SB Nation User Blog: joecardsfan

In Contention Trades

joecardsfan — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:33:35 -0000

While I know it awfully early to start thinking trades, I'd like to see who VEB thinks would be a good trading partner for us, if we are still in contention over the next few months. And fortunately the way we have been playing, this is a distinct possibility. Here are the questions I pose to you:

Who are our best trading chips?

What positions do we need some help?

Who would you like us to go after/think we have a shot at getting?

To answer my own questions, I think our best chips are (maybe not at this moment, but based on salary, age, position, etc) the following: I think the two that would jump out at most of us are Duncan and Reyes. Duncan would be a good fit for at AL team where he can DH for 1/2 of his starts. Obviously Reyes isn't going to work here, so getting him some time in AAA to showcase his stuff might make him appealing in a few months.

I think the places we most need help are SS (although Izturis has had a few hits as of late), and relief pitching - most notably closer (Izzy really scares me). Also, depending on if our starters and outfielders stay hot or at least semi-warm, we may be in the market for one of those spots, as well.

That being said, I think I have a quality fit, who we are all familiar with: the A's. My proposed trade to them would be Reyes and Duncan for Bobby Crosby and Huston Street. I think this could work for various reasons. Duncan would be a good platoon player in the OF and at 1B, as well as hit some at DH to give the "Big Hurt" some time off. Also, with Thomas only signed for this year, this gives them a bat under team control for the next few seasons. Obviously adding Reyes gives them another young pitcher, who is cheap, that they can groom into a quality starter and then flip for more prospects (Hudson, Mulder, Haren). What we add is a closer in Street, who they may be willing to part with bc he is on a one year contract that he signed to avoid arbitration, who we could potentially lock up long term depending on his asking price. We also add a SS with some pop who is locked up through next year at a fairly reasonable salary (around 5 mil for next year). This allows us to either bring Izturis off the bench late in games for D, or allows us a nice pinching hitting bat when Crosby isn't in the lineup. We don't take on that much salary, it shores up our already crowded outfield, it gives them a few quality pieces to mold and flip, they get something in return for two players who won't be with them after this season and next, respectively, and it helps our everyday lineup/bullpen. I think this works for both clubs.

I ask you now VEB, what do you think on this topic!?!!?

December 7 Hot Stove Diary

joecardsfan — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:26:31 -0000

Well, there has been a lot of talk, but no movement thus far out of the Cards. The biggest splash during the Winter Meetings was our snagging former uber-prospect Brian Barton from the Indians. In Straus' article today he makes a great point, that I failed to even remember:

"Following a third-place finish in 2003, they drafted Indians infielder Hector Luna at the winter meetings. Luna made the club in spring training and remained in St. Louis all season. Luna later returned to the Indians in a trade July 2006 for second baseman Ronnie Belliard, a key player in the Cardinals' postseason surge."

Who knows if Barton will become a special player for us, become a good chip to trade, or if he will even stay in STL. Only time will tell, but I like the signing because if nothing else it gives us some options as far as being able to trade an OF or two for pitching. I suppose we'll see.

The other rumor out there that kind of intrigues me is us possibly being interested in Barry Bonds. Sure there is a dark cloud over him, but come on, he can't make the club house anymore dysfunctional that it already is?? Can he?? Who knows, he may even balance it out. But to be serious, if we can get him at a decent one year deal I'd love to see him hitting in front of or behind Pujols. But, here's the catch in my opinion: The interest in him seems to be very sparse, which you would think would make him a bargain. However, Barry has too much pride and ego to take less than what he thinks is fair for his services, thus, IMHO, he would retire before taking a salary below what he expects to earn. You just never know with him. But I'd be open to his services for a year.

Lastly, and I recognize that this isn't hot stove, but I would like to discuss Rasmus for a moment. I love the guy, think he is going to be amazing, and could turn out to be the best player we have had since Pujols came along. HOWEVER, I do not think the Cardinals (or any team for that matter) can say a player is untouchable. While I agree with everyone here that he will only get better, I think if you can get a Lincecum or someone similar you would be crazy not to. Obviously it would depend on the situation and who else was involved in the trade, but the point is if you can get a dominant starter that will anchor your staff for 5+ years, I don't see how you don't at least discuss it. Just a disclaimer before you all jump down my throat, I am not advocating trading Rasmus or do I think it is in the best interest of the team, I just feel we should be open to options that could better the Cardinals for the long term. Just ask yourself these questions as well: Would the Sox rather have Beckett or Elsbury? Would the Indians rather have Sizemore or Sabathia? Would the M's rather have F. Hernandez of Adam Jones? Awesome pitching with upside trumps awesome hitting/defense with upside. Fact of life.

Have at it VEB!!

