SB Nation St. Louis - Cubs Vs. Cardinals: St. Louis Defeats Chicago 7-6 In Dramatic Fashionhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2012-05-16T08:38:28-05:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27835672012-05-16T08:38:28-05:002012-05-16T08:38:28-05:00Fantasy Baseball: Allen Craig Remains Important For Lance Berkman, Carlos Beltran Owners
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<p>If your fantasy baseball team has revolved, this month, around <span>Carlos Beltran</span> or waited, last month, for <span>Lance Berkman</span>, it's hard to justify not owning Allen Craig, their versatile, hard-hitting caddy. Berkman, whose calf injury will be magnified, over the next few weeks, by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>' desire to baby him in the early going, will likely form a <i>de facto</i> platoon with Craig for the rest of May, with the 27-year-old outfielder/first baseman taking a shot at most left-handed pitchers. Meanwhile Beltran has sat out each of the last two games with a sore knee--the same one that required the microfracture surgery that left him looking distinctly un-Beltran in 2010--and the Cardinals, with Craig on hand, are unlikely to be aggressive in allowing him to return.</p>
<p>In deep and/or NL-only leagues, even <span>Matt Carpenter</span>, <i><span>Allen Craig's</span></i> caddy, might be worth a look; he's a natural third baseman who's shown surprising power and will also benefit, if you're fast-enough on the lineup draw, from the Cardinals' long-standing desire to keep the fragile <span>David Freese</span> on two working ankles.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/16/3023927/fantasy-baseball-allen-craig-lance-berkman-carlos-beltranDan Moore2012-05-16T08:30:16-05:002012-05-16T08:30:16-05:00Carlos Beltran Injury: St. Louis Cardinals Sit Beltran For Second Day With Sore Knee
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<p>The <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a> sat hot-hitting <span>Carlos Beltran</span> for a second consecutive game Tuesday afternoon against the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Cubs</a>, following Monday's revelation that the outfielder—currently leading the National League with 13 home runs—was dealing with a sore knee. That's where, you'll remember, he dealt with the knee injury that ended his <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Mets</a> tenure and nearly finished off his career; the Cardinals have been justifiably cautious since, although Beltran pinch-hit on both days, drawing an intentional walk in <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022845/cubs-vs-cardinals-final-score-national-league-mlb-2012/in/2783567">Tuesday's walk-off victory vs. the Cubs</a>.</p>
<p>Beltran's continued presence in the box scores suggests this particularly flare-up of his knee injury isn't too serious—although it could prove ill-advised if he <i>does</i> go on the 15-day disabled list, since it will prevent a more aggressive backdating of the injury—but with <span>Allen Craig</span> back on the 25-man roster it's unlikely the Cardinals will rush Beltran now that they can help it.</p>
<p>Other injury news: <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3021920/cardinals-vs-cubs-lineups-starters-tv-time-and-more">Jon Jay is on the disabled list</a>, and <span>Lance Berkman</span> is missing time <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022271/lance-berkman-injury">for reasons ostensibly unrelated to his bum calf</a>.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/16/3023323/carlos-beltran-sore-knee-cardinals-injuryDan Moore2012-05-16T08:00:45-05:002012-05-16T08:00:45-05:00Jon Jay Injury: St. Louis Cardinals Thin In Center With Jay On DL
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> placed Jon Jay on the disabled list Tuesday, and Jay's injury—it's a recurrence of the sprained shoulder he dealt with last month, after bouncing a little too hard off an outfield wall—shows just how thin the Cardinals' depth in center field has become since last year, where Jay was the backup himself for a scuffling <span>Colby Rasmus</span>. <span>Shane Robinson</span> made a hasty return to the 25-man roster in the ensuing roster move, while <span>Skip Schumaker</span> started that afternoon. And with <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3021346/carlos-beltran-knee-injury-st-louis-cardinals/in/2783567">Carlos Beltran's knee injury </a>leaving him benched two games in a row, the Cardinals seem unlikely to risk putting him in center field any time soon.</p>
<p>That leaves Schumaker, who doesn't have the glove for center, and Robinson, who doesn't have the bat for it, as the Cardinals' platoon of desperation in the meantime. <span>Erik Komatsu</span>, their Rule 5 center fielder, was waived and has resurfaced getting regular playing time for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a>; down in the minor leagues, longtime near-prospect <span>Adron Chambers</span>, who tripled in a cup of coffee last season, has turned it around after a slow start at AAA Memphis and is currently hitting .318/.388/.403. </p>
