http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/teams/st_louis_cardinals/26 Recent articles about St. Louis Cardinals en-us Beset by injuries, the Cardinals have had to turn to the farm system early and often this year. Normally, when you're dealing with young and unproven players, the results are at best mixed.  However, so far the Cardinals rookies have come through.  The latest example being Tyler Lyons, who started for the Cardinals last night and hurled 7 innings while allowing only 1 run. Although Matt Adams and Pete Kozma have helped the Cardinals offense, the biggest impact that the rookies have had is on the pitching staff.  So far this season, the Cardinals have utilized 6 rookie pitchers, including 3 starters and 3 relievers. The rookie starters, led by Shelby Miller and recently joined by John Gast and Tyler Lyons, have gone 8-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 74 K's across 75 innings.  The relievers, led by Trevor Rosenthal along with Carlos Martinez and Seth Maness, have posted a 2.83 ERA with 45 K's in 38 innings. This gives the rookie pitchers an overall record of 11-3 and a 2.38 ER... Thu, 23 May 2013 18:30:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/where_would_cardinals_be_without_their_rookie_pitchers/13682252 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/where_would_cardinals_be_without_their_rookie_pitchers/13682252 Where would Cardinals be without their rookie pitchers? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/where_would_cardinals_be_without_their_rookie_pitchers/13682252 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png ”I pitched well, I got a hit and we won the ballgame. It doesn’t get much better than that,” said excited new St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Tyler Lyons on Wednesday night. In his first Major League game, the 24-year-old left-hander limited the San Diego Padres to one run and four hits over seven innings. Lyons also contributed a single in the top of the sixth inning as part of St. Louis’ 14-hit attack. With the able assistance of researcher Tom Orf, we bring to you the list of eight, now nine, Cardinals pitchers who in their MLB debut: Started and went at least seven innings Allowed one or no runs Picked up the win Got a hit Player Date Opp Rslt App,Dec IP H R ER BB SO HR GSc Offense Tyler Lyons 5/22/2013 SDP W 5-3 GS-7 ,W 7 4 1 1 1 4 1 68 1B Andy Rincon 9/15/1980 CHC W 5-1 CG 9 ,W 9 5 1 1 2 4 0 75 1B Eric Rasmussen 7/21/1975 SDP W 4-0 SHO9 ,W 9 7 0 0 1 7 0 79 1B, RBI Jerry Reuss 9/27/1969 MON W 2-1 GS-7 ,W 7 2 0 0 3 3 0 73... Thu, 23 May 2013 15:35:22 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/tyler_lyons_andy_rincon_and_dizzy_dean/13681088 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/tyler_lyons_andy_rincon_and_dizzy_dean/13681088 Tyler Lyons, Andy Rincon and Dizzy Dean http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/tyler_lyons_andy_rincon_and_dizzy_dean/13681088 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Stl Cardinals have lost pitcher Jaime Garcia for the season because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The injury will require surgery and cost him the rest of 2013. The lefty starter originally felt pain in his shoulder during a start in the 2012 National League Divisional Series against the Washington Nationals. He pitched two innings before being pulled from the start. Instead of having surgery following the first issue, Garcia chose to rehab and see where things went. Things went south. Dr. James Andrews saw Garcia after the second issue, and was surprised Garcia pitched so well up to this point. What one has to be surprised about is if Garcia will ever be himself again. Shoulder injuries and Stl Cardinals pitchers have been more common than one would like to admit. Most recently, Mark Mulder suffered from rotator cuff problems from 2006-2008. Mulder was supposed to help shore up the starting rotation, but never lived up to his potential after a great run with Oakland. ... Thu, 23 May 2013 12:43:20 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/stl_cardinals_garcia_may_never_be_the_same_after_surgery/13679561 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/stl_cardinals_garcia_may_never_be_the_same_after_surgery/13679561 Stl Cardinals Garcia may never be the same after surgery http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/stl_cardinals_garcia_may_never_be_the_same_after_surgery/13679561 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/9/29fbf709e2a619a62ebdd3b28a0ff9a037aa7299/mini/6546118.jpg Adam Wainwright is back to "ace" form. (Credit) Obtaining an overall ace in the Major Leagues is not an easy task. Although the majority of teams have an ace of their staff, an overall ace (something I came up with approximately two seconds ago) is a pitcher that would be an ace on over half of the teams in the MLB. That does not sound like much, but with an overall ace on