I have the nagging suspicion that it's smoke and mirrors. But then again, smoke and mirrors can keep a team in contention in this division.

the bullpen's that bad... it would help them mightily if the starters can pitch at least six innings every night; a seven-inning stint by someone not named Wainwright would help.

I won't bother with statistical analysis at this point (Small Sample Size Alert!) -- Glaus and Schu need to relax; shouting, "RELAX, DAMMIT!!!" doesn't help. Another lefty today? Yeesh! Does C. Duncan get a start, or does TLR leave Barton in the 1-hole? (I haven't seen the lineups, so don't know...)

These Cards look like they'll battle ya, at least!

Add the 3 inning/5 run almost Opening day and we are scoring 5.06 runs per game against the likes of Francis, Wells, Chico, Cook and Perez.

Adding Francis didn't really dress up that list, did it?

You downplay our pretty good offense because it came against "bad pitchers." Then later you more or less say that our pitchers are "bad pitchers" too. So now other teams' bad pitchers get the credit for our run scoring, and other teams' bad hitters are given credit for the success of our starting pitchers. Geez, let's throw our boys a bone here!

but I did say on the original opening day that it wasn't out of the realm to expect this team to start the season 18-11.

Even still, a win today and it isn't out of the realm to start this season 11-3.

I think we might want to be a bit more patient on both the positive and negative sides. My impression is that we have too many Eeyores on VEB (gloom and doom, sky is falling) and a smattering of Tiggers (Ank for MVP, WunderBrad is Derek Lowe). How about more of a Pooh approach: to be fair-minded and prod along with cautious optimism? Let's not panic on Glaus, dump on Iz2, crown Ank, fret over Antonio King's future, give up on Skip, blame LaDunc for any and everything, etc... Hopefully, there will be a lot of changes in the pitching staff as folks return, and maybe even some trades in the works. As many have already expressed, it sure is exciting to see how this thing will turn out with all the unknowns.

here are the current photos for the SPs
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_458709.jpg (lannon)
http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_346798.jpg (lohse)

I'm guessing that a lot of the offensive underproduction will calm down once glaus gets up to his regular form and pitchers notice that the 08 lineup is not the same as the 07 one, where they could pitch around albert and get to injured & ineffective hitters.

On the pleasant surprise side, my favorite fact of the new season is that molina seems to be continuing his offensive improvement. I wish him a gold glove and 10 HR this year.

but i saw the word "unsustainable" a lot in the post. that makes me think we're not as good as we have seemed in the first week.

holds and we can get Mulder and Carp back anything is possible. We're in a weak league and an even weaker division. We just need to play solid, hard, error free baseball and it could be a pretty fun summer.

is always better than a bad start. The expectations for this season were so low, it would seem the better this team plays, the more of a jump we have on building something great for the coming years, when the fruit of the Cardinals' system begins to mature and become ready for the big show. And if the "experts" and the "insiders" are surprised, then they will just have to be surprised.

It's nice to have options. With the POSSIBLE surplus of pitching (and it is just that: possible...we don't know how Mulder, Clement, Carp and the others will turn out when they return) the Cardinals will have some decisions to make...and that has got to be better than having to damn near drag volunteers off the street like it seemed we had to do in '07.

I can see the possibility of a decent future here which may only come as a result of injuries since TLR might have other ideas about how to shore up the pen rather than look to the minors. But, we have some good live arms at Triple A and AA. I could see Motte, Perez and maybe Worrel (longer shot) and Kinney contributing from the right side before the seasons over. Jimenez is already coming up...damn.

Then theres when and IF other previous starters return (more righties, of course). Of Wellemeyer, Thompson or Looper, somebody will see some time there if not traded.

The left side offers no real immediate solutions, but Villone and Flores seem to have energizer bunny qualities. Im not counting on Johnson. Other help on the left side will have to come via a trade (or the dreaded scrap heap) and we have a few chips, but hell everybodys looking for LH relief.

does TBS show Red Sox games??!

Barton, LF
Ankiel, CF
Pujols, 1B
Glaus, 3B
Ludwick, RF
Molina, C
Kennedy, 2B
Lohse, P
Izturis, SS

Same as yesterday ... LaRussa repeating a line-up ... what a surprise ... perhaps we won't leave 18 on base today ... I agree with his starters ... but I'd like to see Ankiel 4th, and either Glaus or Ludwick in the 2 and 5 spots ... it's a good lineup, though ...

what happened to the "might sit out once a series" thing? I'm guessing TLR wants to wait until we finally face a righty in Houston to give him a day off.

stupid saturday blackouts

we won the first two buddy

interesting to see AK in against a lefty. Is this recognition that AK has actually stepped up early this season both in the field and at the plate?

He has pretty good historical numbers against everyone but Lopez and Milledge ... and Milledge is a very small sample size ...

I really can't stand Rick Horton. I believe he thinks the fanbase is comprised totally of 60+ yr. old women. That's the way he describes situations. I guess that's nice for a Sunday game. But who needs nice?

Mr. Lohse get through 6 innings today. The bullpen got a rest yesterday, but I think they could use another light day. I think they can stretch Mr. Lohse out a little more today.

and pitch 8

is hearing the other team's announcers praising the stl fans, i love hearing it everytime

good job leadoff!

pitch to contact philosophy.

that have won?

