JUPITER, Fla. • Trevor Rosenthal, who set a Cardinals single-season record with 48 saves in 2015, finished his 2016 work, pitching the third, fourth and fifth innings — all scoreless — in the next-to-last game of a disappointing, injury-plagued season.
Rosenthal, who said Wednesday he battled a forearm problem from the first game of the season and in July went on the disabled list with an inflamed right rotator cuff, was yanked from his closer’s role in midseason. He had said all along, even during his salad days as a reliever, that he would like a chance to start, and the Cardinals said they would try stretching him out in starter fashion this spring.
With so many potential starters in camp, it didn’t seem likely that Rosenthal could crack the rotation, but with Alex Reyes going down for the season with elbow surgery probably to be performed Thursday, Rosenthal might get that crack. But the righthander made it sound Wednesday after his first bullpen session of the spring that it wasn’t that big a deal.
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“(Reyes) was a piece we were looking forward to having,” said the 26-year-old Rosenthal. “There definitely are going to be innings to fill. But for my mindset, I’m just looking forward to getting out there. I just want to pitch well. If I pitch well, it’s all going to work itself out.
“That’s where I feel comfortable keeping my focus. If something comes up (starting) and it keeps rolling, that would great. If it goes in another direction, that would be great, too. Proving I can get people out is going to be a good goal.”
Performance (2-4, 4.46 ERA, 14 saves) last year was affected by injury, Rosenthal said, but he didn’t say anything much about being hurt until late July.
“I didn’t feel 100 percent but I feel I was able to keep pushing to do my best. Sometimes, it’s a good choice, sometimes not. As I saw, when I had time to recover and kind of get back to feeling healthy and strong, the results were a lot different. It makes me realize that pushing through some things and ultimately having to miss a lot more time than if you took rest earlier sometimes is not the best choice. As an athlete, that’s easier said than done.”
Rosenthal’s last game in 2016 tied the longest appearance of his career as the Cardinals went through six relievers after starter Michael Wacha failed to last past the first inning.
“That was a unique situation,” said Rosenthal, “where I really wasn’t thinking about anything except the fact that we had two games left and we were trying to make the playoffs. My competitive nature just really took over there. Every year we’d been there. I really loved it. If that one game meant something, I wanted to have a chance to contribute.”
Once the exhibition schedule reaches the midway point, or perhaps later this spring, Rosenthal’s role may be more clear. “Coming up as a starter, I just really loved the routine of it,” said the Lee’s Summit, Mo., product. “I loved that sort of competition, pitching deep into a game. But, on the same side, the opportunities I’ve had to pitch in big situations out of the bullpen have been really fun, too.
“There’s pros and cons to everything. Pitching well, it’s going to be fun to contribute on a team that wins. We have a lot of really good pieces already there and we could be an exceptional staff. Realizing that, just focusing on doing well — whatever position I’m going to be in or multiple positions — it’s going to be good.
“As far as getting to that mindset, I don’t know how it happened but, just realizing where we are as a team and that ultimately the goal is for us to win, it’s helped me to realize that if I do good, it’s going to be good.”
GONZALES TO THROW; SIEGRIST DOESN’T
Lefthander Marco Gonzales, who was out all last season after elbow surgery, will throw his first bullpen session Friday. Lefthander Kevin Siegrist did not throw, as scheduled, on Wednesday, but manager Mike Matheny, wasn’t worried.
“Some early spring shoulder tightness but we seem to be ahead of it,” said Matheny. “Nothing structural. Just sore.
“Even as a young player, he was always good about letting us know when something just didn’t quite feel right, so this is the perfect time of year to make sure we jump all over that.”
Siegrist, who had a similar experience two springs ago, said he wouldn’t be held back long. “I feel better already,” he said.
