Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cardinals Rumors

NL Central Links: Dempster, Hamilton, Brewers, Cards

By | at

It was on this day in 1962 that Joe Morgan signed his first pro contract, joining the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent.  Morgan spent his first nine seasons in Houston before being traded to the Reds and establishing himself as arguably the best second baseman in baseball history.

Here's the latest from the NL Central…

  • Cubs GM Jed Hoyer confirmed to ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla that the team had made "contact and it was preliminary" with Ryan Dempster, though Hoyer was quick to minimize the importance of the meeting, saying "it was sort of a bump-into thing."  It was reported earlier today by MLB.com's Carrie Muskat that the Cubs had been in touch with Dempster's agent.
  • "We’ve got the connection with (hitting coach) Johnny Narron but we don’t have the connection with U.S. Bank,” Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about the chances of the Brewers splurging on Josh Hamilton this winter.  Melvin noted that he would like to acquire relief pitching this offseason but was wary given the rising prices of quality bullpen arms.
  • Also from Haudricourt, he hears from Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash that the club has no plans to re-sign either right-hander Jose Veras or outfielder Nyjer Morgan, both of whom were outrighted off Milwaukee's 40-man roster over the last two days.
  • The Cardinals have signed 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Henry Alvarado to a $150K contract, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.  Alvarado is described as being best suited to left field or possibly first base, and he "stands out for his righthanded bat, sound approach and occasional power."

Quick Hits: Ankiel, Dempster, Towles, Bourn

By | at

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out Tim Dierkes’ list of the top 50 free agents for the upcoming offseason. The list includes Tim’s predictions for each player, and we’d like you to join us in predicting the destinations for the top 50 free agents. You can make your picks here. Now for this afternoon’s links…

  • Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears Rick Ankiel is open to giving pitching another shot. The Cardinals could be among the teams willing to give Ankiel another chance on the mound. Ankiel pitched for the Cardinals from 1999-2004, putting together a strong season as a 20-year-old in 2000. He returned to the big leagues as a hitter in 2007.
  • The Cubs have been in contact with Ryan Dempster’s agent about the possibility of a contract, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). The Cubs traded the LSW baseball client to the Rangers midseason and he’s now a free agent (he can't sign with a team other than Texas until Saturday).
  • Catcher J.R. Towles left Hendricks Sports for agent Burton Rocks, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). Our Agency Database has current information on the agents of most MLB players.
  • Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com hears word that Michael Bourn could be looking for as much as $100MM in free agency. The Phillies would probably be reluctant to spend that kind of money on a 30-year-old player who relies heavily on his legs, Salisbury writes.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports previews the destinations for a number of the offseason’s top free agents.

NL Central Notes: Astros, Cardinals, Braun, Cubs

By | at

Earlier today, MLBTR gave you the latest news and notes from the AL East and the NL West. Now, let's visit the NL Central, which could be in its final hours as the only six-team division in baseball. 
  • Astros GM Jeff Luhnow's vision to rebuild the franchise is a club that grows and develops its players but can spend when it needs to thanks to increased revenue from a new local cable partnership with Comcast, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
  • There will be competition for at least one spot in the Cardinals' starting rotation, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold. Goold theorizes that competition will pit incumbent Lance Lynn against Joe Kelly, Trevor Rosenthal, and Shelby Miller.
  • In a separate piece, Goold named the seven best starting pitching prospects in the Cardinals' system that have yet to exhaust their rookie eligibility, including the aforementioned Rosenthal and Miller.
  • Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch lists five reasons for optimism and five reasons for concern for the 2013 Cardinals.
  • After speaking with members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the distinct impression that Ryan Braun will be penalized in the voting for NL MVP because of his failed drug test last year and subsequent successful appeal. Haudricourt also believes the failed drug test played a role in Buster Posey being named the NL winner of the Hank Aaron Award instead of Braun. 
  • The Cubs have hired Derek Johnson to become their new minor league pitching coordinator, tweets Baseball America's Aaron Fitt. Johnson was Associate Head Coach/pitching coach at Vanderbilt where he tutored six pitchers who were drafted in the first round including David Price and Sonny Gray.

Lance Berkman Will Listen To Offers This Offseason

By | at

A few weeks ago we heard that Lance Berkman was leaning towards retiring after the season, but yesterday he told Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he is still "not real sure" about his future. He will file for free agency after the World Series just to keep his options open, however.

"I think it would behoove me to at least listen if there is an offer out there," said Berkman. "But honestly I don't know what is going to happen or what's going to be my thought process."

Berkman, 36, was limited to 97 plate appearances this season due to a pair of right knee surgeries, the fourth and fifth knee surgeries of his career. Just a year ago he hit .301/.412/.547 with 31 homers while starting over 120 games in the outfield with the Cardinals, good enough for a seventh place finish in the MVP voting.

