April 2009 MLB runs scored rank: 2
May 2009 MLB runs scored rank: 28
The lack of Ankiel and the diminished Ludwick count for some of this, of course. But the real problem with the offense has been diminished production from some of the April stalwarts, among them Duncan (OPS from .938 to .659) and Molina (.902 to .643), and not just foreseeable slumpers like Thurston (.778 to .654) and Barden (1.073 to .216, in 19 PA.)
The only players hitting better in May than in April through yesterday's game were Schumaker and Rasmus.
April was probably the best month this team will have, offensively--.285/.369/.450 is arguably their best month with the bat since July 2007 (Schumaker slugs .717, Ryan hits .405, Juan Encarnacion drives in 19 for a .294/.368/.444 month in which the series hangover squad goes 15-11)--but they're better than this. Memphis is probably better than this.
In other baseball news, and wouldn't you like some, Clayton Kershaw just missed a no-hitter. As lefty prospects go, he's probably less Bud Smith and more Rick Ankiel, anyway.
Finally, things don't look much more exciting on the minor league front: Memphis and the Quad Cities lost 1-0 and 3-1, Palm Beach is in a rain delay, up 2-0, and Springfield didn't play.