Buster Olney is reporting that the Rays are prepared to deal David Price "right now". The trade market is obviously heating up and thhe Cardinals appear to be looking to make a big splash this time around. But what do the Cards have to offer the sellers as the trade season heats up?
Here's a look at some of the players that the Cards might be willing to part with to land the pieces they need to contend for a title.
The Outfield Logjam
One area in which the Cardinals have a surplus is in the outfield, here are some players that could be moved to ease that logjam.
1. Matt Adams
It was reported a while back that Adams could be on the block as the Cardinals look to eliminate their outfield logjam, while at the same time getting a quality player in return. Adams is appealing to other teams in that he is cheap (he still has one more season before arbitration) and he is a career .295 hitter with power. He could be involved in a trade for a big fish, such as Price.
2. Allen Craig
Craig is also appealing due to his reasonable contract--he is earning just $2.75 million in 2014, and will make just $5.5 million in 2015, $9.0 in 2016 and $11 million in 2017. All affordable salaries for a career .297 hitter and rbi machine. He probably wouldn't be the centerpiece of a David Price deal, but could be used to acquire an upgrade at another position, such as second base.
3. Jon Jay/Peter Bourjos
Jay and Bourjos have been splitting time in center this season, with Mike Matheny riding the hot hand. However, one of them could be traded to land some bullpen help or as a piece to a larger deal. Both will be entering their second year of arbitration this offseason and trading one of them could help the Cardinals save money to use for other needs.
The Prospects
Although the Cardinals no longer have the top farm system, the team still has quality prospects and depth to make some moves.
1. Oscar Taveras
If the Cardinals are going to land a pitcher like Price, they are going to have to part with some of the best prospects and there is no one better than Taveras. He could be the centerpiece of a mega-deal while at the same time helping to eliminate the outfield logjam.
2. Carlos Martinez/Marco Gonzales
If there is one thing that selling teams crave, its young, controllable, major league ready pitching. Martinez is a young power arm that could be the key to a deal for a veteran arm, such as Price. Gonzales doesn't have the power arm, like Martinez, but his promotion to start on Wednesday could just be a means of showcasing him to other teams. In any case, don't be surprise if one of these guys names pops up in trade rumors.
3. Stephen Piscotty/Randal Grichuk/James Ramsey
The Cardinals have an abundance of good young outfield prospects and one of these guys could end up on the block. Any one of these guys could be traded to land a quality reliever or could be included in a larger deal.
These are just some of the guys who the Cards might consider expendable to get what they need. The team currently has the depth to do whatever it takes to make this team better, but will John Mozeliak be willing to pull the trigger?
Showing posts with label Jon Jay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jon Jay. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Cardinals could trade an outfielder. Who could move and for what?
Its no secret that the Cardinals have a surplus of outfielders in their system, from major leaguers Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, Peter Bourjos and Allen Craig on down to their AAA outfield of Oscar Taveras, Randal Grichuk (who are both currently on the major league roster) and Stephen Piscotty.
In a recent article, Bernie Miklasz indicated that something's got to give, hinting that a trade is the logical thing to do.
But who might the Cardinals trade and what do they need in return?
Well, Darren Wolfson says that the Twins have interest in Jon Jay and that the Cardinals would probably ask for reliever Casey Fien and a prospect in return. This makes sense for the Cards as they certainly could use the bullpen help and it could open up the possibility of Taveras splitting time with Bourjos in center.
Jon Heyman speculated a while back that the Cardinals could trade either Matt Adams or Allen Craig. However, if the Cardinals were to trade one of those guys, they would be looking for more than a reliever in return.
According to Miklasz, a scout suggested to him that the Cards could try to make a big splash and acquire a "formidable starting pitcher" to complement Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha in the rotation. Two of the biggest starting pitching names that have been rumored to be on the block are the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija and the Rays' David Price.
The Cubs don't seem to be willing to pony up the money necessary to extend Samardzija, who is signed through the 2015 season. However, the Cubs already have a couple of talented outfield prospects in Albert Almora and Jorge Soler. Do they really need another outfielder and would they want to trade within their own division?
As for the Rays and Price, they could certainly use another outfielder, as they are currently employing David DeJesus in left field. While he's a decent outfielder, he doesn't have the power normally associated with a corner guy.
That's not to say that Craig or Adams would be enough to land a pitcher like Price. Most likely it would require some prospects as well. For example, when the Rays traded James Shields and Wade Davis to the Royals a couple years ago, they acquired the Royals top prospects Wil Meyers and Jake Odorizzi, along with a couple other prospects (Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard).
Are the Cards willing to part with some of their top prospects for Price, who is only under team control through 2015?
Both Price and Samardzija are more valuable than most players on the block this time of year, as they are under team control beyond 2014, but that just means that their teams will be looking for more in return as well.
In any case, this situation bears watching and I'm sure there will be many more rumors floating around as the July 31st trade deadline gets nearer.
In a recent article, Bernie Miklasz indicated that something's got to give, hinting that a trade is the logical thing to do.
But who might the Cardinals trade and what do they need in return?
Well, Darren Wolfson says that the Twins have interest in Jon Jay and that the Cardinals would probably ask for reliever Casey Fien and a prospect in return. This makes sense for the Cards as they certainly could use the bullpen help and it could open up the possibility of Taveras splitting time with Bourjos in center.
