How To Unknot A Tie: Facing The Scenarios

With the precise fate of seven teams still to be determined, tiebreaker rules loomed as potential factors in races and matchups still to be decided.

Cardinals Official Site

Chris Carpenter's Record-Setting Grand Slam & Six RBIs

As St. Louis Cardinals fans may already know, Chris Carpenter pitched and hit his team to a slump-breaking 13-0 win over Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon. While his pitching was fantastic, three hits and a walk with six strikeouts over five shutout innings, the right-handed veteran also personally jump-started his club’s stalling offense.

The Cardinal Nation Blog

Ideas Tossed Around At Promo Seminar

One of the main selling points of the annual Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar is that "one idea is the worth the price of admission."

MiLB

Yadier Molina Likely To Start Friday Vs. Brewers (Game Notes 10-2-09)

Yadier Molina took a small step back on Thursday, but he expects to be moving forward again by Friday night.
Cardinals Official Site

The Brewers begin their final series of the season on Friday in St. Louis, and a number of questions are about to get answers.
Brewers Official Site

Cardinals Beat Reds 13-0: Chris Carpenter K's 6 Over 5 Innings, Doubles, 1 HR, & 6 RBIs; Troy Glaus Doubles & 2 RBIs; Jason LaRue 2 RBIs

Individual Highlights:
Skip Schumaker 1-for-4 with one walk.
Colby Rasmus 1-for-5 with one run, one walk, and two strikeouts.
Albert Pujols 0-for-3 with one run and two walks.
Matt Holliday 1-for-3 with one run, one walk, and one strikeout.
David Freese 1-for-2 with one two-out RBI and one strikeout.
Rick Ankiel 2-for-5 with one double, three runs, one walk, and one strikeout.
Troy Glaus 2-for-5 with one double, two RBIs (one w/two-outs), and two runs.
Yadier Molina 2-for-3 with one two-out RBI, two runs, and picked off one runner.
Jason LaRue 1-for-2 with two two-out RBIs.
Brendan Ryan 1-for-3 with one two-out RBI, two runs, and one fielding error.
Tyler Greene 1-for-1.
Chris Carpenter Started, Win (17-4), five innings, three hits, no runs, one walk, one hit by pitch, and six strikeouts. 2-for-3 with one double, one home run, six RBIs, and one run at the plate. (p-s:90-57)(g/f:6-2)
Blake Hawksworth One inning, no hits or runs, and one walk. (p-s:16-10)(g/f:2-1)
Jason Motte One inning, one hit, no runs, and one strikeout. (p-s:16-11)(g/f:1-1)
Kyle McClellan One inning, no hits or runs. (p-s:5-4)(g/f:3-0)
Trever Miller One inning, one hit, no runs, one hit by pitch, and one strikeout. (p-s:15-9)(g/f:1-1)

Rough Outing:
Khalil Greene 0-for-1 with one strikeout.

Boxscore
Cardinals Official Site Post Game
STL Today Post Game
The Cardinal Nation Post Game

Thursday Tidbits: Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Mark DeRosa, Troy Glaus

It's finally the end of the road trip. Headed home tonight, and tomorrow actually brings me an off day as I celebrate turning 35.

Obviously, You're Not A Golfer

Playoff Speculation

I was doing some planning for next weekend and began guessing what the most likely playoff game times would be for the Division Series.

When It Rains It Pours

Cardinals October Message Board Contest Begins

The top message post in October will receive an autographed copy of the new book “Satchel - The Life and Times of an American Legend”.

The Cardinal Nation

Yadier Molina Injury Not Serious

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who left today’s game in the fifth inning when he tweaked his sore left knee while running out a single, is not seriously hurt and should play tomorrow night at home against Milwaukee, manager Tony La Russa said after the Cardinals’ 13-0 victory over Cincinnati.

Cardinal Beat

TBS Covers Division Series Completely

It is about to become a way of life again for baseball fans everywhere.

The Division Series on TBS.
MLB

Today, TBS conducted a conference call with Cal Ripken, Jr., TBS MLB studio analyst, Dennis Eckersley, TBS MLB studio analyst, Ron Darling, TBS MLB game analyst, and Jeff Behnke, Turner Sports executive producer. The following are some highlights of the conference call.
The Biz Of Baseball

Chris Carpenter Sets RBI Mark For Cardinals

Never known as a hitter, Chris Carpenter had a career day at the plate and then some on Wednesday.

