{"id":1428,"date":"2009-07-24T08:30:06","date_gmt":"2009-07-24T15:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2009\/07\/24\/cards-beat-nationals-tie-mother-nature\/"},"modified":"2009-07-24T08:30:06","modified_gmt":"2009-07-24T15:30:06","slug":"cards-beat-nationals-tie-mother-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2009\/07\/24\/cards-beat-nationals-tie-mother-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"Cards Beat Nationals, Tie Mother Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the elements just won’t be denied.The Cardinals, playing a one game series in Washington to make up a rainout from early May, dodged the raindrops last night<\/a> and sat through rain delays<\/a> before giving up and taking the 4-1, six inning win<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0At least Mother Nature doesn’t have a line in the NL Central standings.<\/p>\n

The Hero of the game has to be Adam Wainwright<\/strong>, getting credit for a complete game. \u00c2\u00a0It was really big that he was able to come back after the first rain delay, making sure that his start wasn’t wasted and that his bullpen wasn’t taxed.<\/p>\n

Another positive sight was Rick Ankiel smashing a home run. \u00c2\u00a0There are least a few signs that maybe, just maybe, Ankiel is starting to come out of his season-long slump. \u00c2\u00a0The last seven days have seen him put up a .286 average with a double and a home run. \u00c2\u00a0Compare that to the seven before, where he hit .063. \u00c2\u00a0Before this last “hot streak”, his last extra base hit was June 28. \u00c2\u00a0If his bat is returning for the stretch drive, that’s a huge thing for the Cardinals.<\/p>\n

Colby Rasmus<\/strong> gets the Goat tag for last night. \u00c2\u00a0Zero for three with five left on is a tough night, especially out of the two hole. \u00c2\u00a0At least the rain kept him from making it worse–he was at bat when the second rain delay was called.<\/p>\n

This time of year, what happens off the field is sometimes more intriguing that the actual games. \u00c2\u00a0Yesterday the rumor continued to persist<\/a> that the Cards were close to trading Brett Wallace for Matt Holliday. \u00c2\u00a0You know what I think of that<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0Most everyone<\/a> I have heard<\/a> from was outraged by the idea.<\/p>\n

Not so much Post-Dispatch<\/em> columnist Brian Burwell, who advocates making the trade<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0Burwell’s contention is that Holliday makes the Cards almost a lock for the World Series. \u00c2\u00a0I’m really not sure how you can figure that one out. \u00c2\u00a0Holliday’s not a top level hitter. \u00c2\u00a0He’s good, but he’s not a person that can carry a team. \u00c2\u00a0Burwell says don’t worry about tomorrow, do it today. \u00c2\u00a0Which is a darn good way to make sure that, when Albert Pujols’s contract is up, the Cards are a middle division team that won’t be able to resign him.<\/p>\n

There’s talk that the Cardinals want Oakland to pay Wallace’s signing bonus<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0(Is that repay to the Cards? \u00c2\u00a0Surely he’s already received it?) \u00c2\u00a0There’s also talk that this deal really isn’t that close to happening<\/a>, which makes me feel better.<\/p>\n

Cards head to Philadelphia today. \u00c2\u00a0Joel Pineiro goes for the ‘Birds. \u00c2\u00a0Pineiro hasn’t faced the Phillies this year and hasn’t faced them just a ton in his career<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0They’ve held their own against the Cardinal hurler, though nobody has taken him yard.<\/p>\n

J.A. Happ goes for the Phillies. \u00c2\u00a0Happ has put together a very solid season for Philadelphia and, though he hasn’t faced the Cardinals this year, he did pretty good against them in his one outing last year<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0Could be another tough game for the Cardinals as they kick off this stretch against division leaders Philadelphia and Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Daniel Shoptaw is the founder of “C70 At The Bat,” where he regularly writes about his beloved St. Louis Cardinals.\u00c2\u00a0 You can find more of his work here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the elements just won’t be denied.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":347,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t