Game 4 Open Thread: April 7, 2006

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 1:07 PM EDT in St. Louis Cardinals News

suppan maddux
16-10, 3.57 13-15, 4.24

cardnilly's doing his invaluable series previews again this year; cub preview is up and full o facts. jacque jones is a good bet to collect his first base hit of 2006 today; he's a career .342 hitter vs jeff suppan. and john mabry is a career 6 for 9 vs supps; mabes homered the other day off lefty kent mercker. the cubs in their first two games pounded the ball (22 runs) and pitched really poorly (16 walks in 17 innings). they have new bleachers but the same old injury woes and management problems . . . .

other cardblog updates, very quickly: danup has completed the coming attractions matrix, a comprehensive depth chart of the entire stl organization. fantastic resource. he also has a roundup (more complete than mine) of yesterday's minor-league openers, while birdland looks at some spring-training performances down on the farm. . . . diaspora has an ode to the italian beef sandwich . . . . . pip at fungoes has an alternate interpretation of how tony used the left side of the bullpen yesterday -- he's still got rincon as the "money" LOOGY. i'd rather have my money on flores. . . . . while we're on the subject, studes at hardball times examines which bullpens pitched best in 2005 in the tight situations.

at least one reader at bleed cubbie blue's already in midseason self-loathing form:

Just think, in less than 60 hours the Cubs will likely be 4 1/2 games behind the Cardinals and in last place in the NL Central. . . . It's pathetic that two games into the season the Cubs desperately need a good start today out of a guy who will be 40 years old in a week. How long into the game do you think it will be before we hear the first boos of the season? . . . . I'll predict it will be when Jacque Jones strikes out in his first at bat with the Cardinals leading 2-0 in the bottom of the second.

enjoy the game.

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the lineups

STL
eck ss
j'cion rf
pu 1b
jed cf
rolen 3b
so lf
bennet c
miles 2b
supps p

CHI
pierre cf
neiffi 2b
lee 1b
ramir'z 3b
jjones rf
barrett c
murton lf
cedeno ss
mad dog p

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 2:16 PM EDT reply actions

good to see neifi in that 2 slot

as D Lee hit a homer
grrr...
i really don't like him

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

cedeno triples home murton

juan couldn't cut that one off as it made its way into the right field corner

the cubs always seem to play their best when we show up

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 2:48 PM EDT reply actions

that's some miserable looking

weather too, eh?

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

the curve

is Supe's curve not sharp today?

Cardinals Diaspora

by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 7, 2006 3:07 PM EDT reply actions

Supp hasn't been hitting his marks in general

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Another mental error by Encarnacion...

I know its earlier...but he's making it hard for me to like him. I want too but its hard when he's getting picked off on silly plays like not getting back to first on a fly out to LEFT.

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 3:18 PM EDT reply actions

well...

It's a fly out that would have normally been a home run.

But still, doubled off first by freaking Murton BLOWS.

by sdrone on Apr 7, 2006 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

He's certainly not endearing himself really well,

But in his defense Murton threw a bullet. Edmonds nearly got all of that ball, too.

by DanUpBaby on Apr 7, 2006 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Still, inexcusable...

especially when the play is right in front of you. Plus, he almost got doubled-up last game.

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah

I didn't see this game but last game when he almost got picked off it was because he didn't hustle, which is inexcusable.

by SleepyCA on Apr 7, 2006 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

3 Double Plays

mildly encouraging

now if we could just get those bats goin
Miles leads off the 6th

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

good situation for looper

to get in some work . . . .

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

now THIS is a situaton

where we need a good smart at-bat from juan'cion --- two out, one on, just need him on base to bring up albert.

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

. . . .and i have no problem

with the ab. he took a couple of strikes, both borderline; showed some selectivity, but then had to bat defensively. at least he displayed some intelligence up there

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Encarnacion part deux...

Perhaps it muay be a good idea to move him out of the two-spot tomorrow? He seems to be having a rough start...I'm beginning to lose track at how many he's left on base lately.

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

here's our new mop-up man

braden looper

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 3:52 PM EDT reply actions

wait a minute

isn't he supposed to be pitching in the 8th...oh yeah, that's right

Cardinals Diaspora

by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 7, 2006 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

How many

innings will Albert Pujols lead off before Encarnacion extends an inning by getting a two-out hit?

by bgh on Apr 7, 2006 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

decent inning

by looper. Just watching Gameday online, anyone have any comments about how he looked?

by bourgeois_rage on Apr 7, 2006 3:56 PM EDT reply actions

pretty good

very efficient inning, w/some good movement and hop on his pitches, at least to my eye.

by DCRedbird on Apr 7, 2006 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree...efficient if unspectacular

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions

1-2-3 for Looper

that's encouraging!

