Once again, the Cardinals and GM John Mozeliak got their Christmas shopping done early. Last year, Mo made his big moves in November (trading David Freese for Peter Bourjos and signing Jhonny Peralta) and he did the same this year (trading Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins for Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden).
Other than maybe a couple more tweaks, it appears that the roster is complete. But are the Cardinals better off than last year? Do they have what it takes to win it all? Lets take a look at the changes and see.
Infield
The main goal for Mozeliak this offseason was to find a right handed bat who could play first and potentially platoon with Matt Adams. Mo filled that hole with the signing of Mark Reynolds to a one year, $2 million contract.
Reynolds will not provide much in terms of batting average (career .229 hitter), but he has 224 homers in 1118 games and has fared a bit better against lefties in his career (.809 OPS compared to .772 vs righties). This is far better than Adams' numbers against lefties (.553 career OPS), making Reynolds a good option to platoon with Adams.
Free agent Mark Ellis and his .180 average will not return and the Cardinals finally moved on from Daniel Descalso and his career .654 OPS. Replacing them will be veteran minor leaguer Dean Anna, who finally got a cup of coffee in the majors last year at the age of 27 and hit just .136 in 22 at bats. However, he does have a career .380 OBP in the minors, with nearly as many walks (310) as strikeouts (319) in 2448 plate appearances.
Another addition, is 26 year old Ty Kelly, who the Cardinals acquired from Seattle for Sam Gaviglio. Like Anna, Kelly showed the ability to get on base in the minors (.387 OBP) and had more walks (434) than strikeouts (431). Both Anna and Kelly project to be utility infielders, with Anna capable of playing second, short, third and corner outfield, while Kelly is capable of playing second, third and corner outfield.
Pete Kozma will also compete for a backup spot and is a career .236 hitter in 522 at bats.
Overall, I would have to say that infield is a bit better than last year, as the bench has improved with the addition of Reynolds, while the combination of Anna, Kelly and/or Kozma should be able to improve upon the meager outputs of Ellis and Descalso.
Outfield
After losing top prospect and likely starting right fielder Oscar Taveras to a tragic car accident, the Cardinals filled the void with the trade for Heyward. Heyward is an excellent defender, but has seen his OPS drop in each of the last 3 years from .814 in 2012, to .776 in 2013 and .735 in 2014. The main culprit for this drop is a serious power outage during that time that has seen his home runs drop from a career high of 27 in 2012 to a career low of 11 last season.
Randall Grichuk seemed to find his stroke in the second half last season, hitting .318/.338/.485 after the break and should provide some pop off the bench. Peter Bourjos will also fill a reserve role, with resurgent Jon Jay (.303/.372/.378) having reclaimed his starting job.
The Cardinals will also have highly regarded prospect Stephen Piscotty and defensive wiz Tommy Pham as extra depth at AAA Memphis, while Shane Robinson, who was released in November, along with his career .612 OPS, will not be missed.
Overall, Heyward should be an upgrade over the Cardinals 2014 right fielders (mostly Allen Craig and Taveras) who hit a combined .237/.283/.326. Bourjos and Grichuk will provide the backup, as they did for most of 2014 and will look to improve on their 2014 numbers.
Starting Pitching
The Cardinals started the overhaul of their rotation last July, with the acquisition of John Lackey for Allen Craig and Joe Kelly. He will slot into the rotation that will also feature holdovers Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn and Michael Wacha.
With the trade of Shelby Miller, the 5th starter job will likely come down to a battle between Carlos Martinez and Marco Gonzales. Martinez made 7 starts last year and has the best stuff of the two, whereas Gonzales made 5 starts in 2014 and may be more polished.
One key to the Cardinals rotation will be the health of Wacha, who missed over two months last year due to a stress reaction in his shoulder. Should he prove healthy, he will give the Cards a quartet of starters that would match up well with most other teams in the league.
Another key will be Lynn proving that his 2014 season (15-10, 2.74 ERA) was not a fluke. He has been troubled by inconsistency throughout his career and must prove that he can put another strong season together.
Overall, with a healthy Wacha, the Cardinals rotation should be better. The emphasis should be on keeping these guys healthy, as the Cards showed in 2014 that their pitching depth isn't all that its cracked up to be, using 4 different guys (Martinez, Kelly, Gonzales and Tyler Lyons) to replace the injured Wacha and Jaime Garcia.
Bullpen
The bullpen appears to be the biggest question mark for the team heading into the 2015 season. Closer Trevor Rosenthal showed some signs of wear and tear after being leaned on heavily the last two seasons. His walk rate jumped from 2.4 BB/9 in 2013 to 5.4 BB/9 in 2014. He was able to wiggle out of numerous jams while posting 45 saves, but he was often walking a tightrope.
The Cardinals most effective reliever, Pat Neshek, is gone, taking with him a sparkling 1.87 ERA and 7 wins in 67.1 innings. While there are questions regarding Kevin Siegrist's health and who will replace Martinez' innings, should he move to a starter role.
To fill these voids, Mozeliak brought in Walden, who has a career ERA of 3.10 in 211.2 innings, and veteran Matt Belisle, whom the Cards hope will follow the Neshek rejuvenation path, after posting a 4.87 ERA in 2014.
The Cardinals will also return groundball specialist Seth Maness, along with lefties Randy Choate (4.50 ERA) and Sam Freeman (2.61 ERA), although Choate may be on the trading block.
