GDT - Cards (Wellemeyer) @ Brewers (Parra) - 5.09.08, 7:05 PM

Jeffro · #1 05-08-2008, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Ludwick taking road show to Milwaukee
05/08/2008 9:30 PM ETBy Owen Perkins / Special to MLB.com

DENVER -- Ryan Ludwick was a one-man wrecking machine in Colorado, hitting .692 (9-for-13) with three homers and six RBIs in the four-game series. Not bad for a "bench" player.
But to define Ludwick as he defines himself -- as a "role player" -- is still something of an understatement. His role has led to 19 starts in the season's first 36 games, and when a left-hander is on the hill, Ludwick is in the cleanup spot, hitting there in nine of his starts this season.
He's found success in whatever roles manager Tony La Russa finds for him, and in Colorado it began with an eighth-inning pinch-hit in Monday's series opener.
"It's just a feeling," Ludwick said, trying to make sense of the zone he's in. "I caught the feeling when I pinch-hit the other night. You get up there, and you've got that loose feeling. The rhythm's loose, and the timing's loose, and it's just see ball, hit ball. The slider I hit off [right-handed reliever Taylor] Buchholz the first night locked my timing and rhythm back in. The whole series, the rhythm and timing, I felt like I was on a lot of pitches."
It was as "on" as Ludwick has ever been in parts of six big league seasons, but it's a feeling he's beginning to feel comfortable with. Much of the credit comes from his first year with the Cardinals in 2007, playing 120 games for La Russa, regular enough to get him settled in his role.
"In the Minor Leagues, I've had stretches where I've been just as locked in," Ludwick pointed out. "But you know, I was really confident coming in this year. I was working in the offseason, trying to shorten my swing a little bit. Just having the little bit of success I had last year built a lot of confidence in me as a player. I'd done it at every level. I hadn't done it here before, but once you get that confidence, it makes it a little easier on yourself to know you have the ability to do it."
A big part of making it easier for Ludwick has been the opportunity to play for La Russa, who Ludwick believes is as good as it gets in using his roster.
"Tony does a great job at keeping us all fresh," Ludwick said. "He's one of the best in the game at doing that. That's why his teams have so much success pinch-hitting-wise, because he's constantly getting guys -- even guys who are more role players like myself -- he still gets you in there with opportunities to keep you fresh."
La Russa clearly shares a sense of mutual admiration for Ludwick, who likely will get a fourth consecutive start with the Cardinals face southpaw Manny Parra on Friday night in Milwaukee.
"He had a great series," said La Russa. "It's part of a great first month and eight days, and a long way to go."
Pitching matchup
STL: RHP Todd Wellemeyer (3-1, 4.07 ERA)
Wellemeyer lasted just five innings in his previous start, on Sunday against the Cubs, which matched his shortest start of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits, struck out four and walked four. He threw 95 pitches, with 57 for strikes. Wellemeyer will have to find a way to be more efficient with his pitches and try to get through six or seven innings to give the bullpen a break.
MIL: LHP Manny Parra (1-2, 5.86 ERA)
Parra has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his six starts, and it's starting to upset him. He lasted four-plus frames against the Astros on Saturday, taking a 1-1 tie into the fifth inning and then allowing a five-run outburst sparked by back-to-back homers by the opposing pitcher, Brandon Backe, and slumping leadoff man Michael Bourne. Parra has great pure stuff -- a 92-94 mph fastball and three serviceable offspeed pitches -- but he has been up in the strike zone way too often, manager Ned Yost said. Parra has already started twice against the Cardinals, taking a pair of no-decisions while allowing six earned runs in nine total innings.
Tidbits
Though they split the four-game set in Colorado, the Cardinals won the season series, 4-3, their third consecutive season besting the Rockies. ... Albert Pujols' sixth-inning single Thursday extended his streak of games reaching base safely to 36, having reached base by hit or walk in every Cardinals game of the season. ... Cesar Izturis' infield single to second base in the seventh extended his hitting streak to nine games.
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Up next
• Saturday: Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 2-2, 4.33) at Brewers (Ben Sheets, 4-0, 2.29), 2:40 p.m. CT

• Sunday: Cardinals (Braden Looper, 5-1, 3.95) at Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 1-2, 5.22), 1:05 p.m. CT

• Monday: Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 3-1, 2.25) at Brewers (Dave Bush, 0-4, 6.98), 7:05 p.m. CT

I'm 3-0. Let's break out of this mini slump.

kah · #2 05-08-2008, 11:40 PM

Remember, splits on the road are good!

payitandbringit · #3 05-09-2008, 04:52 AM

Let's get this one tonight before seeing Mr. Sheets tomorrow.

