Mark Mulder Not Until Next Year?

[pacerfan]

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Mark Mulder has no idea when he might be ready to pitch again, and said the St. Louis Cardinals shouldn't count on him coming to the rescue in the second half of the season.

The left-hander, rehabbing from rotator cuff surgery last September, threw off a mound for the first time since then on Tuesday. The team has been hopeful of him returning around the All-Star break, but after the session Mulder was more pessimistic, saying there's a chance he won't be back until next season.

"It could be August, it could be September, it could be April," Mulder said. "I couldn't begin to tell you when it might be."

The Cardinals were more optimistic. Manager Tony La Russa didn't see the session but said pitching coach Dave Duncan was impressed even though Mulder told the manager it "wasn't one of his best."

"So that makes it even better," La Russa said.

AP article on Mark Mulder

[mizzoupacers]

The Post-Dispatch's story about Mulder throwing off a mound for the first time had a more optimistic tone:

link

I think Mulder is downplaying things a bit, my guess is we see him back out there sometime later this season. But it's an open question as to how effective he is going to be, coming back from major surgery and a long layoff.

[pacerfan]

Thanks for the link to the Post Dispatch story.

Hope LaRussa and Duncan are right. No harm in keeping hope alive.

[bigboy1234]

I personally think Mulder would rather sit out the whole season, and the Cards would rather have him pitch around 10 games this year. That tends to happen when Mulder has a contract, that won't end this year, and the Cards have money inversted in him.

[mizzoupacers]

What are the terms of Mulder's contract for this season? I know it's full of performance incentives, but I don't remember exactly what they are. Depending on what they are, though, you would think that Mulder would be the one who wants to pitch in order to earn more money, and the Cardinals would be the ones who don't want him to pitch, so that they don't have to pay him extra.

I think it's more about whether the Cardinals stay in contention than about Mulder's contract anyway. If we are out of it by August, then Mulder won't pitch this season. (And probably Carpenter won't either.) But us being out of it by August, that is just crazy talk.

[bigboy1234]

His contract is kind of confusing, while at least to me it is.

07:$5M, 08:$6.5M, 09:$11M club option ($1.5M buyout)
performance bonuses:
2007: $6.525M based on GS, up to 35 GS (added to 2008 base)

2008: $3.75M

2009 option may increase to match base & bonuses earned in 2008

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2004/1 ... 41890.html

[BuckFan25226]

This really means nothing to me. I don't think anyone knows, it's going to be how is shouler reacts to some small sim sessions. Everyone will get a way better idea the middle of July.

Another positive note is Carp is 2 weeks ahead of schedule and he says he feels great.