Overall, this is the one area where I think the Cards may have taken a step back, especially if Martinez earns a starting rotation spot. Replacing Neshek and Martinez with Walden and possibly Belisle is definitely a downgrade and, even if Martinez returns to the bullpen, the Cardinals may have only 3-4 reliable bullpen arms. I would love to see Mo add at least one more proven guy to the pen.
Based on all of the above, I think the Cards should be improved over last year, but there are still concerns surrounding the bullpen. As we saw last year, when the Cardinals bullpen went 1-3 with a 4.96 ERA in the LCS compared to the Giants 3-1, 1.69 performance, a good bullpen can make all the difference.
Showing posts with label trade rumors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade rumors. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2015
Monday, November 17, 2014
What is the long-term (and short-term) impact of the Cardinals acquisition of Jason Heyward from the Braves.
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.
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.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Cardinals look to fill the void after tragic loss of Oscar Taveras
Like most (if not all) of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened upon learning of the death of Oscar Taveras. Not only did the Cardinals lose a potential star in the making, but they also lost an incredible person both on and off the field. My condolences go out to the Taveras' family and friends, as well as those of his girlfriend, who was also killed in the accident.
Taveras will be missed.
Now, the Cardinals have to move past the tragedy and try to build a team capable of beating the Giants and making it to next year's fall classic.
To start off with, the Cards will have to find a replacement for Taveras. Randal Grichuk, who was slated to compete with Taveras for the right field job, could get the nod, and the team also has Stephen Piscotty waiting in the wings.
However, Jennifer Langosch is reporting that the Cardinals could look outside of the organization for a right fielder.
If the Cardinals do look outside the organization for a right fielder, what are their options?
Here are some free agent possibilities:
Yasmany Tomas
Probably at the top of many teams' lists is Cuban defector Yasmany Tomas, a right-handed corner outfield who reportedly has "huge power". He is just 24 years old and is expected to get somewhere in the neighborhood of a 7-year, $100 million contract. However, there are already several teams vying for his service, which could result if a bidding war, something the Cards may want to avoid.
Nick Markakis
Markakis is a decent right fielder with a good career OBP (.358) and a little pop (.435 SLG). The Orioles did not make him a qualifying offer, meaning he is not tied to any draft picks, thus making him all the more attractive. He is only 30 years old and will likely be seeking something in the neighborhood of 4 years/$65 million.
Nelson Cruz
Cruz, 34, led all of MLB with 40 homers in 2014 and is arguably the best power hitter on the market. For a team that finished last in the NL in home runs, that certainly holds some appeal. However, he is limited defensively and, with Matt Holliday patrolling left field, the Cardinals may not want to further damage their defense.
Mike Morse
Morse could be a decent stop gap option if the team feels that Randal Grichuk just needs a little more time before he's ready. As a right hander capable of playing first, he could also be worked into a platoon with Matt Adams. He's only 32, but seems to be on the down slope of his career.
Alex Rios
Another potential stop gap, Rios offers little power, but hits for a decent average and destroys lefties (.325 average against in 2014). He will turn 34 next year andcould be had on a one year deal in order to build value.
Overall, the Cardinals have been saying they are willing to increase their payroll and with little other needs, a quality right fielder might be the best way to spend that money. Tomas would be my first choice, with Markakis second. Beyond that and you begin to wonder if any of the players would be an upgrade over Grichuk.
Taveras will be missed.
Now, the Cardinals have to move past the tragedy and try to build a team capable of beating the Giants and making it to next year's fall classic.
To start off with, the Cards will have to find a replacement for Taveras. Randal Grichuk, who was slated to compete with Taveras for the right field job, could get the nod, and the team also has Stephen Piscotty waiting in the wings.
However, Jennifer Langosch is reporting that the Cardinals could look outside of the organization for a right fielder.
If the Cardinals do look outside the organization for a right fielder, what are their options?
Here are some free agent possibilities:
Yasmany Tomas
Probably at the top of many teams' lists is Cuban defector Yasmany Tomas, a right-handed corner outfield who reportedly has "huge power". He is just 24 years old and is expected to get somewhere in the neighborhood of a 7-year, $100 million contract. However, there are already several teams vying for his service, which could result if a bidding war, something the Cards may want to avoid.
Nick Markakis
Markakis is a decent right fielder with a good career OBP (.358) and a little pop (.435 SLG). The Orioles did not make him a qualifying offer, meaning he is not tied to any draft picks, thus making him all the more attractive. He is only 30 years old and will likely be seeking something in the neighborhood of 4 years/$65 million.
Nelson Cruz
Cruz, 34, led all of MLB with 40 homers in 2014 and is arguably the best power hitter on the market. For a team that finished last in the NL in home runs, that certainly holds some appeal. However, he is limited defensively and, with Matt Holliday patrolling left field, the Cardinals may not want to further damage their defense.
Mike Morse
Morse could be a decent stop gap option if the team feels that Randal Grichuk just needs a little more time before he's ready. As a right hander capable of playing first, he could also be worked into a platoon with Matt Adams. He's only 32, but seems to be on the down slope of his career.
Alex Rios
Another potential stop gap, Rios offers little power, but hits for a decent average and destroys lefties (.325 average against in 2014). He will turn 34 next year andcould be had on a one year deal in order to build value.
Overall, the Cardinals have been saying they are willing to increase their payroll and with little other needs, a quality right fielder might be the best way to spend that money. Tomas would be my first choice, with Markakis second. Beyond that and you begin to wonder if any of the players would be an upgrade over Grichuk.
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.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Cardinals trade Joe Kelly and Allen Craig for John Lackey
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
What will happen with the Cardinals' Oscar Taveras?
