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They seemed obsessed with keeping Clippard, their best reliever, in a more flexible set up role, and even though that might be a good idea, I cannot imagine how they could go back to Burnett. He's just not a closer-worthy reliever. If they did let Clippard close, I think he'd be a top 5 closer the rest of the way. He has the total stats package already, except for saves.
McClellan moving to bullpen. La Russa says "important role". Could be used as closer, as a carrot for the move out of rotation. #STLcards
I think "set-up guy" would be an important role for McClellen. Putting him in at closer would be flirting with the bad Franklin days again. They're much better off with Salas in the role for the time being.
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
"Your shitty future continues to offend me."
-Warren Ellis
I think "set-up guy" would be an important role for McClellen. Putting him in at closer would be flirting with the bad Franklin days again. They're much better off with Salas in the role for the time being.
I agree.
Pitcher A: .497 K/IP
Pitcher B: 1.02 K/IP
Who do you want as your closer? That's what I thought.
I'm unconsoled I'm lonely, I am so much better than I used to be.
You are comparing strikeout rates for a one-inning reliever to a guy who just became a starter this year?
McClellan's problem was that he'd pitch 5 good innings, then tire while LaRussa snored on the bench.
If you think Salas can strike out a man per inning as a starter, you must be killing the Cardinals for wasting him in the bullpen.
Meanwhile McClellan had 60 K in 75 setup innings last year, which is a reasonable figure.
I realize that a guy who covers the team is no different than a guy blogging on his couch - wait, is that true?
He may have misread the comment, but I suspect he was standing in front of LaRussa when it was made. So it's just possible he's not just talking out of his arse.
finished 10th in this 37th yr in 11-team-only NL 5x5
own picks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 in April 2022 1st-rd farmhand draft
won in 2017 15 07 05 04 02 93 90 84
SP SGray 16, TWalker 10, AWood 10, Price 3, KH Kim 2, Corbin 10
RP Bednar 10, Bender 10, Graterol 2
C Stallings 2, Casali 1
1B Votto 10, 3B ERios 2, 1B Zimmerman 2, 2S Chisholm 5, 2B Hoerner 5, 2B Solano 2, 2B LGarcia 10, SS Gregorius 17
OF Cain 14, Bader 1, Daza 1
You are comparing strikeout rates for a one-inning reliever to a guy who just became a starter this year?
McClellan's problem was that he'd pitch 5 good innings, then tire while LaRussa snored on the bench.
If you think Salas can strike out a man per inning as a starter, you must be killing the Cardinals for wasting him in the bullpen.
Meanwhile McClellan had 60 K in 75 setup innings last year, which is a reasonable figure.
I realize that a guy who covers the team is no different than a guy blogging on his couch - wait, is that true?
He may have misread the comment, but I suspect he was standing in front of LaRussa when it was made. So it's just possible he's not just talking out of his arse.
Last time I checked striking out a batter per inning is better than .8 per inning. Pretty simple math. Plus the way bullpens are sculpted the setup man is an important part of the pen. Ergo a setup man will have an important role in the bullpen. This sounds like a guy trying to "be the first" to claim something as it has become these days with that pathetic twitter. Everyone tries so hard to be the first that they throw facts out the window.
I'm unconsoled I'm lonely, I am so much better than I used to be.
"Last time I checked striking out a batter per inning is better than .8 per inning. Pretty simple math."
In a vacuum, yes.
But a good K per 9 vs a very good K per 9 is not a discussion-ender.
Salas has done a good job, but LaRussa may be more loyal to McClellan for his strong season last year and respectable fill-in this year as a converted starter.
We'll see. From my experience, guys in the clubhouse who hear something - but don't want to have to go to "a source said" because that causes problems - well, they just seem to wildly speculate and then sometimes wind up right somehow.
But to be fair, I have no idea about this guy. If he turned LaRussa's comments into his claim without any inkling, he's a dope.
There are plenty of those in all professions, though.
finished 10th in this 37th yr in 11-team-only NL 5x5
own picks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 in April 2022 1st-rd farmhand draft
won in 2017 15 07 05 04 02 93 90 84
SP SGray 16, TWalker 10, AWood 10, Price 3, KH Kim 2, Corbin 10
RP Bednar 10, Bender 10, Graterol 2
C Stallings 2, Casali 1
1B Votto 10, 3B ERios 2, 1B Zimmerman 2, 2S Chisholm 5, 2B Hoerner 5, 2B Solano 2, 2B LGarcia 10, SS Gregorius 17
OF Cain 14, Bader 1, Daza 1
"Last time I checked striking out a batter per inning is better than .8 per inning. Pretty simple math."
In a vacuum, yes.
But a good K per 9 vs a very good K per 9 is not a discussion-ender.
Salas has done a good job, but LaRussa may be more loyal to McClellan for his strong season last year and respectable fill-in this year as a converted starter.
