UCB Roundtable Discussion

The United Cardinal Bloggers Group is winding down the roundtable discussions, with one more debate to be posted on Monday.  Yesterday I posted three questions to the group for open discussion.  In addition to me, we had four other Cardinal bloggers participate:

• Daniel from C70 at the Bat
• Haedar from Redbird Ramblings
• Bryan from Rockin’ the Red
• Michael from Stan Musial’s Stance

Here are the questions, and everyone’s thoughts:

1.)  Yesterday, there was some talk about who you’ve been impressed with up to this point in Spring Training.  What about the opposite?  Which players are you surprised to see having a disappointing spring? Do you think they’ll turn it around?

Daniel:  There haven’t been a lot of disappointments.  There’s disappointment in the same old same old with injuries, as noted with Tyler Johnson still not throwing.  Izturis, to me, has been the biggest on-field disappointment, though.  I know he’s not much of a hitter, so the average wasn’t that disappointing, but the fielding?  He’s making an error a game, it seems like, and I know TLR is big on him, but right now, it’s not looking so good.

Haedar:  Gotta agree with Daniel and say Izturis.  He was never known for his offense, but he is supposed to be a high caliber defensive player and at least put up an average of .250, but he’s made tons of errors this spring and is hitting around .150.  Tony is being stubborn and  stating that he is the starting shortstop to avoid the “Spivey 2008″ tag.  If Cesar keeps this up, he will be relegated to the bench in no time.

Bryan:  Cesar Izturis has definitely been the most disappointing player this spring.  And to add to it, Tony La Russa has been equally as disappointing with his rigid position that Izturis is still doing well defensively and should still start.  I’m not sure Cesar has anything left in the tank anymore.  Molina’s slow start is disconcerting, but I think he’ll turn it around at some point.  Blake Hawksworth really disappointed me this spring, as this was a chance to make a good impression on the big league club.  I’m not too optimistic about him.

Michael:  Duncan’s horrible spring at the plate was a surprise to me.  Also to see Molina regress at the plate, after the progress he showed during last season, has been disappointing.  The other disappointment was Clement’s physical readiness not being what we expected/hoped it would be at the start of spring training. I hadn’t been aware of Izturis’ struggles with the glove until I saw your guys’ comments.

Daniel:  I’d like to see Molina hit better in the spring, but I wouldn’t say I was worried enough to call it a disappointment.  If it continues well into April, then that might be a different story.

Me:  Of course Izturis is the big one.  I was okay with the signing when it happened, and was willing to watch a sacrifice in offense for a defensive upgrade at short.  Turns out Izturis sucks with the glove too.  Tyler Johnson disappoints me too.  Last year, despite changing his jersey number and his hairstyle, he still got knocked around a bit.  I read that he had a baby, and was maturing quickly.  To hear that a little more work in the off season might have prevented his injury was very disappointing.

Daniel:  The only thing I’ll add is that I’m not sure that more work would have prevented his injury.  It might have helped, but this seriously sounds like a surgery thing coming pretty soon, in which case more work might have blown it out earlier or at best delayed the problem.

2.)  Opening Day is just ten days away.  There are a lot of new faces on this year’s team.  How would you grade John Mozeliak in his first off season as GM?  What were his best and worst moves?

Daniel:  Still a little hard to judge Mozeliak since a few moves were made while he was interim GM and some still haven’t really panned out.  All in all, though, I think he’s doing a pretty good job.  If he’s one of the reasons so many young guys are still in camp or got long looks this spring, he jumps up another notch.  His next big test will be the amateur draft.  If they can get a quality draft in, he’ll move even farther up.

Haedar:  Can’t really grade him accurately at this point but he’s made some good and some bad moves.  The two worst moves of the offseason were signing both Izturis and Miles to guaranteed deals instead of minor league deals with invitations to spring training.  The best move came a day or so ago locking up Wainwright long term.

Bryan:  I would give Mozeliak a B so far.  It was probably a B- before the Lohse signing, but the signing was such a good deal that he has to get a B.  On the other hand, the Miles re-signing was a very questionable move (and still is, considering Miles’ terrible spring so far).  Trading Rolen was good for the team, trading Edmonds was neutral (although it opened up a position in our already crowded outfield), and the Izturis signing was just plain bad.  Overall, however, I’m very satisfied with the direction this team is going.

