Troy Tulowitzki versus Chris Carpenter – one of baseball’s top hitters against the former Cy Young Award winner and member of the defending World Champions.
It hasn’t happened since 2011, as baseball fans did not have the opportunity to see the two face off in 2012. Both players were on the disabled list when the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals met for four in St. Louis in early July followed by three in Denver that began at the end of that month. The two clubs will not meet again this season.
Tulo hasn’t played since the end of May, when the Rockies’ all-star shortstop went out with a groin problem that eventually required nerve surgery. Carpenter has missed the entire season with a condition that was also nerve-related. He underwent a procedure to relieve nerve compression in his right arm that included removal of a rib, along with connecting muscles.
Tulowitzki officially began his rehab with Triple-A Colorado Springs during the last few days of August, then moved to Double-A Tulsa when the Pacific Coast League season ended. The Rockies haven’t announced the timetable for his return to the majors beyond the plan for him to play in the first two games of the Texas League semi-finals on Wednesday and Thursday.
Originally thought to be out for the entire 2012 season, Carpenter is proceeding toward not only pitching again this month, but in a starting role. After a 51-pitch simulated game on Tuesday, one report suggested the Cardinals planned to have him to throw every fifth day as would be his normal schedule.
Carpenter’s return date to the active major league roster has not been forecast, nor has any potential plan for a rehab stint been disclosed.
Yet, consider the possibilities if such a move was deemed appropriate. The only reasonable fit among Cardinals minor league affiliates still playing is Double-A Springfield. As fate would have it, the S-Cards are the Tulsa Drillers’ current playoff opponent.
Game three of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Springfield’s Hammons Field on Saturday night. Carpenter’s fifth day would be Sunday. Games four and five would also be home contests for the S-Cards on Sunday and Monday, if needed.
A few days ago, I was asked if the rules would allow Carpenter to pitch in rehab for Springfield during the Texas League playoffs. I didn’t know for sure, but questioned the move in the context of fair play in such important games.
Of course, we should remember the top priority is always the needs of the major league club. Tulo’s presence in Tulsa reminds us that is the case – even when his MLB team is mired in last place, 22 games under .500 and 20 games out of first, as is the 2012 Rockies.
In terms of fair play, since the Drillers get to write the name of the Rockies’ best hitter into their post-season lineup, why shouldn’t the Cardinals get to pitch Carpenter against them?
Further, it could be Springfield’s last game of 2012 and therefore Carpenter’s final opportunity to pitch in a minor league tuneup game. For reference, five days after Sunday will be Friday, September 14. At that time, the major league club will playing game two of the crucial four-game Dodgers series in Los Angeles.
In reality, there is no way of knowing if a Sunday game four would be needed, if Tulowitzki would still be with Tulsa this Sunday, or if the Cardinals would send Carpenter to Springfield then.
But if it all came together, wouldn’t it be interesting?
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Haven’t the Cardinals already announced that Carpenter will pitch another simulated game in San Diego on Monday? If that is the case, it seems unlikely they would have him pitch in Springfield on Saturday.
I hadn’t seen that. That doesn’t seem to jibe with the report that he was going to pitch every fifth day as Monday would be six. If he is pitching Monday in San Diego, then this idea is obviously not coming to pass.
I miscounted days myself. His fifth day would be Sunday. I wrote it that way the first time, then changed it. I have to change it back now.
Hummel said it here;
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/carpenter-has-a-strong-bullpen-session/article_f80024b8-f718-11e1-9992-001a4bcf6878.html
Bullpen on Friday, simulated game on Monday.
All right then. Forget about Springfield.
Pitching on Monday would put him on best-case schedule to pitch in LA on Saturday (five days) or Sunday (six days).
Carp don’t need no stinkin rehab stint.
We are going to be up to our arse in starters. I propose we trade a couple for the next Stan Musial. Get on that Mo.
Damn Brian, you got my hopes up. It would be cool to see Carp pitch here, but Springfield has some good things going on right now. I’d worry Carp pitching might be a distraction.
They were down 6-0 last night and came back to win in the 10th. Chris Swauger had 3 HRs, including the game winner. Carlos Martinez started and had a rough outing it sounded.
Well, the idea of Carp pitching a rehab start there was first suggested by crdswmn, I think. When I heard about Tulo being there, I put two and two together, but this time, I apparently got five!
