FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: CARDS FIND THEIR NO. 1 GUY IN KENT BOTTENFIELD

Before this baseball season began, many Cardinal fans -- myself included -- were disgusted at Cardinals general manager Walt Jockety for not finding a top-notch, No. 1 starter.

I was glad, though, when the Cardinals didn't shell out the $105 million to land Kevin Brown, the most talented free-agent pitcher this past off-season.

But Jockety didn't budge on anything as far as pitching goes and I felt at the beginning of the season that the Cardinals would likely crumble because they didn't have an ace.

I was wrong.

The Cardinals' problems run much deeper than a No. 1 starter.

The Cardinals have a No. 1 starter.

His name is Kent Bottenfield.

Don't get me wrong. I refuse to jump on the Bottenfield bandwagon until the heavy-set right-hander duplicates his winning ways in the second half of the season.

But Bottenfield has pitched circles around Kevin Brown, even though Brown has more zeroes in his contract. In fact, Bottenfield has more wins than any pitcher in the National League. More than Randy Johnson. More than Greg Maddux. More than Curt Schilling.

No, the Cardinals -- at this point in the season -- aren't lacking a stopper at the top of the rotation.

I think the biggest disappointment with the Cardinals this season has been the bullpen. I cringe each time Tony La Russa goes to the pen. The only relief pitcher I have confidence in -- and it isn't much -- is Manny Aybar.

In my opinion, Scott Radinsky and Ricky Bottalico have been huge busts to this point.

Going into the season, the Cardinals supposedly had three guys (Radinsky, Bottalico and Juan Acevedo) who could close games. I really don't think this year's bullpen is much more productive than last year's circus with ring master Jeff Brantley.

And that's just one of the downfalls.

Aside from Bottenfield, the starting rotation has been as unreliable as President Clinton's sworn statements.

How is it that Jose Jimenez can throw a no-hitter, give up seven runs the next game and then follow that up with a two-hit, complete-game shutout?

Kent Mercker, Darren Oliver and Acevedo -- now a starter -- have been just as unpredictable.

I get the feeling that these pitchers are neither mentally nor emotionally prepared going into certain games.

The Cardinals have been getting better pitching performances lately and I think Alberto Castillo's increase in playing time at catcher has a lot to do with that. But I suppose it's just a matter of time before the pitching goes haywire again.

In more general terms, the Cardinals have not played good fundamental baseball prior to the All-Star break.

The Cardinal pitchers can't bunt; pinch runners are getting picked off in the late innings of tight ballgames; runners are getting thrown out at the plate with disturbing frequency; sub-.250 batters are swinging at first pitches and the Cardinal pitchers, especially the relievers, are giving up way too many walks.

These types of things don't consistently happen on playoff-caliber teams. They don't happen on well-managed teams, either.

Offensively, the Cardinals have been holding their own, except when they get good pitching. Joe McEwing and Fernando Tatis have come out of nowhere, making up for J.D. Drew and Eric Davis who haven't yet lived up to their expectations.

So who's to blame for the Cardinals' lackluster play?

When there are so many things wrong on a team with so much talent (Mark McGwire, Ray Lankford and Edgar Renteria), so much potential (Drew, Jimenez, Acevedo and Oliver) and so many pleasant surprises (Tatis, Bottenfield and McEwing), one can't help but question the manager's performance.

Sometimes the team looks so bad, I think "How can this team be near the .500 mark?"

Other times the team looks so good, I think "How can this team be near the .500 mark?"

Those identical questions reflect poorly upon La Russa.

I don't think that there is any easy solution for La Russa and the Cardinals. But then again, if the manager and general manager have no solutions, then perhaps they're part of the problem.

Bob Miller is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.