Cardinals Official Site

Beyond The Boxscore Power Rankings 10-1-09

On Paper" Playoff Leaders (asterisks indicate new leaders):
American League: E=Yankees, C=White Sox, W=Angels, WC=Rays
National League: E=Phillies, C=Cardinals, W=Rockies*, WC=Dodgers

Beyond The Boxscore

Yadier Molina Leaves With Strained Quadriceps

Catcher Yadier Molina, who had missed three starts with a bruised left knee, returned to the lineup today and singled twice.
Cardinal Beat

Yadier Molina: Tight Quad Leads To Another Early Exit

Bronson Arroyo Denies Pine Tar Accusation

During Wednesday's 6-1 Reds win, Cardinals starter John Smoltz had lots of trouble gripping the baseball. Reds starter Bronson Arroyo had no problems.

Cardinals Official Site

Chris Carpenter's First Homer A Grand Slam

In the category of things you thought you’d never see happen, Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter, a .105 career hitter, blasted the first homer of his career this afternoon and it was a grand slam.

Cardinal Beat

Many Teams Still Eyeing Wagner Mateo

Kevin Goldstein Twitter

What Kind Of Outing Does Chris Carpenter Need Today To Win Cy Young?

The Cardinals may have the division clinched, but they and their starting pitcher Chris Carpenter have a lot riding on their businessman special today in Cincinnati.

Fungoes

The Cardinal Nation 2009 DSL Reliever Of The Year: Keury Herrera

Keury Herrera delivered the top performance by a relief pitcher on the 2009 Dominican Summer League Cardinals.

The Cardinal Nation

DG's 10@10: The Innings Bump

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan believe not all pitches are created equal. That is why La Russa often bats away questions about a pitcher being on a short-leash with a pitch count or a pitcher being allowed to blow by the mythical (and misleading) labrum-barrier of 100 pitches.

Birdland

Cardinals' Albert Pujols, Twins' Joe Mauer Easily Earn Awards

OK, the Most Valuable Players in each league turned out to be rather obvious. But not to worry.

The three-man race for the National League Cy Young Award is one of the most compelling in years. The two rookie races also are loaded with legitimate candidates, reflecting the increased reliance on young talent in today's game.

Fox Sports

Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter & Pray For The Tarp

John Smoltz was tattooed by Cincinnati Wednesday night apparently due to non-rubbed up baseballs, and the St. Louis Cardinals offense was allegedly stymied because of pine-tarred offerings served up by Reds starter Bronson Arroyo.

The Cardinal Nation Blog

Intrigue Continues Over Slick Baseballs, Pine Tar

The intrigue about “Ballgate” continued this morning when a Cincinnati Reds clubhouse attendant who is in charge of rubbing up the baseballs, stopped by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa’s office to tell his side of the story as to how the balls used in the game seemed so slick to Cardinals starter John Smoltz.

Cardinal Beat

Albert Pujols Sick, Out Of Cardinals' lineup

Usually, it takes a crowbar to get Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols out of the lineup but he is sick with the flu today and St. Louisan David Freese, who hit his first major league homer on Tuesday, will play first base behind Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter against the Cincinnati Reds.

Cardinal Beat

Trever Miller On The ITD Morning After

Trever Miller Joins the Show to Talk About the Weather In Cincy, What Happened with John Smoltz Last Night, You Have to Take Dunc and Smoltz Word For Things, How Does a Non-Rubbed Down Baseball Change Things, How Often Does Pine Tar Come Into Play with Pitchers, What Has Been Going On with the Ballteam Over the Last Month or So, and Who Would Trever Rather Face in the Playoffs

Inside STL

Graph Of The Day: Hall Of Fame WAR Path - Center Field

Today, a graph by numbers. (continued)

Beyond The Boxscore

Pick Your Favorite Rookie

With only a few games left to play, the National League Rookie of the Year award is far from settled. In recent years, stud prospects like Ryan Braun, Hanley Ramirez and Ryan Howard have posted strong rookie seasons to earn the award, but there is no clear front-runner this year.

The Hardball Times

Cardinals Likely To Face Dodgers

It became more likely Wednesday that the St. Louis Cardinals will meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Belleville News-Democrat

The Races: Another Spot Secure In NL

The Phillies got it done, the Dodgers still need one, and for the Twins and Braves, only a win today keeps them in the thick of the pennant-race fun.

