Pitcher vacations?

[picasso]

Reading about Carp, and those looking on the brightside suggest that maybe if he's out 4-6 weeks it will be OK, cause he'll be strong for the stretch and playoffs.

I've been wondering about something like this for a while. I think all our SP are vulnerable to late season fatigue. Wainwright threw from the BP last year, Wells hasn't been healthy for a while- not many innings accumulated last coupla years, Carp has thrown a lot of innings last few years-break might do him good, Looper is a career RP who will struggle in the second half with the extra innings, Reyes has been injured several times in the past and is vulnerable to a long season.

Out of the box thinking- DL each of the starters for 15 days (once a year) right after they make a start, from mid-June to early-Aug, essentially having them lose 2 starts each, due to (fatigue)? Send them home for 10 days to rest and refresh physically and mentally. This would also give 8-9 weeks to audition a 6th starter (Hawksworth?). While also ensuring each of the starting 5 would be fresh for the post-season.

To me our greatest concern of the rotation is them wearing down in the second half due to a workload greater than they have had in the last couple of years.

I don't know if the players union would allow a dl stay for recuperation or if mgmt would consider it (because of the money they are paying them, plus games they may lose due to their absence).

If I was owner of the Cards, and this was allowed I'd do it. Maybe it's coddling, but a lot of our starters haven't built up a stamina for pitching 200 innings over 8 months.

Is there any merit in this idea?

[boyer14]

I see no merit in your idea.

Picasso, if I pitch on Monday, I will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Once you have baselined your arm for the baseball year, it is much harder on your arm to "rest" it for two weeks and then have to re-baseline it, than it is to keep on throwing.

You'd be surprised at the statistics that are kept on pitchers. The stats go far beyond mere pitch counts. Pitchers are "handled" by the staff to pitch into October. They need no vacation in mid-year.

[picasso]

I see no merit in your idea.

Picasso, if I pitch on Monday, I will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. Once you have baselined your arm for the baseball year, it is much harder on your arm to "rest" it for two weeks and then have to re-baseline it, than it is to keep on throwing.

You'd be surprised at the statistics that are kept on pitchers. The stats go far beyond mere pitch counts. Pitchers are "handled" by the staff to pitch into October. They need no vacation in mid-year.

I bow to your baseball knowledge. So if Carp has to miss 4-6 weeks you don't believe a silver lining is he'll be stronger at the end of the year? Just clarifying.

[boyer14]

No, I really don't.

[picasso]

Couldn't they still throw side sessions while out to keep their "baseline" but not have the pressure-"mentally and physically" of pitching in a ML game.

Even with pitching coach counselling and chart evaluations surely Looper, Wells, and Wainwright will show signs of wear in the late season due to the fact that they threw 100 innings or less in 2006.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Couldn't they still throw side sessions while out to keep their "baseline" but not have the pressure-"mentally and physically" of pitching in a ML game.

Even with pitching coach counselling and chart evaluations surely Looper, Wells, and Wainwright will show signs of wear in the late season due to the fact that they threw 100 innings or less in 2006.

I don't think there would be a significant advantage. For the wear and tear on the arm you supposedly save, there's also the risk of taking a few of those first starts back to regain the sharpness they had before the hiatus, even with side sessions.