There has been speculation that Berkman could return to the Astros as a DH next season since the club is shifting to the AL. He went to college in Houston and spent the first 12 years of his big league career with the 'Stros. Berkman recently said he won't come back unless his knee is 100% though, even if he is healthy enough to just DH.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak said "it's hard to imagine finding a fit" for Berkman with the club next year, and Berkman admits that he has a long way to go with his conditioning before getting into playing shape. "My plan right now is to treat the offseason as if I was going to play next season by continuing my knee rehab and getting my legs back under me," he said.

Arbitration Eligibles: St. Louis Cardinals

By | at

The Cardinals are next in our 2013 Arbitration Eligibles series.  Matt Swartz's salary projections are below.

With Motte, Mujica, Boggs, Rzepczynski, and McClellan, the majority of the Cardinals' arbitration cases are relievers.  In his first full year as the Cardinals' closer, Motte racked up an impressive 42 saves with strong peripheral numbers.  The 30-year-old is under team control through 2014, and the Cardinals could reduce the cost and add a free agent year or two with an extension.  The three-year, $20MM extension signed by Carlos Marmol after the 2010 season could be a model.

Mujica came to the Cardinals at the trade deadline and allowed just three runs in 26 1/3 regular season innings.  With 30 holds this year, he's in line for a handsome raise.  Boggs posted 34 holds, and will top $1MM as a first-timer.  Rzepczynski slipped this year, but figures to be retained affordably.  McClellan spent most of the year on the disabled list, requiring shoulder surgery in July.  Earlier this month, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch wrote that McClellan will throw for the entire month of November, which will give the Cardinals a chance to evaluate him before deciding whether to tender a contract.  Langosch expects McClellan to be non-tendered, but with the door open for a new contract.

Freese, 29, made the All-Star team this year and ultimately posted career highs in games played (144 in the regular season) and thus all relevant counting stats.  Last year's postseason heroics won't hurt at the arbitration table, either.  Is it too early to consider extending Freese, a Wildwood, Missouri native?  Freese's injuries this year were numerous but minor, though you hate to see any kind of ankle concerns still cropping up.  I think the Cards would be best-served to let 2013 play out before seriously talking extension.

Assuming everyone is tendered a contract aside from McClellan, the Cardinals are looking at a projected $12.7MM for five arbitration eligible players.

Matt Swartz's arbitration projections are available exclusively at MLB Trade Rumors.  To read more about his projection model, check out this series of posts.

Cardinals Notes: Lohse, Berkman, Kozma, Mozeliak

By | at

Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse is widely expected to be in for some massive offers when he hits the open market this winter and some agents and executives see him netting a C.J. Wilson-type deal in the $75MM range, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  Cards General Manager John Mozeliak spoke to reporters about Lohse and more earlier today.  Let's check out some highlights, courtesy of Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch..

  • Mozeliak said that "it's hard to imagine finding a fit" for Lance Berkman on the roster in 2013.  The veteran is considering retirement after undergoing knee surgery but says he may also like to hook on with a contender for next season.
  • Former first-round pick Pete Kozma was considered for removal from the 40-man roster several times throughout the season, Goold writes.  However, after starting the final 29 games of the regular season and all 13 playoff games, St. Louis won't face that same quandary this winter.
  • The Cardinals will be looking for a new bullpen coach after notifying Dyar Miller that his contract won't be renewed for next season.  All of the other coaches – including hitting coach Mark McGwire, pitching coach Derek Lilliquist, and third-base coach Jose Oquendo – will be offered the chance to return.

NL Central Notes: Pirates, Lohse, Reds

By | at

All five NL Central teams are in full-on offseason mode now that the Cardinals have been eliminated from the postseason. Here's the latest from what used to be baseball's only six-team division…

  • The Pirates have continued putting their prospects through Navy SEALS-style exercises at all hours, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. Outfield prospect Gregory Polanco told Kovacevic that he injured himself in an unconventional drill that included sprints through ice water and leaping into a sand pit. Team president Frank Coonelly stated his support for the Pirates' baseball operations staff in late September, after news of the unconventional training methods surfaced.
  • Kyle Lohse, a free agent this coming offseason, said he'd like to play for a winner, B.J. Rains of FOXSportsMidwest reports. The right-hander hasn't been in contact with the Cardinals about a new deal and is expected to sign elsewhere. "There are certain places I'd like to go and certain places I probably wouldn't," he said.
  • John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer looks at the Reds' 2013 payroll commitments and determines that if GM Walt Jocketty does anything big this offseason, it will likely be with a trade rather than a free agent signing.

Quick Hits: Cardinals, Athletics, Farrell, Marlins

By | at

While last winter was an offseason of transition for the Cardinals, the club is now set to retain almost everyone after coming just one win away from reaching the World Series, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.  Kyle Lohse and Lance Berkman are the club's only two free agents, but neither player is expected to return to St. Louis.  Lohse seems bound for a significant payday with another club while Berkman is contemplating retirement.  Here's more out of the Central divisions..

