OK, stop me if you've heard this before:
John Mozeliak: Mike, you got a minute?
Mike Matheny:
Yeah. Take a seat.
John Mozeliak:
You can't start Craig in right tonight. You'll have to start Taveras.
Mike Matheny:
Yeah, I don't want to go fifteen rounds, Mo. The lineup card is mine, and that's all.
John Mozeliak:
That lineup card is definitely yours. I'm just saying you can't start Craig in right.
Mike Matheny:
Well, I am starting him in right.
John Mozeliak:
I don't think so. He plays for Boston now.
Mike Matheny:
You traded Craig?
John Mozeliak:
Yeah. And Joe Kelly too.
Mike Matheny:
You are outside your mind.
John Mozeliak:
Yeah. Cuckoo.
In a scene right out of Moneyball, the Cardinals traded Allen Craig and Joe Kelly to Boston for starting pitcher John Lackey, minor leaguer Corey Littrell and cash. Not only does the move help shore up the Cards starting rotation, but it seemingly forces manager Mike Matheny to play Oscar Taveras, who has only started 6 games since July 10th.
Like Matheny, I was torn between playing Craig and letting him fight out of his slump versus playing Taveras and seeing what he could do on a regular basis. Now that decision is no longer in Matheny's hands.
In addition, the Cardinals replace Joe Kelly in the rotation with John Lackey. Kelly, who has a career 3.25 ERA as a starter, has struggled this year with a 4.37 ERA in 7 starts. While Lackey has pitched well this year with a 3.60 ERA in arguably the toughest division in baseball.
As an added bonus, Lackey has apparently said that he will honor the unusual clause in his contract which pays him only league miminum for the 2015 season due to his having Tommy John surgery between 2010 and 2014. Thus, the ability to keep Lackey around next year for a mere $500K definitely makes this move more attractive.
Long story short, it appears that both Kelly and Craig had fallen out of favor with the Cardinals, so Mozeliak made a move to bring in some new blood and hopefully breath some new life into this team.
Coupled with yesterday's acquisition of Justin Masterson, the Cardinals rotation now has a new look with Adam Wainwright, followed by Lance Lynn, Lackey, Shelby Miller and Masterson.
Plus, the Cardinals may not be done, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times is reporting that the Cardinals may also still be involved in the David Price sweepstakes. (If such a move is made, its likely that Shelby Miller will be involved).
All-in-all, its been a pretty interesting deadline to say the least.
Showing posts with label starting pitching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starting pitching. Show all posts
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Cardinals acquire Justin Masterson from Indians for James Ramsey
While John Mozeliak was busy blowing smoke around all the reporters, myself included, that thought he was chasing the likes of Jon Lester, David Price or Cole Hamels, he was quietly working out a deal with the Indians for starter Justin Masterson.
According to Peter Gammons, Masterson will be headed to the Cards and will likely make his debut on Saturday. Joel Sherman of the New York Post was the first to report that James Ramsey would be the player headed to the Indians.
After a stellar 2013 season, in which he went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA for the Indians, Masterson has struggled this year, posting a 5.51 ERA in 19 starts. However, per Steve Adams of mlbtraderumors.com, Masterson's former pitching coach, Mickey Callaway attributes his struggles to a knee injury which may have caused him to change his mechanics.
In any case, the Cardinals are hoping that he is now healthy and will return to form.
As for the Indians, they are getting one of the Cardinals better outfield prospects in Ramsey. A first round pick in 2012, Baseball America ranked him as the Cards # 8 prospect heading into the season. He has put up excellent numbers at AA Springfield, with a .300/.389/.527 with 13 homers.
Despite the acquisition of Masterson, the Cards could still go after Jon Lester, per Jon Paul Morosi. However, such a deal would likely cost them Shelby Miller, per Morosi.
Overall, I like the Masterson acquisition. It is a classic low risk/high upside kind of move. Losing Ramsey hurts, as I considered him the Cards center fielder of the future, but hopefully the team can turn Masterson around and convince him to stay long-term.
As for a deal involving Miller for Lester--yes, please, as long as it doesn't require 3 other prospects on top of it.
According to Peter Gammons, Masterson will be headed to the Cards and will likely make his debut on Saturday. Joel Sherman of the New York Post was the first to report that James Ramsey would be the player headed to the Indians.
After a stellar 2013 season, in which he went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA for the Indians, Masterson has struggled this year, posting a 5.51 ERA in 19 starts. However, per Steve Adams of mlbtraderumors.com, Masterson's former pitching coach, Mickey Callaway attributes his struggles to a knee injury which may have caused him to change his mechanics.
In any case, the Cardinals are hoping that he is now healthy and will return to form.
As for the Indians, they are getting one of the Cardinals better outfield prospects in Ramsey. A first round pick in 2012, Baseball America ranked him as the Cards # 8 prospect heading into the season. He has put up excellent numbers at AA Springfield, with a .300/.389/.527 with 13 homers.
Despite the acquisition of Masterson, the Cards could still go after Jon Lester, per Jon Paul Morosi. However, such a deal would likely cost them Shelby Miller, per Morosi.
Overall, I like the Masterson acquisition. It is a classic low risk/high upside kind of move. Losing Ramsey hurts, as I considered him the Cards center fielder of the future, but hopefully the team can turn Masterson around and convince him to stay long-term.
As for a deal involving Miller for Lester--yes, please, as long as it doesn't require 3 other prospects on top of it.
More Cardinals trade rumors: Pitching, pitching and more pitching
UPDATE: The Cardinals have acquired Justin Masterson from the Indians in exchange for AA outfielder James Ramsey. You can read more about the acquisition HERE.
The non-waiver deadline is only a day away and the Cardinals remain linked to various starting pitchers. Joe Strauss has a nice article explaining why starting pitching is the focus for the Cards, while the offense continues to struggle. He lists Jon Lester, Cliff Lee, A.J. Burnett, Cole Hamels, Ian Kennedy, Justin Masterson and David Price as the pitchers that the team is at least doing due diligence on.
Here's a look at each of those pitchers and where things currently stand in the rumor mill:
Jon Lester
Lester is certainly the hottest commodity right now. After he was scratched from today's start, indicating that a trade may be imminent, rumors having been flying left and right as to where he may end up (and most of them false).
Sifting through all the noise, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe thinks that the Dodgers, Cardinals, Pirates and Mariners are the primary suitors for Lester, while Jon Heyman is reporting that the Dodgers and Cardinals may lead the race for Lester's services.
Cliff Lee
Lee is probably a fallback option for most teams, including the Cardinals. He just recently came back from an injury and has been roughed up in his two starts. Per Jayson Stark, scouts who have watched Lee feel that he is "far from healthy" and he is likely to be traded in August, if at all.
A.J. Burnett
There hasn't been much buzz surrounding the Cardinals and Burnett, even though the Cards are one of the teams that Burnett can be traded to without his consent, per Jerry Crasnick.
What we do know is that its unlikely that Burnett will be returning to the Pirates, as Jayson Stark reports that talks between the Pirates and Phillies are "all but dead".
Cole Hamels
Hamels remains an option for the Cardinals as they are once again one of the teams he can be traded to without his consent, per Jon Paul Morosi.
However, it appears that the Phillies are not serious about trading Hamels, according to Jon Heyman, as their asking price is astoromical.
Ian Kennedy
There has been little or no talk regarding the Cards and Kennedy and it remains to be seen if the Padres are serious about moving him.
According to Jayson Stark, its about a 50/50 proposition that Kennedy is traded.
Justin Masterson
Masterson is another pitcher on the block who appears to be flying below the radar. He is having a down year, but Buster Olney says that the Indians are "ready to move" him.
David Price
The Rays have put themselves back in the playoff hunt after climbing from 18 games under .500 to just one game under. One would think that would preclude them from trading Price, especially since he is still under team control for 2015 and could be traded this winter instead.
However, Jon Heyman reports that the Rays are telling teams that they are "talking and willing" to trade Price. While Heyman notes that, in addition to Lester, the Dodgers and Cardinals are also the most aggressive pursuers of Price.
Overall, the Cardinals appear likely to acquire a starter by the deadline as they have no starter listed for Saturday, per Derrick Goold, with Mike Matheny indicating that the starter for Saturday could be an "external" option.
Stay tuned for more and the rumors continue to fly....
The non-waiver deadline is only a day away and the Cardinals remain linked to various starting pitchers. Joe Strauss has a nice article explaining why starting pitching is the focus for the Cards, while the offense continues to struggle. He lists Jon Lester, Cliff Lee, A.J. Burnett, Cole Hamels, Ian Kennedy, Justin Masterson and David Price as the pitchers that the team is at least doing due diligence on.
Here's a look at each of those pitchers and where things currently stand in the rumor mill:
Jon Lester
Lester is certainly the hottest commodity right now. After he was scratched from today's start, indicating that a trade may be imminent, rumors having been flying left and right as to where he may end up (and most of them false).
Sifting through all the noise, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe thinks that the Dodgers, Cardinals, Pirates and Mariners are the primary suitors for Lester, while Jon Heyman is reporting that the Dodgers and Cardinals may lead the race for Lester's services.
Cliff Lee
Lee is probably a fallback option for most teams, including the Cardinals. He just recently came back from an injury and has been roughed up in his two starts. Per Jayson Stark, scouts who have watched Lee feel that he is "far from healthy" and he is likely to be traded in August, if at all.
A.J. Burnett
There hasn't been much buzz surrounding the Cardinals and Burnett, even though the Cards are one of the teams that Burnett can be traded to without his consent, per Jerry Crasnick.
What we do know is that its unlikely that Burnett will be returning to the Pirates, as Jayson Stark reports that talks between the Pirates and Phillies are "all but dead".
Cole Hamels
Hamels remains an option for the Cardinals as they are once again one of the teams he can be traded to without his consent, per Jon Paul Morosi.
However, it appears that the Phillies are not serious about trading Hamels, according to Jon Heyman, as their asking price is astoromical.
Ian Kennedy
There has been little or no talk regarding the Cards and Kennedy and it remains to be seen if the Padres are serious about moving him.
According to Jayson Stark, its about a 50/50 proposition that Kennedy is traded.
Justin Masterson
Masterson is another pitcher on the block who appears to be flying below the radar. He is having a down year, but Buster Olney says that the Indians are "ready to move" him.
David Price
The Rays have put themselves back in the playoff hunt after climbing from 18 games under .500 to just one game under. One would think that would preclude them from trading Price, especially since he is still under team control for 2015 and could be traded this winter instead.
However, Jon Heyman reports that the Rays are telling teams that they are "talking and willing" to trade Price. While Heyman notes that, in addition to Lester, the Dodgers and Cardinals are also the most aggressive pursuers of Price.
Overall, the Cardinals appear likely to acquire a starter by the deadline as they have no starter listed for Saturday, per Derrick Goold, with Mike Matheny indicating that the starter for Saturday could be an "external" option.
Stay tuned for more and the rumors continue to fly....
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.
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.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Who are the starting pitching trade options for the Cardinals?
It appears that the Cardinals are looking to acquire a pitcher before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline. However, while most of the talk has surrounded David Price (apparently not yet on the market) and Jake Peavy (already traded), who are some of the other options that are reportedly on the market?
Cliff Lee
Lee just recently returned from the DL and was roughed up in his first start. Given his contract and health concerns, he is unlikely to be traded before the non-waiver deadline, but he will easily pass through waivers and could end up being traded in August.
Should the Cardinals strike out in their attempts to land a starter before the July 31st deadline, Lee could certainly become an option for them in August.
Bartolo Colon
Per Andy Martino, the Mets are willing to eat approximately $2 million of the roughly $14 million remaining on Colon's contract (he's owed $11 million in 2015). At age 41, Colon just keeps plugging away, with a 4.01 ERA and a 100/19 K/BB ratio.
He is a better innings eater than Peavy would have been (and a better eater in general), but would likely cost the Cardinals one of their outfield prospects.
Jorge de la Rosa
The Rockies are reportedly listening on de la Rosa, among others (and no, Troy Tulowitzki is not one of them), per Thomas Harding of MLB.com. However, after asking the Orioles for their top prospect, Kevin Gausman in return, its pretty obvious that the price is pretty high.
De la Rosa is 11-6 with a 4.19 ERA, but has actually pitched better at Coors field (3.23 ERA) than on the road (5.37 ERA), making one wonder what his results would be if he pitched his home games at a "normal" ballpark.
Jon Lester
The Red Sox appears to be at least listening on Lester and Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston reports that the Red Sox and Dodgers were considering a Matt Kemp for Lester deal.
However, Ken Rosenthal says the the Red Sox want a "huge" return for Lester and Alex Speier reports that Lester is unlikely to sign an extension with any team that trades for him, making Lest a pretty unappealing target for the Cardinals.
A.J. Burnett
Burnett's preference is to return to the Pirates, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark, but their interest in him is mild, leaving the door open for other teams to step in. His contract includes a $15 million team option ($7.5 million player option) for 2015 and, although he can block trades to 20 teams, the Cardinals are not one of those teams.
There are other pitchers available, but the pitchers listed above probably the most appealing of the bunch. Colon of the Mets may be the best fit, as they are looking for outfielders (among other things) and the Cardinals certainly have plenty of outfield depth. Burnett is enticing as well, but its unclear what the Phillies would be looking for in return.
In any case, I fully expect the Cardinals to acquire a starting pitcher before the deadline, but, if they don't, they may take a hard look at Cliff Lee, once he clears waivers in August.
Cliff Lee
Lee just recently returned from the DL and was roughed up in his first start. Given his contract and health concerns, he is unlikely to be traded before the non-waiver deadline, but he will easily pass through waivers and could end up being traded in August.
Should the Cardinals strike out in their attempts to land a starter before the July 31st deadline, Lee could certainly become an option for them in August.
Bartolo Colon
Per Andy Martino, the Mets are willing to eat approximately $2 million of the roughly $14 million remaining on Colon's contract (he's owed $11 million in 2015). At age 41, Colon just keeps plugging away, with a 4.01 ERA and a 100/19 K/BB ratio.
He is a better innings eater than Peavy would have been (and a better eater in general), but would likely cost the Cardinals one of their outfield prospects.
Jorge de la Rosa
The Rockies are reportedly listening on de la Rosa, among others (and no, Troy Tulowitzki is not one of them), per Thomas Harding of MLB.com. However, after asking the Orioles for their top prospect, Kevin Gausman in return, its pretty obvious that the price is pretty high.
De la Rosa is 11-6 with a 4.19 ERA, but has actually pitched better at Coors field (3.23 ERA) than on the road (5.37 ERA), making one wonder what his results would be if he pitched his home games at a "normal" ballpark.
Jon Lester
The Red Sox appears to be at least listening on Lester and Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston reports that the Red Sox and Dodgers were considering a Matt Kemp for Lester deal.
However, Ken Rosenthal says the the Red Sox want a "huge" return for Lester and Alex Speier reports that Lester is unlikely to sign an extension with any team that trades for him, making Lest a pretty unappealing target for the Cardinals.
A.J. Burnett
Burnett's preference is to return to the Pirates, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark, but their interest in him is mild, leaving the door open for other teams to step in. His contract includes a $15 million team option ($7.5 million player option) for 2015 and, although he can block trades to 20 teams, the Cardinals are not one of those teams.
