Heavy Dose Of Lefties Might Help Renteria
By Dan O'Neill Post-Dispatch
06/26/2003
The Cardinals will head west to open a three-game series in Kansas City Friday night, but the team they will face will be coming from the south.
After defeating Cincinnati lefthander Jimmy Anderson on Thursday night, the Cardinals will meet three Royals southpaws this weekend - Darrell May (0-4) at 7:05 Friday night, Jeremy Affeldt (4-3) on Saturday and Chris George (9-4) on Sunday.
After the series finale 11-7 win over the Reds, the Cardinals were 8-6 against lefthanded starters (6-2 at home and 2-4 on the road). Moreover, the Royals will be prepared to deal with the National League's top-hitting lineup, as they demonstrated while taking two of three from the Cardinals last weekend.
"I've watched them on television, too, and I've been impressed with the way they go about it," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "I think they're playing with a good idea. They're making pitches, doing things right."
The Cardinals knocked around May last Saturday, but they lost 5-2 to the hard-throwing Affeldt.
The presence of the lefthanders also means no rest for what might be a weary shortstop. Edgar Renteria was showing signs of fatigue, carrying a 0-for-13 slide until doubling in the first Thursday.
A few games without a hit is noticeable for a guy who was tied with teammate Albert Pujols for the league lead in multihit games (34). On the other hand, lefthanders might be the elixir for Renteria. He was batting .373 against lefties before facing Anderson.
La Russa would like to give Renteria a breather, and will when the club returns home for a series next week against San Francisco.
"It looks to me like (Renteria) might be a tad tired," La Russa said. "His swing is getting a little longer, maybe. But with four lefthanders ... he kills lefthanded pitching. I'd rather rest him against the Giants."
The Cardinals also will have a weapon they didn't have when the Royals visited St. Louis. Third baseman Scott Rolen was out of action last weekend with a sore neck.
La Russa anticipates a spirited atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium. "In the past it's been a good crowd with a lot of St. Louis fans," he said. "But I think now, with the season they're having, Kansas City is going to have their own corps of support, which is good."
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