Game 62 Open Thread: June 12 2005

mattmo pavano
7-0, 3.43 4-5, 4.38

for this game and this game only, we need matty to scuffle. not enough to lose the game, obviously, but we don't want him to pitch so well that moneybrenner sticks a note in his tickle file to offer morris 6 years, $80 million come november. we pondered morris's contract situation after his last start, and bernie miklasz apparently had the same question on his mind this week (thanks for the heads-up, wordman): "Cardinals pitcher Matt Morris, working on a one-year contract, tells me that his first choice is to stay in St. Louis, but he will look at his free-agent options after the season. Morris also said it's too early to worry about contracts."

may not be too early, however, to start worrying about the health of prized mound prospect anthony reyes. after throwing a complete game 1-hitter on may 19, reyes lasted just 5.2, 4, and 1 inning(s) in his next three starts -- and then skipped his turn last tuesday. i talked to memphis pitching coach dyar miller yesterday, and he told me reyes "had a slight impingement in his shoulder. he's ok; he's going to pitch monday [jun 13]. he threw a side yesterday, looked good" . . . . but sounds bad. reyes' shoulder sidelined him for parts of both 2003 and 2004. check back here tuesday morning for a report on reyes's start (keep fingrs crossed). coming soon: a full q+a with coach miller on reyes, adam wainwright, brad thompson, tyler johnson, jimmy journell, carmen cali . . . . . the whole gosh-darn lot of them.

before we leave the subject, a coupla days back u.s.s. mariner put up a very interesting, very detailed look at injuries to cardinal pitching prospects over the years. part of a series of surveys he's doing to determine whether the mariners' young pitchers get injured more often than those in other organizations. . . .

apropos of nothing, memphis beat omaha last night 20-4. wainwright threw six innings and gave up four runs to notch his fifth win of the year.