This just in, per Fox Sports Net: Chris Carpenter is headed to the 15-day disabled list. Randy Keisler, the 31-year old lefty Yankee-Pads-Reds-A's veteran, will make the start tomorrow. Keisler had a great Spring Training (0.00 ERA) but has kind of been a journeyman pitcher throughout his career, never accumulating more than 56 innings in a season despite some starting experience. Keisler was drafted 4 times, finally signing with the Yanks after being picked in the second round in 1998. It's tough to say why Randy never really stuck with any one team, but he does possess a nasty changeup and a cut fastball per some Yankee scouting reports when he was first coming up. We'll see how this one goes. I'm not exactly that high on Randy, but you gotta think Dave and Tony know what they're doing.
As for Carpenter, there is speculation that he could be sidelined for 4-6 weeks because of bone chips in his right arm. While that would be a huge blow to the rotation, the way our pitchers are throwing, especially Kip Wells yesterday and Braden Looper today, I don't see a desperate reason for concern yet. Looper, despite being widely critiqued and discounted throughout his spring, has shown to be a reliable, if not admirable, starter so far. The same for Wells, who has sparked very quiet murmors of Cy Young potential. Carpenter will probably get some more looks at the elbow to see if surgery is necessary or if some rest will do him good. Using the 15-day DL allows the Cards to get a replacement in the clubhouse while allowing Carp to recover at his own pace - if 15 days isn't enough, they can put him back on the DL without having to wait 60 days to get Chris back or play shorthanded with Chris still on the active roster.
More developments will surely follow.
Kudos to Albert Pujols and the Cardinals for permanently wrecking Brad Lidge, who has been demoted as the Astros' closer in favor of Dan Wheeler. Ah, I can just imagine that near 500-foot shot floating past the Crawford boxes and the railroad tracks. And you can kiss it goodbye!
1 comments: