This week in baseball blogs…
- Pop Culture Abstract explores a potential Jose Abreu trade between the White Sox and Cardinals.
- Sports Talk Philly opines that the Phillies shouldn’t make a major offseason trade for an outfielder.
- Off The Bench (links: 1, 2) examines the NL MVP candidacy of Diamondbacks midseason acquisition J.D. Martinez.
- BP Toronto reflects on Jose Bautista’s Blue Jays tenure.
- Bronx Bomber Ball believes Aaron Judge’s postseason will go a long way toward defining his rookie year.
- Pirates Breakdown analyzes the strikeout pitches of the Bucs’ starters.
- The Giants Cove isn’t particularly optimistic about the club’s direction.
- Clubhouse Corner profiles Diamondbacks coordinator of pro scouting Cory Hahn, who overcame a debilitating injury to get to where he is now.
- FanRag highlights the top International League prospects of 2017.
- Notes From The Sally ranks the most talented teams from this year’s South Atlantic League.
- Everything Bluebirds reacts to the Blue Jays’ re-signing of Marco Estrada.
- Rotisserie Duck writes about the home run spike in today’s game.
- Call To The Pen focuses on which Phillies could be the odd men out in the coming years.
- Camden Depot has high hopes for Orioles right fielder Austin Hays.
- MetsMind looks back at some rebound years from past Mets teams and wonders if the 2018 version will return to contention.
- Inside the ’Zona takes a look at the Diamondbacks’ playoff rotation and ponders whether their season is already a success.
- The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2) argues that offenses aren’t at their peak and notes that the 2017 Astros could go down in Houston sports lore.
- The 3rd Man In interviews outfield prospect and prospective 2018 draft pick Vinny Tosti.
- Extra Innings speaks with the Rockies’ Erick Julio, a promising Colombian pitcher.
- Pinstriped Prospects talks with Yankees Double-A outfielder Zack Zehner.
- Mets Daddy asks if Robin Ventura would make sense for the team as a successor to manager Terry Collins.
- Jays Journal doesn’t expect Toronto to bring back both Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney next year.
- Chris Zantow revisits the success of the 2005 Brewers.
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Cardinals getting Donaldson, Abreu, and Arrieta next year?
You exhaust your prospects for Donaldson then have nothing left to trade for Abreu.
Arrieta is a free agent so prospects won’t matter for him. I’d go abreu first then wait for Donaldson at the break when he will be cheaper and the Jay’s possibly move him for less to get at least something.
I’d agree on waiting for Donaldson. The Jays have expressed that they really don’t want to trade him (stupidly IMO) but they should be far more willing at the time of the deadline, once they’ve realized the reality of their roster. Don’t make the same mistake KC did, getting stuck with nothing more than second round picks for your players
Lay off Arrieta. Not worth it
I think he’s worth it, the Cards will need a veteran presence, being no Lance Lynn and Wainwright most likely being done in the rotation.
Arrieta isn’t worth half of what it will take to sign him.
And bc Waino may go to the pen he’ll no longer be able to be around the young guys. That makes no sense. This is a team not a segmented affiliation.
I’ll pass on Donaldson, go for Martinez in free agency. Less prospects, which they have less of than money. RF, 1B, and the rotation all locked down. Resign nicasio and you’ve got a much better team that 2017s version.
That would be great!! They have the money to do it.
Oh boy…the blogs. I have to sleep on it but I’ll read a couple of these “hot takes” tomorrow.
Josh Donaldson is exactly where he needs to be in the AL as someone who is almost out of his prime and who is not controllable long term. Certainly with this rumored trade market with the usual suspects for whatever reason that are subject to a fire sale, Redbird fans can suggest something better than a third baseman who’ll be 33 next year and don’t forget, the free agent market is strong with many of these players not subject to compensation due to being moved in the season! At a minimum TWO corner impact bats are needed , a quality starter, muh bullpen help, and quite frankly, I’m ready for a change at the top of the lineup with someone who run the bases efficiently along with getting on as opposed to the 3 toed sloth that clogs up everything like a 2 inch steak…
But they (upper management) operate on a antiquated template now and they’ll do something minimal like sign Carlos Gonzales off the scrapheap, overpay for a moderate pitcher like Alex Cobb, and waste more money on the pen with the wrong targets.
