The St. Louis Cardinals offense suffered a big loss when Jason Heyward took less money to sign with the rival Cubs. Given that the Cards finished 11th in the NL in runs scored, Heyward and his 3.8 oWAR (offensive Wins Against Replacement) will be missed.
With the inability to resign Heyward and the apparent unwillingness to sign another big bat, most fans have given up hope for the Cardinals offense.
But fear not fans, despite the loss of Heyward, its still possible that the team's offense can improve.
Here's how....
Stay Healthy
The Cardinals lost two very important offensive pieces in Matt Holliday and Matt Adams for significant portions of the 2015 season. Holliday only played in 73 games, while Adams only played in 60.
Prior to 2015, Holliday average a 3.3 oWAR from 2012-2014, while Adams posted a 1.5 and 1.4 oWAR in his first two seasons in the majors.
If the Cardinals can get 130 to 140 games from both of those two guys, it will go a long way to replacing Heyward's production.
More Piscotty
The main benefactor from the Heyward departure appears to be Cards youngster Stephen Piscotty.
Piscotty burst onto the scene in 2015, hitting .305/.359/.494, good for a 1.4 oWAR in just 63 games. He should get the majority of the playing time in right field and could double that oWAR in 2016.
While his defense will not make anyone forget Heyward, his offense should not be much of a drop off.
Better Bench
One thing John Mozeliak did do this offseason was improve the team's bench.
Gone are the light hitting Pete Kozma (-0.7 oWAR), Jon Jay (-0.6 oWAR), Tony Cruz (-0.5 oWAR), Peter Bourjos (-0.3 oWAR) and Mark Reynolds (-0.3 oWAR).
Replacing them are Jed Gyorko (1.2 oWAR), Brayan Pena (0.6 oWAR), a full season of Tommy Pham (1.1 oWAR in 52 games) and late 2015 acquisition Brandon Moss (0.1 oWAR in 51 games).
Overall the Cardinals offense can improve, but there are some questions. Can Holliday stay healthy for a full season? Will Piscotty continue to produce or will he suffer a sophomore slump? Can the bench be relied on to give the starters (especially aging veterans Yadier Molina and Holliday) some rest?
The answers to those questions will determine the fate of the Cardinals offense.
Showing posts with label Stephen Piscotty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Piscotty. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Sunday, August 24, 2014
How do the Cardinals' July trades affect their roster going forward?
The Cardinals current and future roster changed dramatically in July when John Mozeliak jettisoned Allen Craig, Joe Kelly and minor leaguer James Ramsey in exchange for pitchers Justin Masterson and John Lackey, along with minor leaguer pitcher Corey Littrell.
Kelly would have been under team control through the 2018 season and Craig was signed to a reasonable contract through the 2017 season, with a $13 million option for 2018.
In exchange, the Cardinals got Masterson, who is a free agent after this season, and Lackey, who has an incredibly low $500K option for 2015.
The move also cleared room for top prospect Oscar Taveras to play everyday as the starting right fielder.
Does it make the team better in the long run? That's hard to say, but at least one writer, Bob Nightengale thinks that the Cardinals will regret the Lackey trade.
However, it does change the Cardinals projected lineup and starting pitching for 2015 and beyond, here's a quick look at both:
Lineup
With Taveras replacing Craig, the lineup should be pretty much set through the 2016 season, after which, both Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos are set to become free agents.
Back in December, I predicted that James Ramsey was the heir apparent to the center field job, eventually replacing Bourjos after the 2016 season (I predicted Jay would be traded this year).
The Cards other top outfield prospects, Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk are both projected as corner outfielders, leaving the team without an obvious center fielder of the future.
Tommy Pham is probably the Cardinals best defensive center field prospect, but has a career .253 average in the minors. He has hit well this year, with a .332 average, albeit in the hitter-friendly PCL.
In any case, the Cards could always extend the contracts of Jay or Bourjos, if needed.
Starting Rotation
Here's where things get a little more interesting. The Cardinals obviously needed starting pitching this year to make up for the losses of Jaime Garcia and Michael Wacha. Its unlikely that Garcia will pitch for the Cards again, while Wacha hopes to return sometime in September and should be healthy going forward.
With Lacky signed through 2015 and Masterson a free agent after the season, here's what the 2015 rotation should look like:
For 2016, Lackey will roll off the books, with Martinez and Gonzales battling for the 5th spot. Giving us the following rotation:
Overall, I think the Ramsey loss could create a hole in center in the future, while the Cardinals overall pitching depth doesn't seem as strong as the past few years. But, if the team can keep drafting and developing players like they have in the past, these issues will resolve themselves.
Kelly would have been under team control through the 2018 season and Craig was signed to a reasonable contract through the 2017 season, with a $13 million option for 2018.
In exchange, the Cardinals got Masterson, who is a free agent after this season, and Lackey, who has an incredibly low $500K option for 2015.
The move also cleared room for top prospect Oscar Taveras to play everyday as the starting right fielder.
Does it make the team better in the long run? That's hard to say, but at least one writer, Bob Nightengale thinks that the Cardinals will regret the Lackey trade.
However, it does change the Cardinals projected lineup and starting pitching for 2015 and beyond, here's a quick look at both:
Lineup
With Taveras replacing Craig, the lineup should be pretty much set through the 2016 season, after which, both Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos are set to become free agents.
Back in December, I predicted that James Ramsey was the heir apparent to the center field job, eventually replacing Bourjos after the 2016 season (I predicted Jay would be traded this year).
The Cards other top outfield prospects, Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk are both projected as corner outfielders, leaving the team without an obvious center fielder of the future.
Tommy Pham is probably the Cardinals best defensive center field prospect, but has a career .253 average in the minors. He has hit well this year, with a .332 average, albeit in the hitter-friendly PCL.
In any case, the Cards could always extend the contracts of Jay or Bourjos, if needed.
Starting Rotation
Here's where things get a little more interesting. The Cardinals obviously needed starting pitching this year to make up for the losses of Jaime Garcia and Michael Wacha. Its unlikely that Garcia will pitch for the Cards again, while Wacha hopes to return sometime in September and should be healthy going forward.
With Lacky signed through 2015 and Masterson a free agent after the season, here's what the 2015 rotation should look like:
- Adam Wainwright
- Michael Wacha
- John Lackey
- Lance Lynn
- Shelby Miller
For 2016, Lackey will roll off the books, with Martinez and Gonzales battling for the 5th spot. Giving us the following rotation:
- Wainwright
- Wacha
- Lynn
- Miller
- Martinez/Gonzales
- Wainwright
- Wacha
- Miller
- Martinez
- Gonzales
Overall, I think the Ramsey loss could create a hole in center in the future, while the Cardinals overall pitching depth doesn't seem as strong as the past few years. But, if the team can keep drafting and developing players like they have in the past, these issues will resolve themselves.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Random thoughts on the Cardinals moves as the trade deadline dust settles
As we all continue to digest the trade deadline moves by the Cardinals, here are some of my random thoughts on them.
The Cardinals overpaid on John Lackey
Lackey is a good pitcher and all that, but is he really worth both Allen Craig and Joe Kelly? My initial impression when I heard of the trade was that we "sold low" on both Craig and Kelly. Yes, they were both having down years and perhaps had fallen out of favor with the Cards, but couldn't we have gotten something better for them?
Despite all that, I don't think we could have used those two to get David Price and I don't think that John Mozeliak would have given these guys up for a two-month rental (aka Jon Lester), so maybe Lackey was the best he could do.
