|
|
|
|
 |
| MLB |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| Monday, July 17 | |||||
| Midseason report: St. Louis Cardinals ESPN.com | |||||
The St. Louis Cardinals have run away from the rest of the NL Central and have taken what was supposed to be the best race in baseball and turned it into a blah, blah, blah affair. That's good news for Cards fans who had plenty to happy about during a 51-36 first half.
First-half MVP: Remember the bash brothers? Well, Jim Edmonds, the Cardinals' big pick up in the preseason, has turned into the new bash brother for slugger Mark McGwire. McGwire has done his usual thing, banging out 30 home runs with 68 RBI through 83 games. But Edmonds is the one who has been the better all-around player. The former Angels' outfielder leads the Cardinals in batting average (.342), hits (95) and runs scored (77). Edmonds has also crushed 24 home runs with 56 RBI. His presence in the Cardinals' lineup has made it deeper and much, much scarier. Did we even mention his defense yet?
Biggest disappointment: By giving Ray Lankford a contract extension two years ago, the Cardinals in effect chose to keep him long term instead of Brian Jordan. It looks like a bad move. Lankford missed 40 games in 1999 and batted .306 with only 16 home runs with 63 RBI. Healthy and happy in 2000, St. Louis expected Lankford to put up numbers that would match his $7.6 million salary. He hasn't come close. Lankford is batting just .240 with 11 jacks and 33 RBI through 83 games.
Biggest surprise: His best major-league season was in 1997 with Philadelphia when he was simply 8-6. His first season with St. Louis in 1999 was far from fabulous, starting 12 games and finishing with a meager 6-3 mark. But RHP Garrett Stephenson
has put up concrete numbers for the Cardinals this year. As of July 6, he's 9-5 with a 4.63 ERA. He has given up just 16 long balls in 107 innings. Not bad for a pitcher who wasn't even mentioned in the Cards' preseason plans.
Second-half goals: With a comfortable eight-game lead over Cincinnati at the break, it would be disappointing if St. Louis failed to win the division. And after that anything can happen. We all know pitching wins playoff series and the Cardinals' starting rotation has over achieved all year. If Rick Ankiel
and Andy Benes
can stay consistent behind staff-ace Darryl Kile
and Stephenson, this team could win the National League. And if the lineup can keep slugging away, winning a World Series is very realistic. Grade:  -- We knew the Cardinals would be improved. But we didn't know they would be a legitimate World Series contender.
(Scale: 1 to 4 baseballs; 1 = worst, 4 = best)
We told you what we thought of the Cardinals' first-half performance, now you've told us. Here is what you had to say
about what the Cardinals have to do in the second half. | ALSO SEE Midseason Feedback: Cardinals MLB midseason reports ESPN.com's All-Star Game coverage Kurkjian: Stories of the first half Ten second-half questions for the AL Ten second-half questions for the NL | ||||