Post by Fish Troll on Mar 22, 2007 18:12:48 GMT -5
Cardinals 5 Pitchers FinalizeJUPITER, Fla. -- Brad Thompson and Ryan Franklin can read the signs as well as anyone. They both know that they're runners-up in the competition for spots in the Cardinals' starting rotation. They can tell by their assignments.
Thompson and Franklin, both of whom had been pitching multiple innings at a time, were cut back to one-inning stints in their last times out. Thompson pitched a single frame against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Franklin one against the Orioles on Wednesday.
For the time being, they're both relievers. The Cardinals' starting five is set, with Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, Anthony Reyes, Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper winning jobs.
"I figured it was going to happen at some point," said Thompson. "I'm glad they did it now, instead of later, so I can get into pitching every other day."
Though the official word before camp started was that at least five pitchers were in an open competition for at least three spots, the reality turned out a bit different. Neither Thompson nor Franklin got a start this spring. Those assignments were all given to the five pitchers identified as "priority" candidates.
For Thompson or Franklin -- or Chris Narveson, or Randy Keisler, or anyone else -- to crack the rotation, it would have required a sequence of events. Thompson pitched as well as could possibly have been asked, but he needed to do that and have one of the top five falter.
The latter never came to pass. All five favorites held their own.
"That's the way [pitching coach Dave Duncan] set it up," said manager Tony La Russa. "Brad can start, but he's also suited for relief."
So Thompson instead heads for the bullpen, where there's a good chance he could become the primary setup man.
"Coming into Spring Training, all I wanted to do was compete for a job," he said. "And I feel like I did that. If I break camp, I'll be a happy guy. I just want to break camp with the team, and hopefully fit into that role. That would be great. I would love it."
For Franklin, who joined the Cardinals as a free agent, the realization was more of a letdown. He signed with St. Louis in part because of the opportunity to win a starting job -- then he never got a start in the spring.
"I don't want to make it sound like I'm disappointed in a really bad way," Franklin said. "I'm disappointed I didn't get to start any games, but it looked like when I came in here that they pretty much had their five starters.
"I think Dunc can still improve my skills. You never know, I might finish my career as a reliever, which is fine, too. As long as I'm out there on the mound at the big-league level, I'm good."
Still, he said the chance to pitch in the postseason trumps any and all individual considerations.
"It's all right," he said. "I'm happy to be a part of this winning organization. I haven't been part of a winning type atmosphere in about three years. I'm not the type of guy anyway who's going to disrupt the morale of the team. I've been a part of that too, where guys have been like that, and it's not good. I know what we're trying to do here -- to get back in October."
GL Looper
Thompson and Franklin, both of whom had been pitching multiple innings at a time, were cut back to one-inning stints in their last times out. Thompson pitched a single frame against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Franklin one against the Orioles on Wednesday.
For the time being, they're both relievers. The Cardinals' starting five is set, with Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, Anthony Reyes, Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper winning jobs.
"I figured it was going to happen at some point," said Thompson. "I'm glad they did it now, instead of later, so I can get into pitching every other day."
Though the official word before camp started was that at least five pitchers were in an open competition for at least three spots, the reality turned out a bit different. Neither Thompson nor Franklin got a start this spring. Those assignments were all given to the five pitchers identified as "priority" candidates.
For Thompson or Franklin -- or Chris Narveson, or Randy Keisler, or anyone else -- to crack the rotation, it would have required a sequence of events. Thompson pitched as well as could possibly have been asked, but he needed to do that and have one of the top five falter.
The latter never came to pass. All five favorites held their own.
"That's the way [pitching coach Dave Duncan] set it up," said manager Tony La Russa. "Brad can start, but he's also suited for relief."
So Thompson instead heads for the bullpen, where there's a good chance he could become the primary setup man.
"Coming into Spring Training, all I wanted to do was compete for a job," he said. "And I feel like I did that. If I break camp, I'll be a happy guy. I just want to break camp with the team, and hopefully fit into that role. That would be great. I would love it."
For Franklin, who joined the Cardinals as a free agent, the realization was more of a letdown. He signed with St. Louis in part because of the opportunity to win a starting job -- then he never got a start in the spring.
"I don't want to make it sound like I'm disappointed in a really bad way," Franklin said. "I'm disappointed I didn't get to start any games, but it looked like when I came in here that they pretty much had their five starters.
"I think Dunc can still improve my skills. You never know, I might finish my career as a reliever, which is fine, too. As long as I'm out there on the mound at the big-league level, I'm good."
Still, he said the chance to pitch in the postseason trumps any and all individual considerations.
"It's all right," he said. "I'm happy to be a part of this winning organization. I haven't been part of a winning type atmosphere in about three years. I'm not the type of guy anyway who's going to disrupt the morale of the team. I've been a part of that too, where guys have been like that, and it's not good. I know what we're trying to do here -- to get back in October."
GL Looper
