The Cardinals headed to Nashville with a short check list. The 2013 squad needs middle infield help and left-handed relief. Adding bench depth wouldn’t hurt, either. Other, less likely moves could be made, but that would be out of character for John Mozeliak and company. They generally opt to only make blockbuster moves when it’s absolutely necessary.

Thus far, they’ve kept to that M.O.

After falling out of the hunt for significant upgrades at short or second base (including Marco Scutaro and Yunel Escobar), the focus shifted to solving the lefty relief problem. Sure, we all saw what Marc Rzepczynski can do. But we also saw what happens when the expectations are too high … or the left side of the ‘pen gets lonely. Or something like that.  Sean Burnett seemed to be in play, until he got too expensive.

Still the Cardinals ended the day with a friend for Scrabble: Randy Choate.

He definitely fits the “LOOGY” role. Last season, he pitched in 80 games (44 for the Marlins, 36 for the Dodgers), and just 38.2 innings between the two. In 25.1 innings with Miami, he 7 earned runs on 16 hits, none of them, however, of the home run variety. After being traded to the Dodgers in the front-page Hanely Ramirez trade, he surrendered just one run in his last 13 appearances. For the 2012 season, he held a 3.03 ERA. » Continue reading “Quiet Cards Check One Off The “To-Do” List”

Talk about a leap of faith!

The St. Louis Cardinals have promoted AA right-handed pitcher Trevor Rosenthal to the majors to help a bullpen that has been struggling.

Here’s a little about the move from the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold:

Rosenthal, who will wear No. 64, is expected to join the team in Milwaukee in time for tonight’s game at Miller Park.

Rosenthal, a 22-year-old righthander, has been one of the organization’s most consistent starting pitchers this season. He earned a spot in Double-A Springfield’s rotation out of spring training and is 8-6 with a 2.68 ERA in 17 starts in the Texas League. Rosenthal has struck out 83 batters and walked 37 in 94 innings.

The righty’s fastball sits from 91 mph to 95 mph, and it has natural sink without sacrificing power. Rosenthal hit 98-mph with a fastball during last year’s Midwest League playoffs.

Rosenthal has won his past three starts and on Thursday he pitched six shutout innings with four strikeouts. » Continue reading “Rosenthal Moves Up To Help ‘Pen”

A beard massage from Big Mac? Yes, Jason Motte is at the point where ANYTHING helps!

Last season, a lack of consistency from the bullpen and Colby Rasmus led to a trade that benefited the St. Louis Cardinals to their 11th World Series Championship in franchise history.

This season, the bullpen is a big problem again. And, again, it involves a lack of consistency. And … of course … some bad throws.

So what will it take for the Cardinals bullpen to pull it together and right their ship?

Is Motte the answer as The Closer? Does someone else deserve a shot?

Will GM John Mozeliak and the front office have to get creative and pull off another blockbuster trade to get some help for the bullpen? Will Mike Matheny and Derek Lilliquist just have to work with what they have and hope the chips fall into place? Will Dave Duncan come around for a week and have a talk with all of the pitchers?

While I’m sure Cardinals fans are nervous with anticipation of how this will turn out, we do have to wait and see. So I posed the question to some of Twitter’s finest to see what they believe will happen with the bullpen. » Continue reading “What’s In The Cards For 2012 Bullpen?”

First we welcomed back Furcal, then Schumaker. Then Theriot and Punto waved goodbye. Last night, Cardinal Nation opened its arms to a new face: lefty reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year deal.

Marc Rzepczynski has a partner in left-handed crime!

St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Joe Strauss writes:

The move could complete a bullpen that already offers lefthander Marc Rzepczynski and an abundance of righthanders, including Jason Motte, Lance Lynn, Kyle McClellan, Fernando Salas, Mitchell Boggs and Eduardo Sanchez.

If these guys pitch in real-life as well as they should on paper, I’d say we can’t complain too much!

Romero is a Tony LaRussa lefty specialist dream. His numbers last year against lefties were significantly better than versus righties — .231 vs. .322. However, it will be Mike Matheny’s job (along with Dave Duncan)  to use the 35-year old to best utilize his skills.

» Continue reading “Catching Up With The Cards”