Even when the tasks were very difficult, Mark Mulder had a way of making them look absurdly easy.
The long, tapered lefthander never engrossed himself in film study. He just pitched, winning 21 games for the Oakland A’s and almost winning a Cy Young Award in his first full major-league season.
Mulder was 88-40 during a remarkable five-year stretch that concluded in 2005, when he went 16-8 and compiled more than 200 innings for the 100-win Cardinals. He officially introduced himself here with a 10-inning shutout of the Houston Astros and Roger Clemens on April 23, 2005 — his fourth start with his new club.