CINCINNATI — In three years with the St. Louis Cardinals, righthander Ryan Franklin has had at least three different jobs. In spring training 2007, he came to the club as insurance, an option for the fifth starting spot or long relief, whichever role seemed to suit him best by the end of March. He wanted to start, felt he was best used as a starter and … quickly became Jason Isringhausen’s setup man.

That’s how he went through 2008 and entered 2009. In April, he became the closer. Now he’s an All-Star.

Franklin took his 20 saves, his 0.84 ERA and his 24 strikeouts against 20 hits allowed in 32 innings pitched into consideration for the All-Star Game, and as Sunday approached few Cardinals were more curious about their standing as an All-Star than Franklin. The thought of introducing his son and his goatee to the All-Star Game at Busch Stadium thrilled him — and not just because it was validation of his arrival as a closer. (We can call him “closer” now, right, Skipper?) It was a reward for a winding, twisty career that included a run as a starter for Seattle, a suspension for a PED positive test, a revival as a reluctant reliever in Philadelphia and then his trip to the Seattle.

That is the career path he mentions when asked about his All-Star selection in the clubhouse Sunday:

ALL-STAR BLOGCASTS: Yadier Molina. … Albert Pujols.

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