Boggs sent to Triple-A to work on mechanics

MILWAUKEE -- Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said it was a difficult decision to send reliever Mitchell Boggs to Triple-A Memphis after the right-hander struggled to begin the season.

Boggs was optioned to Memphis on Friday after going 0-2 with a 12.66 ERA in 14 games this year. In 2012, Boggs had a 2.21 ERA in 78 relief appearances.

"It's very hard to do for a guy that you know a year ago was one of the most dominant relievers in all of the game," Matheny said. "You want to give as much patience and time as possible. We've done that. We just needed to take a different route."

Boggs will work on his mechanics under far less stressful situations in Memphis, general manager John Mozeliak said.

"Clearly things have been frustrating for everybody involved at this point," Mozeliak said. "We just felt we had to do something. As I've said before, if you keep trying to run the same thing out there over and over again and expect a different outcome, that's how you define insanity."

"We felt Mitchell needed a break," Mozeliak said. "He can go down to Memphis and work on some things."

The contract of right-hander Carlos Martinez was purchased from Double-A Springfield to take Boggs' spot on the roster.