the mound, you would feel extreme confidence that your team is in a good position to win. The St. Louis Cardinals had two overall aces in 2009 and 2010, but both have suffered injuries since then. Without Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals’ rotation was left with no head. Since Wainwright underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011 and missed the entire season, he struggled to reclaim his perch on the overall ace tree. His April last season consisted of an 0-3 record and a 7.32 ERA, and his June was not much better, as he recorded a 2-3 record and a 5.21 ERA. Those numbers look more like an ... Thu, 23 May 2013 11:30:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/adam_wainwrights_return_to_the_role_of_overall_ace/13678985 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/adam_wainwrights_return_to_the_role_of_overall_ace/13678985 Adam Wainwright’s Return to the Role of Overall Ace http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/adam_wainwrights_return_to_the_role_of_overall_ace/13678985 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/a/4a7b7cb40099ab1e75f1deeb42831c678a265044/mini/6609914.jpg If injuries are any indication of a team's ability to win, the St. Louis Cardinals should be in the basement of the National League Central.  Instead, they are banging out the best record in baseball with four starting pitchers on the DL and more injuries continuing to pile up.  David Freese, one of the main pieces of the team's offense sat out last night for the third-straight game adding to the list of injuries that should be affecting the team, but really aren't. According to Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com, the Cardinals made a few moves before yesterday's game against the San Diego Padres.  Freese was held out of the lineup, Fernando Salas was placed on the DL, and Jaime Garcia's surgery was confirmed.  Freese's injury is concerning in the fact that he has not played for three days and there isn't much being said about his condition. Freese suffered a laceration on his right thumb on Sunday while diving to apply a tag.  He received stitches, bu... Thu, 23 May 2013 07:30:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_david_freese_sits_for_third_straight_game/13677236 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_david_freese_sits_for_third_straight_game/13677236 Cardinals' David Freese sits for third-straight game http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_david_freese_sits_for_third_straight_game/13677236 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/3/53dd6aa85bb528e9c0a94b69b8d1a5bc8d3a9e36/mini/6222052.jpg And the hits keep coming.  Not off the bats of opposing players, but in the form of injuries to the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff.  Jake Westbrook is the latest victim.  He was already on the 15-day DL with right elbow inflammation, but Westbrook was on the path to recovery.  Until yesterday. Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reported Westbrook's setback via Twitter last night: Jake Westbrook had to stop throwing after 20 pitches. Said elbow did not feel right. Not sure what next step will be. — Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) May 23, 2013 Westbrook had just resumed throwing earlier this week, so things were looking up for the Cardinals and Westbrook.  At very least, the team could rely on one starter to soon re-enter the rotation.  However, it does not seem that will be the case.  Westbrook's setback will add a yet to be determined number of days or weeks to his rehab process. The Cardinals have managed to continue their success despite injuries to multiple... Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13677008 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13677008 Cardinals' Jake Westbrook suffers setback http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13677008 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/5/05fd7fc5e6c5e5bbc6452a35374ceb685d478891/mini/houston-astros-louis.jpg St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season. The Cardinals announced Wednesday that Garcia will have surgery to repair tears in his rotator cuff and labrum. Team doctor George Paletta will perform the operation on Friday in St. Louis. Garcia is 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts this year. He was put on the disabled list Sunday after feeling pain that increased over the course of three starts. ''This isn't surprising news to us,'' Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ''We anticipated that surgery was a real possibility. I think it's a relief for him to go in get the shoulder cleaned up and allow him to move forward and be healthy for spring training.'' Garcia was sidelined with shoulder soreness twice last season. He chose rest over surgery during the offseason, but the latest recurrence of shoulder pain led to a recommendation that he have