By next Friday, Oscar Taveras will likely be somewhere else. The only question is whether that will be another team or AAA Memphis.
The Cardinals are at a crossroads with Taveras. After being called up on July 1st to try to spark the offense, Taveras started 9 of the first 10 games, but after hitting .219 in those starts (7 for 32), he has started just 3 of the last 9 games.
If he doesn't get hot soon, he could be headed back to the minors or maybe elsewhere as part of a trade.
Here is Taveras' catch 22 situation it a nutshell: Cards manager Mike Matheny is not going to bench Allen Craig for a guy hitting .205 and Taveras is not going to start hitting unless he gets regular playing time.
All signs point to some change being made in the near future. It makes no sense for the Cardinals to keep Taveras up in the majors, just to have him rot on the bench. On the other hand, he is still a top prospect and Cards are in need of pitching, so using him as trade bait for a guy like David Price could be an option.
What is apparent is that he's unlikely to get regular playing time at the major league level. At least not this season and not while Matheny is still managing the Cards.
The Cardinals are at a crossroads with Taveras. After being called up on July 1st to try to spark the offense, Taveras started 9 of the first 10 games, but after hitting .219 in those starts (7 for 32), he has started just 3 of the last 9 games.
If he doesn't get hot soon, he could be headed back to the minors or maybe elsewhere as part of a trade.
Here is Taveras' catch 22 situation it a nutshell: Cards manager Mike Matheny is not going to bench Allen Craig for a guy hitting .205 and Taveras is not going to start hitting unless he gets regular playing time.
All signs point to some change being made in the near future. It makes no sense for the Cardinals to keep Taveras up in the majors, just to have him rot on the bench. On the other hand, he is still a top prospect and Cards are in need of pitching, so using him as trade bait for a guy like David Price could be an option.
What is apparent is that he's unlikely to get regular playing time at the major league level. At least not this season and not while Matheny is still managing the Cards.
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, July 23, 2014
All signs point to Cardinals acquiring a pitcher at deadline
With the trade deadline looming, it appears that the Cardinals are focusing their efforts on acquiring a pitcher.
Per Ken Rosenthal, St. Louis is still looking for rotation upgrades. The Cardinals are exploring everything from front-line starters to back-of-the-rotation types, he says.
Jennifer Langosch confirms Rosenthal's report, indicating that the Cardinals are looking for starting pitching, however, per GM John Mozeliak, nothing is imminent. Asked if Cards were seeking a top end starter or back-end depth, Mo said that the later was more likely.
Based on these reports and previous rumors, it appears the the Cardinals are probably looking at David Price on the top end or Jake Peavy as back-end depth, amongst others.
According to Bob Nightengale, one high-ranking AL exec thinks that St. Louis is the most likely landing spot for Price (should the Rays decide to trade him). For what its worth, David Price recently took in a Cardinals game and told Nightengale that he was treated well.
On the other end of the spectrum, it appears that the Cards are keeping Peavy on the "back burner", according to Nick Cafardo. While Buster Olney says that the only reason that no Jake Peavy trade had been completed as of yet is that the Red Sox want a prospect, but Cards are only offering salary relief. Nonetheless, Peter Gammons says that the Red Sox are scouting Cardinals prospect Rowan Wick.
Reading between the lines, it appears that the Cards are checking out all their options when it comes to finding a starting pitcher. While Mo says a back-end starter is more likely, I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed to acquiring Price, if the price is right. However, it appears that Mo wants to see if the price will come down on Price, before making a move on Peavy.
However, despite playing the waiting game, it appears that the Cardinals believe they will acquire a pitcher. The most telling thing is that Carlos Martinez is being moved back to the pen, according to Derrick Goold, with Shelby Miller returning to the rotation.
Even with the return of Miller to the rotation, the demotion of Martinez leaves the Cardinals with just 4 starters (Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Miller). With off days on Thursday and Monday, the Cards will not need a 5th starter until August 2nd. The demotion of Martinez to the pen, makes it appear that they believe they will have a new addition to the rotation by then.
So, while it may come down to the wire, I think that the Cardinals will acquire another starter by the July 31st deadline and it appears that the team believes that as well.
Per Ken Rosenthal, St. Louis is still looking for rotation upgrades. The Cardinals are exploring everything from front-line starters to back-of-the-rotation types, he says.
Jennifer Langosch confirms Rosenthal's report, indicating that the Cardinals are looking for starting pitching, however, per GM John Mozeliak, nothing is imminent. Asked if Cards were seeking a top end starter or back-end depth, Mo said that the later was more likely.
Based on these reports and previous rumors, it appears the the Cardinals are probably looking at David Price on the top end or Jake Peavy as back-end depth, amongst others.
According to Bob Nightengale, one high-ranking AL exec thinks that St. Louis is the most likely landing spot for Price (should the Rays decide to trade him). For what its worth, David Price recently took in a Cardinals game and told Nightengale that he was treated well.
On the other end of the spectrum, it appears that the Cards are keeping Peavy on the "back burner", according to Nick Cafardo. While Buster Olney says that the only reason that no Jake Peavy trade had been completed as of yet is that the Red Sox want a prospect, but Cards are only offering salary relief. Nonetheless, Peter Gammons says that the Red Sox are scouting Cardinals prospect Rowan Wick.
Reading between the lines, it appears that the Cards are checking out all their options when it comes to finding a starting pitcher. While Mo says a back-end starter is more likely, I'm sure they wouldn't be opposed to acquiring Price, if the price is right. However, it appears that Mo wants to see if the price will come down on Price, before making a move on Peavy.
