In case you missed it, the Cardinals made a big move today, acquiring Jason Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden from the Braves in exchange for Shelby Miller and prospect Tyrell Jenkins.
GM John Mozeliak let it be known that the Cards were looking to find an upgrade for their right field spot, after the loss of Oscar Taveras left them with Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty as their only internal options, and Mo did not wait long to make a move.
Let's look at the impact of this move on the Cardinals both in the short term and long term.
Short Term
Heyward will immediately step in as the Cards starting right fielder, meaning that Grichuk will likely serve as the team's 4th (or 5th) outfielder. Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Heyward will be the starting trio in the outfield, with Peter Bourjos and Grichuk serving as backups.
Heyward is widely considered an excellent right fielder, having won two Gold Gloves, including just recently winning the 2014 award. He has some pop, hitting as many as 27 home runs in a season (in 2012), but his power has waned in recent years, as he hit just 11 homers in 2014 and had a .384 slugging percentage. Given that he is just 25 years old, he could still regain his power stroke. However, even if he doesn't his defense and his speed (20 stolen bases while being caught only 4 times in 2014) still make him a valuable player and a nice addition to the 2015 lineup.
On the pitching side, losing Miller hurts, but the addition of Walden could allow the Cardinals to slide Carlos Martinez into Miller's rotation spot, with Walden serving as the setup man. Marco Gonzales is another possibility and the team might decide to go with him instead if only to allow them to keep Martinez and his power arm in the pen.
Much could depend on whether the Cards bring in another reliever (or two) this offseason, to offset the losses of Pat Neshek and Jason Motte.
Overall, I like this move from a 2015 standpoint, as the offense (and defense) should be better with the addition of Heyward, while the pitching should not skip a beat, as the combination of Martinez and Gonzales should make up for the loss of Miller and Walden should help in the bullpen.
Long Term
Here's where things could swing in the Braves favor.
A lot depends on whether the Cardinals can sign Heyward to an extension. He is only under contract through the 2015 season and if he leaves for free agency, the Cards will be left with just Walden.
The Braves on the other hand, will have 4 more years of Miller (including the 2015 season) and 6 years of Jenkins.
After a great rookie year, in which he posted a 3.06 ERA and finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting, Miller struggled in 2014. He was inconsistent for most of the year and saw his ERA rise to 3.74, while his strikeouts per 9 innings (K/9) decreased from 8.8 in 2013 to 6.2 in 2014. He is only 23 and certainly has the ability and stuff to bounce back, but there were some concerns about Miller after he didn't pitch in the 2013 postseason and the Cards seem to have been shopping him for a while.
Jenkins, of course, is the real wildcard here. In 5 minor league seasons, he has yet to pitch above A ball, mainly due to injuries. However, he had a good showing in 2014 at high A Palm Beach (3.28 ERA in 74 IP). He was rated as high as the Cardinals #8 prospect by Baseball America, prior to the 2013 season, but fell to the #17 slot prior to 2014. He's still got a live arm, throwing in the mid-90's, but needs to prove he can stay healthy.
Overall, I like this trade. Yes, we may lose Heyward after the 2015 season, but the Cardinals have shown the ability to retain players they have acquired via trade in the past (Matt Holliday being the most recent example). There are questions surrounding Miller, as there are with Heyward, but the Cards are still getting 2 proven major leaguers for one somewhat shaky starter and a prospect.
Showing posts with label Tyrell Jenkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyrell Jenkins. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monday, July 28, 2014
Could Cole Hamels be an option for the Cardinals?
Yesterday I posted a list of possible starting pitching trade targets for the Cardinals. Well, now you can add one more name to the list of possibilities.
According to Jon Paul Morosi, the Phillies have made Cole Hamels available, however, the asking price is said to be very high.
Hamels can block a trade to 20 teams, however, the Cardinals are not one of those 20. Per Morosi, the Cardinals and Dodgers are the two most likely teams to pursue Hamels.
Hamels could make a lot of sense for the Cardinals, maybe even more so than David Price. For one thing, he is signed through the 2018 season, with an option for 2019. Granted, he is owed $22.5 million per season, which is not cheap, but Price would cost at least that much and is only signed through 2015.
Another reason that Hamels makes sense for the Redbirds is that he has spent his entire career in the NL, so there would not be any transition period for him. He has a career 3.33 ERA and, oh yeah, he's left handed, making him all the more appealing.
One drawback is that Hamels is already 30 years old and the Cardinals would be committed to him through his age 35 season. However, that may not be an issue for the Cards, as they recently signed Adam Wainwright through his age 37 season.
Another drawback is the cost to acquire him. It doesn't appear that the Phillies are going to be giving out any kind of discount for Hamels, in case you were thinking his high contract value would warrant such a thing. Jayson Stark is reporting that the Phillies are asking for every team's top 3 or 4 young players while they are only willing to eat $10 million of the $90 million remaining on his contract.
For the Cardinals, any offer would likely have to include 3 or 4 of the following players: Oscar Taveras, Carlos Martinez, Marco Gonzales, Stephen Piscotty, Alex Reyes, James Ramsey, Rob Kaminsky and/or Tim Cooney.
It will be interesting to see if the Cards make a play for Hamels before the deadline. Hamels is unlikely to clear waivers, so if the Phillies are serious about moving him, they have 4 days to do so. The question is whether any team will be willing to pony up the prospects to get him.
According to Jon Paul Morosi, the Phillies have made Cole Hamels available, however, the asking price is said to be very high.
Hamels can block a trade to 20 teams, however, the Cardinals are not one of those 20. Per Morosi, the Cardinals and Dodgers are the two most likely teams to pursue Hamels.
Hamels could make a lot of sense for the Cardinals, maybe even more so than David Price. For one thing, he is signed through the 2018 season, with an option for 2019. Granted, he is owed $22.5 million per season, which is not cheap, but Price would cost at least that much and is only signed through 2015.
Another reason that Hamels makes sense for the Redbirds is that he has spent his entire career in the NL, so there would not be any transition period for him. He has a career 3.33 ERA and, oh yeah, he's left handed, making him all the more appealing.
One drawback is that Hamels is already 30 years old and the Cardinals would be committed to him through his age 35 season. However, that may not be an issue for the Cards, as they recently signed Adam Wainwright through his age 37 season.
Another drawback is the cost to acquire him. It doesn't appear that the Phillies are going to be giving out any kind of discount for Hamels, in case you were thinking his high contract value would warrant such a thing. Jayson Stark is reporting that the Phillies are asking for every team's top 3 or 4 young players while they are only willing to eat $10 million of the $90 million remaining on his contract.
For the Cardinals, any offer would likely have to include 3 or 4 of the following players: Oscar Taveras, Carlos Martinez, Marco Gonzales, Stephen Piscotty, Alex Reyes, James Ramsey, Rob Kaminsky and/or Tim Cooney.
It will be interesting to see if the Cards make a play for Hamels before the deadline. Hamels is unlikely to clear waivers, so if the Phillies are serious about moving him, they have 4 days to do so. The question is whether any team will be willing to pony up the prospects to get him.
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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