I counted Adam Wainwright out.
After a brutal Achilles heel injury four years ago in Milwaukee, Wainwright just hasn't been the same, or anywhere close. His ERA doubled in 2016, where he pitched more than 200 innings but allowed more than half as many runs during that span. The sequel wasn't a good one either.
From 2017-18, he only managed 163.2 innings and 31 starts, and few of them were noteworthy. The ERA remained high, the FIP (fielding independent pitching) was even rougher, and the beloved Cardinal's right arm looked cooked and set to hang up.
This past January, after signing an incentive-laden one year deal that didn't guarantee a rotation spot, Wainwright told the media he felt better than ever. Familiar jargon for an aging athlete with a budding chip on his shoulder, but something about the point blank stare he delivered after the words stuck with me. What if this guy was battling a number of injuries to both his lower and upper body, mainly his elbow, these past few seasons? What if he just needed some health and good luck?
So far in 2019, Wainwright has arguably been the most consistent Cardinal starter through six starts. The ERA is back below 4.00, and the pitching stats aren't cringe-worthy. The strikeouts are holding steady while the walks haven't gone away, but the WHIP is slowly going down. Wainwright still creates trouble on the mound, but he's smart enough to pitch out of it.
Example: Tuesday night, Wainwright ran into some trouble in Washington. He served up back-to-back solo home runs to Adam Eaton and Victor Robles before walking former Cardinal Matt Adams and hitting Kurt Suzuki. Instead of opening the flood gates, Wainwright struck out Carter Kieboom and Brian Dozier. He would finish 6.1 innings, strike out 5, and help the Cardinals improve to 19-10 on the season.
You may never see Wainwright strike out 10 to 15 guys in a game again, but he can still put a baseball where he wants it. An older arm finding a way to make sure the pitch makes it to the proper destination is a beautiful thing to behold. An older lion who isn't ready to leave the game yet is one of the many things that make baseball so nostalgic and romantic.
How is he doing it on the mound? Per usual, the curveball drives his success, but this year, it's tighter and more effective. There's more dip than hang there. Wainwright isn't leaning on his four-seam fastball, instead mixing in his cutter and sinker to give his breaking pitch some disguise. The changeup is essentially parked in the garage. At this point, Wainwright knows what works and what doesn't, and he's thriving on his pitch selection and execution.
What you are seeing is a guy pitching with no pain or regrets, and that can be a big deal with this team. The Cardinals are riding high at the moment, but they were a year ago, and everyone knows how that ended up. They need sustainable starting pitching so the sturdy bullpen doesn't throw out its back before the All-Star break.
I didn't expect this rebirth. I would have bet against it. With mightier arms like Alex Reyes and Ryan Helsley on the horizon, I wanted the Cardinals to look inward deeper or perhaps outward at a guy like Dallas Keuchel. Now, Reyes is sidelined after punching a wall and Helsley is back down at Memphis, and Keuchel isn't on the team's radar. With his back against the wall on what one previously assumed was a last hurrah, Wainwright is making a comeback.
I don't care how long it lasts. The smart route is appreciating every quality start this 37-year-old pitcher can deliver.
It's always been easy to root for Wainwright. He's the best of us off the field, and a proud teammate. Completely unselfish and gracious to all, Wainwright never lost my respect. Getting the good attitude and fine performance on the field as a package deal is just more swell.
Out of nowhere, Adam Wainwright is pitching again, and doing it well. Don't worry too much or wonder how long the good times will last. Those answers don't exist. Sit back and watch the bulldog on the mound work his magic.
It is magic, right?
