Although he didn’t say so, Bud Norris, who already had knocked off five saves in five tries, could have considered it a slap in the face when he was more or less removed as the Cardinals’ closer even though he had done nothing wrong. But proven closer Greg Holland, who had 41 saves last year for Colorado, was deemed ready after being an opening day signing, and he is making $14 million.
After Holland struggled, though, including losing a three-run lead last Friday at Pittsburgh, Norris has returned to the ninth-inning role or, in Wednesday’s case, the eighth inning.