***Official 2009 N.L. Central Thread*** Congrats to the Cardinals***

[arstyle27]

About time we won.

 

[sickickz23]

Important win today. Shows character, a little bit of chemistry, or that our rotation is that good.

 

[wisconsin 4 life]

Ok guys I'll stop messing around and be serious and talk serious baseball. Go Brewers. I'm going to the game Wednesday versus the Pirates. I got100.00 tickets for 50.00 because if you live in Milwaukee County you get half off for this week. 5th row 2 sections to left of home plate. Sick seats.

 

[arstyle27]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin 4 Life

Ok guys I'll stop messing around and be serious and talk serious baseball. Go Brewers. I'm going to the game Wednesday versus the Pirates. I got 100.00 tickets for 50.00 because if you live in Milwaukee County you get half off for this week. 5th row 2 sections to left of home plate. Sick seats.

I'm goin to the May 9th game in Milwaukee, Wisco.....be ready

 

[wisconsin 4 life]

Coming in person to watch your team lose?

 

[pacmagic2002]

Originally Posted by sickickz23

Important win today. Shows character, a little bit of chemistry, or that our rotation is that good.

Honestly......The only thing i got from todays game is that wellemeyer sucks big ol bizzalls

 

[corwinator3407]

Originally Posted by jdcurt2

Big win for the Reds today, Bruce with 2 homers, and Votto just doing what he does, and solid pitching by Owings.

I was there yesterday, great day to be at the ballpark.
Wish I could go for Oswalt vs Cueto tonight but I have class. I'll be there Tues and Wed though.

 

[CP1708]

Well........at least we got one.

I was spoiled as hell last year, got used to winning (regular season games at least) and now I'm a little confused at us losing like the old Cubs.

Hope Lee and Ramirez can get back out there, and Milton too for that matter.

Good to see Fuku doin well early though. He took it in the shorts last season.

 

[pacmagic2002]

W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14-6

 

[the sauna]

Soriano leadoff homerun

I'll say it again, completely different player when he's batting leadoff hopefully lou will finally accept that and leavehim alone.

Also, don't run on fukudome

 

[allenp24]

Cards got the best record in all of MLB. Lovin it.

 

[sickickz23]

this could be an ugly series.

 

[pacmagic2002]

Wow.......Cubs loosing 7-2 to the diamondbacks...OOOooooOOOooooOOOOooo


EDIT***

The pitcher had 33.33333333333333333333E % of the hits for the cubs tonight......wow.

 

[tylerdub]

Where are the bats... did we leave them somewhere? I know we got a lot of injured guys, but this is ridiculous.

 

[DownByLaw]

[h3]Pineiro, Cards keep Braves grounded[/h3]
Righty wins fourth straight thanks to strong defense

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

04/27/09 11:45 PM ET

Box >

ATLANTA -- It came down to defense for the Cardinals on Monday night. And that was a good thing.

Starter Joel Pineiro once again put the game in the hands of the men behind him, and they rewarded his faith with an exceptional fielding game. Pineiro's extreme pitch-to-contact philosophy was rewarded in a 3-2 Cardinals win over the Braves at Turner Field in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night

Pineiro induced 13 groundouts against five in the air, and he got two double plays en route to his fourth win in as many starts. Newly and conspicuously reliant on a two-seam sinking fastball, Pineiro used that pitch to its fully intended effect in getting 20 outs on just 76 pitches. That pitching made heroes of a defensive unit that has taken a good bit of heat this year, having committed 20 errors in the season's first 19 games. Pineiro struck out exactly one batter, the last man he faced on the night. Pineiro allowed two runs on seven hits, benefited from the two double plays and did not issue a walk in 6 2/3 innings.

"You trust in your defense," Pineiro said. "That's why I throw that sinker any time in the count and hopefully they hit them at someone."

The entire St. Louis infield played well, but shortstop Brendan Ryan provided the most highlights, turning in three outstanding and critical plays. Ryan made an exceptional sliding stop and strong throw to retire David Ross in the fifth inning, and made slick plays to start the two key double plays. Despite an 0-for-4 night at the plate, Ryan may have been the game's biggest star.

"The shortstop had a great day," manager Tony La Russa said. "You've got to give him special credit. There were a couple of outstanding plays. He made three of them. In a one-run game, if he misses any one of those, who knows what the outcome is?"

With St. Louis leading, 2-1, in the fourth inning, Jeff Francoeur hit a hot chopper to short. Ryan made the tough dig on a difficult hop and fed second baseman Skip Schumaker to start the inning-ending twin killing. An inning later, still in a one-run game, he turned in his masterpiece.

Ross hit a ball hard to Ryan's right that appeared destined to become a base hit. Without hesitation, Ryan made the decisive move to the right, quickly dropped to his knees to slide, corralled the ball and threw from his knees to get Ross.

"I want to make every play," said Ryan, a natural shortstop who has started all over the field in the Major Leagues. "Anything I can get to, I want to make a play on. I knew I could get to that ball, and I knew Ross wasn't going to be getting down the line lightning-quick. So I knew if I got enough on it I was going to get the out. I just wanted to make sure it was accurate."

Ryan still wasn't done, turning in one more key play in the sixth. After Omar Infante led off the inning with a pinch-hit single, Kelly Johnson hit a grounder up the middle. Ryan, positioned toward the center of the field, moved to his right, collected the ball smoothly, stepped in to tag second base and threw to first for the double play.

