2013 St. Louis Cardinals

[Grahoben]

In 2012, the St. Louis Cardinals had a solid season under new manager Mike Matheny, winning the first ever NL Wild Card playoff game, and advancing to the NLCS. Unfortunately, they lost three straight games against the eventual champions, the Giants, which ended their playoff run. In this dynasty, I will try to get the Cardinals back to the World Series.



2013:
Record:
Playoffs:
All Stars:
Award Winners:

[Grahoben]

2013 Preview: Batters

Catcher:
#4 Yadier Molina (30, R/R)- Yadier Molina is arguably the best defensive catcher in the MLB, and last season he proved that he could hit with career highs in home runs (22) and batting average (.315). Molina is signed through 2014, and he will certainly be a huge part of our team for many years.

First Base:
#21 Allen Craig (28, R/R)- Craig enjoyed a breakout season in 2012, as he received much more playing time due to the injury of current Texas Ranger Lance Berkman. Craig was one of the team leaders in RBI in 2012 (92), and can also play outfield in addition to first base.

Second Base:
#33 Daniel Descalso (26, L/R)- Second base has been one of the weaker positions for the Cardinals in recent years. Descalso has played in over 140 games in each of the last two years, but overall he does not have a whole lot to offer offensively. Matt Carpenter may play second once David Freese returns from injury.

Third Base:
#13 Matt Carpenter (27, L/R)- Carpenter played very well in his first full season in the majors, hitting a solid .295 and getting on base over 36% of the time. In addition to playing third, Carpenter is a decent second and first baseman.

Shortstop:
#38 Pete Kozma (24, R/R)- With the season-long injury of Rafael Furcal, young Pete Kozma will start out 2013 as the starting shortstop. Kozma never hit very well in the minor leagues, but in limited action at the end of last year, he had a great .333 batting average.

Left Field:
#7 Matt Holliday (33, R/R)- After being injury-prone in 2011, Holliday managed to play in all but five games last season. Once again, Holliday hit the ball very well, hitting .295 with 27 homers and 102 RBI.

Center Field:
#19 Jon Jay (28, L/L)- Despite not receiving much recognition, Jay has not hit below .297 since 2010. A solid center fielder, Jay will hit at the top of the order and will probably be one of our leading base stealers with his above average speed.

Right Field:

#3 Carlos Beltran (35, S/R)- Beltran surprised the baseball world last year by slugging 32 home runs. His hitting underwent a significant drop off in the second half, so he will receive more time off to keep him healthy.

Bench:
#46 C J.R. Towles (R/R)
#53 1B Matt Adams (L/R)
#12 IF Ty Wigginton (R/R)
#8 OF Justin Christian (R/R)
#43 OF Shane Robinson (R/R)

Injuries:
SS Rafael Furcal (season)
3B David Freese (one week)

vs. RHP
1. Jay CF
2. Carpenter 3B
3. Holliday LF
4. Craig 1B
5. Beltran RF
6. Molina C
7. Descalso 2B
8. Kozma SS

vs. LHP:
1. Jay CF
2. Beltran RF
3. Holliday LF
4. Craig 1B
5. Molina C
6. Wigginton 3B
7. Kozma SS
8. Carpenter 2B

[Grahoben]

2013 Preview: Pitchers
Starting Rotation:

#50 Adam Wainwright (31 R)- Wainwright recovered well from Tommy John surgery in 2012, winning 14 games and pitching 198.2 innings. With four solid pitches, Wainwright should continue to be one of the best pitchers in the National League.

#54 Jaime Garcia (26 L)- Garcia was only able to pitch 121.2 innings in 2012 because of injuries. As the only lefty in the rotation, he will try to improve on his 7 wins from last year.

#31 Lance Lynn (25 R)- Lynn had one of the best seasons of any pitcher in the National League in 2012, winning 18 games. However, his numbers dropped off late in the season, so the hard throwing righty will need to get back to where he was at the beginning of last year.

#35 Jake Westbrook (35 R)- Westbrook, the veteran of the staff, doesn't have as much velocity as many of the younger pitchers, but he was still able to win 25 games over the last two years. Solid movement and control allows for him to still have success at the major league level.

#22 Shelby Miller (22 R)- Miller has been one of the greatest prospects in the farm system for a few years, and now he will get his chance to pitch in the majors. He did well his short stint with the Cardinals last year, allowing only two runs in 13.2 innings.

