Pitchers Making Headlines

In the stretch run to keep their playoff hopes alive, the St. Louis Cardinals started the current seven game home stand with a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates last night. The loss was especially frustrating for fans when the offense and defense couldn’t show up to compliment the outstanding pitching performance from Braden Looper.  He went 7 innings, allowing 1 run and only 3 hits.  Here’s the full recap and box score.

Another starter, Adam Wainwright, is ready to get back to pitching in the big leagues, but is still sitting on the disabled list, waiting for the news on his role, or worse, his next rehab assignment.  I cannot fathom what’s going through the heads of those in charge.  It seems as if Adam doesn’t understand it either.

“It’s frustrating to know I’m ready to pitch and I don’t have a role,” Wainwright said.

Joe Strauss has the full story, complete with all the quotes from the pitcher, as well as some responses from Tony La Russa.  It’s a must read.

For some reason, the indecisiveness leads back to staff ace, Chris Carpenter.  He was scheduled to do some more throwing today at Busch Stadium, and the outcome would likely dictate what the Cardinals do with Wainwright.  It makes no sense to me.

Update (7:00 pm):  Adam Wainwright will start Friday against Atlanta.  Hooray!

Sticking with starters, Kyle Lohse has received a five game suspension from Major League Baseball for throwing a pitch up and in to Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez.  Are you fucking kidding me?!  He didn’t even hit the guy.  He just threw it inside.  What is this game coming to when you get suspended and fined for throwing near a batter?  I was furious when Volquez and manager Dusty Baker weren’t ejected in that game after Felipe Lopez was hit.  Both benches had already been warned.  Why no ejection?  I know that it’s the umpires discretion, and if he believes a player was hit intentionally, he can throw out the pitcher without warning.  If he can also leave a pitcher in after a warning, then what the hell is the point of the warning? Seriously. Anyway, here’s the press release.

Finally, the news on Jason Isringhausen.  The results of his latest MRI revealed a partial flexor tear, and thus puts an end to his season.  Robert Falkoff has the story. It’s a tough break, in a rough season for Izzy.   I was hoping to see him reach the 300 saves milestone soon.