Garcia shut down again with shoulder issues

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Jon Doble

jaime-garcia-may-12

Jaime Garcia will be shut down once again, the Cardinals announced today as they placed Garcia on the 15-day Disabled List and recalled Mitchell Boggs from Triple-A Memphis. I’m sure I’ll post about Mitchell Boggs later, but he isn’t fixed yet.

Many fans and bloggers have already tried to pin this on the Cardinals’ medical staff as a mistake. They’ll say that he should have had the surgery last year. That they called it that he needed it. Lets remember here that there is only one man who can elect to have surgery, that man is Jaime Garcia. The club and the doctors can want him to have surgery, but if Garcia wants to try rehab, then they try rehab. So to say that the doctors prescribed rest and rehab for it assumes facts not in evidence.

And it’s not that I want to let the Cardinals medical staff off scott free. I’ll say that they do make plenty of mistakes. What I am saying is that this wasn’t a mistake. Continue reading →

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3 Up, 3 Down: Week 5

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Jon Doble

carlos-martinez-futures-game

A little different format to this week’s 3U3D.

Three Up:

1. Carlos Martinez got the call earlier this week and so far, through two innings of work, is as advertised. The 21 year old right hander replaced Mitchell Boggs in the bullpen. He had missed spring training with the major league club due to visa issues, but after 11 minor league innings at Springfield to start the season, the organization thought enough of him to make the call. He wasted no time impressing either. In his debut against Milwaukee, he pitched a scoreless 7th inning allowing a single hit. Two nights later he pitched a perfect ninth. So far he’s brought stability to a bullpen that has been the league’s worst. Continue reading →

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Fernando Salas: The Unsung Hero

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jon Doble

fernando-salas

I heard it again today after the Cardinals optioned Mitchell Boggs to Memphis. “Alright Boggs down, now can we get rid of Salas?”

And I have to say that I really don’t understand the dislike of Fernando Salas by a large portion of the fan base. I see it often, people wishing Salas wasn’t a part of the bullpen or the team. While I’ll admit that Salas really isn’t a true elite reliever like a Craig Kimbrel, he is a very good one more often than not. And those are the guys that usually make or break a bullpen.

But Salas has done so much for this team over the last few seasons that many are quick to forget. Continue reading →

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Boggs optioned, Martinez gets the call

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jon Doble

mitchell-boggs-apr-8

Thursday night’s struggles were apparently the final straw for the Cardinals’ organization. Getting the call in the 7th inning to help get Joe Kelly out of a mess, Mitchell Boggs proceeded to walk the first two batters he faced, allowing Milwaukee to score their third run of the ballgame. Trevor Rosenthal came in at that point and struck out Martin Maldonado to end the threat.

It was the most recent in a series of disappointing struggles for Mitchell Boggs who was arguably the best setup man in baseball in 2012. The injury to Jason Motte in spring training put the bullpen in flux and Boggs was never able to settle in to the closer’s role. As a result, he continued to struggle with both mechanics and confidence.

Despite the struggles, he was still regularly used by manager Mike Matheny notching 14 appearances, second most in the bullpen to Rosenthal. At this point though, Boggs is allowing 2.72 walks and hits per inning pitched and has a ballooned ERA of 12.66. He has blown two saves and been the pitcher on record for two more losses. A far cry from the pitcher who was dominant in the eighth inning last season. Continue reading →

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Motte attempting unique rehab technique

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Jon Doble

motte-in-pink

The Cardinals released this image today on their Facebook page saying that Jason Motte was enjoying the new ladies night giveaways, but I think they’re just covering. It’s obvious to me that it’s a new cutting edge rehabilitation technique for his elbow.

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