Bullpen:
MR Fernando Salas (R)
MR Marc Rzepczynski (L)
MR Joe Kelly (R)
MR Trevor Rosenthal (R)
SU Randy Choate (L)
SU Edward Mujica (R)
CL Mitchell Boggs (R)

Injuries:
SP Chris Carpenter (season)
CL Jason Motte (season)

[Grahoben]

Well, this wasn't exactly the start we were hoping for. After a solid 4-1 win on opening day in Arizona, we lost the next two games by the combined score of 23-5. After losing the opener in San Francisco, it was time for Shelby Miller to make a start. Unfortunately, Miller was only able to pitch two innings due to a high pitch count and hour-long rain delay. Another great outing by Wainwright helped us avoid the sweep.

Around the League:
3/31- Cubs trade OF David DeJesus and cash to Marlins for 3B Greg Dobbs and minor leaguer Edgar Olmos.

4/2- Giants SS Marco Scutaro will miss two weeks after falling off his mountain bike.
2012 Cy Young Award winner David Price strikes out 16 in a one hitter.

4/4- Orioles CF Adam Jones will miss 2-3 months with a shoulder inflamation.

4/5- LA Dodgers 2B Alex Castellanos is out 4 weeks after fracturing his foot.
4/5- Rangers closer Joe Nathan records his 300th career save.

4/6- Twins catcher Joe Mauer is out for three weeks with a strained oblique.
4/6- Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury will miss at least 4-5 weeks with bone chips in his elbow.

4/7- Minnesota LF Josh Willingham will miss 3-4 weeks with a fractured foot.

AL POW: TEX 1B Lance Berkman- 8-19, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
NL POW: MIL LF Ryan Braun- 10-20, 2 HR, 5 RBI

The Cardinals are 21st in this week's power rankings.

[Grahoben]

April 8: Reds 11 @ Cardinals 2
WP: Mat Latos (1-1, 4.61)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-2, 12.00)
HR: CIN: Todd Frazier (3), Chris Heisey (1), Jay Bruce (1) STL: Jaime Garcia (1)

Once again Garcia gets hit hard, and our bullpen does not allow us to stay in the game by giving up six runs in the last two innings.

April 9: Reds 4 @ Cardinals 1
WP: Homer Bailey (1-1, 3.07)
LP: Lance Lynn (0-2, 5.91)
SV: Aroldis Chapman (2, 4.50)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (3)

While our pitching was decent, our hitting was nowhere to be found as we totaled just three hits. Despite only pitching 5.2 innings, Lance Lynn was able to strike out 12.

April 10: Reds 4 @ Cardinals 3 (10)
WP: Aroldis Chapman (1-1, 6.00)
LP: Mitchell Boggs (0-1, 11.57)
HR: CIN: Jay Bruce (2) STL: Matt Carpenter (4)

Jake Westbrook pitched well for the second straight outing, but our offense was unable to come alive until the very end, when down by three, we came up just short.

Well, I was certainly expecting more out of our first home series of the year. Our bullpen continues to struggle, and it appears that this could be a long season without Jason Motte. Matt Carpenter has been one of the only bright spots of our team, hitting .333 with 4 homers.

Pete Kozma is off to a dreadful 2-31 start, so he has been sent down to AAA. Replacing him will be 23-year old Greg Garcia. Garcia has no MLB experience, but he was off to a good start in the minors, hitting .344 in 8 games.

Around the League:
4/9
DBacks reliever Matt Reynolds will miss 4-5 months with a torn rotator cuff.
4/10
Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer shuts out Toronto, allowing only four hits and striking out 7.
Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter hits career home run #300.
4/11
Rays SP Jeff Niemann will miss an additional two weeks as he recovers from a strained forearm.
Brewers OF Norichika Aoki suffered a strained hamstring, and is out for six weeks.

Standings:
1. Brewers 7-2
2. Reds 5-4
3. Cubs 4-6
4. Pirates 3-6
2. Cardinals 2-7

Coming up next: Off day and then three at home against the first place Brewers

[Grahoben]

April 12th
Brewers 1 @ Cardinals 3
WP: Shelby Miller (1-1, 5.00)
LP: Kyle Lohse (2-1, 0.40)
SV: Mitchell Boggs (3, 10.80)

After only making it through two innings last time out, Shelby Miller dominated the Milwaukee lineup. He struck out 11 in 7 innings, only allowing three hits in the process. Both teams only stroked four hits, but the Cardinals took advantage of two errors, causing all of their runs.

