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Cardinal Trade Rumor Roundup

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My apologies for posting some rumors from a few days ago; I’m still catching up.  Today’s let’s look at some recent Cardinals trade rumors.

The first question is whether the team should conduct some form of a fire sale.  Right now, they’re still mired in the NL Central race at 6.5 games out.  But if the team does spiral out of contention by July 31st, it might make sense to trade Jason Isringhausen.  He’s probably their best trading chip.  Cards beat writer Joe Strauss mentions the Braves, Indians, and Cubs as teams that would have interest in the 34 year-old closer.  After Izzy was nearly left for dead/retired in ’06, he’s bounced back with 13 saves in the season’s first two months.  He makes $8.75MM this year with an $8MM club option for ’08.  That includes a $1.25MM buyout. 

The Isringhausen trade option represents the worst case scenario.  Let’s consider what the Cardinals might do to improve in the short term.  Catcher Yadier Molina should be sidelined for at least a month with a broken wrist.  One option is Royals catcher Jason LaRue, who’s owed about $1.65MM on the season by KC.  The one concern is that LaRue is 7 for 57 on the season, and didn’t hit at all last year.  At 33, he may have to permanently join the Brotherhood of Backup Catchers, if he hasn’t already.  Yadier’s brother Jose may be an option as well.

Also on the radar: comeback kid Troy Percival.  The Cards will watch him throw, if they haven’t already.  St. Louis joins roughly a half-dozen teams in the Percival pursuit.  More than that, if you add the Giants and A’s to the mix. 

Article On Boras

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Came across an article on Scott Boras, via Will Caroll.  One quote from Boras struck me:

The Cardinals not signing Jeff Weaver is how you don’t win divisions, and my prediction is the St. Louis Cardinals won’t win their division this year.

I can see the Cards missing the playoffs, sure, but not signing Jeff Weaver for $8 million won’t be the reason.  Now if you want to argue that if the Cardinals had signed Weaver, they’d be in last place instead of fourth and in line for a better draft pick in ’08, I can buy that.  Boras should’ve went with that.

Another interesting section is the last page, where Boras proposes replacing the World Series with a nine game series in a different city each year.  Cities would compete for the right to host it.  That’s kind of cool.

Cards Won’t Reacquire Weaver

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While previous reports indicated the Cardinals had interest in Mariners starter Jeff Weaver, Cards GM Walt Jocketty firmly debunked the rumor when asked by Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times.  Jocketty seems mildly bitter about Weaver’s decision, and won’t give him a second chance.

Weaver currently sports a 14.32 ERA in six starts for the Mariners, and he’s on the DL for shoulder tendinitis.  That’s historically bad.  Worst ever performance (six start minimum) belongs to Jaret Wright in 2002 (15.71 ERA).  Hayden Penn comes next with a 15.10 ERA in six starts last year, and then Weaver’s ’07.  Worst performance with a ten start minimum: Roy Halladay in 2000 with a 10.64 ERA in 13 starts. 

Scott Rolen Dodgers Trade Rumor

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Looking for a trade rumor, and don’t care whether it’s been confirmed in any way?  We got you covered.  A couple of Cards fans have emailed me this thread from Bernie’s Pressbox.  St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz throws this scenario out for debate:

Wilson Betemit and one of Matt Kemp/Andre Ethier for Scott Rolen.

Now, according to Bernie, there’s nothing concrete and he’s just talking.  Still, it’s interesting to ponder.  Factors to consider:

  • Rolen is owed $12MM annually through 2010.
  • He’d have to be convinced to waive his full no-trade clause.  Although maybe he wouldn’t mind playing under a different manager.
  • Rolen is off to a horrible offensive start; he’s on a popup binge.  He hasn’t hit lefties since his shoulder surgery, and his surgically repaired shoulder bothered him late last season.  You would expect a team to want him to show some signs of life and health before taking his contract through 2010.
  • Andy LaRoche is L.A.’s third baseman of the future.  Then again, they signed Nomar Garciaparra to block James Loney.

