I’m not sure that Carp will boost the rotation so much in terms of numbers, but I think that mentally having him there will have a huge impact on the Cards.

I know that there has recently been alot of talk about when Wainer returns that the smart thing to do would be to put him at the back end of the pen to close games out. I, disagree I think that when Wainer returns he will be probably be the best pitcher on the team. By placing him in the pen you just create another hole in the rotation. So really you don’t gain much. I do think, however, that the Cards at some point should consider Carp as a closer. I would bring Carp back as a middle reliever. I think if he was able to throw the 7th inning to begin with then that would build some confidence in him. Then eventually he would become your closer. This would also lower his pitch count, opposed to him starting, and maybe his arm would last longer.

Why does Mozeliak constantly say that he is not going to mortgage the future to win today? The two are not mutually exclusive. Either they really do not care about satisfying the fan base or their marketing/public relations efforts continue to fail miserably. Are they gun shy after the Dan Haren/Mulder deal. If so, get over it. It looked like a good deal at the time and if you never fail then you are not trying hard enough.

Also, I know that the Cardinals have really hyped their prospects since Walt got fired. But, if their minor leagues are as good as they keep saying, did that occur on Walt’s watch? Don’t get me wrong, when you have fundamental disagreements with the owner of your company you need to move on, but how could the farm system go from being horrific to full of future major league players in less than a year?

Carp threw 78 pitches in his last REHAB start. It will not take long to get him stretched out where he can throw 100+.

Carp and Waino are top of the rotation type pitchers. Therefore they need to start. It might take a couple of starts, but once they get stretched out those horses should be expected to go 7 or 8 innngs. That and getting a left handed relief pitcher will spell relief to a gassed bullpen.

The only way Waino or Carp goes to the bullpen is if TLR is forced to put one of them there because upper management chose not to obtain relief help. In that case, TLR’s hands may very well be tied. He will do what he has to do to help the team. But I’ll bet my months wages TLR would much rather have his stallions starting at the head and leading the way so that all can be corralled because those studs will bring order to the rest of the herd.

When a stallion wants to run he will run. I believe we have two of them and that they want to run. It’s up to the jockeys (Coach Dunc and TLR) to hold them back. And they know how to ride them. No problem there.

These 4 and 5 inning starts over the course of the season has gassed our bullpen. The season may be lost because of it, unless we can obtain relief help. I just don’t think Carp or Waino is the answer to our pitching woes by putting one of them in the bullpen. I hope either Wellemirer, Looper, Penero or Garcia will go there to help when the studs return if help does not come from somewhere else.

Thats my take on the situation. But I am just another fan privilged to to be heard in BIRDLAND anyway.

Thank you DG!

Do Carpenter and Wainwright have their own saddles or does management provide them?

With Carp and Waino back…Looper should become the closer…Wellemeyer should then be sent to the bullpen and let Izzy and Villone go bye,bye…sorry but their arms are out of good pitches

i think the main question we should ask is what gets us through til sept? as i write i see the team right in the thick of things. and that’s a couple of weeks after the arrival of cc. and in sept there will arrive a bunch of fresh young arms and legs thereby allowing tlr to rest the weary. the difference this year is that the youngsters coming up are a much more talented bunch than in recent years. so, we need a reliable lefty reliever to replace or at least rest flores and villone. we may have enough righties to be ok. with the return of carp and waino to the rotation that frees up looper/wellemeyer or pinero to the pen. with thompson, who i argue is one of the best long men out there, pen is in decent shape. i see mcclellan in seventh, franklin/springer in the eighth and looper to close. he’s the one with the most experience. if a big name bat is unattainable, then we shouldn’t do a whole lot except find a lefty.

maybe we should sign and activate larry walker

Best to be very careful with these types of injuries. If Rick Ankiel tries to come back too soon, he runs the risk of turning an “abdominal strain” into something far more serious, maybe a muscle tear which could take a long time to heal. However, three days or so of rest should do the trick and then “The Natural” can rejoin his Cardinal teammates to continue their excellent adventure this year in the National League Central.

I have been saying this for weeks now, I think the LHRP solution may come from the arm of McClellan. Right handed batters are hitting nearly .300 off of K-Mac while leftys are only hitting .193 of off K-Mac. I think it is certainly worth a shot to give K-Mac an oppurtunity to show what he can do against LH hitters. The only LH reliever that I would be interested in trading for would be Sherrill. Just because I think that Sherrill is guarnteed for next year, and a guy like Brian Fuentes would be a two month rental.

I also hope to see Ankiel take it easy.It’s not as if guys like Mather haven’t stepped up and done an admirable job when we needed them.

Personally,I hope we continue to hold the line as far as trades go.It would certainly have been nice to have a guy like Haren the last couple of years(although I’m doubtful that Duncan could have helped him mature as he did in Oakland).I’m not against a trade,say some veterans for a hot prospect.
I’ve enjoyed this team and would appreciate the commitment towards youth to
continue.Free agents aren’t free after all,the magic of the Weavers of the
world rarely repeat themselves(or resign).Give me a team of up and comers
and we may have a team to celebrate for years to come,instead of a one hit
wonder…