Nothing against Rodrigo Lopez, but I have to admit that the right-handed pitcher inspired this article. Saturday’s starter for the Philadelphia Phillies went six innings on three earned runs for the win.
While Lopez has a surprising 3.09 ERA this season, it is in just 23 1/3 Major League innings. Simply put, Lopez is a journeyman who failed as a starter in Baltimore, for Pete’s sake, and has a 4.76 career ERA. He has spent most of the last two seasons in the minor leagues.
Lopez joins a list of seven other veteran below-average pitchers who have dominated the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. Each of the following seven has a season ERA of basically five or more, averaging 5.81. In aggregate, including their seven wins over the Cardinals, the group has a 33-41 record.
Take away their Cards wins and the “Magnificent Seven” are 26-41 (.388). As a point of reference, 29 of the 30 MLB teams have a better win percentage than .388. Only the hideous Washington Nationals are worse.
Given the Cardinals’ ongoing challenges against left-handed pitching, it is not surprising that four of the seven are lefties. Perhaps the club’s addition of right-handed bats Julio Lugo, Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa will change matters, but they did not on Saturday against the righty Lopez.
Date | Team | Pitcher | L-R | Score | Inn | ER | 09 ERA | 09 W-L | Comments |
5/2 | WAS | Shairon Martis | R | 6-1 | 9 | 1 | 5.25 | 5-3 | Sent to AAA in June |
5/17 | MIL | Manny Parra | L | 8-2 | 6 | 2 | 6.42 | 4-8 | In AAA from 6/14-7/9 |
6/5 | COL | Jorge De La Rosa | L | 11-4 | 6 2/3 | 3 | 4.95 | 7-7 | 3 games in ’09 w/7 ER each |
6/12 | CLE | David Huff | L | 7-3 | 7 1/3 | 3 | 6.39 | 5-4 | Came up on 5/17 |
6/22 | NYM | Tim Redding | R | 6-4 | 7 | 4 | 7.16 | 1-4 | May be released |
6/28 | MIN | Francisco Liriano | L | 6-2 | 7 | 2 | 5.56 | 4-10 | Double-digit losses already |
7/20 | HOU | Brian Moehler | R | 3-2 | 6 1/3 | 2 | 4.92 | 7-5 | Career 82-96, 4.74 |
5.81 | 33-41 |