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5 things we learned in the Cardinals' Monday loss

The Cardinals are 4-6 on the season and the early signs are too many strikeouts, the bullpen giving games away, and the rotation being not as reliable as a rotation needs to be overall.
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY SPORTS

Player debuts are a big deal in St. Louis.

It could be Stubby Clapp or Mark McGwire-the ovation will be the same. It's like being welcome into a party that started a few hours ago, but will slow down for your arrival. The thrill of seeing a new Bird play ball is something fans get fired up and can't wait for. There's a time when the Baseball Reference and Fangraphs search ends, and the actual player begins.

Monday night, Greg Holland made his Cardinal debut 12 days after he was signed for one year and $14 million. It didn't go well.

Here's a few things we learned in the 5-4 loss in ten innings.

5) The Cardinals struck out ten times and left seven runners on base. One of these days, the Cardinals won't strike out eight or more times in a game. Maybe. If you are going to miss that many pitches, there should be long balls flying out of the stadium. Disappointing trends.

4) Jose Martinez went hitless for the second game in a row for the first time since his big opening last September, and then he left the game due to an Achilles contusion. In other words, it's not ruptured just yet. Please stand by for further testing. Martinez's bat was slowly coming back to Earth, but it's still a big loss for for the team if it's more than the ten day disabled list stop. Jedd Gyorko is already out and Matt Carpenter's bat is still in winter mode.

3) Miles Mikolas was just alright again. Cool it, sabermetrical crowd. I know his xFIP is 2.43, which tells you he isn't relying on defense to get his outs. It is Fangraphs version of Fielding Independent Pitching-and it's a little early to summarize after just two starts. He's not walking a lot of guys, but he's also allowed eight earned runs in 12 innings. Some would accept this from a 4-5 guy in the rotation. I'd like to see better from a #4. Adam Wainwright is the #5 guy, so he should shoot for this kind of work. Mikolas also didn't hit a home run this time, so meh.

2) Dexter Fowler had a good game, even if he got thrown out at second base in the first inning. You know, in a one-run game, that looms large in the end. Leaving men on base or losing them on the base equally stink. It is good to see the leadoff man collect a two hit game and take some chances though. Fowler continued his Willie Hayes in the early going of Major League routine in right field.

1) I pictured Greg Holland's debut going a lot differently than four walks and a run allowed. I imagined two strikeouts and a broken bat flyout. Baseball fever dreams, though, hardly come true. The former Royal's first outing went downhill fast. In other words, he walked four guys and gave the game back to the Brewers after the Birds tied it in the bottom of the ninth. Holland didn't get a spring training, only seeing a couple relief appearances in the minors, so we can chalk this up to pure rust.

Now, once Holland walked three batters, Mike Matheny should have went to Bud Norris a little sooner-but remember, Matheny is about as sharp with bullpen management as I am with a power drill. When you expect good things, disappointment will follow. Norris came in and stopped the bleeding, but it was too late.

Bonus: Kolten Wong made bunts sexy again with that beautifully deadened sacrifice in the ninth. Wow!

The Cardinals are 4-6 on the season and the early signs are too many strikeouts, the bullpen giving games away, and the rotation being not as reliable as a rotation needs to be overall. However, if Mikolas can move away from mediocre-ville and not give another team four runs, and Wainwright can work miracles, the rotation may look a lot better.

For now, don't sweat it. Just take a long sip of your coffee, gently open the front door, and scream for a few seconds. The season is ten games old, so brace yourselves.

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