Braden Looper is the Answer

When most people discuss the potential of the 2009 Cardinals, much of the talk revolves around what will transpire in the starting rotation.

Taking a look at the Cardinals projected 2009 rotation...

1: Adam Wainwright
2: Kyle Lohse
3: Todd Wellemeyer
4: Joel Pineiro
5: Chris Carpenter

...I see some uncertainty at the back end.

You have Joel Pineiro in the 4th spot and no one is really sure what he'll give you. He's not an awful pitcher. Sometimes(often times), though, he doesn't bring his best stuff to the park with him. I don't think he is a terrible 5th starter but he isn't going to be a difference maker in most of his starts.
In the 5th spot, and really he'd be the ace IF he is healthy, is Chris Carpenter. Right now, the medical reports all look good. Of course we've heard that numerous times before only to see a recovering player suffer a serious setback. There are two things that could happen this year:
1) Carpenter stays healthy, pitches like he did last year, which is to say great, and gives the Cardinals anywhere from 15 to 20 wins and a great shot to win the Central division.

or

2) Carpenter gets hurt in Spring Training, makes anywhere from 0 to 7 starts in 2009 and the Cardinals rely on Mitch Boggs/Kyle McClellan/Jess Todd/etc to fill in behind Joel Pineiro.

100% of Cardinal fans are hoping for option 1. And really if you are a baseball fan, you should be hoping for option 1 as well. Watching a healthy Chris Carpenter pitch is a treat. He is one of the best pitchers in the game today.

Unfortunately, option 2 could be more likely to happen. It has been two years since Carp made it through a full season and he has had both elbow and unprecedented shoulder problems in those two years.
If you are the Cardinals, I don't understand why you wouldn't want to guard against option 2 to an extent. Obviously the only way to fully guard against it would be to acquire Jake Peavy and the Cardinals just DON'T need to do that. But why not get a guy who you can slot into the 4th/5th spot and get 180+ innings of quality pitching?

This is where Braden Looper comes in.

Not many pitchers improved more than Looper did over the past two seasons:
2007: 12-12, 4.94 ERA, 175 INN, 183 H, 51 BB, 87 K, 89 ERA+
2008: 12-14, 4.12 ERA, 199 INN, 216 H, 45 BB, 108 K, 102 ERA+

One of Looper's underrated strengths is his dominance against the Chicago Cubs as a starter:
2-4, 2.42 ERA, 52 INN, 46 H, 14 ER, 13 BB, 35 K, 8 starts

No team has given the Cardinals more fits lately than the Cubs, who currently projects to be the top team in the Central division. Looper's record against the Cubs is less than spectacular but that is more on the bullpen and offense than Looper. Having a guy that can pitch 3-4 strong games against the Cubs is a huge plus.

The only downside to signing Looper is that if Carpenter and everyone else does stay healthy then the Cardinals will have to almost bite the bullet on Joel Pineiro's 7.5 million by sending him to the bullpen to be a long reliever.
Some might consider good rotation depth to be a strength, though.

Management has consistently said that the payroll should be right around 100 million and that they don't want to pour more money into the rotation. But I just don't understand where else they are going to spend the extra 10 million or so that is available.
They won't eat Kennedy's contract which would open up the possibility of Orlando Hudson signing in St. Louis. All of the closers are off the board and the Cardinals have already signed 3 lefty relievers. Strengthening the rotation is pretty much the only option left.

I strongly believe John Mozeliak knows that the Cardinals rotation could be a serious mess before the season even starts and I believe he has Looper's number on his speed dial. I just wish he'd call him now while the Cardinals have the upper hand in potential contract negotiations instead of when they desperately need his services.