MLB

A Tale Of Two Aces

In 2001, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were 1-2 in the majors in ERA finishing w/ a 2.49 and a 2.98 ERA, respectively. Despite the fact that Johnson was quite clearly the best pitcher in the majors in ’01, Schilling started game 1 of the playoffs against the Cards.

Viva El Birdos

Tony LaRussa's Postseason Book A Thick One

As Cardinals manager Tony La Russa prepares for his 14th postseason, he remembers the lessons he learned for his first. It's been 26 years since a 39-year-old La Russa helmed the White Sox in the American League Championship Series, but the buzz for the skipper is still the same.

Cardinals Official Site

Indians Could Look At Tony LaRussa For Vacant MGR Position

If the Cardinals indeed allow Tony La Russa to get away from their dugout, Tribe fans will demand that their team hire him. Fat chance of that happening. La Russa will be able to pick nearly any job.

Why would he select Cleveland at this stage of what is a Hall of Fame-caliber manag- erial career?

But if he hits the open market, it would be great to talk to La Russa about the Indians, or even what he thinks it takes to manage effectively for a franchise such as Cleveland.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Yadier Molina To Return To Lineup, Catch Chris Carpenter (Game Notes 10-1-09)

If facing old teammate Kip Wells doesn't get the Cardinals going, maybe this will: Yadier Molina is likely to return to St. Louis' starting lineup on Thursday after missing 3 1/2 games due to a bruised left knee.
Cardinals Official Site

To get time in the Reds' outfield these days, take a number.

With the activation of Chris Dickerson from the disabled list on Wednesday, the Reds found themselves carrying eight outfielders on the roster. Obviously, that means five of them have to be on the bench during a game.
Reds Official Site

Dave Duncan Says Pine Tar Gave Reds Upper Hand

Veteran righthander John Smoltz, who had walked only three hitters unintentionally in his first 34 innings as a Cardinal since coming from Boston, walked more batters (five) in the second and third innings Wednesday night than he had walked in a game since 1995.

STL Today

Round Two: Comparisons Between 2006 & 2009 Cardinals

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: The Cardinals have been scuffling of late, just as the 2006 team did down the stretch before going on a World Series run. Do you see any similarities between the two teams, or is it entirely different this time?

STL Today

Al Reyes Trying Out For Leones del Escogido

Albert Reyes is a member of Chosen Baseball Club since the 1991 season - 92. The 38-year-old right-handed reliever struggle as the first day to stay in baseball. (Translated)

Leones del Escogido Official Site
Google Translate

Nicaraguan League 2009-10 Preview

No foreign players abound, as in other years, but with the best exponents of the ball enabled home, Major League Baseball can offer an exciting tournament that will encourage the fans, who appreciate good baseball. (Translated)

El Nuevo Diario
Google Translate

Giants' Wilber Bucardo To Play For Indios del Boer

As announced this week by the leadership of the Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League (LNBP), the teams that will play on the fifth edition of the same workouts begin today, including the Boer, which will have most of their players for this first session with some exceptions. (Translated)

La Prensa
Google Translate

Golden Baseball League Expanding Into Hawaii

The Golden Baseball League (GBL) announced today that an agreement has been reached with XnE, Inc to bring professional baseball back to the Hawaiian Islands with an initial team on the Island of Maui to play as a member of the GBL at the War Memorial complex in Wailuki, Maui for the 2010 season. Hawaii has a rich history of professional baseball from the earliest years of the sport, to the AAA Pacific Coast League and the Hawaiian Winter League but has been without pro baseball for the last two years.

Golden Baseball League Official Site

Ex-Cardinals Watch 10-1-09: Russell Branyan Done For Season; Jamie Moyer To Have Surgery; Jim Riggleman Candidate For MGR Position

Clayton Mortensen (Athletics):
Mortensen, a 24-year-old making his seventh big league appearance and sixth start, allowed six earned runs on eight hits before exiting with nobody out in the second inning. Ken Griffey Jr.'s three-run homer to center was the biggest blow, and Mortensen also hit a batter and made a throwing error.
Athletics Official Site

Jeff Suppan (Brewers):
In his final scheduled start of the season, Suppan was charged with eight runs on 10 hits in six innings. He threw three wild pitches in all, including one in the second inning that allowed Yorvit Torrealba to score a run that tied the game at 2, and another in the sixth that allowed Ian Stewart to scamper home with an insurance run. Two pitches later, Gonzalez connected for a two-run shot that gave Colorado an 8-4 lead.
Brewers Official Site