David Price's price was cheaper than I thought
In a 3-team deal, the Rays traded Price to Detroit while getting Nick Franklin (from Seattle), Drew Smyly (from Detroit) and minor leaguer Willy Adames. Franklin was, at best, a top 50 prospect and has yet to hit in the majors. Smyly is a good, solid left handed pitcher. While Adames is kind of a "meh" prospect.
Could the Cardinals have topped that? Certainly. Give the Rays Shelby Miller, Stephen Piscotty and some mid-level prospect and you should have a deal.
My thought all along is that it would take a top-end prospect to land Price, but apparently that was not the case.
Acquiring Justin Masterson was a classic Mozeliak move
The last few years we've grown accustomed to the Cardinals GM John Mozeliak making small tweaks to the team at the trade deadline (or thereafter). The last couple years those tweaks were to use some extra prospects pieces to acquire a struggling pitcher in hopes they turn it around with the Cards.
In 2012, that pitcher was Edward Mujica, who had a 4.38 ERA with the Marlins before Mo acquired him. He then proceeded to post a 1.03 ERA down the stretch with the Cardinals.
In August of 2013, the Cardinals picked up John Axford from the Brewers, who had a 4.45 ERA prior to the trade and a 1.74 ERA afterwards.
Hopefully, Masterson can follow this same trend.
Are the Cardinals really better off?
The team dealt from its surplus of outfielders to acquire some pitching depth, but does that make them better? Well, maybe.
The starting rotation should be better with Lackey and Masterson replacing Kelly and Martinez, who has been shipped back to Memphis to keep him stretched out as a starter. The biggest question is how Masterson's knee holds up.
On the hitting side, moving Craig opens up an opportunity for Taveras, but weakens an already thin bench. It also remains to be seen if Taveras can outproduce Craig, at least this season.
Overall, I would have been happy if Mozeliak had just stopped with the Masterson trade. The Lackey trade is one that could certainly come back to haunt him. However, it obvious that Mo felt that he had to make a big move to try to shake up this team and get them back to playing the way they're capable.
The Cardinals overpaid on John Lackey
Lackey is a good pitcher and all that, but is he really worth both Allen Craig and Joe Kelly? My initial impression when I heard of the trade was that we "sold low" on both Craig and Kelly. Yes, they were both having down years and perhaps had fallen out of favor with the Cards, but couldn't we have gotten something better for them?
Despite all that, I don't think we could have used those two to get David Price and I don't think that John Mozeliak would have given these guys up for a two-month rental (aka Jon Lester), so maybe Lackey was the best he could do.
David Price's price was cheaper than I thought
In a 3-team deal, the Rays traded Price to Detroit while getting Nick Franklin (from Seattle), Drew Smyly (from Detroit) and minor leaguer Willy Adames. Franklin was, at best, a top 50 prospect and has yet to hit in the majors. Smyly is a good, solid left handed pitcher. While Adames is kind of a "meh" prospect.
Could the Cardinals have topped that? Certainly. Give the Rays Shelby Miller, Stephen Piscotty and some mid-level prospect and you should have a deal.
My thought all along is that it would take a top-end prospect to land Price, but apparently that was not the case.
Acquiring Justin Masterson was a classic Mozeliak move
The last few years we've grown accustomed to the Cardinals GM John Mozeliak making small tweaks to the team at the trade deadline (or thereafter). The last couple years those tweaks were to use some extra prospects pieces to acquire a struggling pitcher in hopes they turn it around with the Cards.
In 2012, that pitcher was Edward Mujica, who had a 4.38 ERA with the Marlins before Mo acquired him. He then proceeded to post a 1.03 ERA down the stretch with the Cardinals.
In August of 2013, the Cardinals picked up John Axford from the Brewers, who had a 4.45 ERA prior to the trade and a 1.74 ERA afterwards.
Hopefully, Masterson can follow this same trend.
Are the Cardinals really better off?
The team dealt from its surplus of outfielders to acquire some pitching depth, but does that make them better? Well, maybe.
The starting rotation should be better with Lackey and Masterson replacing Kelly and Martinez, who has been shipped back to Memphis to keep him stretched out as a starter. The biggest question is how Masterson's knee holds up.
On the hitting side, moving Craig opens up an opportunity for Taveras, but weakens an already thin bench. It also remains to be seen if Taveras can outproduce Craig, at least this season.
Overall, I would have been happy if Mozeliak had just stopped with the Masterson trade. The Lackey trade is one that could certainly come back to haunt him. However, it obvious that Mo felt that he had to make a big move to try to shake up this team and get them back to playing the way they're capable.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Cardinals and Jon Lester trade rumors heating up as quest for a starter continues
UPDATE: Jon Lester was scratched from his start tomorrow, according to Jason Mastrodonato. He will likely be traded tonight or tomorrow morning per Rob Bradford. Are the Cardinals involved?
While yesterday we learned that the Phillies have made Cole Hamels available and that the Cardinals are interested, today's trade rumors surround Boston's Jon Lester.
After getting a good return in the Jake Peavy trade to the Giants, the Red Sox are apparently willing to consider trading rotation stalwarts Jon Lester and John Lackey, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.
Jim Bowden of ESPN reports that the Cardinals, along with the Blue Jays, Mariners, Brewers, Dodgers, Orioles and (surprisingly) the Marlins are all in on Lester. Jeff Passan and Tim Brown of Yahoo.com also list the Pirates as a dark-horse to acquire Lester.
For their part, the Red Sox are using the tight NL Central race (and potentially the bad blood between the Cardinals and Dodgers) to try to leverage more prospects out of the interested teams, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman suggests that the Red Sox are telling the teams that Lester could be the difference maker in the race, while also suggesting that the Cards could make a trade for Lester just to keep him away from the Dodgers.
Jayson Stark of ESPN, breaks down 8 potential landing spots for Lester, quoting one NL exec as saying "I can't imagine them [the Cardinals] giving up Taveras for Lester. That doesn't make a lot of sense," but Stark suggests that the Cards could trade Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez or Stephen Piscotty for the lefty.
While a source told Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston that there is less than a 50 percent chance that Lester is traded before the deadline, you have to think that with this much interest, something will happen--an opinion that is shared by Andy Marino of the New York Daily News, who says that there is "little doubt" than Boston will trade its ace.
Overall, I cannot see the appeal of Lester to the Cardinals, unless they think they can get him for cheap (i.e. a deal that does not involve Oscar Taveras) or at least cheaper than the other starters that are available.
With the Phillies reportedly asking the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias (their 3 best prospects) in return for Hamels and telling other teams that it will take 3 top prospects and another mid-level prospect in return for its lefty (per Bob Nightengale), the Red Sox's asking price for Lester certainly would be considered cheap in comparison.
Cardinal's GM John Mozeliak has been saying for weeks that, with their crowded outfield situation, something's going to have to give. Well, Mo, now's the time to make that something happen.
While yesterday we learned that the Phillies have made Cole Hamels available and that the Cardinals are interested, today's trade rumors surround Boston's Jon Lester.
After getting a good return in the Jake Peavy trade to the Giants, the Red Sox are apparently willing to consider trading rotation stalwarts Jon Lester and John Lackey, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.
Jim Bowden of ESPN reports that the Cardinals, along with the Blue Jays, Mariners, Brewers, Dodgers, Orioles and (surprisingly) the Marlins are all in on Lester. Jeff Passan and Tim Brown of Yahoo.com also list the Pirates as a dark-horse to acquire Lester.