Another LH starter we're facing...what is that 4 in a row now and 6 of the last 8?

I believe it is important to set the tone for this series by grabbling game 1. This Milwaukee outfit is reeling. Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.

Schwahalala · #4 05-09-2008, 07:01 AM

We will win the ballgame.

Cards 4 - Brewers 1

**Guppy** · #5 05-09-2008, 07:04 AM

Jeffro is the slumpbuster!

Moon Man · #6 05-09-2008, 07:46 AM

Are we playing the Brewers 80 times this year?

Moon

cardinalgirl · #7 05-09-2008, 07:49 AM

Wellemeyer is a stud.

Jeffro · #8 05-09-2008, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy

Jeffro is the slumpbuster!

Well I have the half barrel.

jhanke · #9 05-09-2008, 08:02 AM

lets win by enough to not need Iffy

Tazlaz · #10 05-09-2008, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by payitandbringit

Let's get this one tonight before seeing Mr. Sheets tomorrow.

Definitely want to win tonite anyway - but we own Mr. Sheets. 5-14, 4.30 vs the Cardinals.

Good numbers vs Sheets:
Duncan 7-12, 3b, 2hr, 2rbi, 2bb, 4k
Kennedy 4-12
Miles 4-11, 2k
Molina 5-19, rbi, bb, 2k
Pujols 25-62, 5-2b, 4hr, 10rbi, 2bb, 13k

jhanke · #11 05-09-2008, 12:34 PM

please tell me Duncan will not see the field this series

joe_w · #12 05-09-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by payitandbringit

Let's get this one tonight before seeing Mr. Sheets tomorrow.

Another LH starter we're facing...what is that 4 in a row now and 6 of the last 8?

I believe it is important to set the tone for this series by grabbling game 1. This Milwaukee outfit is reeling. Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.

It is 4 in a row and 6 out of 8 vs lefties (and we've lost 3 of the first 5 in this stretch). Notably absent have been Pujols, Glaus (who I don't think has an RBI vs a lefty this year), and Brian Barton, who's been coming back down to earth of late. Miles has only started one of these last five games vs lefties. Maybe he should get another look.

kennyboyerfan · #13 05-09-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_w

It is 4 in a row and 6 out of 8 vs lefties (and we've lost 3 of the first 5 in this stretch). Notably absent have been Pujols, Glaus (who I don't think has an RBI vs a lefty this year), and Brian Barton, who's been coming back down to earth of late. Miles has only started one of these last five games vs lefties. Maybe he should get another look.

Yeah, I'd sorta like to see one of these hot streaks everyone says Glaus gets on.

Tazlaz · #14 05-09-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Schumaker
Miles 4
Pujols
Ludwick
Glaus
Ankiel
Molina
Welleyemer
Izturis 6

Weeks
Cameron
Braun
Fielder
Hart
Hall
Hardy
Parra 1
Kendall

-B

.

Jeffro · #15 05-09-2008, 03:08 PM

He felt the need to tell us that Izturis wasn't playing second? Well...ok.

InSighT · #16 05-09-2008, 04:42 PM

so, for those keeping score at home, that's 8 starts in 10 games for izturis since coming back off the dl. /sigh

kah · #17 05-09-2008, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InSighT

so, for those keeping score at home, that's 8 starts in 10 games for izturis since coming back off the dl. /sigh

In which he's gone 11 for 31.

InSighT · #18 05-09-2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kah

In which he's gone 11 for 31.

great! this clearly means he's the long-term solution at SS.

kah · #19 05-09-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InSighT

great! this clearly means he's the long-term solution at SS.

No, but it means that pissing and moaning about him playing 8 of the last 10 games at shortstop is pretty silly.