surgery. Garcia is 39-25 lifetime Wed, 22 May 2013 23:29:09 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cards_garcia_expected_to_miss_year_after_surgery/13675910 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cards_garcia_expected_to_miss_year_after_surgery/13675910 Cards' Garcia expected to miss year after surgery http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cards_garcia_expected_to_miss_year_after_surgery/13675910 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/9/29fbf709e2a619a62ebdd3b28a0ff9a037aa7299/mini/6546118.jpg It was another rough couple days for Cardinals pitching. First, according to Jennifer Langosch, Jake Westbook had to cut his bullpen session short today after 20 pitches due to experiencing more discomfort in his elbow.  Its unclear as to how long this will set him back or what the next step will be.  What is clear is that Cardinals fans everywhere will be increasing their calls for a Michael Wacha promotion. Second, Fernando Salas had to be placed on the DL yesterday, with what is described as right shoulder irritation.  This is a tough blow for an already shaky bullpen.  Salas was one of the bright spots so far this year, with a 3.86 ERA in 16.1 innings.  Finally, Eduardo Sanchez was claimed off waivers by the Cubs.  Once considered one of the Cardinals top 10 prospects by Baseball America and a potential closer, Sanchez saved 5 games for the Cards in 2011 before elbow and control issues set him back.  He has since been leap-frogged by guys like Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martin... Wed, 22 May 2013 23:29:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/bad_news_for_cardinals_pitchers_jaime_garcia_jake_westbrook_and_fernando_salas/13675934 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/bad_news_for_cardinals_pitchers_jaime_garcia_jake_westbrook_and_fernando_salas/13675934 Bad news for Cardinals pitchers Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and Fernando Salas. http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/bad_news_for_cardinals_pitchers_jaime_garcia_jake_westbrook_and_fernando_salas/13675934 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png What a difference seven weeks has made. Out of spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals had a solid pitching staff that was exciting to watch. What fans couldn't have known at that time was how impressive of a performance they were about to put up. Arguably that performance peaked when Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright posted back to back shutouts - with one hit and two hits allowed, respectively. After the loss of Jake Westbrook to the 15-day DL, and the subsequent promotion of John Gast, no one wanted to hear that all wasn't well with Jaime Garcia. Unfortunately, that's exactly the case. Jaime is slated to have the very surgery he should have had last fall. In the Cardinals clubhouse there's a sometimes frustrating wait-and-see attitude about injuries. No amount of rest will bring Garcia back, and so the second change to the Cardinals' rotation will take place tonight when Tyler Lyons hits the mound. Can Tyler Lyons keep up with the Cards rotation? No ... Wed, 22 May 2013 22:30:35 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/st_louis_cardinals_can_tyler_lyons_keep_up_with_the_rest_of_the_cards_rotation/13675613 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/st_louis_cardinals_can_tyler_lyons_keep_up_with_the_rest_of_the_cards_rotation/13675613 St. Louis Cardinals: Can Tyler Lyons keep up with the rest of the Cards rotation? http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/st_louis_cardinals_can_tyler_lyons_keep_up_with_the_rest_of_the_cards_rotation/13675613 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png After learning that Jaime Garcia was going to be out for the remainder of the season after he undergoes shoulder surgery later this week, the St. Louis Cardinals were hoping for some good news from their other starter who is on the disabled list, Jake Westbrook. Westbrook, who is 2-1 with a 1.62 ERA in six starts this season, has been on the disabled list since May 9 with scar tissue build-up in his surgically repaired right elbow. Westbrook was slated to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday and if things went well, the hope was to have him back on the bump sooner rather than later to help the rotation get back to as close to full strength as possible. Unfortunately, the bullpen session did not go well. Jake Westbrook had to stop throwing after 20 pitches. Said elbow did not feel right. Not sure what next step will be. — Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) May 23, 2013 The setback certainly is bad news for the Cardinals, who were hoping not only for Westbrook to return to stab... Wed, 22 May 2013 22:11:55 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/st_louis_cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13675568 