April 13th
Brewers 0 @ Cardinals 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (3-0, 0.47)
LP: Chris Narveson (1-1, 2.57)
SV: Mitchell Boggs (4, 8.31)
HR: STL: Carlos Beltran (2)

For the third straight start, Adam Wainwright pitched very well. Once again the Cardinal offense was weak, but run support was not necessry due to the great pitching by Wainwright and the bullpen. After the game, David Freese was activated from the DL. Justin Christian was sent to AAA.

April 14th
WP: Yovani Gallardo (2-0, 1.57)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-3, 7.20)
HR: MIL: Aramis Ramirez (3), Jeff Bianchi (1), Ryan Braun (5) STL: J.R. Towles (1)

The Cardinals found themselves losing 1-0 heading into the ninth inning, but Edward Mujica and Joe Kelly combined to allow three home runs in the top of the ninth. A three run home run by Towles got us back in the game, but we couldn't finish the comeback.

Despite the poor offensive performance, this was definitely our best series of the year. The pitching was much improved from earlier in the season. Rookie Greg Garcia has still not recorded his first hit, and if he continues to slump, Kozma may return to the bigs.

Around the League:
4/12
Rockies 2B Eric Young Jr. will be out for one week with a strained oblique.

4/13
White Sox CF Alejandro De Aza goes 5-6 in a 13-2 win over Cleveland.

4/14
Miami pitcher Jon Rauch will miss four months with a shoulder inflamation.
Former All Star 2B Chase Utley retired at age 34. Utley suffered a torn labrum, which will not allow him to continue playing.
Tigers RF Torii Hunter records his 2000th career hit.


AL POW: NYY DH Travis Hafner- 13-28, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R
NL POW: MIL LF Ryan Braun- 12-23, 2 HR, 5 RBI

St. Louis is ranked 29th in the latest power rankings.

Standings:
1. Brewers 8-4
2. Pirates 6-6
3. Cubs 6-7
4. Reds 5-7
5. Cardinals 4-8

[Grahoben]

April 15:
Cardinals 4 @ Pirates 2
WP: Lance Lynn (1-2, 5.17)
LP: James McDonald (0-1, 5.11)
SV: Mitchell Boggs (5, 6.75)

We quickly scored two runs in the first inning and never really looked back as Lance Lynn was able to record his first win of the season. Daniel Descalso made the start at shortstop, going 2 for 3, but he did committ an error. Unfortunately, he is the next best shortstop on the team, but he has very little experience at the position.

April 16:
Cardinals 3 @ Pirates 4
WP: Jeff Locke (1-1, 3.38)
LP: Fernando Salas (0-1, 7.00)
SV: Jason Grilli (3, 2.70)
HR PIT: Starling Marte (3)

Westbrook had another solid outing, but our bullpen could not hot the slim lead as Fernando Salas allowed two runs in the seventh. Greg Garcia recorded his first MLB hit, going 2-4 with an RBI.

April 17:
Cardinals 3 @ Pirates 5
WP: A.J. Burnett (1-1, 4.15)
LP: Shelby Miller (1-2, 5.40)
SV: Jason Grilli (4, 2.35)
HR: STL: Carlos Beltran 2 (4) PIT: Garrett Jones (2)

We quickly fell behind by three runs after the second inning, and although Carlos Beltran hit two home runs to tighten up the score, we could not win the game.

This was a pretty disappointing series, as it is very frustrating to lose close games like these. This season has certainly gone much worse than expected so far, and we will need to start winning quickly to save this season.

Around the League:
4/16
Braves starter Paul Maholm will be out of action for 7 months as he recovers from a torn rotator cuff.
Orioles LHP Troy Patton will miss eight months with a torn labrum.
2B Joe Thurston signs with Miami for 1 year ($1,790,000).

4/17
RP Jeremy Affeldt signs a two year extension with San Francisco worth $8,600,000.


Up next: Four games in Philly against the 6-9 Phillies.

[Grahoben]

April 18:
Cardinals 5 @ Phillies 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (4-0, 1.01)
LP: Cole Hamels (2-2, 5.08)
SV: Mitchell Boggs (6, 5.68)
HR: STL: Jon Jay (1), Allen Craig 2 (3)

A three run home run by Allen Craig in the top of the first got us all of the runs we needed, as Adam Wainwright held to lead to receive his fourth win of the young season. Greg Garcia added another two hits, raising his average to .238.

