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Ludwick taking road show to Milwaukee
05/08/2008 9:30 PM ETBy Owen Perkins / Special to MLB.com
DENVER -- Ryan Ludwick was a one-man wrecking machine in Colorado, hitting .692 (9-for-13) with three homers and six RBIs in the four-game series. Not bad for a "bench" player.
But to define Ludwick as he defines himself -- as a "role player" -- is still something of an understatement. His role has led to 19 starts in the season's first 36 games, and when a left-hander is on the hill, Ludwick is in the cleanup spot, hitting there in nine of his starts this season.
He's found success in whatever roles manager Tony La Russa finds for him, and in Colorado it began with an eighth-inning pinch-hit in Monday's series opener.
"It's just a feeling," Ludwick said, trying to make sense of the zone he's in. "I caught the feeling when I pinch-hit the other night. You get up there, and you've got that loose feeling. The rhythm's loose, and the timing's loose, and it's just see ball, hit ball. The slider I hit off [right-handed reliever Taylor] Buchholz the first night locked my timing and rhythm back in. The whole series, the rhythm and timing, I felt like I was on a lot of pitches."
It was as "on" as Ludwick has ever been in parts of six big league seasons, but it's a feeling he's beginning to feel comfortable with. Much of the credit comes from his first year with the Cardinals in 2007, playing 120 games for La Russa, regular enough to get him settled in his role.
"In the Minor Leagues, I've had stretches where I've been just as locked in," Ludwick pointed out. "But you know, I was really confident coming in this year. I was working in the offseason, trying to shorten my swing a little bit. Just having the little bit of success I had last year built a lot of confidence in me as a player. I'd done it at every level. I hadn't done it here before, but once you get that confidence, it makes it a little easier on yourself to know you have the ability to do it."
A big part of making it easier for Ludwick has been the opportunity to play for La Russa, who Ludwick believes is as good as it gets in using his roster.
"Tony does a great job at keeping us all fresh," Ludwick said. "He's one of the best in the game at doing that. That's why his teams have so much success pinch-hitting-wise, because he's constantly getting guys -- even guys who are more role players like myself -- he still gets you in there with opportunities to keep you fresh."
La Russa clearly shares a sense of mutual admiration for Ludwick, who likely will get a fourth consecutive start with the Cardinals face southpaw Manny Parra on Friday night in Milwaukee.
"He had a great series," said La Russa. "It's part of a great first month and eight days, and a long way to go."
Pitching matchup
STL: RHP Todd Wellemeyer (3-1, 4.07 ERA)
Wellemeyer lasted just five innings in his previous start, on Sunday against the Cubs, which matched his shortest start of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits, struck out four and walked four. He threw 95 pitches, with 57 for strikes. Wellemeyer will have to find a way to be more efficient with his pitches and try to get through six or seven innings to give the bullpen a break.
MIL: LHP Manny Parra (1-2, 5.86 ERA)
Parra has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his six starts, and it's starting to upset him. He lasted four-plus frames against the Astros on Saturday, taking a 1-1 tie into the fifth inning and then allowing a five-run outburst sparked by back-to-back homers by the opposing pitcher, Brandon Backe, and slumping leadoff man Michael Bourne. Parra has great pure stuff -- a 92-94 mph fastball and three serviceable offspeed pitches -- but he has been up in the strike zone way too often, manager Ned Yost said. Parra has already started twice against the Cardinals, taking a pair of no-decisions while allowing six earned runs in nine total innings.
Tidbits
Though they split the four-game set in Colorado, the Cardinals won the season series, 4-3, their third consecutive season besting the Rockies. ... Albert Pujols' sixth-inning single Thursday extended his streak of games reaching base safely to 36, having reached base by hit or walk in every Cardinals game of the season. ... Cesar Izturis' infield single to second base in the seventh extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• FSN
On radio
• KTRS 550
Up next
• Saturday: Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 2-2, 4.33) at Brewers (Ben Sheets, 4-0, 2.29), 2:40 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Cardinals (Braden Looper, 5-1, 3.95) at Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 1-2, 5.22), 1:05 p.m. CT
• Monday: Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 3-1, 2.25) at Brewers (Dave Bush, 0-4, 6.98), 7:05 p.m. CT
05/08/2008 9:30 PM ETBy Owen Perkins / Special to MLB.com
DENVER -- Ryan Ludwick was a one-man wrecking machine in Colorado, hitting .692 (9-for-13) with three homers and six RBIs in the four-game series. Not bad for a "bench" player.