However, despite playing the waiting game, it appears that the Cardinals believe they will acquire a pitcher. The most telling thing is that Carlos Martinez is being moved back to the pen, according to Derrick Goold, with Shelby Miller returning to the rotation.
Even with the return of Miller to the rotation, the demotion of Martinez leaves the Cardinals with just 4 starters (Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Miller). With off days on Thursday and Monday, the Cards will not need a 5th starter until August 2nd. The demotion of Martinez to the pen, makes it appear that they believe they will have a new addition to the rotation by then.
So, while it may come down to the wire, I think that the Cardinals will acquire another starter by the July 31st deadline and it appears that the team believes that as well.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Cardinals are taking a hard look at David Price
Usually when it comes to trade rumors, you can discount much of what is being thrown around as just that, rumors. However, when more than one person is hinting at someone, chances are that it is true. Like they say "where there's smoke, there's fire".
That appears to be the case when it comes to the Cardinals and Tampa Bay's David Price. According to Joe Strauss, the Cardinals remain "fixated" on Price, while Derrick Goold indicates that the Cards interest in Price is reminiscent of their pursuit of Matt Holliday in 2009.
This is a bit surprising, as we were told just a week and a half ago, by Goold himself, that the Cardinals were looking for "hitting not (Jake) Peavy". Of course, Price is not Peavy and, as Strauss points out, beyond Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn, there are many questions surrounding the Cards starting rotation.
Despite the loss of Yadier Molina, there is still the belief that the hitting will come around. Matt Holliday is starting to heat up. He is hitting .304/.407/.522 in July and Allen Craig is too good of a hitter to be hitting only .244.
There have been signs of life with the offense and I think that the Cardinals just need to string a few good games together to get on track. However, the way this season has gone so far, that's a big if.
On the flip side, despite being 3rd in the NL in starters ERA, the Cardinals pitching has been shaky as of late. Shelby Miller was recently demoted to the bullpen after posting a 7.30 ERA in his last 5 starts, with the Cards saying he looks "tired". Carlos Martinez has been maddeningly inconsistent, as most rookies are, and Joe Kelly just came off the DL as is still trying to find his form.
Add in that Jaime Garcia is done for the year and Michael Wacha could be out at least until September and you can see why John Mozeliak could be looking to add a pitcher.
So, if you're going to add a pitcher, why not go big?
Well, according to Goold, there are a couple things the Cardinals will need to sort out first, before they even consider a trade for Price: (1) the chances of Price re-signing with them and (2) their willingness to pay the high cost (both in terms of money and prospects).
In his Baseball Tonight podcast last Friday, Buster Olney indicated that he thought that Price would be open to signing an extension with the Cardinals, as St. Louis is close to his hometown of Nashville.
As to the second point, the Cardinals certainly have the money for Price. Their 2014 opening day payroll of $107 million was less than their 2013 payroll of $115 million. Plus, they will have the salaries of Jason Motte ($7.5 million) and Mark Ellis ($5.25 million) coming off the books, giving them at least $20 million to play with. Add in the new MLB TV deal that kicked in this year, as the Cards should be flush with funds.
The main question that remains is whether Mo will be willing to part with the prospects required to last Price.
For his part, Price is making it hard for any team, let alone the Cardinals, to say no, as he has posted an 0.85 ERA over his last 4 starts and a 1.64 ERA over his last 9 starts.
With 11 days until the deadline, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
That appears to be the case when it comes to the Cardinals and Tampa Bay's David Price. According to Joe Strauss, the Cardinals remain "fixated" on Price, while Derrick Goold indicates that the Cards interest in Price is reminiscent of their pursuit of Matt Holliday in 2009.
This is a bit surprising, as we were told just a week and a half ago, by Goold himself, that the Cardinals were looking for "hitting not (Jake) Peavy". Of course, Price is not Peavy and, as Strauss points out, beyond Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn, there are many questions surrounding the Cards starting rotation.
Despite the loss of Yadier Molina, there is still the belief that the hitting will come around. Matt Holliday is starting to heat up. He is hitting .304/.407/.522 in July and Allen Craig is too good of a hitter to be hitting only .244.
There have been signs of life with the offense and I think that the Cardinals just need to string a few good games together to get on track. However, the way this season has gone so far, that's a big if.
On the flip side, despite being 3rd in the NL in starters ERA, the Cardinals pitching has been shaky as of late. Shelby Miller was recently demoted to the bullpen after posting a 7.30 ERA in his last 5 starts, with the Cards saying he looks "tired". Carlos Martinez has been maddeningly inconsistent, as most rookies are, and Joe Kelly just came off the DL as is still trying to find his form.
Add in that Jaime Garcia is done for the year and Michael Wacha could be out at least until September and you can see why John Mozeliak could be looking to add a pitcher.
So, if you're going to add a pitcher, why not go big?
Well, according to Goold, there are a couple things the Cardinals will need to sort out first, before they even consider a trade for Price: (1) the chances of Price re-signing with them and (2) their willingness to pay the high cost (both in terms of money and prospects).
In his Baseball Tonight podcast last Friday, Buster Olney indicated that he thought that Price would be open to signing an extension with the Cardinals, as St. Louis is close to his hometown of Nashville.
As to the second point, the Cardinals certainly have the money for Price. Their 2014 opening day payroll of $107 million was less than their 2013 payroll of $115 million. Plus, they will have the salaries of Jason Motte ($7.5 million) and Mark Ellis ($5.25 million) coming off the books, giving them at least $20 million to play with. Add in the new MLB TV deal that kicked in this year, as the Cards should be flush with funds.
