We’ll add to a Cardinals–heavy Sunday here at MLBTR with more out of St. Louis, courtesy of Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com:
- The Redbirds have an impressive selection of outfielders with Dexter Fowler, Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham on hand, but they’re looking to add to the group. General manager John Mozeliak is specifically seeking a left-handed hitter (Piscotty, Grichuk and Pham are righties) who can play multiple positions in the grass. There’s a wide array of current free agents who match that criteria.
- The Cardinals still intend to stretch out erstwhile closer Trevor Rosenthal, a plan which Mozeliak first revealed in November, but it doesn’t seem as if he’ll have a chance to crack their rotation. Instead, the goal is for Rosenthal to serve as a versatile bullpen option. “I think all of us were intrigued by how the postseason went this past year and how pitchers were being used,” said Mozeliak, surely referring to the Indians’ October deployment of Andrew Miller. “I’m not one who thinks that’s really something you can replicate in a 162-game season, but clearly it could be a weapon down the road if you do get to the postseason.”
- There “will be a competition” for the starting third base job this spring, according to Mozeliak. Jedd Gyorko and Jhonny Peralta will vie for the role after experiencing vastly different 2016 campaigns. Gyorko hit a solid .243/.306/.495 and popped a personal-best 30 home runs in only 438 plate appearances, whereas the normally steady Peralta may have endured the worst year of his career. While battling injuries, the 34-year-old batted .260/.307/.408 and posted a negative fWAR (minus-0.5) in 313 PAs.
2016 was a very interesting year for the Cards but 2017 will be even more like that.
Why not put Gyorko at 2B and leave Peralta at 3B. Wong could be either platooned at 2B or as a reserve in the OF in case Grichuk or Fowler get injured.
Because for some reason they think Wong is going to be good when he hasn’t really been at all.
Mo has a Man-Crush on Wong………and since he signed him to a multi-year deal, “he wants to be right”
Ozzie was terrible at first also. Not saying Wong won’t always be, but gotta let him have a shot.
Hasn’t he been given several already?
True that he was better after going to the minors last summer….I actually am hoping he does finally “break out” in 2017.
He was a finalist for ROY in 2014 and was on the final ballot for the ASG in 2015. He’s had a bad year and a half but given his defense, success early in his career, and his contract… he should get another opportunity
He has not been given a shot and to overlook his success thus far would be to completely waste hours talent.
Thank you bears.
While they do show a lot of confidence in Wong. The confidence is more in his glove, athleticism and speed. They want to commit to a more athletic lineup. Having Fowler and Wong, at the top and bottom of the lineup respectively, will give the lineup more speed on the bases. Gyorko does give great power potential at second base but not the defense that Wong can provide. Also he’s more of a liability on the base baths.
Wong was just fine once he returned from AAA, and he is both the fastest and best defensive infielder the Cardinals have.
You’re insane if you think Peralta would be more valuable at 3B than Gyroko. And Wong has proven himself defensively, imo. Peralta is a defensive liability and hasn’t been good with the bat.
Did you forget that Peralta was dealing with a bad thumb all last season? He should bounce back nicely now that he’s healthy.
Peralta was injured last year. Derp
His injury didn’t hurt his range, which is his biggest problem. And Peralta was pretty bad at short in 2015 as well. He just fell off a cliff this year, and there’s a possibility he .may be toast as a starting infielder.
Before last season, Peralta hasn’t played third base since 2010, when he played 100 games there between Cleveland and Detroit. Gyorko played third in 279 innings last season, and wasn’t horrible. So, yeah, the job isn’t going to be–and shouldn’t be–handed to Jhonny.
If the Cards are looking for outfield depth i’d like to see them sign Ryan Raburn to a minors deal.
Does anyone else see the need for a certified big bat somewhere in this lineup? Say either sign Trumbo or trade for say Abreu from the Wsox or hell even trade for Miggy from Dtown and move Carp to third… or go get Todd Frazier to play third… or get CarGo from Colorado and drop him in right and put Piscotty in left… A BAT… there needs to be A BAT somewhere in that lineup… on paper the Cubs have gotten stronger and the Cards still haven’t done enough to better themselves to try and catch those kids… Fowler is nowhere near enough help…
Chris Coghlan wouldn’t be bad.
Or Desmond Jennings
Not going after Dozier shows how much this front office is dedicated to putting a team to compete with the big dogs. Even though they have the big dog income. All about making money..NOT THE CARDINAL WAY
Tommy Pham is “impressive”?
Relative to his role, .245/.333/.455 in 358 career PAs is pretty solid.
Peralta could end up at SS as Diaz is completely unproven. Wong is Mo just being Stubborn. Trumbo sure would be nice on a three year deal… We are not going to challenge the Cubs with what we have.
You are hilarious, unless you simply mean defensively. Even so, the kid’s a stud hitter and his defense consistently improved as the season went on.
Diaz is here to stay
Diaz…completely unproven? Diaz may have been a rookie, but his numbers are solid and they stack up with two other standouts in their rookie season. Do the names Harper and Trout mean anything? Diaz is a clutch hitter and plays solid defense. Can’t wait to see what else he does this year.
Maybe Diaz can be “more solid” by exhibiting a semblance of range and soft hands at SS.
Mike Trout was a 10 win player his rookie season.