"He's got as much range as anybody in baseball," La Russa said. "He's acrobatic, very athletic. He's got nice hands, a real quick arm that's got carry. You channel that thing in there on an everyday basis and he can be a heck of a defensive player."

Yadier Molina also made a major contribution, picking off Yunel Escobar from first base to end the sixth inning. And Albert Pujols snared a sinking liner off the bat of Francoeur in the ninth, helping Ryan Franklin secure the save.

Offensively, the Cardinals made the most of their chances. Chris Duncan had a two-out RBI single in the first inning, while Rick Ankiel repeated that feat in the second and seventh. Two of the three St. Louis players who scored reached base on walks.

It was just enough for Pineiro, who continues to let his defense do the work. When he struck out Brandon Jones, it ended a string of 56 consecutive batters without a strikeout, dating back to his start nearly two weeks ago in Arizona. It's a tough way to succeed, but as long as he gets plays like Ryan made behind him, he has a chance to make it work.

"Great defense once again," Pineiro said. "It's been the key."

Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


Our defense is remarkable thus far. We don't have the best pitching by any measure, however our glove work is getting the job done. Pinero with anotherwin?

Anyways, after that debacle on Sunday against the cubs, I am gladwe won our next game. Hopefully Lohse can have a great game tonight and get a lot of offensive support.

 

[corwinator3407]

Headed to the ballpark tonight if the rain holds off. Hopefully we don't get a result like when Harang and Rodriguez met up in Houston.

jdcurt, what do you think about this proposed lineup:

Taveras CF
Gonzalez SS
Bruce RF
Votto 1B
Phillips 2B
Hernandez C
Encarnacion 3B
Nix LF
P

I don't think Phillips can hit between the leftys and I don't mind batting them in order, maybe leave Votto at 3 and Bruce at 4, but the way Gonzalezis starting to hit put him in the 2 hole and put Hernandez at 6 to back them up. Edwin can just continue to be a guaranteed out for a while with Nix hittingthe ball pretty well. I just think they need to try something and I like that lineup as a start.

 

[wildkycat]

swap Brandon and Gonzalez. but having Votto and Bruce back-to-back is no problem at all, as Votto has hit well over .300 against leftys his career thus far.

the hitting's going to come around...no need for any drastic changes yet. we just gotta hope this pitching staff continues to pitch like they have.

 

[jdcurt2]

I think you have to keep Votto in the three spot so he can get more ab's. Bruce in the 4 hole wouldnt be a bad thing though. I also wouldnt mind seeingHernandez moved up to 5th or 6th spot until Bp and EE start hitting. Gonzo hitting in the 2 hole wouldnt be too bad either because he's startin to swing alil bit.
Vrs. Rh Vrs. LH
Willy Willy
Gonzo Hairston
Votto Votto
Bruce Bruce
Hernandez Hernandez
Phillips Phillips
Dickerson/Nix Gonzo
EE EE
P P

When Phillips hit in the 6 hole in Chicago he had a few hits. I think it took some pressure off him. And what is really pissin me off is him not hustling andEdwin not hustling. These dudes have been here longer than anyone else in the everyday lineup and they need to lead by example and start doing some thingsright.

Also a sad day in Cincy sports talk. P. Doc, Cutler, and C. Trent were all laid off by Clear Channel

 

[wildkycat]

tho niether one of them are hitting, you can't put Gonzalez in the two spot over BP. BP still walks more, strikes out less, and is a far better baserunner than AG.

Dickerson is the one who's killing us with those K's...i'd look for a roster move in a couple weeks or so if he doesn't get better.

and yes, i agree...Votto 3rd, Bruce 4th.

 

[jdcurt2]

Originally Posted by wildKYcat

tho niether one of them are hitting, you can't put Gonzalez in the two spot over BP. BP still walks more, strikes out less, and is a far better base runner than AG.

Dickerson is the one who's killing us with those K's...i'd look for a roster move in a couple weeks or so if he doesn't get better.

and yes, i agree...Votto 3rd, Bruce 4th.

I woulndnt mind BP just sitting for a couple games, really cant take him right now. I think he's only gotten the ball out of the infield oncein the last few games, and that ball was hit off the wall and he got a single.
He hasn't been the same since Griff and Dunn left.

 

[corwinator3407]

I like those lineups to jdcurt. I wanna see Norris Hopper up here again the way he is hitting the last couple games. Get Dickerson outta here.

Either of you two headed to the game tonight?

 

[corwinator3407]

Originally Posted by jdcurt2



Also a sad day in Cincy sports talk. P. Doc, Cutler, and C. Trent were all laid off by Clear Channel

Really? I didn't hear this. Must not be able to pay em.

 

[jdcurt2]

I won't be there, have some stuff to catch up on for finals week.

Edwin has been placed on the dl and Rosales has been called up

And Phillips is in the 4 hole again tonight

 

[wildkycat]

Nah, I won't be there neither...but its too early to give up on dickerson. And I'm not sure where Norris Hopper fits in, I mean he could give Taveras arest, and pinch run...but that's part of Hairston's role. Edwin goes thru his ups and downs, he has since he's been in Cincy...but I think at theend f the year, it'll be the same: .260-.270, 20 homers...I wouldn't expect anything more, he is what he is.

Down the line, I think Votto will be in left field if Yonder Alonzo projects, he's hit 5 homers this season already.

 

[wildkycat]

I was just getting ready to say that Rosales would be the first one called up...he's been playing well down here. Didn't know EE was headed to the dltho...this could be a good chance for Rosales.