The main question that remains is whether Mo will be willing to part with the prospects required to last Price.
For his part, Price is making it hard for any team, let alone the Cardinals, to say no, as he has posted an 0.85 ERA over his last 4 starts and a 1.64 ERA over his last 9 starts.
With 11 days until the deadline, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Will the Cardinals make a big splash this trade season?
With the All Star Break out of the way (finally) and meaningful games being played again, many will be turning their focus to the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline.
The last couple years have seen little trade activity for the Cardinals. Last year, the Cards acquired John Axford, but not until after the trade deadline. Before that, in 2012, the team acquired Edward Mujica. In fact, you have to go back to the July 2011 trade deadline for the last significant move at the deadline. That was the year that saw the club trade Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller and a couple prospects for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepcynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.
Now, with the deadline less than two weeks away, we're left to ponder what John Mozeliak has up his sleeve this year. Will he make the big move to acquire a hitter or a pitcher or will he just tinker with the bullpen (or make some other minor adjustments)?
The Cardinals have been reportedly looking at adding an offensive upgrade at second or third, which would likely push Kolten Wong to the bench. Ben Zobrist is a prime trade candidate for the Cards, but the Mariners are reportedly pursuing him, according to Jon Paul Morosi.
On the other hand, the season-ending injury to Jaime Garcia and the uncertain status of Michael Wacha, not to mention the recent demotion of Shelby Miller to the pen, have many concerned about the Cardinals pitching depth. Jeff Samardzija is already off the market and while David Price is available, the Cards will have many competitors to acquire his services (including the aforementioned Mariners.).
Derrick Goold was a guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast, in which he indicated that he thinks the Cardinals would at least be willing to discuss a deal involving Oscar Taveras for David Price. At a minimum, Goold says that the Cards will have to address their surplus of outfielders at some point.
Another concern is the loss of Yadier Molina, who will likely be out for the rest of the regular season. ESPN's Jim Bowden (subscription required) reports that the Cardinals are planning to scout the Twins' Kurt Suzuki as a potential upgrade over Tony Cruz and George Kottaras.
My guess is that the Cards will be relatively active this go around. They won't make any big moves, but will make a series of middle-tier moves to shore up their lineup and rotation. I think they will go after Suzuki, then add an infielder, such as Zobrist or Martin Prado and maybe an innings eater, such as Jake Peavy. None of these guys will cost the Cards a lot, but each of them would be an upgrade at the respective positions.
At this point, its all speculation as its difficult to tell which direction Mo will go or if he even will make a move. The team certainly has the pieces in place to make a splash, with an abundance of major league ready outfielders and young arms to dangle in front of selling teams--basically, the Cards have the pieces to acquire any player they want. Its just a question of who do they want and how much are they willing to give up.
The last couple years have seen little trade activity for the Cardinals. Last year, the Cards acquired John Axford, but not until after the trade deadline. Before that, in 2012, the team acquired Edward Mujica. In fact, you have to go back to the July 2011 trade deadline for the last significant move at the deadline. That was the year that saw the club trade Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller and a couple prospects for Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepcynski, Octavio Dotel and Corey Patterson.
Now, with the deadline less than two weeks away, we're left to ponder what John Mozeliak has up his sleeve this year. Will he make the big move to acquire a hitter or a pitcher or will he just tinker with the bullpen (or make some other minor adjustments)?
The Cardinals have been reportedly looking at adding an offensive upgrade at second or third, which would likely push Kolten Wong to the bench. Ben Zobrist is a prime trade candidate for the Cards, but the Mariners are reportedly pursuing him, according to Jon Paul Morosi.
On the other hand, the season-ending injury to Jaime Garcia and the uncertain status of Michael Wacha, not to mention the recent demotion of Shelby Miller to the pen, have many concerned about the Cardinals pitching depth. Jeff Samardzija is already off the market and while David Price is available, the Cards will have many competitors to acquire his services (including the aforementioned Mariners.).
Derrick Goold was a guest on Buster Olney's Baseball Tonight podcast, in which he indicated that he thinks the Cardinals would at least be willing to discuss a deal involving Oscar Taveras for David Price. At a minimum, Goold says that the Cards will have to address their surplus of outfielders at some point.
Another concern is the loss of Yadier Molina, who will likely be out for the rest of the regular season. ESPN's Jim Bowden (subscription required) reports that the Cardinals are planning to scout the Twins' Kurt Suzuki as a potential upgrade over Tony Cruz and George Kottaras.
My guess is that the Cards will be relatively active this go around. They won't make any big moves, but will make a series of middle-tier moves to shore up their lineup and rotation. I think they will go after Suzuki, then add an infielder, such as Zobrist or Martin Prado and maybe an innings eater, such as Jake Peavy. None of these guys will cost the Cards a lot, but each of them would be an upgrade at the respective positions.
At this point, its all speculation as its difficult to tell which direction Mo will go or if he even will make a move. The team certainly has the pieces in place to make a splash, with an abundance of major league ready outfielders and young arms to dangle in front of selling teams--basically, the Cards have the pieces to acquire any player they want. Its just a question of who do they want and how much are they willing to give up.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Revisiting the Cardinals and Troy Tulowitzki rumors (again)
Don't look now, but Ken Rosenthal is stirring up rumors regarding Troy Tulowitzki and a possible trade. Per Rosenthal, Tulo indicated that he would be open to a trade, saying "I want to be somewhere where there’s a chance to be in the playoffs every single year.”
