The good news is that Colby Rasmus, who carried the Cardinals' offense through its first-half doldrums just in time to contribute to its second-half doldrums, is due back as soon as tonight in Washington. For all his struggles in the second half he still has a seasonal line of .269/.353/.504, which is everything the Cardinals could possibly have asked of their erstwhile top prospect.
↵The bad news is that he mentioned his own legs in connection with the famously, frustratingly gimpy Ryan Ludwick, who on the rare occasions he was fully healthy seemed to be an entirely different defensive outfielder:
↵↵↵But, to a large degree, Rasmus said he had been influenced by how long it took former teammate Ryan Ludwick to kick a similar injury on the inside of his right leg.
↵Ludwick missed nearly a month, from June 26-July 24, and then was traded a week later.
↵"He was wanting to push it," said Rasmus, who noted that Ludwick had aggravated the injury by perhaps coming back too soon.
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I'm glad Rasmus has a good head on his shoulders, and is not keen to rub some dirt on it and get back out there. But I don't like seeing mention of Ryan Ludwick's legs in a story about Colby Rasmus's. It seems, somehow, to invite bad luck upon the greatest prep home run hitter in Alabama history.