Peavy or Bust!
Is
Jake Peavystretching to make a run for the Birdinals? Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals are in need of another quality starter and Jake Peavy is hungry for his first ring. It is a match made in the midwestern heaven like bratwursts and pretzels.
Peavy is a three time All-Star and former MVP who has been on good teams, but this is the first time that he could play on a great team. He has everything the Cards are looking for, boasting heaps of experience and motivation. In addition, Peavy is one with the leather (2012 Gold Glove) and the timber (2008 .265 BA and 2006 2 HR in San Diego). Peavy recently turned 32 and remembers Bruce Sutter‘s beard along with Ozzie’s backflips.
In 2013 Peavy is 7-4 with an ERA over 4. But his WHIP is strong at 1.16 which isn’t much higher than in 2012, when he last made the All-Star team.
Joe Kelly, who has not won anything since college, will pitch against Atlanta on Saturday. Kelly couldn’t win the starting job this spring, but this year he has been needed not only to mend games, but to start them in place of dinged up hurlers. He is a great guy on the bump when needed (2012 Lynnsanity meltdown), but is he sturdy? Kelly has pitched almost 50 innings in various roles, and understandably lacks consistency, which might be exposed this weekend on Fox, even if he hikes up his socks.
St. Louis has a few brutal weeks (ATL twice, PIT twice, CIN twice, LA) before September’s cool air eases up the schedule. Every game is still crucial with the Bucs right behind the Birds booty and the Redlegs keeping pace. The absence of Houston has altered the NL Central as well as the the whole league. Now lucky clubs like Oakland and Texas get to thump the Lastros.
The question of who to give up for Peavy (and Alexei Ramirez ?) is easy, anyone! Sure, take your time Mr. Mozeliak. Look down the lengthy list of emerging talent and carefully and make some offers. Apparently Chicago doesn’t love Carlos Martinez, too bad. Try someone else or package him with another future star. There is no reason to hoard all of the talent for the future, instead share a bit of it to win this season.
St. Louis is in the best postion to be in during late July, 61 wins and bursting with budding talent that is in some ways expendable because of the surplus of pitchers. Every team wants a fresh cannon, and the South Side Sox are no different.
The St. Louis Cardinals look to be without veteren Chris Carpenter this year and have the fifth youngest collection of arms in the league. The weather is getting steamy and the innings are piling up. Young guys are in unfamiliar territory. Lance Lynn and Shelby Miller have been off at times, and there are still nine more weeks of baseball in STL, at least.
Jake Peavy could be like Will Clark in 2000, Larry Walker in 2004, Jeff Weaver and Ronnie Belliard in 2006, or Lance Berkman in 2011. The veteren that gives the Birds a kick in the bat for the final push. Or he could be like Roy Oswalt 2010.