(Note: This entry was written for the fantastic blog If I Ran.... Do yourself a favor and check it out.

An even 50 games into the season, the St. Louis Cardinals have an abysmal 21-29 record, and are tied for the fewest wins in the National League. Only Kansas City and Texas have fewer wins in MLB. Injuries have hit this team hard, as the disabled list is flush with important pieces of the squad. Starters Chris Carpenter (elbow) and Mark Mulder (shoulder), reliever Josh Kinney (shoulder), outfielder Preston Wilson (knee) and catcher Yadier Molina (wrist) are all on the DL with significant injuries.

The only respite for this team is the comforting fact they play in the horrendous N.L. Central. This team still has hopes for a playoff spot, but those hopes are fleeting and probably not realistic, though if last year's World Series taught me one lesson, it's that anything is possible.

That said, if I ran the Cardinals, I wouldn't completely give up hope for this year, but I would start to make changes, and plan for the future. Walt Jocketty has done a wonderful job during his tenure, but he struck out this offseason. Here's what I would do to right the ship.

-Recall Anthony Reyes from AAA
Anthony Reyes, the promising young pitcher who won Game 1 of the World Series last October, was recently optioned to AAA Memphis by the Cardinals. While his numbers leave much to be desired (0-8, 6.08 ERA), he is also the victim of extremely low run support, as the Cardinals averaged 2.11 runs per game during his starts. A look at his numbers compared to Adam Wainwright (4-4, 5.59 ERA), and you could make a reasonable argument that Reyes has been at least as good (and I use the word "good" very loosely) as him, if not a little better. Using the stats page from the outstanding baseball website The Hardball Times, let's look at some numbers from both pitchers.
ERA+
Wainwright: 74, Reyes: 68

WHIP
Wainwright: 1.79, Reyes: 1.35

Slugging% Against
Wainwright: .472, Reyes: .446

Strikeouts Per Game
Wainwright: 5.5, Reyes: 7.0

Strikeout to Walk Ratio
Wainwright: 1.65, Reyes: 2.17

Opponents Batting Average:
Wainwright: .335, Reyes: .259

Opponents On Base%:
Wainwright: .398, Reyes: .324

So, as you can see, other than run support, the numbers fall mostly with Anthony Reyes being the better pitcher. It's possible that the real reason Reyes is in the minors, and Wainwright and Kip Wells (2-9, 6.20 ERA) are still in the rotation is Reyes wants to do things differently than pitching coach Dave Duncan. In a live chat, Cardinals beat writer Joe Strauss had this to say about the situation:

Reyes and Duncan do have different philosophies. It is an uncomfortable truth that became more obvious when Duncan suggested last weekend that it would take more than 2-3 solid AAA outings for Reyes to return to St. Louis. Reyes is equally insistent that he will not alter his mechanics. His delivery does not work for a sinker-style pitcher. He's told the organization repeatedly he won't change. He needs to become a change of speed pitcher who can "spot" the ball, many believe. If the Cardinals believe Reyes needs to conform to a four-seam mentality, my guess is that both parties won't be satisfied unless there is a trade. Reyes was surprised by last Sunday's demotion and is reluctant to dicuss the situation.

This is nothing new to Cardinals fans. Duncan wants groundball pitchers, and he wants his staff to do things his way, or find somewhere else to pitch. People like Garrett Stephenson and Jason Marquis know this all too well. It's hard to argue the success Duncan has had in the major leagues, so Reyes may have to conform, or the Cards may have to show a willigness to see if Reyes' approach can work.

-Fast track Colby Rasmus :

Rasmus is the Cards number one prospect, and he has been tearing it up in AA this year, to the tune of .295/.385/.583, to go along with 10 homeruns and 8 stolen bases. He is the Cardinals centerfielder of the future, and with Jim Edmonds finally showing his age, it won't hurt to get Rasmus up to AAA some time this year, with an eye toward playing in the show by the middle of next summer. Farm director Jeff Luhnow has his eye on the kid:

"It's still a matter of doing it over a long season. Yes, Colby has had a fantastic first couple months in Double-A, but that's just what it is — a first couple months in Double-A. I don't know how patient we're going to be. I know we want to be, and it's still early."

-Spend some money this winter

The Cardinals went on the cheap last offseason, hoping Kip Wells and Adam Kennedy would be all they needed to replace departures such as Ronnie Belliard and Jeff Suppan. They were wrong. This winter, the market will once again be littered with players who are overpriced. Too bad. Every team has to pay to get premium players. The Cards routinely offer a little less than the other guy, hoping the draw of playing for a routinely competitive team and in a great baseball city will draw them in. It hasn't worked recently. Free agents will be expensive, but the Cards need arms and bats alike. Outfielders like Torii Hunter, Ichiro Suzuki and Aaron Rowand will be available, as will pitchers Mark Buerhle, Bartolo Colon, Scott Linebrink, Freddy Garcia and Carlos Zambrano. Fans in St. Louis will demand they make a hard run at some of the above names, after this lackluster offseason.

The Cardinals are in a deep hole right now. The team is not very good, their stars are getting old, injuries are mounting and fans remain restless. There is room for a little hope, though. The division is terrible, which means they can contend soon if they do a little tinkering. They still have Albert Pujols and once Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder get healthy, the pitching should improve. Chalk 2007 up as one of those forgettable years and concentrate on the future.

As we approach June, the Major League Baseball season has progressed to the point where we can look at trends and decipher what the true nature of a team, or in this case a division really is. Not one, but two articles were written today about the abhorrent mess that is the National League Central.

In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, columnist Bryan Burwell had this to say about a Cardinals team that is now 9 games under .500, after losing four of their last five to the Nationals and Rockies:

The Cardinals have one very important advantage that can't be ignored: Everyone else in the NL Central is as bad as they are. Five of the six teams in the division have had losing streaks of at least five games during the past two weeks. First-place Milwaukee, which a few weeks ago looked as if it was about to sprint away with the division title before the All-Star break, was in the midst of a six-game losing streak before Tuesday night. The Houston Astros were on an eight-game skid, and the Chicago Cubs had won only two of their last eight. Over the five days before Tuesday night, the entire division had put together an 8-28 record.

Eight wins, twenty-eight losses. That is a winning percentage of .222, and over the course of 162 games, translates to a record of 35-127.

More evidence exists in the form of out-of-division record, as cited by Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

It has an excellent chance to be the worst division -- by one telling measurement -- since Major League Baseball expanded from four to six divisions in 1994 ... Out-of-division winning percentage is the measurement, and the NL Central is 46-82 against the rest of the baseball world this season, good for a winning percentage of .359 ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the worst out-of-division winning percentage since 1994 was .412, posted by the AL Central in 2002.

Unfortunately for fans in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Cincinnnati and Houston, the embarrassing statistical evidence does not end there. Combining the records of all the the divisions in MLB, it shows the N.L. Central is so comparitively bad, it's almost difficult to believe. Here are the combined records of every division, followed by their winning percentage, in order:

N.L. West: 139-119, .539
N.L. East: 134-123, .521
A.L. Central: 130-122, .516
A.L. East: 127-127, .500
A.L. West: 101-103, .495
N.L. Central: 135-171, .441

As you can see, only one other division has a winning percentage under .500, and that's the A.L. West, which is only two games under. On the other hand, the N.L. Central is 36 games under .500, and not getting better.

While it's true they have more teams in their division, six, than any other division in baseball, and thus have played more games, it still means little. Even if you swapped the division's last place team, the Reds (20-33), in exchange for the team with the best record in baseball, the Red Sox (36-15), the division would still be two games under .500. This could be a brutal summer.

Ryan Freel did it again. No doubt you've seen a number of his batshit crazy catches, where he dives after the baseball no matter what happens to be in his way - walls, railings, fans, dugouts. This time he didn't get quite so lucky, as his head slammed into the ground after a collision with fellow outfielder Norris Hopper. (On a side note, what kind of a name is Norris?) The Youtube video is below, but a video not taped off a T.V. can be found here.

In honor of Freel's continuous dedication to injure himself for our entertainment, we have compiled a list of videos showing the ugly side of sports - athletes hurting themselves in a dangerous battle with inanimate objects.


