European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 11, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July 2007 stars and stripes Page 37 champs sense a second half surge in cards by Fallstrom the associated press Louis after the Louis Cardi nals took three of four from the Arizona diamondbacks in the Middle of last Pitcher Adam Wainwright sensed a revive the defending world series he were going to be a team to watch in the second the Allstar break would Only delay the this is a big turning Point for i feel Wainwright were starting to get on a or the cardinals wrapped up the first half by losing two of three to the san Francisco who won Only their second Road series of the the first half of the season has been a maddening mix of injuries and inconsistent fits and for a team that has seemed to surge several times Only to quickly stumble Back into the Ace Chris Carpenter has been out since opening Day because of an Elbow injury that required surgery to remove Bone spurs Jim David Juan Yadier Molina and Tyler Johnson have All missed extended the cardinals fell 10 games behind the no Centra leading Milwaukee Brewers on May trailed by As Many As games in late june and Are 7vz games out of first place at the this is not the world championship said Scott who has Only four homers at the break after hitting 22 last you look on the and you dont see a lot of Guys we had last we Haven Haven Haven played very one sign of the Tough times a fan suggested on manager Tony la Russas weekly Callin show that slumping second base Man Adam Kennedy might Benefit from taking the rest of the year and la Russa saw if you take a month How do you do that la Russa said after the if a Guy says i dont need Money for a month but i think its very Kennedy and Kip the teams two free agent have Kennedy is hitting and finds himself in a virtual platoon with Aaron Miles at Sec Ond Wells leads the majors with 11 losses and spent a few weeks in the bullpen before getting another shot at his Era is worst in the National league among qualifying the Only consistent area has been a Bull pen led by Jason who has 17 saves in 19 chances and a Era after recovering from hip surgery that knocked him out of the and nearly spot less setup Man Ryan Franklin has been so he earned a two year contract Extension last the offence has been Power num Bers Are Way Down for Albert who has not homered in 74 a bats in 22 both career Long and Rolen has picked up the yet theres plenty of optimism heading into the second starting with a 10game trip that begins in Philadelphia on Carpenter is expected Back a huge boost for a makeshift rotation that at times has featured four former career Eckstein could return from a Back injury for the Start of the the mid season break should helped monds mend from Back and leg and he should be patrolling Center Field by end of the at its the nucleus of this roster produced two world series appearances in a three year Span from consecutive 100win seasons in 2004 and 2005 and the franchises first title in 24 years last that championship run came after an 83win season featuring a second half Simi Tom Albert Pujols tosses his Bat after striking out in a recent he has not homered in 74 a career Long Lar to the first half this la Russa takes Solace in the fact it could have been noting the cardinals easily could be buried 15 or 20 games below instead of Only every time we got hit with these Guys have Hung in la Russa weve got enough wins that some some weve got a at the award winners Are Halfway there by Jim Salisbury the Philadelphia inquirer Philadelphia the Allstar break has sounds like a Good time to hand out some first half for entertain ment purposes of National league at age Milwaukee Prince fielder is living up to the hype he received on his Way to the and Hes doing it As the Leader of a firs place at the he leads the no in homers 29 and slugging percent age is second in Bis and fifth in runs fielder got the Start at first base for the no in tuesday nights Allstar he beat out Albert Derrek Ryan Howard and Adrian Gonza Lez for the that says some american league Alex Rodriguez is putting up big num Bers for a struggling Yankees but Manglio Ordonez gets the nod Here because Hes doing it for one of the Best teams in the a the tigers right fielder is Lead ing the majors with a batting he is first in the Al in doubles 35 and on base percent age second in extra base hits 48 and total bases third in slugging and fourth in Bis 70 and runs the tigers Lead the majors in having Ordonez hitting fourth behind Curtis Placido Polanco and Gary Shef Field is a big reason National league by very tight race among three no West right handers Chris Jake Peavy and Brad were going with Young by a nose Over san Diego teammate Peavy and dodgers Ace Lenny padres starter Chris Youngs Era is the Best in the in his last 12 his Era is just a 610 texan who played two years of basketball at is and his Era is the Best in the in his past 12 Young has Al Lowed just 10 earned runs in 66 innings for a american league by Oakland Dan Haren is 103 los ing his final Start before the break and a league est he had held opponents to a batting Hes the Winner Here Over Josh Johan san John Lackey and Justin ver watch out for Santana the rest of the the two time by Young Winner has great Ca reer numbers in the second half Era and closed the first half by winning four posting a Era in that National league Rookie of the if you watched the Phillies in Houston last youll Proba Bly agree with this Hunter who reminds us a Little of a Young Matt went 7for16 with four three homers and four Bis in the that performance helped the astros Center who didst debut in the majors until april qualify for the top 10 in Hes hitting tops in the and he had 11 homers and 40 Bis in his first 61 Hes made adjustments quicker than any other Rookie Ive astros infielder Mark Lor Etta told the Houston Treyve tried to pitch him every which Way All fast balls in and he seems to make the just when you Treyve kind of figured him out or the scouting report is out on him a Little he seems to find a Way to keep is a native and astros fans love one Young women recently attended a game with her Boyfriend and held up a sign that read ill dump this Guy for american league Rookie of the lots of candidates including Tampa Bay outfielder Del Ion Boston second baseman Dustin Angels outfielder Reggie Willits and Baltimore right hander Jeremy Guth Bostons Daisuke who missed a Chance to win his Lith game on has also in were going to mix it and give props to one of those often overlooked setup men red sox lefty Hideki one of last Winters Best Hes 31 and has a decade of japanese Ball under his but the rules say Hes a and Hes been a darn Good one for the team with the Best bullpen in the Okajima has practically Given the red sox a closer in the eighth Ben athletics Pitcher Dan Haren has held opponents to a batting average and is tops in the Al with a Era through the first while setting up for Allstar Jonathan he allowed just four runs in his first 41 innings 38 National league manager of the the who have been in first place in the no Cen trial every Day since april Are loaded with Young it takes someone to steer it All in the right Ned Yost has done he May have a Tough test hold ing off the cubs in the second but this int about the Sec Ond american league manager of the big expectations can be like a Bullseye on a managers Cleveland Eric wedge came into the season in the final year of his contract with a talented read Towin when the indians opened the heat got turned up on but he never and eventually things straightened the indians Are one game be Hind Detroit in the difficult Al