At the outset of the offseason, it seemed plausible to imagine a world in which Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, and Kolten Wong would return to the team without ever really testing free agency. Instead, Wainwright and Molina eschewed quick reunion deals in favor of market exploration and the club declined its option over Wong.
As Spring Training closes in, the fates of all three players remain unknown. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch updates the market situation of these St. Louis stalwarts.
Wainwright is unsurprisingly drawing a good amount of interest, it seems. Goold says that the veteran righty is sitting on multiple offers, including one from the upstart Padres. Details remain unknown — including how the San Diego team would propose to fit him in a loaded rotation mix. Neither is it clear how strongly Wainwright is considering alternative destinations at this point.
The Cards are still pursuing both Wainwright and Molina, per Goold, having extended “updated offers” to each player. There’s no further word as to whether the longtime teammates are coordinating in a bid to land in the same place, as they’ve discussed previously.
It’s quite a different situation with respect to Wong, who enjoyed a quality run with the Cardinals but doesn’t have quite the organizational standing of the aforementioned legends. The second bagger has reportedly had contact with his former employer, but it’s far from clear that they’re headed for a reunion. Goold writes that the club has “not actively pursued” a new deal with Wong.
The Cards remain in a somewhat odd situation on the heels of a good-but-not-great season. The org hasn’t had a losing season since 2007, has quite a bit of talent on hand, and has a tantalizing opportunity to capitalize on an NL Central division that may be the game’s weakest. At the moment, though, the club is taking an outwardly passive approach to the offseason.
The above-linked article contains further exploration of the situations. It also features updates on the winter ball action of Molina and key righty Carlos Martinez.
The Cardinals is the only team in baseball that have not sign or trade for a player during this offseason. Come on, Mozeliak bring back Wainwright and Yadi to St Louis.
Four teams in the NL central could wake up on any given day and decide they wanted to win the division but nobody does. Relegate the division to AAA for a year if they don’t want to win a World Series.
Cards management has zero pressure to sign them at this point and we’re going to have some capacity of fans in the stands this year. Considering these guys aren’t even breaking their budget to get 1-2 more years and further their rep as franchise legends in is so unfortunate
Molina and Wainwright Cardinal legends, why would they leave?
They would retire if the Cardinals keep offering them insulting contracts.
In reality—- that’s what Mozeliak would actually want is for them to retire. Somehow—— Mozeliak thinks if Wainwright and Molina retire——. It would save putting egg on his own face.
I guess a person couldn’t really tell if Mozeliak has egg on his face. He’s got 5 years of thickness of egg on his face for the Job he’s done.
I will not disagree that Mo & ownership has not been good. Their continual settling for mediocrity is baffling. However, is it any better to just sign a couple of guys because of loyalty? I would be all for this if Yadi and Waino were the final pieces to the puzzle, but this puzzle is far from complete if the 2021 picture includes an honest desire to compete. For too long they have been too loyal to their own guys in hopes that somehow that loyalty might catch lightning in a bottle, like it did with Pujols.
This team had not drafted well. They have not developed well. They have extended young, mediocre players way too early. They have not chosen to spend wisely on free agents. Perhaps not signing them is the right call.
Having said that, if the Cardinals do nothing else this off-season—and so far that appears to be the plan—then they should at least give us loyal fans something to look forward to and sign both Cardinal icons to deals. If winning isn’t the goal then at least let us experience some nostalgia.
There are people in Hawaii who watched Cardinals games because of Kolten Wong. One of the best defense second baseman around.
I get Wong, but the other is stupid. Yadi & Adam should’ve been resigned within a week of the offseason. These guys are STL icons.
Not sure where the offers have been or where the blame lies. Are Yadi and Wainwright seeking every last dollar or us the team being cheap? What are their alternative offers and how has the pandemic really affected clubs and the Cardinals in particular? I recall each player was looking for that extra year. While both deserve to go out as Cardinals, neither should be given a blank contract to sign. It’s time for both and ownership to get together and get deals done.
Fair enough. But I do think sometimes overpays are warranted for legacy players.
Isn’t that what Molina’s last contract was and the justification for it?
Agreed but such should be one year at a time at this point.
Yadi has been washed up since 2016, yet was given a 3 year/60 mil legacy contract- something he expects again!. Just think if it was any other player who made that much on that team with the awful stats to show. They would be ridiculed nonstop like carp and dex. Just retire Yadi, so your resume and stats don’t get keep getting worse and prevent you from being a HOFer.
I disagree with deciding when someone else should retire, but I agree 100% about the contract. He didn’t play up to the last one, now people are acting like because he is a legend of the team the team is at fault for not paying him whatever he wants.
Right- he was a below average catcher for those 3 years. If he had better numbers, I’d agree with something around 2 year/20 mil. But if he comes back, I hope its nothing bigger than 1 year/5 mil with clear understanding that Knizner will get a large percentage of starts. Also, I think Ivan Herrera is a future superstar so hopefully the Cardinals handle this appropriately and not block him from progressing into the starting catcher in 1-2 years.
Good opportunity for the Angels to get a decent starter for cheap….
GAME STOP
Gamestop=stonks
of the three, i’d sign wong
Waino for me Edman at 2nd make room for Gorman at 3rd
Gorman isn’t ready yet
I agree 100%
So they let Wong walk in order to save money. Then why not use those $$ to improve the team??
I feel like all three guys want to be Cardinals and the Cardinals are saying “okay, but only for $1M each.” or something trying to use justifications of cutting payroll and keeping those cuts.
They freed up $35M or so of budget after these guys’ contracts expired or option were, in Kolten’s case, not picked up.
Seems like all 3 know they don’t have the earning power they once did but want to remain Cardinals- at fair and reasonable salaries.
Wong still deserves at least $4M, Yadier still deserves like $7M and Wainwright should absolutely be brought back on a $5M deal, same as last time.
I wonder if the Cards’ position is: We paid all of you guys top dollar in your declining years, you owe us steep discounts and the players are saying “pay for my play last year, not on an old contract regardless of how the value played out.”
Too rich for me. Anything a bit more thrifty? Hey kid, are you using that?
The Cardinals should not overpay Molina and Wainwright on emotion but at the same time they are being cheap. They need hitters more than anything and it appears they are not spending money to improve this team in any area.
In other words, no new news here.
I think they both end up in St. Loius but what are they waiting for? Both players should retire with the cards just simply for the contributions they made to that team in the last 15 years. They both still add value to the team so it’s not a charity sign so come on git-r-done
Would not be that much of a surprise if this was the Cardinals FO intent from the beginning. They have always been very good at judging on-the-field value.
Luke Voit and Randy Arozarena send best wishes.
Pain
Each player should take the best offer they have on the table and move on. It’s January 28th, and if STL really wanted you, this wouldn’t be happening.
Seems like the Padres are gearing toward ten starting pitchers, where they just pitch 2 per game and forget the pen.
Not really, but I’m scratching my head
The SD Padres will sign Adam to be #3 or #4 SP in the rotation…will win the NL West and SLAM their way to the 2021 WS!!!
I think he would be #6 though
there are no ‘cardinal’ free agents