Monday's Pitcher

Discuss all things Cardinals Baseball

Who do you want to see pitch on Monday?

Poll ended at June 10 19, 8:03 am

Genesis Cabrera
2
14%
Michael Wacha
2
14%
Daniel Ponce de Leon
3
21%
Someone else from the minors
0
No votes
Someone acquired via trade
2
14%
Someone acquired via free agency
3
21%
Jose DeLeon
2
14%
 
Total votes: 14

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CardsofSTL
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Monday's Pitcher

Post by CardsofSTL »

Cabrera’s spot in St. Louis’ rotation is due back up on Sunday, when the Cardinals will face the Cubs in a nationally televised game under the Wrigley Field lights. It seems unlikely that Cabrera, who has finished a combined 8 1/3 innings in his first two big league starts, will be the one who makes it.

So what might the Cardinals do instead?

They aren’t lacking in other starting options, which is why the Cardinals all along intended to reevaluate Cabrera’s status after each outing. Those alternative options start down in Memphis, where Jake Woodford, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Alex Reyes have each been striving to make the case that they deserve the next chance.

There was some thought within the organization that Reyes could be ready following his start two days ago for the Triple-A club. But that was before he was knocked around for seven runs (including three home runs) over 4 2/3 innings.

Reyes traveled with Memphis for its series this week in Tacoma, Wash., and Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said on Tuesday that the former top prospect is expected to make another Triple-A start. That would remove him from consideration for St. Louis’ weekend series in Chicago.

“It sounds like the ball came out good, just too many pitches over the plate and they got hit,” Shildt said of Reyes first appearance with Memphis since fracturing his left pinkie finger. “It’s about controlling counts, and he wasn’t able to control them, it didn’t seem like, as consistently.”

Woodford, owner of a 3.06 ERA in 12 Triple-A starts this year, would be on turn to pitch Sunday. He allowed three runs over seven innings in a win on Tuesday. Ponce de Leon, who made a spot start for the Cardinals earlier this season, is slated to pitch for Memphis on Thursday, so he, too, would be plenty rested for the call.

The other direction the Cardinals could go is actually the one in which they came from, which would be to give the spot back to Michael Wacha. After a disastrous first appearance out of the ‘pen last week, Wacha followed Cabrera on Tuesday and shined.

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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by Fat Strat »

I can see why the Cardinals like Cabrera, but the same issues that have followed him in the minors were amplified by his first short run in the majors. For some reason he does't miss bats (he should) and he doesn't have much command/control. He's still got plenty of time to correct those issues, but the MLB rotation is not the place to do it.

Honestly, I would probably just live and die with Wacha. You can hope that someone like Woodford or Ponce will be ok, but Wacha just has to be not horrendous to be as good as you could expect those two to be. Surely he can figure out how to not be terrible, and there's a pretty good chance that at some point in this season he'll remember that he's good.

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Jocephus
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by Jocephus »

whats a level above horrendous?

lets pay for a #depth banner to fly over busch

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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by jagtrader »

Wacha [sad emoji].

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by CardsofSTL »

Wacha aggravates me; but of our existing personnel he is probably the right choice.

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Radbird
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by Radbird »

Remind Keuchel that he won't have to shave if he signs with us rather than the Yankees and get the deal done.

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by CardsofSTL »

Radbird wrote:Remind Keuchel that he won't have to shave if he signs with us rather than the Yankees and get the deal done.
Maybe Brebbia could reach out to him.

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Big Amoco Sign
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by Big Amoco Sign »

#TimeToFly

Hey remember that "All In" on Cardinals' Twitter picture after they acquired Goldschmidt? lmfao

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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by Fat Strat »

Anyone know what Keuchel has been doing (if anything) to stay in game-ready shape? I don't see how we could sign him today and pitch him Sunday, unless he's been pitching in competitive environments for a month or more.

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Sunday's Pitcher

Post by CardsofSTL »

Fat Strat wrote:Anyone know what Keuchel has been doing (if anything) to stay in game-ready shape? I don't see how we could sign him today and pitch him Sunday, unless he's been pitching in competitive environments for a month or more.
According to Boras; he has been pitching simulated games every five days of 95-105 pitches and he could be ready to go within a week after signing. I find that to be a little optimistic; in reality he would probably need at least a couple of weeks against live hitters in my unprofessional opinion.

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