Japan sees native son So
ST. LOUIS -- Anyone in Japan who stayed up until 4 a.m. -- or got up at 4 a.m. -- for Saturday's Cardinals-Yankees game probably did so in order to see "Godzilla," Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui. But they also got a look at another homegrown product, So Taguchi.
Taguchi insists he's not concerned that the game, broadcast in the U.S. on FOX, was also carried nationally in Japan.
"I think Japanese TV is just for Matsui," he said. "It's not a big deal for me, I think."
But Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was nonetheless pleased to get Taguchi in the lineup for the afternoon contest. It wasn't a favor, since Taguchi might have been a good fit, anyway, but it was a happy accident. Larry Walker and Jim Edmonds both were held out of the lineup, since it was a day game after a night game with dominating lefty Randy Johnson on the mound for the visitors.
"He's a good enough player where, if there was a way to get him in there today -- I could have played him for Reggie [Sanders] or something if it had been a right-hander -- it's not a stretch at all," La Russa said.
Taguchi took it in stride either way, noting the 14-hour time difference between St. Louis and Japan.
"It's 2 o'clock here," he said with a smile. "That means 4 o'clock in the morning. Sunday morning."
Rolen almost ready to play: If Scott Rolen comes through his workout well on Sunday afternoon, a Minor League rehabilitation assignment may not happen. Rolen will work out this week in St. Louis while the team heads north to Toronto.
If things continue to progress well, Rolen could be activated by the end of the week and meet the team in St. Petersburg for its Interleague series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Ever closer: Cal Eldred said Friday night that he doesn't expect to pitch any more Minor League games before he's activated, and La Russa said Saturday morning that there's a good chance the right-hander is correct. Eldred contracted a viral infection in the lining of his heart in April and has not pitched in the Majors since. He's made three rehab appearances at Springfield.
"He's made enough progress to where we're seriously discussing it," said La Russa. "It's very possible."
Eldred could conceivably be activated as soon as Sunday, but a more likely scenario would be on Monday, when the Cardinals begin their series in Toronto.
Welcome back? Tino Martinez has not been received warmly in his return to St. Louis, which is irritating to both his current and his former manager. Martinez was greeted with loud boos in his pinch-hit at-bat on Friday night, and again when he came to bat for the first time on Saturday. After Friday's game, La Russa, unsolicited, chided Cardinals fans for their treatment of the former St. Louis first baseman.
"I was really disappointed in the reception," La Russa said. "And just like I speak up for Albert [Pujols], I'll tell you that one reason Tino was so respected on this club was that he was always more disappointed, if he didn't play well, than our fans. And our fans should understand.
"He wanted to do it so bad, I think at times it got in the way. Our fans are really well-known for, when a guy puts his heart into it, they cut him an awful lot of slack. And we all knew that he was more bothered when he didn't play well than the fans were. Hopefully, the next time they see him in the series, they'll give him a better reception."
Martinez wasn't expecting a hero's welcome, but nor was he expecting quite such across-the-board disdain from the crowd at Busch Stadium.
"I didn't really think about it," he said. "I know I didn't play very well when I was here, but I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't surprised, but I expected more of a mix of cheers and boos."
Baby 'Birds: Chris Gissell racked up nine of Triple-A Memphis' 13 strikeouts in a 5-3 win over Omaha on Friday. John Rodriguez and Brandon Berger drove in two runs each. ... Double-A Springfield jumped to an early lead and then hung on for a 10-9 win over Wichita. Juan Diaz homered twice, and Aaron Herr hit one out as well. ... Mike McCoy singled, doubled and walked, but the second baseman also had to pitch an inning in Class A Palm Beach's 10-3 loss to Vero Beach. ... Juan Lucena had three hits, but didn't get much help as Class A Quad Cities lost to South Bend, 9-1.
The choice for player of the day is another easy one, thanks to Diaz's huge day. Playing DH for Springfield, Diaz smacked a single and a double to go with his two long balls. He drove in three runs and scored three. Diaz signed with the Cardinals organization as a Minor League free agent earlier this season.
