Biggest Stories of Baseball

I want to start off by saying that there are certain topics that the media beats to death, that I consequently will not address in the biggest stories. For example, the Detroit Tigers starting 1-7 are a big story, but everybody already knows about their struggles. The Baltimore Orioles are 6-1, but of course everyone already knows that as well, instead I will address a number of different things so that hopefully, someone can learn something from my writing.

1) Cardinals Pitching
The Cardinals were supposed to have an off year because despite a solid lineup, they didn't have very many reliable starters. Let me break it down for you.

Adam Wainright 2007: 14-12, 202.1 innings, 13 home runs allowed, 136 strikeouts, 3.70 ERA, and a mediocre 1.40 WHIP

Braden Looper 2007: 12-12, 175 innings, a whopping 22 home runs allowed, 87 Ks, 4.94 ERA, and 1.39 WHIP

Todd Wellemeyer 2007: 3-2, 63 innings, 7 home runs allowed, 51 Ks, 3.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

Kyle Lohse 2007 (w/Phillies and Cincy): 9-12, 182.2 innings, another 22 home runs allowed, 122 Ks, 4.60 ERA, 1.39 WHIP

Brandon Thompson 2007: 8-6, 129.1 innings, 23 home runs allowed, 53 Ks, 4.74 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and opponents hit .301 against him.

So there you have it, 2 converted relievers (Looper and Wellemeyer), one mediocre starter (Wainright), one over-priced mediocre pitcher (Lohse), and one throw-away (Thompson). This starting 5 is scary bad for the Cardinals. But, somehow this season they have done a miraculous job. Wellemeyer has struck out 17 batters combined in his 2 starts, Lohse hasn't allowed a run in 12 innings pitched this season, Wainright ate up 8 innings in his only start, Thompson has been a little bit better than ordinary, and Looper has won both his starts and his WHIP is barely above 1.

I know, I know, they have only played 9 games, but in an extremely tough NL central, if these numbers are even remotely indicative of what the Cardinals can look forward to, their offense might be able to push them into the playoffs.

2) Johnny Cueto
Hi, My name is Johnny Cueto, my 22nd birthday was less than 2 months ago, and I am now the best hope the city of Cincinnati has for a revitalized pitching staff. Last season I jumped around more than the NBA's Jim Jackson, and was downright filthy at every level. This spring I was a revelation for the Reds and story-hunting sportswriters alike.

But no one thought I could keep it up in the regular season, and they were right, all I have done is strikeout 18 batters in a little more than 13 innings, have a ridiculous WHIP of .45, and aside from 2 home runs, make hitters look stupid trying to hit the baseball.

My buddy Edison Volquez and I were talking the other day about how we might be just the guys to finally get the Reds back into playoff contention. We know we have a strong offense, but the past years we have been doomed because our number 1 starter has been a white boy that wears corn-rows. Now, with a revamped bullpen, and a bonafide stopper at the end in Cordero, we are poised to make some noise in what has undoubtedly become the most difficult division in all of baseball. We are sick of being the whipping boys and cellar-dwellers, we are going to do it this season.

3) Mets Pitching Woes
This is almost as much a non-story as it is a story. I want to let the record show that I never doubted for a minute that Pedro would get hurt before the end of May. Granted only 4 innings wasn't exactly how I predicted, but granted the way he was pitching and the serious lack of velocity he displayed, the Mets should be almost be glad he is gone.

Now for the Amazin's it's back to square one. Last season pitching depth, and lack of Major-League ready starting pitching doomed them, maybe wasn't the reason for the collapse, but it certainly contributed to it because they didn't have a free-fall stopper. Enter Johan Santana, the Mets got their free-fall stopper, but lost Pedro, and Orlando Hernandez, and Duaner Sanchez, and Matt Wise. The Mets are going to have to make a deal at the trading deadline, maybe for an Ian Snell type player who can shore up that rotation and give this team 5 starters they feel comfortable with.

For the time being they will try to stop the flooding with a combination of Nelson Figueroa, Jorge Sosa, and maybe Aaron Heilman, the 2001 first-round pick. But even when or if Pedro and El Duque make it back, it seems unlikely these guys will be able to give the Mets a steady starter as they run towards the playoffs. My guess...the Mets will be major players at the trading deadline.