Jon Heyman speculated a while back that the Cardinals could trade either Matt Adams or Allen Craig. However, if the Cardinals were to trade one of those guys, they would be looking for more than a reliever in return.
According to Miklasz, a scout suggested to him that the Cards could try to make a big splash and acquire a "formidable starting pitcher" to complement Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha in the rotation. Two of the biggest starting pitching names that have been rumored to be on the block are the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija and the Rays' David Price.
The Cubs don't seem to be willing to pony up the money necessary to extend Samardzija, who is signed through the 2015 season. However, the Cubs already have a couple of talented outfield prospects in Albert Almora and Jorge Soler. Do they really need another outfielder and would they want to trade within their own division?
As for the Rays and Price, they could certainly use another outfielder, as they are currently employing David DeJesus in left field. While he's a decent outfielder, he doesn't have the power normally associated with a corner guy.
That's not to say that Craig or Adams would be enough to land a pitcher like Price. Most likely it would require some prospects as well. For example, when the Rays traded James Shields and Wade Davis to the Royals a couple years ago, they acquired the Royals top prospects Wil Meyers and Jake Odorizzi, along with a couple other prospects (Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard).
Are the Cards willing to part with some of their top prospects for Price, who is only under team control through 2015?
Both Price and Samardzija are more valuable than most players on the block this time of year, as they are under team control beyond 2014, but that just means that their teams will be looking for more in return as well.
In any case, this situation bears watching and I'm sure there will be many more rumors floating around as the July 31st trade deadline gets nearer.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
How can the Cardinals upgrade their bench?
The Cardinals bench leaves a lot to be desired. As a team, the Cardinals subs are hitting just .198 with a .555 OPS.
Other than backup catcher Tony Cruz, who is hitting .292, and Jon Jay, who is hitting .279 while splitting time in center with Peter Bourjos (.210), the Cardinals have gotten little or no production from their bench.
Other than those two, the Cards do not have anyone on their bench hitting over the Mendoza line. Utility infielder, Daniel Descalso, is not known as a great hitter, but his .172 average is far below his normal level. Backup second baseman Mark Ellis is hitting .181 and the 5th outfielder shuttle of Shane Robinson (.156), Randal Grichuk (.143) and Joey Butler (0 for 5) haven't fared much better.
So, how can the Cardinals improve their bench?
Well, for one, they can promote Oscar Taveras or Stephen Piscotty. Taveras is hitting .325/.373/.524 and Piscotty is hitting .292/.330/.426 for AAA Memphis. Either one could be an upgrade over Robinson and could rotate in the outfield spots to give the team's veterans a rest.
Another potential upgrade would be Aledmys Diaz as a utility infielder. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined since April 26th due to a shoulder injury. However, once healthy, he would be a upgrade over Deslcaso and is capable of playing second, third and short.
As for Ellis, the Cards are probably stuck with him, as he is looking like this year's version of Ty Wigginton. Hopefully the team has learned their lesson and will stop signing 35+ year old veteran infielders to fill out their bench.
Finally, although Tony Cruz has hit well in his limited role as Yadier Molina's backup, the team needs to find someone that Mike Matheny can rely on more so that he doesn't overwork Molina. Yadi played in 136 games last year and it showed in his second half numbers.
In the first half of the season, Molina hit .341/.386/.489, but he finished the year hitting just .280/.309/.456. Some extra rest here and there would do a lot to ensure that drop off does not happen again.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals best catching prospects, Steve Bean and converted third baseman Carson Kelly, are both splitting catching duties for low A Peoria and are not an option, so any catching help will have to come from the outside.
There are some internal options to improve the bench. We could see one of those options (most likely Taveras) as early as June 4th and, once he's healthy, Diaz should be able to replace Descalso. Those two could go a long way to improving the overall performance of the bench.
Other than backup catcher Tony Cruz, who is hitting .292, and Jon Jay, who is hitting .279 while splitting time in center with Peter Bourjos (.210), the Cardinals have gotten little or no production from their bench.
Other than those two, the Cards do not have anyone on their bench hitting over the Mendoza line. Utility infielder, Daniel Descalso, is not known as a great hitter, but his .172 average is far below his normal level. Backup second baseman Mark Ellis is hitting .181 and the 5th outfielder shuttle of Shane Robinson (.156), Randal Grichuk (.143) and Joey Butler (0 for 5) haven't fared much better.
So, how can the Cardinals improve their bench?
Well, for one, they can promote Oscar Taveras or Stephen Piscotty. Taveras is hitting .325/.373/.524 and Piscotty is hitting .292/.330/.426 for AAA Memphis. Either one could be an upgrade over Robinson and could rotate in the outfield spots to give the team's veterans a rest.
Another potential upgrade would be Aledmys Diaz as a utility infielder. Unfortunately, he has been sidelined since April 26th due to a shoulder injury. However, once healthy, he would be a upgrade over Deslcaso and is capable of playing second, third and short.
As for Ellis, the Cards are probably stuck with him, as he is looking like this year's version of Ty Wigginton. Hopefully the team has learned their lesson and will stop signing 35+ year old veteran infielders to fill out their bench.
Finally, although Tony Cruz has hit well in his limited role as Yadier Molina's backup, the team needs to find someone that Mike Matheny can rely on more so that he doesn't overwork Molina. Yadi played in 136 games last year and it showed in his second half numbers.