April 19:
Cardinals 0 @ Phillies 5
WP: Cliff Lee (2-1, 3.64)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-4, 4.91)
HR: PHI: Erik Kratz (2)

Cliff Lee held us to just two hits, as he dominated our entire lineup. Edward Mujica allowed another home run late in the game, raising his ERA to 12.60. He is definitely running out of time to prove himself worthy of a bullpen spot.

April 20:
Cardinals 12 @ Phillies 5
WP: Lance Lynn (2-2, 4.37)
LP: Kyle Kendrick (0-4, 9.13)
HR: STL: Yadier Molina (2), Matt Holliday 2 (2), Carlos Beltran (5) PHI: Erik Kratz (3), Darin Ruf (2)

After falling behind 2-0 in the second inning, Yadier Molina's grand slam in the third gave us the lead for good. Matt Holliday had a huge game, going 3-5 with two homers and four RBI. Holliday has struggled this season, but this game's performance got his average up to .232.

April 21:
Cardinals 8 @ Phillies 9
WP: Johnathan Papelbon (2-0, 1.50)
LP: Randy Choate (0-1, 0.00)
HR: PHI: Darin Ruf (3)

After taking a commanding 7-0 lead in the second inning, it looked like we had the game won. But Jake Westbrook's ineffective pitching allowed for the Phillies to make an amazing comeback. An injury to Greg Garcia forced Daniel Descalso to play shortstop, and he made a costly error in the ninth inning that led to an unearned run. Fortunately, Garcia's injury is minor and he should return to the lineup soon.

Around the League:
4/19
Phillies 1B Ryan Howard leaves the team to tend to personal issues.
Braves starter Tim Hudson defeats the Pirates for his 200th win.

4/20
White Sox starter Chris Sale will miss 12 months with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.

4/21
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz had a setback in his recovery from an injury (really it was a suspension) and he will miss an additional week.
Mariners ace Felix Hernandez shuts out the Rangers 9-0.
Angels starter Jason Vargas 3-hits the Tigers in a 5-0 victory.
A's Starter Brett Anderson tosses the first no hitter of 2013, shutting out Tampa Bay 5-0.

AL POW: TOR SS Jose Reyes- 18-28 1 HR 6 RBI
NL POW: PIT CF Starling Marte- 14-31 1 HR 5 RBI

St. Louis has moved up to 25th in the power rankings.


Standings:
1. Brewers 11-7
2. Pirates 9-10
3. Cardinals 7-12
4. Cubs 7-12
5. Reds 6-13

Next we take on the Nationals (13-5) on the road.

[edm]

Poor Kyle Kendrick has been getting smoked so far good luck the rest of the season.

[Grahoben]

April 22:
Cardinals 1 @ Nationals 4
WP: Tyler Clippard (1-0, 0.00)
LP: Shelby Miller (1-3, 5.57)
SV: Drew Storen (6, 1.93)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (5) WAS: Adam LaRoche (3)

A solo home run by Matt Carpenter in the first quickly got us the lead, but the Nationals scored three runs in the seventh to take the lead and the win.

April 23:
Cardinals 3 @ Nationals 7
WP: Dan Haren (2-0, 1.73)
LP: Adam Wainwright (4-1, 1.99)
HR STL: Allen Craig (4), Carlos Beltran (6) WAS: Jayson Werth (4), Carlos Maldonado (1)

We had a 3-0 lead early after back-to-back homers by Craig and Beltran, but Wainwright was not as effective as he has been, giving up 4 runs in 5 innings.

April 24:
Cardinals 4 @ Nationals 7
WP: Zach Duke (2-0, 3.48)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-5, 5.33)
SV: Henry Rodriguez (1, 0.00)
HR: STL: Allen Craig (5), David Freese (1) WAS: Ian Desmond (2), Ryan Zimmerman (3)

Once again we scored in the first inning, but to the surprise of nobody, we blew the lead and lost the game.

Around the League:
4/23
Oakland sends OF Coco Crisp to the Dodgers for Aaron Harang.

4/24
Arizona OF Cody Ross goes 5-5 in a 9-4 win over the Rockies.

4/25
Reds CF Shin-Soo Choo will miss five weks with a torn meniscus.


Ty Wigginton has shown his discontent with his role on the team. I will try to get him in the lineup more, but if his struggles continue, he may be traded. Wigginton is hitting .143 (3-21) in 10 games this season.

[Grahoben]

April 26:
Pirates 4 @ Cardinals 8
WP: Lance Lynn (3-2, 3.94)
LP: Jeff Locke (1-3, 4.18)
HR: PIT: Pedro Alvarez (5) STL: Allen Craig (6), Yadier Molina (3)

Allen Craig continued his hot streak, going 3-3 with 4 RBI and a home run. Ty Wigginton got the start in LF and played will, going 2-4 with a double. Rookie Greg Garcia also got two hits, raising his average up to .293.

