Tampa imports Isringhausen

Flush with success after their signing of Cardinals pariah Adam Kennedy, the Tampa Bay Rays are going back to the Cardinals castoff well with their signing of erstwhile closer Jason Isringhausen.

While it’s nice that Izzy found work, I’ve always been a bit ambivalent about him. He’s always seemed to be a standup guy, one who never made excuses when he blew a save. But on the other hand, blowing saves came to be somewhat his specialty, particularly in 2008. Even when he did convert, he always seemed to make things difficult for himself, which was terribly frustrating for fans.

By the end of his career with St. Louis, I actually began to feel badly for him. It was obvious he wasn’t right physically, and his continued failure began to affect him mentally, culminating in his infamous slap of a clubhouse TV.

But now he has the proverbial change of scenery in Tampa, and I wish him well. But I certainly won’t miss his coronary-inducing appearances. Other Cards bloggers just might, though.