In the first half of the season, Molina hit .341/.386/.489, but he finished the year hitting just .280/.309/.456. Some extra rest here and there would do a lot to ensure that drop off does not happen again.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals best catching prospects, Steve Bean and converted third baseman Carson Kelly, are both splitting catching duties for low A Peoria and are not an option, so any catching help will have to come from the outside.
There are some internal options to improve the bench. We could see one of those options (most likely Taveras) as early as June 4th and, once he's healthy, Diaz should be able to replace Descalso. Those two could go a long way to improving the overall performance of the bench.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Could the Cardinals trade one of their surplus outfielders for relief help?
Over the last few years, the Cardinals have been know for developing and promoting power arms, including such standouts as Shelby Miller, Trevor Rosenthal, Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly and Carlos Martinez.
With those pitchers having already graduated to the majors, it appears that the Cardinals system strength is now their outfielders.
In addition to major league regulars Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, 3 of the Cardinals top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America are outfielders, headed by top prospect Oscar Taveras, as well as spring standout Stephen Piscotty (#4) and up-and-coming James Ramsey (#8).
In addition, BA lists Mike O'Neill as having the "best strike-zone discipline", Charlie Tilson as the "fastest baserunner", C.J. McElroy as the "best athlete" and Tommy Pham as the "best defensive outfielder".
Now, let's consider the Cardinals bullpen.
The Cards pen ranks 13th in the NL with a 4.47 ERA. Manager Mike Matheny has leaned heavily on Pat Neshek and Kevin Siegrist, who have both appeared in half of the Cardinals 20 games, as well as rookie Carlos Martinez who has appeared in 9 games.
Some help may be on the way in the form of Jason Motte, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and could return sometime in May. However, its obvious that Matheny could use another reliable arm (or two) if only to lessen the burden on Neshek, Siegrist and Martinez.
So, with an obvious need and an obvious surplus, it would only make sense for the Cards to trade one of their outfield prospects for a reliever. The only problem is that there probably aren't any pitchers on the market right now.
The Cardinals have had success the last two years trading for struggling relievers in July and helping them get back on track. It worked with Edward Mujica, who the Cards acquired from the Marlins in 2012 for Zack Cox and it worked with John Axford, who the Cards got from the Brewers for Michael Blazek last July.
Expect a similar move this July, with an outfielder at the center of the deal. It likely won't be one of the top 3 guys, but I certainly could see someone like Mike O'Neil being moved for a reliever.
With those pitchers having already graduated to the majors, it appears that the Cardinals system strength is now their outfielders.
In addition to major league regulars Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, 3 of the Cardinals top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America are outfielders, headed by top prospect Oscar Taveras, as well as spring standout Stephen Piscotty (#4) and up-and-coming James Ramsey (#8).
In addition, BA lists Mike O'Neill as having the "best strike-zone discipline", Charlie Tilson as the "fastest baserunner", C.J. McElroy as the "best athlete" and Tommy Pham as the "best defensive outfielder".
Now, let's consider the Cardinals bullpen.
The Cards pen ranks 13th in the NL with a 4.47 ERA. Manager Mike Matheny has leaned heavily on Pat Neshek and Kevin Siegrist, who have both appeared in half of the Cardinals 20 games, as well as rookie Carlos Martinez who has appeared in 9 games.
Some help may be on the way in the form of Jason Motte, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and could return sometime in May. However, its obvious that Matheny could use another reliable arm (or two) if only to lessen the burden on Neshek, Siegrist and Martinez.
So, with an obvious need and an obvious surplus, it would only make sense for the Cards to trade one of their outfield prospects for a reliever. The only problem is that there probably aren't any pitchers on the market right now.
The Cardinals have had success the last two years trading for struggling relievers in July and helping them get back on track. It worked with Edward Mujica, who the Cards acquired from the Marlins in 2012 for Zack Cox and it worked with John Axford, who the Cards got from the Brewers for Michael Blazek last July.
Expect a similar move this July, with an outfielder at the center of the deal. It likely won't be one of the top 3 guys, but I certainly could see someone like Mike O'Neil being moved for a reliever.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Peter Bourjos vs Jon Jay: Who is the Cardinals starting center fielder?
For those of you, like me, already penciling in Peter Bourjos as the Cardinals starting center fielder for 2014, Jon Jay is saying "not so fast".
According to Jennifer Langosch, Jay is expecting to compete with Bourjos for the starting center field job this Spring. The article also indicates that the Cardinals have not promised Bourjos all the playing time, although you would think the Cards wouldn't have traded David Freese for a bench player.
So, it appears that we have ourselves a Spring training battle shaping up between Jay and Bourjos. Let's see how these two stack up:
Offense
Overall, I would have to give the edge on offense to Jay. He has a better career batting average than Bourjos (.293 to .251), gets on base better (.356 OBP to .306 OBP for Bourjos) and has an edge in OPS+ (109 to 98).
However, in his defense, Bourjos has been banged up most of his career. In his one full season in 2011, he put up a line of .271/.327/.438. His OPS+ of 116 for that season is better than any single season put up by Jay, who's best was 113 in 2012.
In addition, Bourjos has better overall speed that Jay. For his career, Bourjos has stolen 41 bases compared to 37 for Jay, in 184 fewer games. Also, Bourjos has a little more pop that Jay, with an isolated power of .146 for his career, compared to .108 for Jay. Bourjos has 24 homers compared to 25 for Jay, again in much fewer games (and at bats).
So, even though I give the edge to Jay, mainly because of his ability to hit for average and get on base, the margin of victory is not very big.
Defense
Here is where Bourjos really sets himself apart. All fielding metrics you look at show Bourjos as being far better defensively than Jay.
Bourjos has a .990 fielding percent compared to .988 for Jay (center field only).
Bourjos has a 2.74 Range Factor per 9 inning (RF/9) compared to 2.56 for Jay.
Bourjos has a defensive WAR (dWAR) of 4.2 for his career compared to -0.5 for Jay.
Bourjos has an Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of 40.1 for his career compared to -7.3 for Jay.
Overall, Bourjos just blows Jay away as far as defense goes, which is primarily the reason that the Cardinals acquired him. With him in center and Kolten Wong at second, the Cards defense will get a major boost in 2014.
Conclusion
Even though it appears that there will be a competition for the center field job, the job is really Bourjos' to lose. Assuming he's healthy (and stays healthy), Bourjos should be the Cardinals starting center fielder on opening day and for the majority of the season.
According to Jennifer Langosch, Jay is expecting to compete with Bourjos for the starting center field job this Spring. The article also indicates that the Cardinals have not promised Bourjos all the playing time, although you would think the Cards wouldn't have traded David Freese for a bench player.
So, it appears that we have ourselves a Spring training battle shaping up between Jay and Bourjos. Let's see how these two stack up:
Offense
Overall, I would have to give the edge on offense to Jay. He has a better career batting average than Bourjos (.293 to .251), gets on base better (.356 OBP to .306 OBP for Bourjos) and has an edge in OPS+ (109 to 98).
However, in his defense, Bourjos has been banged up most of his career. In his one full season in 2011, he put up a line of .271/.327/.438. His OPS+ of 116 for that season is better than any single season put up by Jay, who's best was 113 in 2012.
In addition, Bourjos has better overall speed that Jay. For his career, Bourjos has stolen 41 bases compared to 37 for Jay, in 184 fewer games. Also, Bourjos has a little more pop that Jay, with an isolated power of .146 for his career, compared to .108 for Jay. Bourjos has 24 homers compared to 25 for Jay, again in much fewer games (and at bats).
So, even though I give the edge to Jay, mainly because of his ability to hit for average and get on base, the margin of victory is not very big.
Defense
Here is where Bourjos really sets himself apart. All fielding metrics you look at show Bourjos as being far better defensively than Jay.
Bourjos has a .990 fielding percent compared to .988 for Jay (center field only).
Bourjos has a 2.74 Range Factor per 9 inning (RF/9) compared to 2.56 for Jay.
Bourjos has a defensive WAR (dWAR) of 4.2 for his career compared to -0.5 for Jay.
Bourjos has an Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of 40.1 for his career compared to -7.3 for Jay.
Overall, Bourjos just blows Jay away as far as defense goes, which is primarily the reason that the Cardinals acquired him. With him in center and Kolten Wong at second, the Cards defense will get a major boost in 2014.
Conclusion
Even though it appears that there will be a competition for the center field job, the job is really Bourjos' to lose. Assuming he's healthy (and stays healthy), Bourjos should be the Cardinals starting center fielder on opening day and for the majority of the season.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Projecting the Cardinals 2014 opening day roster
Let's face it, its been a pretty boring Hot Stove League for the Cardinals. Most of their offseason shopping was done before Christmas and, as a result of that, the Holidays and busy season, I've been struggling to find things to write about.
Thus, to get me back on track, I decided to take a peek at the Cardinals current roster and see if I could predict who will make it on the opening day 25-man roster.
First, I already predicted the starting lineup and the starting rotation, so they automatically make the roster:
1. Matt Carpenter, 3B
2. Jhonny Peralta, SS
3. Matt Holliday, LF
4. Allen Craig, RF
5. Yadier Molina, C
6. Matt Adams, 1B
7. Peter Bourjos, CF
8. Kolten Wong, 2B
9. Adam Wainwright
10. Shelby Miller
11. Jaime Garcia
12. Michael Wacha
13. Lance Lynn
From there, we know that Mark Ellis will at least earn a spot on the bench, along with John Jay (assuming he's not traded). The Cardinals will also need a backup catcher, most likely Tony Cruz, which puts us up to 16.
Then, there are certain guys who you figure have already earned a spot in the bullpen, including closer Trevor Rosenthal and setup men Seth Maness, Kevin Siegrist, Randy Choate and Joe Kelly.
Assuming the Cardinals go with a 13 hitter/12 pitcher split, that leaves the Cards with 2 bench spots and 2 bullpen spots.
Bench Battles
The battles for the last two bench spots will likely come down to Daniel Descalso vs Pete Kozma and Shane Robinson vs Oscar Taveras.
Looking at the first battle, it pretty much comes down Descalso's versatility versus Kozma defense at short. Granted, Descalso can play short, but if the Cardinals prefer a better defensive player as a backup to Peralta, Kozma is the man.
Given that Ellis is pretty much limited to second, the Cardinals would probably prefer Descalso's versatility to the defense of Kozma, so he gets the nod.
As for the outfield battle, it is more a question as to whether the Cardinals feel that Taveras is ready or if he would be better served with more seasoning in the minors. Given the time he missed last year due to injury, I see Taveras returning to AAA at least at the start of the season, thus giving the nod to Robinson.
Bullpen Battles
One thing to look for in the spring is the health of Jason Motte. If he's healthy, he will likely make the opening day roster. However, I think the Cardinals will play it safe with Motte and let him start the season on a rehab assignment in the minors.
