also threw a bullet to home plate to get Michael Lorenzen out at home in Sunday’s second game.  The defense remains a plus, with the exception of an outfield start from Jose Martinez on Sunday, whose poor defense continues to be an issue.

The starting pitching remained good, with the exception of Daniel Ponce de Leon on Sunday, who struggled a bit.  The bullpen remains one of the best in the NL.  Baserunning also continues to be exceptional.

The Cardinals received reinforcements on Sunday with rosters expanding.  The Cardinals called up Ponce de Leon, as well as relievers Junior Fernandez, Genesis Cabrera, and Mike Mayers.  Rangel Ravelo, and catchers Andrew Knizner and Joe Hudson were also added.  At least two more position players are expected on Tuesday, infielder Edmundo Sosa and outfielder Randy Arozarena.  Knizner and Ravelo have already made appearances, as well as pitchers Fernandez and Mayers.

The Cardinals play a four game series at Busch against the Giants to begin the week, then travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates over the weekend.  These series present a good opportunity to widen the lead on the Cubs – if the team can continue to play well and get better offense out of their middle of the order bats.


NL Central Standings

Team W L Pct GB
St. Louis 76 60 0.559
Chicago 73 63 0.537 3
Milwaukee 70 66 0.515 6
Cincinnati 64 73 0.467 12.5
Pittsburgh 60 77 0.438 16.5

Trade and Acquisition Rumors

There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.


Transactions 

  • 8/26 The Cardinals sent OF Tyler O’Neill on a rehab assignment to the Springfield Cardinals.
  • 8/26 The Cardinals sent RF Jose Martinez on a rehab assignment to the Springfield Cardinals.
  • 8/28 The Cardinals released INF Drew Robinson.
  • 8/30 The Cardinals activated OF Tyler O’Neill from the 10 day injured list.
  • 8/30 The Cardinals placed OF Lane Thomas on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28. Right wrist fracture.
  • 8/31 The Cardinals recalled LHP Genesis Cabrera from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals transferred OF Lane Thomas from the 10 day injured list to the 60 day injured list. Right wrist fractureR
  • 9/1 The Cardinals activated OF Jose Martinez from the 10 day injured list.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals selected the contract of RHP Mike Mayers from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals selected the contract of C Joe Hudson from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals recalled C Andrew Knizner from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals recalled RHP Junior Fernandez from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals recalled 1B Rangel Ravelo from the Memphis Redbirds.
  • 9/1 The Cardinals recalled RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon from the Memphis Redbirds.

Injury Report

  • LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had begun a throwing program but had a setback.  He will not return to the roster this season. Neither will injured starters Austin Gomber and Alex Reyes, currently assigned to the minor leagues.
  • RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
  • LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season.  Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
  • OF Lane Thomas (right wrist) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 28 for a right wrist fracture suffered when he was hit by a pitch. Thomas was transferred to the 60 day injured list on Sept 1 to make room on the roster for C Joe Hudson.  Thomas is out for the season.
  • C Matt Wieters (left calf) suffered a mild calf strain running the bases in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday. Wieters is considered day to day but the Cardinals recalled two catchers on Sunday, so it is expected Wieters may be unavailable for some time.


Looking Ahead

The Giants come to Busch Stadium for a four-game series beginning Labor Day afternoon.  Adam Wainwright is scheduled to make the Monday start, followed by Jack Flaherty on Tuesday.  No pitchers for Wednesday and Thursday have been announced but will likely be Dakota Hudson and Michael Wacha.  The Cardinals then travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates in a weekend series starting Sept 6.

After a travel day on Monday, Sept 9, the Cardinals begin a three-game set in Denver with the Rockies.  The team leaves Colorado and return home for a weekend series again with the Brewers.

On September 16, the Nationals come to Busch Stadium for three games.  The Cardinals then travel to Chicago to play the Cubs in a four-game series beginning Sept. 19.

The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.


Blast from the Past

The Cardinals’ schedule this past week worked out such that the team was forced to play doubleheaders on back to back days against the Cincinnati Reds.  A prior rained out game from June had already been scheduled as part of a doubleheader on Saturday.  The day before, a night of storms in St. Louis forced the rescheduling of that game with the Reds.  Because this was the last scheduled series with the Reds, the Friday game had to be played as part of a doubleheader with Sunday’s regularly scheduled game.  That meant doubleheaders on back to back days.

