By Jordan Long
The St. Louis Cardinals finished the regular season 88-74, missing the postseason for the 3rd straight year. The Cardinals didn’t know if pitcher Adam Wainwright would retire or play next season. He spent most of the year on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation which limited him to 8 starts. The Cardinals decided to bring him back, agreeing to a 1-year deal.
Wainwright is one of the top pitchers for the Cardinals. He has proven this during his career. In 13 seasons, Wainwright is an impressive 148-85 with a 3.32 ERA. Those consistent numbers have helped him become the ace of the staff.
This past season was one to forget. Wainwright went 2-4 in 8 starts with a 4.46 ERA. In those games pitched, it was clear he was not the same pitcher. Wainwright couldn’t stop walking batters with a total of 18, far too many. When he walked a batter, teams took advantage to score that runner. With his command issues, Wainwright allowed 5 home runs which isn’t a bad total.
The Cardinals are taking a gamble. They know what kind of pitcher he is. They are hoping Wainwright can pitch like he did in 2014. That season he won an impressive 20 games, the most in his career with an ERA of 2.38. Wainwright was a finalist for the Cy Young Award. He didn’t win it. Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw won the award with his impressive record of 21-3 and only a 1.77 ERA.
For Wainwright, next season could be his last. It will be his 14th in Major League Baseball all with the Cardinals. He needs to be able to pitch at a high level. He couldn’t this year with injuries. A 1-year deal is fair to both sides. The Cardinals aren’t locked in for many seasons and for Wainwright it is his chance to prove he can be a dominant pitcher once again. If not, it might be time for him to walk away from baseball.
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