Kevin Mulvey (Diamondbacks):
He went six innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out four and walked one in his fourth career start.
Diamondbacks Official Site

Dan Haren (Diamondbacks):
Take Thursday's starter Dan Haren for example. He's allowed five runs in each of his last two starts and seen his ERA grow to 3.02 from 2.79. While that's still among the top 10 in the NL, given the opportunity to erase a couple of his poorer efforts would mean the difference between 10th and fifth in the league.
Diamondbacks Official Site

Jack Wilson (Mariners):
The season isn't ending quite the way veteran shortstop Jack Wilson envisioned.
Mariners Official Site

Russell Branyan (Mariners):
It is unlikely that first baseman Russell Branyan will get another at-bat this season, but he became eligible to play when the Mariners activated him from the disabled list. "I wouldn't consider putting him in, even in a pinch-hit role, before the Texas series," Wakamatsu said, "and even that's doubtful."
Mariners Official Site

Jim Riggleman (Nationals MGR):
Nationals interim manager Jim Riggleman is not sure if he will back with the Nationals in 2010, but there is no denying the team had more fire on the field after he took over on July 13.
All Nats All The Time

Luis Perdomo (Padres):
Black said Wednesday that several members of the Padres will play winter ball after the regular season, including pitchers Luis Perdomo, Edward Mujica and Sean Gallagher. Additionally, pitcher Aaron Poreda will head to Peoria, Ariz., to the Padres' Spring Training facility next week for instructional league to continue to work on his mechanics.
Padres Official Site

Jamie Moyer (Phillies):
Phillies left-hander Jamie Moyer will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the left groin injury he suffered in Tuesday's 7-4 win over the Astros. The team expects that he will fully recover in time for Spring Training.
Phillies Official Site

Russ Springer, Troy Percival, & Joe Nelson (Rays):
Russ Springer, earning $3.3 million, has a 4.15 ERA in 73 games. Troy Percival, making more than $4 million, has only appeared in 14 games, has a 6.35 ERA and is contemplating retirement. And Joe Nelson, signed to a $1.3 million contract this offseason, sported a 4.02 ERA and wasn't called up to the club when rosters expanded in September.
Rays Official Site

Joe Girardi (Yankees MGR):
Yankees general partner Hal Steinbrenner offered Joe Girardi a vote of confidence on Wednesday, calling him "the man for the job," but said the club is not ready to discuss an extension with the manager.
Yankees Official Site

Tony Pena (Yankees Bench Coach) & Clint Hurdle (Free Agent):
It could be someone such as Tony Pena, who managed the Kansas City Royals (and even had a winning re cord one sea son). He is now the bench coach with the New York Yankees. There is John Farrell, who did grow up in the Tribe organization. He's now the pitching coach in Boston - although the Red Sox may not let him out of the clause in his contract that prevents him from managing another team in 2010.
Cleveland Plain Dealer

Chad Paronto (Astros):
A day after suffering a left hamstring strain, righthanded reliever Chad Paronto remained hopeful about pitching again this season, although manager Dave Clark wasn't as optimistic.
Houston Chronicle

Nationals' Ian Desmond & Royals Matt Wright To Play For Tigres del Licey, Amaury Cazana To Join Team Monday

Shortstop Ian Desmond and pitcher Matt Wright will come for Licey in the first half of the season which starts in sixteen days. (Translated)

Tigres del Licey Site
Google Translate

Thursday Live Blogging On Fox Sports Midwest

I am returning as a panelist for FOX Sports Midwest’s weekly live blog session to be held throughout Thursday’s Cardinals-Reds game. Join in the discussion with me and the galaxy of FSM personalities.

The Cardinal Nation Blog

Cardinals Rotation Seems Set For First Playoff Series; Hitting Meeting; Another Pagnozzi

The manner in which manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan had set up their pitching rotation in the last month or so has made it apparent that veteran Chris Carpenter would start Game 1 in the Cardinals' first playoff series next Wednesday and Adam Wainwright, though he may win the Cy Young Award, would get Game 2 on Thursday.

STL Today

No Massive Ties

The Phillies win and the Rockies win kill the last chances for a three-way tie this season. Colorado defeats the Brewers 10-6. The three through eight hitters for the Brewers all had multi-hit games, but they kept leaving lots of men on. The Rockies hit up Jeff Suppan for eight runs in six innings, hitting a pair of two-run homers off him.

Baseball Musings