INSIDE PITCH
Making perhaps their last stand,
at least as far as competing in the National League Central, the Cardinals need
no less than a sweep at home this weekend against division-leading
Cincinnati.
Even if they win all
three games, they'd still be five games behind.
"We can't win seven games
in the three-game series against the Reds," said left fielder Matt Holliday
after the Cardinals had lost the finale of a 10-game trip in Houston on
Wednesday.
However, Holliday said,
"We've got to start winning and winning a lot. It can be done. It's September.
There's one month left. There's no time to put it off. We've got to start
playing better."
After the three-game
series - and homestand - the Cardinals will head back onto the road for three at
Milwaukee and four at Atlanta. St. Louis' road record is
just 28-39 after a 2-8 trip.
"We've been stinking up
the place," manager Tony La Russa said.
NOTES AND
QUOTES
As they did before their
three-game sweep in Cincinnati in early August, the Cardinals have
lined up their three aces, LHP Jaime Garcia and RHPs Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, for the Reds series this weekend. That means RHP Jake Westbrook will
start the series opener in Milwaukee on Monday, with probably RHP Kyle Lohse,
who was skipped a turn, to follow.
The Cardinals need a
winning September, which they haven't had since 2004, when they were 16-12. The
Cardinals are 50-60 in September games since 2006, when they won the World
Series. "There's no easy answer for that (record)," manager Tony La Russa
said.
Hitting coach Mark
McGwire, in his first year on the job, said he would "really love to be a
hitting coach for many, many years." McGwire admitted that in his maiden voyage
he had "a lot of sleepless nights. I've had a lot of great nights." McGwire's
future as hitting coach may be tied to La Russa's future in St. Louis as
manager.
1B Albert Pujols gave the
bat with which he hit his 400th home run to a boy at Texas Children's Hospital
in Houston. The young fan, who has a brain tumor, had hoped to see his favorite
player, Pujols, during the Cardinals' series in Houston this week, but he was hospitalized.
Pujols had not used the bat since hitting his 400th in Washington on Aug.
26.
The Cardinals have been
held to two or fewer runs in seven of their last 15 games. They have lost all
seven.
By the Numbers:
1.336 - 1B Albert Pujols' OPS for
August, with three games remaining.
Quote to Note:
"If it happens, it
happens. But I don't want to stand here thinking about
it."
- Albert Pujols, on his chances
for the Triple Crown.
ROSTER
REPORT
Medical
Watch:
C Jason LaRue
(concussion) went on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 13. He was moved to the
60-day DL on Aug. 19, ending his season.
RHP Adam Ottavino (right
shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 4, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 17. He won't need surgery, but he is
out for the season.
3B David Freese (right
ankle surgery) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 28, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 15. He was originally out due to a bone
bruise on his right ankle, and then he broke his left big toe in mid-July. He
tore a right ankle tendon Aug. 2 in his first rehab game with Class AA
Springfield, and he had season-ending surgery Aug. 6.
RHP Brad Penny (strained
upper back) went on the 15-day disabled list May 22. He threw bullpen sessions
June 28 and July 1 but had to cut short a bullpen session July 6 because of
tightness in his triceps area. He underwent an MRI on July 7, which found
nothing that hadn't been diagnosed before. As of Aug. 5, he was playing catch
but not throwing off a mound. Penny is out
indefinitely.