Best of luck to you Mark, hope it all works out for you and for what it’s worth, you handled yourself like a true professional through it all.

Best Wishes,
Matt

You did your best Mark! That’s all anyone can ask. Best of luck in the future!

Give anything?
How about coming back to the Cardinals for free when you recover
and finally earning some of that money we’ve already paid you?

No?
Didn’t think so.
Guess it depends on the definition of “anything”.

I feel bad for Mark Mulder. There are the people out there who say “thanks for nothing” but if you have been through a surgery that failed, you know the frustration.

I hope he can somehow work out his problems and pitch effectively again.

Richard:

If you were injured at your place of employment, and went through multiple unsucessful surgeries to get back to work…and when you got back were unable to perform at the same level…would you just give your salary back?

Richard, the MLB collective bargaining agreement does not allow players to play for free.

If Mulder really feels bad about the way things have gone maybe he should come back the the minimum salary and show us how he can really pitch.

Not asking to give back salary but why take $1.5 mil for next year for not doing anything at all?

I agree with Richard. Go away you cry baby. Take your millions for doing absolutely nothing. He handled the whole thing arrogant jerk. Got two words for anyone feeling sorry for Mulder: Dan Haren.

Richard:

I don’t know you, but I’d be willing to bet you could not complete one week of the re-hab program Mulder has endured for the past two years. Injuries are part of the game. The guy didn’t want to get hurt and not be able to play.

Give anything eh? How about the money you basically stole from the cardinals organization…..

Mulder was like and interest only loan…bad investment.

It’s always a crap shoot when trying to predict a pitchers health; however, this quote:

“But, he said there was never a moment, not in his final two seasons as a Cardinal, that he was certain he could pitch effectively.”

Interesting since he didn’t have any problem signing that extension albeit at a discounted price. Sorry you got hurt Mark but that sounds shady at the least.

I’ve been a fan of Mark since he came to St. Louis. I really had high hopes for him since he had done so wonderfully in Oakland. I knew he was too expensive to keep around since he was hurt so frequently, so I knew it was just a matter of time before the team and Mark parted ways. I wish him the best of luck and would love to see him pitch again sometime in the near future.

I had my labrum repaired 18 months ago. I went through months of physical therapy and have done lots of yoga to attempt to regain flexibility in my shoulder. It will never happen. The doctor says my shoulder is the best it will be. I can’t reach behind me to grab something in the car. I can’t throw anything overhand. I can’t even lay in bed with my hands behind my head. I feel for Mulder. My shoulder is not directly connected to my career or my talents. His is.

To Mark, best of luck and thank you for being a good sport.

To all of you who are griping about the money he earned, I hope you find some compassion.

I wish Mark Mulder the best of health and prosperity in life. I believe he gave it all he had and more. I would love to see him put the birds back on the bat someday. A great competitor and more than that a classy young man!

Some of you people amaze me.

Do you think that Mark Mulder signed the contract extension and then “shut it down”? Let’s go to the beach dude, surfer style? He’s a professional athlete that had multiple operations. There was a timetable set by doctors from the Cardinals organization. According to the data from those reports they thought Mark Mulder would be able to pitch again effectively, therefore they took a risk and signed him to an extension.

It didn’t work out like either party would have liked it to.

But to say he “stole money” or he “laid back and collected cash”, I think is unfair.

Mulder should come back as a left handed relief specialist. he showed the few time he pitched, the ability to make about twenty good pitches. if you remember, he usually retired one or two hitters and looked good doing it. but then his arm would give out and he would quit. if he came back as a specialist he would usually only have to throw twenty or fewer pitches. as he did this, his confidence would come back and perhaps he could go longer. but knowing he only had to retire one guy would take the pressure off. i wouldn’t mind seeing the cards offer a low salary, high incentive contract to come back as our lefty specialist. he still has enough to face one man and could possibly build on that. he needs a situation with low expectations.

I feel bad for Double M. For anyone who thinks he just sat around and collected cash get a life….no one likes you. I hope he can come back from this, but realize he probably won’t be able to. No one would have liked to see him come back and pitch the next 10 years in STL and be the Mark Mulder of old more than me, but unfortunately odds are against him even pitching again, much less in the Lou. He handled it all with class and I am sure the effort was there, sometimes injuries just can’t be repaired.

i agree with matt on this, mark tried his best and thats all anybody could ever want. sure we all wanted him to come back healthy and strong, but hes a pitcher and stuff like that happens. i hope he gets another chance with the cards.

