Jason Motte

mbuser   3/23/2013 1:34 PM

The Cardinals announced on Saturday that closer Jason Motte will likely begin the season on the disabled list after being diagnosed with a mild muscle flexor strain. After throwing a pain-free inning against the Mets on Thursday, Motte said his right forearm tightened up on the bus ride back to the Cardinals’ complex. He alerted the medical staff that afternoon and then underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test on Friday when he returned with his arm still stiff.

That exam identified the strain and prompted the Cardinals to shut Motte down indefinitely. General manager John Mozeliak said there is no timetable for how long Motte will be sidelined or nor a precise plan for what the rehab process will entail. “We’re certainly going to be as aggressive as we can with the rehab, but in terms of DL, I would say that’s likely going to happen,” Mozeliak said. “Fingers were crossed that it would be something that wouldn’t land him on the DL, but it likely will.

With Motte sidelined, the Cardinals will hand the closer duties over to Mitchell Boggs, who was the team’s set-up man last season. The development also means that both Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller are likely to be on the team’s Opening Day roster. The two remain in competition for the fifth rotation spot. Whoever doesn’t win the job is expected to slide into a bullpen spot.

http://langosch.mlblogs.com/2013/03/23/motte-likely-to-begin-season-on-dl-boggs-to-close/

mbuser   4/1/2013 2:47 PM

The club remains circumspect about Motte’s return because it doesn’t know how the ligament will react to a strengthening program. Motte could be pitching again sometime in May or — should his elbow rebel — may have to weigh surgery around the middle of next month. The ensuing shuffle bumps Mitchell Boggs from the eighth into the ninth inning and rookie power arm Trevor Rosenthal from a fire-stopper into set-up relief. Sentiment exists within some quarters of the organization to have Rosenthal close before he turns 23 on May 29 should Boggs stumble. The club still waits for lefthanded relievers Mark Rzepczynksi and Randy Choate to find form. Joe Kelly might have been optioned to Memphis if not for Motte’s injury.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/joe-strauss/strauss-as-the-bullpen-goes-so-will-the-cardinals/article_502440de-7679-5ec1-9731-a4d82e7af211.html

mbuser   4/9/2013 7:04 PM

Jenifer Langosch ‏@LangoschMLB 
Jason Motte's MRI shows tear to ligament. #STLCards will give him until May 1 to show improvement; if none, then likely Tommy John surgery.

Hailfire4   4/9/2013 8:13 PM

Didn't we all know this was coming? Mulder, Matt Morris and Carpenter started off with "elbow impingements". U gotta love how the Cards underplay the severity of these injuries. Wainwright on the other hand was a nodoubter. My money is on Rosenthal to be the closer by May...or sooner.