IlliniwekKDR
- Colorado Springs, CO
I really want to see some pitching depth added. Too many question marks right now
ELEHURIS MONTERO
The player in this deal with the most obvious physical talent is 22-year-old 3B/1B Elehuris Montero. During the regular season, he averaged just shy of 2.5 pitches per plate appearance ... From a hitting talent perspective — the bat speed, primarily — Montero has everyday upside, but corner bats with approach issues are terrifying prospects.
MATEO GIL
20-year-old SS/3B Mateo Gil and righty Tony Locey are the two prospects with the most potential for physical and technical growth.
TONY LOCEY
He struggled early in his college career but toward the end of 2019 Locey would hold mid-90s velo late into games, hitting 97 regularly and landing a solidly average breaking ball that dev-minded folks in baseball think has more ceiling.
JAKE SOMMERS
He might seem like a throw-in, but his power fastball-slider combination gives him a chance to impact a big league bullpen eventually.
They just got $50 million,so that will take some of the sting.Looks like th Cards will be paying the bulk of 14 mil and will receive a player to be named later or cash. Maybe they will send Trout.
It’s been a week since news first broke that the Cardinals were closing in on a deal to acquire superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado from the Rockies. The process to work around Arenado’s contract was so complicated that it took three more days of negotiations between the Cardinals and Rockies respective braintrusts. It included a series of mandatory approvals from the league, player’s union, and Arenado himself, as well as several alterations to Arenado’s contract. Once the deal was announced, casual fans and even a few pundits were vexed by the imbalance in the Cardinals’ favor in the deal. Words like “fleeced” and “swindled” dotted descriptions of the trade. While there’s a lot of truth to that notion, there’s more to the story. Let’s untangle the deal and determine what exactly each team acquired in the deal.
I stay away for 1 day, and this? He was their best hitter against RH pitching, I believe. Also, worst defender. I wonder who they are in on? Can't just be the the current roster, can it?Fowler to the Angels
It might be. They have 5 young players that need to prove they belong on the roster. They can't be kept in limbo forever. Either the front office believes in them or doesn't. It's time for the players to justify the trust that has been placed in them.I stay away for 1 day, and this? He was their best hitter against RH pitching, I believe. Also, worst defender. I wonder who they are in on? Can't just be the the current roster, can it?
The St. Louis Cardinals are close to bringing back free-agent catcher Yadier Molina, a source told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal on Monday.
Appears to be a 1-year $9 million dealYadi's back. Almost.
The Athlete
What's next for the Cardinals?
Eno Sarris, senior MLB writer: The Cardinals still have some work to do around the edges. Another starter would help the pitching depth, and their right field situation is still in the bottom five in the league. The good news is that these things are decently available on the market. James Paxton or Matt Shoemaker could help the rotation depth. And a lefty-swinging outfielder like Brett Gardner or Josh Reddick could improve the right field.
But no DH for the NLMLB and players' association came to an agreement on health protocols for the upcoming season as well as the return of 7-inning doubleheaders and runners on 2nd in extras for another season.
I like Carlson in right, and he is a switch hitter. Left and center, more concern.The same article asks-
If these are the only choices I would be more interested in Paxton than Shoemaker. I wonder why he didn't include every fan's favorite, Ordozzi? As for the left handed OF, I am not overly excited about either. I'm not certain they will be a step up from the current quintet. If I must take one of these two, Reddick.
linkThe Phillies announced Wednesday that they’ve traded right-hander Johan Quezada to the Cardinals in exchange for cash.
Quezada, 26, is a longtime Twins farmhand who inked a minor league deal with the Marlins last winter and went on to make his MLB debut late in the 2020 season. The righty tossed just three big league innings last year, showing a fastball that sat at 97 mph and has long been considered his best offering. He spent the bulk of the 2020 season at Miami’s alternate training site and landed with the Phillies on a waiver claim in late October.
linkQuezada offers the team organizational depth in the bullpen with upside to contribute at the major-league level. He primarily throws his fastball – it touches 98 – with above-average sink that plays well off his slider. For the price, it was a deal the Cardinals could not pass up. He became expendable with the Phillies after the team signed reliever Brandon Kintzler and needed room on the 40-man roster for shortstop Didi Gregorius.
It is likely that the Cardinals continue to explore moves like this to help their organizational depth in the bullpen. After all, you can never have enough relievers – especially in a year where teams fear that pitcher injuries will increase given that the schedule is going from 60 to 162 games. But it is unlikely that the Cardinals make any big acquisitions to their pitching staff until midseason – the only exception is Jake Odorizzi, whose asking price exceeds what the team is willing to offer – and enter the season with the pitchers they have now and perhaps another arm or two on non-roster invites.
linkThe Cardinals’ stout bullpen, a top 10 unit in 2020, returns many of the same faces from last season, headlined by Andrew Miller, Giovanny Gallegos, Alex Reyes and Génesis Cabrera. Quezada could compete for one of the last open spots, but the club also has an open competition for the fifth-starter role that will have a trickle-down impact on the bullpen battle as well.
Quezada, who originally signed as an international free agent in 2012 with the Twins, signed with the Marlins in December 2019. He was claimed off waivers by the Phillies in October and tossed five innings (conceding two runs) this past Dominican Winter League season.