News

(Painful) hits just keep coming

Posted September 13, 2007 11:00 pm

Hal Pilger

By Hal Pilger

Gatehouse News Service

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa remains adamant about not discussing his managerial future while the season still is in progress.

"You don't look at it now," La Russa said during a recent radio interview on KTRS.

But there's been one strange aspect to this season he has been thinking about, and in the end, it could affect where he'll be and what he'll be doing next year.

It's the amazing number of devastating blows the team has absorbed all season, on and off the field.

"I've been around a long time, not just as a manager, but a little bit as a coach and a lot as a player, and it's been never-ending," La Russa said. "And it's happened again. We lose Juan (Encarnacion, eye injury) and Scott (Rolen, shoulder surgery) on the same day. And now Chris (Duncan, sports hernia).

"The way the club has responded, it's been a pleasure to be around these guys. I'm glad they got some credit."

The question is whether such an incredible amount of tough luck for his team will result in La Russa, whose spot in the Hall of Fame as a manager already seems secure, finally deciding enough is enough. Have all the blows taken an irreversible toll on La Russa's desire to manage in St. Louis?

La Russa concedes 12 years - the number of years he's managed the Cardinals - is a long time.

"When you think 12 years, how often does it happen?" La Russa said. "Five or six years is a long time at one place. People get tired of you. Players get tired of you, fans get tired of you, the media gets tired of you, the owners can get tired of you.

"And here it is two times six, at 12. But the test is always the same. We've had enough success where I'm not sure they're tired of me yet."

As always, La Russa said his decision will come some time after the Cardinals' current campaign is complete.

"Next year," he summarized, "will take care of itself."

n CARDS QUIZ: When David Eckstein hit his third leadoff home run of the season to start Tuesday night's game in Cincinnati, it gave him the most by a Cardinals player in a season since Tony Womack hit three leadoff shots during 2004. What is the team record for leadoff homers in a season? Answer below.

n LUDWICK'S CHANCE: The recent injuries have resulted in more playing time for outfielder Ryan Ludwick.

"It's kind of fun being able to play every day, for me," said Ludwick, who entered weekend play hitting .252 with 12 homers, 18 doubles and 42 RBIs in 250 at-bats.

Ludwick, a former center fielder, also has shown an ability to go get the ball in left field as well as an ability to hit for power.

"I feel like I'm running pretty good," he said. "I feel like I'm getting really good jumps on the ball. I feel like I'm running down a lot of balls that some people probably didn't know I could run down, and it feels good."

Formerly with Texas and Cleveland, Ludwick, 29, has battled through serious leg injuries. He broke his hip while with the Rangers and injured his knee while with Cleveland.

"I've been healthy for almost two years straight now, and that's really important to me," he said. "Any time your two or three years out from a surgery, you continue to get better. My legs are feeling really well.

"Now it's all about having fun and taking advantage of this (opportunity)."

n ROCKY ROAD: Thursday's loss at Cincinnati extended the Cardinals' losing streak to a season-high seven games and stretched their road losing streak to a season-high nine games. Their last road win came on Aug. 28 in the opener of a three-game series at Houston.

The Cardinals suffered their first winless road trip of seven games or more since May 12-17, 1972 (0-4 at Cincinatti and 0-3 at Pittsburgh).

The nine straight road losses are the club's most since June 10-July 3, 2001. It was just the seventh time in the last 50 years the club had a road losing streak of eight or more games, with the longest being a 13-game road winless streak that spanned two seasons - from Sept. 13, 1959 to May 14, 1960.

n HOMEBODIES: The Cardinals entered the weekend 17-6 in their last 23 homes games.

n TIME CHANGE: The Cardinals' final regular-season home game on Sept. 23 vs. the Houston Astros has been changed to a 7:08 p.m. start instead of 1:15 as listed on earlier schedules. The game has been selected for the ESPN Sunday night telecast.

n QUIZ ANSWER: The team record for leadoff home runs in a season is five, shared by Lou Brock (1967 and 1970) and Ray Lankford (1994)

.

n END QUOTE: La Russa, talking on KTRS about Rick Ankiel's recent struggles at the plate: "The psychological part is one thing. The other part is he's still a young hitter, and even if everything is 100 percent psychologically, their still going to be pitching him tough, making adjustments. He doesn't have an easy row to hoe, but he's got a lot of talent, and he'll make it work."

Hal Pilger can be reached at (217) 788-1548 or hal.pilger@sj-r.com.

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