The last time I wrote about new St. Louis Cardinals closer Fernando Salas here, his then-perfect 10-for-10 record in save opportunities was quickly ended.
The combination of not being overly superstitious and the fact that Salas keeps getting the job done in one of the most difficult jobs in baseball means the 26-year-old receives another call out here.
On Tuesday night, on the road in Houston, Salas was asked to clean up a major mess, with no outs in the eighth and two runners on base. The Cardinals led by only 6-3 at the time.
After a walk, Salas faced the Astros’ 1-2-3 hitters, collecting a harmless fly ball in between a pair of strikeouts.
With a shaky Cardinals pen, Salas was asked to pitch a second inning. Though he gave up a pair of hits and a run in the ninth, the eighth-inning escape was the difference-maker in St. Louis’ victory.
All told Tuesday night, Salas threw 44 pitches, 31 strikes. He collected his 11th save of the season.
While Salas can pitch multiple innings, his heritage is not as a long man or a converted starter. Prior to 2011, the right-hander appeared in 145 minor league games since joining the system in 2007. His only starts were four games with Palm Beach in his first season. Salas also had two starts in 43 Mexican League appearances in 2005-06.
I asked researcher Tom Orf to pull the list of the most pitches thrown by a Cardinals reliever when securing a save. Only ten pitchers have tossed more than 44 pitches in this kind of situation since the save stat came into being.
Salas is among a group tied for 11th – a list that includes ex-closer Ryan Franklin, who also threw a 44-pitch save in 2008. The record of 51 pitches is held jointly by a pair of hurlers – Mike Matthews in 2001 and Juan Agosto in 1991.
Some, though not all, are hurlers more known for their time in the rotation – names like Bob Tewksbury, Joel Pineiro, Matt Morris and Kent Bottenfield. Former closer Todd Worrell made the list twice with two 40-plus pitch saves in 1988.
St. Louis Cardinals, relievers, most pitches thrown in a save
| Rk | Player | Date | Opp | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | Pit | Str |
| T1 | Mike Matthews | 9/10/2001 | MIL | W 8-0 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 31 |
| T1 | Juan Agosto | 9/30/1991 | MON | W 11-1 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 31 |
| T3 | Omar Olivares | 1991-04-20 (1) | PHI | W 12-1 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 27 |
| T3 | Lindy McDaniel | 6/1/1960 | LAD | W 5-2 | 5-9f ,S | 4.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 33 |
| T5 | Brad Thompson | 5/8/2005 | SDP | W 15-5 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 48 | 33 |
| T5 | Harry Fanok | 5/9/1963 | LAD | W 10-7 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 27 |
| T7 | Bob Tewksbury | 4/13/1990 | PHI | W 11-0 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 32 |
| T7 | Scott Terry | 6/18/1988 | PIT | W 6-3 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 47 | 28 |
| T7 | Hoyt Wilhelm | 1957-06-16 (2) | BRO | W 8-4 | 6-9f ,S | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 31 |
| 10 | Ellis Kinder | 5/4/1956 | BRO | W 10-3 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 27 |
| T11 | Fernando Salas | 6/7/2011 | HOU | W 7-4 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 31 |
| T11 | Ryan Franklin | 6/20/2008 | BOS | W 5-4 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 29 |
| T11 | Rene Arocha | 7/30/1994 | CHC | W 10-7 | 8-9f ,S | 1.2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 27 |
| T11 | Frank Cimorelli | 7/1/1994 | COL | W 11-4 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 27 |
| T11 | Todd Worrell | 9/18/1988 | CHC | W 5-4 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 35 |
| T16 | Joel Pineiro | 8/22/2008 | ATL | W 18-3 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 28 |
| T16 | Lee Smith | 6/15/1991 | LAD | W 5-4 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 29 |
| T18 | Ricky Bottalico | 6/5/1999 | DET | W 7-2 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 26 |
| T18 | Todd Worrell | 4/12/1988 | CHC | W 7-5 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 27 |
| T18 | Lloyd Merritt | 6/15/1957 | BRO | W 6-5 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 26 |
| T21 | Matt Morris | 5/30/2000 | ARI | W 6-1 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 24 |
| T21 | Scott Terry | 8/3/1988 | PHI | W 4-2 | 7-9f ,S | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 29 |
| T23 | Ricky Bottalico | 4/16/1999 | HOU | W 5-3 | 8-9f ,S | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 23 |
| T23 | Kent Bottenfield | 6/14/1998 | ARI | W 2-0 | 6-9f ,S | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 24 |
| T23 | Lee Smith | 4/11/1991 | CHC | W 5-4 | 8-9f ,S | 1.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 27 |
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow The Cardinal Nation Blog on Facebook.
