How have the Cards stayed in the NL Central race?

By Dave van Dyck | Tribune reporter

9:59 PM CDT, July 3, 2008

It's the July 4 weekend, but no extra fireworks are necessary.

This is the national pastime's purest red (of the Cardinals), white (hot division race) and blue (of the Cubs). Archenemies meeting on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.

This is the story of baseball, stories old and stories new, but always with one common story line, even if first place is not at stake as it is this weekend: Cubs vs. Cardinals.

We all know how the Cubs have compiled the best record in the National League (they were heavy favorites), but how have the Cardinals collected the second-most victories after being picked for last by many?

Mirrors?

Maybe. After all, the Cardinals are a reflection of their manager, onetime Cub scrub Tony La Russa, whose teams usually play best with adversity. No one enjoys having a chip on his shoulder as much as La Russa.

This season the chip has reached mountain-sized proportions as challenges keep piling up and the Cardinals keep overachieving. La Russa said this team "has a big heart" but warns:

"If this was all about playing hard, then guys like me would still be playing. But I couldn't play. So we have to mix in some better execution to go with the effort."

The top dog meets an underdog that hasn't had an easy road.

The Adversity

Cubs fans think their team is beat up? Hah, compared to the Cardinals, the Cubs' injuries look like a pinkie hangnail. When Carlos Zambrano starts Friday night's game at Busch Stadium, he will have missed 15 days.

Heck, the Cardinals' No. 1 starter, Adam Wainwright, has been on the disabled list since June 7 and won't be back until after the All-Star Game. And Wainwright replaced Chris Carpenter as No. 1 because Carpenter is rehabbing from elbow surgery.

The Cardinals have used eight starting pitchers this season, including someone named Mitchell Boggs.

But would you believe they have the most victories and second-lowest ERA of any NL starting rotation?

Oh, and unlike Kerry Wood, Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen also has been on the disabled list and now is wearing a knee brace.

The league's best hitter, Albert Pujols, also spent a stint on the DL, as have starting catcher Yadier Molina and starting shortstop Cesar Izturis.

Despite using the DL 17 times, the Cardinals don't complain, under orders from La Russa.

The Who

Nine infielders and seven outfielders have started for the Cardinals this season. They have helped account for 74 different lineups.

The leadoff hitter is the anonymous Skip Schumaker. Another outfielder is Ryan Ludwick, still another is converted pitcher Rick Ankiel and the backup has been Brian Barton. And while we're playing the name game, Brendan Ryan and Aaron Miles have been key infielders.

Kyle Lohse, someone no one wanted in the spring, is 10-2 as a starter. Todd Wellemeyer, who has been dumped by several teams including the Cubs, started the season 6-1. And the emergency closer is Ryan Franklin, who had saved one major-league game before this season.

The How

The "who" and the "how" don't always add up to the "best" in baseball. The "unusual" usually has something to do with it, as do intangibles and surprises.

Unlike the Cubs, the Cardinals actually have fattened up on the road. While they are barely .500 at Busch since April 19, they are one of only two NL teams above .500 (24-19) while beating the bushes.

Example: The Cardinals just finished a road trip to Boston, Detroit and Kansas City with a record of 5-4. And they did part of it without Pujols.

When that stretch ended Sunday, they had played only 19 of their previous 52 games in St. Louis. But they were 10-4-2 in 16 series and never have lost more than three straight games.

Even more amazing is how they have done it with a bullpen that has blown a major-league high 19 saves and has allowed another baseball-high eight losses when leading after seven innings.

But they also have the best defense in the league, a trademark of La Russa's teams.

The Future

The Cardinals have hung around in the Central Division race for so long, they most surely will be buyers instead of sellers come the July 31 trading deadline. They could be in the C.C. Sabathia sweepstakes and the bidding for Colorado lefty reliever Brian Fuentes.

First-year general manager John Mozeliak claims the team can improve just through its minor leagues and health. Getting former Cy Young winner Carpenter back could help. So could more time throwing for Mark Mulder, who is currently in the bullpen.

Of course, it should be remembered that this Central Division has become more than a two-team tango. Milwaukee has been tapping on the shoulder wanting to join the dance and will gain on one of the two leaders this weekend—if it wins.

So you can save the fireworks this weekend because we surely haven't seen the finish line for these two storied rivals. They play in Wrigley Field in early August and then back in St. Louis is early September.

And, assuming the Cubs can't discard them sooner, the grand finale will be Sept. 19-21, when the Wrigley Field regular season really could go out with a bang.

dvandyck@tribune.com

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