I just fear that the price tag is going to be prohibitive. I don’t think the Cards want to have so much tied up long-term in their pitching staff. It’s likely one of the primary reasons why they haven’t gone out and spent a pile of cash on a hitter.

Given Ankiel’s relationship with the Cardinals over the years, I can’t envision them parting ways with him for a relief pitcher straight up, but I guess it’d be better than getting nothing for him when he is looking for 5 yrs, $75mm come this offseason.

yeah, yeah, I know, he is oft injured etc., but you can’t deny his electric stuff when he is healthy.

There are bound to be a number of pitchers available for middle relief. I’m not privvy to the behind the scenes talk, but rumors suggest that Jenks could be available for trade thus making him the closer and Perez/Motte set up guys. Maybe Mike Gonzalez from the Braves? He could close or be the lefty specialist. I’ve heard rumors that Morrow could be had from Seattle. D’Backs have some good relief options. Probably need to find a team that wants Ankiel and make a deal. He’ll be a Boras free agent, so why not just hand the job to Rasmus and get something for Ankiel now?

I realize starting and bullpen work are two different animals, but the conditioning work that would be necessary to get his arm into shape to start concerns me in terms of worrying about reinjury.

Who would you sign to replace him in the middle-relief role?

If only I could buy into it, but I’ve been sold that bill of goods before.

As far as TJ surgery goes, it is highly successful and takes about 2 years to recover from. Having TJ surgery does not preclude a pitcher from being a starter. As a reliever McClellan had to throw gas and couldn’t pace himself. Starting and pitching is a completely different mindset. I’d be more than happy to have McClellan start if he is the best option. Of course, I’d rather have a healthy Carpenter, Peavy, or even Sheets starting, but barring that, McClellan might be as good of an option as another mid to lower tier pitcher that the Cards would be likely to sign. Much easier to sign an experienced relief pitcher to a 1 or 2 year deal that it would be to sign a starter.

He has a good repertoire of pitches, he has been a starter, so he understands the different approaches and mindset necessary.

I just don’t believe his arm would hold up. It’s that simple in my mind.

Not to mention you’re just filling one hole in the team by creating another. Who would take McClellan’s spot in the bullpen? Kinney? Franklin in middle relief?

With every pitcher that the “Cards were interested in” that goes off the market, I become more and more worried about this becoming a reality. Yesterday it was Kawakami…

Kyle trained for the pen, has been great in the pen, and his late-season performances showed he had a bit too much season on him to remain effective. (Now he knows more about how to deal with the rigors of a ML season.)

I think this matter keeps coming up because Kyle has done so well. I think he would be effective for a short time if he has to start, but I really feel ya on the risk factors regarding his post TJ arm.

I do hope Kyle can remain in his current role, at least for another season or two.

The fact that this matter is even being discussed, however, is probably more of a sad statement of how short the organization has come to resolving a problem they’ve known about since the middle of last season.

Very good points in your piece, PHE.