Coming up: The home portion of the Cardinals' 2005 Interleague schedule comes to an end on Sunday afternoon. At 1:15, Matt Morris takes the mound for the Cards against Carl Pavano and the Yankees. The Redbirds hit the road for a three-city trip after the game.
Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/
Taguchi insists he's not concerned that the game, broadcast in the U.S. on FOX, was also carried nationally in Japan.
"I think Japanese TV is just for Matsui," he said. "It's not a big deal for me, I think."
But Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was nonetheless pleased to get Taguchi in the lineup for the afternoon contest. It wasn't a favor, since Taguchi might have been a good fit, anyway, but it was a happy accident. Larry Walker and Jim Edmonds both were held out of the lineup, since it was a day game after a night game with dominating lefty Randy Johnson on the mound for the visitors.
"He's a good enough player where, if there was a way to get him in there today -- I could have played him for Reggie [Sanders] or something if it had been a right-hander -- it's not a stretch at all," La Russa said.
Taguchi took it in stride either way, noting the 14-hour time difference between St. Louis and Japan.
"It's 2 o'clock here," he said with a smile. "That means 4 o'clock in the morning. Sunday morning."
Rolen almost ready to play: If Scott Rolen comes through his workout well on Sunday afternoon, a Minor League rehabilitation assignment may not happen. Rolen will work out this week in St. Louis while the team heads north to Toronto.
If things continue to progress well, Rolen could be activated by the end of the week and meet the team in St. Petersburg for its Interleague series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Ever closer: Cal Eldred said Friday night that he doesn't expect to pitch any more Minor League games before he's activated, and La Russa said Saturday morning that there's a good chance the right-hander is correct. Eldred contracted a viral infection in the lining of his heart in April and has not pitched in the Majors since. He's made three rehab appearances at Springfield.
"He's made enough progress to where we're seriously discussing it," said La Russa. "It's very possible."
Eldred could conceivably be activated as soon as Sunday, but a more likely scenario would be on Monday, when the Cardinals begin their series in Toronto.
Welcome back? Tino Martinez has not been received warmly in his return to St. Louis, which is irritating to both his current and his former manager. Martinez was greeted with loud boos in his pinch-hit at-bat on Friday night, and again when he came to bat for the first time on Saturday. After Friday's game, La Russa, unsolicited, chided Cardinals fans for their treatment of the former St. Louis first baseman.
"I was really disappointed in the reception," La Russa said. "And just like I speak up for Albert [Pujols], I'll tell you that one reason Tino was so respected on this club was that he was always more disappointed, if he didn't play well, than our fans. And our fans should understand.
"He wanted to do it so bad, I think at times it got in the way. Our fans are really well-known for, when a guy puts his heart into it, they cut him an awful lot of slack. And we all knew that he was more bothered when he didn't play well than the fans were. Hopefully, the next time they see him in the series, they'll give him a better reception."
Martinez wasn't expecting a hero's welcome, but nor was he expecting quite such across-the-board disdain from the crowd at Busch Stadium.
"I didn't really think about it," he said. "I know I didn't play very well when I was here, but I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't surprised, but I expected more of a mix of cheers and boos."
Baby 'Birds: Chris Gissell racked up nine of Triple-A Memphis' 13 strikeouts in a 5-3 win over Omaha on Friday. John Rodriguez and Brandon Berger drove in two runs each. ... Double-A Springfield jumped to an early lead and then hung on for a 10-9 win over Wichita. Juan Diaz homered twice, and Aaron Herr hit one out as well. ... Mike McCoy singled, doubled and walked, but the second baseman also had to pitch an inning in Class A Palm Beach's 10-3 loss to Vero Beach. ... Juan Lucena had three hits, but didn't get much help as Class A Quad Cities lost to South Bend, 9-1.
The choice for player of the day is another easy one, thanks to Diaz's huge day. Playing DH for Springfield, Diaz smacked a single and a double to go with his two long balls. He drove in three runs and scored three. Diaz signed with the Cardinals organization as a Minor League free agent earlier this season.
Coming up: The home portion of the Cardinals' 2005 Interleague schedule comes to an end on Sunday afternoon. At 1:15, Matt Morris takes the mound for the Cards against Carl Pavano and the Yankees. The Redbirds hit the road for a three-city trip after the game.
Source: http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/
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