StLouis6

The St. Louis Cardinals have had some highlights in 2010. They spent the first two months in first place in the National League’s Central Division, but have been trailing the Cincinnati Reds by a margin of one to three games the past couple of weeks.

The long-term signing of Matt Holliday over the winter was supposed to make this an offense that would blow opponents away. There have been glimpses of such a team, but the Cardinals have been inconsistent at the plate. The score six or seven runs for a couple of games, but then they go four games without scoring more than a couple of runs an outing.

Albert Pujols has not been as dramatic a hero as usual, perhaps, but he is having another great season and he will be fine. Much like last year, Holliday has begun scorching the ball after a slow first two-and-a-half months. 

The pitching has been good. The starting pitching was superb the first six weeks, including rookie Jaime Garcia. Injuries have shelved starters Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse, but still the starters have been steady. Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have been stellar, as usual.

Defense, long a Cardinals domain, has been less than sparkling this year, however. Skip Schumaker, a surprise success in 2009 in the first year of his switch from outfield to second base, has had spurts of inconsistency and Brendan Ryan, with his amazing glove and a surprise .292 bat, won the regular shortstop’s job a year ago. This year, Ryan can’t hit and with his goofy, fifth-grade mindset has let it affect his fielding. He has splashes of brilliance, but has had games where he acts like he’s never played at the big-league level.

Plenty of time is left on the schedule. Right fielder Ryan Ludwick and third baseman David Friese, among the leaders in clutch hitting and run production, are on the disabled list and should be back soon. But, if the Cardinals don’t tighten the defense, it could be a disappointing season in which they watch a less-talented team go to the postseason instead of them.