April 27:
Pirates 6 @ Cardinals 2
WP: A.J. Burnett (3-1, 3.72)
LP: Jake Westbrook (0-2, 3.90)
HR: PIT: Pedro Alvarez (6)

We kept the game close until the last inning, when we allowed 3 runs, greatly lowering our chance of a comeback.

April 28:
Pirates 0 @ Cardinals 10
WP: Shelby Miller (2-3, 4.18)
LP: Jeff Karstens (0-2, 9.26)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (6), Jon Jay (2)

After allowing a leadoff triple, Shelby Miller settled down and did not allow another hit in his seven innings of work. After the fourth inning, our offense exploded, as we scored all ten runs between the 5th and 7th innings. Shelby Miller even had a good day at the plate, going 2-3 with two runs and an RBI.

Around the League:
4/26
KC Starter Wade Davis shuts out the Indians, allowing only 4 hits.

4/27
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will miss his next start with an inflamed elbow.
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg strikes out 15 in a 3-2 win over the Reds.

4/28
Texas LF David Murphy is out for 4 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb.
Minnesota's Liam Hendriks shuts out Texas in a 9-0 victory.

AL POW: BAL 1B Chris Davis 14-26, 1 HR, 11 RBI
NL POW: STL 1B Allen Craig 9-23, 3 HR, 9 RBI

Standings:
1. Brewers 13-11
2. Cubs 12-14
3. Pirates 11-15
4. Cardinals 9-16
5. Reds 9-17

[Grahoben]

April 29:
Reds 5 @ Cardinals 4
WP: Sam LeCure (1-0, 0.93)
LP: Mitchell Boggs (0-2, 9.35)
SV: Aroldis Chapman (4, 3.75)
HR: CIN: Bronson Arroyo (2) STL: Yadier Molina (4)

All I can say about this game is that Mitchell Boggs is no longer the closer.

April 30:
Reds 10 @ Cardinals 2
WP: Homer Bailey (3-2, 2.53)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-6, 6.25)
HR: CIN: Homer Bailey (1)

You know we are struggling when we are allowing home runs to the opposing pitcher.

May 1:
Reds 3 @ Cardinals 4
WP: Lance Lynn (4-2, 3.79)
LP: Mike Leake (1-3, 3.55)
SV: Trevor Rosenthal (1, 3.07)
HR: CIN: Devin Mesoraco (3) STL: David Freese (2)

Although we left many runners on base, we were able to score just enough runs to win the game. Rosenthal allowed a home run in the ninth, but was able to hold on for his first save of the season.

Around the League:
5/1
Rays RF Ben Zobrist and Royals RP Aaron Crow have each been suspended for five games for thir roles in a bench-clearing brawl.
Detroit's catcher Alex Aliva goes 5-5 in a 9-4 win over the Twins.
Dodgers SP Clayton Keshaw will miss an additional week in his recovery from an elbow inflamation.

AL Batter of the Month: TOR RF Jose Bautista- .337 11 HR, 22 RBI, 18 R
NL Batter of the Month: MIL LF Ryan Braun- .394 10 HR 23 RBI 19 R
AL Pitcher of the Month: OAK LHP Tommy Milone- 4-1 44 IP 26 K 1.43 ERA
NL Pitcher of the Month: PHI RHP Johnathan Papelbon- 8 SV 21 K 17 IP .153 AVG 1.06 ERA 3-0
AL Rookie of the Month: TB CF Wil Myers- .279 3 2B 6 HR 13 RBI 18 R
NL Rookie of the Month: MIA SS Adeiny Hechavarria- .258 2 HR 10 R

[Grahoben]

..

[Grahoben]

May 2:
Cardinals 9 @ Brewers 2
WP: Jake Westbrook (1-2, 3.38)
LP: Hiram Burgos (0-1, 4.22)
HR: STL: Daniel Descalso (1) MIL: Aramis Ramirez (7)

We were down 2-0 heading into the fifth, but we would score three runs in each of the next two innings. This was one of our best offensive games as we totaled 15 hits. However, our defense was poor as we committed three errors.

