The Cardinals fell 6 games behind the Cubs last night, but you can chalk up this loss as one of the costs of having a young and improving team short on experience. Perhaps Manny Ramirez would've come through in Ryan Ludwick's botched bases loaded, one-out opportunity in the bottom of the 8th. Or perhaps Albert Pujols or Troy Glaus would've taken better at-bats than Joe Mather and Nick Stavinoha with the bases loaded in the 9th. Inexperience is the price you pay for having a young club and is one of the reasons Tony La Russa likes to have veteran ballplayers on his teams. That said, this team is certainly heading the right direction by giving playing time to the likes of Mather and Stavinoha, because we're playing for this year and next. Experience gained now could mean Mather takes a better approach in a similar situation next year, when the Cardinals could have an even better shot at the playoffs. One foot in front of the other.

Joe Mather had been on fire before two consecutive 0-4 games, and I fully expect him to keep growing as he accumulates more playing time. His numbers in Triple-A Memphis - .303/.409/.630, 17 home runs, .327 Isolated Power - indicate that he's ready to be in the big leagues, and his surge of power over the past week only confirms his MLB-readiness. Unlike Nick Stavinoha, Mather hasn't been completely overwhelmed by major league pitching, but, then again, Mather's had 62 more at-bats than Stavinoha and started out slow as well. Still, Joe seems to have a better plate presence, and his power is a big plus when you consider he has pretty decent mobility for his size. Mather could become a really valuable 4th outfielder for us as soon as next year, capable of putting up 20 home runs in a season and a .350 OBP.

Nick Stavinoha, while a bit rawer than Mather, has also put up big numbers in Memphis this season - .345/.371/.533, 14 homers, .188 ISO. Stavinoha hasn't displayed as much power as Mather in his ascent up the minors, however, and his relatively low propensity to walk (career 4.0%) is a bit concerning. Nick, without the power of Mather and a bit lacking in speed, has more work ahead of him if he wants to factor in to the 2009, 2010, and beyond Cardinals ballclubs. I still see a future ahead of him in the MLB, as he has good on-base capabilities and has never been a big strikeout guy.

Last night's game was just another reminder that our team is still maturing. It would have been great to win the series against a good Phillies team, but I can't blame any one person for the loss. Sometimes inexperience proves to be a bit too much to overcome. Put one fit in front of the other, and soon you'll be walking out the door...

In other news, Chris Duncan is set to have likely season-ending surgery today. You can read a good analysis of what Duncan will be having at The Disabled List. An excerpt:

The traditional Cervical fusion procedure, which utilizes a plate and screws, leaves the patient with significantly decreased mobility in the neck. This type of procedure would have certainly left Duncan unable to resume his career. In addition, a fusion typically will result in painful dysfunction of spine segments above and below the surgical site in the future. The disc replacement surgery, though fairly new and recently receiving FDA clearance (and expensive: $15,000 or more for the implant alone), at least leaves open the possibility for a return as it allows for greater post-op mobility of the neck.

According to Noam Stadlan, M.D., of the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch, “Compared to spinal fusion, this surgery allows patients to maintain normal neck motion, and study has shown a lower rate of additional surgery for degeneration of adjacent segments. Unlike with fusion, patients who’ve received the disc don’t have to bother with a hard collar following surgery.”

I've been critical of 'lil Dunc in the past, but I, along with the rest of Cardinal Nation, sincerely hope Chris can make a full and speedy recover from his surgery set to take place today. We'll be praying for you Chris and hope to see you out on the playing field again soon.