Cardinal advent calendar, Day 5: Brad Thompson
| B-Ref name | bra jose |
| Contract Status | Signed minor-league contract with Kansas City 11/19 |
| 2009 stat | Threw fewest pitches per batter (3.3) on the staff |
| Career stat | Only Cardinal pitcher since Scott Terry (1987) to relieve in 150 games and start 30 games and one of only eight all-time |
| 2010 Projection | 4.91 FIP (Bill James) |
| Quote | "I’ve always been that guy since I’ve been here that gets thrown into the weird assignments. It’s all about how you respond. I guarantee that if I failed every time I got put in a spot like that, I wouldn’t catch very many spots. I’m happy to get the start today, glad to fill in." — 6/3 |
One of only four pitchers remaining from the Cardinals’ 2006 championship team, Thompson entered 2009 as he had in the past: Without a spot in the rotation, and without a clear role in the bullpen. The team’s "forgotten man" and " Swiss Army knife pitcher," Thompson often went long stretches without seeing action, riding the pine for 17 games in April, 15 games in May, 10 games in July and nine games in September, though he saw the second-most action of his career in 2009 (345 batters faced). But he never found his stride and had the second-worst xFIP of his career … Drew a highly questionable three-game suspension for a pitch that didn’t hit David Wright … Was left off the playoff roster in favor of Mitchell Boggs … FIP and xFIP were both better than his ERA (4.84) … Faced the 6th-most batters on the staff in 2009 … Has lost a mile-an-hour or two on his fastball since his 2005 debut (87.4-mph average in 2009).