For their part, the Red Sox are using the tight NL Central race (and potentially the bad blood between the Cardinals and Dodgers) to try to leverage more prospects out of the interested teams, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman suggests that the Red Sox are telling the teams that Lester could be the difference maker in the race, while also suggesting that the Cards could make a trade for Lester just to keep him away from the Dodgers.
Jayson Stark of ESPN, breaks down 8 potential landing spots for Lester, quoting one NL exec as saying "I can't imagine them [the Cardinals] giving up Taveras for Lester. That doesn't make a lot of sense," but Stark suggests that the Cards could trade Shelby Miller, Carlos Martinez or Stephen Piscotty for the lefty.
While a source told Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston that there is less than a 50 percent chance that Lester is traded before the deadline, you have to think that with this much interest, something will happen--an opinion that is shared by Andy Marino of the New York Daily News, who says that there is "little doubt" than Boston will trade its ace.
Overall, I cannot see the appeal of Lester to the Cardinals, unless they think they can get him for cheap (i.e. a deal that does not involve Oscar Taveras) or at least cheaper than the other starters that are available.
With the Phillies reportedly asking the Dodgers for Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Julio Urias (their 3 best prospects) in return for Hamels and telling other teams that it will take 3 top prospects and another mid-level prospect in return for its lefty (per Bob Nightengale), the Red Sox's asking price for Lester certainly would be considered cheap in comparison.
Cardinal's GM John Mozeliak has been saying for weeks that, with their crowded outfield situation, something's going to have to give. Well, Mo, now's the time to make that something happen.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The Cardinals offense needs a boost. What are their options?
After leading the NL in runs scored last year, the Cardinals offense has gone south this year, currently sitting in a 13th place tie with the Cubs for fewest runs scored. While their excellent starting pitching has buoyed them so far this year, recent injuries to their pitchers have put more pressure on the offense to perform.
What are the Cardinals options for boosting their sagging offense? Here are some thoughts.
Oscar Taveras
The first and foremost option was to promote Oscar Taveras and play him, which the Cardinals did yesterday. The only question now is where will he play?
Mike Matheny started him in right field yesterday, with Allen Craig moving to left and Matt Holliday spending a day on the bench and its likely that Matheny will work out some sort of 3-man platoon with Taveras, Craig and Holliday. I don't see the Cardinals working Matt Adams into that platoon, as he's been one of the team's most consistent hitters this season.
Taveras could also play center field, giving the Cardinals a bit more punch than the current duo of Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, however that would come at the expense of the team's defense.
Acquire a Second or Third Baseman
The Cardinals second base duo of Kolten Wong and Mark Ellis have been pathetic offensively so far this season. As a team, the Cardinals' second basemen are hitting a combined .201, third worst in the NL, with a .534 OPS, second worst in the NL.
Rumors are already swirling that the Cardinals are looking for a second or third baseman (allowing Matt Carpenter to move back to second). I went into detail as to the Cards options in Monday's post, so I won't dwell on this too much. But let's just say that it doesn't appear that Wong is ready for prime time.
Give the bench a boost
On those days when Jon Jay starts, the Cardinals bench is downright laughable, with the likes of Peter Bourjos (.204/.270/.309), Daniel Descalso (.182/.232/.234), Mark Ellis (.194/.276/.239) and Tony Cruz (.229/.315/.271) waiting in the wings. None of those guys are going to strike fear in the heart of pitchers if they came up to pinch hit.
The addition of Taveras to the active roster helps in that it forces either Allen Craig or Matt Holliday to the bench, giving the team at least one potent bat to use in key situations. However, the bench could use more help.
The Cards have tried out Randal Grichuk and Joey Butler off the bench to no avail, so perhaps its time to dig a little deeper into the farm system for some help.
Stephen Piscotty is currently hitting .307/.368/.437 at AAA Memphis and doesn't seem to have anything left to prove there. However, he is primarily a corner outfielder and, with Taveras already up, the only one he could replace would be Bourjos, leaving the team with only Taveras as the backup center fielder.
Another option might be James Ramsey, who is hitting .307/.389/.550 at AA Springfield, including 12 homers, but the Cardinals would likely prefer to keep him in the minors to continue his development.
Aledmys Diaz is healthy and hitting .291/.311/.453 at Springfield and might be an upgrade over Descalso. However, he is hitting only .262/.295/.333 in June and may need some more time to get his stroke back.
Blockbuster Trade?
Around this time last year, Giancarlo Stanton was the subject of many trade rumors and this year Matt Kemp's name has come up. While their respective teams are still in contention, I tend to believe their GM's will not trade them, but you never know. The Cards have the kind of team depth to pull off such a move, if they so desired.
However, acquiring a guy like Stanton would likely require the Cards to give up a ton of prospects, starting with Oscar Taveras and adding a couple young pitchers to boot (Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales perhaps). In short, you would basically have to gut your farm system to land a stud hitter like him and, while adding a guy like Stanton would certainly give the Cardinals offense a boost, I just don't see John Mozeliak making such a move.
Overall, the best bets for the Cardinals to improve their offense would be to find ample playing time for Taveras and hope he hits, then go out and acquire a second or third baseman. Doing so would also improve the bench by default, by pushing Wong and either Holliday or Craig to the bench and lead to a better overall offensive team.
What are the Cardinals options for boosting their sagging offense? Here are some thoughts.
Oscar Taveras
The first and foremost option was to promote Oscar Taveras and play him, which the Cardinals did yesterday. The only question now is where will he play?
Mike Matheny started him in right field yesterday, with Allen Craig moving to left and Matt Holliday spending a day on the bench and its likely that Matheny will work out some sort of 3-man platoon with Taveras, Craig and Holliday. I don't see the Cardinals working Matt Adams into that platoon, as he's been one of the team's most consistent hitters this season.
Taveras could also play center field, giving the Cardinals a bit more punch than the current duo of Jon Jay and Peter Bourjos, however that would come at the expense of the team's defense.
Acquire a Second or Third Baseman
The Cardinals second base duo of Kolten Wong and Mark Ellis have been pathetic offensively so far this season. As a team, the Cardinals' second basemen are hitting a combined .201, third worst in the NL, with a .534 OPS, second worst in the NL.
Rumors are already swirling that the Cardinals are looking for a second or third baseman (allowing Matt Carpenter to move back to second). I went into detail as to the Cards options in Monday's post, so I won't dwell on this too much. But let's just say that it doesn't appear that Wong is ready for prime time.
Give the bench a boost
On those days when Jon Jay starts, the Cardinals bench is downright laughable, with the likes of Peter Bourjos (.204/.270/.309), Daniel Descalso (.182/.232/.234), Mark Ellis (.194/.276/.239) and Tony Cruz (.229/.315/.271) waiting in the wings. None of those guys are going to strike fear in the heart of pitchers if they came up to pinch hit.
The addition of Taveras to the active roster helps in that it forces either Allen Craig or Matt Holliday to the bench, giving the team at least one potent bat to use in key situations. However, the bench could use more help.
The Cards have tried out Randal Grichuk and Joey Butler off the bench to no avail, so perhaps its time to dig a little deeper into the farm system for some help.
Stephen Piscotty is currently hitting .307/.368/.437 at AAA Memphis and doesn't seem to have anything left to prove there. However, he is primarily a corner outfielder and, with Taveras already up, the only one he could replace would be Bourjos, leaving the team with only Taveras as the backup center fielder.
Another option might be James Ramsey, who is hitting .307/.389/.550 at AA Springfield, including 12 homers, but the Cardinals would likely prefer to keep him in the minors to continue his development.
Aledmys Diaz is healthy and hitting .291/.311/.453 at Springfield and might be an upgrade over Descalso. However, he is hitting only .262/.295/.333 in June and may need some more time to get his stroke back.
