CINCINNATI • Twisting fortunes within the Cardinals bullpen will transfer the closer’s tag from rookie Eduardo Sanchez to either Mitchell Boggs or Fernando Salas, according to Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan.
Hours after the bullpen failed to hold leads of 4-2 and 5-4 in what became a 10-inning 6-5 loss Friday, Duncan noted that Sanchez’ move to the ninth inning has coincided with troubling trends not found when he worked earlier in games. Sanchez has experienced issues with command and diminished velocity in recent appearances after dazzling with eight strikeouts in his first two major-league outings.
Asked whether Sanchez is out of the role when next available, Duncan said, “I think he is in my mind. If you look at what he did and how he pitched before we put him in the role he’s in now, he was really an effective pitcher. So it may best serve him and us to put him back into that type of (set-up) situation for the time being.”
Sanchez, 22, has averaged 22 pitches per inning in eight appearances since being anointed closer; he averaged 14 pitches per inning in five appearances before taking over the role.
Sanchez has walked at least one hitter in each of his last eight outings. During that span he has walked 10 against eight strikeouts. He struck out 14 against one walk in his first five outings. Duncan has noted a dip in Sanchez’ velocity from the upper to the lower 90s, a difference he does not attribute to fatigue.
The move could return Boggs to the role he held for four appearances last month. He was bumped back to middle relief after dropping a save chance against the Houston Astros on April 26. Two nights later Sanchez earned his first major league save.
Duncan praised Boggs’ recent work while noting Salas’ calm demeanor perfectly fits his blueprint for the role.
Sanchez suffered his first blown save when unable to protect Friday’s 4-3 lead after a leadoff walk and wild pitch advanced the tying run into scoring position before the ninth inning’s first out.
Duncan became irritated by the inability of Miguel Batista and Trever Miller to retire a hitter during Friday’s two-run seventh inning. Though Salas escaped further damage, the bullpen became overextended. Jason Motte warmed for a fifth consecutive day and appeared in his third game on the road trip.
Duncan continues to fret over the absence of an effective long reliever.
“I just don’t feel comfortable right now,” Duncan said. “You’ve got Motte, basically a one-inning pitcher. You’ve got Boggs, basically a one-inning pitcher. You’ve got Salas, who you really don’t want to use more than one inning. And you’ve got Sanchez, who is a one-inning pitcher. That’s a lot of limitations on you. And you can’t use them every day. That’s why Batista, or the person who plays that role, has to be able to go in and do that job.”
Exiled closer Ryan Franklin appeared in an extended role Saturday for the second time in four days. After working three innings Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, he was asked to finish Saturday but lasted only 1 1/3 innings as the Reds reached him for two runs on three hits and a walk.
Theriot returns
As promised by acting manager Joe Pettini, Ryan Theriot started at shortstop after missing two games due to a pulled right oblique suffered Wednesday in Chicago. Theriot finished 0 for four with an error but reported no ill effects from playing the entire game. Tyler Greene moved from shortstop to second base.
Greene, admittedly more comfortable on the infield’s left side than at second base, said he is gradually becoming more accustomed to the different throws and double-play turn from the right side.
“I’m getting more comfortable at second with more starts, more playing time over there,” Greene said. “As far as third, there’s not much judgment over there. It’s more reaction.”
Greene has worked extensively with infield coach Jose Oquendo and Pettini on making the adjustment. Greene was at shortstop Friday when victimized by an odd hop on the right side of second base. An exaggerated shift gave him first shot at the ball, which spun between him and second baseman Nick Punto for a single.
“I watched it. It was right in the middle of us. We both went after it hard,” Greene said. “I just need to call it.”
Et Cetera
Second baseman Brandon Phillips’ second-inning solo home run off Kyle McClellan was the first off a Cardinals pitcher since the Florida Marlins’ Mike Stanton reached Sanchez on May 4, a span of eight games. The blast was the first off a Redbirds starting pitcher since the Marlins victimized Kyle Lohse on May 2, a span of 43 2/3 innings against the rotation … When Phillips popped out to right field to begin the fourth inning, it halted a run of nine consecutive innings in which the Reds’ leadoff hitter had reached … The Cardinals placed their leadoff hitter on base twice Saturday, once when Theriot walked to open the game and again when Greene singled to open the third inning … Chris Carpenter starts today having won 10 of his last 11 starts against the Reds. Before suffering a no-decision in an April 23 appearance against them at Busch Stadium, Carpenter was 10-0 with a 1.37 ERA and two complete games while averaging 7 2/3 innings during the 10-game tear against Cincinnati. … First baseman Albert Pujols hit safely for a sixth consecutive game and is at nine for 21 on the road trip. He remains without a home run since April 23, a span of 70 at-bats.