<p>For the moment, the Cardinals seem content to start Robinson and Schumaker out there and hope they scrape along a few runs over replacement level. But if <span>Jon Jay's</span> shoulder injury becomes a more chronic concern, they'll have to deal with this position some other way. </p>
<p>More Cardinals news from SB Nation St. Louis:</p>
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<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Lance Berkman's injury <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022271/lance-berkman-injury" target="_blank">apparently <i>wasn't</i> what kept him out of the Cardinals lineup Tuesday</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">What will the Cardinals do with Lance Lynn <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/12/3010178/chris-carpenter-injury-st-louis-cardinals">when Chris Carpenter returns from injury</a>?</span></li>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/16/3023243/jon-jay-injury-cardinals-alternativesDan Moore2012-05-16T07:23:02-05:002012-05-16T07:23:02-05:00Yadier Molina's Mohawk Is Real, Spectacular
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<p>So: The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>' star catcher, <span>Yadier Molina</span>, is already delivering on his big five-year contract extension—he's hitting .301 with a truly startling .504 slugging percentage—and Tuesday he <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022845/cubs-vs-cardinals-final-score-national-league-mlb-2012">hit a walk-off single to sneak the Cardinals past the Hated Chicago Cubs</a> by a score of 7-6. How could his afternoon get any better? Well, he could infuriate <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> fans by trading his usual haircut for a broad, distinctly un-faux mohawk. Early returns on the Yadier Molina mohawk Twittersphere:</p>↵<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">↵<p>Yadier Molina has a mohawk now? I didn't know he could get any douchier...</p>↵— Joe West (@sjwest86) <a href="https://twitter.com/sjwest86/status/202497347773665280" data-datetime="2012-05-15T20:35:04+00:00">May 15, 2012</a>
</blockquote>↵<p>↵<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>↵</p>↵<p>In this Cubs fan's defense, anybody with a visible neck tattoo is kind of asking for it. (Anyone with an invisible neck tattoo probably wears a lot of turtlenecks, which, depending on your opinion of Steve Jobs, might mean he's also asking for it.) </p>↵<p>Here's a photo, courtesy Jeff Curry of US Presswire:</p>↵<p><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1120826/molinahawk.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1120826/molinahawk_medium.jpg" width="290/" alt="Molinahawk_medium"></a></p>↵<p>But if you'd like to learn the full story about <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3023231/legopiece-theater-dugout-abbey-vignette-yadis-lucky-mohawk-the">Yadier Molina's mohawk</a>, I'd suggest clicking that link for the latest episode of <i>Legopiece Theater: Dugout Abbey</i>, in which he's sent to kangaroo court—the Hon. Afro'd Judge <span>Jon Jay</span>, presiding. </p>↵
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/16/3023531/yadier-molina-mohawk-picturesDan Moore2012-05-16T07:15:09-05:002012-05-16T07:15:09-05:00Lance Berkman Injury: Berkman's Tuesday Scratch Not Calf-Related
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<p><span>Lance Berkman</span> was scratched Tuesday from the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a>' lineup<a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022845/cubs-vs-cardinals-final-score-national-league-mlb-2012/in/2783567"> ahead of their 7-6 win over the Chicago Cubs</a>, but it apparently had nothing to do with his lingering calf injury. Manager Mike Matheny <a href="http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120515&content_id=31332354&notebook_id=31335630&vkey=notebook_stl&c_id=stl">told Jenifer Langosch afterward </a>that it was more a matter of giving Berkman a day off against the left-handed <span>Paul Maholm</span> and getting both <span>David Freese</span> and <span>Matt Carpenter</span> into that afternoon game. Carpenter, Berkman's primary backup at first base back in April, ended up with a crucial home run—his third of the season—although Freese went 0-5. </p>
<p>Berkman is 3-9 with a double since <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/4/30/2989907/lance-berkman-injury-st-louis-cardinals">returning from the calf injury</a> in Sunday's loss to the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Braves</a>. On the season he's hitting .344/.462/.500—or, less misleadingly, 11-32 with three doubles, a triple, and six walks in nine games. In 2011 he hit .301/.412/.547 in 145 games, setting an unlikely career high at 35 with an OPS+ of 164. He's likely to find himself in a <i>de facto</i> platoon with the right-handed <span>Allen Craig</span> so long as he's favoring his calf and the Cardinals can't find at-bats for Craig elsewhere. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/16/3023318/lance-berkman-injury-st-louis-cardinals-lineupDan Moore2012-05-15T17:32:49-05:002012-05-15T17:32:49-05:00Cubs Vs. Cardinals Final Score: St. Louis Delivers 7-6 Walkoff Win
