Devoted to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball organization
posted by Daniel S. at 9:40 AM
|
On the day that the Cardinals honored Stan Musial with a sweet, sentimental ceremony at Busch Stadium, this year's team offered a tribute to The Man by leaving 3,630 men on base — or so it seemed.[...]Rick Hummel:
"Perfect," manager Tony La Russa said. "The greatest Cardinal of all, and one of the greatest of all time. Today was beautiful. The tribute was very well deserved ... we talked about it ... we wanted to play a game that Stan would enjoy. And as it turned out, we played a good game."
In addition to an abundance of glorious skill, Musial was a persistent and durable player who never cheated anyone with a lack of effort. He respected the game. And in this regard, the Cardinals did The Man proud on Sunday to edge the Rays.
The Cardinals rallied Sunday for their second last-bat victory in two days. But, even if they had lost, it would have been a good day at Busch Stadium. Every day Stan Musial is at the park is a good day.
Musial, the greatest Cardinal of them all, was honored before the game on what was proclaimed "Stan Musial Day.'' Fans in attendance received a replica of the nine-foot statue on Musial Plaza, which is on the newly renamed Stan Musial Drive. Those same fans rose in standing tribute as the 87-year-old Man was wheeled around the ballpark in a cart, and his No. 6 had been carved into the center-field greenery.
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa gets excited the few times he gets to see Musial every year.
"... Once you get to know him, he's just as great off the field" as he was on it, La Russa said. "That combination not only is to be admired and respected, it is to be loved.
"He's an unbelievable person. It's a disappointment that we don't see him more. He really lifts everybody's spirits when he comes around. And he's like (Hall of Famer) Red Schoendienst. When they see something, they say something."
Musial never stops talking about how fortunate he was to have played in St. Louis for his whole career. After making some brief remarks to that effect Sunday, Musial left the microphone, only to return to salute longtime teammate Schoendienst, who was sitting behind him, and another return to note that his bad knees were a result of his having run out too many triples (177).
posted by Daniel S. at 9:35 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 8:43 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 8:59 AM
|
In a perfect world, demoted St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen would regain his effectiveness with several games in nonpressure situations.Word has it that Tyler Johnson will be undergoing arthroscopic surgery soon.
But Cardinals manager Tony La Russa can't envision Isringhausen throwing in many games of that nature.
"I don't think we're going to have the luxury of giving him four or five appearances in nonpressure situations," La Russa said Tuesday before his team lost the opener of a three-game series to Pittsburgh 8-4 in 10 innings. "Whenever he pitches, it may not be the ninth inning, but there's a hell of a chance we're going to need those three outs or whatever outs there are (to get)."
Until Isringhausen regains his command, the Cardinals will employ a closer-by-committee system centered around Ryan Franklin, Russ Springer and perhaps even Ron Villone, who gave up four 10th-inning runs Tuesday.
Isringhausen said he's making progress on his road to recovery, and he was mostly encouraged with his one scoreless inning Monday in Milwaukee.
"I need to go out there and pitch in some not-as-pressurized situations and get everything back together," said Isringhausen, who has five blown saves in 16 opportunities, along with a 7.02 ERA. "I'll start at the bottom and take baby steps and get my way back in to the way I've got to pitch. (Monday) went OK. I'm still out there thinking a lot. I'm doing a lot of side throwing and stuff right now so I don't have to think as much."
Pitching coach Dave Duncan was more encouraged about Isringhausen's performance Monday than Isringhausen.
"He threw the ball good yesterday -- real good," Duncan said. "That's what he's got to do a couple of times so he's confident he can make the pitch he wants to make. His stuff is good. He's just not executing pitches. He's got to get back to where he's making pitches, and the confidence will be there."
Duncan maintains Isringhausen's problem is twofold. He said hitters typically are in attack mode against closers, and because Isringhausen's location is off, he's unable to get ahead in the count. Because he's not ahead in the count, he never gets to throw his out pitch, the curveball.
He began his professional career with Rookie Level Johnson City in 2003, and slowly rose up through the ranks before being sidelined multiple times the past couple years with shoulder injuries. He did, however, post a 12-win season for Single-A Peoria in 2004.
In 2006, Pomeranz was named the #4 prospect in the Cardinals farm system by The Birdhouse writers, then slid a couple spots in 2007 to #7. Pomeranz was also chosen as the Cardinals Pitcher of the Month for May 2006. He added appearances the past two seasons in the Arizona Fall League to his resume, where he worked on his arm strength after shoulder and oblique injuries.
Last season, Pomeranz split time between the GCL Cardinals and Palm Beach squads on separate rehab assignments, posting a 1-2 record with a 6.28 ERA allowing 16 hits, 12 runs (10 earned), five home runs, three walks, and striking out nine over 14.1 innings in six starts.
posted by Daniel S. at 8:40 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 9:52 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 8:51 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 8:54 AM
|
posted by Daniel S. at 4:42 PM
|
Dean Hancock, father of Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock, said he looks forward to the day he will visit Busch Stadium and see the memorials to his son.
On the anniversary of Hancock's death in an alcohol-related traffic accident, his father said he "couldn't imagine an organization and a city being more supportive in an unfortunate situation, and that has meant a lot."
"Not a day goes by that I don't think of him and remember something about him that I miss so much," Hancock said Tuesday from his office in Tupelo, Miss.[...]
The club's marking of the anniversary was subdued.
Dean Hancock said that in the weeks after his son's death more than $50,000 was donated in his son's name to the Children's Health Education Center in Tupelo, a $6 million project that Dean has spearheaded as president of the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi. Dean said there may be something to memorialize Josh at the center.
"He was one of the guys you came to the park looking forward to see," said reliever Brad Thompson. "He had that effect on people. He was one of the guys, and I miss that."
posted by Daniel S. at 2:42 PM
|