But to define Ludwick as he defines himself -- as a "role player" -- is still something of an understatement. His role has led to 19 starts in the season's first 36 games, and when a left-hander is on the hill, Ludwick is in the cleanup spot, hitting there in nine of his starts this season.
He's found success in whatever roles manager Tony La Russa finds for him, and in Colorado it began with an eighth-inning pinch-hit in Monday's series opener.
"It's just a feeling," Ludwick said, trying to make sense of the zone he's in. "I caught the feeling when I pinch-hit the other night. You get up there, and you've got that loose feeling. The rhythm's loose, and the timing's loose, and it's just see ball, hit ball. The slider I hit off [right-handed reliever Taylor] Buchholz the first night locked my timing and rhythm back in. The whole series, the rhythm and timing, I felt like I was on a lot of pitches."
It was as "on" as Ludwick has ever been in parts of six big league seasons, but it's a feeling he's beginning to feel comfortable with. Much of the credit comes from his first year with the Cardinals in 2007, playing 120 games for La Russa, regular enough to get him settled in his role.
"In the Minor Leagues, I've had stretches where I've been just as locked in," Ludwick pointed out. "But you know, I was really confident coming in this year. I was working in the offseason, trying to shorten my swing a little bit. Just having the little bit of success I had last year built a lot of confidence in me as a player. I'd done it at every level. I hadn't done it here before, but once you get that confidence, it makes it a little easier on yourself to know you have the ability to do it."
A big part of making it easier for Ludwick has been the opportunity to play for La Russa, who Ludwick believes is as good as it gets in using his roster.
"Tony does a great job at keeping us all fresh," Ludwick said. "He's one of the best in the game at doing that. That's why his teams have so much success pinch-hitting-wise, because he's constantly getting guys -- even guys who are more role players like myself -- he still gets you in there with opportunities to keep you fresh."
La Russa clearly shares a sense of mutual admiration for Ludwick, who likely will get a fourth consecutive start with the Cardinals face southpaw Manny Parra on Friday night in Milwaukee.
"He had a great series," said La Russa. "It's part of a great first month and eight days, and a long way to go."
Pitching matchup
STL: RHP Todd Wellemeyer (3-1, 4.07 ERA)
Wellemeyer lasted just five innings in his previous start, on Sunday against the Cubs, which matched his shortest start of the season. The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits, struck out four and walked four. He threw 95 pitches, with 57 for strikes. Wellemeyer will have to find a way to be more efficient with his pitches and try to get through six or seven innings to give the bullpen a break.
MIL: LHP Manny Parra (1-2, 5.86 ERA)
Parra has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his six starts, and it's starting to upset him. He lasted four-plus frames against the Astros on Saturday, taking a 1-1 tie into the fifth inning and then allowing a five-run outburst sparked by back-to-back homers by the opposing pitcher, Brandon Backe, and slumping leadoff man Michael Bourne. Parra has great pure stuff -- a 92-94 mph fastball and three serviceable offspeed pitches -- but he has been up in the strike zone way too often, manager Ned Yost said. Parra has already started twice against the Cardinals, taking a pair of no-decisions while allowing six earned runs in nine total innings.
Tidbits
Though they split the four-game set in Colorado, the Cardinals won the season series, 4-3, their third consecutive season besting the Rockies. ... Albert Pujols' sixth-inning single Thursday extended his streak of games reaching base safely to 36, having reached base by hit or walk in every Cardinals game of the season. ... Cesar Izturis' infield single to second base in the seventh extended his hitting streak to nine games.
Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person. On the Internet
MLB.TV Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• FSN
On radio
• KTRS 550
Up next
• Saturday: Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 2-2, 4.33) at Brewers (Ben Sheets, 4-0, 2.29), 2:40 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Cardinals (Braden Looper, 5-1, 3.95) at Brewers (Jeff Suppan, 1-2, 5.22), 1:05 p.m. CT
• Monday: Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 3-1, 2.25) at Brewers (Dave Bush, 0-4, 6.98), 7:05 p.m. CT
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