However, before we all get our hopes up about the possibility of adding a true impact bat this month, Rosenthal is quick to point out that its more likely that Tulowitzki would be traded in the offseason rather than now.
Still, it makes one wonder if the Cardinals might pursue the Rockies All-Star shortstop this winter.
This season might be lost for the Redbirds, as the recent injury to Yadier Molina and the general malaise of the team have this writer wondering if they have what it takes to even make the playoffs. The Cardinals considered a trade for Tulo last winter before they ended up signing Jhonny Peralta to play short and they might revisit the idea again, if the Rockies make him available.
Peralta can easily shift over to third base, with Matt Carpenter moving to second, to make room for Tulowitzki. Kolten Wong would be the odd man out, but he hasn't exactly shown that he is major league ready. Perhaps he could end up being a trade piece (maybe even this month).
As Rosenthal points out, I'm sure many Cardinals fans would be willing to trade Allen Craig, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal to the Rockies for Tulo, as he suggested last year. The Rockies are in desperate need of pitching help and the Cards still have a nice stable of young arms.
The only thing that concerns me about Tulowitzki is his home/away splits. While he is a career .299/.374/.518 hitter, he has hit .324/.398/.565 in Colorado and just .275/.349/.470 on the road. However, fans had the same concerns about Matt Holliday and he's turned out alright. Besides, if those road numbers are his standard with the Cards, its still better than any shortstop we've had since I don't know when.
Its an interesting situation and one that bears watching this winter, however, its not gonna help the Cardinals this year.
Cards Claim George Kottaras
In other news, the Cardinals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers from the Indians. He will provide the Cards with much needed depth after Molina's injury. Kottaras is a career .216 hitter, but does have some power, as his career ISO (isolated power) is .199, which is above league average.
He will replace Audry Perez on the active roster and will likely split time at catcher with Tony Cruz while Molina is out.
However, before we all get our hopes up about the possibility of adding a true impact bat this month, Rosenthal is quick to point out that its more likely that Tulowitzki would be traded in the offseason rather than now.
Still, it makes one wonder if the Cardinals might pursue the Rockies All-Star shortstop this winter.
This season might be lost for the Redbirds, as the recent injury to Yadier Molina and the general malaise of the team have this writer wondering if they have what it takes to even make the playoffs. The Cardinals considered a trade for Tulo last winter before they ended up signing Jhonny Peralta to play short and they might revisit the idea again, if the Rockies make him available.
Peralta can easily shift over to third base, with Matt Carpenter moving to second, to make room for Tulowitzki. Kolten Wong would be the odd man out, but he hasn't exactly shown that he is major league ready. Perhaps he could end up being a trade piece (maybe even this month).
As Rosenthal points out, I'm sure many Cardinals fans would be willing to trade Allen Craig, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal to the Rockies for Tulo, as he suggested last year. The Rockies are in desperate need of pitching help and the Cards still have a nice stable of young arms.
The only thing that concerns me about Tulowitzki is his home/away splits. While he is a career .299/.374/.518 hitter, he has hit .324/.398/.565 in Colorado and just .275/.349/.470 on the road. However, fans had the same concerns about Matt Holliday and he's turned out alright. Besides, if those road numbers are his standard with the Cards, its still better than any shortstop we've had since I don't know when.
Its an interesting situation and one that bears watching this winter, however, its not gonna help the Cardinals this year.
Cards Claim George Kottaras
In other news, the Cardinals claimed catcher George Kottaras off waivers from the Indians. He will provide the Cards with much needed depth after Molina's injury. Kottaras is a career .216 hitter, but does have some power, as his career ISO (isolated power) is .199, which is above league average.
He will replace Audry Perez on the active roster and will likely split time at catcher with Tony Cruz while Molina is out.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
How do Cardinals replace Yadier Molina?
Short answer: You can't.
The Cardinals playoff chances took a big hit today as the team found out that starting catcher Yadier Molina would miss 8-12 weeks after suffering a ligament tear in his right thumb. That timetable puts him out until mid-to-late September, effectively ending his season, although he could be back in time for the playoffs (if the Cards make it).
This is the worst thing that could have happened to an already struggling team. Not only are the Cardinals losing one of their better hitters, but they are also losing the leader on defense and a guy who acts like a manager on the field.
Molina has been invaluable in working with the Cardinals young pitchers and helping them develop, while his throwing ability as well as his ability to frame pitches saves the team several runs each year.
Backup Tony Cruz will take over for Molina in the short-term, while GM John Mozeliak has already acknowledged that he will scour the market for any available catchers, according to Jennifer Langosch.
But what catchers might be available?
Well, the Yankees have an abundance of catchers in their system and Brian McCann, who they signed to a 5-year deal prior to the season, blocking them all.
According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Yankees could make Francisco Cervelli available. He is a career .271/.342/.368 hitter, but has only thrown out 22% of base stealers in his career.
ESPN's Jim Bowden (via Bernie Miklasz), also lists the following catchers as being available:
Kurt Suzuki, Twins.
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies.
Hector Sanchez, Giants.
John Buck, Mariners
A.J. Pierzynski, Red Sox
Ryan Hanigan, Rays.
Jose Molina, Rays
Buck and Pierzynski were recently designated for assignment and can probably be acquired for cheap. Ruiz would only be available if Phillies GM Ruben Amaro finally admits defeat and starts selling. Yadier's brother Jose is also well known for his defense (37% CS) and pitch framing, but is a career .235 hitter and is hitting only .187 this year. Suzuki and Sanchez are pretty similar. Sanchez has a career .257 average and has thrown out 26% of basestealer, while Sanchez has a .251 average and 26% CS). Hanigan has thrown out base stealers at a career 39% rate, but his offense has dropped off considerably the last two years.
