ST. LOUIS _ For much of the weekend, as the Cardinals attempted to navigate five games and 45 innings in 51 hours, the attention was focused on the players. Questions swirled: How often would they play? How many starts could one player make? How many different positions would Tommy Edman play? How many innings could the bullpen shoulder? Who and how soon would September reinforcements come into play? What happens if a starter falters?
How much hydration? How much rest?
What kind of nutrition? Beets? Really, beets?
(No, not beets. That just gets beat.)
Consider for a moment across the hall from the clubhouse and down the way from the trainers' room where the cluster-cram of games presented a different test, a different kind of strain: the manager's office. With something of a summer cold or allergies � he declined to say � Cardinals manager Mike Shildt entered one of the most challenging weekends any manager in the National League will face this season. With the help of his staff, including pitching coach Mike Maddux, Shildt had to orchestrate a 26-man roster through a doubleheader with the full knowledge that a 33-man roster and three more games in the next 32 hours awaited.
He would not use the same lineup twice, would not ask one player to play all five games, and he would not shift from the plan to get starter Adam Wainwright an extra day of rest.
All Shildt accomplished this Labor (intensive) Weekend was:
_ Won four games. Increased lead in the National League Central.
_ Won Saturday night's games by using two players who didn't start the game.
_ Won a game by putting Jose Martinez in motion to steal a pivotal base.
_ Continued to benefit from the confidence he showed in players like Kolten Wong, Dexter Fowler, and in one key moment this weekend, Harrison Bader.
_ Watched Wainwright thrive and win with the added break.
_ Had a leading reliever available in each game to close.
And, finally, asserted his candidacy for NL Manager of the Year.