December 6 Hot Stove Diary

joecardsfan — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:16:21 -0000

Update [2007-12-6 9:27:28 by lboros]: joecardsfan, i apologize for hijacking your diary, but it gibes perfectly with an idea i had intended to roll out today --- a daily hot-stove / rumor diary. erik manning proposed a version of this idea yesterday, and i think it's a good one --- it will prevent the proliferation of redundant diaries, as well as the impulsive tossoffs that aren't really worthy of a separate thread. so please put all news, links, opinions, etc etc related to the winter meetings and the off-season marketplace in this thread, or in today's main thread. if you've got non-hot-stove subjects you want to discuss, the diaries are open for those.

let's try this for a few days and see if it improves the discussion and promotes harmony.

[end update]

First off, let me say I apologize if I am starting a diary that is already covered by other VEBers. But it seems to me that most of the diaries have been on trade rumors and the feud from "The Hills"...er, LaRussa and Rolen. So I was hoping to start a catch-all Free Agency discussion diary. That being said, although it is not my favorite source, mlbtraderumors.com, had some good discussion pieces taken from STLtoday, but in a consolidated form. Here is the link, and then my initial thought:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/cardinals-turn.html

I am really glad that we will (HOPEFULLY!!) not pursue Lohse and Silva. Quite honestly they are only getting this much interest for two reasons: the rising inflated cost of starting pitching, and a weak FA class. Let's hope neither of these two clowns gets signed, especially for 10 mil+ for 4 or more years.

I wouldn't mind signing Colon, but for an incentive laden one year deal. His injury concerns are too risky to sign him long term.

Livan would be OK if the price is right. He's reliable, eats innings, and you know what you are getting. I wouldn't even necessarily be opposed to a 2 yr contract, if the price is right.

Josh Fogg would be a decent option, again if the price is right. I believe that he would be a cheapest of the lot.

I really hope they are not interested in Benson. Too many injuries, too much baggage.

I like Rowand, but not for the years or the money. I hope they pass.

Have at it VEB!!!

The Big Ten Predictions for 2008

joecardsfan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:48:41 -0000

This was a fun exercise that I stole from LGT. Have fun with it!

(1) Who will be the pitchers with the most starts (top 5)?

(2) Who is most likely to be traded this offseason - Rolen, Duncan, Looper, Reyes, other? Where does this player go?

(3) What kind of numbers (HRs, AVG/OBP/SLG line) will Rick Ankiel put up in 2008?

(4) Who will be Cards second baseman by season's end - Kennedy, Ryan, mystery player?

(5) __ will be the Cards starting SS on opening day.

(6) The 2008 version of Rick Ankiel will be __ (Fills a void on the roster and arrives sometime around mid-July or early August either via trade or farm system)

(7) __ will rocket up the ranks of minor league prospects by the start of spring training (other than Colby Rasmus).

(8) The Cardinals biggest off-season trade acquisition will be a __ (give the player's position)

(9) If we are out of contention by the trade deadline, the first player to go is ____.

(10) Who will be the biggest free agent name that we sign this off-season?

(11) ___will be Dave Duncan's project heading into next season.

TIEBREAKER: The Reds will finish 2008 in ___ place.

Garland/O. Cabrera Trade

joecardsfan — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:48:23 -0000

By now I am sure most of us have heard that the Angels and White Sox completed a trade sending Garland our west for Orlando Cabrera and some cash. On the surface it seems pretty even, but the main thing that could be beneficial to us is that this now gives the Angels a ridiculous amount of starting pitching - some of which they could be looking to move for an impact bat. My initial thought would be to work out a trade centering around Ervin Santana and Chris Duncan. I am not sure though as to his contract status. I only found that he signed a one year deal last March ('07). However, I think this would benefit both teams. While I know Santana did not have a great year last year, he is young, nasty, and he will eat innings.

What are everyone's thoughts??

Poll

Who would most likely be traded to get pitching from the Angels?

S. Rolen

29 votes

C. Rasmus

0 votes

B. Anderson

5 votes

J. Edmonds

1 votes

R. Ankiel

4 votes

Other

7 votes

C. Duncan

41 votes

R. Ludwick

1 votes

88 votes | Poll has closed

Bennett's Option Declined

joecardsfan — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:41:47 -0000

Not that's it's relevant, but just thought I'd share. I don't know what this means as far as who they will get to back up Molina. I, personally, think it's a moot point, and we could put one of those throw back things little kids use for all I care. We'll see I suppose.

Here's the link:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/9872CD8D0FD1C7FF86257387005D2F0F ?OpenDocument

Starting a team

joecardsfan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:26:02 -0000

Just for fun, until the hot stove really heats up, I thought we could play around with this. Who are the top 3 or 5 players you would want if you were starting a team? Who would you want as Manager? And, just for fun, what park do you wish your team played in??

A fun exercise to see who VEB thinks are the best/up and coming players, managers, and the best park. Enjoy!