May 3:
Cardinals 8 @ Brewers 4
WP: Edward Mujica (1-0, 10.80)
LP: John Axford (1-1, 4.91)
HR: STL: Yadier Molina (5), Matt Holliday (3), Allen Craig (7) MIL: Aramis Ramirez (8), Logan Schafer (1), Jeff Bianchi (2)

Taking a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth, Edward Mujica allowed a two-run homer to tie the score. But we exploded for four runs in the ninth to win the game. In the ninth, Jon Jay suffered a minor back injury while running the bases. This injury will keep him out for about a week, but he will probably not head to the DL.

May 4:
Cardinals 9 @ Brewers 5
WP: Adam Wainwright (5-1, 2.31)
LP: Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.59)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (7)

Once again, we pound the Brewers pitching, this time for nine runs. Five of those runs came in a huge fifth inning in which we batted around. Wainwright was solid, allowing three runs (two earned) through eight innings of work.

May 5: Cardinals 5 @ Brewers 7
WP: Kyle Lohse (3-2, 2.30)
LP: Jaime Garcia (0-7, 7.32)
SV: Tom Gorzelanny (7, 6.28)
HR: STL: Matt Adams (1)

It's not a good feeling to know that every time Jaime Garcia goes to the mound, we will probably lose.

Around the League:
5/2
Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg pitches another shuttout, this time against Atlanta.

5/3
Dodgers lefty Chris Capuano shuts out the Giants 5-0.

5/4
Brewers outfielder Norichika Aoki suffered a setback in his recovery from a strained hamstring, and will miss five weeks.

AL POW: TOR RF Jose Bautista- 10-19 5 HR 7 RBI
NL POW: STL C Yadier Molina- 12-26 2 HR 5 RBI

Standings:
1. Brewers 17-14
2. Cubs 16-17
3. Cardinals 13-19
4. Pirates 12-20
5. Reds 12-20

[Grahoben]

May 6:
Cardinals 3 @ Cubs 2 (12)
WP: James Russell (2-0, 2.04)
LP: Trevor Rosenthal (0-1, 3.06)

Lance Lynn pitched very well for seven innings, but he gave up two in the eighth, tying the score. Our offense couldn't take the lead and our bullpen finally cracked in the 12th. Fernando Salas left with an injury, which has been diagnosed as a forearm cramp. He should not miss any games due to the injury.

May 7:
Cardinals 3 @ Cubs 10
WP: Carlos Villanueva (3-1, 2.86)
LP: Jake Westbrook (1-3, 4.54)
HR: STL: Allen Craig 2 (9) CHC: Greg Dobbs (1), Anthony Rizzo (10), Wellington Castillo (6), Nate Schierholtz (2)

Our pitching got hammered and despite 12 hits, we could only score three runs.

Around the League:
5/6
SF pitcher Madison Bumgarner one-hits the Phillies in a 3-0 victory.

5/7
Arizona LF Jason Kubel will miss 3-4 wees with an elbow sprain.
Tampa Bay pitcher Jeff Niemann is out 7 months with a torn rotator cuff.
Orioles RF Nick Markakis hits for the cycle in a 7-3 win over the Royals.

5/8
Stephen Strasburg strikes out 16 against the Tigers, winning 8-3. Strasburg now has 72 K's in 51.1 innings.
Arizona LF Gerardo Parra will miss 4 months with a torn labrum.

[Grahoben]

\May 10:
Rockies 1 @ Cardinals 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (6-1, 2.15)
LP: Jorge De La Rosa (2-4, 3.94)
SV: Joe Kelly (1, 6.20)
HR: COL: Troy Tulowitzki (6) STL: David Freese (3)

May 11:
Rockies 1 @ Cardinals 5
WP: Jaime Garcia (1-7, 6.48)
LP: Jhoulys Chacin (1-5, 4.41)
HR: COL: Jordan Pacheco (1) STL: Allen Craig (10)

Finally, Jaime Garcia gave us the great start that we have been waiting for. Our offense also gave him enough run support to win the game.

May 12:
Rockies 4 @ Cardinals 1
WP: Juan Nicasio (1-5, 3.91)
LP: Lance Lynn (4-3, 3.86)
SV: Wilton Lopez (7, 1.74)
HR: COL: Ryan Wheeler (2), Carlos Gonzalez (6), Troy Tulowitzki (7)

ance Lynn was ineffective, as he gave up all three of Colorado's home runs. Our offense couldn't back him up as we only had one run on four hits. On the bright side, Jon Jay will be ready to return to the lineup for our next series.

Around the League:
5/10
Toronto 1B Adam Lind goes 5-5 in a 7-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Angels 1B Albert Pujols extends his hitting streak to 20 games. Pujols leads baseball with a .383 batting average.