Double headers in today’s game are an uncommon phenomena.  They do happen occasionally, but they generally tend to be avoided unless necessary.  Doubleheaders on back to back days are even rarer. However, in the early days of baseball, the twin bill was quite common.  Changes in the game, the players, the number of games, financials and other factors have made doubleheaders more or less a thing of the past.

This week’s Blast from Past looks at some back to back doubleheaders in St. Louis’ more recent, and distant past.

Omar Oliveras

Prior to this weekend’s set of doubleheaders, the last time the Cardinals played home twin bills on back to back days was in 1994.  On Thursday July 21 and Friday July 22, the Cardinals had doubleheaders in St. Louis against the Atlanta Braves.  The first game began at 5:37 pm local time and was a 6-3 victory for the Cardinals.  The game featured starting pitcher Omar Olivares against John Smoltz for the Braves.  Olivares, an appropriate choice wearing “00”,  pitched a complete game, while giving up three runs on three hits, striking out two and walking five.  Smoltz went six innings, gave up six runs on 11 hits, struck out four and walked one.

Bryan Eversgerd (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

The second game of the twin bill began at 8:38 pm local time and was a 6-1 win for the Braves.  That game featured John Frascatore for St. Louis against Greg Maddux for Atlanta.  Maddux pitched a complete game, while Frascatore went only 3 1/3 innings.  Frasacatore was relieved by Bryan Eversgerd, who most fans today recognize as the Cardinals’ bullpen coach.

The twin bill on July 22 featured Tom Urbani vs. Kent Mercker and was a 5-0 Cardinal win.  The second game was Rick Sutcliffe against Brad Woodall, a 3-2 St. Louis victory.

Bob Forsch

On July 7 and 8, 1987, the Cardinals played back to back doubleheaders in St. Louis against the Dodgers.  The Cardinals won all four games, 5-4 and 5-4 on July 7, and 6-3, 8-7 on July 8.  The second game on both days went 10 innings.  The opener on July 8 featured future Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Forsch against Fernando Valenzuela.  The first game on July 7 was started by none other than current Cardinal broadcaster Rick Horton, in one of his rare starts as a Cardinal (he was mostly a reliever in his career).

If one goes back far in franchise history, to 1924, you will find two sets of back-to-back doubleheaders against the Cincinnati Reds.  The first occurred on May 27 and 28, and the second on June 27 and 28.  The Cardinals split the games 2-2 in May but lost all four in June.  There were many other back to back twin bills that year, and no doubt if you searched you would find many, many others back in those days.  There were four other such instances in 1924 alone.

The doubleheader is not what it once was in terms of frequency, though you may find some of a nostalgic bent who believe they ought to occur more often.  In the words of Ernie Banks, “Let’s play two” has its fans still throughout baseball.


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – September 1, 2019

photo: Seth Elledge (Frank Ramirez/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 2-3 on Saturday.  Johnson City won its game to take the semifinal playoffs to Game three.  Our Players of the Day are the Memphis Redbirds pitching staff of Seth Elledge, Roel Ramirez, Chasen Shreve and Kodi Whitley, who combined to take a no-hitter against the first place Iowa Cubs into the bottom of the eighth inning in Saturday’s game in Des Moines.  Honorable mention goes to Springfield DH Chris Chinea, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBIs in Springfield’s loss to Midland.

Results for games played Saturday, August 31.


Memphis 3 at  Iowa 1

Seth Elledge (Steve Mitchell/Imagn)

Having missed their slim chance at the playoffs with a loss to Iowa the previous night, the Redbirds came back to defeat the Cubs 3-1 on Saturday.  Four Memphis pitchers combined to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning of the contest.  Starter Seth Elledge pitched three scoreless, hitless innings, struck out five and walked two.  Roel Ramirez took the mantle from Elledge and no-hit the Cubs for two scoreless innings of relief. Next in line was Chasen Shreve, who tossed two more scoreless, hitless innings.  Kodi Whitley finally gave up a double to the second Cub hitter he faced in the eighth inning.  That double and a triple in the ninth were the only hits surrendered to the Cubs.  The lone Cubs run scored on a sac fly in the ninth.  Whitley earned the save while Ramirez got the win.

