13
Dec
2007
Rumor: Cards pursue another rehab project
Posted by pops as St. Louis Cardinals Rumors
Apparently, when you're released from the orthopedic ward these days, the checkout package includes a hospitality brochure from the city of St. Louis. At least it should if the rumors on St. Louis sports talk radio are accurate. They have the Cardinals pursuing Matt Clement who is coming off shoulder surgery and hasn't pitched in 14 months. He would join Chris Carpenter who will miss the 2008 season following surgery and Mark Mulder who missed most of the 2007 season and is coming off yet another shoulder surgery in 2008.
Redbird pitching coach Dave Duncan made a name for himself reviving the careers of older (and less expensive) pitchers but that strategy has fallen apart recently as the Cardinals disabled list has swollen. This year it looks like the terms "Cardinal pitching staff" and "rehab assignment" might be synonymous.
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6 Responses
RumorMill
December 13th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
1Not to be picky but it’s Chris Carpenter. Where the hell did you get Scott from?
pops
December 13th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
2Nothing like a stupid typo to ruin your credibility! It’s fixed now. By the way, Scott Carpenter was one of the original 7 astronauts in the Mercury program. He’s now 82 so he might qualify for the Cardinal roster but he’s lost a lot of his fast ball.
Ron Lisee
December 13th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
3Matt Clement would be a good pickup for cheap money like Joel Pinaro was. I believe Clement can rebound for a couple reasons, Dave Duncan has helped other rehab pitchers. Also after rehabbing for the last couple years hopefully he can come back stronger. He’s always had good stuff. Seems he hasn’t been aways able to be consistent. I think he could rebound and be a 14 game winner in the National League.
If we can get Carpenter back along with Mulder and add , Pinaro and Clement along with another 15 game winner to be #2 the other 3 cound form a pretty good staff to start the season along with Looper.
RumorMill
December 13th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
4Ron, Carp is done for 2008. We won’t and shouldn’t be seeing him on the mound until 09.
I also wouldn’t rely at all on Mulder. We’ve seen nothing from him lately to make us think he’ll be useful after yet another surgery.
At this point, I think the Cardinals medical staff is made up of a bunch of hacks and I wouldn’t let them operate on my dog.
So, going into 08 our rotation looks like this:
?
Wainwright
Pineiro
Looper
Thompson/Reyes/?
I guess Clement might be able to push Thompson or Looper back into the pen but if they’re expecting us to go in with Wainwright as our ace again and a supporting cast of Pineiro, Looper, Thompson/Reyes, and Clement then we’re in BIG trouble. We need to make a move for a big front line pitcher if at all possible. That way, IF (and it’s a big if) Carp comes back healthy in 09, and Mulder is back to being productive, we’ll have one hell of a rotation and be able to deal from a position of strength. If we don’t make a big trade, we’re pinning all our hopes on Mulder’s health and a rotation that just couldn’t get it done last year. Not to mention we’ll be COUNTING on Carp to be back to his old form in 09 which is less than likely.
stl dude
December 13th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
5We shouldn’t go for it. He is too big of a risk. We’ve got to focus on trades apparently because of our idiotic GM. However, we will probably end up converting bullpen guys to straters like we did last year.
Andrew B.
December 14th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
6matt clement could go either way… IF we sign him.. we still need a solid number 2 man behind (ron forgot to mention) ADAM WAINWRIGHT, last i checked he aint so shabby, and may be even better in 08′.
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