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First I would like to start off with an introduction. My name is Michael Schulte and I will be writing "the Sporting Blog" for Metro-East.com. I am relatively new to blogging, but I have had a blog with the Sporting News for almost 10 months now. I live in Edwardsville and go to school at Metro East Lutheran High School. At MELHS I play basketball. But without further ado, let's get to the Cardinals.
Sitting pretty at 51-42 the Cardinals have shocked the baseball world as legit contenders in the National League. They are only 3.5 games behind the heavily favored Cubs. Yet even as they have continued to prove the "experts" at ESPN wrong, they still get almost no respect. Especially after the Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers just acquired new aces for their starting rotation. In fact in the past two days I have already seen many sportwriters "write off" the Cardinals chances at making the postseason. Because of two trades the Cardinals have transformed from potential World Series sleeper to third wheel in the hotly contested NL Central. I am here to tell you that this is NOT THE CASE.
Hurray for the Milwaukee Brewers; they finally got a pitcher (C.C. Sabathia) good enough to compliment the tremendous Ben Sheets. Also, hurray to the Cubs because they just took a huge risk obtaining the oft injured Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics. But even with these two pitchers they are not leaps and bounds ahead of the underdog Cardinals. The best case scenario for the Cardinals would be to acquire A.J. Burnett from the Toronto Blue Jays, but that seems very unlikely. So let us move to plan B.
Mark Mulder is no longer an option as he has probably pitched to his last major league batter. Also, remember who is approaching a comeback in the next month. That's right the beloved Chris Carpenter. "Carp" could be back as soon as August 1st and he could be a signifigant part of the Cardinals run down the stretch, just as Hardern and Sabathia will be for the Cubs and Brewers respectively. As it stands right now the Cardinals staff still rivals the Cubs and Brewers even with their new stars. Kyle Lohse has pitched better than C.C. Sabathia all year long. Lohse also rivals the numbers put up by Ben Sheets of the Brewers. The Cardinals number two man Todd Wellenmeyer has been just as good as any and with Ace Adam Wainwright soon returning from the DL the Cardinals will have one of the best staffs in baseball. Add an average Mark Mulder or Braden Looper, along Chris Carpenter and this could be the most formidable pitching staff in the National League.
Another option in plan B would be to acquire Derek Lowe or Greg Maddux as half-year rental players. One thing that the Cardinals have always been good at is acquiring good talent before the trade deadline. Recent examples include Will Clark, Scott Rolen, Jeff Weaver, and Ronnie Belliard. Their trade might not have the same appeal or spice that the Cubs and Brewers did, but it could be just as effective. Sometime just one or two subtle tweaks will help a team more than one "blockbuster" trade. Just look at the 2006 World Series squad. Two trades brought us Jeff Weaver and Ronnie Belliard. These moves did not seem game changing, let alone season changing, but both players had signifigant impact on the Cardinals run to becoming World Series Champions.
Also, remember who is managing the games. Tony La Russa is the best manager in the league. He has turned teams with no hope into playoff contenders and continues to do "a lot with a little" which is needed especially with the current group. Although the Cardinals might be written off by the pundints on ESPN, the Cardinals will still be in the race until the last games of September. One big trade does not cause success, but the collective play of 25 individuals wins championships. No way the Cardinals stop fighting for what is rightfully theres: an illustrious playoff spot in the historic month of October.
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