Week in Review

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols watches his 400th home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010.

I thought that dropping a series to the worst team in baseball last weekend was just a fluke, but look at this, St. Louis is really giving my mind trouble trying to figure out who this team really is. Its almost time to throw in the towel I mean you have got to kidding me, they have the best player in the league in Albert Pujols, who hit his milestone 400th homer Thursday being only the third youngest to do so only to fall behind Ken Griffey Jr. and A Rod, and sorry to you Albert for not having this all about you day today, but man your team needs help. Its all there, do something with it guys. You lost five of your last six games to the two worst teams in the league. Tony Larussa, Mr. Manager of the year please talk some sense into your players, your heading for the home stretch in the season is this really how you want it to end for you, no its most definitely not, now go win some ball games Cardinals. The Astro's are third in the central so not that hard to beat, I say they way the Cards have been playing we will drop two of three, please prove me wrong, this is not good.

Well now that I got my daily dose of ranting about the Cardinals done, I am going to take a chill pill and talk real baseball.

Game 1: After the disappointing series loss to the Pirates, the Cardinals needed to rebound with a win against a team that they have not lost to this year yet.

At 30 years and 222 days, Albert Pujols helped with giving them this effect to get the Cards back on track. In his milestone night Albert hit his 400th dinger, but his valiant efforts could not carry the cards to a win as Dave Duncan's bullpen can not do the job in a 11-10 thirteen inning battle royal against the Nations them in Washington.  "Its a special milestone," Pujols said, "but I dont play for numbers." He was honored on Friday for his accomplishments. All that this man has done is unbelievable, Jordan Zimmermann the Nationals pitcher who gave up the homerun actually wasnt very angry and actually tipped his hat to the legend. I dont need to tell you that he is a great player, and if you dont know then take a look at this chart.

Pujols Joins Legendary List

With 1,200-plus RBIs and a career batting average of .332, Albert Pujols is one of five players in MLB history to have 400 homers, 1,200 RBIs and a .330 average. Clearly, he'll need to maintain that average throughout his career to stay on this list -- but he's there now.

.330 BA, 400 HR, 1,200 RBI - MLB History

	BA	HR	RBI
Albert Pujols	.332	400	1,205
Stan Musial	.331	475	1,951
Ted Williams	.344	521	1,839
Lou Gehrig	.340	493	1,995
Babe Ruth	.342	714	2,213

So next time when your watching a Cardinals game anywhere and Pujols gets out or makes one mistake and you get mad why dont you take a look back at this and then tell me if he sucks or cant make a play or get a hit. He is an amazing baseball player and im willing to bet that you will be in the Hall Of Fame in my lifetime.


The banged up bullpen of the Cardinals showed there true colors once again the roller-coster ride of a game as Ryan Franklin blows the save in the one run lead in the ninth and Blake Hawksworth trips up with two out and a man on third in the thirteenth. The infield shifted in and a sharp grounder up the middle is bobbled and the winning run scored giving St. Louis another loss to a team under .500 this year. 


A cool little side note this unlikely defeat was that after Franklin gave up that two run game tying home run to Roger Bernadina of the Nats, the score was synced with the time reading: 10-10 at 10:10. Pretty sweet right? Well not really at this time it should have been 10-8 Cardinals win. Is it time to finally let the  facial hair go? Bad luck Ryan.


"We've got to win ballgames, that's what it comes down to," starting pitcher Chris Carpenter said. "It doesnt matter how we do it, whether it's 15-14 or 1-0, we've got to win ballgames, and unfortunately I didnt pitch well enough tonight to give my team a chance." I honestly dont know how many times that I have said that St. Louis needs to win ballgames, but here I am again saying that the St. Louis Cardinal Need to start winning some games. Carpenter is 420 percent right. Wins is what the Cardinals need. Wins, wins, wins, and they didnt get one Thurday night.


Game 2:

The Nationals' Alberto Gonzalez slides safely into first for a single as Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols waits for the ball. (Nick Wass)

Hope and Life for a team in loss. In there first win in four games it looks to be a new start for the Cardinals.


A 4-2 victory, possible rookie of the year Jaime Garcia pitched his way into a dozen wins on friday, throwing 5 1/3 shutout innings and the Nationals just couldnt hit off of him. "You've got to hand it to Jaime," St. Louis manager Tony Larussa said. "Boy, once again, he comes out there when we need him and pitches an outstanding game." He is so consistent, Friday he pitched out of many jams in several innings and still managed to not give up a single run, he has gone 20 and 1/3 innings of shutout ball. That shows his dedication to the game and his skill. Jaime Garcia will one of the Cardinals biggest assets in the many years to come.


