"With the July 31 trading deadline without waivers approaching, the Cardinals are looking for middle infield help as well as the more traditional quick fix: pitching aid. If Cardinals second baseman Skip Schumaker, for one, was having a better year, perhaps the Cardinals wouldn't be having those discussions about improving their strength up the middle. But he isn't, although Schumaker has had a big hand in the five victories on the current home stand that have stretched the Cardinals' overall winning streak to six games. Schumaker's bat has helped the Cardinals to two of the victories. On Saturday, he bounced a double past Los Angeles first baseman James Loney to drive in the first run in a 2-0 win. On Monday night, Schumaker polished off a five-run splurge in the fifth with the Cardinals' third homer in the inning, and his third of the season. He also walked and stole second without a throw in the second inning and scored a run on an infield out. With his glove, Schumaker helped in Friday's 8-4 victory over the Dodgers by making two diving plays in the field, with a notable one to his right. Schumaker, no longer the leadoff man now that Felipe Lopez has prospered in that role, must get used to hitting sixth, seventh or even ninth. "I don't think it makes a big difference to Skip," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He's going to grind out an at-bat every place he goes. "I just know he's conscientious. If he happens to struggle in the first spot, he puts a lot on himself to table-set. I don't know if he feels the same way down (in the lineup) but there are times when he's leading off or the second-place hitter in the inning. But I know he's so conscientious, which we all admire. "It may bother him some (changing spots in the lineup) but he's not going to change the way he competes, I don't care where you hit him." Even if the Cardinals wouldn't do anything in an attempt to upgrade at second base or shortstop, the latter spot — where Brendan Ryan is having a terrible offensive year — they, in theory, would have more options in the infield when David Freese (bone bruise, right ankle) comes back. But Freese, who has been out nearly a month, isn't ready to go yet. And now he's really not ready to go because it was revealed late Monday night by La Russa that Freese had dropped a weight on his left foot while working out in the Cardinals' weight room, cracking his big toe." http://www.stltoday.com/sports/base...cle_2f55826c-71e5-5128-a224-146f0b058a8f.html
