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Buffa: It would be unwise for the Cardinals to waste Austin Gomber's time

Here's how you use him. When Luke Weaver runs into a fifth inning wall, get Gomber. When Flaherty is burned, call Gomber. When Wacha doesn't have it, insert Gomber. He's your secret weapon and should be able to help a team that currently has a bullpen problem.
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY SPORTS

The St. Louis Cardinals need Austin Gomber more than they think.

Imagine the Cardinals' bullpen is a broken down car on the side of the road. The tires are bald and the oil needs to changed. Enter Gomber, the 24 year old prospect who was promoted to the team for the second time this week, but hasn't seen MLB action just yet. If used correctly, he's a brand new set of tires for this pitching staff.

Gomber can help the Cardinals in a number of ways, so let's talk about them.

Since Mike Matheny basically trusts only Jordan Hicks and Bud Norris at the moment, the bullpen needs a fresh arm and a small shuffle. With all due respect to Brett Cecil and John Brebbia, they aren't getting it done consistently enough to inspire confidence from even the most forgivable optimist.

My first inclination would be to plug Gomber into the rotation to take the injured Alex Reyes' spot next week, but it looks like Carlos Martinez will be returning quickly after a rehab start, which is fine. Complaining about Martinez returning to the rotation would be like saying cold Chinese food is edible.

So if you can't use Gomber in the rotation, push him to the bullpen to stop the bleeding down there. After all, a stop in the pen is a rite of passage for most Cardinals relievers in the John Mozeliak era. Adam Wainwright, Martinez, Reyes, Michael Wacha and Lance Lynn among others worked in relief before receiving starts full time. A talented young arm should go where he is needed and not necessarily where they are most comfortable.

It helps that Gomber has been a steady force through his minor league rise. In 89 career minor league starts, The southpaw has a 2.93 ERA with 3/1 strikeouts to walks ratio. After making the jump from Springfield to Memphis this spring, Gomber's 3.60 ERA in nine starts with a healthy strikeout total shows little decline from last year's performance. It isn't like he went up a level and got blasted. The kid has chops, and should be utilized.

Or you could hinge your bets on Tyler Lyons for the second night in a row. Grab the tums.

In a start in April for Memphis, Gomber struck out 16 batters in an eye-opening start. How did he do it? According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Gomber has featured a curveball more often this year. At the urge of pitching coach Mike Maddux, Gomber has turned a pitch that used have a cameo appearance in his arsenal to his main ingredient. In a start where he threw 112 pitches, Gomber threw 50 curves, landing 40 for strikes.

It helps to have a hook to mix in with the fastball and breaking ball. Gomber has the tools to enter the game at anytime and make a dent. If only he can make it into a game. The impressive 16-strikeout start got him up to the club at the end of April, but he never made it into a game. A month later, he sat on the bench as Matheny let a spent Jack Flaherty try to finish five innings on Thursday night. Gomber wasn't used the entire game.

If he isn't going to be used, what the heck is he doing here? Does the guy make a wicked chef salad?

Here's how you use him. When Luke Weaver runs into a fifth inning wall, get Gomber. When Flaherty is burned, call Gomber. When Wacha doesn't have it, insert Gomber. He's your secret weapon and should be able to help this team that currently has a bullpen problem.

If he's up with the team, forget the worry and start the clock. The Cardinals miraculously have 30 wins, but are busting at the seams when it comes to pitching and healthy arms. If Gomber is here, he should be pitching.

I'm sure Maddux and Mozeliak agree. Someone please tell Matheny.

Austin Gomber won't save the day. He doesn't have that kind of stuff, at least not yet. However, he can help a team in need. Don't waste his time.

Thanks for reading.

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