Live From Spring Training ’10: Cardinals vs. Astros

Astro starter, Wandy Rodriguez, couldn’t find a pitch he could get past the St. Louis Cardinals’ all right handed batting order in the first inning and was rocked for 5 runs in a Monday game at Kissimmee..  The big blows were a 2-run double by Ryan Ludwick and a 3-run homer by David Freese.  After that, Rodriguez settled down for 3 scoreless innings followed by 2 each from Sammy Gervacio and Wilton Lopez.  The Astros pecked away for 4 runs including a home run by Pedro Feliz but that was as close as they could get.  Joe Mather of the Cardinals hit a solo homer off Shane Loux in the 9th inning to make the final score, 6-4.

A SABR member since 1984, Bill has written articles for The National Pastime, The Baseball Research Journal and other publications and web sites.  For the past 16 years, he has worked for Tal Smith Enterprises on salary arbitration and has attended many arbitration hearings.