There are other pitchers available, but the pitchers listed above probably the most appealing of the bunch. Colon of the Mets may be the best fit, as they are looking for outfielders (among other things) and the Cardinals certainly have plenty of outfield depth. Burnett is enticing as well, but its unclear what the Phillies would be looking for in return.
In any case, I fully expect the Cardinals to acquire a starting pitcher before the deadline, but, if they don't, they may take a hard look at Cliff Lee, once he clears waivers in August.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Reading between the lines: Cardinals' GM John Mozeliak's thoughts on the trade market
In case you missed it, Cardinals GM John Mozeliak was a recent guest on Jim Bowden's "The GM's Office" video blog on ESPN.com. Steve Adams of mlbtraderumors.com has a nice synopsis of the highlights from the interview, but its worth checking out the video in its entirety.
Whenever I see quotes or hear soundbites from a GM around this time of year, I always like to try to think "what is he really saying", as you can often read between the lines and get to the underlying meaning of what they are saying.
With that in mind, I tried this exercise using some of the quotes from his interview and here's what I got out of it (your results may vary):
Quote #1: It's "clearly a seller's market".
What he's Really Saying - "Don't expect us to make any moves anytime soon, until the asking prices come down."
From what we have seen from some of the early trades, the seller's are getting a pretty good return on the players. Knowing how much Mo values his prospects, he is not going to make a move unless the asking price comes down.
Quote #2: “We’re certainly not in this for the short term. I think one of the good things about the St. Louis Cardinals is the ability to have sustained success, and we want to continue that” (when asked about David Price).
What he's really saying - "We're not going to mortgage the future for a short-term fix."
While acquiring David Price would be nice and could certainly help this team this year and next, the Cardinals will not make a move unless they feel the cost is reasonable and helps the team in the long run. In other words, the only way they would acquire Price is if the asking price is not too high and he agrees to a long-term extension before the trade is completed.
Quote #3: "…looking at the next two months, if we could find a way to sort of bridge that gap between now and the time we may get [Michael] Wacha back, I think we want to try to do that” (when asked about acquiring a starting pitcher).
What he's really saying - "Despite what I said before, we could really use some more starting pitching."
Mozeliak goes on to discuss Michael Wacha's unusual injury and the uncertainty surrounding it, making it all the more obvious that he's looking to add another starting pitcher. However, the "bridge that gap" part makes it sound like he's looking more for a stop-gap type pitcher (i.e. Jake Peavy) than an ace (aka Price).
Quote #4: “One thing we’ve always said is we’d like to see what Tony Cruz is capable of doing on a day in and day out basis. But having said that, we also want to give ourselves the best chance to win” (when asked about whether the team is comfortable with Cruz and George Kottaras manning the catcher's spot).
What he's really saying - "Cruz is a nice backup, but we need someone better to be our starter."
It doesn't help Cruz' cause that he's hitting only .167 (5 for 30) since replacing Yadier Molina in the starting lineup. That is probably why the Cards' interest in Kurt Suzuki has increased recently. Per Jon Heyman, the Cardinals are Orioles are both showing the most interest in trading for the Twins' Suzuki. Mike Berardino of the St.Paul Pioneer Press indicated that the Twins and Sukuki are far apart on extension talks, making a trade more likely.
Overall, its pretty obvious from all the recent rumors that the Cardinals are looking for starting pitching and it appears they may be looking for an upgrade at catcher as well. All-in-all, it should make for an interesting week leading up to the deadline.
Whenever I see quotes or hear soundbites from a GM around this time of year, I always like to try to think "what is he really saying", as you can often read between the lines and get to the underlying meaning of what they are saying.
With that in mind, I tried this exercise using some of the quotes from his interview and here's what I got out of it (your results may vary):
Quote #1: It's "clearly a seller's market".
What he's Really Saying - "Don't expect us to make any moves anytime soon, until the asking prices come down."
From what we have seen from some of the early trades, the seller's are getting a pretty good return on the players. Knowing how much Mo values his prospects, he is not going to make a move unless the asking price comes down.
