Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

As you may have already deduced from the absence of my byline on cardinals.com yesterday, I did not travel with the team to Milwaukee for this series. I’ll be rejoining the club in Chicago early next week. In the meantime, however, there are a few notes to pass along…

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I’ll be resurrecting the Inbox feature (on cardinals.com, not the blog) next week, so feel free to resume sending in questions. Remember, if you want your question to be considered, you must include your first name, last initial and hometown. Send those questions to Jenifer.Langosch@MLB.com.

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If you haven’t already seen the news, highly-touted pitching prospect Carlos Martinez has joined the club in Milwaukee. He was summoned from Double-A, as the Cardinals finally made the decision to send Mitchell Boggs down to the Minors. That decision was sealed on Thursday night, when Boggs walked both batters he faced.

For those of you on Twitter, you can follow Martinez @Tsunamy27. He tweeted this photo of himself at Miller Park earlier today.

Martinez is the second new addition to the bullpen this week. The first, Seth Maness, has not yet appeared in a game. Also, with Martinez’s arrival, the Cardinals top two pitching prospects (per MLB.com) entering the season are now with the Major League club. For a refresher, here is the link to the top 20 list.

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Though the temperature today would hardly suggest that summer is approaching, don’t forget that the First-Year Player’s Draft is less than five weeks away. MLB.com has already has extensive coverage — including a look at the Draft order (here), top 100 Draft prospects (here) and a story with Draft details and changes (here).

The Cardinals have the 19th overall selection, as well as the 28th. The latter is compensation for Kyle Lohse’s departure.

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And lastly, let me direct your attention to Matthew Leach’s latest column, in which he catches up with former Cardinals pitcher/outfielder Rick Ankiel. You can read that story — which features more introspection than Ankiel has displayed in the past – here.

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

As manager Mike Matheny hinted at yesterday, David Freese is indeed out of the lineup for a second straight day. After giving Freese time to try and find his swing/timing/confidence in-game, Matheny is ready to see if time off can provide the necessary jumpstart. If you didn’t read yesterday’s cardinals.com notebook (link here), check it out for more specifics about Freese’s early-season slump.

After the Cardinals’ game this afternoon, the team heads back out on the road with scheduled stops in Milwaukee and Chicago. The Cubs are the only NL Central team the Cards have yet to play this season.

Also, on a separate note, the cardinals.com Inbox feature is about to be resurrected. So… if you have a question you’d like me to consider answering on the site, go ahead and email it to me at Jenifer.Langosch@MLB.com. Remember that you must include your first name, last initial and hometown with all submissions.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Jon Jay (CF)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Matt Carpenter (3B)
7. Pete Kozma (SS)
8. Daniel Descalso (2B)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Earlier this morning, news came out about the Cardinals’ first bullpen shake-up — which resulted in Marc Rzepczynski being sent to Triple-A and Seth Maness earning his first big-league callup. Both GM John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny spoke on the topic this afternoon, and you will be able to read their comments in the Cardinals.com notebook later tonight.

Carlos Beltran remains out of the lineup due to weakness from an extended illness. He’ll likely be available, if needed, to pinch-hit tonight, Matheny said.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Jon Jay (CF)
2. Matt Carpenter (2B)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (RF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Ty Wigginton (1B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Adam Wainwright (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

UPDATE (10:40 am CT): The Cardinals have made the roster move official and announced that Maness will be taking Marc Rzepczynski’s place in the bullpen. Rzepczynski, who hasn’t pitched in the Minors since 2010, has been optioned to Triple-A.

He allowed two earned runs and another two inherited runners to score in one-third of an inning on Sunday. The lefty has now allowed six of seven inherited runners to score in his eight relief innings this season. That’s in addition to the seven runs and 13 hits he’s allowed.

Acquired by the Cardinals in a midseason trade with the Blue Jays in 2011, Rzepczynski is making $1.1 million this season, a figure agreed upon by the pitcher and the club in his first offseason of arbitration eligibility.

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The Cardinals’ problematic bullpen will be getting a fresh face on Monday, as right-hander Seth Maness will be added to the roster prior to the start of the team’s series against the Reds. The club will officially announce the move later in the day.

Maness, who was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2012, will have to be added to the 40-man roster, which currently has an opening. It is unknown who the Cardinals will remove from their 25-man roster to make space for Maness on it. Five of the team’s seven relievers currently have an ERA higher than 4.00.

After finishing 14-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 2012 (with high-A Palm Beach and double-A Springfield, Maness opened the 2013 season with Triple-A Memphis. He’s pitched 25 innings this month, allowing 12 earned runs on 34 hits. Maness has struck out 18 while walking three.

Maness was scheduled to start for Memphis on Monday, which means he’ll be immediately available to help in the Cardinals’ bullpen, which enters Monday with a 5.93 ERA.

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Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

It certainly seemed a good sign to see Jason Motte head to right field this morning and play catch from about a distance of 50-60 feet. He said yesterday that he was most interested in how his arm responded today, 24 hours after his first game on catch in five weeks. If you missed it on Saturday, here is an update on Motte and where he stands as he approaches that previously set May 1 deadline to determine a yes or no to season-ending surgery.

Also, Matt Carpenter is back in the lineup a day after being removed for a ninth-inning pinch-hitter because of some left side tightness. He passed all required tests this morning and said he’s feeling no further discomfort.

