PLAGUE! - A Hunt and Peck

Everyone has the flu. Just a few days after Kolten Wong returned from battling the illness, Carlos Martinez stated in a post-game interview, per Ben Fredrickson of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, that he had been under-the-weather as well.

Down five to 10 pounds from his normal weight because of a flu-like illness that has slowed multiple Cardinals this season and perhaps a bit road weary following a trip to Miami to address a legal matter now hanging over his head, Martinez left the ballpark Saturday unsure if he would make his first career start against the Nationals.

This sickness is spreading through the clubhouse, leaving destruction and sadness in its wake.

Get some iodine!

Martinez battles illness, distractions | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com

what else is going on in baseball...

• Photo of the Night: Jose Bautista puts some Drake on top of his iconic bat flip | MLB.com
• On Take Your Kid to Work Day, Tanner Roark's daughter filled out the Nationals' lineup card | MLB.com
• Which active MLB players will make their franchise HOF? | Sports on Earth
• Young Red Sox fan makes it to Fenway for his late father, gets A-Rod's home run bat | MLB.com
• The 'Chipper rescues Freddie' bobblehead is finally real, and it can soon be yours | MLB.com
• Jose Fernandez could only laugh after trying to hit against Kenta Maeda | MLB.com
• Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton hits 462-foot homer | marlins.com
• Allow Vin Scully to present the complete history of beards, from the Bible to Lincoln | MLB.com
• Baseball Prospectus | Prospectus Feature: Goodbye, April: You Are Not Special
• The Best of FanGraphs: April 25-29, 2016 | FanGraphs Baseball
• Crowdsourcing MLB Broadcasters: Day 10 of 10 | FanGraphs Baseball
• Saying Nice Things About A.J. Pierzynski | FanGraphs Baseball
• Gordon Suspension Magnifies Concerns for League, Players | FanGraphs Baseball
• Watch Alex Rodriguez scratch his crotch with his bat | SBNation.com
• Dodgers' Running Man Challenge turned into a popcorn dance party | SBNation.com

what the cardinals are up to...

• Cardinals Insider: Wainwright turns to Carpenter, others to reset season | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• Hummel: Rise of Hazelbaker, Diaz begs for comparision | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• Martinez battles illness, distractions | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• Your 2016 Cardinals: What We've Learned So Far | 101Sports.com

KNOW THINE ENEMY...

the philadelphia philadephias

• Preview: Cardinals vs. Phillies | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com
• A Philadephia Phillies Community | The Good Phight

the nl central

• Cubs Jake Arreta has home scoreless streak end | cubs.com
• Teammates Freese and Feliz have some history. | Sports on Earth
• Must C: Brewers turn triple play | MLB.com
• Brewers prospect Brett Phillips had an encounter with a feisty opossum | MLB.com
• Brandon Phillips makes insane behind-the-back flip to first, dabs on everyone | MLB.com
• The Unfathomable Reality of a (Temporarily) Awful Joey Votto | FanGraphs Baseball
• Joey Votto: I'd rather quit than struggle | cincinnati.com