Good work, "Uncle Walt".

Frequent visitors to this space may recall that roughly a week and a half ago, I suggested (OK pleaded!) that the Cardinals make every reasonable effort to sign Free Agent outfielder Jim Edmonds to a long term contract. In that same piece, I donned the moniker of "Uncle Walt" on the Cardinal General Manager Walt Jocketty. The GM reminds one of a warm comfortable relative who can make you stay longer than originally intended.

Last Friday, Jocketty retained the nickname as Edmonds followed that lead of Mark Mc Gwire, Fernando Tatis, Edgar Renterria, J D Drew, and Fernando Vina. He signed a long-term deal to play baseball in the Gateway City. In so doing, the Red Birds have now locked their "regular" and "long term" starting eight players to multi-year contracts.

Once again, good work, "Uncle Walt". But we have to ask, what comes next? How about a call to arms? That is, the relief variety.

The Red Birds enter Mid-May with a shell-shocked, overworked and unproductive middle relief bullpen. Their starting pitchers are going well into the 110-120 pitch range before Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan close their eyes and hold their breath as the middle relief pitching makes the late innings "interesting" (or nauseating).

At this writing there is only one left handed pitcher in the bullpen and he has an Earned Run Average of 9.00. The team's closer has saved seven of the team's twenty-one wins, striking out eighteen batters as well as allowing eighteen hits in eighteen-plus innings.

Gateway City squawk radio participants are sounding like hockey callers with their doom and gloom attitudes and forecasts. To illustrate, I was told by one of my WGNU callers that La Russa, Duncan, and Jocketty are "personally responsible" for this mess.

Yet, the Cardinals are in first place in the National League Central. Fans do forget that. Still, the Red Bird bullpen is a cause for concern. "Something" needs to be done; but what? (Unfortunately, the Pope is not making a return visit to the Gateway City.)

PERHAPS help is on the way for the Cardinal bullpen. Within the next thirty days, the Red Birds should be welcoming left handers Scott Radinsky and Jesse Osrosco home from the Disabled List. Going into Philadelphia, the team will be met by right-hander Mark Thompson, who is penciled in for middle relief. It is hoped that right-hander Matt Morris and perhaps Alan Benes will become available for duty shortly. Their return(s) could re-assign one (or more) of the current starters into the relief core.

Certainly these are all options. Still, it does not rule out a trade. A trade COULD involve a familiar face: the Cardinals senior member and left-fielder Ray Lankford.

Lankford has played in a funk during the first six weeks of this season. At this writing, #16 has a batting average is .200 with seven home runs but only thirteen runs batted in. However more disturbing, Lankford has struck out a team high forty-one times in thirty-one games (an average of 1.322 per game) and in 105 at bats (39.0%).

La Russa, Jocketty and the Red Bird brass have to be concerned about their left fielder. The soon to be 33 year old Lankford's batting average and offensive production is way too low, while his strikeout ratio is way too high. Quite discouraging because over the past four seasons, #16 has averaged 27 Home Runs and 93 Runs Batted In.

Management must make a decision shortly on Lankford's St. Louis future. According to Total Baseball, the outfielder made his major league debut on August 21,1990. Hence, he is rapidly approaching that magical 5 Years with the same team, 10 Years in the Majors date that would give Lankford the right to veto any trade. So if the Cardinals want to deal #16, it must be transacted in the very near future.

There was a rumor floating around the Press Box Friday night, reportedly started in the Big Apple, of a Lankford trade to the New York Yankees. The deal does make sense as the Yankees need a left fielder (preferably a veteran outfielder) and do have an abundance of pitching. Certainly New York Manager Joe Torre knows about Lankford from his days in the Gateway City. #16 is under contract for the next two seasons.

Lankford could be expendable. The Red Birds could finish the season with a left-field committee of Eric Davis, Thomas Howard, Craig Paquette and/or Shawon Dunston.

Conspiracy theorists throughout the Gateway City may have a field day with this.

Hence, Jocketty does have some options. But the ultimate mission is clear. The Red Birds bullpen needs help: and the quicker that help arrives the better it will be. The General Manager and Field manager do need to come up with a battle plan quickly; whether to wait for the arrival of the Calvary or start burning the phone lines with other teams.

Memorial Day is considered a benchmark in the baseball season, and the Cardinals will be in contention. This is only the quarter-pole in this horse race, and the Red Birds need thoroughbreds in their bullpen. The real question is how will they join that bullpen?

Gateway City baseball fans have enjoyed the home run air show these first six weeks, as Busch Stadium looks like Cape Canaveral West. This air show should continue throughout the summer. Unfortunately, without an improved bullpen, so should the visiting team's air show. Scores may rise like interest rates.

Pitching help does need to be on the way in order to make this a really enjoyable summer.

Uh, Hello, Uncle Walt?