None of these guys are going to replace Yadier, but there are a few who could be upgrades over Tony Cruz and that's all Mozeliak will be looking for at this point. What this really means is that other Cardinals need to step it up to help replace Molina's production. If not, this season could be over in a hurry.
The Cardinals playoff chances took a big hit today as the team found out that starting catcher Yadier Molina would miss 8-12 weeks after suffering a ligament tear in his right thumb. That timetable puts him out until mid-to-late September, effectively ending his season, although he could be back in time for the playoffs (if the Cards make it).
This is the worst thing that could have happened to an already struggling team. Not only are the Cardinals losing one of their better hitters, but they are also losing the leader on defense and a guy who acts like a manager on the field.
Molina has been invaluable in working with the Cardinals young pitchers and helping them develop, while his throwing ability as well as his ability to frame pitches saves the team several runs each year.
Backup Tony Cruz will take over for Molina in the short-term, while GM John Mozeliak has already acknowledged that he will scour the market for any available catchers, according to Jennifer Langosch.
But what catchers might be available?
Well, the Yankees have an abundance of catchers in their system and Brian McCann, who they signed to a 5-year deal prior to the season, blocking them all.
According to David Lennon of Newsday, the Yankees could make Francisco Cervelli available. He is a career .271/.342/.368 hitter, but has only thrown out 22% of base stealers in his career.
ESPN's Jim Bowden (via Bernie Miklasz), also lists the following catchers as being available:
Kurt Suzuki, Twins.
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies.
Hector Sanchez, Giants.
John Buck, Mariners
A.J. Pierzynski, Red Sox
Ryan Hanigan, Rays.
Jose Molina, Rays
Buck and Pierzynski were recently designated for assignment and can probably be acquired for cheap. Ruiz would only be available if Phillies GM Ruben Amaro finally admits defeat and starts selling. Yadier's brother Jose is also well known for his defense (37% CS) and pitch framing, but is a career .235 hitter and is hitting only .187 this year. Suzuki and Sanchez are pretty similar. Sanchez has a career .257 average and has thrown out 26% of basestealer, while Sanchez has a .251 average and 26% CS). Hanigan has thrown out base stealers at a career 39% rate, but his offense has dropped off considerably the last two years.
None of these guys are going to replace Yadier, but there are a few who could be upgrades over Tony Cruz and that's all Mozeliak will be looking for at this point. What this really means is that other Cardinals need to step it up to help replace Molina's production. If not, this season could be over in a hurry.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Cardinals are "looking for offense not Peavy"
In case you missed it, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the Cardinals and Jake Peavy yesterday, with Gordon Edes, Peter Gammons and Jayson Stark all reporting the Cards interest in the Red Sox pitcher. Jon Morosi even indicated that the Cards and Red Sox were in active trade talks regarding Peavy.
However, Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch put the brakes on that talk with a report that the Cardinals are "looking for offense not Peavy", saying there is no match with Boston given that Joe Kelly is expected to return to the starting rotation on Friday.
Goold also tweeted that Cards GM John Mozeliak believes that the team would have to give up one of its starters to acquire a top starter, resulting in a net loss in years of control.
This is yet another example of why trading season is so much fun. You never know who is telling the truth (or even what the truth is) and what is just info that is being "leaked" to try to leverage ongoing negotiations.
In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cardinals land both a starting pitcher and a hitter. Their pitching depth has taken a big hit lately and its no secret that their offense could use some help. Bringing is a "cheap" pitcher (in terms of prospects) like Peavy would allow the Cards to use their bigger trade chips to land a bat.
With a little over 3 weeks remaining until the (non-waiver) trade deadline, we do know this: Mo is definitely looking to do something significant to shake up this team.
However, Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch put the brakes on that talk with a report that the Cardinals are "looking for offense not Peavy", saying there is no match with Boston given that Joe Kelly is expected to return to the starting rotation on Friday.
Goold also tweeted that Cards GM John Mozeliak believes that the team would have to give up one of its starters to acquire a top starter, resulting in a net loss in years of control.
This is yet another example of why trading season is so much fun. You never know who is telling the truth (or even what the truth is) and what is just info that is being "leaked" to try to leverage ongoing negotiations.
In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cardinals land both a starting pitcher and a hitter. Their pitching depth has taken a big hit lately and its no secret that their offense could use some help. Bringing is a "cheap" pitcher (in terms of prospects) like Peavy would allow the Cards to use their bigger trade chips to land a bat.
With a little over 3 weeks remaining until the (non-waiver) trade deadline, we do know this: Mo is definitely looking to do something significant to shake up this team.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Are the Cardinals pursuing Jake Peavy?
With injuries to Jaime Garcia and Michael Wacha, as well as concerns surrounding Shelby Miller's performance (5.81 ERA in his last 5 starts) and overextending Carlos Martinez, who has not pitched more than 132 innings in the regular season, it makes sense that the Cardinals would be looking to add another starting pitcher.
But, Jake Peavy? Really?
According to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com, the Cards scouted Peavy's start on July 6 and Peter Gammons is reporting that the Cardinals have interest in the righthander. For what its worth, the Cards also showed interest in Peavy last year around this time, before he ended up going to the Red Sox.
