Carlos Martinez?

[Sharky]

I heard the Cardinals might call up Carlos Martinez. James33 or anyone else, thoughts on role/impact? Would he just be up for a short while?

Also, what about Wacha and Gast? Gast has put up strong numbers at AAA, but doesn't seem to be on prospect lists. Wacha has done great too. Is there an opening for either one?

[james33]

Any role would be middle relief with some outside chance of being closer-by-committee if Mujica struggles and Rosenthal doesn't take over. The bullpen has blown several leads, while the rotation has been fine.

I read this more as St Louis Post-Dispach columnist speculation rather than a source inside the front office. But I could have missed something. Martinez doesn't have many innings under his belt, and he missed all of spring training due to visa issues, so I'm skeptical that they'd go that way.

Wacha just doesn't have that many minor league innings either (less than 50 career minor league IP), so color me skeptical on that too. He was slated to begin the year in AA until he had a great spring.

Gast maybe, as an extra middle reliever, and I wouldn't rush to pick him up. He isn't someone to get too excited about but he isn't a non-prospect either; I saw him ranked in the top 15-20 last year for the Cardinals and he certainly has started the year off well in AAA. Lefty but I've heard his changeup is better than his curve, and he has been a starter, so he isn't looked at as a LOOGY.

Eduardo Sanchez could get a whirl to join the bullpen again. Nothing exciting there. Or, even less exciting, veteran stiff Victor Marte, currently the Memphis closer.

There's not an obvious opening, but pitchers do get hurt. Boggs could lose his roster spot after a couple more weeks of his current output, but that's just me speculating. Or Kelly, with very few appearances thanks to the strong starting pitching negating a need for long relief, could be sent to AAA to pitch as a starter instead, maybe with Gast taking his place as long man with some opportunity to pitch in close games in the 6th/7th inning as well, but that's again just me speculating.

[Sharky]

Thanks very much, James33. I was hoping Wacha might get the call to start at some point, but it's probably far-fetched (at least near term, barring injury to one of the starters).

What about 2014? Are the starters signed long-term? Any likely to be traded?

[dannahann]

He (Martinez) is supposed to get the start tomorrow (AA Springfield) but I doubt I'll get finished up in time to attend. Plan to listen to the local game call at least.

[james33]

Carlos Martinez called up today to join the bullpen! Grab him if you are in a keeper league.

[whalewang]

Will he be in the rotation by this time next year?

[james33]

Will he be in the rotation by this time next year?

He absolutely has a shot. Last year it was thought that he might be roughly a year, year and a half behind Shelby Miller.

But then Martinez missed spring training due to visa issues and Wacha dominated in spring training, leading many to assume that Wacha had probably stepped over Martinez, and that Martinez was more of a 2015 rotation candidate.

But today's early vote of confidence means something.

Cardinals have 4 guys signed beyond this year to be starters (Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller).

So 5th starter 2014 -no crystal ball, just best guess today, is either Jake Westbrook again (they have a mutual option) or Wacha or Martinez or Gast or, less likely, Joe Kelly (if they liked him as a starter, they probably would have given him the job early in spring training) or Rosenthal (I think he'll stay in the pen).

And assume that one of the 4 guys signed beyond this year to be starters will be hurt at this point next year? That opens up two spots among (Westbrook/Wacha/Martinez/Gast/Kelly/Rosenthal).

[james33]

here's what rhd had to say about him: "Hard thrower w great stuff. FB sits at 94-98 and touches 100. BA says his CB and CU could develop into plus pitches. Small stature and some question whether he can be a starter and the Cards' rotation already is very crowded, so he'll probably start in the bullpen when he comes up."

http://forum.rotojunkiefix.com/showt...-ups-for-36-75)

[james33]

And he's up again. "Bullpen, innings eater" is how Cardinals GM John Mozeliak described his role. http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...a2a41c204.html

Don't expect much in 2013.

[Msaint]

Better keeper league spec add: Martinez or Taijuan Walker?

[Sour Masher]

Better keeper league spec add: Martinez or Taijuan Walker?

Gotta go with Walker. I actually like Martinez a lot, but he does not have a defined role of value next year. Walker is def going to be a starter when he comes up.