Michael:  Mozeliak:  average or slightly better than average so far, but it’s still too early to tell.  I’m not a big fan of Lohse after watching him get torched in Cincinnati for the past few years, but with our starters in disarray again Mozeliak didn’t have much choice but to sign another pitcher.  He at least got Lohse on the relative cheap.  Hell, he can’t be any worse than Kip Wells, right?  Managing to move Rolen for more than a used glove and a bucket of baseballs was a victory.  The Miles signing, I agree with all, is a head scratcher unless viewed through the “Tony wanted him” prism.  Signing Wainwright yesterday was a great move.

Daniel:  The middle infield situation definitely is Mozeliak’s biggest drawback.  Especially when he himself admits he’d have signed Adam Everett if he had thought he’d been nontendered.  (Though that wouldn’t have helped with the offense, it’d done wonders defensively.)  Adding Miles to the mix was really unnecessary save to appease La Russa, I’d guess.

Me:  Overall:  B+.  With the exception of Miles and Gonzalez, I think the Cards made all the right moves. The Molina and Wainwright deals are by far the best.  Payroll flexibility is much better than it has been in recent years.  We’ll see what they do come draft time.

3.)  How much better (or worse depending on your answer to question 2) is this team compared to last year’s squad?  How many wins will the Cards have at the end of the season, and where do they finish?

Daniel:  I think this squad might be a little better than last year.  I think the pitching will be better, at least on the whole.  The offense is pretty intriguing.  If Kennedy hits like he has this spring and Molina hits like he did last year, there’s only Izturis as a “OK, nothing is happening here” spot in the lineup.  I’m still holding out hope for a .500 season.

Haedar:  I think the starters are a little better, the offense is better, or at least has more potential to put up better power numbers, but the bullpen will not be as good because people will be moving in and out and therefore some integral parts will not know their main role.  I think most bullpens can be decent as long as the guys in it know what their main role is and in what situation they are called upon to pitch.  With a lot of injured players coming back from the DL, there is going to be a lot of shifting around and some pitchers will not get comfortable in their temporary role.

Bryan:  I think the team is better than last year, but a few injuries could really turn this season into a disaster.  I think 80-85 wins is a very optimistic prediction, but I’ll go ahead and make it.  I’m confident in our outfield and returning pitchers.  Still don’t think that’ll be good enough for anything but third.

Michael:  Even with all the moves the team has tread water overall since last season ended.  The bullpen is still a plus but didn’t improve; the starters overall are still a minus and didn’t improve; the lineup is a wash; the bench is slightly better.  It seems all our eggs for a good team are in the respective rehab baskets of Carpenter, Mulder, and Clement.  I expect they’ll finish within +0, -10 games of .500 with the team they have now.

Haedar:  I think the Cardinals’ record will get worse before it gets better.  That’s to the tune of 75 wins this season.

Me:  I think it depends on how you look at it.  Before Opening Day ‘07, the Cards looked good.  The pitchers all had good springs (even Wells), and no one thought they’d finish under .500.  A ton of injuries changed the outlook dramatically.  I’m optimistic about the offense.  I think the potential to score a lot more runs is there.  The starting pitching may be a wash, and I agree that the bullpen could be worse this year.  I’m also wondering if the clubhouse will miss Edmonds, Rolen, and Eck.

That’s it.  Lots of good points from everyone, and I’m sure they’ll be a lot more in the next installment.  I love talking baseball!

Cards Extend Wainwright

The Cardinals have locked up their de facto ace long-term.  Adam Wainwright signed a four-year contract extension today worth a guaranteed $15 million, with a team option for two more years, effectively penciling him in the rotation through 2013.  The potential value of the deal is $36 million.  It’s apparent that for the right players, the Cards are willing to spend money.  The St. Louis Post Dispatch first broke the story.

Earlier this month, the team renewed Wainwright’s contract when the sides couldn’t come to an agreement on an ‘08 salary.  Matthew Leach had that story.  The new deal will override the renewal ($448,000), giving the pitcher a raise for the coming season.

Here are the specifics:

• $750,000 signing bonus
• $500,000 salary for 2008
• $2.6 million for 2009
• $4.65 million for 2010
• $6.5 for 2011
• $21 million two-year option ($9 million for 2012 and $12 million for 2013)

The new contract buys out all three of his arbitration years, and the option would buy out his first two years of free agency.  Earlier this off season, the Cardinals made a similar deal with catcher Yadier Molina. Now, Wainwright and Molina join Albert Pujols (assuming his option) and Chris Carpenter as faces of the franchise, signed through 2011.

