Cards vs. Giants

The latest on Jason Isringhausen. One surgical option would mean that Izzy could no longer pitch and would have to retire.

Cardinals Care has exceeded $10 million.

Braden Looper knows what his role is.

The status of Jim Edmonds is still day to day.

If St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds had a tape recorder, it would be in replay mode every day.

Edmonds repeated his familiar story Tuesday. He feels marginally better, but postconcussion syndrome symptoms remain, and there's no guarantee he will play again this season.

"I'm just going through my normal routine," Edmonds said before the Cardinals defeated the Houston Astros 6-5 on Albert Pujols' two-out, two-run double in the ninth. "I'll work on some stuff out there on the field and take some swings."

Edmonds also worked out Monday and felt fine. His main symptoms, headaches and dizziness, are growing less problematic every day.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said Edmonds has been cleared to play by doctors, but the team is waiting for Edmonds to tell them the symptoms have completely disappeared.

"I don't know if Jim knows (when he will play)," La Russa said. "I haven't seen the green light, and I don't expect it today or tomorrow. He's got the major input. They're his workouts. He's got to do full activity and not have symptoms."

Friday
Jeff Suppan (11-7, 4.25) takes the start for the Cards against Jason Schmidt (11-8, 3.45). Suppan, the #2 starter on the team, has not started against the Giants all season long. Soup is 5-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 11 starts since the All-Star Break. In his last four starts, Soup has given up only one earned run. IN Schmidt's last ten starts, he's gone 5-2 with a 4.26 ERA. He has not started against the Cards all season long. Schmidt was hurting and Brad Hennessey (5-4, 3.72) got the start instead.

Lineup:
Aaron Miles SS
Chris Duncan RF
Albert Pujols 1B
Scott Spiezio LF
Scott Rolen 3B
Juan Encarnacion CF
Ronnie Belliard 2B
Yadier Molina C
Jeff Suppan P

St. Louis 14, San Francisco 4
Winning pitcher - Jeff Suppan (12-7)
HR: Chris Duncan (17, 18), Scott Rolen (20, 21)

Saturday
2006 Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter (14-6, 2.84) takes the mound against his former teammate, and one of my favorite Cardinals of all-time, Matt Morris (10-13, 4.71). Morris is taking his second start against his old team, the first at new Busch Stadium. The last time he faced the Cards, Morris picked up a loss and Pujols went yard. Take a look at the box score though. Since his complete game against the Reds on August 25, Morris just hasn't been the same, giving up in 14 runs in 18 1/3 innings pitched. Carp, on the other hand, will prove that he deserves a second Cy Young Award this season. Carp is 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA in three career starts against the Giants. The loser of the game will be buying dinner.

Matt Morris said it's only fitting that his first return to St. Louis would pit him against one of his closest friends as a Cardinal. A Cardinals draft pick and a 20-game winner and now a San Francisco Giant, Morris will start today's game against Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter. The two became fast friends when Carpenter joined the club because they shared traits, "silly things in common," Morris said.

"Both stunk at playing the guitar; both wives were vegetarians," Morris explained. "He's a Northeastern guy, played hockey. I played a little hockey. I was more pond hockey. He's like an All-American."

At stake is Carpenter's 100th career win, a stepping stone in the pursuit of a second Cy Young Award. Advertisement

And something between the friends.

"Loser," Morris said, "is going to buy dinner."

In other news, Eckstein has been cleared and is available to pinch hit.

Lineup:
Aaron Miles SS
Chris Duncan RF
Albert Pujols 1B
Scott Spiezio LF
Scott Rolen 3B
Juan Encarnacion CF
Ronnie Belliard 2B
Yadier Molina C
Chris Carpenter P

Aaron Miles seems like he is fighting for the SS position as of late with two triples today. The Cardinals took an early lead in the first inning against former Cardinal Matt Morris. Chris Carpenter went 7 IP, striking out 9, walking 2, and giving up 5 hits and one run. The run came as a result of Juan missing the ball in the outfield, otherwise it would have been a shut out. Carp picks up his 100th career win and former Card Matt Morris will be buying him dinner today. Albert Pujols had a big game going 4-4 with a double, 3 runs and an RBI. I just looked at the all-time franchise stats, Pujols is now in the top 10 for franchise RBI. I'll have post on that later. Rolen is breaking out of a slump, going 2-4 with two RBIs.

St. Louis 6, San Francisco 1
Winning pitcher - Chris Carpenter (15-6)

Sunday
Jeff Weaver takes the mound against Jonathan Sanchez. Weaver is 0-3 with a 6.48 ERA at Busch Stadium. His last start could have been a win, if it had not been for a few hits on Tuesday evening. He started against the Giants in June when he was still with the Angels.

Due to rain, the game was postponed and will likely not be made up.

Milestone watch:
Albert Pujols needs 9 home runs to tie Ken Boyer for 2nd on the Cardinals all-time home runs list with 255.
Jim Edmonds needs 1 home run to pass Ray Lankford for 4th all-time as a Cardinal.
Jason Isringhausen needs 1 saves for 250 career saves.
Albert Pujols has his sixth consecutive season with 100 runs, 100 RBI, 30 home runs, and at least a .300 batting average. He is the only player to do so in the first five seasons of a MLB career. With less than a month to go in the season, Pujols is batting .323.