With Motte a question mark and former bullpen members Edward Mujica, Fernando Salas and John Axford no longer with the team, the battle for the last two spots will likely come down to Carlos Martinez, Keith Butler and Sam Freeman.
Look for Martinez to earn a spot, based on his post season work, with the final spot coming down to whoever has the better spring between Butler and Freeman. I'll give the nod to Freeman, based solely on how he pitched for the Cardinals in 2013.
Thus, here is my projected opening day 25-man roster:
Thus, to get me back on track, I decided to take a peek at the Cardinals current roster and see if I could predict who will make it on the opening day 25-man roster.
First, I already predicted the starting lineup and the starting rotation, so they automatically make the roster:
1. Matt Carpenter, 3B
2. Jhonny Peralta, SS
3. Matt Holliday, LF
4. Allen Craig, RF
5. Yadier Molina, C
6. Matt Adams, 1B
7. Peter Bourjos, CF
8. Kolten Wong, 2B
9. Adam Wainwright
10. Shelby Miller
11. Jaime Garcia
12. Michael Wacha
13. Lance Lynn
From there, we know that Mark Ellis will at least earn a spot on the bench, along with John Jay (assuming he's not traded). The Cardinals will also need a backup catcher, most likely Tony Cruz, which puts us up to 16.
Then, there are certain guys who you figure have already earned a spot in the bullpen, including closer Trevor Rosenthal and setup men Seth Maness, Kevin Siegrist, Randy Choate and Joe Kelly.
Assuming the Cardinals go with a 13 hitter/12 pitcher split, that leaves the Cards with 2 bench spots and 2 bullpen spots.
Bench Battles
The battles for the last two bench spots will likely come down to Daniel Descalso vs Pete Kozma and Shane Robinson vs Oscar Taveras.
Looking at the first battle, it pretty much comes down Descalso's versatility versus Kozma defense at short. Granted, Descalso can play short, but if the Cardinals prefer a better defensive player as a backup to Peralta, Kozma is the man.
Given that Ellis is pretty much limited to second, the Cardinals would probably prefer Descalso's versatility to the defense of Kozma, so he gets the nod.
As for the outfield battle, it is more a question as to whether the Cardinals feel that Taveras is ready or if he would be better served with more seasoning in the minors. Given the time he missed last year due to injury, I see Taveras returning to AAA at least at the start of the season, thus giving the nod to Robinson.
Bullpen Battles
One thing to look for in the spring is the health of Jason Motte. If he's healthy, he will likely make the opening day roster. However, I think the Cardinals will play it safe with Motte and let him start the season on a rehab assignment in the minors.
With Motte a question mark and former bullpen members Edward Mujica, Fernando Salas and John Axford no longer with the team, the battle for the last two spots will likely come down to Carlos Martinez, Keith Butler and Sam Freeman.
Look for Martinez to earn a spot, based on his post season work, with the final spot coming down to whoever has the better spring between Butler and Freeman. I'll give the nod to Freeman, based solely on how he pitched for the Cardinals in 2013.
Thus, here is my projected opening day 25-man roster:
- Matt Carpenter, 3B
- Jhonny Peralta, SS
- Matt Holliday, LF
- Allen Craig, RF
- Yadier Molina, C
- Matt Adams, 1B
- Peter Bourjos, CF
- Kolten Wong, 2B
- Adam Wainwright
- Shelby Miller
- Jaime Garcia
- Michael Wacha
- Lance Lynn
- Mark Ellis
- Jon Jay
- Tony Cruz
- Daniel Descalso
- Shane Robinson
- Trevor Rosenthal
- Seth Maness
- Kevin Siegrist
- Randy Choate
- Joe Kelly
- Carlos Martinez
- Sam Freeman
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Johnny Peralta signing sets the Cardinals lineup. But what about their bench?
With the signing of Johnny Peralta, the Cardinals starting lineup is set for 2014. As of right now, the 2014 lineup would look like this:
C - Yadier Molina (Right handed)
1B - Matt Adams (Left handed)
2B - Kolten Wong (L)
SS - Johnny Peralta (R)
3B - Matt Carpenter (L)
LF - Matt Holliday (R)
CF - Peter Bourjos (R)
RF - Allen Craig (R)
Jon Jay (L) will be relegated to the bench and Oscar Taveras (L) will likely start the season in AAA. However, once Taveras is ready its likely that the Cardinals will trade Jay to make room for him.
With Daniel Descalso (L) likely acting as utility infielder and Tony Cruz (or some other seldom used catcher) acting as Molina's backup, the Cardinals will still have two spots to fill on their bench.
Shane Robinson (R) could fill one spot, as the 4th or 5th outfielder, but the Cardinals could use a right handed hitter for their bench, particularly one who can play the infield (2B, 3B and 1B), as they've got an abundance of lefty-hitting infielders.
Pouring over the options, I think the Cardinals should pursue Jeff Baker.
Not only is he capable of playing 1B, 2B, 3B and the corner outfield spots, but he kills lefties. For his career, he has hit .298/.353/.522 against left handers, including 35 homers in 751 at bats. Plus, even though he is 32, he showed no signs of slowing down in 2013, hitting .297/.390/.653 including 10 homers in 101 at bats against lefties.
He would be the perfect compliment to a primarily left handed infield and would basically fill the role that Ty Wigginton was suppose to fill last year.
