Cards' Cox Armed For Successful '86

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[i:ff47967df3]by Rick Hummel
originally printed: The Sporting News, February 17, 1986[/i:ff47967df3]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/danny_cox_150x188.jpg" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" /> ST. LOUIS — His 18 victories ranked only third on the staff last year, but Danny Cox may have been the St Louis Cardinals' most consistent pitcher.
While colorful Joaquin Andujar - since traded to Oakland - started fast and John Tudor finished with four blaring months, Cox never lost more than two decisions in a row.

But at the end of the season, Manager Whitey Herzog was holding his breath because Cox had a recurrence of an elbow problem that had forced him to miss much of the 1982 season. Herzog juggled his postseason rotation to give him as much rest as possible, and it worked. Cox gave up just four runs in 20 innings in three postseason games. But the Cardinals were still concerned.

Before leaving for spring training, however, Cox said he didn’t think his elbow would be a problem. An examination by Dr. Stan London, the team surgeon, confirmed that Cox has a bone spur in the elbow, but that it hadn't shifted. "He said I don't need an operation, and Ill take his advice," Cox said.

"It's just one of those things," said Cox, 26. If it gets any worse we’ll do something about it. We’ll just see where it goes."

Cox said pitching wasn't bearable last October. “It didn't hurt that much," he said. “But I knew it was there when I couldn't straighten my arm. I didn't know if I'd ever have a chance to be there (postseason play) again. I wanted a chance to pitch.”

Cox's 18 victories were six more than in his first two major league seasons combined. He is now clearly the Cardinals' No. 2 starter behind Tudor.

"But I have to go out there and not look at what I did last year," Cox said. "The goal is to win in ‘86."