The Shift Is On
« 06/21/2005 | Main | 06/22/2005 »Many years ago the family was touring around Colorado in a cheap rental car, a Chevy Citation. The car had issues when we were climbing into the mountains and every time it stalled I'd blurt out "This car's a dud!" After a half-dozen times my dad pointed out that my opinion of the car was known, so it was neither necessary nor helpful to repeat this. I really don't want to repeat "This pitcher's a dud", but there are three quotes rattling around my head with regard to Mulder.
First, this bit from Tony LaRussa from the Post-Dispatch, after Carpenter's strong start against the Reds on Monday (how much better does that game look after the beatdowns that Marquis and Mulder took?):
Saying the search that eventually landed Mark Mulder was "mischaracterized," he insists the club only sought another solid arm to counter equally deep rotations come the postseason.
I'm skeptical that the Cardinals traded a talented young pitcher, their only impact position prospect and a solid middle reliever for what they perceived as an innings eater. I'll hold that thought though and march onto the next quote, which comes from Mulder himself in today's Post-Dispatch:
"But there hasn't been a single game this season that I've left and thought I'd thrown the way I did two or three years ago."
Wow. The season's almost halfway over too. Here's a last quote, this one from the Plato of Cardinal bloggers, written in a comment to a December blog entry:
This is the single worst trade of Jocketty's tenure.
Brian Gunn later was more sympathetic to the deal, but it sets one side of the discussion around Mulder, a discussion that has narrowed as the bulls have shifted to a much less optimistic view. La Russa's statement in particular is an attempt to reel in expectations as Mulder simply hasn't been the pitcher he was a couple of years ago. The discussion may shift further, as Mulder's pitched poorly in June (9.00 ERA in 20 IP), which is when I'd hope Dave Duncan's work would pay dividends. Chopping up data is always dangerous, but Mulder's got to get it going soon or the Cardinals will face some tough decisions.
Posted by Rob at June 23, 2005 01:46 AMMan, I had forgotten how much I missed "Redbird Nation." That used to always be my first stop on the Cards Blog Universe. Guess Brian had the Mulder deal right the first time. Re-reading those comments has me even more bummed, as the prediction that Mulder would get worse as the season progresses has turned out to be 100% so far. What's scary is--how much worse can he get? Since he seems to be bottoming out earlier than later, can we take that as a sign that he can at least become a 500 pitcher (as lboros at VEB hopes) or a sign that he will simply go down in flames again and again and again? Damn. I think Walt HAS lost this gamble.
Posted by: rockin redbird at June 23, 2005 01:14 PMAt the beginning of the 2004 season, all the way through May, I grumbled and grumbled and grumbled about our starting pitching. Did the management really think pitching like this could get us to the World Series? Why didn't they spend the $$$ on Maddux in the 2003-04 offseason>? Through the first two months of '04, Morris was wildly inconsistent, Marquis was the best he'd ever been but still on the edge, Woody and Carp were super, and Suppan was great away from Busch.
And the refrain from the rest of Redbird Nation was "Give 'em time. Duncan will work it out with the pitchers. It's going to be OK." Except for Morris -- the majority wanted to throw him under the bus.
What I think about Mulder today is -- Duncan will work it out with him, he'll get comfortable, and he'll be ace 1A with Carp as ace 1 down the stretch.
Today's dose of optimism from an unexpected source.
TSF
Posted by: TedSimmonsFan at June 23, 2005 04:29 PMRob, I gotta agree with you... I miss Redbird Nation too... (No offense Birdwatch.)
It was always my first stop too. What sucks is that Brian hangs up his mouse, and then The Birdhouse moved over to Scout during the same offseason.
In other words... Birdwatch... please don't change a thing! You're all we have left.
Posted by: Kyle at June 23, 2005 04:53 PMHey now. I agree that Birdwatch is tres cool and deserves many kudos--I check in every day, but it's not "all we have left." Viva El Birdos, Cardnilly, Bellyitcher, Capt.Obvious, Fungoes, All In The Cards, Get Up Baby, Diaspora--all these and more are great blogs as well. Give em a try. I miss Redbird Nation and am still pissed at Birdhouse for going Hollywood, but there are many smart, funny writers filling the void. The Bird Blogosphere doesn't have the quantity of, say, the highly overrated Flublog Army, but the quality is hard to beat.
Posted by: rockin redbird at June 23, 2005 05:52 PMTSF, glad to hear somebody's still an optimist, even if shoots down the premise of my post.
Posted by: Rob at June 23, 2005 10:51 PMNaysayers! The guy has screwed up mechanics. Nothing that Dunc can't fix.
Looks like he's already on the track back to greatness after last night...
Posted by: John in Chicago at June 29, 2005 12:18 PM