Cardinal All-Stars

We are one week away from the All Star game and the starters have been named and in the next few days the rosters will be finalized. Cardinal Nation is represented well once again with five players selected. I know I am selfish but I think we should have had one or two more. Lance Lynn is very deserving of a spot on the team with his 11 wins and I think he might be added now that Adam Wainwright is pitching on Sunday and may not be able to pitch on Tuesday. What are your thoughts on our players selected?

I was glad and actually a little surprised to see Matt Carpenter selected. Not that he isn't deserving but he isn't known well outside of our fan base, until now. Carpenter is a hard worker and his work ethic has paid off this year. When asked to learn to play second base in the off season he worked hard to prove he could do it. He isn't the fastest leadoff hitter or the most graceful fielder but he gets the job done and currently in the top 10 in batting average. More on Carpenter in a later blog on my thoughts on his future so stay tuned.

Another first time selection and very worthy is Allen Craig. He is being called

the RBI machine as of late by the radio announcers and I have to agree. He is currently second in the RBI totals and is beginning to find his power stroke by hitting four home runs in his last eight games. He continues to prove to the fans that we as a team got better when Albert Pujols left town. And the Cardinals showed their support by signing him to a multi-year deal earlier this year.

Carlos Beltran is having another great year and he will be in the starting lineup of the All Star game. The first part of the year he seemed to be slowed a little by a fractured toe but now he is running well and making great plays in the outfield. He is currently in the top 15 of batting average, runs batted in, and home runs. His future is undetermined because he is a free agent at season's end and with outfield phenom Oscar Taveras waiting, time will tell what happens.

The National league starting catcher is our very own Yadier Molina who is having an exceptional year to this point. Will the latest injury keep him out of action long? As some of you may or may not know Yadi had an MRI on his sore right knee which came back showing no structural damage. What bothers me, as stated in an earlier blog about being overworked, he said that he has been dealing with knee discomfort for the last month. A month? And he just now brings it to the attention of the team after running the bases on Friday? I will say it again... he has to be made to take more days off.

Adam Wainwright is also having a good start to the year having a 11 wins going into the week before the break. He would have had a few more wins had the bullpen held the lead for him... the latest was the meltdown by Edward Mujica in Anaheim. Did Matheny pull Wainwright too soon? Is there a feud brewing between the manager and Wainwright? Matheny has done a fine job to this point but I question why pull his star pitcher on certain occasions. Now the latest question mark; he switches the starting rotation around to where Adam pitches on Sunday taking away the possibility of starting the All Star game.

In my opinion I think this is a slap in the face to Wainwright who deserves to be the starting pitcher for the NL All stars. Yes he will get an extra start before the break and possibly two more wins which in the perfect world of baseball will put us in first place. In the Star Trek world "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" seems to fit here because the team comes first and the all star game is just a show. Right? I don't agree with that though, I think the All Star game is great honor regardless of the outcome of the game and being a part of it is something special for the players selected. It isn't like we are in danger of getting too far behind because we still have another half of baseball to play. I just don't agree with this, even if they used it as giving Shelby Miller an extra day off as a reason it is an invalid point because he will get time off during the All Star break. I am done rambling now .. what are your thoughts?