As a fan of the Cardinals, there were great hopes riding on Mark Mulder. He was expected to pitch and pitch well for the Cardinals. He didn’t, and the Cardinals were forced to make a decision. If he liked the environment, the city, the team, and possibility to reach the World Series again, why not stay. Build and agree to a contract wrought with incentives that pays him as he succeeds. I saw Mark pitch several times his first year as a Cardinal and each time I saw him, he didn’t look the same as when he pitched for Oakland. He’s not the same, but I still believe he can be a very effective pitcher - with a role to play. The Cardinals have a lot of thinking to do about who stays, who goes, and who they want to become. Mark, approach STL and tell them you think you can prove yourself and are willing to “anything” to do well. Start the season expected to be middle relief until you get the confidence and sharpness you once had. You still have “it” and the Cards still need “it.”

Good luck Mark. If you were really concerned about doing anything, call the Cards and tell them you’ll play for the minimum. Take a page out of Ankiel’s book.

it’s too bad this trade didn’t work out for the cardinals..no one in their right mind could of guessed it would work out this bad..it haappens though.. i don’t hate mulder like some cardinal fans do..he tried but was just too injured..not his fault, i hope he does well in the future with whatever team he plays for

DG,
In your 2 pics above: Pic 1 I believe he has a 2-seam fastball grip. Pic 2 looks like a curve grip. So it is possible that these 2 pics might be an apples-oranges situation. Nevertheless, I completely agree that he came back with a much lower arm slot than before though. Just wanted to point it out.

Maybe he should just give up baseball and try to get his PGA card.

I know I’m reiterating what some people have already said, but I couldn’t resist to responding to some of these fans who think Mulder secretly only cares about money just because he had a big contract and was physically unable to play:

1. MLB does not allow players to play for free, no matter how much they insist not to be paid. Baseball is a business and the world doesn’t work like that. If you went to your work world’s best intergrity and insisted on not being paid because you were unperforming or unable to, you would either get paid or lose your job. (Richard)
2. At the time of the trade, Mulder was the best lefty in baseball, so the trade happened, get over it. We’ve had a lot of success. (STL Witchita)
3. He didn’t sign a contract secretly knowing he would be rehabbing for 2 years and get away with “stealing”. No athlete predicts (or hopes) that they endure what he did (Viper/Souget, read what SJ says).
4. It’s not that easy to approach/plead to the organization and assure them you’re trying everything you can and expect a new deal to stay on the roster. What do you think he’s been trying to do for 2 years now? Plus it’s the team’s decision to decline him. (Cards Fan)

Some fans (not necessarily every person noted above) who have this never ending bitterness toward pro athletes who make millions, act like they’d be the next Ghandi if they were in their shoes, when really they would make the same decision Mulder did and sign the extension.

The site below does a pretty thorough analysis of Mulder’s delivery changes between 2004 and 2006 using frame-by-frame video comparisons.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/mechanics/discussion/lost_foundmulders/

Enough already with the “Mulder should pay back $” stuff. If any one of us had to take disability leave (assuming we had it) and were paid during our rehab, we wouldn’t offer to work for free to make up for it. Mulder did his best at rehab; it isn’t his fault it didn’t work. Now if Mulder had hurt himself while golfing, or was showing up drunk for rehab and not completing his work, that’s another thing. But there hasn’t been a hint of wrongdoing on his part. Sometimes bad luck is just bad luck.

It’s hard not wonder what Mulder could have been if not for injuries. Previous to 2006 he had already amounted 97 wins, and he at that point was only 28 years old. Since 2001 Mulder had been one the best pitchers in the game. His W-L record from 2001-2005: 21-8, 19-7, 15-9, 17-8, and 16-8. This guy was a lock for 15 wins a season.

DG, how much of an affect does the Mulder/Haren trade really have on the Cards front office when they are considering to trade for a elite starting pitcher? When Walt traded for Mulder it was a good deal. I didn’t think Haren would become an all-star and a CY Young canidate, but what I did know is that in 2005 the Cards were the team to beat in he National League in the ‘05 season. They were an elite starter away from winning the World Series, and they traded for one of the game’s best in Mulder.

I just have a tough time believing the Cards front office has continued to be cautious when trying to trade for an elite starting pitcher, because Mulder didn’t work out. Maybe they really do take this one bad deal into consideration when looking to trade, I don’t know?

