Some Things Never Change

So the season started off on a bad foot. Cardinals up 5-1 (against a lefty mind you)....down comes the rain. Hard enough and long enough to call the game. And because of the "rules" the game and the stats don't count and they have to completely restart the game.
So of course the next day, Opening Day: Take 2, the Cardinals get a great pitching effort from Lohse, only to get no run support and to have the bullpen (namely Franklin) blow things in the 8th. That type of thing seems to have happened all to often to this team in the past year or so. Getting half of a team effort. Last year it seemed to be one or the other...pitching was great and hitting was horrible or the other way around. And to see the bullpen...one of the teams strongest aspects last year, fall apart like that does not bode will for this team. I know I know..it was the first game of the year. But that bullpen HAS to be just as good if not better then last year. Because it's going to be tested virtually every game.
Now last night was a breath of fresh air. The hitting was there...granted the majority of the big hits came late in the game, but at least some key guys contributed. Ankiel and Ludwick had GREAT games at the plate. Pujols was pretty patient...getting 3 walks. And it seems Kennedy has contributed more in the first two games then he did all of last year it seems.
An afternoon game today...I LOVE afternoon games. I actually get to listen to it while at work. Gotta love that. The only thing that scares me now is how well the guys did last night. Seems like the past few years they can't ever string together multiple solid games in a row. But hey...it's a new year right!!!!

Gaffe of the Glaus

Not a good way to start the season - a loss, and at the hands of our new acquisition. Glaus gave up the game-winning run on a throwing error. I hope we don't see this too often. We'll just blame it on Ryan Franklin....or the rain from the day before. The upside is that Kyle Lohse looked decent in 5 scoreless innings. And we don't have to worry about Kip Wells turning into a star....sure he had a decent outing, but so did Marquis at the beginning of last year, and now the Cubs' fans are seriously regretting having picked him up.