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Steady Springer stabilizes St. Louis bullpen

Posted August 23, 2007 11:00 pm

Hal Pilger

By HAL PILGER

GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

One of the best and most consistent members of the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen this season has been veteran right-hander Russ Springer, 6-1 with a 2.79 earned run average for 48 1/3 innings over 59 appearances entering weekend action.

Springer, who will turn 39 on Nov. 7, is in his 15th major league season. He has brought additional maturity to a bullpen that's been solid most of the season despite questionable starting pitching, especially in the first half.

"He's done a really good job," manager Tony La Russa said during a recent radio interview on KTRS. "He's probably one of the best guys we have (for) bringing him in during an inning to stop the damage. And he's come out there for one inning so often and gotten a zero.

"The other thing about it, the veteran part of Springer and (Ryan) Franklin and Izzy (Jason Isringhausen) - and now with (Troy) Percival - has really made that a very good unit."

Said Springer, "I've managed to stay healthy this year, and Tony's really good about putting in guys in situations to succeed. With Izzy and Franklin and that group, I think success kind of feeds off each other.

"It's a lot easier to pitch when you know your role. I've been in bullpens before where the phone could ring in the fourth or the eighth, and there'd be six guys turn around and look to see if it's them. Here, 90 percent of the time I know when it's going to be me. There's some comfort in that, and it's easier to prepare.

"I like to pitch a lot, and it seems like the more I pitch, the better feel I have for it. As long as I can stay healthy and pitch a lot, I'm enjoying it."

n CARDS QUIZ: Who was the only Cardinals player to steal five bases in one game? Answer below.

n GUN SHOW: Cardinals catchers, paced by Yadier Molina, had just 46 stolen bases against them this season entering weekend action - the fewest in the National League. Coloardo was second at 61.

Molina threw out his 18th baserunner in 34 attempts (.529 success rate) during the first inning Wednesday night against the Marlins.

n MISSED CHANCE: A win over Florida on Thursday night would have given St. Louis its fourth series sweep of the season. The Cardinals have swept Pittsburgh twice and Milwaukee once, all three-game sets. However, Cards have been swept six times this season, including two-game sets by the Pirates and San Francisco Giants.

The Cards also missed a chance to reach the .500 mark on Thursday for the first time since April 16.

n STREAKS SNAPPED: First baseman Albert Pujols had his streak of hitting home runs in a career-best five straight games halted Thursday night, when his streak of seven consecutive games with at least one RBI also ended.

The five consecutive home runs in one full season matches the club record, last accomplished by Jim Edmonds during July 6-11, 2004. However, Mark McGwireE homered in six straight games over two seasons, from Sept. 27, 1997 to April 4, 1998.

Pujols has had RBIs in eight consecutive games twice, in 2001 and 2003. The team record of 10 consecutive games with at least one RBI was set by Bill White, Aug. 20-30, 1961.

Pujols' 14 home runs after the All-Star break entering the weekend led all major league players.

n TONY'S TENURE: La Russa moved into sole possession of third place on the all-time games managed list (4,409) after Tuesday's game. La Russa entered weekend play with 1,038 St. Louis managerial wins, just three wins shy of tying Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst (1,041) as the winningest manager all-time for St. Louis.

La Russa, who has managed the Cardinals since 1996, won his 1,000th game with St. Louis in an 8-1 victory over the Houston Astros on June 1.

n QUIZ ANSWER: The only Cardinals player to steal five bases in a game was outfielder Lonnie Smith, on Sept. 4, 1982.

n END QUOTE: First baseman Albert Pujols, on the subject of hitting home runs: "It's not a big deal, going deep. The big deal is that we are producing - getting on base, and everybody getting big hits. I think that's the main thing, and our focus is to try and make sure that we get good at-bats and make the other pitcher work."

Hal Pilger can be reached at 788-1548 or hal.pilger@sj-r.com.

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