On the plus side, Peavy, who has approximately $7 million remaining on his contract for this season, would likely not cost the Cardinals much in terms of prospects, if they agreed to pick up the remainder of his contract. He has proven his durability this year, logging 110.2 IP so far, and is unlikely to meet the 400 IP minimum, for 2013 and 2014 combined, for his 2015 player option to kick in.
Thus, from that standpoint, its a low risk, high potential reward move for the Cardinals.
On the downside, despite his durability, Peavy hasn't exactly been tearing it up this season, with a 4.64 ERA, including a 5.89 ERA for May and a 5.40 ERA for June. Would he really be an upgrade over any of the Cardinals current starters?
If the Cards can get him for some low-level prospect or two, then it might be worth it, as the team could use some pitching depth. However, if the Red Sox ask for anything of significant value, then the Cards should pass.
But, Jake Peavy? Really?
According to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com, the Cards scouted Peavy's start on July 6 and Peter Gammons is reporting that the Cardinals have interest in the righthander. For what its worth, the Cards also showed interest in Peavy last year around this time, before he ended up going to the Red Sox.
On the plus side, Peavy, who has approximately $7 million remaining on his contract for this season, would likely not cost the Cardinals much in terms of prospects, if they agreed to pick up the remainder of his contract. He has proven his durability this year, logging 110.2 IP so far, and is unlikely to meet the 400 IP minimum, for 2013 and 2014 combined, for his 2015 player option to kick in.
Thus, from that standpoint, its a low risk, high potential reward move for the Cardinals.
On the downside, despite his durability, Peavy hasn't exactly been tearing it up this season, with a 4.64 ERA, including a 5.89 ERA for May and a 5.40 ERA for June. Would he really be an upgrade over any of the Cardinals current starters?
If the Cards can get him for some low-level prospect or two, then it might be worth it, as the team could use some pitching depth. However, if the Red Sox ask for anything of significant value, then the Cards should pass.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Catching up on the Cardinals trade rumors from the holiday weekend
While the Cubs continue to stockpile infield prospects (whatever happened to Josh Vitters?), the Cardinals have more pressing matters at hand, in particular trying to win the NL Central (or at least clinch a Wildcard spot).
With the Cubs trade of Jeff Samardzija to the A's, David Price is the only ace currently on the market. To make things more interesting, Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi states that the Rays are willing to trade Price within their own division.
The Cardinals remain in the hunt for Price, according to Morosi, especially given Jaime Garcia's recent season ending surgery and the uncertainty surrounding Michael Wacha's return. However, the Rays recent hot streak has at least delayed a potential trade, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports suggests that the Dodgers could look to acquire Price as a means of forcing a compromise between media giants Time Warner and Direct TV and end the current blackout that is affecting 70% of the Dodgers viewership.
One thing is for certain, with Samardzija off the market, interest in Price will certainly heat up and it will only drive up the asking price for the ace lefty. The Cardinals will still be in the mix, but chances are that John Mozeliak will not pony up the prospects necessary to acquire Price.
With Price looking like less of a possibility, Mozeliak may be turning he attention elsewhere.
According to Jon Paul Morosi, the Cardinals, along with the Blue Jays and Giants are showing interest in Diamondbacks infielders Aaron Hill and Martin Prado. Neither of them are having stellar seasons, with Hill hitting .241/.278/.359 and Prado .268/.314/.357, however, perhaps a change of scenery (and a pennant race) could help them catch fire.
Given a choice between the two, I would rather have Prado as he is younger (30 vs 32 for Hill), has a better career average (.290 vs. .271) and OBP (.340 vs .325). Plus, Prado is more versatile, having played over 200 games at second, third and leftfield for his career (Hill has played second base exclusively since 2007).
Obviously, these are probably just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Cardinals trade rumors, as there are probably many more that are not reported (or leaked), but it looks like the Cards are at least trying to make a significant move to help this team.
With the Cubs trade of Jeff Samardzija to the A's, David Price is the only ace currently on the market. To make things more interesting, Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi states that the Rays are willing to trade Price within their own division.
The Cardinals remain in the hunt for Price, according to Morosi, especially given Jaime Garcia's recent season ending surgery and the uncertainty surrounding Michael Wacha's return. However, the Rays recent hot streak has at least delayed a potential trade, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports suggests that the Dodgers could look to acquire Price as a means of forcing a compromise between media giants Time Warner and Direct TV and end the current blackout that is affecting 70% of the Dodgers viewership.
One thing is for certain, with Samardzija off the market, interest in Price will certainly heat up and it will only drive up the asking price for the ace lefty. The Cardinals will still be in the mix, but chances are that John Mozeliak will not pony up the prospects necessary to acquire Price.
With Price looking like less of a possibility, Mozeliak may be turning he attention elsewhere.
According to Jon Paul Morosi, the Cardinals, along with the Blue Jays and Giants are showing interest in Diamondbacks infielders Aaron Hill and Martin Prado. Neither of them are having stellar seasons, with Hill hitting .241/.278/.359 and Prado .268/.314/.357, however, perhaps a change of scenery (and a pennant race) could help them catch fire.
Given a choice between the two, I would rather have Prado as he is younger (30 vs 32 for Hill), has a better career average (.290 vs. .271) and OBP (.340 vs .325). Plus, Prado is more versatile, having played over 200 games at second, third and leftfield for his career (Hill has played second base exclusively since 2007).
Obviously, these are probably just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Cardinals trade rumors, as there are probably many more that are not reported (or leaked), but it looks like the Cards are at least trying to make a significant move to help this team.
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