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“WE believe”
9 Members | Established 03/28/08

Group Tags: St. Louis, St. Louis Cardinals, Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Billikens, NFL, NHL, NCAA, NCAAB, MLB, NFC, NFC West, Atlantic 10, Western Conference, NL, NL Central, Major League Baseball, National League, Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Colby Rasmus, Kyle Lohse, Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus, Skip Shumaker, Skip Shitmaker, Braden Looper, Todd Wellemeyer, Jason Isringhausen, Brian Barton, RICO Washington, Chris Duncan, Yadier Molina, Adam Kennedy

Skip is doing the saving now

The Cardinals survived right-hander Jason Isringhausen's third blown save of the season-Chicago left fielder Alfonso Soriano hit a game-tying homer in the ninth-when St. Louis left fielder Skip Schumaker, trying to loft a sacrifice fly in the 11th, did even better than that. Schumaker's long fly to right ended up in the stands for a two-run homer as the Cardinals extended their National League Central Division lead to 1-1/2 games.

Infielder Aaron Miles, a productive late-inning bench player since he joined the Cardinals in 2006, started the 11th with a pinch-hit single off Chicago righty Chad Fox. Miles alertly went to second when a Fox pitch went off the glove of catcher Henry Blanco and to third on a bunt by infielder Brendan Ryan. Schumaker, who didn't start the game either, delivered the game-winner.

There was concern about Isringhausen, though. The veteran closer has given up 10 runs in his last 7 1/3 innings over eight games and has blown three saves. Isringhausen did help keep the Cubs' ninth inning to two runs by making a diving play on shortstop Ryan Theriot's bunt.

The unsung hero was lefty Ron Villone, who pitched 2 1/3 innings for the win, his first as a Cardinal.

Cardinals 5, Cubs 3:   Left fielder Skip Schumaker hit the first walk-off homer of his career with a two-run drive in the 11th inning. The Cardinals got plenty of help from the Cubs for two of their first three runs. One scored on a bases-loaded walk in the first inning and the other scored via an error by first baseman Derrek Lee and two misplays by left fielder Alfonso Soriano in the seventh.

Notes, Quotes

2008 NFL Draft Review

Back and forth the Rams supposedly went as the day of the draft approached. Glenn Dorsey or Chris Long?

Two days before the draft, coach Scott Linehan and player personnel chief Billy Devaney said the pair were rated so close together, either was a possibility. It later was reported that Dorsey was No. 1 on the team's board and Long slightly behind.

When push came to shove, and trade options for the second pick in the draft diminished, the Rams pulled the trigger on Long to upgrade an aging defensive end position and add potential leadership to the locker room.

It was said that defensive coordinator Jim Haslett favored Dorsey, and he didn't deny that. However, Haslett said he loves Dorsey but a great DE prospect is hard to come by and he respects the desicion and that both would have been good picks.

While Linehan anointed Long the team's starter at right end, Long knows he has a lot of work to do.

One constant theme throughout the draft was the Rams eyeing players with character and a love for the game. Early in the second round, the Rams selected the first receiver taken in the draft and opened some eyes with the choice of Houston's Donnie Avery. In addition to outstanding speed and big-play ability, he ALSO has great character and shows it on and off the field constantly.

Best Pick:   DE Chris Long. The second overall pick in the draft better be the team's best pick. He is expected to step right in and start on the right side, but coaches love his versatility, and he could be used at several positions, if necessary. While his 40 speed wasn't great, his 10-yard splits were in line with the some of the faster pass rushers in the draft.

Could Surprise:   WR Keenan Burton (Kentucky). The Rams traded up to get Burton, who has excellent hands, runs good routes and has smarts the Rams like. The key will be staying healthy, which was a problem during his college career. He will also be considered as the kickoff returner.

 

A closer look at the Rams' picks:

Round 1/2-Chris Long, DE, 6-3, 279, Virginia

On a team that totaled 5.5 sacks from its defensive ends last season, Long is expected to jump right in and start at right end. He hates the term high motor, but Long is just that: A relentless competitor in the mod of his Pro Football Hall of Fame father, Howie Long.

Round 2/33-Donnie Avery, WR, 5-11, 192, Houston

The Rams love his speed, an attribute lacking in their receiver corps. Avery has the ability to separate from defenders and just has to become more consistent catching the ball. But he should be able to provide the defense-stretching speed the Rams lost when Kevin Curtis left as a free agent last year.

