For most of this season, the Cardinals have been waiting on the return of their aces, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, to the rotation. Carp came back a couple weeks ago but was quickly sidelined with trouble in his pitching shoulder. With Carpenter back, the Cards had planned on hurrying Adam Wainwright back into the bullpen for the rest of year. Now that plan is in doubt with Carpenter's return in doubt. Here's the rub: Wainwright has looked very good in rehab since getting straightened out after a bad first start. He struck out seven batters in less than five innings on Saturday and his injury was a finger injury, which means that there's little concern over him re-injuring a shoulder or elbow in a hurried comeback. Given how well he pitched in the rotation both last year and this year, isn't he the guy the Cardinals should want in the rotation?
By the same token, doesn't the older pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery with shoulder trouble seem like the one that should be headed to the bullpen? This might all be a moot point if Carpenter's injury is serious enough to make him miss time, because Wainwright will definitely head to the rotation in that case. The Cardinals are going to need as many innings out of Wainwright as they can get if they want to catch the Brewers. That means putting him in the rotation is the only logical answer.
