Cards' bullpen struggles costly in sluggish start

ST. LOUIS -- Boy, the Cardinals could really use Jason Isringhausen right about now.

The rebuilt bullpen is largely to blame for the team's slow start as April wound down. After Wednesday night's defeat of the New York Mets, the Cardinals remained 1-7 in one-run games, blew three ninth-inning leads and have lost five times in the opposition's final at-bat.

As a result, the Cardinals finished the final day of the first month treading water at 13-12. The bullpen has dragged down a team that leads the NL in batting (.289) and has four hitters ranked in the top 10 in batting average.

Isringhausen's 95-mph fastball could remedy all of that, except that he can't throw it right now during an on-again, off-again rehabilitation from offseason shoulder surgery.

There's no timetable for Isringhausen's return, not after two aborted buildups already. He planned to play a little catch on Wednesday or -- in his words -- at least "try to."

"At least I'm throwing," he said. "That's better than it was a week ago."

Driving them home

Isringhausen was the hammer last year, with 32 saves in 37 opportunities. So far this year manager Tony La Russa is going with a patchwork crew while waiting for Isringhausen, with spotty results.

Steve Kline, the lone healthy bullpen holdover, has three saves in four chances but has been hit hard at times. The only other pitcher with a save is Dustin Hermanson, a former 14-game winner with the Cardinals in 2001.

The relievers have surrendered a startling 14 home runs, four by Russ Springer in only 11 1-3 innings and three by Cal Eldred in 10 2-3 innings. In all, there have been seven blown saves in 11 chances.

"Every one of the guys that once in a while have struggled have done really well other times," La Russa said. "So, just hang with it, get tough."

The bullpen has shown signs of coming around the last few days, however. Relievers threw 11 scoreless innings after coughing up a five-run, ninth-inning lead in Sunday's 7-6, 20-inning victory at Florida, and closed the door on the Mets with three scoreless innings on Tuesday.

Kiko Calero, a 28-year-old rookie, has been a standout lately, although not without struggles. He had five strikeouts and four walks in two scoreless innings on Sunday, and gave up a run in 1 2/3 innings on Tuesday.

Coming along

Calero is not happy with his fastball, which he's had trouble throwing for strikes. But the former minor-league free agent has progressed rapidly to the point where La Russa would consider him for stand-in closer duties.

"Somebody asked me, 'Would you use Calero?"' La Russa said. "I said, 'Why not?' After what he's done, I wouldn't worry about using him and I think he's shown he could be good in the ninth inning."

After seven years in the minor leagues without a sniff at the big time, Calero is just happy to be here.

"I'll do whatever he wants: closer, long relief," Calero said. "I know I can do it."

The new crew, none of whom has much experience closing, seems to be adjusting to the new reality.

"It's really a work in progress," La Russa said. "Each of these guys has had good outings and they're struggled once or twice, and because of the nature of their job, it really becomes magnified.

"If a starter struggles you might come back and win a game, but if the relievers struggle a lot of times that's what gets highlighted."