"Cleanup hitter Matt Holliday came into Wednesday night's game batting .287 with an OPS of .820 over his first 101 at-bats this season, respectable numbers for most players, but not for a $120 million superstar. The 30-year-old has four home runs and 11 RBI, the latter tied for just fifth on his club. Holliday's last homer was on April 19, 14 games ago, and he has just three RBI since then. Manager Tony La Russa is unconcerned. "He is hitting .290, getting his hits but just has not gotten red hot for 20 or 30 at-bats," La Russa said on Wednesday. "I think he is really close." Still, the manager recognizes the difference between where Holliday is now and when he is "on." "Like most good hitters, when he is really good, pitches that are off, he takes them and gets the count in his favor and when they are in the strike zone, he puts the barrel on them. When you are not quite as good, you take the good pitch and swing at the other one. But he is doing a lot of good things. He is hanging in there. I think he is close," La Russa said. The manager brushed off any suggestion that Holliday is anything but his cleanup hitter. "…I feel he is our fourth place hitter. I don't see anyone who has the impact that Matt does. I mean, he hasn't been great and he is hitting .290. That is a pretty good sign," La Russa said. If batting practice success could only carry over into the game, La Russa might be right. Before Wednesday's contest, Holliday put on a show for the early arrivals. One moon shot hit off the railing of "Harry the K's," a watering hole at the rear of the second deck of the left field seats. Without being prompted, a surprised local Philadelphia writer commented that he had never seen a ball hit up there before. Unfortunately for Holliday and the Cardinals, he went 0-for-4 on the evening as his club was shut out 4-0 by the Phillies. He lined out to center in the first and struck out swinging in the third. Holliday grounded back to the pitcher in the sixth. In his final at-bat leading off the ninth, Holliday again grounded out weakly to first. Holliday's average dropped to .276 in the process." http://www.globe-democrat.com/news/2010/may/05/cardinals-notebook-la-russa-says-holliday-really-c/