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/st_louis_cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13675568 St. Louis Cardinals: Jake Westbrook suffers setback http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/st_louis_cardinals_jake_westbrook_suffers_setback/13675568 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/6/567372284a642ee6b6bb23fe7a8597deaf0bad9b/mini/san-francisco-giants-louis.jpg St. Louis Cardinals right-handed starting pitcher Jaime Garcia will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The procedure has been recommended by Dr. James Andrews, as he confirmed the original diagnosis of a small tear in Garcia's labrum. Heyman adds that the right-hander is said to have what was described as a 30- to 40-percent tear in his throwing shoulder. The operation will be performed by team doctor George Paletta. Garcia dealt with shoulder issues at the end of last season, and he attempted to rehab the ailment over the winter. He was able to do so and pitch quite well to open the 2013 campaign, something that surprised Andrews considering the current state of Garcia's shoulder. The surgery is expected to sideline Garcia for the remainder of the season. It's not clear how long he'll be out, as this will become more clear following the operation. Prior to his injury, Garcia posted an ERA of 3.58 with a 1.301 W... Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jaime_garcia_requires_season_ending_surgery/13672846 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jaime_garcia_requires_season_ending_surgery/13672846 Cardinals' Jaime Garcia requires season-ending surgery http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_jaime_garcia_requires_season_ending_surgery/13672846 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/6/2615634a30a385733f27a2c85c0cf7ef6b4115b7/mini/6533302.jpg The Cardinals have lost Jamie Garcia for the season. They're in the process of losing Jake Westbrook for way longer than the '2 starts' that we were told. And Shelby Miller can't be trusted to work out of his own jams. None of this was going on 2 weeks ago. So what the...? Wait, what's that? Sports Illustrated sent someone to cover the Cardinals historically good starters starts? Well that explains it. Our friends over at SI Classic Cover sent this week's SI cover over and it it's very nice. And by nice I mean the ONLY reason the Cardinals rotation is falling apart. I kid. I think.  Wed, 22 May 2013 14:23:51 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_on_the_cover_of_sports_illustrated/13672483 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_on_the_cover_of_sports_illustrated/13672483 Cardinals On The Cover Of Sports Illustrated http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_on_the_cover_of_sports_illustrated/13672483 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/6/567372284a642ee6b6bb23fe7a8597deaf0bad9b/mini/san-francisco-giants-louis.jpg credit: getty images Cardinals left hander Jaime Garcia will undergo surgery on his left shoulder. The procedure will end Garcia’s season. The surgery was recommended by Dr. James Andrews after he confirmed the original diagnosis of a tear in his labrum.  Garcia will have the surgery performed by the Cardinals team doctor and attempt to return to the team next season. Garcia was 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA this season before he visited with doctors to talk about his shoulder pain. The Cardinals will place Tyler Lyons in Garcia’s rotation spot. Lyons, 25, has made eight starts at Triple-A compiling a 4.47 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. When Jake Westbrook returns from his elbow inflammation he should replace Lyons. Wed, 22 May 2013 13:03:59 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_lefty_jaime_garcia_will_undergo_shoulder_surgery/13671715 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_lefty_jaime_garcia_will_undergo_shoulder_surgery/13671715 Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia will undergo shoulder surgery http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_lefty_jaime_garcia_will_undergo_shoulder_surgery/13671715 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/d/9d25fc08497a94282e64d4579fec18a122a4fd09/mini/6582080.jpg The St. Louis Cardinals jumped out to a 28-16 record through roughly the first quarter of the regular season, and while that is the best record in the National League, the team still has noticeable room for improvement. The roster started to round into form nicely in early May as the hitters such as centerfielder Jon Jay and third baseman David Freese improved their swings, and the bullpen stabilized to provide reinforcements late in the game for a starting rotation that was by far the most dominant in all of Major League Baseball. But then right-handed starter Jake Westbrook went on the disabled list May 12 with a sore elbow, and left-handed starter Jaime