So the Cards had a dramatic victory over the Mets last night. But potentially more important than the "W" are they key contributors to the win. Mr. Pujols was essentially a non-factor as he continues to take aim at 300 HRs. Last night's heroes? Troy Glaus and Chris Duncan.
Improbably, Duncan came off the bench late in the game, faced a left-handed pitcher, and launched the first pitch he saw into the seats just beyond the right field wall. His shot rescued the Cardinals from a 7-5 deficit and tied the game. This is the same Chris Duncan who has struggled all season to string together even a few singles, let alone home runs.
Troy Glaus provided most of the offensive firepower last night. His 3-run HR in the first inning gave the Cards a 4-0 lead. Then Glaus smacked the game winner with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. This is the same Troy Glaus who managed just a handful of HRs through the first two months of the season. With just over half the season completed, Troy has put together a .272 AVG, .376 OBP, .480 SLG, .856 OPS, 13 HR and 54 RBI. All of the sudden, 25 HR and 100+ RBI for Mr. Glaus looks well within reach.
My point? We've grumbled quite a bit about the Cardinals needing another bat, and that may still be the case. However, the offense isn't as deficient as we may have thought. Especially if Duncan is rounding into form and Glaus has found his stroke.
Need more convincing regarding the offense? Check out Derrick Goold's great blog regarding the Cardinals' offensive stats in the month of June. From Mr. Goold:
In fact, the Cardinals’ lineup ranked well in the NL across the numbers in June:
Runs: 136 (1st)
Hits: 260 (1st)
Doubles: 49 (5th)
Triples: 5 (4th)
Home Runs: 36 (3rd)
RBI: 124 (3rd)
Batting Average: .272 (2nd)
On-Base Percentage: .337 (4th)
Slugging Percentage: .447 (2nd)
OPS: .785 (2nd)
Did you realize the Cardinals had the second-best record in the NL in June (15-12)? Nor did I.
In any case, it would be nice if the Cards could swing a deal for, say, Matt Holliday or Miguel Tejada. But after Mulder's performance last night, it's looking more like the Cardinals will focus on finding a reliable left-handed reliever. Can Mozeliak work some magic and address both needs over the coming month? We'll see.
The bottom line is that the offense appears to be sufficient, if not imposing. Pitching carries teams in October.
1 comments:
From what I've read (I think at VEB), lefty relievers come at a premium. I'm not sure the Cards will pay that.
I think there's still potential in Mulder, though he obviously needs to harness some of his stuff.
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