Good luck Mark. If it doesn’t work so that he gets a shot at pitching in the big leagues again, then he certainly could one day become a manager at some level of pro baseball I would think. He seems like he would make a good manager if he wanted to continue to stay in the game.

Mark: You did “well” for St. Louis if you did your best! We know that you did your best under the painful circumstances of your efforts, and I think you will be remembered fondly by St. Louis fans, who will be pulling for you to be successful once again! Best wishes to you,
chasham

It is hard for me to shed a tear for you Mark, when you took another contract and telling the team you felt good. Have fun sucking on those mocha frappacino’s. Your done and thank goodness.

Everything to be said has been said but why not continue?
I think some just have sour grapes when professional athletes collect big money while injured. Would you really expect these guys to give all-out effort & risk injury on every pitch, AB or play in the field without guaranteed contracts? Part of the game, quit crying.

Preston,

Looked like a two-seam fastball and a four-seam fastball at first glance, but I’ll take another look. Either way, many pitchers work on their delivery to have the same from pitch to pitch so as not to tip — there’s that word again — the pitch. I see what you’re saying, however, and it’s one of the reasons I looked for pitches from this angle at this point in time …

dg

Trading Haren for Mulder proved to be a really bad trade. I don’t trust the A’s organization because they always seem to unload players with health problems just around the corner. I don’t feel sorry for Mulder at all, in fact, he was blessed with the career that he had plus look at all the money he made. The Cardinals got lucky with Carpenter and now they seem to think that all injured players are a surgery and rehab away from being a ace–just doesn’t happen very often.

Mark Mulder wore the birds on the bat well. He did nothing to embarrass the birds on the bat. Good luck, brother!

The second pic could have been a 4-seamer, but I was under the impression that Mulder rarely threw that, if at all. A pitcher of his caliber would definitely have similar arm angles for all of his pitches, so I have no doubt your picture does demonstrate a lower slot. Did you notice during his last appearance, how low his arm dropped after that pickoff attempt? It was dramatic.

Anyway, it’s a very sad situation for him. I hope he pitches again.

The trade was so bad the Cards accomplished what they wanted with Mulder (granted he didnt pitch much) and win a WS.. with Haren? That wouldnt have happened.. I’m still fine with the trade.. doesnt bother me.. if he wants to come back at a small price, go for it! if not I wish him the best..

Good Luck Mark, you were a class act throughout, here’s hoping somehow someway you can get your health back and be able to pitch again. It’d be nice if it were in St. Louis, I was pulling for you every time you went out there the last 2 years, not just as a Cardinals fan, but for you personally.

Monty

“I would have given up anything to have done well in that city and with that team,”

How about giving back the 13 million

Mark

We are still huge fans. We wish you the best. We’ll keep following your recovery from Chesteron, IN. Hope to see you back on the mound soon.
GOOD LUCK!
Dave & Carol D.

Get healthy Mark! Even if this brings the end of a pitching career, focus on living a pain-free life and stay involved with baseball in any possible level, even coaching.

Richard, that’s pure ignorance. Welcome to sports and life. Mulder signed a contract, busted his butt to get healthy and it didn’t work. Them’s the breaks. No one is going to work for ‘free’. Please. St. Louis paid Mulder when he was healthy and on top of his game. Things went downhill from there. An organization lost some money and a good kid might’ve lost a career and the opportunity to earn millions more down the road. How about everyone just cuts their losses and attempts to show an ounce of class here, eh?

People can cry and complain all they want, but they ought to remember what Mulder brought to the team before they start whining too much.

One of the most exciting games my wife and I have been to in the past 5 seasons was in May 2005 when Mulder threw 12 K’s vs. the Dodgers (and Albert hit 2 HRs). Man, he was fun to watch when he was on.

Give the guy a break. I’m sure that he did not intend to sign a huge contract and then tank it. I don’t think people realize the stress that pitching puts on the human arm. Go out and try to pitch like a professional athlete and then see how your arm feels…if you even get close to professional speeds. For an ALREADY greatly stressed arm, it makes it even more difficult to rebound from a very intensive surgery. He tried as hard as his body would allow. What more do you expect?
People are also hypocrites. You cannot sit there and tell me that if you were in his shoes, that you would not take the money. Any normal, rational person would take any amount of money offered to them to play a game they love.
I agree that players get paid too much money. If you want to blame anyone for the inflated salaries of professional athletes - blame the team owners, upper management, sponsors, etc. The business part of the equation. They are the ones who determine how fast and how high players salaries will progress from here. The players are just normal people, like us, who are taking money offered to them to play a game. I don’t blame them.

