If there's something that Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin would like to change, it would be his ability to close the season strongly, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In September 2009, he recorded three of five blown saves on the season and had an ERA of 7.56. In order to improve his stamina down the stretch, he intends to add an additional day of weight training to his in-season workouts.
Meanwhile, manager Tony La Russa hopes that either Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs will emerge as a closing alternative, which could help keep Franklin fresh down the stretch.
"The better your club is, the more action your closer gets," La Russa said. "Therefore, the more important it is to have some kind of other guy so you don't wear your closer out. You still want to win the game and preserve your closer. That's why developing someone who can pitch in the ninth is important to this team."
Franklin made his first All-Star appearance in 2009, a season in which he finished with 38 saves and an ERA of 1.92.
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