Ryan Freel yesterday:




A University of Arizona centerfielder named Caitlin Lowe goes face first into the wall:




A youngster loses control in gym class:




French skier Yannick Bertrand may not be able to have children anymore:




Kid gets leg stuck inside basketball hoop, friends laugh as he cries:




I guess white guys can't jump:




Careful of falling objects (everyone's okay, by the way):




Walls are tricky on obstacle courses:




This may not look like a big deal at first, but wait for the slo-mo replay:




And finally, some karma. We all know soccer players drop to the ground like they've been shot, and need to be carried off on a stretcher only to come walking back on the field in a matter of minutes. Well, a face full of balls may make people reconsider doing that anymore:

The family of former St. Louis Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock filed a wrongful death lawsuit against anyone and everyone they could.

According to a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Hancock's father, Dean Hancock, has filed suit against the folling:

- Mike Shannon's Steaks and Seafood, the restaurant owned by the former Cardinals player and current Cards announcer.

- Patricia Shannon Van Matre, Shannon's daughter and manager of the business.

- Justin Tolar, the individual whose car stalled in the highway.

- Jacob Hargrove, the tow truck driver who stopped to help Tolar.

- Eddie's Towing, owner of the tow truck.

All of this, even though Hancock's blood alcohol level was .157, he was speeding, and he was chatting on his cellphone. Obviously, it's somebody else's fault. The line from the story that was most disturbing was this gem:

"The complaint alleges that Josh Hancock 'regularly became visibly intoxicated' at Shannon's and that, 'The intoxication of Joshua Morgan Hancock on said occasion was involuntary.'"

He was involuntarily drunk? He was being forced to drink? Was his nose being pinched shut and the alcohol shoved into his mouth, like the scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when Mola Ram forced Indy to drink blood?

The Post-Dispatch's Bryan Burwell had it right in his column this morning:

"Why can't Hancock's family see the disturbing irony in blaming the two people (tow truck driver Jacob Hargrove, and Justin Tolar, the man whose car Hargrove was towing) who could have been killed by their intoxicated son? Are they incapable of understanding the madness in blaming Shannon's daughter, the one person we know of who vainly attempted to make him take a taxi?"

Who knows why the family is doing this. Maybe they're incapable of believing their son would make these decisions on his own. More cynically, maybe they understand that Josh's passing cost their family a large sum of potential earnings, and are trying to recoup some of that money. Or maybe it is an unfortunate reflection of our society that the word "lawsuit" is now as American as apple pie.


(Hancock crash photo: Karen Stockman/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

With the season finale of Lost set to air tonight, we will try to construct a parallel between the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 and the lost baseball team in St. Louis.

The Cardinals have been wandering aimlessly around the National League all season, searching for answers to their miserable start. They were even a footnote in one episode last season, as Jack was shown footage of the Red Sox 2004 World Series victory over the Cardinals by Ben, to prove to Jack that The Others had access to the outside world.

Coincidence? Is anything in Lost a coincidence?

Let's look at the main players in their respective situations, and how they correlate with one another.



Sayid = Albert Pujols

- Both are relenteless, aggressive and feared. During his time as an Iraqi Republican Guard interrogator, Sayid was as handy with electric shock as Pujols is with a baseball bat. Each has also ruined lives. Sayid ruined the life of a woman he once tortured by pouring boiling oil on her arms. Pujols ruined the career of Brad Lidge.


Dr. Jack Shepherd = Tony LaRussa

- Leaders of their respective groups. Both Jack and TLR have had their ups and downs. Jack performed a miracle by performing spinal surgery on a paralyzed woman that enabled her to walk. LaRussa also performed a miracle by leading a group of players who stumbled to 83 wins in the regular season to a World Series victory.


Sawyer = Jim Edmonds

- Each slick and laid-back, Sawyer and Edmonds have both been deported from locations due to their behavior. Sawyer was deported and banned from Australia after a bar fight with a public official. Edmonds was deported (but not banned) from Anaheim for what was believed to be a poor attitude and showmanship on the field.


Hugo = Yadier Molina

- Each is individually the largest and undoubtedly, slowest man in the group.


Jin = Scott Rolen

- Jin and Scott Rolen are remarkably similar in one aspect: Neither speaks the same language as their leaders do. Jin does not communicate well with Jack, just as Rolen does not communicate well with Tony LaRussa. Both have gone long periods of time without speaking to their chiefs.