It would be sweet to see a Milledge/Yadi showdown right here.

with directv: you can get the Cards broadcast on channel 671.

"This is a crew that isn't very excitable, they keep the game under control"

Are you fucking kidding me? Does he not know who Phil Cuzzi is?

he has looked good in center

Has been leaving some pitches up and over the plate. Agreed?

wanna try to miss some bats?

Got a very good jump ...

out of there.

YaMO

i love pickoffs

Yadi 1 - Milledge 0

In a non gay type way.

Okay, maybe in a little gay way.

is today 10 run Sunday?

A finesse lefty drafted in the 11th round out of Siena in 2005, Lannan was called on to major his major league debut last July and held his own in six starts despite a 10/17 K/BB ratio. That he didn’t get another five or six starts was solely the result of his having reached his innings count for the season. He went 12-3 with a 2.31 ERA, 92 H and 74/42 K/BB in 124 2/3 innings at three levels in the minors. Lannan works at 86-89 mph and has a couple of major league offspeed pitches in his curve and change. Since he gets an above average number of grounders, he has a chance of making it in the majors as a fourth or fifth starter. Still, another three months in Triple-A could do him some good. The Nationals will probably look at some of their more veteran starters early on before turning back to Lannan when injuries strike.

keep it up barton

go-go-go-go chant for brian.

god i like watchin him play

Pujols had great position, made it hard for milledge to get back to first. It's the little things.

I love that speed

can fly!!

Good swing Ricky.

Way to got Rick!!

the fastest kid alive!

he should never sit. Speed doesn't take the day off.

i think he just likes to change it up to keep pitchers on their toes

Why is Milledge hyped up so much? I have never been impressed with him... Only thing he has that I like is his speed.

Already looks frustrated.

is this another 6 BB day?

got fooled by that Change. Both were way out in front.

hit it hard

good contact

3 times now in the past 2 games.

Glaus and Ludwick strand Ankiel ... Oh well ... we're up one ... go get'em, Kyle ...

But they probably will too.

is taking up right where Johnny Cueto left off. The Reds have a very formidable starting rotation.

Also, i'd like to say I love having both Cueto and Volquez on my fantasy team.

is on the list for most seen pitches per atbat because he strikes out so much

if you strike out thats at least 3 pitches seen einstein

Wont swing at pitches an inch out of the strikezone the only problem is umpires call them all the time.

i thought they had him

Come on Yadi, need a better throw

Kearns just stole a bag on Yadi?

nm

he didn't even look at the runner

Yadi you can do better then that!

thats it lohse

The throw beat him to the bag if it was jsut on target

no edit button................

I don't blame him ...

Although Lohse could afford to be a bit more efficient. Going to 3 balls on alot of hitters

With 1 out. So ha!

he's going to settle in ... the guy's got real ability ...

that's a great name to heckle. I wish I was on the third base line right now.

I love Ricky Horton but Jay Randolph makes me wanna shoot myself lol....

How can you not like Ricky?

If I'm TLR, I tell everybody to take, take, take, until they see something good. He'll tire himself out and make worse mistakes.

Ozzie to Eckstein? Did he?

to have most of the batters out in front on that Change.

Another game w/ a middle infielder playing a corner OF position?

looks like we'll be seeing Kelvin Jiminez today , eek

Get Milledge, Kyle ...

sweet K!

looks really nice. He's not getting the call consistently, and his fastball has been up a little. It looks like he has good stuff, but today isn't his best.

is not a strikeout pitcher looking at his stats. why did this guy think he was worth a huge multi year deal?

but im going to go through a lot of franklins with all these guys in scoring position

although it looks like the Yankees will win today, both the Jays and Rays have been beating up on the Sox and Yankees this week.

Mr. Kennedy a GG. A little too far, huh?

he has some nasty breaking stuff

That curve was sick.

but right at Milledge

ANK!

OFF A LEFTY

I love Rick

He went Oppo!!

Two hits, a 2B and a HR.

he's got big-time power and he mashes off-speed stuff. I don't know why people don't throw him fastballs -- I guess b/c this guy's tops out at about 87.

Ankiel has so much power. I was sure that was down for a 2B.

for not starting him on my fantasy team!

he didn't want any part of Albert, did he?

we've potentiallly got a bit of a Gerhig/Ruth thing going here with Ankiel/Pujols ... that may be over the top ... but man, it's fun to watch these two guys ...

until Glaus starts hitting.

what is up with this strikezone

i saw at least two in the zone on that at bat

he's gonna come around!

don't even look at Mr. Zimmerman this time, huh?

from Mr. Lohse ... be nice to get 7IP from him today ...

A lot more curveballs from Lohse than he usually throws. Think this little addition by Duncan/Molina could be helping him?

...as he throws another one.

i like the communication

leadership from Ricky!

so he'd better use the rest of his repetoire

defense from Glaus!! Yeah Baby!

Holy crap Glaus

Good range there, Troy!

Rolen-esque ...

some spring in his step

over/under on no more Glaus/Rolen comparisons. All-Star Break?