This Mulder thing is a real dilemma. I was talking to a buddy last night, wondering what we could even do with him at this point. You can't let him start. I don't even think you can keep him on the roster; he's just a waste of a roster spot, yes?

Any chance he can spend some time in Memphis and try to regain whatever it is he's lost?

I like Mulder and he's really struggling this season. Just watching it is so sad.

I feel bad for Mulder as a person. Nobody should have to endure that kind of beatdown in front of friends and family. But this is a business and one for which he is highly paid. The Cards have to decide what to do with him and do it quickly. He's either physically hurt or mentally injured in some way. Whatever the case, he needs professional help beyond Dave Duncan and Barry Weinberg's expertise. Just keep him off the mound until he gets it!

OK, the White Sox are not THIS good nor are the Cards THIS bad. It's a total harmonic convergence of the fragile psyche of the STL pitching staff and the wind blowing to the OF at Commisky. This is just a bad, bad time to be playing the White Sox. Hopefully it will make them feel overconfident next time these two teams play. Look for significant changes in the Cards' pitching staff as well as the addition of at least one big stick in the lineup.

The Cards have walked 3 batters in the two games. At least that's not what's doing them in - the Sox lineup's just dead on and we're seeing a little too much of the middle of the plate.

Mulder hopefully will be fine. He went through bad stretches before and recovered to pitch well. I think it'd be a matter of luck if he gets hot at the right time during the stretch run - but you know Tony's going to stick with him if he's healthy.

Mo, you're a whole lot more optimistic than I am. I think Mulder's got some moderate to serious damage to his shoulder. Just watching him pitch you can see his motion is all out of whack. He's pushing off too soon and not getting his back into the ball in time for his arm to accelerate the snap of delivery. His mechanics are totally screwed up. Just my opinion but judging from his delivery, I'm guessing he's either got a torn labrum or a rotator cuff injury (speaking as someone who's had one of each, sorry to say). The body does amazing things to preserve itself and one of them is to modify mechanics to lessen stress. In this case it also decreases the pitcher's velocity. I can tell you with reasonable certainty it's not an elbow problem.

"...signigicant changes in the pitching staff and at least one big stick in the lineup."

Sounds good. Not trying to be a smartass, but what do we have to deal to anyone that will bring these remedies? I would love to see it happen, but I just don't see how...

I've never said our season was over in June, but the objective is a world championship, no less, so...

...I just don't know...

The pitching is actually the easier of the two problems to solve. Reyes is a virtual lock to be promoted and stay with the parent club. Depending on what happens with Mulder and Ponson, Wainwright may see some spot starts or even become a real starter. That calls to question just who will take over Wainwright's role as long-relief guy and all around fireballer. I think this is where Walt Jocketty will need to spin some more of his magic. His record isn't so good this year, though.

What I don't see is any significant trade in the works for a hitter. The only bait is Reyes and Wainright and that would be suicide at this point. I'm thinking Walt will pick up somebody off the waiver wire ala the Larry Walker deal to add some power to the lineup. Some will blame DeWitt's cheapness but the fact is there are very few players out there for the Cards to pick up via a trade.

Those are my guesses.

Oh, and I've got a wager going with my buddy that Sidney Ponson gets rung up and out of the STL by Aug. 1. He's overweight, emotionally challenged and marginally skilled so once the heat of the summer starts to wear on him, he'll start to wear on TLR -- and you know how those situations always turn out.

What a difference there'd be this year If Al Reyes's arm hadn't exploded last October....

We'd have that dynamite set-up arm in the pen---a guy who's last couple of years were significabtly better than what Wainwright has given us thus far---and Wainwright could be showing us if he's got the chops for the rotation.

I still favor giving Wainwright some starts---I don't understand the persepctive that thinks increasing the amount of effective innings is a bad strategy. Let's see, would I rather have my good pitcher throw 4 innings a week (often in lost causes like last night that could have been avoided if he'd been starting) or throw 14 innings a week, including 10 innings that would have gone to a much worse pitcher?

Un-fucking-believable! Reyes pitches one of the best games of his life, gives up just one hit on Thome's HR, 0 BB's on a complete game and his goddamned team can't even score a run for him. I'm ashamed for those guys. Garcia's stuff was just average. If this is how the WS is going to go (IF they get that far) then it's good to know now so I'm not brokenhearted later.

Today's news regarding Mark Mulder confirms what I wrote a few days ago. An MRI on Friday found that he has been pitching with a shoulder impingement, inflammation of the rotator cuff and slight fraying of the labrum. Now I can tell you that the rotator cuff injury in particular is one that involves quite a bit of pain. You can't move your arm or even your torso without pain. So Mulder has either been lying about feeling no pain or he's that one in 10 million guy who has no nerve endings in his shoulder. Yeah, dude's be lying all along. What an imbecile!

WTF is up with all these ads being posted on the blog?

There are some evil people in this world.

reminiscently:Daugherty Hermite justly oiliest mailmen technician

reminiscently:Daugherty Hermite justly oiliest mailmen technician