Quote #2: “We’re certainly not in this for the short term. I think one of the good things about the St. Louis Cardinals is the ability to have sustained success, and we want to continue that” (when asked about David Price).
What he's really saying - "We're not going to mortgage the future for a short-term fix."
While acquiring David Price would be nice and could certainly help this team this year and next, the Cardinals will not make a move unless they feel the cost is reasonable and helps the team in the long run. In other words, the only way they would acquire Price is if the asking price is not too high and he agrees to a long-term extension before the trade is completed.
Quote #3: "…looking at the next two months, if we could find a way to sort of bridge that gap between now and the time we may get [Michael] Wacha back, I think we want to try to do that” (when asked about acquiring a starting pitcher).
What he's really saying - "Despite what I said before, we could really use some more starting pitching."
Mozeliak goes on to discuss Michael Wacha's unusual injury and the uncertainty surrounding it, making it all the more obvious that he's looking to add another starting pitcher. However, the "bridge that gap" part makes it sound like he's looking more for a stop-gap type pitcher (i.e. Jake Peavy) than an ace (aka Price).
Quote #4: “One thing we’ve always said is we’d like to see what Tony Cruz is capable of doing on a day in and day out basis. But having said that, we also want to give ourselves the best chance to win” (when asked about whether the team is comfortable with Cruz and George Kottaras manning the catcher's spot).
What he's really saying - "Cruz is a nice backup, but we need someone better to be our starter."
It doesn't help Cruz' cause that he's hitting only .167 (5 for 30) since replacing Yadier Molina in the starting lineup. That is probably why the Cards' interest in Kurt Suzuki has increased recently. Per Jon Heyman, the Cardinals are Orioles are both showing the most interest in trading for the Twins' Suzuki. Mike Berardino of the St.Paul Pioneer Press indicated that the Twins and Sukuki are far apart on extension talks, making a trade more likely.
Overall, its pretty obvious from all the recent rumors that the Cardinals are looking for starting pitching and it appears they may be looking for an upgrade at catcher as well. All-in-all, it should make for an interesting week leading up to the deadline.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Who are the potential sellers as the trade deadline approaches and do the Cardinals need to buy anything?
With the trade deadline looming on the horizon, its time to start thinking about who might be sellers this year and do they have anything the Cardinals need?
Taking a look at the current standings, its pretty easy to pick who will definitely be selling come July. The Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are all far enough out of the race for a playoff spot to assume that they will be sellers.
Here's what those teams probably have to offer come July that might have some interest for the Cardinals:
Miami Marlins
Ricky Nolasco is on the block and the Marlins may not wait until July to trade him. With some of their starters getting healthy, the Marlins could move Nolasco to make room for them in the rotation. With the rash of injuries to their starting pitching, the Cardinals could pursue someone like Nolasco as a short term rental and ease the pressure on their rookie starters.
After Nolasco, the most likely targets could be right handed relievers Chad Qualls and Ryan Webb, who could help shore up the Cardinals shaky bullpen.
Of course, there have been rumors surrounding Giancarlo Stanton ever since the Marlins completed their latest fire sale. However, given that the Marlins haven't shown an interest in trading Stanton and the Cardinals probably wouldn't want to pay the enormous price to acquire him (I'm thinking any discussion begins with Oscar Taveras), a trade involving Stanton is highly unlikely.
Houston Astros
The Cardinals were linked to Astros pitcher Bud Norris back in March, per Peter Gammons, however I do not see a fit here, as I don't see him as an upgrade to their rotation.
Eric Bedard is another possibility, but he has fared worse than Norris and is an unlikely target for the Cards.
The more likely scenario is that the Cardinals make a play for either righty Jose Veras or lefty Wesley Wright. Either of them could help bolster the Cards bullpen and would likely come at a low cost. I'm thinking something similar to the Zack Cox for Edward Mujica trade last year would get the job done.
