Cardinals need Ludwick to produce to keep grip on first

ST. LOUIS -- Adversity dogged the St. Louis Cardinals during the first half of the season. More than enough went right, considering they lead the NL Central by 2 1/2 games.

The season-long absence of Troy Glaus, woeful starts from the players who were supposed to protect Albert Pujols, nine at-bats before an injury to newly acquired Mark DeRosa, six weeks between starts for Kyle Lohse and other setbacks forced manager Tony La Russa to use 15 rookies. Yet the Cardinals are in a good position exiting their first hometown All-Star Game in 43 years, heading into a three-game series starting Friday against the visiting Diamondbacks.

The All-Star glow is likely to linger at 4-year-old Busch Stadium, gussied up for Tuesday's big event, even if the result was yet another National League loss. Pujols felt the love in a thunderous, prolonged ovation during player introductions.

"It was pretty special, and I wasn't expecting anything different," the two-time NL MVP said. "That's how we feel every night with these fans. They're the best fans in baseball."

The Cardinals are not so short-handed anymore, either.

St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Ludwick, right, celebrates with teammate Rick Ankiel after hitting a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the sixth inning of the second game of a double header Sunday in Chicago.Paul Beaty Associated Press

"We're better right now," La Russa said. "We've got a lot of pluses."

Glaus began rehab from January shoulder surgery last weekend. La Russa is hopeful DeRosa will be back soon from a wrist injury.

Lohse returned to the rotation the day before the break.

Perhaps most important, Ryan Ludwick finally began to flash the form that put him in his first All-Star Game last season, batting .455 during a nine-game hitting streak.

"The guy is really an awesome hitter," Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright said. "He had a slow start, but you knew it was just a matter of time before he got clicking."

St. Louis Cardinals' Chris Carpenter pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game Friday at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (David Banks ~ Associated Press)

Pujols leads the majors with 32 homers and 87 RBIs despite drawing 32 intentional walks. He may not be so easy to pitch around anymore if Ludwick stays on the form that produced 37 homers and 113 RBIs last year, and 22-year-old rookie Colby Rasmus continues to produce.

Rasmus leads rookies with 11 homers. La Russa has been impressed with Rasmus' tenacity against unfamiliar pitchers.

"He's become an important guy and all he's got to do is keep playing at this level," La Russa said. "There's no guarantees he's got at-bats in the second half, unless he earns them."

Better finishes from struggling Rick Ankiel and Chris Duncan would give the Cardinals a much deeper lineup. The only other semi-consistent bats thus far have been Yadier Molina and leadoff man Skip Schumaker.

"If they decide to give me an easy pass, Ludwick is going to make them pay, Yaddy is going to make them pay, Duncan, Ank," Pujols said. "So go ahead and take the chance."

Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin, left, has been a pleasant surprise for St. Louis. The All-Star is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA and 21 saves in 22 chances. (PAUL BEATY ~ Associated Press)

Lohse, a 15-game winner last year, strengthens a rotation headed by Chris Carpenter (7-3, 2.47 ERA), Wainwright (10-5, 3.04) and Joel Pineiro (7-9, 3.20 ERA), whose record includes two shutouts and three complete games.

"I'm just ready to get in a groove," Lohse said. "My first-half starts, it seemed like something would happen every other one, health-wise."

Closer Ryan Franklin is a first-time All-Star at age 36, and his lucky goatee is one of a kind, hanging several inches below his chin. After beating out two youngsters in spring training, he has 21 saves in 22 chances with a microscopic 0.79 ERA.

"I like under the radar a lot better, but it comes with the territory," Franklin said. "I'm not scared of it."

La Russa's biggest key to second-half success: pitcher Todd Wellemeyer, who's just 7-7 with a hefty 5.56 ERA. He was a 13-game winner in a breakout season last year.

"He's had a couple of positives and then he has a negative," La Russa said. "He really hasn't been the victim of a lot of bad breaks, he's just been inconsistent. He's shown he can do it and he's shown it can get away from him.

"We want to have five solid chances every time we roll the rotation over, and we believe in him."