Derrick: I’d love to say that I’m optimistic that your predictions are a bit too generous, but that’d be an exaggeration. I’m going to take the under and predict the following line: 3 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 2 HR, 3 BB, 1 K. I’m not going to guess how many ground balls vs. fly balls there will be, but my guess is that he’s going to be aiming the ball with not nearly enough velocity to get it by the likes of Utley, Howard and Burrell, which will make for a very early exit.

Gosh I hope I’m wrong!!!

2 1/3 of a inning..

5IP, 6H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K.

It’s interesting how the definition of optimistic varies from player to player. One pitcher’s optimism is another’s ticket to Memphis.

I’m just hoping he gets through 5 and doesn’t allow the game to get out of control, if he keeps it close and we are hitting, I’d say it’s a positive step forward, not a obtaining Harden or Sabitha step, but a step……..

He’s a good guy who worked his rear end off to get back to tonight. I really wish him well. Hope he has many more positives than negatives against the Phillies. I figure 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 hits, 1BB, 4Ks

I have to wonder if TLR will limit Mulder to a pitch count and not innings pitched. Somewhere between 75-85 perhaps?

Tony sticks with him until he reaches his pitch count to avoid stress on the bullpen but they still end up working too much. The Phillies threaten in each inning and end up scoring 6+ runs, one on a bases loaded walk.

I’m thinking he’ll go 3+ innings with 5+ ER and 10+ H/BB allowed. He’s done, has not velocity and not enough of a control pitcher to be successful, I’d rather see M. Boggs keep getting opportunities or another young pitcher. With the Cubs getting Harden and the Brewers getting Sabathia, we counter with Mulder, not a chance.

I’ll be optomistic…and go with something like the June 14 line.
5 ip 5 h 0 r 0 er 2 bb , 2 k
1. he is an experienced big league pitcher.
2. he has had the taste of some big league pitching lately in relief.
3. I’m an eternal optomist when it comes to my Cardinals!

go gettem Mark!

p.s. a little luck and some prayers couldn’t hurt.

Good Luck Mark!

I hope the competitor in him comes out… Win Or Lose… We owe him a chance to fail…

My prediction, he gives up 4 runs in six innings of work… Which I would a success…

I am hoping that he will do good. I think that it may just be wishful thinking considering what happened to him at Memphis. Not to mention the fact that he is pitching against a team that has been crushing lefties.

GO MARK!

Win or Lose… He deserves the chance to fail…

Prediction: 4 Runs, over 6 innings… He pitches out of a lot of jams…

GO CARDS!!!!!!!

The grand swami that I am sees 5 2/3, 1 run, 4 hits 1 walk, 2 k’s. Tony pull’s him for a matchup, Cards win with 4 pitchers. Who needs CC?

I see 5 quality innings. Getting that far in his first start should be considered a victory. He should be replaced and let him build on progress from this. Good luck, Mark.

1.2 IP, 8H, 5ER, 5R, 3BB, 0K

I’m thinking…4 1/3 innings, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K…And I think the Cards win the game based on adrenaline for Mulder’s return and AP being due (1 game without a hit for AP in THIS park equals “he’s due” in a big way) and the way Glaus was killing the ball foul last night…he’s “this” close…

They said last night on FSN that he will be on an 80 pitch limit. If he goes five, that’s 16 per inning, which is right at the league average.

It’s almost as if he has to be about perfect to have any chance tonight. If tries to be too fine and burns pitches, he’ll get the early hook because of his count. If he tries to be aggressive, the Phillies will shell him.

I have little to no optimism on what will occur tonight, in front of (Santa would agree) some of the worst fans anywhere. Granted that was football, but I’m betting the same crowds that never will stop booing Scott Rolen, will be all over Mulder like gravy on a biscuit.

1 2/3IP 6H, 6R, 6ER, 3BB, 0-K’s, 1 devastating loss.

This is going way out on the limb, but I also get the feeling that this could be the last time we ever see Mark Mulder throw from a big-league mound. In which-case, the Mulder-Haren trade could go down as one of the worst in Cards history. (If it hasn’t already)

When it comes to the Cards I’m a eternal optimist. Tonight Mark Mulder goes 6 innings and holds the Phillies to 2 runs for his 1st win! Win or lose I’ll watch till the end of tonights game and continue to enjoy every game. Sometimes people forget how fortunate we are to have the Cards!!

