1 of 1- Max
- Colby Rasmus
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- From: Pacific Northwest
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 5,269
IT HAS BEGUN!
JUPITER, Fla. --
Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan hit town Sunday as he completed a drive from snowbound southwest Missouri to balmy (79 degrees, light breeze) south Florida.
Naturally, Monday morning found him alongside first-year bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist observing a number of arms, including lefthander Jaime Garcia, versatile reliever Kyle McClellan, Adam Ottavino and P.J. Walters.
It didn't take long for Duncan to offer an encouraging viewpoint about both the quality and quantity of pitching the Cardinals will bring to camp.
"I think we're in a stronger position this year. From a depth standpoint, I do," he said inside the major-league clubhouse at Roger Dean Stadium.
- Max
- Colby Rasmus
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- From: Pacific Northwest
- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 5,269
Re: IT HAS BEGUN!
On the bright side, our pitching depth is better than it has been in recent memory.
A starting rotation of Wainwright, Carpenter, Garcia, Westbrook, Lohse, trumps every NL team except the Phillies. If any of those guys go down, we have a reasonable pool hopeful fifth starters to call upon.
With the rotation nailed down, the bullpen pitchers can truly focus on the bullpen. With better identified roles, I am optimistic that some of our young bullpen pitchers could have break out years, starting with Motte and McClellan (if last year wasn't already break out years for those guys). With some of the 8th and 9th inning pressure off, others could come forward as well.
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Thread Starter- tkihshbt
- Scott Rolen
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- Registered: 9/07/2010
- Posts: 7,244
Re: IT HAS BEGUN!
I remember being quite aggravated with McClellan at the beginning of last season, but he was very, very good after a bumpy start. Of course, I cringed every time he came into the game when it was tied because he seemed to always give up a home run in that situation.