Lohse on the trading block: The Chicago Tribune reports that the Cardinals are shopping SP Kyle Lohse on the trade market. They are interested in moving the 33-year-old righty in order to free up salary, possibly to attract free agent SP Mark Buehrle. Lohse went 14-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 2011. (Updated 12/06/2011)
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 2/12/12).
Fantasy Analysis
The Cardinals could be making a wise move to sell high on Lohse after a 14-win season, and Fantasy owners can learn from the Cards' example. With his high win total and low ERA from this past season, Lohse looks like a possible mid-to-late round option in standard mixed leagues, but apparent good luck on balls in play (.275 BABIP) likely played a role in his improved stats. Save Lohse for your deeper mixed league and league-specific format drafts. (Updated 12/06/2011).
12/08/2011 18:07 Pujols' move leaves St. Louis in shock, Anaheim in awe
The Cardinals are World Series champs. The Angels have been home for October the past two seasons. But one decision by Albert Pujols makes each franchise feel like they have changed places, Scott Miller says.
For a player who missed most of the previous two seasons with forearm injuries, Kyle Lohse's 2012 numbers were more than just encouraging. They were borderline miraculous. He won 14 games with career bests in ERA (3.39) and WHIP (1.17) to go from being an NL-only afterthought to a bona-fide mixed-leaguer. But before you pencil him in as a player to target on Draft Day, note that his season took an ugly turn in the summer months, putting him back on the waiver wire just as quickly as he came off it. From the beginning of June to the end of August, he had a 5.29 ERA in 15 starts, lasting seven innings in only two of them. An optimistic point of view would suggest his struggles stemmed from a finger injury that developed in July and lingered for several months. But a realistic point of view would recognize that he was a mediocre pitcher performing over his head for two months before eventually coming down to earth. Hard to argue with the track record -- or the lack of stuff. Even though Lohse rebounded to post a 1.37 ERA in four September starts, he's a pitcher better left for NL-only leagues. (Updated 2/1/12)