INSIDE PITCH
It took nearly five months, but
the Cardinals apparently found their closer of the present -- and future -- in
hard-throwing Jason Motte. He recorded all of his nine saves after Aug. 28,
which was about the time the Cardinals started their remarkable charge toward a
playoff berth and then a World Series title.
The bullpen, with Motte
at the end, solidified itself a few weeks after the big trade with
Toronto in
which center fielder Colby Rasmus was dealt for, among others, right-handed
reliever Octavio Dotel and left-handed reliever Marc Rzepczynski, who generally
were outstanding.
In the same trade, Edwin Jackson came from the Chicago White Sox, via Toronto, to augment the rotation, freeing up
starter Kyle McClellan to return to the bullpen.
Although it certainly
didn't look like it in spring training, outfielder Lance Berkman showed
conclusively that he was not finished after a 2010 season in which he hit only
14 homers and drove in 58 runs. In effect, he doubled that this year, banging 31
homers, knocking in 94 runs and starting in the All-Star Game.
The Big Three of first
baseman Albert Pujols, left fielder Matt Holliday and Berkman combined for 90
homers, 268 runs batted in and nearly a .300 average. Catcher Yadier Molina, who
won his fourth straight Gold Glove, led the club in hitting at .305, and center
fielder Jon Jay and third baseman David Freese, the postseason hero, gave the
club six regulars who averaged between .296 and .305.
And that didn't include
supersub Allen Craig, an infielder/outfielder, who hit .315 in 200 at-bats.
Without right-hander Adam Wainwright, the rotation was up and down this season although the Cardinals did
wind up with five pitchers who had between 11 and 14
victories.
They were led by
right-hander Kyle Lohse, who, a year removed from serious forearm surgery, also
led the staff in earned run average at 3.45 in addition to his 14 wins.
Postseason star Chris Carpenter had only 11 wins but led the National League in innings pitched with
237 1/3.
The Cardinals overcame a
generally lightweight bench with some versatility, mostly in infielder Daniel Descalso and second baseman/outfielder Skip Schumaker, who actually started 92
games.
For next year, the
Cardinals have two immediate goals: Find a manager to replace Tony La Russa, who
resigned after 16 seasons, and sign Pujols, a free agent.
Their pitching staff will
get a jump with the expected return after Tommy John elbow surgery of
right-hander Adam Wainwright, who won 20 games in 2010. But the offense, the
most productive in the National League, would take a jolt if Pujols isn't
re-signed.
--Mike Matheny was
considered one of the best defensive catchers in the majors during his 13-year
career. Now he'd like to call games from the dugout.
Matheny, who has been a
special assistant to St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak,
interviewed for their managerial opening Friday. He retired as a player in 2006,
while with the San Francisco Giants, after a series of
concussions.
The Cardinals previously
had interviewed Chris Maloney, manager of their Class AAA Memphis farm club, and
Chicago White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing.
The big name who has yet
to interview is Terry Francona, who left the Boston Red Sox this year. Francona
originally was scheduled to interview Friday but figures to come in next
week.
Other candidates to
replace Tony La Russa are Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo, said to be
the first choice of Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, who is a free agent, and
former Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, who has been managing the Philadelphia Phillies' Triple-A club.
--Tony La Russa may be
done managing, but he's not done with baseball.
After retiring as the
manager of the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, La Russa told a
Chicago radio
station he wanted to play some type of substantial role with a
team.
"I need to get back in
baseball somewhere," La Russa told ESPN Chicago. "I think I don't really want to
retire immediately and just make a ceremonial visit here and there. I don't want
some kind of idle job that doesn't do anything. I like
responsibility."
While La Russa is looking
to remain in the game, he doesn't necessarily want to join a team that has
things in place. He sounded more interested in building a franchise up and
helping make a transition for a team that needs one.
Asked about joining the
Chicago White Sox, where La Russa began his career as a manager, he said that
would not be the right fit.
"I think they are really
set up. I think that's the problem," he said. "You don't want to go into some
place that already has it figured out. They got it figured
out."
NOTES,
QUOTES
Bob Forsch, the former
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher who threw two no-hitters and just recently threw out
the first pitch of Game 7 of the World Series, died Thursday
night.
Forsch, 61, collapsed at
his home in Tampa,
Fla, after suffering a heart
aneurysm, his wife, Jan, told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
He was the
third-winningest pitcher in Cardinals history with 163 victories in 15 seasons.