Blockbuster Trade?
Around this time last year, Giancarlo Stanton was the subject of many trade rumors and this year Matt Kemp's name has come up. While their respective teams are still in contention, I tend to believe their GM's will not trade them, but you never know. The Cards have the kind of team depth to pull off such a move, if they so desired.
However, acquiring a guy like Stanton would likely require the Cards to give up a ton of prospects, starting with Oscar Taveras and adding a couple young pitchers to boot (Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales perhaps). In short, you would basically have to gut your farm system to land a stud hitter like him and, while adding a guy like Stanton would certainly give the Cardinals offense a boost, I just don't see John Mozeliak making such a move.
Overall, the best bets for the Cardinals to improve their offense would be to find ample playing time for Taveras and hope he hits, then go out and acquire a second or third baseman. Doing so would also improve the bench by default, by pushing Wong and either Holliday or Craig to the bench and lead to a better overall offensive team.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Who are the Cardinals trade chips?
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?
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?
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Should the Cardinals pursue David Price and, if so, what might he cost them?
Last week I opined as to what the Cardinals needs might be heading into trading season. Bullpen help is their main priority, but there is also the possibility that the Cardinals could make a big splash and try to pull off a blockbuster deal.
A little while ago, Ken Rosenthal suggested that the Cards should pursue a big-name starting pitcher, such as David Price and, with the recent elbow issues of Adam Wainwright, that is a distinct possibility. However, Rosenthal recently indicated that the team is hesitant to go shopping for a starter, as they still have internal options, such as Joe Kelly and Carlos Martinez.
Early indications are that Wainwright's injury is not serious, but it does raise concerns. Waino is definitely the Cardinals ace and while Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller and Jaime Garcia have all pitched well, a long-term injury to Wainwright would definitely hurt the Cards playoff chances.
Plus, could you imagine a big 3 of Wainwright, Wacha and Price in the playoffs? The Cardinals would definitely be tough to beat.
Price would be under team control through the 2015 season, which means he is not the typical "rental" player available this time of year and it would give the Cards time to negotiate a potential extension with him.
Obviously, there are a lot of benefits to acquiring Price, but at what cost?
The best comparison to determine the asking price for Price is to look at the Rays trade of James Shields and Wade Davis to the Royals in December 2012. At that time, the Rays acquired Wil Meyers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard from the Royals for those two pitchers.
To put that package in perspective, Meyers was the Royals #1 prospect and the 4th best in all of baseball according to Baseball America. Odorizzi was the Royals #5 prospect and ranked 92nd overall by Baseball America. Montgomery had fallen off the charts a bit, but was once a top 50 prospect and Leonard was a low-level, unranked power hitting prospect.
What might the equivalent package be that the Cards would have to pony up for Price?
Well, you have to consider that the Royals were getting two quality arms in their deal, however Price is considered a much better pitcher than either Shields or Davis, so that probably balances out.
Thus, I would think that any discussion would probably start with Oscar Taveras. The Cards would probably have to include a pitcher who is close to major-league ready as well, such as Tim Cooney and then a couple lesser prospects.
The question then is: Is it worth the cost?
Would you be willing to part with your top hitting prospect for arguably the best pitcher on the market?
Considering the logjam of outfielders that the Cards have in their system both in the majors (Matt Holliday, Peter Bourjos, Jon Jay and Allen Craig), as well as at AAA (Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk) and even AA (James Ramsey), parting with a top talent like Taveras for a lefthanded "ace" like Price is a little less painfull.
Overall, I think that, if the Cards could land Price for some package involving Taveras, they should go for it. Pitching wins championships.
What do you think?
A little while ago, Ken Rosenthal suggested that the Cards should pursue a big-name starting pitcher, such as David Price and, with the recent elbow issues of Adam Wainwright, that is a distinct possibility. However, Rosenthal recently indicated that the team is hesitant to go shopping for a starter, as they still have internal options, such as Joe Kelly and Carlos Martinez.
Early indications are that Wainwright's injury is not serious, but it does raise concerns. Waino is definitely the Cardinals ace and while Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller and Jaime Garcia have all pitched well, a long-term injury to Wainwright would definitely hurt the Cards playoff chances.
Plus, could you imagine a big 3 of Wainwright, Wacha and Price in the playoffs? The Cardinals would definitely be tough to beat.
Price would be under team control through the 2015 season, which means he is not the typical "rental" player available this time of year and it would give the Cards time to negotiate a potential extension with him.
Obviously, there are a lot of benefits to acquiring Price, but at what cost?
The best comparison to determine the asking price for Price is to look at the Rays trade of James Shields and Wade Davis to the Royals in December 2012. At that time, the Rays acquired Wil Meyers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard from the Royals for those two pitchers.
To put that package in perspective, Meyers was the Royals #1 prospect and the 4th best in all of baseball according to Baseball America. Odorizzi was the Royals #5 prospect and ranked 92nd overall by Baseball America. Montgomery had fallen off the charts a bit, but was once a top 50 prospect and Leonard was a low-level, unranked power hitting prospect.
What might the equivalent package be that the Cards would have to pony up for Price?
Well, you have to consider that the Royals were getting two quality arms in their deal, however Price is considered a much better pitcher than either Shields or Davis, so that probably balances out.
Thus, I would think that any discussion would probably start with Oscar Taveras. The Cards would probably have to include a pitcher who is close to major-league ready as well, such as Tim Cooney and then a couple lesser prospects.
The question then is: Is it worth the cost?
Would you be willing to part with your top hitting prospect for arguably the best pitcher on the market?
Considering the logjam of outfielders that the Cards have in their system both in the majors (Matt Holliday, Peter Bourjos, Jon Jay and Allen Craig), as well as at AAA (Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk) and even AA (James Ramsey), parting with a top talent like Taveras for a lefthanded "ace" like Price is a little less painfull.
Overall, I think that, if the Cards could land Price for some package involving Taveras, they should go for it. Pitching wins championships.
What do you think?
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
What are the Cardinals' needs as we get ready for trading season?
With the MLB first year player draft out of the way, the focus now shifts to the next big event, the July 31st (waiver-free) trade deadline. The Cardinals have been scuffling all year and could certainly use some help, but what exactly are their needs as the deadline approaches?
Bullpen
The top priority for John Mozeliak should be to find bullpen help.
The Cardinals bullpen has a 5-11 record with a 3.67 ERA. While the ERA is not too bad, as a team they are tied with the Cubs for 5th worst in the NL with 10 blown saves.
Their closer, Trevor Rosenthal, has struggled all year with his control (4.9 BB/9, over double his 2.4 mark from 2013). Top setup man, Carlos Martinez, has a 4.32 ERA and their best lefty, Kevin Siegrist, is on the DL, and, while 2012 closer Jason Motte has returned from Tommy John surgery, can Mike Matheny lean on him as heavily as he has the others?
The Cardinals have done an excellent job the last two years of acquiring struggling relievers from other teams and helping them turn things around for the stretch run.
In 2012, it was Edward Mujica, who the Cards acquired from Miami for prospect Zack Cox. Mujica had a 4.38 ERA with the Marlins prior to the trade and a 1.03 ERA with the Redbirds. He went on to serve as the Cardinals closer for much of the 2013 season, before tiring down the stretch.
In 2013, the Cardinals acquired John Axford from the Brewers for reliever Michael Blazek. Axford had a 4.45 ERA with the Brew Crew, but posted a 1.74 ERA with the Cards.