The Memphis offense scored three runs on seven hits. Two of the runs came on a first inning home run by Adolis Garcia.  The third and final run scored on a single by Jose Martinez in the seventh. Martinez was 2-for-4 in the game.

On the base paths, Max Schrock stole his 12th base of the season.

Memphis is 69-69 on the season and are in second place in the PCL North and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Sunday’s game:  at Iowa, Jake Woodford (9-7, 3.95) 1:08 CT.


Springfield 3, Midland 4

Chris Chinea (Springfield Cardinals)

The Cardinals were edged by the Midland RockHounds in the second game of the four game final series of the season on Saturday.  Springfield fell behind 3-0 in the second inning but battled back to tie the game with one run in the second and two more in the fourth.  Chris Chinea was the offensive star of the game, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI.  Chinea hit a solo home run in the second inning to put the Cardinals on the board.  In the fourth, Chinea doubled in a run and Juan Yepez plated a run on a sac fly.  Brian O’Keefe was 2-for-4.

Starter Evan Kruczynski pitched 6 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits.  The left hander struck out three and walked three.  Will Latcham surrendered one run in 2 1/3 innings of relief and took the loss.

In the field, Connor Capel had an outfield assist at third base. Kruczynski picked a runner off first base.

The Cardinals are 30-38 in the second half, 60-78 overall, are in third place in the Texas League North, and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Midland, Angel Rondon (6-5, 3.21) 6:10 CT.


Palm Beach, Florida (cancelled)

This game was cancelled due to the impending weather from Hurricane Dorian.


Peoria 5 at Clinton 10

Jonatan Machado (Peoria Chiefs)

The Chiefs are rocked by the Clinton LumberKings by the score of 10-5 in the first game of the final season series on Saturday.  The Chiefs offense was held off the board until the final three innings of the game.  Behind 10-0 going into the seventh inning, Peoria attempted a comeback with three runs in the seventh.  Edwin Figuera plated a run on a sac fly.  Jonatan Machado and Josh Shaw each singled to score a run.  In the eighth, Machado drew a bases loaded walk, and in the ninth a run scored on a throwing error.  The rally fell short with the lone run in the ninth.  Machado went 3-for-4 with two RBI.  Shaw and Leandro Cedeno were both 3-for-5.

Starter Michael Brettell pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up 10 runs on 14 hits.  The right hander struck out one and walked one.  Wilfredo Pereira tossed the final 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.  Brettell took the loss.

In the field, Cedeno had an outfield assist at second base.

The Chiefs are 23-45 in the second half, 53-84 overall, and are in last place in the Midwest League West.  Peoria has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Sunday’s game:  at Clinton, Logan Gragg (0-3, 3.94) 2:00 CT


State College 2 at Williamsport 3 (10 innings)

David Vinsky (State College Spikes)

The Spikes lost a heartbreaker in extra innings in Williamsport on Saturday as their playoff hopes ended.  The Spikes fell behind 2-0 early in the game, but a two run eighth inning knotted it up and eventually took the game into the 10th inning.  The tying runs scored on a groundout by Matt Duce and a fielding error.  David Vinsky and Stanley Espinal were both 2-for-4 in the game, but no State College hitter had an extra base hit.

Spikes starter Andre Pallante pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up one run on four hits. The right hander struck out two.  Jacob Schlesener surrendered one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief.  Fabian Blanco tossed the final two innings and gave up the walk off run in the 10th to take the loss.

On the base paths, Vinsky stole a base and was caught stealing.  In the field, Schlesener made an error on a pickoff. Terry Fuller had an outfield assist at second base.

The Spikes are 38-36 on the season and are in third place in the New York/Penn League Pinckney Division.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Williamsport, Adrian Mardueno (3-2, 3.72) 5:05 CT.


Johnson City 7, Bristol 4

Todd Lott (Robert Kell)

The Cardinals defeated the Bristol Pirates in the second game of the best of three Semifinal Playoffs of the Appalachian League Western Division. The series stands at 1-1, and the winner of Sunday’s game will determine which team moves on to the final series against the Eastern Division Semifinal winner.

