This week, the St. Louis Cardinals began to show what they are capable of again, at least from a pitching standpoint. But they are still a long way from right.

The rotation of Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Lance Lynn, Jake Westbrook, and Joe Kelly collectively had an ERA just a shade over 2.00 this week, allowing nine earned runs over 40 innings. Lynn had the best start of his young career against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, allowing no runs while striking out 12. But the rest of the starters looked good, too. Even Jake Westbrook—who has struggled mightily over the past four to six weeks—turned in a six-inning outing Thursday night where he allowed three runs and five hits and kept the Cardinals in the game before they pulled out the win. It may not be a Bob Gibson line, but it is pretty good for Westbrook considering what he has given the Cards recently.

The bullpen flashed a few bright spots this week as well. Jason Motte was three for three in save opportunities; he had a few earned runs tacked to his total but the saves are important there. Victor Marte, Sam Freeman, Fernado Salas and Eduardo Sanchez threw a total of 5 2/3 innings without allowing a run and only two batters managed to even get a hit off the quartet.

Now, of course, the trick is sustaining it and adding some consistency to the mix.

On the other side of the ball, the Cards’ offense continues to sputter. Since hanging 14 runs on the Houston Astros June 7, the Cardinals have managed to score more than two runs in a game only once: Thursday’s 5-3 win over the White Sox. That is abysmal output. And yes, guys are missing and the guys that are in the dugout are hurting too. But that excuse only carries so far. Everyone is hurting right now; every team is dealing with some injury or another.

And speaking of injuries, some of the forgotten brethren on the disabled list appear ready to re-join the big club soon. Matt Carpenter and Skip Schumaker are already on rehab assignments, and Chris Carpenter threw a couple of pitches off a mound. That’s huge news for the Cards, especially Schumaker’s and Carpenter’s.

The Cincinnati Reds have a four game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cardinals as of Saturday morning. So nothing is out of reach for the Cards. The competition in the NL Central does figure to remain stiff for the remainder of the season, but at this point all the Cards really need is a healthy team and a shot at the postseason. And they will most definitely need the former to achieve the latter.

At this point, it does look like the Cardinals will end up getting some of their key guys back in the not-too-distant future. If the rest of the team has put themselves in a position to win more often than not, the return of the walking wounded is just that much sweeter. So it is big to see the rotation settling in and the bullpen settling down. Now if the lineup could only start scoring runs again…

Chris Reed also writes for InsideSTL Mondays and Bird Brained whenever he feels like it. Follow him on Twitter at @birdbrained.

On Saturday, April 2, 2011, Royals fans in Kansas City will finally get a look at the future. Thirty minutes after the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, an exhibition game between the Triple-A Storm Chasers and the Double-A Naturals will take place and feature young stars like Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, and Aaron Crow.

Mike Moustakas by Erika Lynn

Widely regarded as the best farm system in all of baseball, the Royals will finally show its fans what it has been stashing in its minor league cupboards for a few years. Not to put any pressure on anyone’s shoulders, but if the Royals want to compete in the next few years, this crop of youngsters will be integral to doing just that.

This begs the question; will Royals fans have more interest in the game against the Angels? Or, will they be more interested in seeing a glimpse of the future? I lean toward the latter. And kudos to the Royals management and marketing department for bringing the stars of tomorrow to the forefront of fans’ minds today.

Nothing against today’s brand of the Royals, I’m just intrigued to see some of the prospects live and in person. I want to come to my own conclusions about some of these guys and see that sweet Mike Moustakas swing and that scintillating Aaron Crow fastball in person.

Dreaming of “what could be” for the Royals is something that has been ingrained in me since 2003, the last year the Royals showed signs of life in the American League Central Division.

Officially, the future of the Royals will see Kaufman Stadium this April, but will be placed back on the shelf until 2012 and 2013. However, it should be noted that some of the aforementioned stars of the future are expected to have their proverbial cups of coffee with the big league squad in 2011.

It will be exciting to see these guys, but will one exhibition game quench the thirst for victory Royals fans have been deprived of for many years? Well, it will have to do for now.

Until then, Royals fans are stuck with the likes of Melky Cabrera, Jeff Francouer, Bruce Chen, and Jeff Francis. For me, it will be like getting a whiff of that mouthwatering steak house only to settle for value hamburgers from McDonald’s.

Who else will grace the stands with me on April 2^nd to see the future of the Royals? Feel free to comment below.

On the heels of a hot streak, the Cardinals rolled into Chicago to the tune of one of baseball’s most celebrated rivalries. The trip to the Windy City did not go the way the Cardinals had hoped, as they dropped the opening two and had to salvage Sunday night in front of the ESPN national audience to avoid the sweep. Even that took extra innings.

