Broxton is entering close games and blowing them up, like a grenade that forgot its pin. This needs to stop.

Life produces plenty of interesting conundrums. Why can't drivers properly execute a four way stop? Why do people wear sweatpants in the summer? Why drink diet coke with a triple cheeseburger?

Right now, there's one thing dogging my mind: why is Jonathan Broxton still on the St. Louis Cardinals, a team supposedly chasing a playoff berth? Before you run to Baseball Reference, let me answer the question: there's no worthy case for Broxton still being here. Have you heard of DFA, John Mozeliak? Is it still in the repertoire, waiting for usage?

Sometimes, a General Manager has to raise his hand and admit that a particular move didn't work out well. Mozeliak makes a lot of good moves. For instance, the San Diego Padres are paying the Cardinals for a portion of Jedd Gyorko's production this season thanks to Mozeliak. If Carlos Martinez turns out to be the perennial Cy Young threat he seems to resemble, the long term deal Mozeliak got him to sign is genius. Same for Stephen Piscotty, Matt Carpenter, and you know what, even Kolten Wong. You get the drift.

But there's always that one contract that you wish hadn't been made. Broxton came over in a trade in 2015 midseason, and pitched well. There was a time where Broxton rumbling out of the bullpen in Cardinals red didn't send fans into an organic panic. In 23.2 innings of work, Broxton's 1.35 WHIP was higher than desired, but he struck out 26 guys during that time and opposing batters only got to him at a .233 clip. Good for him. Like Steve Cishek, there was no reason to retain Broxton.

Instead of quietly resigning, Broxton was re-signed to a two year contract worth 7.5 million dollars. Yes, over seven million dollars for a reliever over 30 years old who wasn't looking that hot.

The 2016 season wasn't that good, like a tornado rolling through a town that should have been prepared. Broxton's earned run average was higher, and while the ERA of a bullpen arm should be taken with a few grains of salt, 4.30 over 66 outings is rough. Broxton walked more batters and wasn't as dominant as his glory days with Los Angeles. The WHIP was still high and the opposing batting average went up. The Cardinals had younger arms waiting in the wings, so why retain Broxton in the first place?

2017 has been even worse, if that was at all possible for Broxton. The WHIP sits at 2.18, which means he is allowing two runners via a hit or walk to reach base PER INNING. That's terrible. The ERA is 6.75 in 17 appearances, and batters are swinging a .365 average off his pitches. He's turned every MLB hitter into Tony Gwynn at the plate. Broxton has given up 19 hits and 10 walks in only 13.1 innings of work. When he comes into games, doom comes with him.

I think it's time to put his days in St. Louis to rest. Why am I writing about Broxton when the team has lost five of their last seven games due mostly to an efficient offense? Broxton's pitching has weighed heavily in two close games in the past week. In Friday's game against San Francisco, Broxton came into a 2-0 Cardinals led game and surrendered two runs to tie the game. In extra innings in Los Angeles, Broxton allowed the game winning run.

Remember the argument about Broxton only pitching in one-sided games and not affecting the closer games? That is completely absent at the moment. Broxton is entering close games and blowing them up, like a grenade that forgot its pin. This needs to stop, so Mozeliak needs to do his thing where he stops Mike Matheny from himself. Matheny likes to overly rely on baseball players whose value has simply worn out.

Tell me what Broxton offers to you right now over Sam Tuivalala, and expect laughter coming from my end, because there's no way you will convince me. Tuivalala has improved his command, looks more dominant, and is a part of this team's future unlike the 32 year old Broxton. I know it's harder to digest the ten million dollars that Jhonny Peralta represents, but at least the aging infielder is hitting some. Broxton's 3.75 million dollars needs to be sent to the same pasture that Ty Wigginton's contract resides.