The Cardinals scored seven runs on 10 hits.  Todd Lott got the scoring going in the first inning with a two run single to left field.  Jhon Torres hit a solo home run in the fifth.  In the sixth, Chandler Redmond hit a solo home run, and Torres plated his second run on a sac fly.  Kevin Vargas plated a run on a single in the eighth.  The seventh and final Cardinal run scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.   Lott went 2-for-4 and was the only Cardinal with multiple hits.

Starter Francisco Justo pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked one.  Will Guay followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.  John Witkowski surrendered two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief.  Dylan Pearce got the last out of the ninth for the save.  Guay was the winning pitcher.

On the base paths, Lott was caught stealing.

Sunday’s game:  vs. Bristol, TBA 4:00 CT.


GCL Cardinals, GCL Astros (cancelled)

The GCL Cardinals were scheduled to play the GCL Astros in a doubleheader on Saturday.  Both games were cancelled due to the impending weather from Hurricane Dorian.  The Cardinals season is at an end.  The Cardinals finished the season with a record of 20-34 and were in last place in the GCL East.


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Cardinals Minor League Notebook – August 31, 2019

photo: Matt Duce (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The St. Louis Cardinals system was 1-4 on Friday, including a Johnson City loss in Game 1 of its playoff series. Our Player of the Day is State College catcher Matt Duce, who went 4-for-6, including a double, two RBI and two runs scored as the Spikes try to hold onto their fading post-season hopes. Memphis was officially eliminated.

Results for games played Friday, August 30.


Memphis 1 at Iowa 5

Jesus Cruz (St. Louis Cardinals)

The slim 2019 playoff hopes for the Redbirds, fueled by a late-season rally, came to a halt with a 5-1 loss to the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines.  Memphis had a shot to defend their PCL and Triple-A titles by sweeping the four game series in Iowa, but that hope officially ended on Friday night.

The Cubs pounced on starter Tommy Parsons, who was making his Triple-A debut, for five runs in the first inning.  Parsons recovered and held the Cubs scoreless through the next four innings, going five and allowing the five runs on seven hits.  The right hander fanned six and walked two as he replaced Genesis Cabrera, scratched before the game.  Jesus Cruz tossed two scoreless innings of relief.  Bryan Dobzanski hurled a scoreless eighth.

The Redbirds offense was unable to recover from the early five-run deficit.  Memphis finally scratched one run across in the fifth on a ground out by Rangel Ravelo following a Randy Arozarena hit by pitch, a Dylan Carlson single, and a double steal.  Carlson and Ramon Urias were 2-for-4.  The only extra base hits were a triple by Carlson and a double by Arozarena.

On the base paths, in addition to Arozarena and Carlson with the double steal, Urias and Max Schrock also swiped a bag apiece.  In the field, Edmundo Sosa made a throwing error.

Memphis is 68-69 on the season and is in second place in the PCL American North, five games behind the Iowa Cubs, and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Saturday’s game:  at Iowa, Seth Elledge (3-1, 5.17) 7:08 CT.


Springfield 4, Midland 5

Chris Chinea (Springfield Cardinals)

The Cardinals were edged by Midland Rock Hounds 5-4 at Hammons Field on Friday.  The offense initially went up 1-0 in the first inning on an RBI single by Chris Chinea.  Springfield did not score again until the eighth, when three runs came home to tie the game 4-4.   Conner Capel singled to left to plate a run, then came home to score, along with Chinea, on a single to center off the bat of Julio Rodriguez.  Chinea went 2-for-4 , while Capel was 2-for-3.

Spot starter Merandy Gonzalez, filling in for Parsons, pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits.  The right hander struck out two and walked three.  Jacob Patterson surrendered one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief.  Ronnie Williams allowed one run in the final 2 1/3 innings and took the loss.

Rayder Ascanio stole his third base of the season.  Kramer Robertson was caught stealing for the fifth time.  In the field, Gonzalez made a throwing error.

The Cardinals are 30-37 in the second half, 60-77 overall, and are in third place in the Texas League North.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Midland, Evan Kruczynski (3-8, 5.69) 6:10 CT.


