For Sale: One LOOGY (hardly used)

I was amused when I read the following item:

The Cardinals signed Choate for three years, two years ago. In his two seasons with the Cardinals, Choate has thrown 35 innings and 36 innings.

That's very specialized!

I'm just a little surprised that Choate thought he would get more work than that. In the three seasons before signing with the Cardinals, Choate threw 45 innings, 25 innings, and 39 innings ... which works out to 36 innings per season. Choate pitches very few innings, but then again he makes relatively little money: $2.5 million per season. And he's been tremendously effective against left-handed hitters.

It seems to me that in these days of seven- and eight-man bullpens, a fair number of teams should have room for an ill-paid pitcher with Randy Choate's skills. And while the Cardinals might not be one of those teams, I do wonder if this has something to do with his struggles, however brief, against the Giants this month.