This is why the first two losses were so awful. It set us up to be swept given the pitching match-ups. Hopefully the Colonel from innings three through seven from Saturday shows up. I was in the crowd and he was in an absolute groove after his very poor start (aided and abetted by poor D behind him). We’re going to need him if we are to stave off a sweep.

... in 2-3 weeks, then someone will be moved to the pen. when Waino comes back another couple of weeks after that, someone else will go.

i nominate Welly be moved first, because if he stays in the rotation it is strongly possible that his arm will give out and he’ll get hurt. he’s already had a career-high IP this year. if we move him to the pen, we get a power guy for the back-end of games, plus we could save his arm. remember, we’ve got him under team control for at least one more year; i’d like him to be healthy for it.

at this point, i really don’t see the need for a trade. even if get another coupe of pitchers, we are definitely long shots to make the playoffs. i say hold tight unless a potential move has implications for next year (e.g. Sherrill under team control through ‘10).

kudos on the post title. i hope i’m not alone in that i really appreciate the clever pop-culture references around here and hope you guys keep them coming. suggestions for future titles: “right said fredbird”, “new kids on the (trading) block”, and “fine young comparables.”

While reading your post I misread “these five inning starts are murder on the bullpen” as “these five inning starts are mulder on the bullpen” Either way, I had myself a good laugh at it.

DO NOT PUT WAINWRIGHT IN THE BULLPEN!

Is it wrong of me to keep checking the stltoday site to see if AJ Burnett is at the airport?

I don’t like their attitude, cockiness, or idiotic posturing. at least the cubs players have a little bit more class (well, except for Zambrano).

in game one Monday night, we’re talking about a different subject today.

Our SP have held the Brewers to three runs in each game. That to me is a great performance. But as RB said yesterday, where has our offense gone?

The Brew Crew’s pitching has been better than ours. But we have a huge hole in our lineup that they don’t.

and I’m only half kidding in suggesting it.

Cards seem to have the personnel available to do it and it would tax the BP less.

Lohse, Pineiro and when he returns Wainwright wouldn’t have back up starters

Looper, Welly and Garcia would start and then Thompson, Boggs, and Reyes (we have a guy named Reyes?) would be slotted to go 2-4 innings when they come out.

We’d probably have to keep the Memphis shuttle running and use only 2 roster spots for the 3 tier II starters.

This should get us closer to averaging going to the ‘pen’ around the 7th or 8th. So one inning of Springer and one of Roulette.

Better yet we deal for a closer

...for a significant trade soon. I’m not into the wild speculation or hypothetical trade idea games (Hey! Why not we give them Anthony Reyes for K-Rod!), but I have a good feeling about a healthy trade that will improve the team. SOMEthing has to come to fruition with all the talk about the Jays, Orioles, Rockies, et al. that I keep seeing pop-up on the internet, right? Maybe? The good news is that Rasmus is out for now, and so he probably can’t be moved in a trade. Unfortunately Duncan is out, too, because I think he is an astonishingly redundant, average piece of the Cardinals.

I was thinking about it today and I think what really upsets me about this team is how they muddle in between being a contender and this whole “rebuilding year” project. We knew coming into the season that our prospects for October were grim but we really have (had) a chance. The lack of making a deal strikes me as almost a hesitation to mess with the future, which is in no way guaranteed success. But I can understand what they are going for.

What I don’t understand is if they refuse to put themselves in a position to “go for it all”, are we all on the page? Because La Russa certainly doesn’t seem to be. And I get that he likely won’t be here after next season and could care less about five years from now.
I guess what I am trying to say is go for it one way or the other. This team has had a ton of injuries and that has put us in some hard spots.Continuing to pitch Flores and Izzy says to me “we have what we have and that’s that.” And when your bullpen is blowing multiple saves a week, that just pisses me off

/incoherent rant

Walt or Mo? Remember, last year’s deals were all a domino effect. Percy was going to be traded if we got BOTH Pineiro and Morris, one for the pen, one for the rotation. Izzy was going too if he agreed to a trade.

So, if Mo is going to make a deal, I honestly feel it’ll be a few of them at a time. Like, acquire a starter like Burnett but deal a starter like Lohse to get a MIF’er or closer.

... Halladay not available (no surprise), but Burnett is.

unless Burnett’s contract is somehow resolved one way or the other as a condition to the trade, i don’t think we can get him. how do even gauge his value without knowing whether you’re getting him for two months or three years? and if he does opt out, he’ll likely be a Type A and the Jays will get two picks for him. he’s not worth that if you only get him for two months, but he’s probably worth a bit more if his contract becomes guaranteed for the next three years.

tough spot for Mo. no easy deals out there.

and Knukcle dragger when he clears waivers..the bat might be a waiver guy like Giles or someone in August.

It doesnt look like itll take till September for the sChlUBS to lose the division lead, looks like it could happen tonight. Well, sole possesion of the division at least. It could happen if the Brewers beat us tonight (sad face), and the sChlUBS lose to the Marlins tonight; MIL and CHC will be tied for 1st.

That said: GO CARDS! Dont let MIL win this!
Also: BOO CUBS! Lets go Fish!

Doesn’t make sense to bolster an over-worked bullpen by bringing putting more arms in it. The stability would come from a starter who provides 6+ innings every start. And the Cards are banking on the hope that two pitchers on the DL will do just that. Don’t know about everyone else, but I’m tired of putting my faith in that particular salvation.