C - Yadier Molina (Right handed)
1B - Matt Adams (Left handed)
2B - Kolten Wong (L)
SS - Johnny Peralta (R)
3B - Matt Carpenter (L)
LF - Matt Holliday (R)
CF - Peter Bourjos (R)
RF - Allen Craig (R)
Jon Jay (L) will be relegated to the bench and Oscar Taveras (L) will likely start the season in AAA. However, once Taveras is ready its likely that the Cardinals will trade Jay to make room for him.
With Daniel Descalso (L) likely acting as utility infielder and Tony Cruz (or some other seldom used catcher) acting as Molina's backup, the Cardinals will still have two spots to fill on their bench.
Shane Robinson (R) could fill one spot, as the 4th or 5th outfielder, but the Cardinals could use a right handed hitter for their bench, particularly one who can play the infield (2B, 3B and 1B), as they've got an abundance of lefty-hitting infielders.
Pouring over the options, I think the Cardinals should pursue Jeff Baker.
Not only is he capable of playing 1B, 2B, 3B and the corner outfield spots, but he kills lefties. For his career, he has hit .298/.353/.522 against left handers, including 35 homers in 751 at bats. Plus, even though he is 32, he showed no signs of slowing down in 2013, hitting .297/.390/.653 including 10 homers in 101 at bats against lefties.
He would be the perfect compliment to a primarily left handed infield and would basically fill the role that Ty Wigginton was suppose to fill last year.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Latest Trade Rumors: Cardinals actively looking to trade David Freese and Rangers' shortstops may no longer be an option
Things are heating up on the David Freese front while Texas' trade of Ian Kinsler has many wondering where the Cardinals will find a shortstop, as the Hot Stove Heats up.
David Freese
Reports surfaced yesterday that the Cardinals were talking to the Angels about a possible David Freese trade (first reported by Ken Rosenthal via Twitter). Rosenthal further reported that the Cardinals were looking for outfield depth and that the sides were still in the "discussion phase". The Angels have young outfielders, such as Peter Bourjos, J.B. Shuck and Kole Calhoun that could interest the Cards.
I find it somewhat puzzling that the Cardinals would be looking for additional outfielders, when the have some talented youngsters of their own, such as Oscar Taveras, Stephen Piscotty and even Mike O'Neill waiting in the wings.
Perhaps its an indication that the Cardinals may be looking to move someone like Matt Adams or Jon Jay in another trade to acquire a shortstop.
In any case, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register indicated that the Cardinals would not trade Freese for Bourjos straight up and that some more pieces need to be involved, but they are still working on it.
Update: The Cardinals have traded Freese and Fernando Salas for the Angles' Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk. I will post details later...
Shortstop
The Cardinals search for a shortstop hit an unexpected roadblock this week when the Rangers traded second baseman Ian Kinsler to Detroit for Prince Fielder. Although Ken Rosenthal indicated that the Rangers are still open to trading either Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar, it seems less likely now.
With Andrus and Profar off the table, Bernie Miklasz breaks down the other options for the Cards, with J.J. Hardy listed as his "best fit".
While Hardy won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove last year, it appears that he has his drawbacks as well. For one thing, he is only signed through the 2014 season and it appears that the Orioles asking price (Shelby Miller) is pretty high.
I, for one, do not want to give up Miller for a one-year rental, however, as Miklasz points out, there doesn't appear to be a lot of other great options.
Perhaps the Cardinals can find some way to pry Erick Aybar away from the Angels while they are working on the Freese trade or perhaps the Rangers might be more willing to trade Andrus or Profar if the Cardinals include Kolten Wong (to replace Kinsler at second). However, that won't happen if the Cards trade Freese.
In any case, it looks like Freese could be on the move soon and we might have to wait a while before the shortstop position is filled.
David Freese
Reports surfaced yesterday that the Cardinals were talking to the Angels about a possible David Freese trade (first reported by Ken Rosenthal via Twitter). Rosenthal further reported that the Cardinals were looking for outfield depth and that the sides were still in the "discussion phase". The Angels have young outfielders, such as Peter Bourjos, J.B. Shuck and Kole Calhoun that could interest the Cards.
I find it somewhat puzzling that the Cardinals would be looking for additional outfielders, when the have some talented youngsters of their own, such as Oscar Taveras, Stephen Piscotty and even Mike O'Neill waiting in the wings.
Perhaps its an indication that the Cardinals may be looking to move someone like Matt Adams or Jon Jay in another trade to acquire a shortstop.
In any case, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register indicated that the Cardinals would not trade Freese for Bourjos straight up and that some more pieces need to be involved, but they are still working on it.
Update: The Cardinals have traded Freese and Fernando Salas for the Angles' Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk. I will post details later...
Shortstop
The Cardinals search for a shortstop hit an unexpected roadblock this week when the Rangers traded second baseman Ian Kinsler to Detroit for Prince Fielder. Although Ken Rosenthal indicated that the Rangers are still open to trading either Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar, it seems less likely now.
With Andrus and Profar off the table, Bernie Miklasz breaks down the other options for the Cards, with J.J. Hardy listed as his "best fit".
While Hardy won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove last year, it appears that he has his drawbacks as well. For one thing, he is only signed through the 2014 season and it appears that the Orioles asking price (Shelby Miller) is pretty high.
I, for one, do not want to give up Miller for a one-year rental, however, as Miklasz points out, there doesn't appear to be a lot of other great options.