It was a smart move by the John Mozeliak and the Cardinals front office.  It gives the team control of a young, front-end starter, without hindering their payroll flexibility.  Wainwright is having a nice spring, and continues to get better with each start.  He’ll pitch tomorrow against the Orioles in Jupiter.

Changing Landscape

The Cardinals starting rotation is in complete disarray, and the club may have finally decided to “look further” into adding help from the outside. The list of pitchers on the mend but “progressing nicely” is getting longer by the day.  Already Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, and Matt Clement won’t be ready for the start of the season, and now it seems that Joel Pineiro might not be either.

“I’m not assuming he won’t be there opening day,” said pitching coach Dave Duncan.  ”I’m assuming he won’t be there until he starts throwing again.”

Duncan goes on to say that he’s never gone this deep into spring with so much uncertainty surrounding the rotation.

Cards’ GM John Mozeliak has slightly changed his tune by inquiring about free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse.

“I think given the Pineiro situation, the landscape has changed to some degree,” said Mozeliak.

Read more on the state of the Cardinals staff from Joe Strauss, and hat tip to Kurt Hunzeker and Bird Land for the credit on the above logo.

Lohse, 29, pitched for both Cincinnati and Philadelphia last season, going a combined 9-12 with a 4.63 ERA.  For his career, Lohse is 63-74, with a 4.82 ERA.  View all of his stats here.

Without any additions, the Cardinals rotation consists of only two pitchers that started more than 20 games last season:  Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper.  Until the rehabbing pitchers return, the other three spots would fill out with some combination of Anthony Reyes, Todd Wellemeyer, Brad Thompson, or even one of the youngsters, Mike Parisi or Kyle McClellan.  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with any of those pitchers, and I wouldn’t mind seeing one of them in the rotation, but not three.  It seems like adding a guy like Lohse would make sense.  When you think about it, Pineiro made only 11 starts in ‘07, and Carpenter, Mulder, and Clement combined for just 4.  That is a lot of uncertainty to be riding on.  Lohse made 32 starts last year, and has made 30 or more in five of the last six seasons.

“The key concern is how do we bridge the gap until we get our pitchers back,” Mozeliak said.

I say bring in Kyle Lohse.

My Visit to Cardinal Camp

I spent some time at Cardinals camp yesterday, and as promised, I’ll use this post to share my experience.

There was more traffic than I anticipated, so I didn’t arrive at camp until 9:45.  Although it was raining when I left my place, the weather was great in Jupiter (Today I can really feel the sunburn).  I easily found a parking place in front of Roger Dean Stadium and made the short walk around to the back fields.  If you’ve never been to the complex, it’s a beautiful place to see.  Behind the stadium, there are twelve full-size ball fields, and a couple of small ones, all shared by the Cardinals and Marlins.  When I arrived, the team was just finishing their stretching and throwing.

I quickly found the workout schedule, made by Tony La Russa, posted  on one of the backstops.  Upon first glance, I thought I’d need Tony’s secret decoder ring to decipher the mess on the page, but after a little studying, I figured it out (at least in part).  The schedule is complex and precise.  Every player and coach is put into a group.  The groups rotate between fields and stations at certain times.  Everyone has a place to be, and everyone really hustles from field to field.  It’s fun to watch.

I started by watching some fielding practice.  All of the catchers, and Mike Matheny of course, gathered in the small field between fields 1 and 6.  The catchers took turns blocking balls in the dirt fed from a pitching machine.  Matheny painted a half-circle in the dirt, and the idea was to keep the ball within the arc.  The machine was putting some serious spin on the balls, and bouncing them several feet in front of the catchers.  It was funny to see the guys block the ball and then dive after the ricochet.  Molina even threw his mask at a ball.

During this same time, the pitchers were also doing fielding drills.  Most of the big leaguers were on field 1, while the younger guys were on 6.  Both groups were fielding ground balls after a simulated delivery, and throwing them to either first or second.  Then there were rounds of grounders to Pujols, with the pitchers covering first.

On the far fields, the outfielders and infielders were also doing drills, but I didn’t make my way over there. Since the interior paths are blocked off for the players to use, the only way to get to the far fields is to walk around the outfield fences, or take a trolley, which has a few stops along the way.

After a short meeting with La Russa on the small field, the pitchers broke off into more groups, and a catcher or two headed to each station.  Some pitchers were throwing bullpen sessions, some were doing more fielding, this time in front of a big wall, and others were practicing bunting.  They had to lay several bunts down each line, then had to show bunt and swing away.  There was a lot of smack-talking between the pitchers during the swinging away part.

