MLB, St. Louis Cardinals NEWS
Cards Ludwick Quietly Having All-Star Season
Published by MoonDog on May 22, 2008
Aside from St. Louis Cardinal fans it wouldn’t come as a surprise if you haven’t heard of Ryan Ludwick. The much traveled and often injured Ludwick has finally reached a point where his potential is starting to pay dividends, and St. Louis has been the beneficiary.
Ludwick was originally a second round draft choice of the Oakland Athletics in 1999. Ludwick spent his time in the A’s organization playing in the minor leagues. He was traded to the Texas Rangers before the 2002 season, where he made his major league debut. However, his season was cut short when he fractured his hip, the first of many injuries which significantly hampered his career.
In 2003, Ludwick was traded by the Rangers to the Cleveland Indians. From that point until 2006, Ludwick spent most of his time on the disabled list or on rehab assignments in the minors. After bouncing around the Indians organization, the Detroit Tigers signed him to a minor league contract on January 10, 2006. Finally healthy after four injury-plagued years, Ludwick spent the 2006 season playing for the Toledo Mud Hens and was named to the International League team for the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game.
After being released by the Tigers at the end of the 2006 season, St. Louis signed him to a minor league deal on December 18, 2006. He was invited to spring training by the Cardinals in 2007 but didn’t make the club. Ludwick was sent to Triple-A Memphis where he started in right field and produced very respectable numbers.
On May 6, 2007, Ludwick was called up by the Cardinals after Preston Wilson went on the disabled list. Ludwick has been on the Cardinals 25-man roster ever since.
In 2007 Ludwick appeared in 120 games, coming to the plate 303 times. While his .267 batting average wasn’t especially good, Ludwick did produce better than average power numbers with 14 homers and 52 RBI’s. His OBP of .339 and SLG of .479 were more than enough for Ludwick remaining with the club entering the 2008 season.
During the 2008 season to date, Ludwick is enjoying his best season in the majors. Primarily hitting fourth behind Albert Pujols, the 29-year old outfielder has given St. Louis the much-needed protection Pujols hasn’t enjoyed over the past two seasons.
In 42 games this season, Ludwick is hitting .336 with 12 homers and 35 RBI’s in just 131 at-bats. Even more impressive is his .421 OBP, .738 SLG and 1.159 OPS. As if that weren’t enough, Ludwick has even stolen two bases.
Ludwick’s numbers are more than strong enough to merit All-Star consideration. Compared to some of the more heralded National League outfielders, Ludwick has produced better results with fewer plate appearances than any other.
The Pirates Nate McClouth is hitting .298 with 12 HR’s and 36 RBI’s, but has 50 more at-bats than Ludwick. The Brewers Ryan Braun is hitting .297 with 13 HR’s and 37 RBI’s, but has 61 more at-bats than Ludwick.
With Ludwick giving Albert Pujols the protection he needs, teams haven’t pitched around Pujols with the regularity they did early in the season. With Pujols seeing more pitches to hit, the Cardinals have more opportunities for one of the most feared hitters in the game.
While Ludwick doesn’t have enough plate appearances to be ranked among the league leaders, he has produced well beyond the Cardinals expectations. Should he be able to maintain this current pace, Ludwick will be more than deserving of a spot on the National League All-Star team come July.
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ShooterB on Thu, 22nd May 2008 11:09
I suppose this is the year for productive players flying under the radar. I keep waiting for Ludwick’s numbers to return to earth…but it just isn’t happening.
It’s amazing what some of these guys can do when they finally get an opportunity to play full-time. McLouth is another example…at no point was he really projected to be an MLB starter. And he continues to prove the scouts wrong.
I expect some difficult All-Star voting on the NL this year. Every position is loaded with candidates. And in the outfield, not only the 3 you mentioned…but some bigger names are starting to catch fire. Guys like Soriano, Holliday, Carlos Lee, and Pat Burrell might be able to knock McLouth or Ludwick out of a well-deserved selection.
MoonDog on Thu, 22nd May 2008 11:37
Totally agree. If you look at the numbers, his power stats are comparable with all of the others, but his average, OBP, SLG and OPS are all much higher and he’s done it with fewer AB’s.
The fact he’s not a “name” player will probably hurt him, but he’s deserving.
The Cards are really playing beyond expectations. If Isringhausen hadn’t blown six saves, this team would have the best record in baseball.
MeanDovine on Thu, 22nd May 2008 16:22
Thanks for the heads up on this guy.
As a lifelong Cubbies’ fan, I’ll have to keep my eye on him, especially his at-bats. I’d hate to be surprised by this guy unexpectedly coming through in the clutch.
In the top photo he actually reminds me a bit of Steve Finley, not so much in his facial features as much as in his build. Unfortunately, he doesn’t appear to have longevity on his side as Finley did.
But one never knows …
Very nice profile.
MoonDog on Thu, 22nd May 2008 16:50
Mean – The NL Central is shaping up as a very competitive division this year. The contending teams – the Cubs, Cards, Astros and Brewers all have a weakness. Even the Reds and Pirates can jump up and beat you on a given day.
I’m remaining optimistic about the Cards but I’m not getting my hopes up just yet.
This guy is a raker – he doesn’t get cheated at the plate. He swings like he’s trying to tear the cover off the ball and when he connects, it goes a long way.
Should be very interesting over the remaining four months of the season.
MeanDovine on Thu, 22nd May 2008 18:03
Dude, the Cardinals always scare me. Top notch ball club … and they know how to find them.
Always seems to be a surprising, run producing talent in their lineup.