CINCINNATI _ The Cardinals telegraphed the roster move they intended to make Tuesday afternoon long before Daniel Poncedeleon threw his first pitch in the majors, long before he warmed up for his first start in the majors, and long before he threw seven no-hit innings in his major-league debut.
The decision was obvious when they announced that debut would come on Monday.
By picking Poncedeleon for the first game of the series this week at Cincinnati, the Cardinals revealed that they intended to use that same spot on the roster for two starters, maintain the headcount in the bullpen, and the rookie who went first would also go back just as quickly to Class AAA Memphis.
The Cardinals held with that plan Tuesday by making the unromantic, unpopular move of sending Poncedeleon back to Triple-A Memphis to make room for Tuesday starter Austin Gomber.
Any other day and this would have received little-to-no attention and would have been widely regarded as the obvious move to replace a fresh arm with an arm that actually could handle an inning or more today.
This, apparently, is not any other day.
Poncedeleon became the first Cardinals pitcher in more than 100 years _ and possibly the first ever _ to take a no-hitter through seven innings of his major-league debut. He came one out shy of matching Ross Stripling for the modern record of 7 1/3 no-hit innings in his debut. Poncedeleon was removed after the seventh inning because of his bloated pitch count (116) and his spot was up in the order during a 1-0 game.
As far as pure baseball moves go, removing him from the game at that point was far more debatable than removing him from the roster the next day, but here we are.
Adding a different shade to the decision was how far Poncedeleon has come. There were media requests from around the country as a result of his outing Monday night against the Reds, and not just from sports stations _ from news outlets, from human-interest shows. Less than 15 months ago, Poncedeleon needed emergency surgery to address bleeding and swelling in his brain. After being struck by a line drive, the first few hours were about saving his life. The next few weeks were about reclaiming his quality of life. The next few months were about what kind of lifestyle he could lead.
It wasn't until then that he could even consider returning to baseball.
The next season _ midway through the next season _ the pitcher who was drafted four times, bounced around from college to college, had reached the majors. Not only that, but he made history in the majors.
Then he was optioned back from whence he came.
It's a brutal hairpin turn from the outside looking in, but it was the decision the Cardinals revealed they would make by having Poncedeleon pitch the first game and Gomber take Carlos Martinez's start on the second one. Teams are always going to choose available arms over storybook tales. The need for the Cardinals is to have a reliever who is available in the coming two games _ not the good story who may not be able to pitch until Friday.
That's the baseball decision. It's blunt. It's bloodless. It is one that every other team in the majors would make.
Many on social media and in my inbox will not stand for it.
But, there is one element of this that should be pointed out: Poncedeleon will be back. And it could be in the near future.
The Cardinals have an off day Thursday, and they intend to adjust the rotation around it so that Carlos Martinez (strained oblique) might be able to miss only one turn. By going down to Memphis on Tuesday, Poncedeleon will be eligible to return by the second time through the rotation _ immediately after the trade deadline. He is positioned to return then in relief (if the Cardinals move some bullpen members) or in the rotation (if needed).
There is a method to all this movement, whether the Cardinals reveal it or not. Gomber, a lefty, can be available to make the next start if Martinez is not. If Martinez is ready, then Gomber moves to the bullpen and helps the Cardinals in an area of need. If there is some question about Martinez's availability, then Gomber hangs around, is available out of the bullpen, and _ voila! _ Poncedeleon is eligible to be back to make Martinez's start. That's how it all rolls out, if the Cardinals want, and all this angst will be made of so much smoke _ pungent until it passes.
If there is an injury, Poncedeleon can return sooner than 10 days.
There will be a spot for Poncedeleon in the near future, and it's likely to come at a time when he'll stick around for awhile.
It will be his third promotion of the season.
At least in the second one he got to pitch.