Perhaps the Cardinals can find some way to pry Erick Aybar away from the Angels while they are working on the Freese trade or perhaps the Rangers might be more willing to trade Andrus or Profar if the Cardinals include Kolten Wong (to replace Kinsler at second). However, that won't happen if the Cards trade Freese.
In any case, it looks like Freese could be on the move soon and we might have to wait a while before the shortstop position is filled.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
How can the Cardinals improve their lineup against lefthanders?
Its no secret that the Cardinals struggled against left handed pitchers in 2013. As a team, the Cards hit just .238/.301/.371 against southpaws and their .672 OPS against lefties was 13th in the NL. This was highlighted even more in the postseason, when the Cards hit a combined .211/.268/.295 (.563 OPS) against lefties, including two losses in the World Series against Jon Lester, who allowed only 1 run against the Cardinals in 15.1 innings.
Its pretty obvious that the Cardinals need to make some adjustments to their roster in order to fare better against lefties. Here are my suggestions for doing just that:
1. Hold on to David Freese
The much maligned Freese had a down year in 2013, hitting just .262/.340/.381 with 9 homers, after a 2012 campaign which saw him hit .293/.372/.467 with 20 homers. With Freese eligible for arbitration this year and projected to earn $4.4 million, per MLB Trade Rumors, many are saying the Cardinals should trade Freese and install Kolten Wong as the everyday second baseman (thereby moving Matt Carpenter back to his natural position at third).
However, I think the Cardinals would be wise to hold on to Freese.
They can make Freese a platoon partner with lefty Wong and help strengthen a pretty weak bench. Essentially, Freese would be filling the role that Ty Wigginton was suppose to for just about $2 million more.
He would give the Cardinals some much needed pop off the bench and be a fallback should Wong struggle.
2. Find a better shortstop
This is something the Cardinals are already working diligently on. The Cardinals desperately need to upgrade offensively over Pete Kozma at short.
Kozma hit just .217/.275/.273 on the season, but he was even worse against lefties, hitting just .184/.280/.256, by far the worst on the team. If the Cards want to improve against lefties, replacing Kozma would go a long way towards that goal.
The guy on the top of my list to replace Kozma would be Elvis Andrus.
Not only would provide the Cardinals with a bona fide leadoff man and some much needed speed, but look at these lefty/righty splits:
You cannot get much more consistent than that.
3. Add a righthanded OF to the bench
Kozma was just one of two Cardinals regulars who struggled against lefties in 2013. The other was Jon Jay.
Jay hit just .220/.306/.314 against southpaws, but hit .291/.363/.386 against righties. Maybe 2013 was an aberration for Jay, as he is a career .269/.343/.346 hitter against lefties. However, I do not want to take that chance, not when there's an opportunity for improvement.
Jay got most of the starts against lefties as the Cardinals alternative, Shane Robinson, wasn't much better (.228/.319/.278 against lefties in 2013).
Thus, the Cardinals need to find an upgrade over Robinson for their 4th outfielder/backup center fielder.
Thankfully, this year's free agent crop offers 3 guys who can fill the bill. Rajai Davis (.294/.354/.425), Franklin Gutierrez (.287/.344/.474) and Reed Johnson (.311/.366/.456) all hit lefties very well and would fit nicely in a platoon with Jay.
All are capable of playing center field, but Davis is probably the best defender of the bunch. In addition, all of them should be relatively cheap. Gutierrez made $7 million last year, but will likely have to take a hefty pay cut, as he amassed just 295 at bats over the last two years due to injuries. Davis made just $2.5 million in 2013 and Johnson made just $1.6 million, so neither of them will break the bank.
Personally, I would like to see the Cards sign Davis.
With these moves, here's how the Cardinals lineup and bench could stack up:
Lineup vs Righties
Its pretty obvious that the Cardinals need to make some adjustments to their roster in order to fare better against lefties. Here are my suggestions for doing just that:
1. Hold on to David Freese
The much maligned Freese had a down year in 2013, hitting just .262/.340/.381 with 9 homers, after a 2012 campaign which saw him hit .293/.372/.467 with 20 homers. With Freese eligible for arbitration this year and projected to earn $4.4 million, per MLB Trade Rumors, many are saying the Cardinals should trade Freese and install Kolten Wong as the everyday second baseman (thereby moving Matt Carpenter back to his natural position at third).
However, I think the Cardinals would be wise to hold on to Freese.
They can make Freese a platoon partner with lefty Wong and help strengthen a pretty weak bench. Essentially, Freese would be filling the role that Ty Wigginton was suppose to for just about $2 million more.
He would give the Cardinals some much needed pop off the bench and be a fallback should Wong struggle.
2. Find a better shortstop
This is something the Cardinals are already working diligently on. The Cardinals desperately need to upgrade offensively over Pete Kozma at short.
Kozma hit just .217/.275/.273 on the season, but he was even worse against lefties, hitting just .184/.280/.256, by far the worst on the team. If the Cards want to improve against lefties, replacing Kozma would go a long way towards that goal.
The guy on the top of my list to replace Kozma would be Elvis Andrus.
Not only would provide the Cardinals with a bona fide leadoff man and some much needed speed, but look at these lefty/righty splits:
| I | Split | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs RHP as RHB | .275 | .337 | .347 | .684 | |
| vs LHP as RHB | .273 | .346 | .352 | .698 |
3. Add a righthanded OF to the bench
Kozma was just one of two Cardinals regulars who struggled against lefties in 2013. The other was Jon Jay.