5/11
Twins CF Darin Mastroianni goes 1-4, extending his hitting streak to 20.
21-year-old pitcher Justin Turner shuts out the Dodgers, as Miami wins 7-0.

5/12
Arizona's closer J.J. Putz will miss 6-7 months with a torn flexor tendon in his pitching elbow.
Atlanta Braves owner John Malone passed away. His son Steve will take over as owner.

AL POW: LAA 1B Albert Pujols- 14-25 4 HR 11 RBI
NL POW: SD 3B Chase Headley- 13-21 3 HR 7 RBI

Standings:
1. Brewers 20-16
2. Cubs 18-20
3. Cardinals 15-22
4. Pirates 15-23
5. Reds 14-24

Since his average is down to .195, Greg Garcia has been sent back to AAA. Pete Kozma has done well at the AAA, so he will be called back up to start at shortstop.

[Grahoben]

May 13:
Mets 15 @ Cardinals 0
WP: Christopher Schwinden (2-1, 2.98)
LP: Jake Westbrook (1-4, 4.46)
HR: NYM: Travis d'Arnaud (4)

Six unearned runs in the second inning basically ended the game, as Christopher Schwinden only allowed one hit against us. 2B Daniel Murphy also went 5-6.

May 14:
Mets 4 @ Cardinals 1
WP: Shawn Marcum (1-0, 2.59)
LP: Shelby Miller (2-4, 3.64)
SV: Scott Atchison (9, 1.31)
HR: NYM: John Buck (5)

Miller was solid, only allowing two runs in seven innings, but our offense was silenced for the second straight game.

May 15:
Mets 0 @ Cardinals 4
WP: Adam Wainwright (7-1, 1.85)
LP: Zach Wheeler (2-1, 2.18)

Adam Wainwright continued his stellar season by one-hitting the Mets to avoid losing again. Wainwright was locked in, only allowing two baserunners for his first shuttout of the season.

May 16:
Mets 1 @ Cardinals 5
WP: Jaime Garcia (2-7, 5.85)
LP: Dillon Gee (1-6, 6.54)
HR: STL: Pete Kozma (1), Yadier Molina (6), Ty Wigginton (1)

It looked like it would be another rough game for Garcia, as he allowed a run in the top of the first. But that was all the Mets would get, as Garcia pitched five shuttout innings after the first. Meanwhile, Pete Kozma gave the Cardinals the lead with his first home run of the season in the second inning.

Around the League:
5/13
Atlanta RF Jason Heyward goes 5-5 in a 4-0 victory over Arizona.

5/15
Royals owner David Glass passes away, with his son taking over as the new owner.
Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma no hits the Yankees in Yankee Stadium.
Albert Pujols's hit streak ends at 24 against the Royals.

5/16
Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will miss five weeks with a strained posterior cruciate ligament.
Yankees star 2B Robinson Cano will miss 5 weeks with a torn tendon in his hip.
Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez reaches the 2000 hit plateau against the Pirates in a 5-4 win.

5/17
Pirates closer Jason Grilli is out 4-5 months with a bone spur in his elbow.

[Grahoben]

May 17:
Brewers 3 @ Cardinals 4
WP: Lance Lynn (5-3, 3.63)
LP: Marco Estrada (3-4, 4.86)
SV: Trevor Rosenthal (2, 3.43)
HR: MIL: Aramis Ramirez 2 (11)

After allowing two runs in the first, Lance Lynn settled down to pitch 7 more innings without allowing another run. Trevor Rosenthal allowed a run on three hits in the ninth, but he was able to hold the lead.

May 18:
Brewers 2 @ Cardinals 9
WP: Jake Westbrook (2-4, 4.18)
LP: Yovani Gallardo (3-4, 3.08)
HR: STL: Pete Kozma (2), Carlos Beltran (7)

Westbrook pitched very well, only allowing two runs in seven innings. The game was close until the seventh when Pete Kozma blew the game open with a three run home run. Unfortunately, Yadier Molina left in the first inning with an injury.

May 19:
Brewers 0 @ Cardinals 7
WP: Shelby Miller (3-4, 3.19)
LP: Hiram Burgos (0-3, 4.50)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (8)

Shelby Miller battled for six innings, giving up no runs despite three errors by the Cardinals. In the seventh, with the score 2-0, we scored 5 runs, three coming on a David Freese double. We have played very well recently, as this is our fifth straight win. We also receive the great news that Yadier Molina only has a sore shoulder, and he will not need to head to the DL.