Albert broke the three way tie, and now he is 47th in the home run standings. Hitting his 401st big fly off Scott Olsen Friday was St. Louis's first run in the pursuit to victory in Washington. Hitting his 35th homer of the year, looking for the triple crown, could it be possible? Pujols is batting .320 which is third in the NL average standings only .6 behind leader, Rockies Carlos Gonzalez. Albert is the leader in homers and rbi's this season, it is in his grasp, can he hold on?


Also Friday night Matt Holliday of the Cards hit his 23rd of the year in the eight to solidify the 4-2 win.


Obviously the Cardinals were the favorites in this one so it is no surprise for them to pull out with a W, but the Nats sure had there fair share of opportunities to win this one, but they were shutdown in those spots by Garcia and his reliever Mitchell Boggs, but those were not there best chances. In the bottom of the ninth and Franklin in to close, he hasnt done much in last few appearances and same thing here, Ryan Franklin gave up a leadoff triple, a walk, and then let a run in on a wild pitch. Duncan is it time to call it quits for the 22 save closer, time to put someone out there who can do the job. Franklin had almost two blown saves in a row. This is not the time for the St. Louis bullpen to shut down.


A good win comes with responsibility, now Saturday Loshe will have to continue the run for the playoffs, does he finish the job?


Game 3:

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols, left, watches as Washington Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez catches the ball as Pujols is intentionally walked during the fifth inning of their baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Blown out, 14-5, by the Nationals.

Jon Jay the rookie batting over .350 gave the Cards a three run lead in the first with a 2-run blast. Then after that it was all Washington till the end. 

I wonder if the Cards have ever thought of trading Lohse to get another pitcher that just might help sew this lineup together. Now why would I say that? Kyle Lohse allowed eight earned runs, all with two outs. "I would get two outs and just couldnt put them away for the third out. I just made a lot of bad pitches when it got to two outs." said Lohse. His day at the plate was nothing like his day on the mound. Kyle hit an rbi double fifth directly before being hooked from the game after 11 hits. 

League leader in rbi's Albert Pujols had on more rbi Saturday adding one more on the triple crown gap. 

This St. Louis loss guarantees at least a split in the series against Washington which would mean they have dropped the last 4 series to under .500, the Cards playoff chances are getting very slim, and if they keep this up St. Louis will not revive the 2006 run for the title. A win in game four could put them a game closer to the wildcard spot, if not then it could be over.

Game 4:

Nationals’ Michael Morse (28) is greeted by third base coach Pat Listach (4) after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010, in Washington.

Adam Wainwright going for his 18th win for the third time and once again his bid fails, he could have been the leagues first eighteen game winner for the third try, but no dice once again. The now 17-9 Wainwright only lasted five innings giving up all four of they Cardinals runs including a two run double to the opposing pitcher John Lannan. After the 4-2 loss, the Cardinals drop to 5 games behind the NL central leading Reds.

Dropping to 5-10 against teams under .500 this is what Cardinals Starter Adam Wainwright had to say about the game. "I'm not saying [Washington is] a bad team because they're a dangerous team, but teams with sub-.500 records, we played terrible against all year," Wainwright said. "We just did it again today and in this series, too. When we hit, we don't pitch. When we pitch, we don't hit. Sometimes, we do both and the other team just beats us." He is right and you know what, the Cards remaining schedule is almost all against these sub .500 teams. St. Louis has to make some changes, they are going to have to adapt to these teams and play to the same intensity that they play with when they go up against teams with records over a .500 record. 

Pedro Feliz almost started a comeback in the ninth with a solo shot, but Drew Storen closed it out for the save. Holliday also had a double and scored, he now has an eleven game hitting streak.

This is the first night that Pujols didnt get an rbi for his team in the last three nights.

Now the Cards will get some help back as Colby Rasmus will start in the lineup Monday against the Astros in Houston. Also, Dennys Reyes the reliever previously on the 15 day disabled list will be activated in the Houston series this week. 

Upcoming:

Cards vs. Astros in a three game series to see if the Cardinals can take a sweep and go at least .500 on there road trip.

Trying to avoid there third straight loss St. Louis will send 1-2 Jake Westbrook to the rubber against Astros 4-2 J.A. Happ on Monday. Coming into the road trip the Cardinals were only 3 1/2 games back to the Reds now after going 2-5 to the Reds and Nationals the Reds cental division lead has grown to five games over the St. Louis.

St. Louis is 5-7 this year when facing the Astros. "Our goal is to win the series," manager Tony La Russa told the Cardinals' official website. "Win the first game of the series, you're in charge."  A series win to the Stro's could put the Cardinals only 2 games behind the Reds and maybe even give them the Wildcard lead. 

Previously Jake Westbrook and the rest of the Cards lineup is not doing to well against Houston. With a revived Rasmus back in the lineup the Cards will, I say the Cardinals will sweep the Astros. Wildcard will be ours. 

Thanks. GO CARDS!!! Go get that wildcard spot.