Next, I watched a little situational infielding practice with the “B” squad.  Included in the group was Brian Barden, Rico Washington, David Freese, and surprisingly, Brendan Ryan.  The drills were about reading the batter for bunt coverage with runners on.  If you’re wondering, Jarrett Hoffpauir was in the group with Cesar Izturis, Adam Kennedy, and Aaron Miles.

I spent most of the rest of my time watching live batting practice.  I watched four groups.  The pitchers were Adam Ottavino, Chris Perez, Tyler Herron, and Todd Wellemeyer.  I know that early on in camp the pitchers have the advantage, and that was certainly the case with Ottavino.  He pitched to a group of Colby Rasmus, Brian Barton, Josh Phelps, Cody Hearther, and Jason LaRue.  I think I only saw one ball get hit fair, and it was a soft liner to short.  The first time through there were several swing and misses.

There wasn’t a lot of excitement from the “power” group, which included Albert Pujols, Troy Glaus, Juan Gonzalez, and Scott Spiezio.  Pujols smashed one back up the middle off of Wellemeyer, but it was pretty quiet otherwise.

By far, the most impressive hitting group was the outfielders Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick, and Skip Schumaker.  Maybe they’re ahead of the rest because they were in camp early.  All hit the ball hard, and all over the field.  Edit (02/23):  I thought the pitcher during this group was Herron, but I guess I was mistaken.

I noticed a lot of other interesting things yesterday too.  Here are some:

• Chris Perez throws hard.
• Brian Barton is very athletic, but doesn’t look it.
• Troy Glaus is a much bigger guy than I thought he was.
• Ryan Franklin needs a haircut.
• They sell beer and hotdogs.  Big plus in my book!
• “Professional” autograph hounds piss me off.  Let the kids get a ball signed.
• Mickey the munchkin from The Wizard of Oz was there signing autographs.
• Red was cruising around in his golf cart.
• Chris Carpenter was jogging the neighborhood and nearly ran me over as I was leaving.
• The team store was open and I wanted one of everything.

Overall, it was a great day.  I think it’s neat to see major league ballplayers doing the same kind of drills that you do in high school and Legion ball.  Although nothing profound, take a look at the some of my pictures.  I had a lot of fun, and would recommend it to any baseball fan.  If you haven’t been to camp, go.  It’s free. Six more days until the first Spring Training game.

Clement Behind Schedule

The Cardinals’ newest starting pitcher Matt Clement might not be ready for the start of the 2008 season. Clement’s shoulder surgery and subsequent rehab have kept him off a major league mound since June of ‘06. Reports from camp in Jupiter say he’s behind schedule, and needs to build back his arm strength.  Pitching coach Dave Duncan is now altering Clement’s schedule, which will now include long toss sessions between bullpen throwing days.  It’s likely that Matt won’t start the season in the Cards’ rotation.

“In all honesty, I will be surprised if he’s ready for opening day,” Duncan said.  ”And I’m not too sure even if he is ready, we wouldn’t likely have him compete somewhere else just to get him in the swing of things. He’s behind.  How far?  Don’t know yet.”

This could mean that the three pitchers competing for the last spot in the rotation, Todd Wellemeyer, Brad Thompson, and Anthony Reyes, will now be competing for two rotation spots.  A May return for Mark Mulder is still hopeful.  Barring any setbacks, Chris Carpenter should return sometime mid-season.

Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak remains content with the current pitching staff, and despite the news on Clement, has no plans of pursuing any of the remaining free-agent arms.

“If I felt this was something that was a major setback or some guaranteed uncertainty, then I think obviously we’d have to re-evaluate where we are,” said Mozeliak.

For more on this story, read Derrick Goold’s article in the Post Dispatch here, and Matthew Leach’s on MLB.com here.

There are plenty of reactions to the news throughout Cardinal cyberspace.  Check out my favorites from Cardinals Diaspora and Bernie’s Extra Points.

Concern Over Pujols

The talk of the town lately has been the health of Cardinal slugger Albert Pujols. Everyone knows Albert’s been dealing with elbow soreness in his throwing arm for some time now.  He played through pain for much of the 2007 season.  Eventually, he could require Tommy John surgery, which would cause him to miss nearly a year of baseball.  For now, Pujols and the club have elected not to green light the surgery, although there have been reports that he may decide to undergo the procedure if the pain persists.

“I was in pain,” Pujols said.  ”I’m telling myself that I ain’t going through the same pain that I went through last year.”