Around the League:
5/17
Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez goes 5-5 in a 4-3 win over the Giants.

5/18
Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore improves to 5-2 after shutting out Baltimore.
Brett Anderson shuts out Kansas City, as Oakland wins 1-0.

5/19
Rockies 2B will miss 4 weeks with a fractured jaw.

AL POW: SEA LF Mike Morse- 10-23 4 HR 12 RBI
NL POW: COL LF Carlos Gonzalez- 14-28 4 HR 6 RBI

Standings:
1. Brewers 21-22
2. Cardinals 20-24
3. Cubs 20-24
4. Pirates 19-26
5. Reds 16-28

[Grahoben]

May 20:
Cardinals 9 @ Padres 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (8-1, 1.63)
LP: Eric Stults (3-5, 5.08)
HR: STL: Matt Carpenter (9), J.R. Towles (2), Matt Holliday (4) SD: Yonder Alonso (3)

We have another huge day on offense again giving more than enough support for Adam Wainwright to win his 8th game of the season.

May 21:
Cardinals 2 @ Padres 6
WP: Andrew Cashner (2-1, 2.89)
LP: Jaime Garcia (2-8, 5.94)
HR: SD: Jedd Gyorko (1), Cameron Maybin (3), Chase Headley (6)

Our offense was very weak as Andrew Cashner went the distance in obtaining his 2nd win of the season.

May 22:
Cardinals 6 @ Padres 2
WP: Lance Lynn (6-3, 3.38)
LP: Clayton Richard (3-5, 4.19)
HR: STL: Ty Wigginton (2) SD: Carlos Quentin (6), Will Venable (2)

We took the lead in the fourth on a three-run homer by Wigginton, and never looked back to win the final game of this 3-game series.

Around the League:
5/20
Phillies starter Roy Halladay wins his 200th career game in a 3-0 win over Miami.

5/21
Marlins pitcher Nathan Eovaldi will miss the next 13-14 after tearing his UCL.
Toronto's Jose Bautista goes 5-5 in a 7-6 loss against Boston.
Twins CF Darin Mastroianni has hit hitting streak end at 24.

5/23
Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez will miss 4-5 weeks with a seperated shoulder.
Toronto SS Jose Reyes will be out of action for two weeks after spraining his ankle.

[Grahoben]

May 24:
Cardinals 3 @ Dodgers 4
WP: Brandon League (2-0, 1.06)
LP: Edward Mujica (1-1, 6.62)
SV: Kenley Jansen (18, 2.42)
HR: STL: Allen Craig (11), David Freese (4)

Edward Mujica's struggles continued as he allowed the eventual game-winning run in the eighth inning.

May 25:
Cardinals 3 @ Dodgers 0
WP: Shelby Miller (4-4, 2.72)
LP: Chad Billingsley (2-3, 3.89)
SV: Trevor Rosenthal (3, 3.32)
HR: STL: Matt Holliday (5)

Shelby Miller was virtually unhittable, allowing just one hit through eight innings. After allowing two singles in the ninth, Trevor Rosenthal came in and quickly induced a game-ending double play ball.

May 26:
Cardinals 5 @ Dodgers 2
WP: Adam Wainwright (9-1, 1.72)
LP: Ted Lilly (1-1, 5.14)
SV: Trevor Rosenthal (4, 3.18)
HR: STL: Matt Adams (2), Matt Holliday (6)

Adam Wainwright continues his dominace by becoming the first nine game winner in baseball. This is a great series win for us, as the Dodgers had the second best record in baseball.

Around the League:
5/24
Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy goes 5-5 in a 12-10 win over Pittsburgh.

5/25
SP Jason Vargas (8-0, 2.97 ERA) signs a 1-year extension with the Angles worth $9 million.
Mariners pitcher Joe Saunders holds Texas to two hits in a 1-0 victory.

AL POW: TOR RF Jose Bautista- 12-16 5 HR 10 RBI
NL POW: MIL C Jonathan Lucroy- 14-23 3 HR 8 R 4 RBI

At 24-26, we are now 11th in the power rankings.

Standings:
1. Brewers 24-25
2. Cardinals 24-26
3. Reds 22-28
4. Cubs 22-28
5. Pirates 20-31

OF Shane Robinson is only hitting .059 (2-34), so he has been sent down to AAA in exchange for Adron Chambers. Chambers will be another left handed bat off the bench, and he will provide much needed speed to a club with only 2 steals all season.