With Linebrink headed to DL, why not call up Eduardo Sanchez?

Young St. Louis Cardinals reliever Eduardo Sanchez, who did not allow a run in spring training, was skipped over for a call-up in favor of 31 year old veteran Victor Marte.  Marte will replace Scott Linebrink, who is headed to the disabled list with a muscle injury. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

When the news that veteran reliever Scott Linebrink would have to head to the disabled list just two days into the season with a muscle injury, many St. Louis Cardinals fans immediately felt that young flame thrower Eduardo Sanchez would be pulled up from Memphis to fill the void.

Sanchez is electric.  Sanchez is filthy.  Sanchez is the future.

But rather than call-up Sanchez, the Cardinals have chosen to call-up 31 year old reliever Victor Marte instead.

So why not bring up Sanchez?  Why not strengthen the back-end of the bullpen that is missing Lance Lynn, who was relocated to the starting rotation, with an over-powering talent like Sanchez?

It is not as though Marte does not deserve the nod, because he does.  Marte had an excellent spring, appearing in ten games while posting a 0.90 ERA, allowing hitters to his just .182, and picking up two spring training saves.  Cardinals manager Mike Matheny believes that Marte can give the Cardinals multiple innings in appearances, so he does bring positives to the table.



But he is not as explosive as Eduardo Sanchez and it is not as if Sanchez was a slouch in spring training.  In fact, he was anything but.  Sanchez did not allow a run in seven appearances during the spring and struck out 14 helpless hitters in just eight innings of work.  

Sanchez is clearly the Cardinals reliever with the most talent and it appears the organization may be trying to nudge along the 23 year old carefully after he spent a lot of time last season on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.

From all accounts, it looks as though the shoulder is fine this season which makes the move even more baffling.

Sanchez will certainly get his shot to return to the big leagues, where he appeared in 26 games and posted a 1.80 ERA last season, at some point in 2012.  It just is not happening now.

But it should.  Sanchez should be on this roster and would be an instant upgrade to the back-end of the Cardinals bullpen.  The Cardinals best option for a set-up role will have to wait for his chance later in 2012.