With a noon game tomorrow, Tony won’t waste his bullpen on a poor outing by Mulder. He’ll be forced to go five innings by La Russa regardless of the fact his line will be

5 innings, 8 earned runs, 8 hits, 2HR, 3 walks, 1HBP.

The Phillies will leave the bases loaded at least once.

He won’t get out of the 3rd inning. Unless they put up double digits, then … never mind. Same prediction.

oh, i meant to include that if i’m way off, i’ll post a comment tomorrow saying just that…
i also think that tonight will be the last for Mulder in a Cardinals’ uniform.

4 IP, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 HR allowed. No trying to be a downer, but this guy’s career is over and the Phils hit the ball well.

4 2/3 ip … 8 h … 5 r … 4 er … 4 bb … 2 K … Loss

3.1 ip, 5 h, 5 r, 4 er, 3 bb, 1 k, 0 hr.

Here’s the deal..rarely are major league hitters fooled by 88-91mph fastballs with no movement, sliders that don’t slide, and curveballs that don’t locate. SOOOO….3 ip, 6 h, 6 r, 4 bb, 1 k, 2 HR, LOSS. And TLR is too arrogant to take him out before it gets out of hand. Hope I’m wrong but I doubt it.

4IP, 6R 4ER, 5BB, 3HR 0K

For the sake of the bullpen they will need to let Mulder rot a bit. 80 pitches, 3 1/3 innings later, Mark will have given up 8 hits, 7 runs, 3 walks and 1 strikeout. TLR will be pleased with Mulders effort and bloop-homeruns aside will make the announcement that Mulder will get another start.

He has been waiting too long for this, he’s going to come in there with good stuff and take full advantage of the start.

6 2/3, 3h, 1er

Cards win 4-2

Best of luck mark

Good luck to ya Mark, but I am guessing it will be a pretty shaky outing. Chances are that he might get some warning track balls that stay in, some smashed liners that are right at people, and perhaps he will be the beneficiary of getting the Phils to swing at some bad pitches. This could really springboard him into good things if he succeeds, it could be his doom as a Cardinal if he gets rocked.

5 1/3 innings, 4 runs, 3 walks, 3 K’s (2 looking, one in the dirt) Cards win 8-6 and take the series setting up a sweep tomorrow. ‘Nuff said!

I’m extremely skeptical:

2/3IP, 9H, 5ER, 3BB, 0K, Loss

There is no way, no way that Mulder gives the Cards a better chance than Boggs. Remember, the Cards already won a game against the Phils that Boggs started. In fact, Boggs was very good into the 4th in that game.

I liked the Mulder deal in 2004/5. The extension that Jocketty gave him was the worst thing he ever did as a GM, including the deal that brought Mulder here. Mulder is the anti-gift that keeps on giving. He keeps on taking and taking until it makes us fans sick.

I JUST HOPE HE DOESN’T TURN OUT LIKE DONOVAN OSBORNE.

When will he go back on the DL?

3 2/3 IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K

I think he needs to pay back all the money he has been pulling in while “rehabilitating”

DRILLED!!!!!!!!!!!! I only hope Chicago has the same luck with their acquision from the west coast as has has STL and Atlanta!!!!!!!! Get us a lefty reliever and a bat!!!!!!!

5 IP / 8 H / 5 R / 5 ER / 2 BB / 2 K

I’ll give him:

3 2/3…8 H…6 R…6 ER…3 BB…1 K…1 HR

I hope I’m wrong, but the only line I’m predicting is the one that leads from the dugout to the mound. A visit from Duncan, then La Russa with the hook. He will not make it out of the first inning.

Everyone is so negative toward him….

He’s pitching a no-hitter for sure! Who needs Sabathia and Harden. Mulder will turn it around and go 13-0 on the season!

2-2/3, 11H, 7R, 7ER, 4BB, 1K.

Sorry, but I think Mulder’s walking into a lion’s den. A very cozy lion’s den that is conducive to homeruns. I think we’ll be seeing quite a bit of Brad Thompson this evening. Or perhaps Aaron Miles will get another go on the mound…

Mulder won’t make it past 3 innings tonight and by that time we’ll be so far behind that it will be impossible for any of the relievers to catch up. Again TLR makes a big mistake.

