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Buffa: Adam Wainwright wants to silence the doubters in 2018

At 36 years old, Wainwright's plight is real, but if there is anyone that can do it on sheer will and bulldog tenacity, it's #50.
Dan Buffa

Does Adam Wainwright have one last comeback in him?

2018 will flood the seasoned righthanded pitcher with this question, a lingering challenge that will not weaken until Wainwright proves that he's still got it.

In 2017, he only completed 123 innings, which was the lowest total of his 12 year career when he made at least 20 starts. You'd have to go back to 2008, where he won 11 games in 20 starts and pitched 132 innings.

When asked if he still has it in him to start baseball games, Wainwright had to wonder how one would not carry that mindset: "I don't have moments where I think I can't do it. Every time I play catch, I treat it like the last day of the World Series and that's how I'll continue to do it."

Wainwright is also throwing away the sports page, because he just can't read things that claim he is the team's fifth starter, at best. In his mind, Wainwright must still think like he can be the best pitcher in the game in order to be successful. If you starts conceding and accepting the doubts of his ability, the tunnel gets dark real fast. This is the only way he can think.

While he knows the end may not be as close as some suspect, Wainwright does notice the burgeoning talent around him. He loves the outspoken nature of Tommy Pham, and applauded a clubhouse moment in 2017 when Pham went off on the team, saying the Cards need more of that.

When the Cardinals were discussing trade talks this offseason, Wainwright hoped the name going out wasn't Alex Reyes, who he thinks can be a superstar. He doesn't think fans have come close to seeing all that Carlos Martinez can do on the pitching mound. Reporters asked him about the newest Cardinal, Marcell Ozuna, and Wainwright raved about his hitting skills.

"When we played Miami last year, we prepared for Ozuna first. The way he keeps his bat level through the zone is (unreal)," Wainwright said with an expression on his face that admitted delight and amazement.

Hearing Wainwright speak about other players so glowingly reminds you why it's so easy to root for the guy to make a comeback. He always puts his teammates first, no matter how well he is doing or how low he can go. He's a team guy until the end.

Can he make a comeback? It's a long shot, and it's not a vindictive emotion to suggest he may struggle. While offseason surgery cleaned up the elbow, Wainwright's ERA and FIP have risen over the past two years to 4.62/5.11 and 3.93/4.29. At 36 years old, Wainwright's plight is real, but if there is anyone that can do it on sheer will and bulldog tenacity, it's #50.

2018 also represents the final year of a six year deal that will expire after the pitcher's 37th birthday, something that seemingly sets a clock on his comeback.

The Cardinals are loaded with young starting pitching depth, but the one thing Wainwright has over all of them is genuine experience in comebacks.

He came up as a starter before assisting in the Cardinals bullpen in 2005, closing games in 2006. He transitioned back to starting in 2007, and underwent Tommy John surgery before to the 2011 season. He tore his Achilles tendon in 2015, missing the majority of the season after April. He hasn't thrown 200 innings in a season since 2014. If he does that with a sub 4.00 ERA, 2018 will be a success.

When I think of Wainwright and 2018, I think of the Joe Carnahan film, The Grey: "once more into the fray, into the last fight I'll ever know." It may sound dramatic, but for a veteran like Wainwright trying to complete one last ride, it's quite appropriate.

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