Carpenter Hammers Out a Good Outing

The Cardinals dominated the Washington Nationals today 9-2. Chris Carpenter made his first start of the spring. Great news for Cards' fans - he looked fantastic. Carpenter is looked at as the saving grace for this years team if he can compete at the same level he has in years prior. Carpenter was not the the only positive from the pitching staff though. We'll talk more about that later.

Carpenter only threw two nearly perfect innings against Washington on Saturday. He retired six of the seven batters he faced with the only National reaching base by getting hit by pitch. As if the results were not positive enough, he was also able to pitch effectively and controlled and did not waste pitches. He needed only 19 to get through the two innings; 13 of the 19 were strikes.

"My goal is to go out and locate and throw my offspeed pitches for strikes," Carpenter said after his positive outing today. "Start getting in that rhythm of a live game. And I was able to locate. I was able to throw my breaking ball for strikes, and I threw my changeup for strikes a couple times too. I got two outs (with it). So that was good."

Ryan Franklin after a disappointing 2008 got off to a good start with his first spring game as well. He followed Carp with three scoreless innings of his own. In those three innings he allowed one hit, no walks and struck out five... you read it right, five. Hopefully Franklin can have a bounce back year in 2009. Not necessarily as a closer, I did not like him in that role. But as a shut-down-eighth-inning-kinda-guy.

The offense was able to fire on all cylinders today as well. Through their first four preseason games the Cards are averaging 6.5 runs per game and over 10 hits per game. Ryan Ludwick finally got on the board this spring with his first hit; a 2-rbi double. Pujols reached again all three times today. He walked twice and singled in a run. That brings his spring average to .750. Let's keep it that way Alberto.

That's all today. Next up for the Cards is the Marlins on Sunday. Pine(sol)iro is gonna get the start. Go get 'em Joel, show Oquendo what he is missing out on.