Jay hit just .220/.306/.314 against southpaws, but hit .291/.363/.386 against righties. Maybe 2013 was an aberration for Jay, as he is a career .269/.343/.346 hitter against lefties. However, I do not want to take that chance, not when there's an opportunity for improvement.
Jay got most of the starts against lefties as the Cardinals alternative, Shane Robinson, wasn't much better (.228/.319/.278 against lefties in 2013).
Thus, the Cardinals need to find an upgrade over Robinson for their 4th outfielder/backup center fielder.
Thankfully, this year's free agent crop offers 3 guys who can fill the bill. Rajai Davis (.294/.354/.425), Franklin Gutierrez (.287/.344/.474) and Reed Johnson (.311/.366/.456) all hit lefties very well and would fit nicely in a platoon with Jay.
All are capable of playing center field, but Davis is probably the best defender of the bunch. In addition, all of them should be relatively cheap. Gutierrez made $7 million last year, but will likely have to take a hefty pay cut, as he amassed just 295 at bats over the last two years due to injuries. Davis made just $2.5 million in 2013 and Johnson made just $1.6 million, so neither of them will break the bank.
Personally, I would like to see the Cards sign Davis.
With these moves, here's how the Cardinals lineup and bench could stack up:
Lineup vs Righties
- Elvis Andrus, SS
- Matt Carpenter, 3B
- Matt Holliday, LF
- Allen Craig, RF
- Yadier Molina, C
- Matt Adams, 1B
- Jon Jay, CF
- Kolten Wong, 2B
- David Freese
- Rajai Davis
- Daniel Descalso
- Shane Robinson
- Tony Cruz
- Elvis Andrus, SS
- Matt Carpenter, 2B
- Matt Holliday, LF
- Allen Craig, RF
- Yadier Molina, C
- David Freese, 3B
- Matt Adams, 1B
- Rajai Davis, CF
- Kolten Wong
- Jon Jay
- Daniel Descalso
- Shane Robinson
- Tony Cruz
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
More Trade Rumors: Cardinals check in on a couple relievers
According to former GM and current ESPN analyst Jim Bowden (subscription required), the Cardinals were one of 4 teams (at least) to check in on Twins closer Glen Perkins, only to be told no. The other teams were the Reds, Dodgers and Braves.
In addition, those 4 teams are monitoring the health of White Sox reliever Jesse Crain and he could end up being a more viable trade candidate.
Obviously, the Cardinals are seeking pitching, either in the form of a starter (such as Matt Garza) or a reliever. Adding another arm in the pen would allow the Cardinals to return Carlos Martinez to AAA to work as a starter, while adding a starter would allow the Cards to move Joe Kelly back to the pen and shift Martinez to AAA as well.
In addition, Bowden put together a list of players from last weekend's futures game who could be traded, which included Kolten Wong. The thinking here, of course, is that, with Matt Carpenter locked in at second and David Freese seemingly locked in at third, Wong could be used as trade bait. Its unlikely that he would be used to acquire Crain or Perkins, if he were available, but he could be used for a bigger fish, such as Matt Garza.
Bowden also provided his list of expendable players, which includes Jon Jay, who he sees as expendable due to Oscar Taveras waiting in the wings.
I don't think the Cardinals are going to move Jay before the trade deadline, as Taveras just recently returned from his ankle injury and is not ready to take over center field just yet. If the Cards were to trade Jay, I think it would be an offseason move.
Speaking of Taveras, from the "tell me something I don't know" department, Jason Churchill of ESPN list Taveras as one of the "untouchable prospects". This pretty much goes without saying. I cannot think of any scenario in which the Cardinals would part with Taveras. Even the old Jurickson Profar for Taveras rumors were a bit farfetched.
In any case, with the All Star game out of the way, things will start heating up on the rumor mill.
Stay tuned...
In addition, those 4 teams are monitoring the health of White Sox reliever Jesse Crain and he could end up being a more viable trade candidate.
Obviously, the Cardinals are seeking pitching, either in the form of a starter (such as Matt Garza) or a reliever. Adding another arm in the pen would allow the Cardinals to return Carlos Martinez to AAA to work as a starter, while adding a starter would allow the Cards to move Joe Kelly back to the pen and shift Martinez to AAA as well.
In addition, Bowden put together a list of players from last weekend's futures game who could be traded, which included Kolten Wong. The thinking here, of course, is that, with Matt Carpenter locked in at second and David Freese seemingly locked in at third, Wong could be used as trade bait. Its unlikely that he would be used to acquire Crain or Perkins, if he were available, but he could be used for a bigger fish, such as Matt Garza.
Bowden also provided his list of expendable players, which includes Jon Jay, who he sees as expendable due to Oscar Taveras waiting in the wings.
I don't think the Cardinals are going to move Jay before the trade deadline, as Taveras just recently returned from his ankle injury and is not ready to take over center field just yet. If the Cards were to trade Jay, I think it would be an offseason move.
Speaking of Taveras, from the "tell me something I don't know" department, Jason Churchill of ESPN list Taveras as one of the "untouchable prospects". This pretty much goes without saying. I cannot think of any scenario in which the Cardinals would part with Taveras. Even the old Jurickson Profar for Taveras rumors were a bit farfetched.
In any case, with the All Star game out of the way, things will start heating up on the rumor mill.
Stay tuned...
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