from David Olsen of the Sun-Sentinel:
ST. LOUIS -- It?s quicker to name the Marlins?starting pitchers who aren?t injured than to list those who are, the latest ailing arm belonging to Brad Penny, who lasted two innings Thursday against St. Louis.
Penny will miss at least one start with what was preliminarily diagnosed as an inflamed nerve in the triceps area of his right arm, midway between the elbow and shoulder. It?s possible he will have to go on the 15-day disabled list, which would make it three-fifths of the Marlins?rotation on the DL.
Josh Beckett landed on the DL this week with a recurring blister problem on his right middle finger, and Julian Tavarez probably will be out at least another three weeks recovering from rotator-cuff tendinitis.
The Marlins expect to bring rookie left-hander Nate Teut from Triple-A Calgary to start Saturday against Milwaukee. Rookie Hansel Izquierdo was scheduled to pitch that game, but that plan changed when Izquierdo was brought in from the bullpen Thursday after Penny?s early exit.
Teut, a former Cubs prospect who came over in the offseason trade for Jesus Sanchez, is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in five games (four starts) at Calgary and has 23 strikeouts with seven walks in 24 innings.
He is the most attractive candidate for Saturday?s start not only because he has had the best results of current Calgary starters, but also because Teut is left-handed. He would face a Milwaukee team batting .166 against lefties before Thursday, worst in the majors and 25 points below any other National League team.
Izquierdo probably will start Wednesday against San Diego at Pro Player Stadium.
Penny threw only 38 pitches (19 strikes) to 13 batters and was charged with six hits and five runs, although four were unearned following a two-out error by Luis Castillo on a pop fly in the first inning.
After two innings, Penny knew there was no sense going any further and told manager Jeff Torborg of the discomfort he has felt sporadically since spring training. The pitcher was the only Marlin who wasn?t able to enjoy Thursday?s come-from-behind victory, seeing as he was having his arm examined and later X-rayed.
?It sucks,?said Penny, who has a 3-1 record despite being slowed by sickness and arm soreness in all but a couple of starts. ?It?s no fun trying to pitch when you?re hurt?It [his velocity] has been down all year. It?s hard to go out there when your arm is feeling like that.?br>
His 4.28 ERA is nearly a run above last season, when he his 3.69 was the best among Marlins starters.
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Minor league callup Simontacchi to start Saturday
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer
May 3, 2002
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Right-hander Jason Simontacchi is the latest minor leaguer to get a chance with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Simontacchi, 28, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis and will start Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. He replaces another minor leaguer, Josh Pearce, who gave up four runs in 4 1-3 innings in a 9-6 loss to the Marlins on Thursday and was sent back to Memphis on Friday after three unsuccessful starts and a 7.62 ERA.
Simontacchi, who signed a minor league free agent deal with the Cardinals in January, is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts at Memphis with 24 strikeouts and only five walks in 36 innings.
``We just listened to the reports and talked to the guys in the system,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ``He earned the opportunity.''
The Cardinals have six pitchers on the disabled list, five of them starters. Three rookies have already made their first career starts -- Pearce, Travis Smith and Mike Crudale -- in recent weeks.
Simontacchi was surprised to get the news Thursday.
``I put my hands on top of my head and just kind of started laughing,'' Simontacchi said. ``I'm not nervous, I'm more excited just to go out there and get it over with, watch the guys play and make my pitches and see what happens.''
Simontacchi has a lot better numbers than last year, when he was 7-13 with a 5.34 ERA for Edmonton of the Minnesota Twins organization. He played professionally in Italy in 2000 and pitched for that country's Olympic team.
....................................................................................................................
and here's a piece from Stl Paper on LaRussa defending his bullpen
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...e of pitching staff after Cards blow 6-0 lead
ST. LOUIS -- It?s quicker to name the Marlins?starting pitchers who aren?t injured than to list those who are, the latest ailing arm belonging to Brad Penny, who lasted two innings Thursday against St. Louis.
Penny will miss at least one start with what was preliminarily diagnosed as an inflamed nerve in the triceps area of his right arm, midway between the elbow and shoulder. It?s possible he will have to go on the 15-day disabled list, which would make it three-fifths of the Marlins?rotation on the DL.
Josh Beckett landed on the DL this week with a recurring blister problem on his right middle finger, and Julian Tavarez probably will be out at least another three weeks recovering from rotator-cuff tendinitis.
The Marlins expect to bring rookie left-hander Nate Teut from Triple-A Calgary to start Saturday against Milwaukee. Rookie Hansel Izquierdo was scheduled to pitch that game, but that plan changed when Izquierdo was brought in from the bullpen Thursday after Penny?s early exit.
Teut, a former Cubs prospect who came over in the offseason trade for Jesus Sanchez, is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in five games (four starts) at Calgary and has 23 strikeouts with seven walks in 24 innings.
He is the most attractive candidate for Saturday?s start not only because he has had the best results of current Calgary starters, but also because Teut is left-handed. He would face a Milwaukee team batting .166 against lefties before Thursday, worst in the majors and 25 points below any other National League team.
Izquierdo probably will start Wednesday against San Diego at Pro Player Stadium.
Penny threw only 38 pitches (19 strikes) to 13 batters and was charged with six hits and five runs, although four were unearned following a two-out error by Luis Castillo on a pop fly in the first inning.
After two innings, Penny knew there was no sense going any further and told manager Jeff Torborg of the discomfort he has felt sporadically since spring training. The pitcher was the only Marlin who wasn?t able to enjoy Thursday?s come-from-behind victory, seeing as he was having his arm examined and later X-rayed.
?It sucks,?said Penny, who has a 3-1 record despite being slowed by sickness and arm soreness in all but a couple of starts. ?It?s no fun trying to pitch when you?re hurt?It [his velocity] has been down all year. It?s hard to go out there when your arm is feeling like that.?br>
His 4.28 ERA is nearly a run above last season, when he his 3.69 was the best among Marlins starters.
...................................................................................................................
Minor league callup Simontacchi to start Saturday
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer
May 3, 2002
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Right-hander Jason Simontacchi is the latest minor leaguer to get a chance with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Simontacchi, 28, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis and will start Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. He replaces another minor leaguer, Josh Pearce, who gave up four runs in 4 1-3 innings in a 9-6 loss to the Marlins on Thursday and was sent back to Memphis on Friday after three unsuccessful starts and a 7.62 ERA.
Simontacchi, who signed a minor league free agent deal with the Cardinals in January, is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in five starts at Memphis with 24 strikeouts and only five walks in 36 innings.
``We just listened to the reports and talked to the guys in the system,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ``He earned the opportunity.''
The Cardinals have six pitchers on the disabled list, five of them starters. Three rookies have already made their first career starts -- Pearce, Travis Smith and Mike Crudale -- in recent weeks.
Simontacchi was surprised to get the news Thursday.
``I put my hands on top of my head and just kind of started laughing,'' Simontacchi said. ``I'm not nervous, I'm more excited just to go out there and get it over with, watch the guys play and make my pitches and see what happens.''
Simontacchi has a lot better numbers than last year, when he was 7-13 with a 5.34 ERA for Edmonton of the Minnesota Twins organization. He played professionally in Italy in 2000 and pitched for that country's Olympic team.
....................................................................................................................
and here's a piece from Stl Paper on LaRussa defending his bullpen
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sp...e of pitching staff after Cards blow 6-0 lead