Just wait Cardinal fans, you think it’s perplexing now? Just wait till December when Girzaliak pulls the rug out from everyone and channels Mike Martz while saying “shoot, we fixed it!”
Like I’ve been saying to fix the Cardinals, ideally they’d have to do the majority of these things: Trade for Abreu (which sends Carpenter), sign Arrieta, JD Martinez, and Nicasio (Nicasio wants to stay), and trade for Alex Colomé (try to send Grichuk in said trade, otherwise trade him for nothing).
That there fixes every single problem the Cardinals have, and have had for a long time. No rentals. Serious contention for at least 2 years. 1B held by Abreu, Jose Martinez fills when needed. Wong at 2B, Dejong/Diaz at SS, and Gyorko/Diaz at 3B. OF of Pham, Fowler, Martinez, with Piscotty as needed. You’ve got speed, you’ve got power. Rotation of Arrieta, Martinez, Weaver, Wacha, and whatever in house replacement until Reyes returns in full. Bullpen has essentially 3 closers in Nicasio, Colomé, and Lyons. Brebbia and Bowman are longmen. This team would be a serious World Series contender, and is fairly feasible. Hardest part might be Abreu trade.
I think there is a better chance Abreu gets signed to an extension, than there is he gets traded. He is the leader in the club house, a mentor to Moncada and helped the sox land Luis Robert. And with the year he had, it will cost an arm and a leg ( Reyes or Kelly ) to get him.
There’s no way I would move Reyes. I believe in his talent AND he’s coming off an injury so other teams would look to discount him. Imagine in 2 years or less a rotation of Martinez, Reyes, Weaver at the top. Plus if Flaherty continues to develop. Rotation will be set.
I’m on board with everything you mentioned besides Arieta. If the Cards could get Avi Garcia in a deal with Abreu, that would signal to me that they’re serious about contending because this team needs not only the powerbat that Abreu brings, but also the quasi-power, high average bat that Avi (he needs to walk more, I know) does which is so badly needed in moving players from 1st to 3rd, 2nd to home, etc! There’s many fixes available and I guess it comes down to if upper management wants to legitimately win, or just be “competitive” in the 2 wildcard team playoff era which as we can see even with an average team, it’s possible but not productive…
Hell, I’d be happy with moving Carp (if healthy) to an American League team (possibly Texas if they’re talking about converting Choo to 1B) and simply sign both Jay Bruce in RF (no compensation attached) & Yonder Alonso for 1B (no compensation attached) for your free agent acquisitions and then with the big trade, get Chris Archer to augment the top of the rotation along with closer Colome, resign Nicasio, and see where that takes us!
Also, a Wong/Hudson/JA Garcia/middling prospect to Miami for D. Gordo/K. Barraclaugh type trade would perk my interest as well!
Just imagine Dee Gordon and his 200 hits coupled with his speed at the top of the lineup being able to run the bases like a greyhound and not the 3 toed sloth we see now with the coaches kid and that’s as nice as I can put it…
Maybe if you’re the Cardinals you offer Reyes, Bader, and Hudson as the main pieces going to the White Sox for Abreu.
Swap out Flahery and you might be onto something! Plus, JF doesn’t have the baggage that Reyes does so that’s something to think about! Hell, at this point I’m not sure who’ll have the better career between the two?
I think thats too much. Reyes was the number 4 prospect in baseball before injury, and he is now in the 10-20 range on most lists. Abreu only has 2 years after this one anyway before free agency and he is getting older.
I think Reyes is untouchable, at least for now, I think he’s way to valuable to trade even after tommy John
The Cards have a lot of options to look at over the offseason. The Marlins 3 outfielder, Donaldson, J.D. Martinez. Abreu, Avi Garcia. I mean there are so many potential options, they have the money, thy have the prospects so if I don’t see two of these names I just listed then I don’t think we are contenders. Simmons and Gordon could maybe make sense to
The one argument that I have with the Phillies article is that outfielders are the “most replaceable position”. While I understand the point, Victorino was in Philly for all 5 good years, and Werth was there for four out of five. While I loathe Werth more than anything now, due to the manner in which he left Philly, his departure was the first of many steps in the wrong direction. Being honest, I’d say third was the most replaceable for us. Pedro to Polanco, both solid albeit unspectacular players probably could have been replaced more easily.