Spring Training Wrap Up - The Young Guns

Spring training is finally over and the players are anxious to get the season started so the stats will start counting. Now we look back and are left to answer a few questions; who will be healthy first Jaime Garcia or Jason Motte, who will be the last pitcher to fill out the bullpen and do we have to come back to Missouri?

One earlier question answered; Who will fill the fifth spot in the pitching rotation was filled by Joe Kelly. In my opinion, Kelly deserved it not because of his spring numbers but due to his durability and the fact he is considered a veteran opposed to rookie Carlos Martinez. However, the real reason I think is when Motte gets healthy I predict Martinez will be sent to Memphis to be a starter. Also when, and if at this point, Garcia is finally healthy I would guess he steps in to the fifth spot in the rotation and Kelly then becomes the long reliever.

As a group of young guns and one capable veteran the starting rotation did a decent job as a whole this spring. If you just looked at the stats you would be alarmed at most of our starters and how high their ERA is. However it is spring and the main thing pitchers work on down here is mechanics and the ability to command all their pitches. Mostly the pitchers do their best to stay healthy and get stretched out for the start of the season. Unless your name is Garcia and you just collect a paycheck because you can't stay healthy.

With the exception of Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha the other starters had an ERA higher than 6.00 this spring. Shelby Miller was just under with a 5.93. Waino and Wacha were both under 2.00 and were 5-0 combined. Lance Lynn was the leader in strikeouts with 27 and Wacha close behind with 23. Miller had a decent start to spring in his first game and his only win, however he struggled in his last three games. As I said earlier Kelly earned his spot not because of numbers whereas he struggled the most of any of our starters this spring posting a 6.28 ERA. He did come around in his last two starts and even did well as a hitter going 3 for 3 with 2 RBIs in a game against the Braves. Overall the rotation is going to be solid and will be led by our towering duo of Wainwright and Wacha. Wacha has learned so much this spring by following and working closely with Wainwright.

As a reminder that stats don't count in spring training keep that in mind when we visit the question of who will be the last pitcher taken to complete the bullpen.

Sometime between the time I am typing this and the time the first pitch is thrown on Opening Day, which is Monday, the last spot will be filled and the final roster will be finished for the start of the season. The bullpen which is anchored by flamethrower Trevor Rosenthal includes Carlos Martinez, Kevin Siegrist, Randy Choate, Seth Maness, and new comer Pat Neshek who has more of a side arm delivery. Of the group that already has a spot, Maness had the roughest spring with inability to command his secondary pitches and posting a 8.49 ERA. The last spot available will come down to who is the best fit for the club and who has the potential for multiple innings if needed.

The four trying for the final spot are Scott McGregor, Keith Butler, Jorge Rondon and newly signed David Aardsma. McGregor and Butler have endured rough springs with high ERAs, whereas newcomer Rondon has not been scored on this spring in 9.1 innings. Aardsma, who signed a minor league deal on Wednesday, may have the advantage from the experience side, being a former closer and a battery mate of Mike Matheny in 2005 with San Francisco. The decision will be a tough one. Do they go with another young kid who has had an excellent spring in Rondon or with the veteran, Aardsma, who can add some experience to an overall young relief corp? Lets not forget that another new addition to the bullpen Pat Neshek will also add veteran leadership. If I were going to make a guess on this and it is totally a guess I say they go with Aardsma. In my opinion they wouldn't have signed him so quickly if they were leaning toward one of the younger kids. The only issue with Aardsma will be adding him to the 40 man roster, so look for a young outfielder to come off the roster if this is the route chosen. The other alternative could be Butler who has closed games in the minor leagues and had a short but bad time in the big leagues posting a 13.50 ERA in five appearances last season. I am not sure Rondon or McGregor have pitched enough to warrant them a call up to this point in their careers. Of course you could have said the same thing about someone named Wacha last year.

For many teams as they close out spring training they will be searching and trying to find the missing piece to complete their club. For the Cardinals we have such good depth in all areas, that we have to have a competition for who gets to play in front of the best fans in baseball. If you are like me I am excited about this year and many more seasons to come because we have a young club and a great minor league system ready to insert the next star when the need arises. Let's get it started.