Unusual strategy aiding Cardinals, Brewers

ST. LOUIS -- Finally, the St. Louis Cardinals ran into another team batting the pitcher eighth. Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost has his own rationale for becoming aligned with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa's maverick strategy.

"It's a completely different circumstance," Yost said before the start of a three-game series that had both teams' throwaway at-bat before the bottom of the order.

Mindful of Jason Kendall's tendency to ground into double plays in recent seasons, Yost has used Kendall as his lineup anchor all year. Kendall was 14-for-24 in the first seven games, and despite a 1-for-14 slump, was batting .375.

"My No. 9 hitter's leading the league in hitting, or he was," Yost said. "It's worked out very well for us, after 12 games, as good as it could work out."

La Russa batted the pitcher eighth the in last 56 games of last season, working on the theory that a singles-hitting ninth-place hitter would give the team consecutive leadoff hitters and make Albert Pujols the cleanup man after the first time through the order. St. Louis was 28-28, representing a slight improvement for a team that had started out 50-56.

He used the same strategy during Mark McGwire's glory years, giving Big Mac the same advantage while he was breaking Roger Maris' home run record with 70 in 1998. Early in spring training, he announced his intention to stick with it this year.

A 10-4 start has made it look good. La Russa batted Cesar Izturis ninth for the 10th time Tuesday, and Izturis contributed a two-run single. Aaron Miles has hit ninth three times and Adam Kennedy once.

"We're still doing it," La Russa said. "There's your answer."

Yost's rationale represents original thinking. He began kicking around the idea over the winter with the notion of batting NL rookie of the year Ryan Braun second and therefore third after his first at-bat.

Yost changed his mind on Braun after some numbers crunching indicated the strategy might better pay off with Kendall hitting ninth. Kendall is a good contact hitter, but in 2005 grounded into 26 double plays while with the Athletics, tying for the AL lead. He had grounded into 148 double plays for his career entering 2008, but has none this year.