We'll see. From my experience, guys in the clubhouse who hear something - but don't want to have to go to "a source said" because that causes problems - well, they just seem to wildly speculate and then sometimes wind up right somehow.
But to be fair, I have no idea about this guy. If he turned LaRussa's comments into his claim without any inkling, he's a dope.
There are plenty of those in all professions, though.
Again, if what LaRussa said is true, and I have no doubt that it is...he said "important role", not "closer". If he's so all fired up to give McClellen his "reward" for being a good soldier, why not come right out and say that he's going to be the closer? I think that you're reading a lot more into some pretty innocent comments than might be there.
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
"Your shitty future continues to offend me."
-Warren Ellis
The official website of the St. Louis Cardinals with the most up-to-date information on scores, schedule, stats, tickets, and team news.
ST. LOUIS -- The acquisition of Edwin Jackson provides an upgrade for the Cardinals in two areas, the club hopes. In addition to adding Jackson to the starting rotation, the move returns Kyle McClellan to the bullpen, and possibly even to the ninth inning. ...
"I think you can expect Kyle to have a very important role late in the game," La Russa said.
Pressed directly as to whether Fernando Salas is still his primary closer, La Russa did not commit.
"I'm just going to go with who's available," he said. "I have no problem picking either one of those guys [Salas or McClellan], because they both can get hitters from both sides of the plate out."
The opportunity to close certainly makes the move more palatable to McClellan, who pitched primarily as a setup man the past three seasons. He has six Major League saves and 39 games finished.
"I don't think there's anything that shows I can't do that," McClellan said. "I've done it when [former closer Ryan Franklin] needed days off. I feel confident I can do it. But it just depends on situations and all that kind of stuff that comes into play. But I definitely wouldn't shy away from it and would definitely welcome it."
finished 10th in this 37th yr in 11-team-only NL 5x5
own picks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 in April 2022 1st-rd farmhand draft
won in 2017 15 07 05 04 02 93 90 84
SP SGray 16, TWalker 10, AWood 10, Price 3, KH Kim 2, Corbin 10
RP Bednar 10, Bender 10, Graterol 2
C Stallings 2, Casali 1
1B Votto 10, 3B ERios 2, 1B Zimmerman 2, 2S Chisholm 5, 2B Hoerner 5, 2B Solano 2, 2B LGarcia 10, SS Gregorius 17
OF Cain 14, Bader 1, Daza 1
The official website of the St. Louis Cardinals with the most up-to-date information on scores, schedule, stats, tickets, and team news.
ST. LOUIS -- The acquisition of Edwin Jackson provides an upgrade for the Cardinals in two areas, the club hopes. In addition to adding Jackson to the starting rotation, the move returns Kyle McClellan to the bullpen, and possibly even to the ninth inning. ...
"I think you can expect Kyle to have a very important role late in the game," La Russa said.
Pressed directly as to whether Fernando Salas is still his primary closer, La Russa did not commit.
"I'm just going to go with who's available," he said. "I have no problem picking either one of those guys [Salas or McClellan], because they both can get hitters from both sides of the plate out."
The opportunity to close certainly makes the move more palatable to McClellan, who pitched primarily as a setup man the past three seasons. He has six Major League saves and 39 games finished.
"I don't think there's anything that shows I can't do that," McClellan said. "I've done it when [former closer Ryan Franklin] needed days off. I feel confident I can do it. But it just depends on situations and all that kind of stuff that comes into play. But I definitely wouldn't shy away from it and would definitely welcome it."
Again, there's still NOTHING there that says that he'll be the closer, and nothing that says that he won't. You're the one who's reading things into this...
Can McClellen get some saves? Sure, and he probably will, considering that Salas hasn't been a total shut down closer. But as far as LaRussa handing him the role, it sure didn't happen in public.
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
"Your shitty future continues to offend me."
-Warren Ellis
i was relieved to see heath bell not traded to the cardinals. i own salas. i think he has to look over his shoulder at mcclellan, but i think he gets a few more saves down the line than mcclellan.
i was relieved to see heath bell not traded to the cardinals.
I felt the exact opposite way, as in, homicidal after seeing Adams dealt from great park/closer-in-waiting status to terrible park/late-inning clusterf*ck w/ Uehara, Oliver, Feliz et al. On behalf of all Adams owners, I say, "Bite me, Jed Hoyer."
12-team mixed keeper. 6x6 (OBP, QS the extra categories).
C- J.McCann
1B-Cron
2B- Villar
SS- Andrus
3B-Baez
MI-L. Gurriel
CI- Y.Gurriel
OF- Blackmon, Judge, Betts, Dom.Santana
UTIL- Benintendi
BENCH: Pence, Dyson
SP: Verlander, Scherzer, M. Boyd, JA Happ, Ponce de Leon
RP: Yates, Greene, C.Martinez, Oberg, Bummer, N.Anderson
IL: Buxton
I wouldn't be worried about McClellan at this point. He hasn't done anything in two BP appearances to remotely suggest that he should/would push Salas for saves.
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