stlouisinsite's Blog

     Tony LaRussa's recent prickly response to a reporter's question about the bullpen woes of the Cardinals gave fans a new lesson in LaRussa Speak.  No, Tony said, don't blame losses on the bullpen, it's the offense.  Huh?  Sure, Tony, if the bullpen gives up 20 runs, then I guess it's the offense's fault if they don't score 21!

     Cards' management, we suppose, is supposed to be immune to criticism, for a leaky, weak bullpen.  Not so here, Tones.    We're not buying your twisted logic.  Try taking a look at the stats, or ask just about anyone else in baseball, and you'll see that yes, Birdland, we have a problem here.   Facts are, management's decisions, and probably a continued desire to go on the cheap, are part of the problem.

           The only bullpen guys really earning their salary are Ryan Franklin, Russ Springer, Ron Villone, and maybe Randy Flores.  We'll give Izzy a pass just because he's Izzy, and the effort, if not all the stuff, is still there.  And we don't care how nice it is Kyle McClellan is a local guy, he's not getting the job done.  If you combine blown saves and losses (5), this guy probably is among the league leaders.  Brad Thompson does not belong in any major league's bullpen, much less one trying to win a pennant.

        Jimenez is a question mark.  I would take all the latter names and instead bring back Anthony Reyes, who at least can throw the ball by hitters at times, Mike Perez, who was fair, and maybe Mark Worrell, who at least looked like a relief pitcher. 

         Hey, Tones, pretending you don't  have a problem won't win anything.  Addressing the situation realistically might.

         And dont shift blame to the offense.  Particularly lately, the offense has been a real brightspot.  Anyone but some kind of egomaniac would recognize that.