I am a Cardinal fan, and I have backed this new regime on most decisions this season. They have done a great job of unleashing this youth movement and seeing what all of these young guys got.

So, with that said, I wonder why, oh why, they feel this is a good move? Why they feel Mulder gives us a better chance of winning then Boggs. Boggs may have an ERA a bit over 4.00, but he has 3 wins, AND he beat Boston in Boston. He has filled in nicely.

This is an irresponsible decision if I’ve ever seen one, ’specially after his last “relief” outing, if you wanna call it that. They are throwing Mark to the wolves, like a lamb off to be slaughtered.

I hope he does well, for his sake, but it doesn’t look good. And w/this game being shown around the country on Wednesday night baseball on ESPN, that just makes this scenario look ’bout 10 times worse.

Tony and the Cards usually do a good job of putting players in positions to succeed, but I’m gonna have to go by the wayside on this one.

the phils’ pitcher will be the second out he records, and he won’t get too many more outs after that one.

this guy is done like Kurt Warner. I just hope Tony and Dave don’t throw the guy out there for 8 starts before they figure it out. He won’t go more than three innings. BUT I REALLY HOPE I AM WRONG

1 1/3 ip; 8 h; 8 r; 3 bb; 1 K (the pitcher)

Positive development - we never see him as a Cardinal again. Nothing personal, but he has been sooo costly to the team and it is long overdue to cut any further losses. I have no idea at all why he’s getting this start.

RE Mulder, 2 ip, 8 h, 3 bb, 6 er, 2 hr.

After the game, Tony says that Mulder pitched better than the numbers suggest and that Mulder made some real good pitches. Mulder is back on the disabled list within 48 hours. There is an outcry amongst Cardinal fandom for the acquisition of a starting pitcher, but Mo’ assures us all that Waino’ and Carp will be pitching in August and are better than anything that could be acquired via trade.

He will give up runs in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd inning before Tony takes him out or he reaches 65 pitches. Long sorry night for the Cardinals. Maybe the Cardinals can get some runs off a rookie they haven’t seen. Highly doubt it though. They never do weel against a new pitcher they have never seen.

he goes five and two thirds, gives up ten hits, two home runs, five earned runs and gets the win as the cards go home run crazy. not a great start but keeps the team in the game.

Just in scanning the projected lines in here, it seems most believe Mulder won’t last long enough to net a win tonight, but will pitch just well enough to score himself another start.

That’s certainly the chalk bet.

1 1/3 IP, 6R, 6ER, 4BB, 1K

I hope he does well but realistically I don’t see him getting out of the first inning

5 2/3 ip, 4 hits, 2r, 2er, 4bb, 2k, 0hr 3gidp. 1 for 3 at the plate w/ a double. Wins.

Let’s all hope he does well but I see him getting pounded. There will probably be 4 or 5 phillies in the on deck circle waiting for a crack at him.

Horrible trade to give away Haren for damaged goods. This is throwing good money after bad. He’s done. Cut him loose.

Oh and that last prediction was my pessimistic one. Because what really is going to happen is he’s going to induce something like 20 ground balls. Whether or not those turn into outs is up to our defense. For once I hope Izturis and kennedy are starting.

0.1 IP, 2 BB, 1 K…

Kevin H,

…….and a sore shoulder, again. Time to shut it down or the season or retire.

Sorry. Time to shut it down for the season or retire.

If everybody in the universe was predicting a terrible outing ending in an average of 3 innings, why could the Cardinals’ organization/medical staff not see this coming?

Jeremy,

You ask the question that has been asked before — two years ago, when Mulder returned and started at Shea Stadium and just did not look right. Everyone saw it. Some talked about it.

And, yet, he made one start after that before having surgery.

It’s an interesting question. Not sure there’s an answer. But, man, what a unfortunate outcome tonight. As ugly as some of the guesses in here were, I don’t think anybody could have predicted it to go this … sadly. Giving up runs is one thing. It looked like Mulder gave up a lot more tonight.

dg
-30-

It’s time to let Mulder go! How can a pitcher in the Major Leagues not expect to pitch in some pain and discomfort? I understand that he is not the same guy he was 2 years ago but c’mon. Everytime he gets close to a comeback or makes a comeback their is always a reason he can’t go. Is he really that much of a wuss? I think he needs to (bow his neck) and pitch. If he can’t do it then release him and move on to young guys who want to be here.