He was clearly “puffed” by the end of that……….Tony was well aware of the fact that Houston either sweeps or is swept this year…………. Sanchez knows where he stands tonight……as does Franklin and Mott…. Salas won’t/shouldn’t be available.
Does this stat mean that Mo will try to add to the pen before the first trade deadline? With all the injuries who would go?
Unless Mo decides to rent an experienced closer, I’d expect to see Boggs and maybe Todd before anybody is brought in.
Salas would likely be fine as the closer, but the issue will be – Do we need him to be the reliable 8th inning guy down the stretch? So it seems to all depend on whether Sanchez or Motte can be that reliable 8th inning guy.
Also, much respect to the TX Rangers drafting Johnathan Taylor, that was a class act.
Hats off to them. Good of you to mention it Kansas.
1. Theriot, SS
2. Jay, RF
3. Pujols, 1B
4. Berkman, LF
5. Rasmus, CF
6. Molina, C
7. Schumaker, 2B
8. M. Carpenter, 3B
9. Garcia, P
Seems like a good chance of seeing Franky tonight.
Good prognostication BB. Could he become the reliable 8th inning guy?
Don’t know. Would be a great story. I kind of think he needs a better defense behind him to succeed, but who knows.
AP is a nice social AB……….. a full minute in front of the first pitch……….just turns it over and throws the bat head at the ball on the second……….. it ain’t fixed……….but its allot more pleasant.
The Padres drafted the grand-nephew of Eddie Gaedel. He’s 6’3″.
three foot difference?
Eddie was 3’7″.
A good 2 feet shorter than our 1st rounder.
Jamie doesn’t get it………..they want at that BP……… they aren’t going to be chasing…he can peck all day long……..they are a team………and they have a plan…he has to force the action, not worry about his ERA.
Or he will have no say in the outcome anyway………
Jaime has 72 pitches after 3. And we seem to be facing Nolan Ryan.
Franky looks good. Maybe he’ll eat some innings until we can chip away at Nonolan.
I would really like to know what it is about Bud Norris’ stuff that makes the Cardinals unable to hit him. It is a mystery to me.
The Cardinals need to win tonight’s game. The Brewers losing would help as well so we could go into the series with them with a little cushion.
Maybe Bud studies the Cardinals studying video of him?
Norris is a strait “by the book ” pitcher………..this had little to do with him. This has to do with the mind set of Jamie Garcia………. of AP attempting to remount this dog…………… Rasmus and Jay, both just speculating at the plate………..no pressure……..just major league AB’s to toy with. Skip is back playing a colorless 2nd base……… Theriot is a zero sum player…….he is starting to burn down. Molina taking the big cuts…………………. AP starts reviewing his problems (DP ball) the solution (swing for the fence) and finally, to stay mounted, tries to hit a gaper……..and does…..Bravo…………all this “preparation” was riding on the back of Garcia’s assumed No-hitter……………. Brewers sobering in the ninth…….feeding………..
The news…………. we will be in second by Monday………. the Holiday reentry may help…….if he brings attitude……doubt it………. the mediocrity of this team, when starting pitching begins to labor at holding up the chump teams while wannabes punch away……… bothers me………… We have been successful because AP was being held under by Berkman and Holiday………. he is back and I smell a swoon…….big time…….
Hap is improving……..he is left handed………… we have a rookie up…… danger Will Robinson…danger.
I guess 2nd in mid June beats 3rd by the first of May.