The obvious question here is how will the Cardinals fare without their most valuable player?  I suspect a Cardinal team without Pujols would struggle badly.  An easy comparison would be to look at how the starting pitching performed last year without staff ace Chris Carpenter.  Not only did the Redbirds lose their best pitcher, but also a clubhouse leader. We know how it turned out for the rest of the starters in ‘07, so no need to revisit it.  Pujols is the team’s best player, and a leader as well.  I’d rather not see him on the DL.

On the other hand, if surgery is imminent, wouldn’t it be wise to have Albert miss the “transition” season of ‘08 rather than the far more optimistic looking season that follows?  Not only should Carpenter be back at full strength by 2009, but top prospect Colby Rasmus will have cemented himself in the everyday lineup by then too.  Any holes in that year’s team could be filled from a much better looking free agent class than the one we saw this winter.  A healthy Pujols would be very important to a run at another division title.

It’s a tough call.  I’d hate to practically concede the upcoming season by shelving El Hombre, but if we look at the bigger picture, maybe it’s best after all.

For now, let’s just hope Albert’s elbow stays together and the decision doesn’t have to be made.  I’m looking forward to some exciting baseball this year, and would like him to be a part of it.  Pitchers and catchers report on Thursday!

Quick Reading

Pitchers and catchers will report to Jupiter, Fl for Spring Training in just over three days now.  There are already a few members of the ball club in camp, including Chris Carpenter, Rick Ankiel, and Chris Duncan. The anticipation has been building all winter.  As we wait just a few more days, I’ll direct you to a couple of good articles about our beloved Birds.

Three different journalists wrote about the Cardinals roster turnover this weekend.  First, Tony La Russa believes the team is going to contend this season and shrugs off the “transition” label.  Read all about it from Mathew Leach here.

Next, a great story in the Post Dispatch by Joe Stauss answers all the big questions surrounding the club, including those about Albert’s elbow and who bats lead-off.  Here’s the link.

And then, Brian Walton compares the 2008 roster turnover to that of years past over at The Birdhouse.  With the loss of fan favorites Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein, it seems like the clubhouse will be full of unfamiliar faces, but it’s easy to forget how many more players were lost before other seasons, including the two National League Championship years.  Check out the full story here.

We’ll have to acquaint ourselves with some new faces this spring, but one that is most familiar, Rick Ankiel, is now the only player on the roster that was playing in St. Louis in 2000.  Bizarre.

Carpenter on the Mend

Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter seems optimistic about his return to the rotation this year.  Carpenter hasn’t pitched since last opening day, and is still recovering from last summer’s Tommy John surgery.  According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Carpenter had a “lengthy” workout yesterday at Roger Dean Stadium that included throwing from 90 feet. Strauss says the plan is to increase the throwing distances throughout the spring and eventually throw off a mound before the end of camp.

“I’d love to be back the first week or two of June,” Carpenter said.

That would be an ideal timetable, but it really all depends on the number and frequency of setbacks. Typical recovery time for pitchers that have had the surgery is 10-12 months.  Read more on Carpenter’s forecast here.

The news is encouraging, but we’ve come to take the team’s optimism with a grain of salt.  Dealing with player injuries, and pushed back return dates has been very frustrating for Cardinal fans.  I think Josh Bacott at St. Louis Sports Magazine speaks for all of us.  Check out his post here.

Santana Not In The Cards

It’s time for a reality check, Cards’ fans.  The Johan Santana saga is over, and for any of you that were thinking the best pitcher in baseball over the last several years was about to don the Birds on the Bat, wake up.

Johan will pitch in St. Louis, but not until the end of June, when the Mets come to town.  It’s tough to imagine Santana throwing to National League hitters.  I guess if anything, at least we’ll get to see another superstar in person that we might not have otherwise.

So why the Mets?  Why not the Cardinals?  First, note the package of players the Twins got in the trade.  New York sent over their number 2, 3, 4, and 7 prospects. Sure the Cardinals could have come up with a similar package, but it would have certainly included Colby Rasmus, Jamie Garcia, maybe Mitchell Boggs, and another prospect.  Derrick Goold has more.  Is that too much talent to give up for one player, even if that player is Johan Santana?  That’s debatable.

