Daily Rant: Cardinals sweep Padres with offensive showing.

The Cardinals completed a sweep of the Padres with a good showing by the offense and a somewhat lucky start by Lance Lynn. Also, no one got injured, which is rare news for the Cardinals. Who wins the three stars? Gotta read after the jump to find out.

Box Score

The Positives

• Rafael Furcal continues to be a solid leadoff hitter. I don’t think he ends the year hitting in the .330s, but if he can stick around the .280 to .300 range, he’ll earn the contract.
• Skip’s versatility is a great asset for the Cardinals. The ability to play at second base to free up Greene or Descalso to play shortstop and give Furcal a rest and also be able to cover all three outfield positions makes Skip a commodity for the team even if his offense isn’t elite.
• Matt Holliday‘s average is at .270 with a hit in last night’s game.
• Carlos Beltran hit his fourteenth bomb of the season. This gives him the NL lead and he would be tied for the league lead if not for Josh Hamilton‘s ridiculous four homer game.
• David Freese looks to be slowly coming out of his funk. He had a two hit, two RBI game and hit his ninth home run of the season. He definitely needs to show more consistency, but it is nice to see him starting to come around.
• Matt Adams is showing that he has the skills to be a staple at first base. His sample size is incredibly short, but he’s showing the plate discipline to be a starter next season.
• Tyler Greene had a hit and two walks. He is showing that with regular playing time, he can be an everyday player in the big leagues. His speed on the basepaths is a tremendous asset to the team.
• The bullpen was stellar. Victor Marte, Scrabble, and Jason Motte combining for three innings of scoreless ball and only two base runners is a good sign for this team. With Lynn starting to falter, Wainwright’s inconsistent start, and Lohse and Westbrook due for regression, the bullpen will be leaned on heavily.

Justin’s Jeers

• I incorrectly called for Eugenio Velez to get the call. I figured his big league experience and just about every position versatility would earn him a spot, but Steven Hill is a good candidate. He gives the team coverage at first, third, and the corner outfield spots. I’m just not one hundred percent certain that he was ready for a promotion, even a short one.
• Lance Lynn looks to be close to hitting the Wellemeyer Wall. His last few starts have been really shaky and he was incredibly lucky to only give up three runs in this game after allowing eleven baserunners. He is starting to walk more hitters and strike out less. This is similar to last season when Kyle McClellan started out so hot but then saw his effectiveness take a nose dive. I’m not saying Lynn is cooked, but he definitely looks like he will be experiencing some regression soon

Three Stars

3) The Bullpen – The unit of Marte, Scrabble, and Motte kept the Padres off the boards in the late innings while the offense took charge.

2) David Freese – Two hits and an insurance home run were key in ensuring a Cardinals victory.

1) Carlos Beltran – Beltran’s two run homer gave the Cardinals the lead in the game and they never looked back.

Standings

Today’s Game

The Cardinals play host to the Philadelphia Phillies in a four game rematch of the 2011 NLDS. In game one, the Cardinals send out 4-3 Jake Westbrook against 4-4 Joe Blanton. Westbrook has a 2.41 ERA against Blanton’s 3.74. Blanton has some success at Busch Stadium; in three starts, he has picked up two wins and holds a 2.25 ERA in twenty innings. I sat down with Ethan Seidel of our Phillies affiliate. To give my thoughts on comparisons between the Phillies and Cardinals. Make sure to check that out when it is up and, as always, check back in with Redbird Rants tomorrow as we will have a recap of the tonight’s 7:15 game.