Garcia’s probably ended Friday when he left the game with left shoulder pain and is likely headed for surgery. The Cardinals called up left-handed pitcher John Gast to fill Westbrook’s spot, and Gast has done well with wins in each of his first two starts. Gast has a 4.76 earned-run average, but that’s largely because he ran into... Wed, 22 May 2013 08:00:30 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_st_louis_cardinals_are_very_good_but_could_be_great/13669339 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/2013_st_louis_cardinals_are_very_good_but_could_be_great/13669339 2013 St. Louis Cardinals are very good, but could be great http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/2013_st_louis_cardinals_are_very_good_but_could_be_great/13669339 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png After a bumpy start to the season, Trevor Rosenthal has settled into his setup role nicely.  Since April 24th, he has allowed only 1 unearned run in 9.2 IP.  He has seen his ERA drop from a high of 5.00 on April 17th to the current low of 2.42. However, despite his run of success, there is one thing that concerns me, Mike Matheny has been using Rosenthal A LOT. Rosenthal has appeared in 23 of the Cardinals first 44 games, which puts him on pace for about 85 appearances for the year.  While it is not unheard of for a team to use a pitcher that much, its rare for a team to do that to someone under the age of 25.  Since 2000, only 4 pitchers under the age of 25 have appeared in more than 81 games in a season:  Oscar Villareal, Matt Capps, Jonathan Broxton and Joe Smith. Oscar Villareal appeared in 86 games in his rookie season at the age of 21.  He reported a sore elbow the next spring and later developed rotator cuff issues and has not been the same pitcher since. Matt Capps appea... Tue, 21 May 2013 16:19:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/should_we_be_concerned_about_mike_mathenys_overuse_of_trevor_rosenthal/13665187 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/should_we_be_concerned_about_mike_mathenys_overuse_of_trevor_rosenthal/13665187 Should we be concerned about Mike Matheny's overuse of Trevor Rosenthal? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/should_we_be_concerned_about_mike_mathenys_overuse_of_trevor_rosenthal/13665187 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png He's a great doctor, but anytime his name is associated with a player's name, it's generally bad news.  This time, that bad news is hanging around Jaime Garcia.  The St. Louis Cardinals' veteran starter was just recently placed on the disabled list with a shoulder strain.  Now, it seems that strain may be more serious as Garcia intends to see Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion. According to a #STLCards official, Jaime Garcia is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday for second opinion on his left shoulder. — Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) May 21, 2013 A meeting with Andrews does not immediately mean surgery will be scheduled, but more often than not, players meet with the renowned doctor when they are out of options and nothing else is helping.  If that's the case with Garcia, there is a very good chance he undergoes surgery.  And that could cost him the rest of the season. Garcia suffered a shoulder injury last season as well.  Garci... Tue, 21 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jaime_garcia_to_see_dr_andrews/13660933 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_jaime_garcia_to_see_dr_andrews/13660933 Cardinals' Jaime Garcia to see Dr. Andrews http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_jaime_garcia_to_see_dr_andrews/13660933 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/e/be0dcb8ca5ceef3c42daa3c8e1c4f8fcda1ff40d/mini/6301118.jpg The early season tailspin of the Cardinals season was due much in part the inability to close games out late. The struggles extended when the search to find the right arm to fill in to the final frame role. Yet, when Edward Mujica took the ball to close out for the first time on April 18 in Philadelphia, everything changed, because Mujica’s performance didn’t. He converted that save for the club, and hasn’t wasted a chance since, and it’s no coincidence that since he established himself even later in games, and this weekend he saved both of the Cardinal wins, running his season total to a perfect 13 for 13. “Chief” has taken the same lock down performance he brought to seventh inning a year ago over this season, and has firmly established himself as the club’s most reliable reliever. Since arriving in St. Louis last August, he has put up a 1.19 ERA in 45.1 Cardinal innings, an effort that has also seen him perform unflappably in two different roles in the Cardinal pen. “Adding Muji... Mon, 20 May 2013 08:27:46 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/is_mujica_playing_his_way_out_of_st_louis/13653598 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/is_mujica_playing_his_way_out_of_st_louis/13653598 Is Mujica Playing His Way Out of St. Louis? