Cardinals Could Find Answer With Ex-Dodgers, Red Sox Flamethrower

The St. Louis Cardinals entered action on Wednesday with the No. 17-ranked bullpen in Major League Baseball when it comes to ERA.

St. Louis' tilt against the Philadelphia Phillies was postponed on Tuesday leading to a doubleheader Wednesday. Before the action, though, the Cardinals' bullpen sported a 3.97 ERA overall. That's not bad by any means. The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels' bullpens are tied for the worst in the league with 7.07 ERAs. That's bad.

While this is the case, it is a small step back from last year when the Cardinals had the No. 7 bullpen in baseball with a 3.64 ERA.

With the way the club has recently played, they have started to change perception of the organization. Rather than seeming like a guaranteed seller, they have started to open some people's eyes to the fact that this is a team with a lot of talent that could be in contention for a playoff spot.

It's obviously early, still. It's too early to go out and make some sort of blockbuster trade. But, what about a cheap signing in the short-term to help add more bullpen depth? The rotation and offense are both rolling right now. The bullpen is the team's biggest hole, and even that isn't that bad.

There is some serious talent still out there for the taking in free agency worth a look, including an old friend. Joe Kelly began his big league career with the Cardinals in 2012. He spent two-plus seasons in town before being dealt to the Boston Red Sox. He began his career as a starter but moved to the bullpen and has had a very successful career. Kelly has a 3.98 career ERA in 485 total appearances with the Cardinals, Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago White Sox. He had a 4.78 ERA last year with Los Angeles and is still available in free agency. Why not give him a call and see if he would accept a minor league deal?