Sunday Poll Question

I really hope that this is the last time I have to ask this question. The Cardinals closer issues have gone from bad to worse after Eduardo Sanchez blew what was a 5-4 lead for St. Louis in the ninth inning against the Reds on Friday. Cincinnati exposed one of the few weaknesses of the Redbirds, leaving Dave Duncan and Tony La Russa with quite a tough predicament on their hands. Whether or not one blown save is enough to warrant the rookie’s removal from the closer’s role, the Cards need a new ninth inning man.

St. Louis currently ranks second in all of baseball with a total of nine blown saves on the season. They simply cannot afford to keep giving away games at this rate and expect to keep up with the Reds at the top of the NL Central. I can’t really see the team trading for a big-name closer right now, and the list of free agent relievers looks more like a list of washed up middle-aged men in dire need of a job. A solid closer could be the factor that stands between the Cardinals and a World Series run, so I guess it’s better for St. Louis to discover their weakness sooner rather than later.