Forsch was the only pitcher in the team's history to throw two no-hitters,
tossing one in 1978 against the Philadelphia Phillies and another in 1983
against the Montreal Expos.
He pitched for three
World Series teams during the Cardinals' run under manager Whitey Herzog in the
1980s—1982, '85 and '87.
Forsch went 20-7 with a
3.48 ERA in 1977, his only 20-win season. He won at least 10 games 11
times.
He worked the last few
seasons for the Cincinnati Reds as a minor-league pitching
coach.
SS Rafael Furcal's and
RHP Octavio Dotel's contract options were declined, but the Cardinals maintain
interest in re-signing both. Furcal stabilized the infield defense although his
on-base percentage as a leadoff man was poor. Dotel pitched well in all manner
of relief roles.
RHP Edwin Jackson is a
free agent, and the Cardinals probably won't be able to offer him a long-term
contract with five starters already under contract in RHPs Adam Wainwright,
Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook and LHP Jaime Garcia.
C Yadier Molina won a
fourth straight Rawlings Gold Glove for defensive excellence, breaking a tie for
the most among Cardinals catchers. Mike Matheny, Molina's mentor, had three in
the previous decade, as did Tom Pagnozzi in the 1990s.
2B Skip Schumaker and RHP
Kyle McClellan both are arbitration-eligible and might not be back. McClellan,
especially, might fall through the cracks with the rotation set and a
preponderance of younger right-handed relievers on the
roster.
RHP Jason Motte, after
seven other pitchers had recorded saves, finally nailed down the closer's role,
knocking off nine saves from Aug. 28 on. In the meantime, Motte set the club
record for appearances by a right-hander with 78.
BY THE NUMBERS: 34-16 -
Cardinals' record from Aug. 25 to end the of the World Series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's time
to end it."
- Manager Tony La Russa, on
retiring after 16 seasons as Cardinals manager.
ROSTER
REPORT
The Cardinals are coming off a
World Series title, but general manager John Mozeliak realizes the big
turnaround in the season came in late July and early August when the club
changed 20 percent of its roster with five additions. There will be no standing
pat, and that trend began three days after the World Series ended when manager
Tony La Russa retired after 16 seasons.
BIGGEST
NEEDS:
The top priority, after naming a
manager, is re-signing 1B Albert Pujols, the cream of the free agent class.
Secondarily, the Cardinals need to address their shortstop-second base
situation, which finished with Rafael Furcal, whose option was not picked up, at
short and Skip Schumaker, who is arbitration-eligible, at second. Mozeliak has
indicated interest in Furcal but at a much lower figure than $12 million.
Schumaker, a converted outfielder, has improved at second base, but the
Cardinals might not want to pay to keep both.
FREE AGENTS:
1B Albert Pujols, RHPs
Edwin Jackson and Octavio Dotel, C Gerald Laird, SS Rafael Furcal, OF Corey Patterson, INF Nick Punto, LHP Arthur Rhodes.
Every effort will be made
to re-sign Pujols. Furcal and Dotel command interest by the Cardinals, but they
won't be able to give Jackson a long-term deal. Rhodes is next most likely to be sought after by the
Cardinals, but there won't be much money for him.
ARBITRATION
ELIGIBLE:
2B/OF Skip Schumaker, RHP
Kyle McClellan. INF Ryan Theriot.
All, in theory, could be
non-tendered. McClellan is the most likely to dealt. Either Schumaker or Theriot
won't be back, and possibly both.
IN LIMBO:
RHP Kyle McClellan, who moved back
to the bullpen when Jackson was acquired, is in competition with
several young right-handed relievers who are less expensive. He wouldn't go back
to the rotation, either, with the expected return of RHP Adam Wainwright, who
missed 2011 with Tommy John elbow surgery. INF Tyler Greene, who had a strong
Class AAA performance and who was going to get a late season look until the
Cardinals got back into playoff contention, could be a trade candidate if the
club doesn't figure to have a role for him. In limited duty with the Cardinals,
Greene led the club in steals with 11 (in 11 attempts).
MEDICAL
WATCH:
RHP Adam Wainwright is
expected to go to Jupiter, Fla., just after Jan. 1 to begin throwing in
earnest. He expects to be ready for spring training.
LF Matt Holliday might
need his right hand, injured twice late in the season, attended
to.