[bears9]

Confirmation arrived last month of a world champion's freefall from grace.

A team that two years before led the major leagues in team ERA resorted during a pennant race to an ad-hoc, seven-man rotation, occasionally notifying starters 24 hours before their pending assignments.

"Pot-luck pitching," according to one disillusioned team member.

Following a lost gamble, the Cardinals reaffirmed during a Monday meeting that fixing a broken starting rotation must be this winter's priority. Directions for assembly were not included.



"We're looking through that free-agent list and there's not much help there," general manager Walt Jocketty said recently. "We'll see if there's any match for us in the trade market. There's a couple things we have interest in."

A team that led major-league baseball with a 3.49 ERA in 2005 finished at 4.67 this season. An eclectic mix of starting pitchers crafted a 5.04 ERA. The Cardinals produced one nine-inning complete game and their rotation netted a 48-72 record.

"I don't think there's any doubt it needs to be addressed," pitching coach Dave Duncan said during the team's final trip. "Everybody's known that for a while."

Hence, the rub. This winter's free-agent market is significantly less impressive than the one last offseason that lavished $10 million annual salaries to starters such as Jeff Suppan, Ted Lilly and Gil Meche. A cluster of 40-something arms and others with checkered health histories offer as much risk as opportunity.

"It's the worst I've seen in a decade," lamented one longtime major league executive.

The Cardinals probably will counter by inquiring about pitchers in their last year before free agency, such as the Florida Marlins' Dontrelle Willis or the Chicago White Sox's Jon Garland. Former American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana also fits the description. Another White Sox arm, Jose Contreras, is available with two years and $20 million remaining on his contract

Cards' grocery list must address 'pot-luck pitching'

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, if they want a quality arm, they're really going to half to go the trade route, though Lilly and Suppan would still be an upgrade from Kip Wells.