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The series that could define the season
Friday, September 3rd 2010
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(STLToday.com) In his office Wednesday morning, a few hours before his club would lose its fifth consecutive game and end a horrific road trip, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa fielded a variety of questions that centered on one theme.
What. Has. Happened?
"I had a feeling when we left Cincinnati (after the sweep, with a one-game lead), that we had put ourselves in good position and we still had a lot of work to do. It's never that simple. I don't blame you for picking up that story. The reality is you've still got to play the games, and it's a lot tougher. The reality is a lot tougher. Just like the first six weeks of the season. Everyone was saying the race was over. The race wasn't over. The race wasn't over."
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Hudson, Pujols tops in NL for August
Thursday, September 2nd 2010
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(MLB.com) the Braves do, in fact, capture the National League East this season for the first time since 2005, it will be due largely to the work that Tim Hudson has done down the stretch.
With a stellar month of August on the mound, Hudson has continued his Cy Young-caliber season and earned National League Pitcher of the Month honors, joining the Cardinals' Albert Pujols, named Player of the Month, as August's NL honorees.
Hudson turned in a nearly perfect August, going 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA to help the Braves build their current three-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East. The veteran struck out 35 batters during the month, while walking only nine.
"What a guy to have," manager Bobby Cox said.
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Cards fall to Astros as skid reaches five
Wednesday, September 1st 2010
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(MLB.com) At least in this game, the Cardinals scored.
Matt Holliday hit a two-run first-inning home run, but it wasn't enough, as the Cardinals lost, 5-2, to the Astros on Wednesday afternoon, putting an end to St. Louis' 2-8 road trip, which concluded with five consecutive losses.
After being shut out the first two games of the three-game series at Minute Maid Park, the Cardinals wasted little time scoring with Holliday's two-run home run, his 24th of the season, off Astros starter Nelson Figueroa.
The Astros won the first two games of the series by identical 3-0 scores.
A four-run Astros outburst in the fifth inning, capped by Hunter Pence's three-run home run, turned a two-run St. Louis ... [ More ]
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Cards fly back to KMOX
Wednesday, September 1st 2010
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(STLToday.com) An outcry from fans and a favorable financial package have led the Cardinals to reverse their highly controversial decision made five years ago to switch their radio home.
Cardinals officials announced Wednesday that the club's broadcasts will move back to KMOX (1120 AM) next season. The club had rocked much of its fan base in 2005 by leaving its home of 51 seasons in favor of KTRS (550 AM) by purchasing a 50 percent — and controlling — interest in KTRS.
That move was met with discontent from Cardinals fans outside the reach of the team's radio network who were denied free access to the broadcasts they had been receiving on KMOX, whose signal reaches far and wide at night. Even some listeners in the St. Louis area ... [ More ]
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Hitting puzzle goes unsolved in latest loss
Tuesday, August 31st 2010
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(MLB.com) One bad inning doomed the Cardinals. A three-run Astros fourth spoiled an otherwise outstanding pitching performance from Chris Carpenter and sent the Cardinals to another loss.
For the second consecutive game, the Cardinals were stymied by an Astros left-hander. Wandy Rodriguez went seven shutout innings Tuesday in Houston's 3-0 win at Minute Maid Park.
The loss dropped the Cardinals to 2-7 on their 10-game road trip. On Monday, J.A. Happ pitched a two-hit shutout in the Astros' 3-0 win.
Carpenter sailed through the first three innings, allowing only a Michael Bourn infield single.
In facing the minimum nine batters through three innings -- Bourn was caught stealing -- ... [ More ]
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Cardinals to call up Stavinoha, Pagnozzi
Tuesday, August 31st 2010
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(MLB.com) Outfielder Nick Stavinoha and catcher Matt Pagnozzi will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis as September callups.
On Wednesday, the Cardinals will activate pitchers Jeff Suppan, who will start at Houston, and left-hander Dennys Reyes from the disabled list.
"Wherever we figure someone can give you help, I'm all for that," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.
Stavinoha, a native of Houston and a former University of Houston football player, was batting .349 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in his past 10 games at Memphis. Pagnozzi, who will be the Cardinals' third catcher, batted .242 with one home run and 21 RBIs this season, throwing out 31 percent of basestealers (17-of-55).
Stavinoha was ... [ More ]
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Cardinals website/Twitter compares lifeless loss to pigeon poop
Tuesday, August 31st 2010
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(Yahoo! Sports) The common lament of a pennant-race involved fan is that his team didn't give two, uh, well, you knows during a particularly frustrating defeat to a lesser opponent.
But rest assured, St. Louis Cardinals fans! For a brief time on Monday night, both the team's main website and official Twitter feed were busy assuring the public — probably unintentionally, but still — that Tony La Russa's boys really did give a pair of poops while being two-HIT by J.A. Happ(notes) in a 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros.
The unfortunate mistakes were quickly noticed by the Cards' web staff, but not before they zoomed around the Twittersphere and were gobbled up by the snafu-loving snarks over at Joe Sports Fan. With Matt Sebek's ... [ More ]
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Road gets rougher with two-hit shutout
Monday, August 30th 2010
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(MLB.com) The longest road trip of the season is taking its toll on the Cardinals, who had no answer for Astros starter J.A. Happ on Monday.
The Cardinals managed only one hit off the left-hander through seven innings and two in the game in losing, 3-0, to the Astros at Minute Maid Park. The Cardinals are 2-6 in the midst of a 10-game road trip.
St. Louis' first hit was Randy Winn's one-out, first-inning single. But Winn was erased at second as Albert Pujols hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
Jake Westbrook pitched well enough to win for the Cardinals, but he received little offensive support. The Cardinals did turn four double plays, however.
Happ wasn't overpowering, but he was effective. He ... [ More ]
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Rasmus back in starting lineup
Monday, August 30th 2010
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(MLB.com) Colby Rasmus was in the Cardinals' starting lineup on Monday at Houston after not starting the past 12 games as he dealt with a strained calf.
Rasmus, who entered Monday third on the team with 44 walks and second with 10 stolen bases, walked in his first plate appearance on Monday. Rasmus batted seventh and played in center.
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Motte returns from DL feeling good
Monday, August 30th 2010
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(MLB.com) Right-hander Jason Motte came off the 15-day disabled list on Monday and feels good after two rehab appearances at Triple-A Memphis.
Motte, who was placed on the DL on Aug. 4, allowed one run in two-thirds of an innings in his first rehab appearance and no hits in two innings in his second rehab appearance.
"The first time out I was trying to baby it," said Motte, who was on the DL with a right shoulder sprain and missed 22 games. "Then the second time, I was like, 'I'm not much for babying it and be finesse. I'm going to throw, and if it hurts, it hurts, then we'll go from there.' But I went out the second time and threw two innings and felt good. I threw some good offspeed stuff. I got some jam shots on them, so it ... [ More ]
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