When the season started the Cardinals weren’t too confident that they had a competent outfield but they were wrong. Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Skip Schumaker have formed one of the best outfields in the whole National League. Schumaker has been a big surprise but he really shouldn’t have been as a showed last season that he could hit while playing a reserve role on the Cardinals. Schumaker has played in 80 games for the Cardinals this season and he is 84 for 280 (.300 avg, .803 OPS) with 53 runs scored, 6 homers, 30 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. As long as he keeps hitting like he is now the Cardinals will keep giving him a lot of at bats and there is no reason to think he can’t keep it up.

The Cardinals weren’t sure how the outfield was going to shake out when this season started but they have to be amazed at how well Ryan Ludwick is swinging the bat. He’s making pitchers’ pay for pitching around Albert Pujols. Ludwick has played in 45 games for the Cardinals this season and he is 47 for 141 (.333 avg, 1.134 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 13 homers and 38 RBIs. Previously to this season, Ludwick had played in 224 major league games in which he was 160 for 637 (.251 avg, .765 OPS) with 80 runs scored, 28 homers and 96 RBIs.

Almost every team is pitching around Pujols this season and his elbow continues to bark but he just keeps ripping the baseball. Pujols has played in 30 games so far this season for the Cardinals and he is 36 for 99 (.364 avg, 1.112 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 5 homers and 20 RBIs. Pujols has walked 32 times already this season as he is getting the Barry Bonds treament. The amazing thing about Pujols this season is that he’s not missing the ball much at all as he has only whiffed 7 times this whole year. It the Cardinals hitters behind Pujols keep producing they will eventually have to pitch to him.

The Cardinals have signed 29-year old righty swinging Josh Phelps to a minor league contract. Phelps played in 94 games last season for the Yankees and Pirates and he was 48 for 157 (.306 avg) with 21 runs scored, 7 homers and 31 RBIs. Phelps has now played in 446 games in his major league career and he is 371 for 1,360 (.273 avg, .820 OPS) with 194 runs scored, 64 homers and 243 RBIs. This was a good signing for the Cards as Phelps will give them a nice power bat off of the bench next season.

Albert Pujols got off to a slow start for him before the All-Star Break but that is no longer a problem as he has carried the Cardinals back into the playoff race.  Pujols has played in 37 games since the All-Star Break and he is 48 for 137 (.350 avg, 1.174 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 14 homers and 31 RBIs.  The Cardinals need for him to keep swinging a hot stick if they want to make the playoffs this season.  He has now played in 122 games this season and he is 144 for 447 (.322 avg, 1.003 OPS) with 81 runs scored, 30 homers and 83 RBIs.