Its a little early to tell exactly who might be available, but someone like J.J. Putz of the Diamondbacks fits the profile. He has struggled this year with injuries (forearm) and ineffectiveness (4.91 ERA), so he could be had for cheap (if you don't count the prorated portion of his $7.0 million contract) and could provide the Cards pen with a boost.
A Big Splash
Perhaps what this team needs to wake from their doldrums is for Mozeliak to make a big splash at the trade deadline and land the big fish. Other than shoring up the bullpen, this is the only other move I think that the Cardinals could make to light a fire under this team.
Ken Rosenthal is just the latest writer to suggest that the Cardinals go after a big name pitcher, such as the Rays' David Price or the Royals' James Shields, because, well, pitching.
The Cardinals certainly have the minor league talent to land a big target. They could offer up one of their AAA outfielders (such as Randal Grichuk or Stephen Piscotty), a young pitcher or two (Carlos Martinez, John Gast, Tyler Lyons, Marco Gonzales, etc) and perhaps even someone like Matt Adams.
It would take a lot to land one of the big fish, but it just may be the spark that this team needs.
Of course, one might say that its the offense that needs a boost, so why not go after a big hitter. Well, for one thing, where would you put him? The team is pretty much set at all their positions and its really the struggles of veterans like Allen Craig and Matt Holliday that have caused the offense to sputter, so should the team really use its resources to land another hitter and try to squeeze him into the lineup?
In any case, it will be interesting to see what Mo does to shake up this team. Will he make a big splash or will he just make a small tweak? Perhaps the team's performance over the next month will decide.
Bullpen
The top priority for John Mozeliak should be to find bullpen help.
The Cardinals bullpen has a 5-11 record with a 3.67 ERA. While the ERA is not too bad, as a team they are tied with the Cubs for 5th worst in the NL with 10 blown saves.
Their closer, Trevor Rosenthal, has struggled all year with his control (4.9 BB/9, over double his 2.4 mark from 2013). Top setup man, Carlos Martinez, has a 4.32 ERA and their best lefty, Kevin Siegrist, is on the DL, and, while 2012 closer Jason Motte has returned from Tommy John surgery, can Mike Matheny lean on him as heavily as he has the others?
The Cardinals have done an excellent job the last two years of acquiring struggling relievers from other teams and helping them turn things around for the stretch run.
In 2012, it was Edward Mujica, who the Cards acquired from Miami for prospect Zack Cox. Mujica had a 4.38 ERA with the Marlins prior to the trade and a 1.03 ERA with the Redbirds. He went on to serve as the Cardinals closer for much of the 2013 season, before tiring down the stretch.
In 2013, the Cardinals acquired John Axford from the Brewers for reliever Michael Blazek. Axford had a 4.45 ERA with the Brew Crew, but posted a 1.74 ERA with the Cards.
Its a little early to tell exactly who might be available, but someone like J.J. Putz of the Diamondbacks fits the profile. He has struggled this year with injuries (forearm) and ineffectiveness (4.91 ERA), so he could be had for cheap (if you don't count the prorated portion of his $7.0 million contract) and could provide the Cards pen with a boost.
A Big Splash
Perhaps what this team needs to wake from their doldrums is for Mozeliak to make a big splash at the trade deadline and land the big fish. Other than shoring up the bullpen, this is the only other move I think that the Cardinals could make to light a fire under this team.
Ken Rosenthal is just the latest writer to suggest that the Cardinals go after a big name pitcher, such as the Rays' David Price or the Royals' James Shields, because, well, pitching.
The Cardinals certainly have the minor league talent to land a big target. They could offer up one of their AAA outfielders (such as Randal Grichuk or Stephen Piscotty), a young pitcher or two (Carlos Martinez, John Gast, Tyler Lyons, Marco Gonzales, etc) and perhaps even someone like Matt Adams.
It would take a lot to land one of the big fish, but it just may be the spark that this team needs.
Of course, one might say that its the offense that needs a boost, so why not go after a big hitter. Well, for one thing, where would you put him? The team is pretty much set at all their positions and its really the struggles of veterans like Allen Craig and Matt Holliday that have caused the offense to sputter, so should the team really use its resources to land another hitter and try to squeeze him into the lineup?
In any case, it will be interesting to see what Mo does to shake up this team. Will he make a big splash or will he just make a small tweak? Perhaps the team's performance over the next month will decide.
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.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Should the Cardinals consider trading Matt Holliday or Allen Craig this winter?
If you read my article from the other day, you know that the current strength of the Cardinals organization is their outfield depth. The Cards currently have 4 outfielders on the major league roster (Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, Peter Bourjos and Allen Craig) who could start for most teams.
In addition, the Redbirds have two top prospects in Oscar Taveras (.299/.356/.493) and Stephen Piscotty (.353/.397/.515) tearing it up at AAA Memphis. Its only a matter of time before they force their way onto the major league roster and then the team will really have a logjam.
So, with the abundance of quality outfielders in their system, one wonders what the Cardinals are going to do with all this talent?
One possibility is that the Cardinals could trade either Matt Holliday or Allen Craig this winter to make room for Taveras or Piscotty. Let's look at some of the pros and cons of trading each.
Matt Holliday
Holliday is the oldest regular on the team and also the highest paid position player. He is signed through the 2017 season at $17 million per year. He also has a 2017 option worth $17 million or a $1 million buyout. Thus, trading him could potentially save the Cardinals $35 million.
Holliday's defense is much maligned, and the advanced defensive metrics back it up, but he makes up for that by being one of the Cards best and most consistent hitters. He has hit .305/.388/.515 in his 6 seasons with the team.
However, at 34 years of age, its likely that Holliday's best days are behind him and it might behoove the team to trade him while his value is still relatively high.
Allen Craig
Craig is only 29 and signed at a reasonable price. He will make just $5.5 million in 2015, $9 million in 2016 and $11 million in 2017, with a $13 million option for 2018 ($1 million buyout).
So why trade him?
Well, for one thing, because he is still relatively cheap, he could fetch more in a trade.
In addition, like Holliday, he is below average defensively.
Finally, there are some questions about his offense. For instance, much of his success driving in runs last season was due to an abnormally high batting average with RISP (.454). Can he possibly keep that up?
Also, his power has dwindled the last two years, with his homers dropping from 22 in 2012 to just 13 last year and just 1 so far this season in 80 at bats. His isolated power has also dropped from .215 in 2012, to .142 in 2013 to just .075 this season.
But, what does trading either of these players accomplish?
Well, for one thing, it would help improve the Cardinals defense. Replacing Holliday or Craig with a younger and more agile player would help the team cover more ground in the outfield.
In addition, trading either of these guys would free up money for the Cardinals to use to improve elsewhere (i.e. the bullpen), while the Cardinals could also use the trade to help improve their minor league depth and talent.
Overall, it might make sense for the Cards to make such a move this offseason. Is it likely? Probably not, but it should at least give us something to keep an eye on.
In addition, the Redbirds have two top prospects in Oscar Taveras (.299/.356/.493) and Stephen Piscotty (.353/.397/.515) tearing it up at AAA Memphis. Its only a matter of time before they force their way onto the major league roster and then the team will really have a logjam.
So, with the abundance of quality outfielders in their system, one wonders what the Cardinals are going to do with all this talent?
One possibility is that the Cardinals could trade either Matt Holliday or Allen Craig this winter to make room for Taveras or Piscotty. Let's look at some of the pros and cons of trading each.
Matt Holliday
Holliday is the oldest regular on the team and also the highest paid position player. He is signed through the 2017 season at $17 million per year. He also has a 2017 option worth $17 million or a $1 million buyout. Thus, trading him could potentially save the Cardinals $35 million.
