Wounded Birds

Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday were both scratched from yesterday’s game against the Nationals.  Pujols’s back still isn’t quite right and Holliday has a strained rib cage muscle.  A team that looks strong offensively drops quickly into mediocre without those guys.

Now, it’s not time to start sounding alarms and looking for the nearest bridge, of course.  If they are still out a week before the season starts, then I think you get worried.  Still, it’s a cause for concern.  Both of those guys need to be ready to answer the bell, so that the Cards don’t wind up slipping behind early.

The game itself provided some good talking points as well.  First among them was the start of Brad Penny.  After his first outing, there were a few questions about just what the Cardinals had gotten themselves into.  Those were eased yesterday with four scoreless and effective innings.  I still think Penny is in line to have a big year for the squad and seeing results like yesterday’s help reinforce that in my mind.

Allen Craig made his presence known as well.  If he’s going to make this team, which is still a possibility, he’s going to have to hit his way there.  Hitting a home run in his first spring at-bat probably didn’t hurt at all.  Craig also wound up with a RBI double later in the game and with AP and Holliday out for a bit, he looks to get quite a few at-bats this week.

Then there was Shelby Miller.  Cardinal fans have been waiting to get a glimpse of the first-round draft pick and they, along with his family , got their chance yesterday.  (At least the ones that were in Jupiter–it figures this game would be one with no TV or radio.)  Tony La Russa seems impressed, at least.  Dave Duncan is passing along good things.  With all of this, could it be that Miller won’t spend much time at A ball this year, getting a promotion to Springfield mid-season or so?  It’ll be interesting to keep an eye on that as the summer goes along.

I expected that he’d be sent out after this outing, but not only is he staying in camp for a while, there’s a chance he’ll get another outing before going down.  I expect that Miller has made quite an impression during this camp!

Cardinals take on the Marlins again today, with Kyle Lohse going.  Remember there are only two days left to express your opinion in the Cardinal Approval Ratings !