How do Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan continue to make relief pitchers into quality starting pitchers? It’s amazing to me at how these two guys continue to do this. Todd Wellemeyer always had good stuff but he rarely knew where the ball was going until he got to St. Louis. Wellemeyer has started 13 games this season for the Cardinals and he is 7-1 with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has only allowed 65 hits in 80 innings pitched this season which shows how nasty his stuff really is. The Cardinals also successfully converted Braden Looper into a starting pitcher so the Cardinals might have something here in Wellemeyer.

Todd Wellemeyer is off to a good start this season for the Cardinals. He has started 10 game this season for the Cardinals and he is 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He has only allowed 49 hits this season while striking out 49 batters in 61 innings. Wellemeyer is an outstanding example as to why Dave Duncan is one of the best pitching coaches on this planet. Wellemeyer was a relief pitcher that couldn’t throw strikes until he got to St. Louis and look at him now.

Adam Wainwright has really stepped up for the Cardinals this season. With Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder out the Cardinals really needed someone to become the ace of the staff….and Wainwright has been that guy so far this season. He has started 6 games for the Cardinals this season and he is 3-1 with a 2.60 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The Cardinals always knew that they stole Wainwright from the Braves and that was proven a couple years ago when Jason Isringhausen was injured and couldn’t pitch in the World Series. Wainwright came into his own that year as he dominated as the replacement closer in that series. Wainright can handle any role the Cardinals need him to and that makes him very valuable.

Chris Carpenter was injured on opening night against the Mets in 2007 and he never returned. The rotation just couldn’t pick it up in Carpenter’s absence and it was the big reason that they failed to defend their World Championship of 2006. Chris Carpenter has now started 94 games for the Cardinals in his career and he’s 51-19 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Carpenter has completed 13 games with the Cards which is rare these days and 7 of those were shutouts which proves that he’s the anchor of the staff. He has thrown 650.1 innings for the Cards and he’s allowed 576 hits, walked 133 batters and whiffed 552. The Cards need him healthy for 2008 or they will have another disappointing season.

Adam Wainwright had a rough time in the first half of the season as he was converted back into a starting pitcher.  But, if the second half of the season Wainwright has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.  In 12 starts after the All-Star Game, Wainwright is 6-4 with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  In 79.2 innings in the 2nd half of the season, Wainwright has allowed 77 hits, walked 23 batters and whiffed 61.  Wainwright has now started 29 games on the season and he is 13-11 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.  The Cardinals have lost 9 of their last 10 games pretty much ending all hopes of creeping into the playoffs to defend their World Series Championship of 2006.  The Cardinals are now 70-80 which has them in 3rd place in the National League Central, 8 games behind the Cubs and Brewers.