OK, stop me if you've heard this before:
John Mozeliak: Mike, you got a minute?
Mike Matheny:
Yeah. Take a seat.
John Mozeliak:
You can't start Craig in right tonight. You'll have to start Taveras.
Mike Matheny:
Yeah, I don't want to go fifteen rounds, Mo. The lineup card is mine, and that's all.
John Mozeliak:
That lineup card is definitely yours. I'm just saying you can't start Craig in right.
Mike Matheny:
Well, I am starting him in right.
John Mozeliak:
I don't think so. He plays for Boston now.
Mike Matheny:
You traded Craig?
John Mozeliak:
Yeah. And Joe Kelly too.
Mike Matheny:
You are outside your mind.
John Mozeliak:
Yeah. Cuckoo.
In a scene right out of Moneyball, the Cardinals traded Allen Craig and Joe Kelly to Boston for starting pitcher John Lackey, minor leaguer Corey Littrell and cash. Not only does the move help shore up the Cards starting rotation, but it seemingly forces manager Mike Matheny to play Oscar Taveras, who has only started 6 games since July 10th.
Like Matheny, I was torn between playing Craig and letting him fight out of his slump versus playing Taveras and seeing what he could do on a regular basis. Now that decision is no longer in Matheny's hands.
In addition, the Cardinals replace Joe Kelly in the rotation with John Lackey. Kelly, who has a career 3.25 ERA as a starter, has struggled this year with a 4.37 ERA in 7 starts. While Lackey has pitched well this year with a 3.60 ERA in arguably the toughest division in baseball.
As an added bonus, Lackey has apparently said that he will honor the unusual clause in his contract which pays him only league miminum for the 2015 season due to his having Tommy John surgery between 2010 and 2014. Thus, the ability to keep Lackey around next year for a mere $500K definitely makes this move more attractive.
Long story short, it appears that both Kelly and Craig had fallen out of favor with the Cardinals, so Mozeliak made a move to bring in some new blood and hopefully breath some new life into this team.
Coupled with yesterday's acquisition of Justin Masterson, the Cardinals rotation now has a new look with Adam Wainwright, followed by Lance Lynn, Lackey, Shelby Miller and Masterson.
Plus, the Cardinals may not be done, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that the Cardinals may also still be involved in the David Price sweepstakes. (If such a move is made, its likely that Shelby Miller will be involved).
All-in-all, its been a pretty interesting deadline to say the least.
THAT IS A TOUGH TRADE, WE WILL MISS BOTH OF THEM AND I WISH THEM BOTH THE BEST, AND LETS HOPE OUR PITCHING CAN CARRY OUR TEAM AS THE HITTING IS SURE IN BAD SHAPE, WE SHOULD HAVE SENT OUT BATTING COACH TO SOME ONE
ReplyDeleteFriggin nuts!!! Kelly is 26 and throws 94-97 mph. Still learning. Lackey is 35 going on 36. Reminds me of Steve Carlton for Rick Wise. Anyone remember that? Craig will hit. Put him in the outfield and leave him there. Put Taveras in center and sink or swim.
ReplyDeleteThe big question is why trade Craig and not move that slug Matt Adams who is a younger version of Adam Dunn and cannot perform in the clutch when its nneded much less an awful fist baseman
ReplyDeleteMatt Adams is amazing. I don't know what game you have been watching anon
ReplyDeleteDid you not see the post season last year he is doing fine now but that will not continue I really hope I eat my words but I don't see it him at first instead of Craig is a HUGE mistake
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