Round 3/65-John Greco, T, 6-5, 326, Toledo

Some view him as a guard because of lack of athleticism and short arms, but the Rams love his toughness and believe he can compete immediately at right tackle. He is versatile enough to play guard, if he struggles too much at tackle.

Round 4/101-Justin King, CB, 5-11, 192, Penn State

Didn't become a cornerback on a full-time basis until 2006 after starting his career as a wide receiver. The Rams love his speed and believe coaching will help him develop into a good cover guy. Many projections had him as a second-round pick.

Round 4/128-Keenan Burton, WR, 6-0, 202, Kentucky

Has outstanding speed and scored 25 career touchdowns. Injuries have held him back, playing his senior season on a bad ankle and then undergoing knee surgery after the season that kept him out of the Senior Bowl. Could be a fourth-round steal if he can stay healthy.

Round 5/157-Roy Schuening, OG, 6-4, 308, Oregon State

Another player the Rams like for his toughness and love for the game. Started 50 consecutive games in college, and should provide depth on a line riddled with injury last season.

Round 7/228-Chris Chamberlain, WLB, 6-2, 226, Tulsa

Very productive in college with 165 tackles as a senior, but could be undersized at linebacker. Some projections had him as a strong safety at the next level, but for now the Rams will put him on the weak side.

Round 7/252-David Vobora, SLB, 6-1, 236, Idaho

A four-year starter, Vobora was very productive and manages to often be around the ball. He should be able to contribute on special teams, and is ticketed for competition on the strong side.

Notes

Pineiro, Schumaker, and Ryan OH MY!

Right-hander Joel Pineiro had contributed little and shortstop Brendan Ryan nothing to the Cardinals because of spring training injuries.

But Pineiro, who failed to win either of his first two starts, displayed much better location and pitch variety Thursday night, working seven innings of one-run ball and striking out six. Those six were his first strikeouts of the season after Pineiro had faced 48 San Francisco hitters over two starts without striking out anybody.

Ryan, just off a rehabilitation assignment that was necessitated by a ribcage injury, had a hand in the 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh. He reached base all four times he batted on two hits, a walk and an error and drove in a run with a two-out single besides playing flawlessly in the field.

The Cardinals had only two hits off Pittsburgh lefty Tom Gorzelanny through five innings but took advantage of three of Gorzelanny's seven walks to score three runs in the fifth inning. One of the walks went to Pineiro, who has fanned in his eight other at-bats this season.

Cardinals 6, Pirates 2:   The Cardinals managed a 2-2 split on their four-game trip. The heroes were some of the usual ones this year. Skip Schumaker, developing into one of the best leadoff men in the league, had a run-scoring double with two outs and walked twice, and Albert Pujols reached base all five times he was up. But little-used Brian Barton also had two hits and drove in the first two runs with a fifth-inning single. And Brendan Ryan, playing his first game of the season, also reached base four times.

Notes, Quotes

View All Posts
Topic Replies Author Last Post Date
Edmonds 0 TenRingsSTL 6 days ago
Izzy 0 TenRingsSTL 8 days ago
Mulder 5 TenRingsSTL 8 days ago
Duncan 5 RHATER is Adam Wainwright 8 days ago
How is Chris Perez doing at AAA? Maybe it's time to give him a shot.
TenRingsSTL 05/12/08
We need a new closer. I am not sure who that may be, but Izzy is toast. He's cost us two games out of the last three. No excuse for that. But, where was the offense? Bases loaded and no outs and we get one run? We should have been up 5-0 at that point.
Cardinals82 05/10/08
Izzy is freaking killing us right now....
TenRingsSTL 05/09/08
That's two starts in a row where Wainwright has been brilliant, and the bullpen has blown his win.
TenRingsSTL 05/08/08
Some of you are probably wondering why I put up a blog about the Rams but, if you notice, I changed the group name. It was previously "St. Louis Cardinal Die Hards"... it is now "St. Louis Die Hards". I did this for a few reasons. 1) This now means the group will go on all year instead of 6 months of the baseball season. 2) The number of members in the group will rise considering we get fans from not only 1 team, but 4-5 teams (now up to 8). So from now on the group is not only Cardinal fans but Cardinal/Ram/Billiken/Blues fans!
Cardinals- 6 Giants- 1

Man, that was a great win. We looked very good throughout the game. Did it ever pop into everyone else's mind that we might actually be FOR REAL?
**the worst in the NL + Colorado**
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