Given that — as Bernie Miklasz noted in his evisceration of the Cardianls’ bullpen today — Miguel Batista was averaging 5.83 walks per nine innings and 15.43 base runners per nine innings, he was likely not long for the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen. And today his run there ended: the Cards have given Batista his unconditional release.
Batista started the year deceptively strong — his ERA was low anyway, which doesn’t necessarily tell you what you need to know about a reliever — but he crashed to Earth in June. Last night was the final straw, as he came into the game with the bases loaded, promptly walked the first two men he faced and then allowed a two-run single. A terrible few moments in what was already a terrible inning for St. Louis.
In his place comes Lance Lynn, recalled from Memphis. He has started and relieved, but he’ll be doing long man work for Tony La Russa. Most likely in a more effective fashion than Batista who, really, may have thrown his last pitch in the majors.
