Schumaker Second Base Experiment Failing
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Skip Schumaker second base experiment is not going well. So far it’s been a learning experience for Schumaker defensively. Tony La Russa’s internal options: Brendan Ryan, Brian Barden, Joe Thurston, Tyler Greene, and Jarrett Hoffpauir.
Strauss believes Cardinals GM John Mozeliak may explore a trade to fill the position rather than sign a free agent. Aside from possibly Dan Uggla, though, the trade market doesn’t seem to offer anyone better than Ray Durham and Mark Grudzielanek.
Cards Sign 17 Pre-Arb Players
MLB.com’s Matthew Leach reports that the Cardinals have agreed to contracts with 17 pre-arbitration players, including Skip Schumaker, Chris Perez and Brendan Ryan.
Cardinals Rumors: Hudson, Schumaker, Ryan
In a blog update for the Daily News, Tony Jackson reports that, according to the second baseman himself, "several other teams" had multi-year offers out to Orlando Hudson. Who were those teams?
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals may have been one of them. Strauss has a quote from Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak: “We checked it out because we obviously are looking at ways to fill the position, and somewhat to gauge where the market was going."
As for what the Cardinals plan to do with second base in the near future, Strauss writes:
The Cardinals continue to audition Skip Schumaker at the position with Brendan Ryan and Joe Thurston representing his primary competition.
“I’m comfortable with what we have in camp,” Mozeliak said. “Ultimately, if we have to address it, we have another five or six weeks to do so.”
I understand the Cardinals’ perspective here, but I still wonder if Mozeliak isn’t even thinking about calling the agent of Mark Grudzielanek.
Odds and Ends: Dunn, Schumaker, Abreu
Links for Friday…
- The Blue Jays signed pitcher Dirk Hayhurst to a minor league deal; they’d released him to make room for Matt Bush.
- Alex Speier of WEEI has quotes from John Smoltz about his departure from Atlanta. Smoltz leaving the Braves was the biggest surprise of the offseason for me.
- ESPN’s Jayson Stark surveyed 15 baseball sages for all kinds of opinions on the best and worst of the offseason (which is not officially over yet).
- Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post has more from the Adam Dunn press conference.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sees Skip Schumaker as the Cardinals outfielder most vulnerable to a trade.
- ESPN’s Keith Law weighs in on the Bobby Abreu signing.
- Kevin Goldstein’s Top 100 Prospects list is up over at Baseball Prospectus.
- Scott Moore cleared waivers; he’ll remain in the Orioles organization.
- My definition of a fantasy baseball sleeper, over at RotoAuthority.
- Shoutout: MLBTR had over 9,800 pageviews from Puerto Rico this month.
Cardinals Release Adam Kennedy
According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals have released Adam Kennedy. They’ll still be responsible for his $4MM salary. The move was "apparently made at the strong urging of manager Tony La Russa," who didn’t want Kennedy to be his starting second baseman.
Skip Schumaker has been working out at second base, and could play there if the Cards don’t add anyone to replace Kennedy. Strauss mentions Brendan Ryan and a few others as possible competitors for the job.
This is good news for Orlando Hudson, who has another possible bidder for his services.
Cardinals Outfielders Speak
A few Cardinals notes this evening coming out of the team’s Winter Warmup.
- Before Matt Holliday was traded to the A’s, Cards outfielder Skip Schumaker thought he’d wind up in Colorado as part of the rumored Holliday-Ryan Ludwick deal. Schumaker said, "I thought that was a done deal, and from everything I heard and from pretty good sources I thought I was definitely out of here."
- Ludwick and Rick Ankiel are two of the team’s prominent arbitration cases. Ludwick said the Cards have not opened up extension talks. Ankiel, a Scott Boras client, is eligible for free agency after the season. Ankiel’s quote about the future: "Absolutely, I’ve told [Boras] I want to work in St. Louis. But for me, it’s just focusing on having a healthy year. If you don’t play, nobody’s going to want you."
- The cheapest autograph at the Warmup: $5 for Adam Kennedy. Kennedy drew Tony La Russa’s ire for not attending last year.
Cardinals Rumors: Downs, Gonzalez, Boyer
12:41pm: Marc Topkin heard chatter that the Rays and Cardinals are talking. Perhaps Ankiel or Ludwick could interest Tampa Bay.
Meanwhile Scott Lauber says the Cards may be interested in Madson as a potential closer.
8:36am: Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Cardinals remain focused on short-term deals for starters. Possible names include Oliver Perez, Andy Pettitte, Brad Penny, and Randy Wolf. They’ll meet with Wolf’s agent by tomorrow afternoon.
John Mozeliak now seems open to a two or three-year deal for a reliever. He could trade an outfielder like Ryan Ludwick for a top guy, but shot down the idea of Ryan Madson. Makes no sense, Madson is only under team control for one more year. Schumaker and Chris Duncan are trade bait for Mozeliak.
8:28am: Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun says the Cards have interest in Blue Jays lefty Scott Downs. Downs is owed $7.75MM over the next two seasons.
8:01am: We know the Cardinals chatted with the Braves about Mike Gonzalez and Blaine Boyer. Gerry Fraley says they also had trade talks with the Phillies, hoping to trade an outfielder for a reliever. Rick Ankiel and Skip Schumaker are apparently popular with other teams.
Holliday To Cards Dead
MONDAY: Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch also checked in with Mozeliak, who said, "That one’s not happening – at all" in reference to a Cards-Holliday trade. The Cardinals balked at the required player package. Mozeliak was irritated that (inaccurate) details of the talks leaked to the press. The Cards are looking at other things now, though Strauss’s source believes Holliday talks could be resurrected.
SUNDAY: Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News talked to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, who admitted the idea of a Matt Holliday trade is dead. The Rockies sought Ryan Ludwick, Skip Schumaker, and Mitchell Boggs from the Cards, and talks hit a wall.
The A’s may still be in play, while Ringolsby says the Phillies did not discuss Holliday with the Rox during the GM meetings. The Phils are unwilling to part with Shane Victorino. Ringolsby adds that the Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees have expressed interest in Holliday. Joe Strauss recently said the Mets are in pursuit, and Bill Ladson had him as a Nationals target.