Results tagged ‘ Adam Ottavino ’
Friday camp tidbits: A (gasp!) normal day?
Greetings from what, at the moment, appears to be a normal, relatively quiet day at camp. Here are some of the tidbits from this morning’s session with TLR. Of course, check the site as the day goes on for fleshed-out versions of most of this, as well as for a feature on Mitchell Boggs.
* Lance Berkman is getting a day off from most of the defensive drills. TLR described it as simply a maintenance day after Berkman went full-on the past two days.
* TLR said that David Freese is feeling great, but that they won’t want to push Freese. As a result, Freese will play some in the early games, but not a great deal. Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso and Ramon Vazquez will all be candidates for a start or two at third base. Tyler Greene will probably play more at shortstop than at third this spring.
* The Cardinals will try to have “coaches’ games” each of the next two days, though it may be tough tomorrow. The club has a Spring Training season-ticket-holders’ reception after tomorrow’s workout, limiting how late in the day they can go. A portion of tomorrow’s workout will take place within the stadium rather than on the practice fields.
* Shelby Miller’s opportunities to pitch in the main ‘A’ games will probably be reduced as a secondary consequence of Adam Wainwright’s injury. The new fifth-starter competition means that more pitchers will be stretched out longer, which could squeeze out some innings for Miller.
* Adam Ottavino is a little bit behind some of the other fifth-starter candidates, in part because he’s coming off of health issues and didn’t pitch at all at the end of last year. TLR said that if Ottavino is the best, the club wouldn’t hesitate to use him, but that he’s definitely starting at a disadvantage.
* Boggs is one pitcher who will NOT be considered to start, despite his past experience.
And today’s playlist…
The Beatles, “Oh! Darling”
Elvis Costello, “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror”
The White Stripes, “Ball & Biscuit”
Keith Richards, “999″
Gregg Allman, “Just Another Rider”
-M.
Ottavino to DL, MacLane recalled
The Cardinals announced on Wednesday afternoon that right-hander Adam Ottavino has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to what the club is calling a “right shoulder strain,” and lefty Evan MacLane has been recalled from Triple-A Memphis.
Ottavino, 24, pitched 3 2/3 innings on Saturday against the Brewers, allowing four runs on nine hits, and had not appeared since.
MacLane, 27, was briefly up with the Cardinals earlier this season but did not pitch. In 17 starts for Memphis this year, he is 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA, 55 strikeouts and 15 walks in 110 2/3 innings. He is likely to serve as the long man in the Cardinals bullpen for the time being.
-M.
Cards make move, confirm weekend starters
The Cardinals returned to a 12-man pitching staff on Monday, optioning left-hander Evan MacLane to Triple-A Memphis and recalling outfielder Allen Craig from Memphis.
Craig, 25, made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster but scuffled at the plate in part-time duty, going 1-for-18. He was optioned in late April, but is now back for a second stint in the Majors. Craig hit .275 with a .345 on-base percentage and .382 slugging percentage in 28 games at Memphis.
MacLane was summoned from Memphis to provide depth over the weekend for the Cardinals’ bullpen, but did not appear in a game. He will rejoin the Triple-A starting rotation.
In a noteworthy non-move, meanwhile, the Cards kept Adam Ottavino on the Major League roster. Manager Tony La Russa confirmed that Ottavino is scheduled to start on Saturday against Milwaukee. Adam Wainwright will pitch Friday against the Brewers, with Jaime Garcia getting the series finale on Sunday.
-M.
Cardinals make two moves
CHICAGO — The Cardinals made a pair of roster moves on Saturday, going to 13 pitchers for the time being.
St. Louis officially recalled right-hander Adam Ottavino from Triple-A Memphis, formalizing a move that had been in the offing for two days. Ottavino is the club’s scheduled starter for Saturday afternoon’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Additionally, the Cardinals purchased the contract of lefty Evan MacLane from Memphis, giving them an eighth relief pitcher to protect a bullpen that manager Tony La Russa fears could be short-staffed in the coming days. MacLane provides a long reliever, since he has been starting at Memphis.
