The Cardinals Future is in Pitching

As we await what the future of Chris Carpenter‘s career may hold, one thing is certain: the St. Louis Cardinals future is in the hands of pitchers like Shelby Miller and Michael Wacha.

Feb 19, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals player Shelby Miller (40) poses for a picture during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium. Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Carpenter is sticking to a plan of throwing bullpen sessions every 5 days to get an idea of how he can best help the team.

"“I’m going to prepare myself to be extended,” Carpenter said. “Right now, they don’t even have a need for me. So I’ll prepare just in case something happens. …"

“Bottom line is I’ll do whatever it takes. We’ll find out when I start to stretch myself out if I can do that or not. Ultimately I might start my rehab and get to five innings and I can’t make it. Then the decision gets easy.”

Miller has had an impressive season so far in his young career in a Cardinals uniform. Miller and Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw lead the league in ERA. While the MLB.com website shows both with a 1.40 ERA, Kershaw has a slight edge with 1.404056162 ERA to Miller’s 1.409001957 ERA. Miller ranks 6th in the league in the strikeouts category but is only 15 Ks away from the leading pitcher A.J. Burnett. Cardinals teammate Adam Wainwright is only a few strikeout victims ahead of Miller.

Moving on to Wacha, one of the Cardinals first round picks from a year ago, he had a career night recently. Playing against the Tacoma Rainiers (AAA-Seattle Mariners), Wacha struck out 8 batters, a career high. It was his 8th start of the season and he saw his ERA lower to 1.89 in 2013. Unfortunately for the starter, reliever Mitchell Boggs cost him the win.