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| Could Ryan Franklin be a candidate for the gaping hole in the Cardinals rotation? Photo courtesy of Getty Images |
While there is likely nobody the Cardinals can acquire or pull from within the organization that can completely replace Wainwright, Tony LaRussa knows that somebody will have to step up.
"Someone has to take advantage of the opportunity," LaRussa said.
Plenty of names and candidates have emerged.
Kyle McClellan, Ian Snell, Miguel Batista, Lance Lynn, and Adam Ottavino have been the first names mentioned as a possible replacement in the rotation.
But what about Ryan Franklin?
At first thought it might seem absurd to use the current closer as a stop gap in the rotation, but if you think about it, it makes sense for 4 reasons.
1. Franklin use to start in the big leagues and he was effective.
Franklin started his big league career as a starter with the Seattle Mariners. While he was never mistaken as a top of the rotation guy, Franklin made 30 starts in 3 consecutive seasons for the Mariners in 2003-2005.
In 2003, in 32 starts, Franklin pitched 212 innings, had a 3.57 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and a 11-13 record.
While the record isn't great, its certainly serviceable.
If anything, Franklin has done it before, something that manager Tony LaRussa always favors. Experience wins in the manager's mind.
2. Jason Motte is ready to close
Everybody knows that Jason Motte has explosive stuff. Motte is high octane, with a high 90's fastball that at times is unhittable. He has the closer profile. He has the closer attitude. He has the closer look.
Motte was stellar out of the bullpen for the Cardinals in 2010.
In a set-up role, Motte had 2.24 ERA in 52.1 innings. In 56 appearance, Motte had a 4-2 record, tallied 12 holds, and managed to save 2 games while striking 54 hitters.
Motte averaged more than a strikeout an inning last season.
In the natural maturation process, Motte should be ready to handle the closer's role.
His performance on the field in 2010 certainly indicates that he can do it as well.
3. Franklin has the assortment of pitches necessary to be a starter.
Ryan Franklin doesn't have overpowering stuff as a closer.
Instead, he mixes and matches his pitches. Franklin throws a sinker, over-hand curve ball, slider, and split finger.
That assortment of pitches fits the bill of a starter, not a closer and will bode Franklin well when turns over a lineup three times a game.
4. Franklin is making over $3 million.
Why is this important? The Cardinals now have a sunk cost in Adam Wainwright's salary and in order to make up the difference, why not stretch out Franklin's arm and dollars in order to get the most bang for the buck?
Sure its against the grain and likely Kyle McClellan will get every opportunity to win a spot in the rotation, but Ryan Franklin offers an intriguing option that nobody is talking about.
Tony LaRussa has to be at least pondering it.
This is crazy talk!
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