Cards bring back Perez

Righthander Chris Perez was recalled from Memphis today and outfielder Nick Stavinoha was optioned to the Triple-A club. Perez, who was 2-0 with a 4.18 earned-run average in a previous trial with the Cardinals, was the closer at Memphis. Given the Cardinals’ closer issues here, will he be the ninth-inning man at the major-league level?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Manager Tony La Russa, for the moment, is adopting the closer-by-committee approach. He said Perez was coming up anyway, even before the ninth-inning problems experienced by Jason Isringhausen in Tuesday’s 6-4 win in 11 innings.

"I’m going to look at the guys available and piece it together to the best of my ability," said La Russa, who proceeded to say the same thing in different words three or four times this afternoon.

"There isn’t anybody in that bullpen that couldn’t pitch the ninth inning, in my opinion," La Russa said. "Mix and match the best I can. Just watch the game. That’s the best way to describe it. That way you don’t get too specific and have to come back and explain it."

Righthander Ryan Franklin, trying to clean up Isringhausen’s mess, actually got credit, if that’s the word, for the Cardinals’ 27th blown save of the season on Tuesday. La Russa said that Franklin would pitch late innings when available but he also said he thought Isringhausen, whose confidence has been an issue nearly all season, was salvageable.

"I definitely do," La Russa said. "I think he’s got a lot he can offer us."

La Russa said the format he will use for at least a while wasn’t ideal. "But we’re having our struggles," he said. "It’s not ideal but I think it’s the reality of the circumstances we’re in."

(stltoday.com)