ST. LOUIS (AP) -Braden Looper’s latest start provided another example of how the second half of his season has gone. There has been no margin for error.
The right-hander has a stingy 2.03 ERA in his last six starts, but he’s 2-3 over that span with 4-1, 3-0 and 2-1 losses. He allowed one run and three hits against the Pirates on Tuesday, settling down after surrendering the lead in the first inning, while Ian Snell blanked the Cardinals for seven innings.
“I feel good,” Looper said. “It just seems like it’s been not quite good enough. Every time I go out there, I’ve got to continue to work and put zeros up and that’s all I can worry about.”
For a time, it appeared Looper (11-10) would be a likely candidate to go to the bullpen when the Cardinals got some of their injured pitchers back. After all, he was a closer or setup man his entire career before last year.
But he appears to be getting stronger as the season wears on, working seven innings each of his last five outings, and can match last year’s victory total on Sunday against the Braves. This, despite only two victories in 10 outings since June 29, seven of them quality efforts.
“It happens to pitchers, everybody experiences it,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “All you’ve got to do is your part.”
The odd man out to make way for Adam Wainwright instead was a pitcher finally hitting his stride. Joel Pineiro, a disappointment much of the season after getting a two-year, $13 million deal last October, is 3-0 in August and has been impressive.
La Russa had a long meeting with Pineiro on Wednesday before handing his start on Friday night against the Braves to Wainwright, who is ready to come off the disabled list. Wainwright has been sidelined since early June because of a sprained middle finger.
La Russa said he expected Wainwright would get two or three starts before the team reevaluates his status. Further complications for the rotation loom, with Chris Carpenter eligible to come off the disabled list from a shoulder injury on Tuesday.
“Next time out, we’ll just play it by ear,” La Russa said, addressing the rotation. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year, we just try to be flexible and adjust to the circumstances.”
Pineiro, the backup option in case Wainwright falters, said he understood.
“When I was younger, I might have been mad about it,” Pineiro said. “I’m disappointed but it’s not my call. I’ll do whatever they want me to do.”
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