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> went from disappointment to elation in the span of one inning during a dramatic 7-6 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> on Tuesday afternoon.</p>
<p><i>Related: <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2012/5/15/3021312/st-louis-cardinals-news-analysis">Still More Words about the St. Louis Cardinals</a></i></p>
<p>The Cardinals entered the ninth inning with a 6-5 lead on the Cubs, but <span>Alfonso Soriano</span> launched a solo home run off of <span>Jason Motte</span> to even the score. It was Soriano's first home run of the season. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cardinals regrouped and won the game on a two-out RBI single by catcher <span>Yadier Molina</span>.</p>
<p>The win snapped a four-game losing streak.</p>
<p><i>For updates, stay tuned to <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com">SB Nation St. Louis.</a></i><i> Visit <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a> for more in-depth coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals. </i><i>For more news and updates from around the MLB, drop by <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a> with Rob Neyer, or dig deeper into the stats at <a href="http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/">Beyond the Box Score</a>. </i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022845/cubs-vs-cardinals-final-score-national-league-mlb-2012Steven Muma2012-05-15T13:13:20-05:002012-05-15T13:13:20-05:00Lance Berkman Scratched From Lineup, Reason Not Known
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<p>According to Derrick Goold of the <i>St. Louis Post-Dispatch</i>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> 1B <span>Lance Berkman</span> was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday, but the reason has not been made clear just yet:</p>
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<p>Lance Berkman is not in the lineup. Last-minute scratch apparently. Will get updated info. Freese starts at 3B. Carpenter to 1B. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%2523stlcards">#stlcards</a></p>
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) <a href="https://twitter.com/dgoold/status/202454617517326337" data-datetime="2012-05-15T17:45:16+00:00">May 15, 2012</a>
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<p>Berkman missed 20 games earlier in the season with a calf strain that led to a 15-day DL trip. Despite the injury, Berkman has hit an impressive .344/.462/.500 slash while still awaiting his first home run of the season.</p>
<p>In Berkman's place, second-year backup 1B <span>Matt Carpenter</span> gets the start against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a>.</p>
<p><i>For more news and updates from around the MLB, drop by <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a> with Rob Neyer, or dig deeper into the stats at <a href="http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/">Beyond the Box Score</a>. Also, check out <b><a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a> </b>for more in-depth coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals.</i></p>
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https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3022271/lance-berkman-injuryBradley Woodrum2012-05-15T10:33:34-05:002012-05-15T10:33:34-05:00Cubs Vs. Cardinals Lineups, Starters, TV Time And More
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> are back at it on Tuesday afternoon, and the lineups that Cardinals starter <span>Kyle Lohse</span> and Cubs counterpart <span>Paul Maholm</span> will face have been posted. Here is a look lineups and TV time for Tuesday's contest:</p>
<p><u>Cubs Lineup</u></p>
<p><u></u>1. <span>David DeJesus</span> RF<br>2. <span>Tony Campana</span> CF<br>3. Starlin Castro SS<br>4. <span>Bryan LaHair</span> 1B<br>5. <span>Alfonso Soriano</span> LF<br>6. <span>Ian Stewart</span> 3B<br>7. <span>Welington Castillo</span> C<br>8. <span>Darwin Barney</span> 2B<br>9. Paul Maholm P</p>
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<p style="text-decoration: underline;"><u>Cardinals Lineup</u></p>
<p>1. <span>Rafael Furcal</span> SS<br>2. <span>Skip Schumaker</span> CF<br>3. <span>Matt Holliday</span> LF<br>4. <span>Allen Craig</span> RF<br>5. <span>Lance Berkman</span> 1B<br>6. <span>Yadier Molina</span> C<br>7. <span>Matt Carpenter</span> 3B<br>8. <span>Tyler Greene</span> 2B<br>9. Kyle Lohse P</p>
<p><b>Game Date & Time</b>: Tuesday, May 15, 12:45 p.m.</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Busch Stadium</p>
<p><b>TV</b>: FS-Midwest</p>
<p><i>For more news and updates from around the MLB, drop by <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a> with Rob Neyer, or dig deeper into the stats at <a href="http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/">Beyond the Box Score</a>. Also, check out <b><a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a> </b>for more in-depth coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals.</i></p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/5/15/3021920/cardinals-vs-cubs-lineups-starters-tv-time-and-moreSteve von Horn