Cardinals Bullpen Needs Work
Well, there’s no other way to say it, last week was a real bastard for the Cardinals. We come out of the break — sweep the lowly Padres and things look all peachy. All of a sudden Milwaukee comes to town and we get swept right back. Follow that up with losing a series to the Mets and it’s hard to be especially optimistic. For some reason though, I’m still not as pessimistic as I probably should be.
The worst part is that Milwaukee is back in the race and we were the team that let them get there. We let them get there in a really ugly display of a bullpen. The Cards probably should have at least split with them, maybe even taken three out of four, but it didn’t turn out that way. If they would only play six or seven innings, I can’t help but feel we would look a lot better. Sadly, they still play nine.
It’s just a nightmare to see the starter come out of the game. It’s sort of a pick your poison when you look at the list. McClellan looks okay sometimes, but he gives up the long ball far too much. Izzy has no confidence and no cut fastball anymore. Franklin is overworked and probably not as good as his stats last year. Flores makes me long for the days of Jeff Fassero. Chris Perez was inexplicably sent back down to AAA. Believe it or not, I actually have more confidence in Brad Thompson than anyone else out there.
The sad part if, I’m not sure the cavalry is coming in regards to the pen. Any team that might have a guy we’d want knows we’re in dire straits and is asking far too much. It’s hard to mortgage the future for a rental player that probably won’t help all that much.
There may be a few things that happen that could help the bullpen though. Chris Carpenter is heading back to the rotation on Wednesday. It seems early to rush him back after only two rehab starts, but desperate times, desperate measures and all that. He likely won’t go over five or six innings for awhile, but he’s probably better than any other option we have. If nothing else, we can move one of the starters to the pen and hope for the best.
Adam Wainwright should also be back in a week or two. We miss him in the rotation and he’s one of the few starters that can actually give you eight or nine innings on occasion. Still, I’d almost be an advocate of putting him in a relief role for a few games. He’s closed before and he’s a gamer. He can get his groove back and maybe win a few ballgames for us in the process.
Offensively, we still don’t score enough runs most of the time. I don’t think there’s help on the way there either. Once again, to get a quality player, you’ve got to give up something of quality and I just don’t believe the Redbirds are ready to do that.
The front office has made it clear that they want to compete but they are also looking to the future. It’s a tough balance, especially when your team is still in contention. It’s hard to leave a team like this hanging in the wind without the players they need to compete, but it’s far tougher to tear apart a farm system that’s just beginning to look respectable again. It’s excruciating to watch now, but it may be exactly what they need to do.
Most Recent Sports Comments
Oh, by the way, the “Champaign County YMCA” no longer exists. The official name is now the “Stephens Family YMCA” (the website has not been updated, but check out the latest program guide). And no, it’s not just the name of the building. It’s the name of the organization.
Very inspired Photochops as well….
Props on the new YMCA dig. I think it’s a terrible spot for it, but then again, I’m not well-to-do and I’m not willing to drive 15 minutes at $4/gallon to exercise for an hour.
http://motorcycle-intelligence.com/do-loud-pipes-save-lives/1119/ Are you a smoker, too? I feel like I’m just getting recycled arguments.
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/dangerous_motorcycle_safety_myths/index.html “Myth 2: Loud Pipes Save Lives”
Yes, I also love the idea of the downtown! However, the “turds” that ride Harley’s or any other motorcycle have the right to ride their motorcycles regardless of the “loudness” anywhere they want. They are buying gas, hence they are contributing to the motor fuel tax that…
Yup, this was the year I realized there’s no way this is my last CU marathon, even though I’m gradumacating next week.Where else am I gonna get cheered on by 70+ year old heart-of-gold volunteers who smile at me so genuinely I could believe I’m their granddaughter?…
I always have a good, but disappointed, laugh when marathon time creeps up and I start seeing posts on the WCIA Facebook page lamenting race day and how difficult it is to get around town that day. One this year said, “can’t they just go run in…
Reminds me of Total Football (soccer) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Football
Most Popular Sports Articles (60 days)
- Signing through nine innings
- Groce: Point blank
- Spring race season
- Politickin’: John Groce and Don Gerard work the beer crowd
- Catching up with Illini baseball
- The Calm after the Storm
- Matt Bollant saves Illini athletics, Day 1
- Groce loses first staffer
- Training for Gold: An Olympic blog
- Fourth Illinois Marathon = Nearly Ideal
Most Recent Comments
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
What? Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?
This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market. Check it: http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles
And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?
hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.
Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.
Excellent. I am glad sometimes American dreams are encouraged, rather than stifled.
Facebook
Twitter
Full Site
@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.