It was a huge game one win on the road last night for Springfield. In his last four games, Swauger is 9-for-16 with three home runs and 16 RBI.
It was more wishful thinking on my part than anything else because if he did pitch there I was going to hit the road and go down there to watch. But Rick Hummel dashed all my hopes.
I still may go down and check out the playoffs on Saturday if there is a game. Good thing about Springfield is it is an easy drive for me and the tickets are cheap.
Best of 5, so there will be a game Saturday no matter what. Hopefully it’s for Springfield to clinch the North title. We need to get Wong, Taveras, Swauger, C. Mart and the rest of the team used to winning titles, since that’s the Cardinal way.
Several, including Oscar, are very used to it. 2010 Appy champs at JC and 2011 champs at QC.
Saturdaygame three was always assured.With best of five and Springfield winning game one, there will be a Sunday game four, too.Okay, what am I missing? Springfield won last night, and if they win tonight and Friday night, how is Saturday assured?
Shame on me for assuming they will not sweep, which is what I did in talking about Sunday…
40 lashes with Bling’s nerf noodle. I never assume anything when spending money is involved.
Good point. Plan for Friday as it is a sure thing – unless it rains!
Can’t do Friday. 60% chance of rain on Friday, so my chances of Saturday are pretty good either way.
Bingo. The Preview article writer knew Friday is going be rained out, making his version of the schedule accurate!
Aha! I have gotten to the bottom of the confusion.
The MiLB.com article called “Texas League Playoff Preview” has a different game schedule than the Springfield website. MILB says there is no game Friday, while Springfield says there is.
Shame on me for believing MiLB.com.
The MiLB.TV schedule has Friday’s game listed.
http://www.milb.com/milb/multimedia/milbtv.jsp
Right. Whoever wrote the Preview article made a mistake.
Maness is starting tonight and I wish him well. Had a couple rough ones recently. My understanding is he is not the typical big hard thrower, and his success this year caught most by surprise.
That seems a good summary. We named Maness our Rookie Starter of the Year for 2011, but because he isn’t a hard thrower, a big guy or a top pick, he did not crack our top 40 prospect list last winter. I went back and looked at my personal list and he was #48. That will change this time around.
The game I watched at NWA against the Naturals Maness was dinged pretty bad in the second (IIRC) inning giving up six runs and was out by the 3rd. He looked great the first inning. The S-Cards came back and tied it 8-8 by the ninth, but gave up the winning run in the bottom of the 9th.
Jay
Beltran
Holiday
Craig
Molina
Freese
Schumaker
Descalso
Lohse.
Why won’t Matheny play Jackson at SS? Does Descalso have comprising pictures of him or something?
So now according to Goold, Matheny says Descalso is going to be the primary SS with Kozma as backup. Says Kozma is better defensively and that Jackson only played SS at Memphis because of his offense.
So the whole thing about Jackson needing to restore his “rhythm” was just a load of crap. Matheny never intended to play Jackson.
So why did Jackson play short all season at Memphis and Kozma played second? There is either a disconnect or something has been lost in translation.
Here’s the full text of the tweet from Goold:
#Cardinals manager Mike Matheny’s explanation how first-rounder Pete Kozma has ascended to backup shortstop:
Earlier this week, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said that former firts-round pick Pete Kozma would be the team’s backup shortstop with Rafael Furcal (elbow) unavailable and Daniel Descalso starting. This move seemed counter-intuitive because for the majority of the season Ryan Jackson has been the SS at Class AAA Memphis with Kozma cast as the 2B/UT. How did they flip at the major-league level? “Pete’s defensively (reliable) and when we need that around here that takes priority,” Matheny said. “Jackson had more opportunities at short. A lot of that had to do with offensive production. … Ryan had a good season. Pete’s a guy who has more experience. Anyone who has watched enough of him knows he’s got plus range, good instincts. Most of it has to do with the timing of it.” That last sentence referred to how Kozma had just finished a stretch as Memphis’ shortstop when a shortstop was needed at the big-league level because of Furcal’s injury. “That was about the time we needed help,” Matheny said.
I’m not getting comfortable vibes from the organization recently.
Meaning?
The logic behind their decision making seems questionable.
Well, I wouldn’t argue because what Matheny said wasn’t even remotely logical.
(scratches head)
If Matheny said this because he believes it, then my opinion of Matheny just took a nose dive.
It sounds like Matheny needs to have Mo go over it again., take some notes maybe.