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

gameday

which gameday on-line are you watching? mlb? my mlb is really slow. i usually use espn.com's gamecast but they don't even have a gamecast for this game. 'sup with that mess???

oh by the way....big inning here. we HAVE TO score a run or two (at least) in this inning.

by busch league on Apr 7, 2006 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

Gameday

Yeah, mlb's. I'll check out ESPN's if you say it's better though. Last year, I used CBSSportsline's some and I liked that alright enough.

by bourgeois_rage on Apr 7, 2006 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah....

do check out espn's gamecast. it's the best one i've found. scrolling relevant stats at the bottom during every hitter is greatness, i.e. "pujols is 3-8 with RISP this season," or "rolen is 4-9 lifetime vs. lieber", etc., etc.

by busch league on Apr 7, 2006 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Gameday

Have you ever had multiple of these going at the same time, it is hilarious to see how each of them places the pitches in the strike zone. Not even close.

by bourgeois_rage on Apr 7, 2006 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

All right Jimmy!

good to get on the board

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

With a few

more outings like that, maybe he'll be ready for close games and late innings...

by bgh on Apr 7, 2006 3:59 PM EDT reply actions

why is bennett

batting for himself?

by lboros on Apr 7, 2006 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

Mighty good question...

does Yadier need a day off that badly already?

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

How come I sense Spiezio is

going to show up today?

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

Well that was thrilling

I think we'll see a lot of that this year from Mr Speizio...

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Although it seems Howry

is "on" right now...

by cmat on Apr 7, 2006 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

the real question

is not about juan E or bullpen or suppans curve...its this...do they make a hat that properly fits on ecksteins head...haha

by punchinjudy on Apr 7, 2006 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

juan juan juan

dropping a ball in the OF...
if he would just do ONE thing right I'd cut him a break...

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 4:26 PM EDT reply actions

Juan 'E'ncarnacion

Can the guy do anything right? Let's make a list of things he has NOT done well so far in 2006.

1- Drive in a run
2- Get on base
3- Have a good at bat
4- Put a good swing on a ball
5- Catch a lazy fly ball
6- Run the bases with an IQ higher than Coaches Pitch level.

But hey, at least he was ON base to get picked off right?

by TheFranchise9 on Apr 7, 2006 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Wainwright

good inning there w/ three up three down

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

well that was an ugly game...

starting pitching was mediocre
offense was non-existant

at least the bullpen looked good (there's my optimism for the day)

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

my spelling ability is also non-existEnt

by azruavatar on Apr 7, 2006 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh. Well, I guess

Pujols can't hit .600 all season.

by sdrone on Apr 7, 2006 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Nickname

We need a good nickname for Juan Encarnacion. I just can't be taking the time to type that whole name out while I'm trying to rip off a post venting about him.

Any ideas?

by TheFranchise9 on Apr 7, 2006 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

How about

"Juank"? (pronounced "whonk")

It's got his name, plus the "K" for the "phonetics," and if you squint it looks like "junk"....

by salvomania on Apr 7, 2006 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

nickname

how about 'junk'?

by mikeoat on Apr 7, 2006 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm just glad

that on a day when Soup pitched poorly that it coincided with a day in which our bats were silent... it's be a drag to lose today 2-1 if Soup had pitched well, or likewise, to get 11 hits but maybe only 4 runs and to lose 5-4.... this way we get our crappy performance on both sides out of the way all at once---you know it was bound to happen at some point, and by having both tank it's just one loss, instead of spreading it over two days and maybe losing twice...

How's that for "half glass full"?

by salvomania on Apr 7, 2006 4:36 PM EDT reply actions

Nickname

suggestion:

Lemonacion

He's like a car you buy that turns out to be an awful investment, a lemon, and it fits nicely with his last name.

by bgh on Apr 7, 2006 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

nah,

that sounds too much like "abomination"...

...on second thought....

by salvomania on Apr 7, 2006 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Better spelled as

Lemoncion?

by sdrone on Apr 7, 2006 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

LEMONCION

I like it!

by TheFranchise9 on Apr 8, 2006 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes,

I realize that we are only 4 gmaes into the season, but the things he has done in 4 games we have not seen done by somebody in a Cardinal uniform in some time. He does not look to have the Cardinal attitude that has led to back-to-back 100-win seasons.

by bgh on Apr 7, 2006 4:44 PM EDT reply actions