To make room for the two additions, the Cardinals optioned right-handed reliever Fernando Salas and outfielder Joe Mather to Memphis.
La Russa said he does not expect the Cardinals to stay with 13 pitchers beyond their upcoming off day on Thursday.
-M.
Saturday starter still undetermined
As of Friday morning, the Cardinals still have yet to settle on a starting pitcher for Saturday’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Adam Ottavino remains with the club, but has yet to be activated. The most likely scenario remains that Ottavino will be added to the 25-man roster, someone will be optioned to the Minor Leagues, and Ottavino will make the start. The turn would normally be Kyle Lohse’s, but Lohse has been placed on the disabled list due to a forearm injury.
However, it remains a possibility that the Cards could go with a “bullpen game,” depending on how Friday’s game unfolds. If, for example, Chris Carpenter were to pitch a complete game, St. Louis could use all relievers on Saturday and avoid having to send anyone out.
Manager Tony La Russa said that the decision will be made, and Ottavino will be notified, before the team leaves the ballpark Friday afternoon. La Russa did not divulge who would be sent down when and if Ottavino is activated, or which reliever would pitch first in a potential bullpen game.
-M.
Saturday Spring Training tidbits: clearing out the notebook
After three days off and no blogging yesterday, I have a lot of tidbits for you. It’s a gorgeous, pretty much perfect day in northern Palm Beach county. We’ll see the mid-to-high 70s, some wind but not much, almost no clouds, just spectacular. Wish you were here.
* Felipe Lopez is in right field today. TLR said early in the spring that he’d like to see Lopez in center before spring is out, but that looks less likely now.
“I don’t know,” he said. “We’ll see. I want to make sure that right field goes all right first. Baby steps.”
* La Russa said Joe Mather looks good to him despite Mather’s 3-for-24 slump. It’s going to be hard to keep Mather off the roster because of his power and versatility (especially his ability to play center field), but he’d certainly help himself if he started hitting.
The manager on Mather: “I think he’s doing all the other stuff good, and hitting-wise, he’s a little… he could be more consistent. Mark [McGwire] thinks he’s really close. He’s done a lot of good work and he’s close. He just has to go from close to there.”
La Russa said he has no concerns about Mather’s health.
* If Adam Ottavino is sent to the Minor Leagues — and right now it looks as though he will be — he will start rather than relieve. That keeps all options open. If Ottavino is starting in Memphis, he could still come up and pitch in relief for the Major League club. But if he’s relieving in Memphis, he wouldn’t be available as the “sixth starter.” And right now, it looks like he is in fact the organization’s sixth starter once Kyle McClellan moves to relief.
* Despite the fact that most of the starting pitchers are facing the same opponent in each of their last two spring starts, the club will not adjust its rotation this week. It would be possible to move most of the starters by a day, so they see different teams, and not affect their availability next week. That’s because every starter will get at least one extra day between his final spring start and first of the regular season. But as of now, the plan is still to keep them all on turn, rather than re-jiggering anything this week.
* I’ve been asked this a few times, so here’s your answer: Nick Stavinoha is not making the team as a catcher. He won’t be the second catcher. He’s not going to do any catching down here before spring is out. If he is on the roster, he would be the emergency third catcher, but TLR said that even that doesn’t do anything more for his chances than it did before Molina was hurt.
* The Cardinals will likely take about 28-29 players to Minnesota at the end of the week. TLR said that he’d like to have 16 position players on the trip. However, the extra bodies will likely be players who already know their standing, rather than guys waiting to find out whether they make the team — players like Donovan Solano and Daniel Descalso, who have had good springs but aren’t making the team.
Today’s playlist:
Blakroc, “Hard Times”
LCD Soundsystem, “Drunk Girls”
Editors, “In This Light And On This Evening”
Hot Chip, “I Feel Better”
Cold War Kids, “Audience”
-M.
Oh, and one final thing: GO BUTLER!
Matthew Leach
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