Holliday's defense is much maligned, and the advanced defensive metrics back it up, but he makes up for that by being one of the Cards best and most consistent hitters. He has hit .305/.388/.515 in his 6 seasons with the team.
However, at 34 years of age, its likely that Holliday's best days are behind him and it might behoove the team to trade him while his value is still relatively high.
Allen Craig
Craig is only 29 and signed at a reasonable price. He will make just $5.5 million in 2015, $9 million in 2016 and $11 million in 2017, with a $13 million option for 2018 ($1 million buyout).
So why trade him?
Well, for one thing, because he is still relatively cheap, he could fetch more in a trade.
In addition, like Holliday, he is below average defensively.
Finally, there are some questions about his offense. For instance, much of his success driving in runs last season was due to an abnormally high batting average with RISP (.454). Can he possibly keep that up?
Also, his power has dwindled the last two years, with his homers dropping from 22 in 2012 to just 13 last year and just 1 so far this season in 80 at bats. His isolated power has also dropped from .215 in 2012, to .142 in 2013 to just .075 this season.
But, what does trading either of these players accomplish?
Well, for one thing, it would help improve the Cardinals defense. Replacing Holliday or Craig with a younger and more agile player would help the team cover more ground in the outfield.
In addition, trading either of these guys would free up money for the Cardinals to use to improve elsewhere (i.e. the bullpen), while the Cardinals could also use the trade to help improve their minor league depth and talent.
Overall, it might make sense for the Cards to make such a move this offseason. Is it likely? Probably not, but it should at least give us something to keep an eye on.
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.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Catching up with the Cardinals
Well, as often happens with 3 kids and a demanding job, life got in the way of blogging the last couple weeks, so let's all catch up on what's happened during that time.
First, the Cardinals finalized their opening day roster, with the Spring Training Battles being decided, as follows:
5th Starter
Despite having a superior spring, Carlos Martinez was relegated to the bullpen, where his power arm was more desperately needed. Joe Kelly "won" the 5th starter job, more on last season's performance than this spring's results, which is probably how it should be.
Bench
Thanks in part to an injury to Mark Ellis, both Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma made the opening day roster, along with 4th outfielder Shane Robinson.
One of Descalso or Kozma will have to go when Ellis is healthy and, if the recent trade rumors are any indication, it will probably be Kozma.
As for Robinson, he's likely just keeping the seat warm until Oscar Taveras, Stephen Piscotty or even Mike O'Neill is deemed ready to take over the 4th outfield spot.
Bullpen
The battle for the last bullpen slot came down to Jorge Rondon and Keith Butler, with Butler winning the job. However, with Jason Motte expected back in early May, it will be interesting to see what the Cards do.
Will they send Martinez down to stretch him back out as a starter or will they keep him in the pen and jettison Butler? My hope is that Martinez will be sent down, but the team may keep him up out of necessity, as it already appears that Mike Matheny has few relievers he trusts in the pen.
The Season so Far
With the roster set, the Cardinals have faced the Reds and Pirates in their first 6 games and come out of the road trip with a 3-3 record. They return home to face the Reds and Cubs this week.
While not a bad road trip, the lack of offense so far is a little bit of a concern. The Cardinals have scored only 17 runs in those 6 games, including 4 games where they have scored two runs or less. Hopefully their bats will warm up with the weather.
Overall, not a bad start, but not great either. Hopefully the Cardinals can make some noise on this 6-game home stand and carry the momentum going forward.
First, the Cardinals finalized their opening day roster, with the Spring Training Battles being decided, as follows:
5th Starter
Despite having a superior spring, Carlos Martinez was relegated to the bullpen, where his power arm was more desperately needed. Joe Kelly "won" the 5th starter job, more on last season's performance than this spring's results, which is probably how it should be.
Bench
Thanks in part to an injury to Mark Ellis, both Daniel Descalso and Pete Kozma made the opening day roster, along with 4th outfielder Shane Robinson.
One of Descalso or Kozma will have to go when Ellis is healthy and, if the recent trade rumors are any indication, it will probably be Kozma.
As for Robinson, he's likely just keeping the seat warm until Oscar Taveras, Stephen Piscotty or even Mike O'Neill is deemed ready to take over the 4th outfield spot.
Bullpen
The battle for the last bullpen slot came down to Jorge Rondon and Keith Butler, with Butler winning the job. However, with Jason Motte expected back in early May, it will be interesting to see what the Cards do.
Will they send Martinez down to stretch him back out as a starter or will they keep him in the pen and jettison Butler? My hope is that Martinez will be sent down, but the team may keep him up out of necessity, as it already appears that Mike Matheny has few relievers he trusts in the pen.
The Season so Far
With the roster set, the Cardinals have faced the Reds and Pirates in their first 6 games and come out of the road trip with a 3-3 record. They return home to face the Reds and Cubs this week.
While not a bad road trip, the lack of offense so far is a little bit of a concern. The Cardinals have scored only 17 runs in those 6 games, including 4 games where they have scored two runs or less. Hopefully their bats will warm up with the weather.
Overall, not a bad start, but not great either. Hopefully the Cardinals can make some noise on this 6-game home stand and carry the momentum going forward.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
UCB Roundtable: Which rookie will have the biggest impact in 2014?
As part of the United Cardinals Bloggers Annual Spring Roundtable, today I got to ask the question for discussion. What I originally thought would be a straight-forward question turned into a bit more.
Here is the question I posed and the resulting discussion.
Question:
Excluding Kolten Wong, who is projected to start at second, which rookie do you think will have the biggest impact on the Cardinals in 2014?
Here is the question I posed and the resulting discussion.
Question:
Despite several prospects graduating to the big
leagues last season, including Shelby Miller, Matt Adams, Trevor
Rosenthal, Michael Wacha and Seth Maness, the Cardinals still have one
of the best minor league systems.
Excluding Kolten Wong, who is projected to start at second, which rookie do you think will have the biggest impact on the Cardinals in 2014?
Discussion:
Mark Tomasik, Retro Simba
Oscar Taveras. He’s likely to emerge as a run producer who gets significant playing time at all three outfield spots.
Matt Whitener, I70 Baseball
Whereas last year's team needed a lot of rookie contribution to make everything work, that's not the case this time around. The sophomores have established roles and the vets are all back for the most part, so it is considerably tougher to pick a rookie that makes a huge splash this year. Not due to a lack of talent, but simply because of available time to make a splash in.
Daniel Solzman, Redbird Rants
Oscar Taveras is my answer. I would expect that Randal Grichuck or Stephen Piscotty will see some playing time come September.
Bill Ivie, I70 Baseball
Taveras is the obvious answer, and I can't argue it. I think the team has a bright future, but most of the players are not quite ready yet.
Christine Coleman, Aaron Miles' Fastball
I agree with Bill, that Oscar Taveras is the obvious and inarguable answer. With the depth and talent (and youth) on even the 40-man roster, hard to see anyone else really having the chance to make a big impact.
Dan Boffa, Dose of Boffa
Bill Ivie
There's a huge debate on Martinez' rookie status. I've counted his service days and thought he was clear by a day, others have said that he is one day past rookie status.
Daniel Shoptaw
Cot's Contracts shows Martinez with 73 service days, but that should be counting September as well. Which would seem to back up Bill's contention that he was just short. Like he says, though, Martinez never seems to be included in any rookie rundowns. Someone Tweet at Goold and have him clear this up! :)
Me
I stand corrected. According to Jennifer Langosch, Martinez is not a rookie. This is from her January 13, 2014 article (in the comments section):
Bill Ivie
From Goold on Twitter: Baseball has him hitting just the mark. Not a rookie.