Thank God! Is it over? Are we done wasting time and energy on this guy? Is this career over?

If you’re a levelheaded person, you could not have predicted how bad the Mulder/Haren trade would be. One could argue that we’ve had to bad a habit of trading youth for age. But no one could have predicted this.

However, after that contract was up? Now we’ve been wasting massive amounts of time and energy.

And the Cardinals need to really look into how they handle things. Mulder . . . Ankiel . . . Clement? Talk about repeating mistakes. They got lucky with Carpenter and they are stuck on stupid right now.

I want to be a good little Cardinal fan and feel bad for Mark Mulder. But I don’t. All I want is for the organization to learn a lesson and stop taking on projects and spending years on them. In the meantime, Mulder can just go away.

Mo the Mouth is looking more and more like his hero Dal Maxvill. He is a good talker and has the media here hypnotized. He must have gotten his training working in Politics because I have never heard anybody spin BS like this. “Solve this problem from within” is code for “we aint parting with a red cent”. Anybody that thinks the Cards and Mo the Mouth are going to trade or sign anybody that is not hurt, recovering, released, or designated for reassignment needs to SEEK COUNCELING NOW! I didnt expect them to shell out millions for players needlessly but frankly I dont give a darn about how much they have to spend or how much they make. They dont give a hoot about how outragious the prices are at the ballpark. I treat them like everything else; If a product is sub-par then I dont buy it. When they show me they are really trying to win and put the best team they can on the field then I will return to spending my money on them. Lets look at this team;
They have a great first baseman, catcher, and third base. After that it goes downhill pretty fast. Ankiel has his moments but except for the KO’s he is reasonably solid. Duncan is Toast no matter how many at bats he gets. they can ram that guy down our throats all year and next too but he is here for 2 reasons; he is cheap, and his dad is the manager’s best friend. His minor league stats are a matter of record; 93 home runs in 9 years. That is 10 a year average. And he hit 261. Why would anybody think he was ever going to be the next Willy McCovey? i got 2 words for you….DAVE KINGMAN….Schumacher is OK but he aint no Lou Brock as a leadoff man. Actually, he aint really even a David Eckstein. Isturis is a glove and thats it. I think they let him run the bases during BP just to make sure he remembers where they are at. And the second base thing is so jumbled that they have about 14 different guys playing there and NONE of them can take the job away from the other 13. I understand not wasting money but this is stupid. I vote ‘No More Doubletalk from MO the MOUTH!

I personally give Mulder a lot of credit for the effort he gave. I believe he invested a lot of time and energy in trying to get back. He wants to play ball.

I am concerned that the front office may be drinking its own bathwater. My impression of the Cards minor league ‘depth’ is that LaRussa has put a lot of guys in positions to succeed. He has, perhaps, used some of the newer talent in ways that make them look better than they are. After all, wasn’t the whole world just saying a few short months ago - and for the past several years - that the Cards farm system was depleted? Does a whole farm system go from depleted to robust in 6 months? Through judicious and prudent use of some younger guys Tony may have fooled some of the people some of the time. It now worries me that he has fooled the front office - or they are trying to fool us.

Did anyone realistically expect Mulder to escape his first start without giving up a single run? Wow. A 16-pitch shutout.

These seem to be the accurate predictions from pre-game posts to this blog:

I hope I’m wrong, but the only line I’m predicting is the one that leads from the dugout to the mound. A visit from Duncan, then La Russa with the hook. He will not make it out of the first inning.
— Cory Redick

Everyone is so negative toward him…. He’s pitching a no-hitter for sure! …
— Biff
(OK, not an OFFICIAL no-hitter, but no hits in Mulder’s outing.)

… Mulder is back on the disabled list within 48 hours. …
— Nathan

I hope he does well but realistically I don’t see him getting out of the first inning
— t

we are so schrewed! That was painful to watch! The end of a career. Oy vey! Hey Mo! Tell Dewitt junior that I ain’t re-upping for 2009 season tickets, All-Star game or not! I aint paying to watch the nightly drama of Chris Duncan trying to catch a fly ball or Ryan Franklin trying to find the strike zone.

Arena football,anyone?

They should have gotten rid of Mulder a long time ago. I could not believe they got rid of Suppan and kept Mulder, that was one stupid move and now it has come back to bite them. That is what they deserve.