Despite recent slump; Cards will continue to improve

The Cardinals are the high-potent offense are the reason
that this team is turning heads all around the baseball world.

The St. Louis Cardinals aren't having the best stretch of baseball that they have had this season, but thanks to pretty incredible baseball throughout the first month and a half of the season, it certainly isn't the end of the world for the 2012 season here in St. Louis.

The Cardinals enter tonights game at Busch Stadium against the San Diego Padres with the slightest lead they can have for the Central division, a half-game, over division-rival Cinninnati Reds.

Following rumors of first baseman and veteran Cardinal Lance Berkman suffering an ACL tear, reports have come to find it was a torn minsicus, which will require him to miss six-to-eight weeks. This is most definently takes a lot of weight off the fans and the front officr, despite him still missing til likely August at the very lesst.

This team has come out of the gates firing early this season, and is derservingly, catching fans and the medias eyes.  David Freese and Matt Holliday both have provided a lot of power for the lineup this season--and it doesnt help that we are seeing an MVP type start from veteran signee Carlos Beltran, who leads the team in home runs so far.

Injuries have plagued the start so far, but even so, the team is still leading the Central division with an overall record of 22-19.  Manager Mike Matheny and his Cardinals just got swept for the first time of the year last night following the loss on Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN against the Los Angeles Dodgers.



Your 2011 World Champions ceremony before the first
game of the 2012 season inside Busch Stadium against the Cubs.

Thus far through 41 games this season, the Cardinals' pitching staff have no doubtedly been getting the job done. In 365 innings pitched, they have an impressive 3.56 earned-run average and have been solid in every spot whether it be the starters, the bullpen, and the closing role that is owned by Jason Motte.

Coming from a role thats current ace is still recovering from tommy-john surgery (Adam Wainwright) and another (Chris Carpenter) who is out with a elbow injury, they sure have been intimidating.

Kyle Lohse, Jake Westbrook, and Jaime Garcia have all been more than average, with Wainwright slowly regaining his former form before surgery. But the suprise of them all is Lance Lynn. Lynn, who went into spring training fighting for the number five starting spot, is 6-1 through seven starts and has an impressive ERA of 2.31.

The offense overall has been the number one unit in the National League and number two in all of baseball behind only the Texas Rangers. They are averaging 5.1 runs per contest through these first 41 ball games.

Rafael Furcal has done an amazing job securing the leadoff spot in the rotation, as he is batting an overly impressive .352 with a .472 on-base percentage, behind only slugger Matt Holliday (.479). Beltran is having in my mind the best of his career. He is handling the pressure of being a huge centerpiece to this team as he is batting .291 with a team-leading thirteen home runs and 22 runs batted in.

David Freese, Allen Craig, Tony Cruz, and Yadier Molina have all been above average at the plate thus far this season also--and both Matt Carpenter and Daniel Descalso both are tied for the team and National League lead with three apiece. The Cardinals are certainly not the best team through there first forty-one games, but they are improving--and best of all, slow and surely getting more healthy.
I know it is still early and still the month of May, but watch out for this team as they are only going to get better.