The St. Louis Cardinals Trade Looks Like Band Aid on Gaping Wound

Many have stated that the St. Louis Cardinals did well with their move right before the trade deadline.  So far, Cards fans would have to agree, as Jake Westbrook had a good night, but he left in the sixth and that is when the problematic bullpen once again figured out how to turn a win into a loss.

The combined arms of Jason Motte, Mike MacDougal, Trevor Miller and Blake Hawksworth could not stop the bleeding as the Astros would put across three in the eighth and four in the ninth to take the win.

So this begs the question, if the Cardinals do not score 10 runs a night, how are they ever going to win a game, the division, or let alone anything in the playoffs?  Better yet, why make no move to help the bullpen at the deadline? 

While Westbrook did his job last night, many still question the means that brought him to the Redbirds.  The Cards traded away maybe their best player in the outfield to pick up a decent, not a great starting pitcher.  With the way the bullpen likes to give games away, giving away a bat may come back to haunt St. Louis.

Many in the organization, including Tony LaRussa, continue to back the trade.  They are all also counting on the return of both Kyle Lohse and also Brad Penny.  While Lohse has started his rehab work in Memphis and might be close to coming back, the same can not be said for Penny.

Penny continues to just play catch each day, but not throw in the bullpen.  With him missing last night, he has now missed 61 games since joining the team in the off season.  This big offseason signing could also be seen as a 7.5 million dollar mistake.

So as the pitching world continues to turn, St. Louis makes another questionable call in signing a free agent pitcher yesterday.  The Cards have signed Nate Robertson to a minor league contract.

Robertson was released by Florida in July and probably for good reason.  His ERA was near 6 and he had a glowing mark of 6-8.  Robertson was most likely at his best when he was with Detroit from 2004 to 2008.  He is headed to Memphis, and probably in the near future, headed to St. Louis.

While the Cards continue to give away games, the same can not be said for the Cincinnati Reds.  It is very clear they intend to not only make a run at St. Louis, but for that matter, put the Redbirds in the rear view mirror.

After taking two of three over the weekend against Atlanta, it appears that they have the starting arms to get the job done, as well as the arms in the bullpen to shut the door.

Their rotation, up and down, looks so solid it is scary.  There really are not any holes in a group of arms that seem committed to win, not next year, but now.  Granted they have given some games away, but not at the clip that the Cardinals have this season.

So as the Redbirds head towards the stretch run, the nagging questions of should and could may haunt them.  Once the Cards finish with the Astros and the Marlins this week, a true test awaits them as they head out on the road.

And that is a trip to Cincinnati to take on the Reds.