  • Twins General Manager Terry Ryan confirmed that the club "would like to keep" right-hander Scott Baker, tweets Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN.  Baker, who is seven months removed from Tommy John surgery, said earlier this year that he would like to remain in Minnesota.
  • Jane Lee of MLB.com expects to see the Athletics target veteran pitching this winter to support their young rotation.  Billy Beane & Co. could help achieve that goal by re-signing Brandon McCarthy but they are also expected to comb the open market for one-year options.
  • John Farrell and Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos were never a good fit, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.  At today's introductory presser in Boston, Farrell indicated that he and the GM weren't able to communicate effectively during their two years together in Toronto.
  • Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports thinks that the Marlins' dysfunctional ownership could be a deterrent to managerial candidates.

Quick Hits: Pagan, Upton, Rodriguez, Yankees

By | at

Many teams now find themselves flush with cash thanks to lucrative national and local TV contracts, making this a promising offseason for free agents, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd).  "There's so much money out there, it's scary," said a highly ranked executive.  Top free agents such as Zack Greinke are obviously in line for major paydays, but other free agents such as Angel Pagan, Ryan Ludwick, and Mike Adams could be in for more money than they ever imagined.  More from around baseball..

  • Even after moving Chris Young, the Diamondbacks could part with Justin Upton and go with an outfield of Gerardo Parra, Adam Eaton, and Jason Kubel with A.J. Pollock in reserve, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Arizona could also move Kubel and keep Upton instead, but financially it would make more sense to move Upton as he is owed $38.5MM over the next three years.
  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times imagines that the Rays would have interest in Alex Rodriguez as a DH if the Yankees were willing to eat enough of his contract.  The embattled third baseman is owed $114MM over the next five years and holds a complete no-trade clause.
  • Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News lists some possible destinations for Rodriguez in 2013.
  • Yankees' GM Brian Cashman told ESPN Radio he will listen to offers for Rodriguez (h/t MLB.com's Evan Drellich). "It's not like I'm going to hang phones up on anybody who wants to make any overtures about anything. You're talking about realistic stuff and unrealistic stuff. I don't think it's realistic at all for us to be moving forward with anything but Alex Rodriguez at third base."
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) suggests that the Yankees blow up the team in an effort to get younger and more athletic.  Bowden's proposed plan calls for the club to start by convincing Rodriguez to waive his no-trade clause and filling his spot with the likes of a Chase Headley.
  • The Orioles should have interest in Scott Feldman, if the Rangers decline his $9.25MM option, reasons CSNBaltimore.com's Rich Dubroff. The Orioles need additional rotation depth and a long reliever, roles Feldman has performed before. The right-hander is also liked by manager Buck Showalter, who was the Rangers' skipper when Feldman made his debut in 2005. 
  • The Blue Jays will look to trade Yunel Escobar but it won't be easy because of his reputation, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. 
  • The revival of Mark McGwire's baseball career stems from the opportunity former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa gave the slugger as the team's hitting coach, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. For McGwire, he's brought staggering results to the St. Louis lineup as the team has led the National League in batting average over the past three seasons under his tutelage.  

Daniel Seco contributed to this post.

Quick Hits: Cardinals, Nationals, Rodriguez

By | at

Congratulations to Buster Posey and Fernando Rodney, who were named MLB.com’s comeback players of the year for their respective leagues. Rodney had a historic season, posting a 0.60 ERA and striking out more than a batter per inning in Tampa Bay. Posey had an MVP-caliber year after missing most of the 2011 season with a broken leg and damaged ankle ligaments. Here are today’s links…

  • The Cardinals, now just one win away from another World Series appearance, are doing just fine without Albert Pujols, Yahoo's Jeff Passan writes. St. Louis’ roster looks just as scary as it did a year ago thanks to an abundance of homegrown contributors.
  • The Cardinals are believed to have offered Pujols a seven-year deal with three player options last offseason, Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports. St. Louis GM John Mozeliak said Pujols was a "special part" of the organization. "In a normal — or in a more sterile — environment, we wouldn't pursue those types of things," the GM told Shaikin.
  • The Nationals' bullpen might be overhauled this offseason, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post writes. Sean Burnett will likely hit free agency and Tyler Clippard could be traded. The Nationals figure to tender Tom Gorzelanny a contract and should have interest in re-signing Mike Gonzalez. Kilgore wonders if Ryan Madson could be a free agent target for Washington.
  • An American League scout suggested to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that no teams would be interested in Alex Rodriguez, who’s owed $114MM plus bonuses over the course of the next five years (Twitter link). For more on the Yankees’ offseason plans check out this collection of links.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top