Cardinals Notes: Trade Deadline, Miller, Draft Signings

After suffering a three-game sweep in Milwaukee, the Cardinals sit a half-game behind both the Brew Crew in the NL Central and the Braves in the NL wild card race.  Some notes from the Gateway City…

• St. Louis has enough payroll space to make a move before the trade deadline, but maybe just enough for one move, writes MLB.com's Matthew Leach as part of a reader mailbag.  He doesn't think the Cards would be able to acquire the likes of Jose Reyes, since "they have some prospects to trade, but not a truckload….My read is that they would upgrade another position with that 'one bullet,' such as the bullpen, rather than acquiring a shortstop," Leach says.
• Star prospects Zack Cox, Carlos Martinez (former known as Carlos Matias) and Shelby Miller are "considered untouchable" by the Cards in any trade talks this summer, reports Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Strauss says he's heard a few names within the organization who are somewhat unexpectedly available in the right deal.
• The Cardinals have announced the signings of 27 picks from the 2011 amateur draft (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Twitter).  Kansas State outfielder Nick Martini, a seventh-round selection, was the highest-drafted of the signed picks.  Colby Rasmus' younger brother Casey, a 36th-round pick, also signed.