JUPITER, Fla. — Before a former Houston Astros reliever came in to the game and surrendered five runs before he could get a second out, the Cardinals' margin for such a mistake was limited by their lack of offense.
The Cardinals' lineup struck out 12 times in a 9-1 loss to Houston.
Six of those strikeouts belonged to Paul Goldschmidt (zero-for-four), Nolan Gorman (zero-for-three), and Masyn Winn (zero-for-two). The Cardinals cut the Astros' lead in half in the fourth inning, but did not do much after that, and they had no answer for the five runs the Astros tagged their former teammate with. Josh James allowed five runs on two hits and three walks in Thursday afternoon's exhibition game at Roger Dean Stadium.
This spring, the two Cardinals leading the team in strikeouts are at opposite ends of the lineup and also opposite spots in their careers.
People are also reading…
Goldschmidt, a season removed from winning the NL MVP, is entering the final year of his contract with the Cardinals. Winn, a season removed from Class AA, is starting his first season as the team's everyday shortstop.
Both have struck out 16 times this spring.
Coming out of the loss Thursday, Goldschmidt is five-for-38 (.132) this spring, and three of those five hits have been for extra bases. Since hitting two doubles in a game earlier this month, Goldschmidt is in a one-for-16 funk with six strikeouts. He had a chance late in Thursday's game to tidy up his box score and the scoreboard and flew out to left field.
Wynn is 7-for-35 (.200) this spring. He has sweetened his production with five walks to have a .317 on-base percentage.
Houston's starter J. P. France struck out five Cardinals in his 3 1/3 innings, and that minimized the wreckage the Cardinals could have caused to his ERA when he offered them four walks as well. Ronel Blanco, who pitched the final four innings of the game, did not walk a batter and struck out five.
Facing some of the Cardinals starters who stuck in the game until it's final innings, Blanco got 14 swings and misses.
Six came on his slider.
James had some high-leverage moments in the playoffs in relief for the Astros. An injury led to his departure from that organization, and the Cardinals signed him this winter to a minor-league deal. He has had the chance to show on the back fields his health. The power on his fastball is not what it once was based on his outing Thursday in the Grapefruit League game. No longer nearing that 100 mph zip, James struggled to find the strike against his former team. He walked the first batter he faced on five pitches and touched 94 mph with the fastball.
He got one out and then the Astros pulled away for five runs.
Zack Thompson fell behind in counts but had more resourceful ways to work around it with the multiple off-speed pitches he's developed this offseason. The lefty struck out two, walked two, and limited the Astros to two runs on six hits. He did enough to continue moving on through spring as the starter the Cardinals are keeping ready for the rotation to open the season, either as the sixth man or as a sub for the injured Sonny Gray.
Andre Pallante solidified his grasp on a bullpen spot with a scoreless inning on 13 pitches. He struck out a batter. He had most of the game's swiftest pitches, consistently hitting 96 mph with his fastball in a spot that could not be hit.
From earlier ...Â
With spot in the rotation within reach, Zack Thompson makes his final Florida audition
The question presented to Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol on Thursday morning, a few hours before Zack Thompson threw the first pitch of his final Florida appearance this spring, was whether the lefty was making a "confirmation" start.
That is, they have a role in mind for him and this outing could provide "confirmation" of what the team is thinking.
Marmol agreed with the description.
Coming off a strong outing against the Twins, during which Thompson downshifted to his off-speed stuff when his fastball was off its usual speed, the Cardinals' lefty will have the opportunity to pitch deep into the afternoon game at Roger Dean Stadium against Houston. The Cardinals want to see Thompson's velocity tick up and hold fast in a start, not drift or sink as it did in his previous outing against the Twins, during which he held them hitless for four innings.
But what the Cardinals saw with Thompson's adjustment gave them encouragement as they look for a start to tag in for the first turn of the season.
Andre Pallante is the only other big-leaguer set to pitch in the game.
There are other news and notes as the camp speeds to a conclusion.
• Brandon Crawford (hit by pitch, hand) continues to have some soreness, but the Cardinals plan to have him in a game by this weekend. He has been limited to fewer than 10 at-bats this spring. Marmol said there is still time for him to get enough work and innings to be on the opening day club.
• Sonny Gray is scheduled to throw a minor-league game on the back fields at 1 p.m. Florida time. The Cardinals have had those back fields open to the public this spring, though it's not known if they will have them open Friday afternoon, due to a night road game. Sometimes they're closed if the Cardinals have a road game.
UPDATE: Game time has been moved due to weather to 10 a.m. Florida time. It is unlikely fields will be open for fans at that time.
Gray is scheduled to throw two innings as he begins to rebuild his arm strength after sustaining a hamstring tear in the first week of March.
No timetable for his readiness for the rotation has been established.
• Drew Rom had some inflammation in his left biceps muscle and took a break from throwing, though it wasn't that long of one. He is expected to do some work Thursday that could include throwing off the mound. Rom appears headed for the rotation in Class AAA Memphis as the Cardinals first-starter-up should they need a move there.
• The Cardinals removed five players from the major-league camp on Thursday morning. They assigned non-roster pitchers Kyle Leahy and Wilking Rodriguez along with catchers Nick Raposo and Wade Strauss and outfielder Matt Kopernick.Â
Those moves show the narrowing of playing time (and focus) in the outfield.
Just as the lineup will do in the coming days.
Speaking of which, here is Thursday's, and note the outfield:
1. Brendan Donovan, LF
2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
3. Nolan Gorman, 2B
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Alec Burleson, DH
6. Ivan Herrera, C
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Dylan Carlson, CF
9. Masyn Winn, SS
Starting pitcher: Thompson, LHP. Also on the schedule to pitch: Pallante, RHP. The Cardinals will have minor-league pitchers set to cover excess innings.
Check back as this story will be updated with game details, analysis, news.