Mike Matheny is not happy with Cardinals play during Spring Training

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If you are unhappy with how the St. Louis Cardinals have been performing during this year’s Spring Training, you are not alone. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is right there with you in being upset.
Mar 10, 2014; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny (22) and Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus (7) chat with former Tigers manager Jim Leyland before the game at Roger Dean Stadium. The Tigers defeated the Cardinals 17-5. Image Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
To say that it has been frustrating to watch is the least of it for the Cardinals at the moment. The Cardinals are 2-5-2 in spring following yesterday’s shellacking from the Detroit Tigers. This is a defending 2013 National League championship team that lost Carlos Beltran, John Axford, and Edward Mujica, to name a few.

"“That was just ugly,” said Matheny, “no matter where it is. In your backyard with your kids, you don’t like to have games like that. To have two of them in a row like that (the Cardinals lost to Washington 11-1 on Sunday) is not acceptable, and these guys know that. We’re better than 28-6, I know that. That’s a bad football score."

This is a time for leaders like Matt Holliday, Adam Wainwright, and Yadier Molina, members of the now-Core Five on the Cardinals, to step up in the clubhouse and provide leadership. If the players don’t like what is happening in spring games, make no mistake that the fans are unhappy with the performances as well.

Once upon a time, Max Scherzer was drafted by the Cardinals but he opted to play college baseball for the Missouri Tigers instead of going pro right out of high school. He’s living the dream with the Tigers. The St. Louis native is a free agent after this season. The Tigers would like to lock him up with a long-term deal, presumably why the team traded Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler during the offseason.