I wish you the best, Mark. Specifically good health, whether you ever throw another fast ball or not. You handled yourself with class and dignity and every true Cardinals fans holds that with the greatest of respects.

To those who cry and moan about the money he should “give back”, please realize this. There is a better then average chance that this man will have long term and chronic problems with his troubled shoulder for the rest of his life. Injuries like this and the subsequent toll that countless surgeries and rehabilitations take on the body are often not realized in the short term. When he is 50 and can’t lift his arm above his shoulder, will you still be asking for a refund? Will the extraordinary effort he gave still not be enough for you? I truly believe he gave his very best effort and that deserves (if not demands) your respect.

Thank you, Mark, for being a true Cardinal and doing “the Birds on the Bat” very, very proud.

The Cardinals gave the money to a 5 time 15+wins(a year)pitcher who didnt miss a start in his career pitty to the poor cardinal fan who though his hignsight says it was a mistake. Where were you in 2005, mybe Carpenter will be next to not recover,will you run him out of town. What has he done besides a Cy Young Award.Carp who only pitched 1 game in the Cardinals two world series apperences. Outside of his long 5 year Cards tenure only 3 15+win seasons and the other 2 on the DL after signing a huge contract in 06′.Mulder now Carp later get the boo birds ready in 09′.You ignorent babeball fans

First, I wish Mark Mulder the best in his future. He was a class act in Oakland, and wanted to be a class act in St. Louis. Just didn’t happen. To those folks that made statements saying he planned it that way or “stole” money, go away and join a Cubs blog or something. I finally saw a post that hit the nail on the head. What is your reaction going to be when Chris Carpenter can’t come back? Of course we all hope he does, but what if he can’t? Are you going to treat him like you’re treating Mark Mulder? Injuries happen to the best players. What if Albert’s elbow injury kept him from playing anymore? Would we run him out of town? Sure, it’s frustrating when things don’t all come together for our team over the course of a season, especially when it comes to pitching, but there is always next season and life does go on. Let Mark go knowing that MOST St. Louis fans appreciated his efforts.

Thanks Mark.. The guy at onetime was the best lefty around..Hopefully he could return to his true form..Still wish we kept Haren..

I too wish you could have been successful in your stay in St. Louis Mark. Best of luck to you and if you find your way back, remember the Cardinal fans.

It amazes me there’s still people out there that are so bitter at people making more money than them that they show so little class. I do have to say that most people on here show class. I hope the census is the same for the overall population of Cards fans. I don’t know Mulder personally, but for most people a lot of money doesn’t dehumanize an individual. Based on this notion and what I’ve seen in the media Mulder handled things with a high level of class. Best of luck with wherever or whatever you end up going in life.

I would like to add something to those of you that say athletes are overpaid. Maybe they are somewhat overpaid, but lets look at this a second. They travel 81+ days out of the year. That’s time away from their family. They play/work nearly everyday during the season. On the field is only a small portion of the day’s work for many of them. Sure they have 6 months off the field, but what you should realize is that for a majority of the off-season they prepare for the season (ex. lifting weights, cardio, practicing, etc.), at least most of them do. Many do community service, which no matter how much money you make that commendable. Don’t get me wrong, other people work just as hard, if not harder, as do athletes. That makes me think, that just maybe, most other professions are underpaid.

Most Cardinal fans wish Mark Mulder the very best. We are sorry, of course, that he was not able to fulfill his talents with the Cards, but reasonable people understand that events beyond his control prevented that from happening. The last time we saw Mark walk from the mound, after that 16 pitch stint, was a heartbreaker. We know how much time and effort he put into gettng back on the mound, and we appreciate that devotion to his craft. We hope he will pitch again at a high level, but if not, it is clear it will not be from a lack of heart.

There is one thing you could do, if you ever actually rehab effectively come back to pitch for the Cardinals at the league minimum

The money the Cardinals wasted on him is their own fault, not his. Baseball contracts are hindsight contracts after free-agency requirements are met. Mulder didn’t ask to be traded to slouis. If the A’s had kept him, he would have earned what he was paid because he had already earned it by having been a great pitcher for them. That slouis was idiotic enough to obtain him when the handwriting was already on the wall for a couple of months beFORE the trade is their own fault and they deserve to have lost the money. No one commenting here would have “given” the money back or agreed to play for the minimum. Bad trade, good guy.