Cards 2010 Pitching...Who's Gonna Step Up?

Pitching.

Seems like that's the one word that causes everyone to shudder every spring. Pitching. Did you just shudder. I know I did.

At least it's a more relaxed shudder in 2010. Not like a 1999 Darren Oliver, Jose Jimenez, Garrett Stephenson, Kent Mercker shudder. (In '99 those 4 pitchers combined for a whopping 26 wins)...(and don't forget our 9th inning shut down man - Ricky Bottalico. It's always nice where your closer's ERA is hovering around 5.00)

So looking back on how bad it could be does ease my nerves. Carpenter and Wainwright have me at ease. But can Penny and Lohse pitch like times past?

The 2010 CHONE projected line for Penny is a 9-9 record with a respectable 4.13 ERA. But can he put together another 16-4, 3.03 ERA season like he did in 2007 in L.A.?

The CHONE for Lohse is a 9-9 record with a 4.33 ERA. But his question is can he put together a 15-6, 3.78 ERA season like 2008?

Looming questions. But none looms more ominously than, "Who is our fifth starter?" We now know that the Cards have pulled out of the running for Chien-Ming Wang. So I guess they are going with the rarely implemented in-house method on this one. (I hate how sarcasm doesn't show through times new roman, but yes, that was sarcasm.)

Here's what the projected lines are for some of the people up for the job:
Rich Hill: 5-6, 4.78 ERA, 96 IP, 81 K, 52 BB

Mitchell Boggs: 7-9, 4.68 ERA, 148 IP, 98 K, 70 BB
Kyle McClellan: 4-3, 3.71 ERA, 63 IP, 48 K, 25 BB (bullpen)

None of these options seem the unequivocal choice. But you make do with what you have.

Or to refer to the Cardinals mantra, "When life gives you lemons, or rather you picked up some lemons real cheap at Schnucks, you know the lemons that were underneath all the others and all the other shoppers passed them by because they looked kind of rotten, and you give those lemons to Dave Duncan, and he somehow turns them into ice-cold Dr. Pepper." Or insert whatever drink you like to replace Dr. Pepper.

That is all for today children. Enjoy your Tuesday.