David Freese (on his 30th birthday) returns to the field after a day off. Shane Robinson gets the start against lefty Jeff Locke. And on the mound, Shelby Miller will make his third career start at Busch Stadium. In the first two, he’s combined to allow one hit, no runs and no walks in 13 innings. He also has a chance to join Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn as four-game winners on this so-far dominant staff.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Shane Robinson (CF)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Shelby Miller (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

There has been a steady mist falling at Busch Stadium since I arrived several hours ago, but the Cardinals have been told that there is expected to be enough of a clearing this afternoon to play this game as scheduled. Last time Jake Westbrook made a start against the Pirates it was washed out by rain. In that instance, it worked in his favor, as Westbrook was stung by four first-inning runs. A makeup date for that postponed game has still not been announced.

The biggest news to come out of the Cardinals’ clubhouse today is regarding closer Jason Motte. He played catch — at about 30-40 feet, he estimated — this morning and felt nothing out of the ordinary in his right elbow. It was enough of a step forward that the Cardinals no longer see May 1 (Wednesday) as a drop-dead date to decide whether he’ll need to undergo Tommy John surgery.

For much more on Motte, read the Cardinals.com notebook later this afternoon.

Also, you’ll notice that David Freese — who has just four hits in his last 28 at-bats — is out of the lineup today. Manager Mike Matheny has made it a point to keep Daniel Descalso involved, but this is also a day for Freese to mentally attempt to get back on track.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (3B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Jon Jay (CF)
7. Pete Kozma (SS)
8. Daniel Descalso (2B)
9. Jake Westbrook (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

As announced earlier, the Cardinals placed Matt Adams on the disabled list this afternoon and summoned Jermaine Curtis from Triple-A to take the open roster spot. An MRI taken of Adams’ side on Thursday revealed he is dealing not just with tightness, but with a strain (a.k.a tear). As a result, the Cardinals will give the first baseman sufficient time to heal. He has stopped swinging.

Curtis learned of the call-up last night after Triple-A Memphis lost in Nashville. Check out the cardinals.com notebook later today for more on that story and Curtis’ subsequent reaction. Though Curtis can fill in at second and third, he is essentially up here for his bat. He’ll likely spend most (if not all) of his time on the bench, where he’ll give manager Mike Matheny a high on-base percentage option in pinch-hit spots.

For a deeper look into Curtis’ numbers, go here.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (2B)
2. Carlos Beltran (RF)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Allen Craig (1B)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Jon Jay (CF)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Lance Lynn (RHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

After weeks of trying to find ways to get Matt Adams into the lineup, the Cardinals will now be without the first baseman until at least May 7. A day after Adams was seen by the Cardinals’ team physicians, the organization moved him to the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 22.

Taking Adams’ place on the 25-man roster is infielder Jermaine Curtis, who had his contract purchased from Triple-A Memphis. This marks the first big-league call-up for Curtis, who was not a participant in Major League Spring Training this year.

Adams suffered the right oblique strain on Monday, while taking afternoon swings in the batting cage. He resumed limited activity later in the series but did not appear in any of the three games against Washington.

After making his first Opening Day roster, Adams opened the season 13-for-24 with three homers and eight RBIs in eight games. The hot start had prompted manager Mike Matheny to try and find ways to get Adams into the lineup multiple times each week.

Curtis, 25, went 14-for-48 in 17 games with Memphis this season and drove in a team-best 17 runs. In 2012, Curtis led the Double-A Texas League in on-base percentage (.416) while hitting .313 for Springfield. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 First-Year Player’s Draft out of UCLA.

Follow me on Twitter: @LangoschMLB

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Center fielder Jon Jay gets a second consecutive day off — this time against a right-handed starter. That’s a first this season. Jay, who is batting .197 this season, talked this morning about the work he’s doing in the batting cage to find the timing for his swing — which has always had a lot of moving parts. For more from Jay about his early-season slump, check out today’s cardinals.com notebook.

Matt Adams (right oblique tightness) continues to make progress, as he was cleared to take a few swings today. Manager Mike Matheny said Adams is available to pinch-hit, though I’d imagine the Cardinals likely won’t use Adams unless it’s absolutely necessary. The Cardinals are hopeful that Adams will be near full-go by Friday.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Matt Carpenter (3B)
2. Allen Craig (1B)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Carlos Beltran (RF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. Daniel Descalso (2B)
7. Shane Robinson (CF)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Jaime Garcia (LHP)

(more…)

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

Matt Adams (right oblique tightness) remains out of the Cardinals’ lineup, though he did say on Tuesday afternoon that he is improving. So much so, in fact, that Adams was cleared to take groundballs and throw during pregame batting practice. He has still not started to swing again. The Cardinals are optimistic that the oblique issue will not send Adams to the DL. That said, I wouldn’t expect him to play any earlier than Friday.

With lefty Ross Detwiler pitching for Washington, Shane Robinson earns the start in center for St. Louis. Robinson has now started two of the last three games in which a left-hander has opposed the Cardinals. Could this be the path to a strict platoon situation in center? Manager Mike Matheny wouldn’t go there, instead emphasizing that Jon Jay remains the team’s everyday center fielder. However, Jay is clearly not right offensively, so expect to see Robinson in the lineup with more frequency than he has been until Jay finds his swing.

Adam Wainwright enters the start still having not walked a batter this season (29 IP). That’s the longest such stretch by a Cardinal pitcher to open a season since Pea Ridge Day (29.2 IP) in 1925. The franchise record was set by Slim Sallee, who didn’t walk a batter in his first 40 IP in 1913. Wainwright’s start here at Nationals Park is his first since he couldn’t make it through three innings in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS. In five regular-season appearances at Nationals Park, Wainwright has a 6.00 ERA.

CARDINALS LINEUP:

1. Shane Robinson (CF)
2. Allen Craig (1B)
3. Matt Holliday (LF)
4. Carlos Beltran (RF)
5. Yadier Molina (C)
6. David Freese (3B)
7. Matt Carpenter (2B)
8. Pete Kozma (SS)
9. Adam Wainwright (RHP)

(more…)