The bi-polar Cardinals will take their show further East on the road as they slide into another city that is inhabited by an old rival. The team that has become known as “Pond Scum” around the Gateway City will play host to the Redbirds this week for a three game set.

Current Snapshot

St. Louis: 55-44, First Place, NL Central, 1 Game ahead of Cincinnati. The Cards have gone 7-3 over their last 10 games and have been showing signs of life since the All Star break. At the same time, they floundered in Chicago to the extent of frustration against a team that they should perform better against if they are in fact the “team to beat” in this division.

New York: 50-49, Third Place, NL East, 7.5 Games back of division leader Atlanta. The Mets are 2-8 over their last 10 games and seem to be on the verge of losing their season. The manager is rumored to be on the hot seat and the players have not performed to the level necessary, causing the team to show up in trade rumors with our other I-70 team, the Royals.

Pitching Matchup

Tuesday, July 27, 6:10 P.M. CST: Adam Wainwright (14-5, 1.94 ERA) vs Jon Niese (6-4, 3.54 ERA)
Wainwright is doing everything in his power to ensure that he does not get left in the dark when it comes to the Cy Young award this season. He has been lights out lately, though many of his starts in the summer heat of St. Louis have been shortened to six innings or so. Wainwright has not surrendered an earned run in his last three starts and is one of the most prolific pitchers in his home ballpark. Jason Bay will look to find his stroke against a pitcher that he has posted a .353 average against in his career. Carlos Beltran, on the other hand, may look to seek revenge for being on the receiving end of one of the most famous pitches in St. Louis Cardinal history.

Niese does not have much of a history against the Redbirds, but what history he has, he would like to forget. In a short outing last season, he sustained an injury to his leg that required surgery to repair. He has been on of New York’s occasional bright spots this season, though not as sharp in his last start. Still, Niese matches up well for the Mets and should give them an opportunity to overcome the Cardinals’ ace and possibly pull out a win.

Wednesday, July 28, 6:10 P.M. CST: Jaime Garcia (9-4, 2.21 ERA) vs Mike Pelfrey (10-5, 4.00 ERA)
There may not be a better story than Jaime Garcia’s this season for the Cardinals. A pitcher that was overshadowed by other arms going into Spring Training, Jaime has claimed the third spot in the rotation and been dominant at times. At other times, he has been hittable, but he seems to work his way into and out of trouble with some grit.

Mike Pelfrey has been as up and down as the team he plays for this season. While his overall line does not look bad, his last few games have just about wrecked it. While his most recent start suggests that he may be back on track, he has suffered through some horrible pitching, giving up more base runners than innings pitched as of late. Matt Holliday is hitting 375 against Pelfrey in his career, but Randy Winn can only boast a .100 average despite facing him more times than any other St. Louis hitter.

Thursday, July 29, 11:10 A.M. CST: Blake Hawksworth (4-6, 5.23 ERA) vs Johan Santana (8-5, 2.79 ERA)
The Cardinals have survived through most of the season based on their pitching. Blake Hawksworth is the example of both the things that are going right for the team and the reason why the team desperately needs another arm. While the reliever-turned-starter has given the Cardinals serviceable outings and impressed fans beyond his ability this season, he has not been the dominant part of the rotation that the Cardinals need him to be. His last start did not last five innings and, thanks in large part to the bullpen, he did not leave the team in a position to win the game. He has very little experience against this Mets team and the Cardinals will hope that he can keep them in contention against one of New York’s best.

Johan Santana has not been his usual, dominant self in 2010, but you could not tell that over his last three starts. Posting an ERA under one (0.82) while striking out 14 batters over the course of 22 innings, Santana may be finding the proverbial “groove”. Santana always pitches the Cardinals tough, but the resident superstar, Albert Pujols, may be pretty happy to see him. Albert holds a .500 average and a pair of solo home runs against the Mets’ lefty. The middle infield for the Cardinals, however, may not find much solace in the assignment. Skip Schumaker, Felipe Lopez, Brendan Ryan and Aaron Miles have combined for one solitary hit against Santana in 25 at bats.

Prognosis
The Cardinals need to win this series to show that they are closer related to the team that showed up after the All Star Break than the team that went into it. With Wainwright and Garcia on the mound for the first two, they have that opportunity. The team needs to settle in and perform like it is capable of, or the Mets could find themselves sneaking a win or two out of a very tough series.

All-Star week is over, and it is back to a full week of fantasy baseball. The Royals match up at home with Toronto for three games and then travel to take on the Yankees for a four game set. Let’s look at the Royals roster to see who should start, who should sit, and who to watch this week.