Remember, going into this offseason, with our new GM, John Mozeliak, the message was clear.  The Cardinals are trying to rebuild their depleted farm system while trying to stay competitive.  Unlike in years past, this means not mortgaging the future for a veteran all-star.  St. Louis has been very successful with the old strategy (6 playoff appearances in the last 8 years, including 2 trips to the World Series and 1 Championship).  But, the game is evolving.  The stars of today are the youngsters, guys like Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Troy Tulowitsky, and Joba Chamberlain.  The list goes on and on.  And while the Cardinals current farm system looks better than it has for quite some time (ranked 13th by Baseball America), a multi-player package for Santana undoubtedly sends it back near the end of the pack.

The other big reason for not being in the Santana sweepstakes:  money.  The Mets are finalizing an extension for Santana that the Cardinals just could not touch.  Right now, word is around $130 million for six years, to go on top of his $13.25 million for 2008 (link).  St. Louis can’t compete with that.  We’re talking about two completely different sized markets.  The Mets ranked third in payroll last season, while the Cards were 12th.

Also, the Redbirds have been pretty stingy when it comes to giving pitchers long term deals.  Their last, for Chris Carpenter, preceeded an injury to the former Cy Young Award winner, leaving him on the shelf until at least the ‘08 All Star break.  Carpenter pitched in only one game in ‘07.  It was Opening Day, and it was against the Mets.  I don’t foresee another multi-year deal for a pitcher anytime soon.

So, while it’s nice to visit fantasy land every now and then, especially in the offseason, the fact of the matter is that Johan Santana, and other players of his caliber, won’t be coming to play for St. Louis.  I’m glad. 

2008 Team Outlook – Part 4

With under a month now until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, it’s time to take a look at the Cardinals starting rotation.  I’ve already discussed the bullpen, both the infield and the outfield, and the team’s payroll, so check them out if you missed them.

Anyone who watched the ‘07 team knows that the biggest weakness was the starting pitching.  The group will have to be much better this year in order for the club to stay competitive.  So far, word is that staff ace, Chris Carpenter, will be out until mid-season, as he completes his recovery from Tommy John surgery.  Carpenter pitched only one game (opening day) last year.  According to reports, lefty Mark Mulder should be ready to go by May 1st, although I won’t be holding my breath.  Mulder’s timetable has never been accurate.  I often wonder about our medical staff, but that’s a whole other story.  So who will be in the rotation out of spring?

Adam Wainwright, the de facto ace, might get the ball on opening day.  In 2007, Wainwright was 14-12, with a 3.70 ERA in 32 starts.  He was, however, a much better pitcher in the second half.  To me, Wainwright’s best pitch, his curve, wasn’t as knee-buckling in ‘07 as it was the year before.  Remember how dominant he was closing out games in the playoffs?  I bet Carlos Beltran is still having Game 7 nightmares.  Now, with a full big league season under his belt, I expect Wainwright to be slightly better in ‘08.

Braden Looper will again have a big role this year.  Last season was his first as a starter.  In 31 games (30 starts), he went 12-12, with a 4.94 ERA.  He showed some arm fatigue in ‘07, but should have more endurance this year.  I expect him to be improved as well.

Newcomer, Matt Clement, joins the rotation this season.  He hasn’t pitched in a major league game since June 14, 2006, so it’s nearly impossible to predict what we’ll get out of him.  I liked the low risk signing, and I’m hoping he can log innings and come close to being the pitcher he was with the Cubs.  From 2002-04, Clement started 94 games, going 35-36, with very respectable ERAs and high strike out totals.  I’m looking forward to seeing him pitch this spring.

Joel Pineiro slots into the fourth spot.  After the Cardinals picked him up last year, he compiled a record of 6-4, with an ERA of 3.96 in 11 starts.  There was some talk last season of him tipping his pitches, but apparently that’s been worked out.  I’d be happy with 10-12 wins from Joel in ‘08.

As it looks right now, the fifth spot could be a combination of guys.  Anthony Reyes, Todd Wellemeyer, and Brad Thompson could all start games until Mulder is healthy.  Wellemeyer showed promise last season, while Reyes was downright awful.  He didn’t get much run support, but it always seemed like he’d give up one big inning and get the loss.  Surprisingly though, barring a trade, I’m looking for Reyes to be the fifth guy.  He’s had a few outstanding games with the Cards (so did Jason Marquis), but was excellent throughout most of his time in the minors.  A new season, with a clean slate, is just what Reyes needs.

Overall, the starting rotation looks improved over last season.  Not having Kip Wells or Mike Maroth involved is a plus.  Perhaps the better glove at short this year could make a difference too.  Either way, it should be more fun to watch.