Rzepczynski demoted, Maness promoted

It’s been a whirlwind in the last 24 hours for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals sent left-handed reliever Marc Rzepczynski to AAA affiliate Memphis and promoted right-handed pitcher Seth Maness.
Feb 19, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals player Seth Maness (73) poses for a picture during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium. Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Maness will take a reliever’s role in the bullpen. In Memphis this season, the righty was 2-2 with a 4.32 ERA over 25 innings. He had 18 strikeouts and allowed 3 walks.

Maness had a better 2012 season split between Palm Beach Springfield, where he went 14-4 with a 2.97 ERA. This led to his being named as the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year after the season ended.

Whether Maness is the pitcher that spices up the relief efforts for the Cardinals, I don’t know. Something has got to change though after yesterday’s shellacking by the Pittsburgh Pirates. There isn’t any doubt about that but I have faith in management to do the right thing. I trust in John Mozeliak and Mike Matheny to do whatever is necessary to deliver a postseason berth.

Scrabble had a 7.88 ERA this season in 8 innings pitched in 9 games for the Cardinals. Allowing inherited runners to score over several games in relief appearances is not going to cut it as a Cardinals pitcher. His demotion to the pen leaves Randy Choate as the only left-hander in the Cardinals pen.

The two highlights out of the bullpen are Edward Mujica and Randy Choate. Mujica, now the closer for the Cardinals, has a 1.00 ERA in 9 appearances. Choate has a 2.70 ERA in 3.1 innings pitched over 8 appearances in relief.

The Cardinals that we know are better than this. They are better than what they have shown us so far with the potential to be so much better.

So have faith, Cardinal Nation. Be optimistic and stay with the team through thick and thin. When all is said and done this season, the Cardinals will be playing in the postseason.