New York Mets
The Mets are a mess and thus their potential trade candidates are not very appealing. Thus, the most likely trade targets for the Cardinals would be relievers Brandon Lyon or LaTroy Hawkins. Again, the Cardinals would be hoping to get one of them cheap in an effort to shore up their bullpen.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs could have as many as 3 starting pitchers on the market in Matt Garza, Scott Feldman and former Cardinal Edwin Jackson. Garza would be the best option, but would also cost the most. While Feldman and Jackson have not proven to be any better than the Cardinals current internal options.
Then there's the case of Carlos Marmol. He can be a lights out pitcher when he's on, but more often than not he's off. Unless the Cubs basically give him away for next to nothing, I don't see him as a viable option for the Cards.
Milwaukee Brewers
Again, there's not much here to look at. John Axford is a possibility, if the Cardinals think they can turn him around. Otherwise, the best bet would likely be lefy Mike Gonzalez. He shouldn't cost too much in terms of prospects and could provide the Cards with another lefty option in the pen.
The way I see it, the Cardinals could do one of two things, pursue a starter to allow them to push Michael Wacha into a bullpen role down the stretch and limit his innings or pursue another reliever. In either case, their goal should be to strengthen their main weakness, their bullpen.
Taking a look at the current standings, its pretty easy to pick who will definitely be selling come July. The Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers are all far enough out of the race for a playoff spot to assume that they will be sellers.
Here's what those teams probably have to offer come July that might have some interest for the Cardinals:
Miami Marlins
Ricky Nolasco is on the block and the Marlins may not wait until July to trade him. With some of their starters getting healthy, the Marlins could move Nolasco to make room for them in the rotation. With the rash of injuries to their starting pitching, the Cardinals could pursue someone like Nolasco as a short term rental and ease the pressure on their rookie starters.
After Nolasco, the most likely targets could be right handed relievers Chad Qualls and Ryan Webb, who could help shore up the Cardinals shaky bullpen.
Of course, there have been rumors surrounding Giancarlo Stanton ever since the Marlins completed their latest fire sale. However, given that the Marlins haven't shown an interest in trading Stanton and the Cardinals probably wouldn't want to pay the enormous price to acquire him (I'm thinking any discussion begins with Oscar Taveras), a trade involving Stanton is highly unlikely.
Houston Astros
The Cardinals were linked to Astros pitcher Bud Norris back in March, per Peter Gammons, however I do not see a fit here, as I don't see him as an upgrade to their rotation.
Eric Bedard is another possibility, but he has fared worse than Norris and is an unlikely target for the Cards.
The more likely scenario is that the Cardinals make a play for either righty Jose Veras or lefty Wesley Wright. Either of them could help bolster the Cards bullpen and would likely come at a low cost. I'm thinking something similar to the Zack Cox for Edward Mujica trade last year would get the job done.
New York Mets
The Mets are a mess and thus their potential trade candidates are not very appealing. Thus, the most likely trade targets for the Cardinals would be relievers Brandon Lyon or LaTroy Hawkins. Again, the Cardinals would be hoping to get one of them cheap in an effort to shore up their bullpen.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs could have as many as 3 starting pitchers on the market in Matt Garza, Scott Feldman and former Cardinal Edwin Jackson. Garza would be the best option, but would also cost the most. While Feldman and Jackson have not proven to be any better than the Cardinals current internal options.
Then there's the case of Carlos Marmol. He can be a lights out pitcher when he's on, but more often than not he's off. Unless the Cubs basically give him away for next to nothing, I don't see him as a viable option for the Cards.
Milwaukee Brewers
Again, there's not much here to look at. John Axford is a possibility, if the Cardinals think they can turn him around. Otherwise, the best bet would likely be lefy Mike Gonzalez. He shouldn't cost too much in terms of prospects and could provide the Cards with another lefty option in the pen.
The way I see it, the Cardinals could do one of two things, pursue a starter to allow them to push Michael Wacha into a bullpen role down the stretch and limit his innings or pursue another reliever. In either case, their goal should be to strengthen their main weakness, their bullpen.
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