Mr. Eko = Chris Duncan

- Each big and one of the strongest men in their tribes, both Eko and Duncan have transformed themselves over the course of time. Eko, from a ruthless, drug-dealing gangster into a priest, and Duncan from a bumbling, error-prone outfielder into at least a respectable fielder. One big difference, however, is that Eko was killed on the island. Duncan is still alive.


Charlie = Scott Spiezio

- Charlie and Spiezio are both rockers. Charlie was in the band DriveSHAFT, while Spiezio formerly played in the group Sandfrog. Each is also in love with a very attractive blond. Charlie is in love with Claire, and Spiezio with his insanely hot wife, Jenn (see above).


Kate = Adam Wainwright

- Each is tantalizing with their talents, though Kate's talent is far different from Wainwright's. Both are struggling with a decision as well. Kate must choose between Sawyer and Jack, while Wainwright must decide whether he wants to be a starter or reliever in the major leagues. Outside influences will factor into each of their decisions.

(Luhnow - No pic available)
Ben Linus = Jeff Luhnow

- Each is leader of a divisive faction. Ben is the leader of The Others, a cast of scientists and doctors who have inhabited the island and have tormented the survivors on the beach. Luhnow, the Cardinals vice-president of amateur scouting and player development, is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of Walt Jocketty and others. An article by Ken Rosenthal recently told of friction in the front office of the Cards, as Luhnow is a favorite of Bill DeWitt and has created, as Rosenthal says, "dueling factions" in the front office.


Locke = Walt Jocketty

- Locke and Jocketty are both in constant search of something. While Locke is trying to find himself and discover the mystery of the island, Jocketty searches every day for a player or two to boost his sinking team. Another interesting parallel lies in the relationship between Ben and Locke, and Luhnow and Jocketty. If you'll recall, last week Ben shot Locke and left him in the jungle. No doubt Lunhow is looking to take out Jocketty (in a less violent matter, hopefully) and claim the GM throne for himself.


Jacob = Bill DeWitt

- The mysterious invisible man, Jacob, is the ruler of The Others and will only speak with Ben, to the chagrin of Locke. DeWitt, the owner of the Cardinals, is usually just as mysterious. He is the ruler of the Cardinals front office and has taken Luhnow under his wing, to the disdain of Jocketty. Each prefers to be left alone. Jacob in his shack in the jungle, and DeWitt in his mansion in Cincinnati.

Here at Doberman Demeanor, dogs are held in high regard. The name of this blog is an homage to the official DD pet, a doberman who is as friendly as can be, as smart as some people and possesses a visibly unique personality.

No, we are not a member of PETA or any other animal rights group, but we won't disparage those that are, as Mike Wilbon does on PTI.

It is with this disclaimer that I want to opine on Mr. Ron Mexico, aka Michael Vick. While he has yet to be charged with anything, SI.com's Don Banks wrote an article in which sources claim Vick not only knew dog fighting was happening at a house he owned in Virginia, but that he was involved in it:

"He knows what's going on in that house in Virginia,'' one source said. "There's not a doubt in my mind he's involved with it.'' The other source cited Vick's longtime "affinity'' for the dog-fighting subculture, and expressed certainty that Vick was aware of what was happening at the house.

It takes a certain kind of sick mentality to get involved with dogfighting. It's torture, plain and simple. The Humane Society's website has a page about what happens in dogfights:

Dogs used in these events often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection hours or even days after the fight.

Need more evidence of how pitiful this is? Go ahead and go to Google Images. Now type in "dog fighting". Come to think of it, I'll just go ahead and do it for you.

Pretty disturbing, right?

It's good to know that Vick is already being heckled by fans. At the NFL Quarterback Challenge in the Cayman Islands on Saturday, Vick was greeted with barks and chants of "Who Let the Dogs Out".

More punishment should be handed down by commissioner Roger Goodell if Vick is charged in this. He should be gone for at least 8 games. Not only that, it has been widely reported that the NFL has a culture of dog fighting enthusiasts. Goodell needs to look at this as well. Right now, his league is being viewed by the public as one full of gun owning, rain making, animal torturing, wife beating degenerates. Though that seems to be okay with the moral authority that is Clinton Portis.

But, hey, that's alright. At least they don't have a steroids problem. Otherwise, fans and media of NFL teams would have something to really get upset about.