Eight years ago today, the Cardinals signed Chris Carpenter to a one-year contract worth $500K for the second straight offseason. The right-hander had missed the entire 2003 season due to shoulder surgery, but St. Louis bet another half-a-million bucks on his recovery. Carpenter rewarded them with a 3.46 ERA in 28 starts in 2004, and has since helped the club to three NL pennants and two World Series titles.
Here is this week's batch of pre-winter meetings links…
- Amazin' Avenue provides a transcript of Mets GM Sandy Alderson's recent conference call with bloggers.
- The Todd Can Poppel Rookie Card Retirement Plan discusses a recent interview with Athletics assistant GM David Forst.
- Giants Nirvana isn't terribly excited about Giants GM Brian Sabean's recent contract extension.
- Bleacher Nation makes a case for and against the Cubs signing Prince Fielder.
- District on Deck thinks Josh Willingham makes more sense for the Nationals than Fielder.
- Baseball Reality Tour doesn't think the Royals improved by adding Jonathan Broxton.
- Motor City Bengals wonders if Mark Buehrle is a good fit for the Tigers.
- The Hardball Times looks at how David DeJesus might impact Alfonso Soriano.
- Pirates Prospects tries to figure out where the Pirates could add an impact player.
- Rum Bunter thinks Matt Adams could have helped the Pirates at first base.
- Bay City Ball says going cheap might be a good thing for the Giants.
- Shutdown Inning comes up with starting pitcher comparables for Neftali Feliz.
- BoSox Injection wonders if the Red Sox should make a push for Matt Garza.
- Splice Today believes Gio Gonzalez is getting overrated on the trade market.
- South Side Sox closes the book on the trade that sent Nick Swisher to the Yankees.
- South Side Showdown thinks the White Sox should be open to trading Matt Thornton.
- Brotherly Glove says the Nationals have a chance to become very good, very fast.
- Warehouse Worthy wonders what the Orioles will do with Luke Scott.
- Call to the Pen analyzed the John Jaso-Josh Lueke trade.
- Wahoo's on First suggests a trade between baseball's two Ohio teams.
- Ol' Ball Game looked at some ways to improve the Indians.
- I-70 Baseball wonders if Jose Oquendo could be the next manager of the Astros.
- Rant Sports Yankees believes the Yankees should explore trading Ivan Nova.
- Rational Sports Fan thinks the new collective bargaining agreement hurts young pitchers.
- Fantasy Rundown compiles all your favorite prospect lists in one place.
- MLB Reports likes the idea of expanded interleague play.
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