The Cardinals have intensified their search for help at third base, reports Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Felipe Lopez has struggled of late; he's been David Freese's main replacement at the hot corner. Allen Craig made his first start at the position yesterday, but manager Tony La Russa isn't keen on the idea of using Craig there. One outside name on the Cardinals' radar is Brandon Inge. Strauss says they retain interest in the Tigers' third baseman, who returned from a fractured hand on August 4th and should be placed on waivers this week.
Inge is fairly pricey, with $1.76MM of his $6.6MM salary remaining. All American League teams plus any National League club with a worse winning percentage than the Cardinals will have first crack at him. The Cards have a .560 winning percentage, so the Phillies, Braves, Reds, Giants, and Padres are behind them in the waiver order currently.
Other veteran infielders who might be candidates for August trades include Pedro Feliz, Geoff Blum, Melvin Mora, Wes Helms, Chone Figgins, Nick Punto, Brendan Harris, Wilson Betemit, Ty Wigginton, and Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion has already cleared waivers. Adam Kennedy is another potentially available name, but don't look for the Cardinals to bring him back.
you meant worse winning percentage in the national league.
How about Scott Rolen?
How about Troy Glaus?
Lol. Ya contending teams aren’t going to give away their players to the Cardinals.
I bet the Braves would give Glaus away. Freeman should be playing first base right now. The only reason Glaus still has the job is Bobby respects veterans and will play a guy who isn’t playing well but still tries. I think he also has a soft spot for former third basemen who have arthritic hips and knee joints. They remind him of a himself.
Of course Glaus can’t play third base anymore so the Cards would have even less use for him than the Braves.
Glaus is on a cheap, one-year contract. No way a contending team gives him up for ~$500k in salary relief and a player.
I feel for David Freese.
Guy was a 5th year senior, I believe, probably moved through the minors too conservatively by San Diego, then gets hurt in back to back years after he hits himself into the job.
Oh please, oh please, won’t someone take Pedro Feliz?
Ty Wigginton maybe?
Wigginton is more appealing than the others on that list.
He can play multiple positions too, which is an asset being in the NL.
Wigginton is better offensively, but Inge is one of, if not the best defensive 3rd baggers in the game.
Wigginton is better offensively, But Inge by far is one of the best defensive 3 baggers in the game.
No. Not even close. He has declined defensively every season since 2006 and now ranks in the bottom half of 3B defensively. fangraphs is your friend.
Exactly. And I think 2006 was a fluke, he is an average defensive 3B.
so what you’re saying is that wigginton is better offensively, but inge is one of the best defensive 3 baggers in the game?
Didn’t Inge already go out on Waivers and get claimed? I thought the Tigers pulled him back. Do we know what team made the claim and does that mean the Tigers can only trade him to that team?
According to the StL Post Dispatch, “The Tigers are expected to put Inge through waivers this week.”
Inge hasn’t been put out on waivers yet. I question if he will. The Tigers may decide to keep Inge around so they are able to sell more tickets the rest of the season. For some reason way too many fans (that know nothing about baseball) in Detroit think Inge is the star of the team. He wins the fan vote for player of the game on a nightly basis. I hope he moves though, I’m sick of watching Inge either strikeout or hit a home run.
I don’t see the appeal of trading for someone who is coming back from a broken hand. He’s going to hit for much less consistent power. Losing hand strength is murder on a players power, it takes a good year for a player with a hand or wrist injury to regain their full power.
Now you’re not giving Detroit fans any credit. Everyone and their Mama’s know Miggy Cabrera is the star of the team. Now if you said Inge might be the most popular Tiger, then that’s different.
I am a Detroit fan and maybe I took things a little far, but I’m tired of a lot of Detroit fans giving Inge far more credit than he deserves. I don’t know who the tigers can find in the offseason, maybe Chone Figgins, but I’m about ready for Inge to go.
CHONE FIGGINS…Switch hitting leadoff. Base Stealer. Under control through 2013 with a vesting option. Adequate pop. A plus defensive player at several positions, but most comfortable at third. Probably mismanaged in Seattle and in the wrong position to provide most of the reasons for THE incident…otherwise, a good teammate, by all reports. His defensive stats are in the ballpark at third compared to Inge and he’s a better hitter who gets on base.
All your points are right. However, the Cardinals aren’t looking for a long-term 3B option. (OK, I’m not with the FO, but they shouldn’t be looking long-term.) Figgins is guaranteed $26MM over the next three years with a vesting option for 2014 for $9MM. Way too much money there.
Looks like there was an erroneous report..if St. Louis wants Inge the Tigers will be (or should be) happy to trade him to them.
http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2010/08/brandon_inge_claimed_on_waiver.html
I’ll be happy to drive Punto to STL and drop him off if they’ll take him. May not slow down too much though…
There’s a low railing on the main bridge into downtown…just push him out.
HOPE THEY GIVE SUMTHING GUDD FOR WIGGY
i completly agree with BajaPeter, hes a perfect fit for our team and TLR with figgins versatility, i’ve been wanting him since the second he hit the free agency
I’ll say it again — look at Figgins’ contract and then tell me you still want him.
yeah ik, and i wouldnt mind having him for multiple years cause when freese is back next year he would be an uprgrade over skip at second
forget Wigginton and Inge. My Astros will trade you Feliz for an autographed ball from Pujols
How about Tyler Greene? He was a top prospect who got injured. He is due off the DL soon…also he posted 5-tool numbers in the minors batting .291, 7HR, 10 SB earlier this year in the minors.
I’d rather wait for Dfreese to come back and Have Felipe at 3rd than seeing brandon inge strike out everytime.