St. Louis @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2010 ) St. Louis 4, LA Dodgers 12
Colby Rasmus celebrated by taking a seat on the bench.
It’s not exactly what the latest National League Player of the Week wanted to do, but that is where he found himself as the St. Louis Cardinals opened their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.
All hot hitters hate doing anything that might get them out their streak, but Rasmus was unable to return to the lineup after leaving Sunday’s game with a calf injury.
It was about the only thing that could stop the 23-year-old right now as he earned the award by going 11-for-22 with eight runs scored, three home runs and nine RBIs.
The big week was a continuation of the outfielder’s maturation process.
Rasmus had a solid rookie season in 2009 when he hit .251 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs in 147 games.
But in 2010, he is on pace to shatter those numbers and as Rasmus is a big reason why the defending NL Central champions were able to overtake the Cincinnati Reds for the division lead recently. After Monday’s action, they both sit in a tie at 33-25.
Rasmus' average is up to .293 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs with his on-base percentage 98 points higher than last season at .405 and his slugging percentage is 162 points better at .569.
St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said he expects Rasmus to return either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter (7-1, 2.76) takes the mound as St. Louis looks to even the series. With Carpenter on the mound, La Russa might leave Rasmus on the bench since the ace doesn’t need as much run support as others. He has given up one earned run in three of his last four starts.
But as hot as Rasmus has been of late, you can bet the left-handed swinging rising star will fight to get his way into the lineup against Hiroki Kuroda (5-4, 3.64).
Kuroda is looking to rebound after two difficult starts in which he allowed 17 hits, eight earned runs and five walks in 10 innings with only three strikeouts.
The Dodgers have been playing well in June although they are just coming off a series loss to the even hotter Atlanta Braves. Overall, Los Angeles has won six of its last eight games.
Los Angeles is getting close to running down the San Diego Padres, who have been in first place in the NL West for 43 days during the season but are just a half-game ahead heading into Tuesday’s action.