So, from a discussion on rookies, we found out (or at least I did) that Carlos Martinez is no longer considered one. However, I think Martinez will have a bigger impact on this year's team than Taveras, rookie status or not, and Daniel Shoptaw agrees:
Whereas last year's team needed a lot of rookie contribution to make everything work, that's not the case this time around. The sophomores have established roles and the vets are all back for the most part, so it is considerably tougher to pick a rookie that makes a huge splash this year. Not due to a lack of talent, but simply because of available time to make a splash in.
With that preface, I think this year's top rook is
finally Tavares, who wont get the early impact chance that everybody
wants, but once he hits the field, has the type of talent to force his
way into the mix and change what is established already. I see a year
for Oscar that mirrors the type of year that Wil Myers had last year:
mid-season promotion and increasing impact as the season gets older.
He's the type of talent that is an internal trade deadline-like boost,
and most importantly, provides a more stable option out of the #2 spot
in the lineup, because that's a void that has not been able to be
seamlessly filled like others have since Beltran moved on.
Daniel Solzman, Redbird Rants
Oscar Taveras is my answer. I would expect that Randal Grichuck or Stephen Piscotty will see some playing time come September.
Bill Ivie, I70 Baseball
Taveras is the obvious answer, and I can't argue it. I think the team has a bright future, but most of the players are not quite ready yet.
Christine Coleman, Aaron Miles' Fastball
I agree with Bill, that Oscar Taveras is the obvious and inarguable answer. With the depth and talent (and youth) on even the 40-man roster, hard to see anyone else really having the chance to make a big impact.
Dan Boffa, Dose of Boffa
While we can all say Oscar, I am going with Tim Cooney. I've seen
him pitch twice this spring and he's got command, a fine array of
pitches and a poise out there that can't be taught.
Sure
we haven't reached the regular season grind yet but this talented lefty
could definitely help the club, especially given Garcia's health
concerns and John Gast's shoulder surgery comeback. Cooney may not
provide a Wacha moment in 2014 but he could have a big impact down the
stretch of a long season.
Daniel Shoptaw, C70 At The Bat
While, as everyone said, you have to figure Oscar Taveras will be the answer to this question, I'm wondering if it might not be a bullpen arm that comes in and pulls a Kevin Siegrist or Seth Maness when someone (inevitably) stumbles. Could that be Cooney, like Dan said, shifting from the rotation in Memphis to the big league pen? Lee Stoppelman is my dark horse in that regard.
Mary Claussen, MLBVoice
While, as everyone said, you have to figure Oscar Taveras will be the answer to this question, I'm wondering if it might not be a bullpen arm that comes in and pulls a Kevin Siegrist or Seth Maness when someone (inevitably) stumbles. Could that be Cooney, like Dan said, shifting from the rotation in Memphis to the big league pen? Lee Stoppelman is my dark horse in that regard.
Mary Claussen, MLBVoice
Oscar Tavares. He's got oodles of potential. I'm excited to be able to see him this season (barring no more ankle stuff).
As you can see, the consensus is that Oscar Taveras will be the Cardinals top rookie in 2014. However, I was surprised that no one mentioned Carlos Martinez in the discussion, which led to a discussion on Martinez' rookie eligibility, as follows.
Me: What about Carlos Martinez? He's still a rookie.
Daniel Shoptaw
For
some reason, I think Martinez is technically not a rookie. He didn't
reach the 50 innings pitched requirement, but I think he might have had
45 days or more on the active 25-man roster before September. I could
be wrong on that, obviously, but I'm thinking I remember that coming up
last year.
Bill Ivie
There's a huge debate on Martinez' rookie status. I've counted his service days and thought he was clear by a day, others have said that he is one day past rookie status.
For what it's worth, MLB does not show him in their rookie run downs.
Daniel Shoptaw
Cot's Contracts shows Martinez with 73 service days, but that should be counting September as well. Which would seem to back up Bill's contention that he was just short. Like he says, though, Martinez never seems to be included in any rookie rundowns. Someone Tweet at Goold and have him clear this up! :)
Me
I stand corrected. According to Jennifer Langosch, Martinez is not a rookie. This is from her January 13, 2014 article (in the comments section):
Martinez just narrowly misses rookie status. A player loses his rookie eligibility if A) he exceeds 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched or B) is on a team’s roster for 45 days or more (not counting September, when rosters expand). Martinez only pitched 28 1/3 innings in the regular season, but he did (just narrowly) surpass that 45-day mark for service time. As a result, MLB.com will not consider him for its prospect list.
Bill Ivie
From Goold on Twitter: Baseball has him hitting just the mark. Not a rookie.
So, from a discussion on rookies, we found out (or at least I did) that Carlos Martinez is no longer considered one. However, I think Martinez will have a bigger impact on this year's team than Taveras, rookie status or not, and Daniel Shoptaw agrees:
Per Dan: "To the rephrased question (whether Taveras or Martinez would have a bigger impact), I'm going to lean toward Martinez, just
because I'm not sure when Taveras will make the major leagues and I'm
guessing they'll break him in gently with a rotation of him, Craig and
Adams. I don't necessarily think Martinez will start the year in the
rotation, but what he does give to the team might be more than OT does."
Be sure to check out more discussions, like these, at the United Cardinals Bloggers site, as well as the individual site links provided above.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Cardinals place 4 in Composite Top Prospect List
Each year as part of my fantasy baseball prep, I create a composite top prospect listing using the various top 100 prospect lists from around the web. Through today, I have compiled 10 such listing into my preliminary top prospect list, which includes over 150 prospects.
Despite the graduation of many of their top prospects from last season, including Trevor Rosenthal, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller and Matt Adams, the Cardinals still place 4 prospects in the composite top 100. They are Oscar Taveras (#3), Kolten Wong (#48), Carlos Martinez (#52) and Stephen Piscotty (#92). Martinez probably would have ranked higher, but he was inexplicably left off 3 of the 10 lists.
You can check out the full listing at MLB Composite Prospect Index.
Sleeper Alert
For those of you looking for the next big arm in the Cardinals system, keep an eye on Alex Reyes. He was highly thought of enough to sneak into the composite listings at #154 and is ranked amongst the Cardinals top 10 prospects (#7 to be exact) by Baseball America.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he has a mid-90's fastball and an excellent curve. He could follow a similar path to that of fellow Dominican Carlos Martinez.
Despite the graduation of many of their top prospects from last season, including Trevor Rosenthal, Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller and Matt Adams, the Cardinals still place 4 prospects in the composite top 100. They are Oscar Taveras (#3), Kolten Wong (#48), Carlos Martinez (#52) and Stephen Piscotty (#92). Martinez probably would have ranked higher, but he was inexplicably left off 3 of the 10 lists.
You can check out the full listing at MLB Composite Prospect Index.
Sleeper Alert
For those of you looking for the next big arm in the Cardinals system, keep an eye on Alex Reyes. He was highly thought of enough to sneak into the composite listings at #154 and is ranked amongst the Cardinals top 10 prospects (#7 to be exact) by Baseball America.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic, he has a mid-90's fastball and an excellent curve. He could follow a similar path to that of fellow Dominican Carlos Martinez.
Monday, February 10, 2014
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List
Welcome to the unveiling of the second annual Cardinals Composite Top Prospect list. For those of you who missed last years' edition, this list takes the top 10 prospects lists from around the web, assigns points to each ranking (10 for first, 9 for second, 8 for third, etc.) and the puts them all together into a composite list.