Palm Beach vs. Florida (cancelled)

The final series of the season for the Palm Beach Cardinals, to be played against the Florida Fire Frogs over the weekend, was cancelled due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Dorian.

The Cardinals finished the season with a second half record of 22-44, an overall record of 57-72, and were in last place in the Florida State League South Division, 23.5 games back of the first place Charlotte Stone Crabs.


Peoria 2, Beloit 9

Connor Thomas (State College Spikes)

The Chiefs were overwhelmed by the Beloit Snappers by the score of 9-2 at Dozer Park on Friday.  The Peoria offense managed only two runs on 10 hits.  A sac fly by Brady Whalen in the first inning put the Chiefs on the board, but the offense failed to add on until Imeldo Diaz’ RBI single in the eighth.  Diaz went 2-for-4, as did Jonatan Machado and Carlos Soto.

Starter Colin Schmid pitched five innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits.  The left hander struck out four and walked two.  Connor Thomas tossed two scoreless innings of relief.   Sebastian Tabata surrendered five runs in the eighth as the game got away from the Chiefs.  Freddy Pacheco allowed one run in the ninth.

In the field, Soto made a throwing error.  Leandro Cedeno had an outfield assist at second base.

The Chiefs are 19-41 in the second half, 49-80 overall, and are in last place in the Midwest League West

Saturday’s game:  at Cedar Rapids, Michael Brettell (5-9, 5.15) 6:35 CT.


State College 10 at Mahoning Valley 3

Matt Duce (State College Spikes)

The Spikes pummeled Mahoning Valley by the score of 10-3 on Friday.  The State College offense scored the bulk of their runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Dariel Gomez singled in the first inning to plate the first Spikes score.  A third inning sac fly by Stanley Espinal gave the Spikes a 2-1 lead.

The five-run seventh inning was the turning point.  Matt Duce doubled to plate a run then scored on a Liam Sabino single.  Two runs came home on a fielder’s choice and a fielding error.  The fifth run of the inning scored on a ground out by Luis Flores.

In the eighth, three runs came in on a single by Duce and a double by Andrew Warner.  Duce went 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored.   Pedro Pages was 3-for-4 with four runs scored.

Starter Scott Politz pitched six innings and gave up three runs on five hits.  The right hander struck out four and walked two to earn his fourth win.  Cameron Dulle followed with two scoreless innings of relief.  Eric Lex tossed a scoreless ninth.

The Spikes are 38-35 and are in third place in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division, two games back of the first place Batavia Muckdogs with three games remaining in the season. State College’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, with their elimination number just one.

Saturday’s game:  at Williamsport, Andre Pallante (1-0, 2.81) 6:05 CT.


Johnson City 4 at Bristol 5

Jhon Torres (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)

The Cardinals were edged by the Bristol Pirates in Game 1 of the West Division Semifinal Playoff Series on Friday.  Jhon Torres drove in two of the Cardinals four runs on a single in the third inning and a sac fly in the seventh.  Carlos Soler added a sac fly in the fourth.  The fourth and final run came home on a fielding error in the ninth.  Mateo Gil was 2-for-5 with a triple and was the only Cardinal with multiple hits.

Starter Jake Sommers pitched five innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits.  The right hander fanned eight and walked one.  Tyler Peck followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.  Left hander Walker Robbins surrendered the three winning runs in the eighth and was charged with the blown save and the loss.  John Witkowski got the final outs of the ninth.

In the field, the Cards had a rough night. Malcom Nunez and Kevin Vargas committed throwing errors.  Gil and Chandler Redmond each made a fielding error. Zach Jackson had a passed ball.

Game 2 of the best of three series will be played at Johnson City on Saturday, as will Game 3 on Sunday, if needed.

Saturday’s game:  vs. Bristol, Francisco Justo (0-0, 0.00) 5:30 CT.


GCL Cardinals

The Cardinals had no game scheduled for Friday but were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday with the Astros to conclude their season.  However, that series (and the Gulf Coast League playoffs) were cancelled due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Dorian.

The Cards finished with a 20-34 record (.370), and in fifth/last place in the GCL South, 10 games behind the Marlins.


Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation

Major Decline in Cardinals Post-Season All-Stars


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Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.

© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.