Wainwright

[haymarket]

Sounds like he is close to returning. Has anyone heard anything else regaurding his role with the team when he is activated? If he is going to be a closer, I am going to drop him. (10 team league with 2 RP spots and weekly lineups = closers always available on the wire.)

[wildbill]

Sounds like he is close to returning. Has anyone heard anything else regaurding his role with the team when he is activated? If he is going to be a closer, I am going to drop him. (10 team league with 2 RP spots and weekly lineups = closers always available on the wire.)

"he is close to returning" ? What's your source? The only things I've seen recently was mid to late august, which has me thinking he's at least 2 weeks away, probably 3. I wouldn't call that close. As I've stated before I think his role really depends on Izzy. If Izzy is doing well enough in the closers role I think Wainwright starts.

[haymarket]

Sounds like he is close to returning. Has anyone heard anything else regaurding his role with the team when he is activated? If he is going to be a closer, I am going to drop him. (10 team league with 2 RP spots and weekly lineups = closers always available on the wire.)

"he is close to returning" ? What's your source? The only things I've seen recently was mid to late august, which has me thinking he's at least 2 weeks away, probably 3. I wouldn't call that close. As I've stated before I think his role really depends on Izzy. If Izzy is doing well enough in the closers role I think Wainwright starts.

This is from CBS
News: Cardinals RP/SP Adam Wainwright, on the 15-day disabled list since June 8 with an injury to the middle finger of his right hand, remained on track for a simulated game Tuesday with no ill effects from a bullpen session on Saturday that featured curveballs for the first time. Wainwright expects to have a short rehab assignment if all goes well on Tuesday.

I would guess, if all goes well, we could see him by the end of next week. Maybe I am being too optimistic.

[sandman042]

well know wat his role will be in the next couple of days. I cant see the cardinals justifying keeping joel pinero in the rotation so it would make sense from that standpoint to drop him to the pen or soemthing but with all the struggles in the cardinals pen i can see hime asliy going back and being the closer. It would help them froma standpoint that they get a closer and he can come back faster. but their roation would still be a question. hopefully tehy give more hints about whatthere doing with waiwrigth but we should know sooner than later his role....

[StarsNPinstripes]

Wainwright to start Friday

Manager Tony La Russa today finally answered the burning question of what to do with righthander Adam Wainwright.

La Russa said Wainwright, who has had a sprained middle finger on his right hand, will start Friday night here against the Atlanta Braves.

Wainwright, who had lobbied La Russa to return to the rotation rather than coming back as a reliever, will be making his first appearance in the majors since he got hurt on June 7 at Houston.

La Russa said that righthander Joel Pineiro, who was to have started Friday, will back up Wainwright, who is targeted to go as high as 80 pitches.

"(Wainwright) feels like he’s 100 percent and ready to go," La Russa said.

In theory, Wainwright then could start Wednesday here against the Milwaukee Brewers but La Russa wouldn’t take it that far.

"We’re going to play it by ear," said La Russa. "He starts Friday and I expect he’s going to pitch two or three times regularly, to see where he is."

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/90A4D12D55CA8D26862574AB007A2965?OpenDocument

[Howie]

Hmm, usually i don't like to start pitchers on their first start back from the DL, but against the weak hitting Braves i'd be tempted.