Below is a preliminary Composite Top Prospect list, based on the top 10 lists posted to date. I expect to update this again towards the end of February.
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List (Preliminary):
1. Oscar Taveras, OF (90 points)
Despite his injury prone season, Taveras still rates as the consensus top prospect for the Cardinals and could compete for a spot on the opening day roster.
2. Kolten Wong, 2B (72 points)
Penciled in to be the Cardinals starting second baseman in 2014, Wong should provide the Cardinals with some much needed speed and defense.
3. Carlos Martinez, RHP (63 points)
Martinez pitched well in relief for the Redbirds down the stretch and in the playoffs. With an abundance of starters in their system, Martinez could serve in a setup role in 2014.
Note: Martinez would have ranked second if two lists had not left him off completely.
4. Stephen Piscotty (54 points)
The "other" prospect that the Cardinals got as compensation for losing Albert Pujols, Piscotty put up some fine nu mber in his first full year in the minor.
5. Marco Gonzalez (51 points)
The Cardinals first selection in the 2013 draft (19th overall), Gonzalez is another one of those high floor/low ceiling kind of prospects the Cards seem to like (ala Michael Wacha).
6. Carson Kelly (34 points)
Kelly, a second round pick in 2012, had a decent first full season in the minors, holding his own in A ball at a young age. He should move up to high A in 2013.
7. Rob Kaminsky (28 points)
Taken after Gonzalez in the 2013 draft (28th overall), Kaminsky has higher upside than that of Gonzalez, but also has a longer way to go to get there.
8. Alex Reyes (25 points)
Reyes made the biggest jump of any Cardinals prospect, going from a virtual unknown last year to cracking the top 10 this year.
9. Tyrell Jenkins (24 points)
Jenkins has battled shoulder issues most of the year before finally undergoing surgery in August 2013. He still has tremendous upside, but we will have to see how he recovers from the injury.
10. Tim Cooney (14 points)
Cooney, a 3rd round pick in 2012, allows his fair share of hits (9.9 H/9 in 2013), but offsets that with excellent control (1.3 BB/9).
Others receiving points:
John Gast (13), James Ramsey (12), Charlie Tilson (5), Randal Grichuk (4), Patrick Wisdom (2), Greg Garcia (1), Vaughn Bryan (1)
Again, this is the preliminary list and I expect to add another 5 or so websites to the list by the end of February, so stay tuned for the update.
Below is a preliminary Composite Top Prospect list, based on the top 10 lists posted to date. I expect to update this again towards the end of February.
2014 Cardinals Composite Top 10 Prospect List (Preliminary):
1. Oscar Taveras, OF (90 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | AAA-Rk | 174 | 25 | 54 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 5 | 10 | 22 | .310 | .348 | .471 |
| 5 Seasons | 1437 | 235 | 460 | 104 | 23 | 45 | 275 | 34 | 125 | 212 | .320 | .377 | .518 | ||
Despite his injury prone season, Taveras still rates as the consensus top prospect for the Cardinals and could compete for a spot on the opening day roster.
2. Kolten Wong, 2B (72 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | AAA | 412 | 68 | 125 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 45 | 20 | 41 | 60 | .303 | .369 | .466 |
| 3 Seasons | 1129 | 186 | 340 | 59 | 16 | 24 | 122 | 50 | 106 | 158 | .301 | .365 | .446 | ||
Penciled in to be the Cardinals starting second baseman in 2014, Wong should provide the Cardinals with some much needed speed and defense.
3. Carlos Martinez, RHP (63 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | AAA-AA | 6 | 3 | 2.49 | 79.2 | 65 | 25 | 22 | 4 | 28 | 72 | 1.167 |
| 4 Seasons | 21 | 15 | 2.69 | 327.2 | 260 | 113 | 98 | 14 | 118 | 340 | 1.154 | ||
| Year | Age | Tm | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | STL | 2 | 1 | 5.08 | 28.1 | 31 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 24 | 1.412 |
Martinez pitched well in relief for the Redbirds down the stretch and in the playoffs. With an abundance of starters in their system, Martinez could serve in a setup role in 2014.
Note: Martinez would have ranked second if two lists had not left him off completely.
4. Stephen Piscotty (54 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | A+-AA | 427 | 47 | 126 | 23 | 2 | 15 | 59 | 11 | 37 | 46 | .295 | .355 | .464 |
| 2 Seasons | 637 | 76 | 188 | 41 | 3 | 19 | 86 | 14 | 55 | 71 | .295 | .362 | .458 | ||
The "other" prospect that the Cardinals got as compensation for losing Albert Pujols, Piscotty put up some fine nu mber in his first full year in the minor.
5. Marco Gonzalez (51 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | A+-Rk | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 23.1 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 1.114 |
The Cardinals first selection in the 2013 draft (19th overall), Gonzalez is another one of those high floor/low ceiling kind of prospects the Cards seem to like (ala Michael Wacha).
6. Carson Kelly (34 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | A--A | 417 | 53 | 107 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 45 | 1 | 33 | 56 | .257 | .322 | .357 |
| 2 Seasons | 630 | 77 | 155 | 32 | 1 | 15 | 70 | 1 | 43 | 89 | .246 | .303 | .371 | ||
Kelly, a second round pick in 2012, had a decent first full season in the minors, holding his own in A ball at a young age. He should move up to high A in 2013.
7. Rob Kaminsky (28 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | Rk | 0 | 3 | 3.68 | 22.0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 1.455 |
| 1 Season | 0 | 3 | 3.68 | 22.0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 28 | 1.455 | ||
Taken after Gonzalez in the 2013 draft (28th overall), Kaminsky has higher upside than that of Gonzalez, but also has a longer way to go to get there.
8. Alex Reyes (25 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 18 | Rk | 6 | 4 | 3.39 | 58.1 | 54 | 26 | 22 | 1 | 28 | 68 | 1.406 |
| 1 Season | 6 | 4 | 3.39 | 58.1 | 54 | 26 | 22 | 1 | 28 | 68 | 1.406 | ||
Reyes made the biggest jump of any Cardinals prospect, going from a virtual unknown last year to cracking the top 10 this year.
9. Tyrell Jenkins (24 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 20 | A-A+ | 4 | 4 | 4.70 | 59.1 | 64 | 34 | 31 | 4 | 25 | 40 | 1.500 |
| 4 Seasons | 12 | 10 | 4.57 | 200.2 | 213 | 120 | 102 | 12 | 76 | 177 | 1.440 | ||
Jenkins has battled shoulder issues most of the year before finally undergoing surgery in August 2013. He still has tremendous upside, but we will have to see how he recovers from the injury.
10. Tim Cooney (14 points)
| Year | Age | Lev | W | L | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22 | AA-A+ | 10 | 13 | 3.56 | 154.1 | 170 | 72 | 61 | 9 | 22 | 148 | 1.244 |
| 2 Seasons | 13 | 16 | 3.51 | 210.0 | 226 | 96 | 82 | 13 | 30 | 191 | 1.219 | ||
Cooney, a 3rd round pick in 2012, allows his fair share of hits (9.9 H/9 in 2013), but offsets that with excellent control (1.3 BB/9).
Others receiving points:
John Gast (13), James Ramsey (12), Charlie Tilson (5), Randal Grichuk (4), Patrick Wisdom (2), Greg Garcia (1), Vaughn Bryan (1)
Again, this is the preliminary list and I expect to add another 5 or so websites to the list by the end of February, so stay tuned for the update.
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