Will injuries catch up to Cardinals at wrong time of year?

The Cardinals, despite numerous injuries to key players that have left them fielding a veritable Class AAA lineup, keep plugging along with the best record in the National League, although they have hit a bit of a rough patch lately.

But fans are no doubt wondering if St. Louis can survive the run of ailments that has landed regulars Scott Rolen, Reggie Sanders, Yadier Molina and Larry Walker on the disabled list for who knows how much longer.

Despite being shorthanded, the Cardinals continue to hold a commanding lead in the NL Central, thanks primarily to a starting pitching staff that has been sensational and a bullpen that entered the season with plenty of question marks but has also been rock-solid.

Chances are the Cardinals will be able to firmly hold on to their division lead no matter when -- or if -- the walking wounded return to action, although with the way the Astros have come on in recent weeks, that is no given.

But the bigger question is, will St. Louis be healthy enough to thrive in the playoffs?

That is, and probably will remain, up for debate, which is why Cardinals fans are begging for savvy general manager Walt Jocketty to make a trade or two. I'll admit that's a pretty good idea, although solid deals aren't always easy to swing.

But Jocketty has proven over the last few years that he generally seems to make the right moves, so it will be interesting to see what develops.

And you can bet whatever Jocketty does -- or doesn't -- pull off will come under plenty of scrutiny because, no matter what St. Louis does the rest of the way, I have a feeling that anything less than a World Series title this year will be disappointing in the eyes of Cardinal Nation. Fair or not, that's the way it is.

Time will tell whether the Cardinals are able to deliver.

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Speaking of the St. Louis starters, how about Chris Carpenter. Has he been amazing, or what?

Carpenter, the All-Star Game starter, has been strong virtually all year, but lately he's been off the charts, with a 7-0 record in his last seven starts. He's the NL's only 15-game winner, and one of just two in the major leagues.

Carpenter's story is a remarkable one, because just a couple of years ago he was ready to give up baseball after some serious arm injuries. But the Cardinals picked him up and, despite missing last year's playoffs due to injury, he's having a phenomenal season.

Matt Morris is also a pretty neat story. He took plenty of heat last year -- when he was apparently pitching hurt -- but now healthy, Morris is carving out quite a season of his own, even though he struggled some Friday night.

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One more Cardinals note:

It never ceases to amaze me that, regardless of how well the Redbirds do, so many fans around here are so quick to jump all over manager Tony La Russa after the infrequent losses, or whenever a move of his doesn't pan out.

I'm no La Russa lover, but it seems to me that a lot of people in this area simply don't like La Russa -- for whatever reason -- and they're not about to give him his proper due, but they're always ready to dole out plenty of criticism.

I'm the first to believe that sometimes baseball managing is a bit overrated, but that position takes plenty of blame when a team struggles, so you've also got to dole out praise when a squad rolls.

And the Cardinals have basically been rolling the past two years, so like it or not, La Russa deserves his props.

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The Plaza Tire Capahas are on a serious roll as they prepare for their 24th consecutive National Baseball Congress World Series appearance.

Veteran manager Jess Bolen's squad has won 10 straight games and is 24-6 heading into Monday night's first-round contest against the Wichita Gators, set for 10 p.m. The Capahas were originally slated to play the San Francisco Angels, but the matchup was recently changed.

A victory Monday would pit Plaza Tire against the powerhouse Wichita Braves, who are considered one of the pre-tournament favorites, in a Tuesday night game.

Here's hoping the Capahas make a strong showing in the 46-team, double-elimination event that features many of the nation's top college players and lists as alumni a host of current or former major league stars.

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Best wishes to Southeast Missouri State's Miles Smith and Joey Haines as they depart today for the 2005 World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Smith, who will be a junior at Southeast in the fall, is a member of the USA 1,600-meter relay team, while longtime Redhawks coach Haines will accompany him on his journey.

The World Championships are Aug. 6 through 14, although the 1,600 relay won't be held until Aug. 13 and 14.

Smith is slated to run in the first round of the 1,600 relay Aug. 13. He probably won't run in the Aug. 14 finals, although an especially impressive showing in the opening round could potentially change that.

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Here are responses to a couple of today's FanSpeak remarks:

First, I urge the person who commented on Southeast baseball to call me and let me know what he or she thinks is actually going on with the program, and to let me know the many things I have witnessed but ignored -- because I have no idea what that person is talking about.

Second, I thought long and hard about apologizing to the fan who called in and corrected me, and to whom I supposedly reacted in a smart-aleck manner -- but I just can't do it.

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Tennessee Tech's Willie Jenkins, the 2004-05 Ohio Valley Conference basketball player of the year, will begin his professional career overseas.

Jenkins, a 6-foot-6 forward, recently signed to play in Turkey's top league. The Cookeville Herald-Citizen reported that Jenkins signed a contract worth between $65,000 and $100,000 for one season.

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I don't follow the sport of cycling very much, and I'll admit I don't understand everything there is to know about the Tour de France.

But that's won't keep me from emphatically believing that Lance Armstrong is an amazing athlete.

Winning seven straight Tour de France titles would be a phenomenal accomplishment under any circumstances. But to pull that off after beating cancer makes his feat even more spectacular.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.