Offseason trades??

joecardsfan — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:40:15 -0000

Going into this offseason I think it's obvious the only way that we are going to acquire new players is via trades. There really are no FAs worth the money (or years) that make sense in this year's market for us.

That being said, I am curious to what you all think would be sensible trades? Obviously we have a surplus of OFs and I think we would all be OK with trading Lee in order to get something of value (and less expensive!!) - I know I would.

So what does LGT have to say about potential trades???

2007 Answered a Lot of Questions

joecardsfan — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:03:15 -0000

I think, even though the season ended not how we had hoped, we learned a lot about this club, and what it is capable of in the next 3-4 years. While we all know this team will be great for a run like we had in the mid to late 90s, the emergence of talent has really shown through. Top things to take away from '07:

We have a DOMINANT rotation, especially with the emergence of Fausto, regardless of what happened in the post season. Even though CC and Fausto struggled, they threw a TON of innings, and I think next year they both will be stronger and tougher for it. I also like how we have spare parts, if need be, for the rotation: Lee, Sowers, etc.
Asdrubal quite possibly may be the next Omar, but at 2nd. Some of the plays he made in the post season were vintage Omar, and he is a joy to watch. Once he gets more acclimated to big league pitching, I think he will put up similar numbers to Omar, as well. He'll have a solid avg, get on base any way possible, and score some runs in that 2 spot. *Side note: with his emergence, I do believe we can use Barfield as a bargaining chip to help get a corner outfielder (Chris Duncan on STL??).
Even with a down year from Hafner, and a "below expectations" from Sizemore in regards to average and OB %, we were still one game from the WS. They are both too talented not to have better '08s. Please don't think I am taking anything away from either one of them this year, but I forsee potential MVP-type years from both of them.
Our young pen is nasty (regardless of post season) and Borowski can be Mesa again next year - scares you when he comes in, but more often than not, he does what he is supposed to. If we can keep them healthy - and hungry - they will again be a big source of strength next year.
Wedge is the right man for the job. I won't lie, I was not a big supported of his hiring 4 years ago, and after last year, I was really upset with his approach. However, after seeing how well the team responds to him and how well he manages the veterans and youth alike, I think he is a great fit for our team. Sticking with what got them to the post season was a great approach, and as this team gets older and more cohesive, we'll see that pay dividends in years to come.
Lofton is a great fit for this team, and should be brought back next year. We were lacking a corner ourfielder, and his willingness to play LF, showed that he wanted to be here. And after the support he received from the city, I think he'll want to end his career with the Tribe.

These are just some of the things I have been thinking of the last few days, because as we all know, the season is over. Baseball for me doesn't start again until after Valentine's day. Feel free to comment and add your own thoughts about what you learned this year. It was a great run, and I am proud to be a member of the Tribe and a Clevelander!!

SI's Tom Verducci's on Pineiro and baseball

joecardsfan — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:01:59 -0000

"It didn't generate much attention, but that two-year, $13 million contract the Cardinals gave Joel Piniero was a sign that owners are going to spend ridiculous sums of money on pitching this winter -- and they won't be deterred by the lack of good pitching, either. Piniero threw less than 100 innings with basically a league average ERA last season. I can't even imagine what the Kyle Lohses and Carlos Silvas are going to get. But it's another reminder just how awash with money is baseball."

I don't think the main thing we should take away from this little blurb is how overpriced Joel Piniero and average pitching is, but the bigger point is "how awash with money is baseball." If DeWitt doesn't open his pocketbook the next few years (and I'm talking everything from trades, to free agency, to arbitration, to keeping homegrown/cheap talent: Wainwright, Duncan, etc) we are going to be in BIG trouble.

I'm with a lot of you on here about being competitive in '08, but really pushing hard for some quality talent that COULD hit the free agent market next year. But even with a LOT of big contracts coming off the books after '08, we still will have quite a few holes to fill, and filling those holes won't come cheap. We need to have a solid group next year that stays in the NL Central race (a very good possibility, even if we are fairly complacent this off-season) in order to continue selling tickets because next year all the millions from expiring contracts aren't going to buy a whole heck of a lot if this trend (and I think it will) continues.

I would hate to have to go through a full blown rebuilding process, but if DeWitt doesn't want to spend the money, we'll have to. We have to keep in mind that if the very little farm talent we have doesn't pan out, there is no way we can field a competitive team with other teams' homegrown talent. I also hope a lot of things go as we are planning (Rasmus ready in '09, Ankiel being 80% of the player he was this year, Wainwright staying strong with all the innings he'll pitch, sign some decent players to contracts that make sense, etc, etc) or else that will put us in an even bigger hole.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But I for one am a little scared if DeWitt doesn't decide to spend - but if/when he does, I hope it's wisely.