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/is_mujica_playing_his_way_out_of_st_louis/13653598 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Yes, even contenders are concerned about service time when it comes to their top prospects.  Its why players like Stephen Strasburg are kept in the minors until mid-June so that they do not qualify for Super Two status. The Cardinals appear to be playing that game as well with Michael Wacha. With an injury to Jaime Garcia, the Cards are calling upon little-known and not very highly regarded Tyler Lyons to make the start Wednesday in Garcia's place. The thinking is that this will be a one-time deal, with Jake Westbrook expected to be ready to return by the end of May.  However, as Bernie Miklasz points out, its a curious decision on the Cardinals part.  Lyons has a 4.47 ERA and the Cards will need to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for him, thereby exposing another player to waivers. If you're going to go to all that trouble to get a player on your 40-man roster, why not do so for your best pitching prospect. The Cardinals could have just gone with a start-by-commit... Sun, 19 May 2013 22:58:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_play_service_time_game_with_michael_wacha_tyler_lyons_to_start_on_wednesday/13652095 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/cardinals_play_service_time_game_with_michael_wacha_tyler_lyons_to_start_on_wednesday/13652095 Cardinals play service time game with Michael Wacha. Tyler Lyons to start on Wednesday http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/cardinals_play_service_time_game_with_michael_wacha_tyler_lyons_to_start_on_wednesday/13652095 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png With Jaime Garcia’s shoulder pushing him onto the disabled list, the St. Louis Cardinals do not have a starting pitcher for their series finale in San Diego on Wednesday night, May 22. With its top-ranked farm system strongest in pitching in and close to the majors, the problem is located in the organization’s most optimal area to try to address. While there are various options potentially available to the Cardinals, none is completely obvious. Let’s consider them. Jake Westbrook. The veteran right-hander is on the disabled list with right elbow problems that have required two injections to try to calm down. Even if his mandatory 15 days on the DL had passed by Wednesday, which they will not, Westbrook has not begun to throw again, so would not be ready. The bigger question with Westbrook is how long he will remain out – and therefore how long John Gast would be needed to replace him instead of potentially covering for Garcia in the rotation. Chris Carpenter. When the starting f... Sun, 19 May 2013 10:06:07 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/who_should_start_for_st_louis_in_garcias_spot/13648960 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/who_should_start_for_st_louis_in_garcias_spot/13648960 Who should start for St. Louis in Garcia’s spot? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/who_should_start_for_st_louis_in_garcias_spot/13648960 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Perhaps the Cardinals could use Chris Carpenter in the rotation after all? Just when you thought the Cardinals pitching staff was chugging along and nothing could stop them, they lose two pitchers in less than a week.  Nearly a week after placing Jake Westbrook on the DL with elbow inflamation, Jaime Garcia was put on the DL today with a left shoulder impingment.  Mitchell Boggs was called up to replace him on the active roster. This is the same injury that kept Garcia out for two months last year and the Cards fear it could be worse this time around, possibly requiring surgery. John Gast is currently filling in for Westbrook in the rotation as Jake is expected to miss at least 3 starts.  With Garcia joining him on the DL, speculation has already begun as to who will make his next start on Wednesday.  Here are the leading candidates: Joe Kelly While Kelly filled in admirably last year while Garcia was on the DL, he has worked primarily in relief this season and would need to... Sat, 18 May 2013 22:39:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/shoulder_issues_plague_jaime_garcia_again_will_michael_wacha_get_the_call/13647553 http://network.yardbarker.com/mlb/article_external/shoulder_issues_plague_jaime_garcia_again_will_michael_wacha_get_the_call/13647553 Shoulder issues plague Jaime Garcia again. Will Michael Wacha get the call? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/shoulder_issues_plague_jaime_garcia_again_will_michael_wacha_get_the_call/13647553 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/2/6/2615634a30a385733f27a2c85c0cf7ef6b4115b7/mini/6533302.jpg