News
Confident Greene ready to return
St. Louis (57-49) vs. Houston (51-52), 6:15 p.m. CT
By B.J. Rains / MLB.com
08/01/09 1:22 AM ET
ST. LOUIS -- Two trips to the disabled list for social anxiety disorder and a .200 batting average weren't exactly what Khalil Greene or the Cardinals had in mind for his 2009 season. But with two months still remaining and a fresh outlook on his situation, Greene seems poised to turn things around. Instead of hiding from his problem, he worked to correct it. "I don't think it's anything new, to be honest with you," Greene said. "I just think it's a matter of being unaddressed for such a long period of time and really not having any positive coping mechanism to be able to deal with the frustration of not playing particularly well or the continuous thinking about things that I was doing wrong." Greene missed three weeks in May and June as he sought treatment for his condition and returned on June 18 only to see a relapse come nine days later. He was placed on the disabled list for a second time and hasn't appeared in a game with the Cardinals since June 28. The Cardinals plan to activate him before Saturday's game against the Houston Astros at Busch Stadium. "It wasn't good for me, it wasn't good for the team, and I felt like at that point, I looked at it as a healthy thing to get away for a little while and be able to address things therapeutically as far as trying to get things in order and get my mind back to a balanced state, and that, I feel, has been a big part of it." The shortstop's condition caused him to be so hard on himself after making a mistake or not producing that he couldn't perform the next time he was called upon. The snowball effect continued to make things worse until Greene finally stepped back and decided to get help. When Greene was recently sent back on a second rehabilitation stint -- in which he hit .343 in his last 10 games for Triple-A Memphis -- he tried to take a different approach. "I really looked at the rehab assignment differently this time than the previous time in that my focus wasn't on anything really baseball-related," Greene said. "I mean, I wasn't there to try to destroy Double-A or Triple-A pitching and make great plays. I was there to try to be able to play the game and feel as if I can play multiple games and not have it have to be such a difficult thing. "And I feel as if I did accomplish that at that level. I played some games where I played well. Other games I didn't play well, but I think being able to be more in control as far as my emotional state and being able to focus on what I want to focus on and not necessarily get in a circular thought pattern where it becomes really prohibitive of me playing well." Greene will help fill in at shortstop while Brendan Ryan is out with an injured ankle, but no longer does the Opening Day shortstop have a regular spot. His role will be reduced to part-time duty, making his number of chances to produce even less. But his playing time won't be the only thing that's different. Greene says his mindset has changed as well. And that seems to be the key to everything. "I've always felt that if my mind is where it needs to be, I've usually played pretty good," Greene said. "I think a big reason for that is that I'm not necessarily thinking about what I was doing wrong or what I need to correct. I was just focusing on the next game or the things that I'd done well. "Where I'm at right now, it feels good. It's definitely been an interesting season in all respects. It's been a learning experience for me and it feels nice to be here again and just to get back on the field and be in the locker room. Hopefully I can produce or at least be able to contribute in some form. I'm happy." Pitching matchupSTL: RHP Chris Carpenter (9-3, 2.19 ERA)
Even though he hasn't always been extremely sharp, Carpenter was very, very effective in July. In five starts, he went 4-0 with a 1.62 ERA, putting him in consideration for pitcher of the month honors. He remains the same pitcher -- power sinker and cutter, curveball and changeup, all with quality command. He's been even better at home than on the road this year, allowing only one homer at Busch Stadium in 2009. HOU: LHP Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 2.65 ERA)
Rodriguez held the Cubs to one run in seven innings Monday in his final start in what was a stellar July. The left-hander went 4-0 with a 0.75 ERA in five July starts and has won five consecutive decisions. His 10 wins lead the team and are tied for his career high. He's faced the Cardinals twice this year, holding them to four hits and one run on July 21 in Houston. In his second start of the season on April 12 in St. Louis, he allowed five hits and three runs in six innings. Tidbits
Matt Holliday became the first Cardinal since Roger Maris in 1967 to have a hit in each of his first eight games with the team. Holliday has reached base safely at least twice in all eight games he has played as a Cardinal. ... Cardinals starters have worked a National League-high 655 innings this season and have a league-best 44 wins. Chris Carpenter (2.19), Adam Wainwright (2.80) and Joel Pineiro (2.84) all rank in the top ten in the NL in ERA. Tickets
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• Sunday: Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 12-6, 2.80) vs. Astros (Bud Norris, 0-0, 3.00), 1:15 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 9-9, 2.84) at Mets (TBD), 6:10 p.m. CT
B.J. Rains is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
