Carpenter back on the Mound

It was nice to see Chris Carpenter make a successful return last night from the DL and pitch 5 strong innings shutting the Small Bears down and leading the Redbirds to a 2-1 victory last night. Now let's not get too excited-it was only 5 innings and roughly 70 pitches, BUT it will hopefully provide some stability and if Wainwright is back to form then the pitching staff should look as formidable as it did the first month of the season.

"I know that if I'm healthy then my ability has a chance to come out, and I have a chance to give my team a chance to win," Carpenter said. "Unfortunately I haven't been healthy a whole lot. And that's all that concerns me." ..."My stuff has always been the same," Carpenter said. —To be honest, the biggest concern was if (the nerve) was going to have the ability to get strong and fire again. Fortunately, it has. It takes a lot of work. And I continue to do that in between starts and everything else. It's a never-ending process."...


As for the offense....all I can say is it will be nice to have Ludwick and Ankiel back in the line-up. It looks as if Rasmus is slowly turning the corner (he has a history for starting slow) and if Barston (Brian Barden/Joe Thurston) can get out of the rookie funk they are and at least bat .27o then the offense should start to produce.

"When people say, 'How is Albert (Pujols) a great player?' you give examples. When someone asks, 'How is Chris Carpenter a great pitcher?' you can use this as an example. You can't do what he did tonight unless you're great," La Russa said.

"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs," Carpenter said. "That is a fact."..."He's the nastiest pitcher I've faced all year," said Cubs first baseman and cleanup hitter Derrek Lee....

Let's sweep those Small Bears tonight!

Congrats to Albert for being named the #1 player in MLB by Sporting News.