Start em:

Zach Greinke got lucky this week, pitching against the Blue Jays instead of pitching at Yankee Stadium. If he was pitching at New York I would suggest putting him inactive but since he will pitch at home, he should be active in all formats. In his last outing against Toronto, he got a no decision and gave up two earned runs. He has pitched much better of late and I expect that to continue. Joakim Soria has been very consistent this season. When the save opportunity has called, he has delivered 25 of 27 chances, up to last Saturday, which also includes 18 straight. Soria has only allowed 3 earned runs in the last 23 innings and needs to be active in all formats. When facing Toronto and New York, Billy Butler has a .267 career average (BA), 12 2B’s, 2 HR’s, 13 RBI’s in 40 games. His power still hasn’t taken off as owners would like but as long as his BA is .321, he should be active in all formats. Jose Guillen has had decent career numbers against Toronto and New York. He could be set for a productive week. Guillen has a career .247 BA, 24 2B’s, 19 HR’s, and 59 RBI’s in 122 games. I would not start him if your outfield is set but if you are looking for a bat to fill a spot this week, Jose could be your guy. If you are in a fantasy league which awards stolen bases, Scott Podsednik should be active only if your lineup has enough offense to give you the power numbers. Other than that, he should be inactive.

Sit em:

As I mentioned last week, David DeJesus has had zero production as of late. He has a career .228 BA vs Toronto and .242 BA vs New York. Until DeJesus shows signs of life, he needs to continue being inactive. Alberto Callaspo has a career .302 BA in the second half. Not sure if that means much going into All-Star break cold as he still has not produced lately. Callaspo does have a .304 career BA against Toronto, but it is not enough to get through the week. The only thing that benefits him now is that he qualifies at second and third base. He holds a similar situation as DeJesus so until he starts to produce, he needs to be inactive.

Watch list:

Put Yuniesky Betancourt (SS) on the watch list. I’m not recommending picking him up at the moment. He has little value in mixed leagues but there is a value in AL only leagues. Betancourt currently has 41 R, 7 HR, 40 RBI’s, 0 SB, and .263 BA. Watch how he performs this week, and he could be a pick-up if your team needs shortstop help.

Fantasy Minor League Profile of the week:

The Fantasy Profile of the Week is Eric Hosmer. He was selected in the 1^st round (No. 3 overall) of the June 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Hosmer was just promoted from Single-A Wilmington and is currently playing First Base (1B) for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals in The Texas League. He had a depressing first season after being drafted and did not live up to expectations but once he had lasik eye surgery, everything seems to be turning around. The Royals drafted him hoping he would turn into a power hitting first baseman. All the tools are there and the power will eventually come. He’s a big kid (6’4” – 215 lbs) with initial plans to stay at first base, but there is an outside chance he could be converted to play outfield. Hosmer is not expected to crack the big leagues until late 2012 at the earliest but if he’s available, he is one to pick up immediately. He’s a prospect worth holding onto. Side Note: In his first at bat in Double-A on Saturday he hit a home run. He hit three over the weekend.

It’s All-Star week so fantasy baseball will take a backseat until the weekend. Kansas City will host Oakland for a 3 game series. Heading into Week 15 this is make or break time for many fantasy league teams. Either you’re going to hold on to the top spot, make a run for the top, or free fall to the bottom. This week won’t give you much room for error so you need to make sure your roster is complete with players that can give you production. Hopefully the Royals have a couple that can do just that.

Start em:

Joakim Soria needs to be in the lineup this week. He has 3 very good opportunities for saves. Billy Butler hits Oakland very well with a career .321 Batting Average (BA) with 9 Doubles and 14 RBI’s in 22 games. In July he is sporting a .353 BA so there is a great chance to see terrific numbers this weekend. Alberto Callaspo has not given much production lately. Since June 1^st he has only produced 13 Runs, 3 Doubles, 2 Triples, 10 RBI’s, while batting .247. Callaspo has a career .340 BA against Oakland which could give him a boost to get back on track plus give you the production needed for this short week.

Put em on the Bench:

Zach Greinke isn’t scheduled to pitch, plus was scratched from Sunday’s start with shoulder discomfort. It is never a good thing when dealing with the shoulder so keep an eye on his status going into next week. Jose Guillen was listed as day-to-day after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 left quadricep strain but played this past weekend. I would still sit him until after the Oakland series to be safe. David DeJesus has had zero production as of late plus only a career .257 BA against Oakland. Until DeJesus shows signs of life, he needs to be benched. Scott Podsednik isn’t showing enough to give me confidence that he can contribute right now so he needs benched too.

Fantasy Minor League Profile of the week:

If you’re in a fantasy league which allows you to keep minor league players on your roster, here is a name you need to pick up immediately, Mike Moustakas. He was selected in the 1^stround (No. 2 overall) of the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He’s currently playing Third Base (3B) for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals in The Texas League. Moustakas is tearing apart opposing pitchers. His current stats are below. He’s a big kid (5’11” – 230 lbs) with plenty of power and capable of staying at 3B. He could be a September call up and lead the battle to make the team out of spring training next season. This kid is for real folks!