SAN DIEGO — The Cardinals and San Diego Padres introduce the same pitching matchup tonight as in the Cardinals’ Aug. 15 7-4 win at Busch Stadium with Joel Pineiro (11-9, 3.45) facing off against Tim Stauffer (1-5, 3.50) in a battle of misleading records.
The Padres are coming off a series win over the Chicago Cubs. In fact, the last-place Padres have won four of their last five series against NL Central competition. The only exception came in last weekend’s Cardinals sweep of a three-game set at Busch Stadium. Stauffer lasted five innings, allowing four earned runs Saturday night. First baseman Albert Pujols and left fielder Matt Holliday placed him in an inescapable hole with an RBI double and two-run home run in a 3-run first inning.
Manager Tony La Russa sends much the same lineup against Stauffer tonight as on Saturday, with two exceptions. Rick Ankiel starts in place of Ryan Ludwick in right field. Ludwick struck out three times against Stauffer. Ankiel never has faced Stauffer. Brendan Ryan starts at shortstop in place of Julio Lugo, who doubled and scored a run in two at-bats off Stauffer last weekend.
The Cardinals are 5-1 in their recent run against NL West competition and have won their last four series against the division.
The Padres have actually made up four games on the NL West lead since July 23. During that time they constructed a 5-game win streak against NL Central foes Milwaukee and Cincinnati.
Tonight suggests a good spot for Pineiro, who is 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA in seven career starts against the Padres.
The Rest:
CARDINALS
2B Skip Schumaker
CF Colby Rasmus
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday
RF Rick Ankiel
3B Mark De Rosa
C Yadier Molina
SS Brendan Ryan
P Joel Pineiro
PADRES
CF Tony Gwynn
2B David Eckstein
1B Adrian Gonzalez
LF Chase Headley
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
RF Kyle Blanks
C Nick Hundley
SS Everth Cabrera
P Tim Stauffer
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What do you know? Ryan Ludwick out w/ a head cold. I am so sick of hearing people act like they can manage a team on here, seriously. Quit reading in to these writers statements as well because they’re not the coach either and just guess half the time why a player is playing over another if you haven’t figured out by now
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Be the first ones to know that I’ve started the process of growing a goatee in respect to John Smoltzie Poo joining the Cardinals. Good luck sir.
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Maybe TLR does know a little. His choice of SS Ryan, just cleared the bases. 4-0 Cards.
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TLR been right 69 times so far. He gets paid to make these decisions, we don’t get paid to be an expert. Play the roster and keep them sharp for when required. Makes sense to play everybody rather than sit players for an extended period. Get over it.
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I finally joined after reading some many negative EXPERT comments about how TLR manages the team. Unless I miss my guess he has many more wins and championships than most of the people comments. As Davis said, enjoy the ride.
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Are you people kidding? Do you watch the games and keep up w/ this? Ludwick has sat only two games since the arrival of Holliday. I wouldn’t read into Joe Straus explanation of the lineup b/c it could be very well that Ludwick is just getting a rest like players do all the time. People will complain about anything. Don’t talk about something you know nothing about b/c if Lugo played instead of Ryan you would complain Ryan shouldn’t sit since he had 3 hits last night. Just shut up and enjoy the ride and be happy your team has so many weapons that they can’t let them all play everyday!
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drelboc……I disagree. Rasmus has sat at least as much as Ludwick. I won’t disagree that Ludwick should play, because I feel the same way. And, if Rasmus is healthy, he should be in the OF. That said, LaRussa has always made it a point to get his fourth outfielder plenty of AB throughout a season.
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I’m going to do it…I’m going to turn myself into one of the Uncle Tom’s that destroys this line-up, so here goes. WHY IN THE HECK IS LUDWICK NOT IN THERE? Next, WHY IN THE HECK IS LUGO (had three hits against this guy one week ago) NOT IN THERE? COME ON TONY, YOU COULD BE SIZING UP YOUR NEWEST WORLD SERIES RING RIGHT NOW IF YOU’D PLAY THIS RIGHT!
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I understand that for Ankiel to get game time and some at bats someone has to sit. Ludwick is the odd guy out most of the time. IMO the problem with that is that Ludwick needs to play to maintain his batting eye. IMO he is a core guy. Its a tough job for TLR to keep all these guys sharp and rub their egos right. That being said, I don’t know what the answer is. Perhaps FA and other moves in the off season will help sort these problems out. After all, we don’t know if Holliday or Ankiel will be back.
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