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UCB Progressive Game Blog: Ninth Inning

Posted on May 29, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Filed Under: Chicago Cubs | St. Louis Cardinals | United Cardinal Bloggers
When you look at the calendar and pick out a game to do for this type of project, you never know what kind of game you are going to get.  A triumphant blowout for the good guys?  A nailbiter into the ninth?  None of the above?

At least the good part about bringing up the rear in a game like this is that there's not much to discuss.  Justin will be discussing/has discussed the eighth inning and the rest of the UCB has taken their cracks at their portions of the game.  So it's time to take a look at the ninth of today's loss to the Cubs.

One of the good things about this team is that, so often, they've made a game of things in the ninth.  No matter how dismal and dreary the offense has been during the game, they so often seem to be able to get the tying or winning run to the plate in the end, even if they don't get them in.  No game is ever quite a foregone conclusion.

Every game, of course, save the game I have the ninth to write about.  Today, the Cardinals went down like they had a plane to catch, even though it was just the middle of the series.

The Cubs replace their multi-million dollar setup man, Carlos Zambrano, with Jeff Stevens, a rookie making his third appearance this year.  As we know, the Cardinals often struggle against pitchers they've never seen before, and this game was no different.

Even though the team trailed 5-0, they were set up in the lineup to at least make some noise.  The same players that jumped on Randy Wells for five runs in the first yesterday were up again in the ninth, starting with the new leadoff hitter, Felipe Lopez.

Lopez, however, is unable to get anything going, striking out looking.  Next up is Ryan Ludwick, who keeps the futility working by grounding to third.  With no one on and a five run lead, you'd think that Stevens would feel comfortable challenging Albert Pujols, but perhaps mindful of keeping the shutout intact, Pujols draws the walk.

It was noted earlier in the week that Matt Holliday has only driven in Pujols twice this year.  While that may be a bit outdated, the premise holds.  People are tending to get on for Pujols, but when people do put AP on, Holliday is not making them pay, at least not as of yet.  Today fits in with that, as he flies out to right to end the game.

After scoring five runs before one out was made in this series, the Cardinals are just a Ludwick home run shy of going 18 actual innings without a run.  The offense that we thought was coming around after the getaway game in San Diego and the beginning of the series opener in Wrigley may still be as elusive as it has been most of the month.

Travis at Fredbird Follys has the wrapup of today's game and reminds us of one important, elemental truth: at least we still aren't the Cubs.


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Jack Clark | June 1, 2010 11:55 PM | Reply

The Cardinals will bounce back and it's not even funny to say at least we still aren't the Cubs. What are you trying to do, jinx em?

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Heroes
Lance Berkman (24)
Albert Pujols (19)
Matt Holliday (15)
Chris Carpenter (10)
Kyle Lohse (9)
Yadier Molina (9)
Ryan Theriot (8)
David Freese (7)
Jaime Garcia (7)
Jon Jay (7)
Jake Westbrook (6)
Allen Craig (5)
Kyle McClellan (5)
Colby Rasmus (5)
Edwin Jackson (4)
Skip Schumaker (4)
Daniel Descalso (3)
Rafael Furcal (2)
Gerald Laird (2)
Nick Punto (2)
Marc Rzepczynski (2)
Fernando Salas (2)
Mitchell Boggs (1)
Daniel Descalso (1)
Lance Lynn (1)

2010 Top Heroes: Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols (24)
2009 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (28)
2008 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (25)

Goats
Ryan Theriot (12)
Albert Pujols (11)
Jake Westbrook (10)
David Freese (8)
Ryan Franklin (7)
Jaime Garcia (7)
Fernando Salas (7)
Kyle Lohse (6)
Kyle McClellan (6)
Colby Rasmus (6)
Skip Schumaker (6)
Miguel Batista (5)
Chris Carpenter (5)
Daniel Descalso (5)
Matt Holliday (5)
Jon Jay (5)
Jason Motte (5)
Allen Craig (4)
Rafael Furcal (4)
Tyler Greene (4)
Yadier Molina (4)
Lance Berkman (3)
Mitchell Boggs (3)
Gerald Laird (3)
Edwin Jackson (2)
Trever Miller (2)
Corey Patterson (2)
Marc Rzepczynski (2)
Matt Carpenter (1)
Maikel Cleto (1)
Tony Cruz (1)
Octavio Dotel (1)
Mark Hamilton (1)
Lance Lynn (1)
Nick Punto (1)
Arthur Rhodes (1)
Eduardo Sanchez (1)
Raul Valdes (1)
PJ Walters (1)

2010 Top Goat: Brendan Ryan (14)
2009 Top Goats: Rick Ankiel and Todd Wellemeyer (13)
2008 Top Goat: Troy Glaus (13)

    Cardinal Nation Approval Ratings (March 2011)
    Adam Wainwright 94.7% (down 0.9%)
    Matt Holliday 91.1% (up 6.6%)
    Albert Pujols 90.4% (down 8.3%)
    Dave Duncan 87.9% (up 0.9%)
    Derrick Goold 87.8%
    Chris Carpenter 86.9% (down 6.7%)
    Matthew Leach 85.5%
    Mike Shannon 84.9% (down 4.6%)
    John Rooney 84.3% (up 8.1%)
    Yadier Molina 83.7% (down 8.3%)
    Colby Rasmus 81.8% (up 5.0%)
    Pop Warner 76.7%
    Jim Hayes 76.1%
    John Mozeliak 74.1% (down 12.0%)
    Ryan Franklin 72.8% (up 3.1%)
    Bill Dewitt 71.0% (down 12.0%)
    Tony La Russa 70.8% (down 10.2%)
    BJ Rains 70.4%
    Ricky Horton 69.1%
    John Vuch 68.9%
    Jeff Luhnow 66.4%
    Skip Schumaker 64.1% (down 17.0%)
    Al Hrabosky 63.2% (up 19.0%)
    Mark McGwire 62.5% (down 10.7%)
    Dan Lozano 58.7%
    Joe Strauss 57.5%
    Kyle Lohse 55.1% (down 11.7%)

    2009
    Rick Ankiel 83.9%
    Chris Duncan 69.1%


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