Now, there’s certainly still a chance Rolen will bounce back.  He was mashing as recently as August of ’06.  But would the Dodgers bank one of their best prospects on it?  I really don’t think so, which is why Kemp seems highly unlikely.  On the other hand, Betemit and Ethier for Rolen seems fair.  That doesn’t exactly resolve the Cards’ offensive woes, but they’d get a ton of salary relief and some cheap players.

Perrotto’s Latest

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John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus has quickly become another fine source for trade rumors.  Some highlights from his latest column:

  • The Twins would surrender a solid arm – maybe Jesse Crain, Juan Rincon, or Scott Baker – in return for a right-handed hitter.  My own speculation: perhaps Wayne Krivsky, looking to stabilize his bullpen, would trade Edwin Encarnacion for Rincon.  Rincon has been one of the best setup men in baseball for the past four years.  On the other hand, Baker could really flourish in the National League and Kyle Lohse may leave via free agency after the season.  Terry Ryan might want a more proven, reliable bat though.  Buster Olney throws out Morgan Ensberg’s name in his blog today.
  • Some clubs already have center fielder Torii Hunter on the radar: the Red Sox, White Sox, Cardinals, and Rangers.  I think there is no doubt the Rangers go in for one of the "name" center fielders this winter.  I can see the Red Sox testing the waters but it would seem odd to block Jacoby Ellsbury for four or five years.  Hunter is making the contract year argument, hitting .324/.358/.618 in 35 games.  His previous career high in slugging was .524 in ’02.
  • Perrotto confirms the finding of Michael Gluskin – Odalis Perez and Chan Ho Park are two names on the Orioles’ target list of starting pitchers.  The O’s might have found some relief in the shrewd Jeremy Guthrie pickup – his last two starts against the Devil Rays and Red Sox were excellent.   

Cards Interested In Weaver?

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According to Viva El Birdos, Walt Jocketty called Bill Bavasi yesterday, willing to take Jeff Weaver off the Ms’ hands for salary relief.  Yahoo’s Tim Brown believes the Cards would only have to pick up about $2MM of Weaver’s $8MM salary in a deal.  However, Weaver later landed on the DL with shoulder tendinitis.  Weaver had made six starts for the Mariners, losing all of them and allowing at least seven hits in each.

Previous speculation had involved the Mariners releasing Weaver.  The Cardinals offered Weaver $6MM over two years plus incentives, and the Pirates were also interested last winter.

Speaking of Viva El Birdos, Larry has a great idea to "evoke Josh Hancock’s memory and his tragic mistake," an idea far better than banning alcohol in clubhouses.  Check it out.

Tim Brown’s Latest

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I hadn’t really noticed the MLB Experts Blog from Tim Brown and Jeff Passan until recently.  Yahoo’s main baseball guys have some quality rumors, and I’ve been missing out.  Let’s catch up by digging through some recent posts:

Miguel Cabrera’s Trade Preference

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Enrique Rojas’s April 20th article on Miguel Cabrera slipped under my radar, but he snagged some interesting quotes from one of the game’s best players.

Cabrera mentioned that if he was traded, he’d prefer to play with Albert Pujols on the Cardinals.  Now there’s a 1-2 punch to be reckoned with.  That’s Ruth-Gehrig-esque. Cabrera also said he wouldn’t like to play for the Yankees because of the rules.  Additionally, he wants to remain at third base and continue to improve his defense.

Cabrera won’t become a free agent until after the 2009 season.  His salary jumped from $472K in 2006 to $7.4MM after beating the Marlins in arbitration and setting a new first-year arb record.  If he and the Marlins go to arbitration again after this season, he’ll probably set another record by topping $10MM.  $12-13MM seems an appropriate reward.  Pujols made $14MM in his fifth season in ’06.

Cabrera is already taking up 24% of Florida’s payroll; it could reach 40% in 2008.  The trade bounty could be otherworldly; Hanley Ramirez/Anibal Sanchez could pale in comparison.  I don’t think the Cards have the players for a trade. 

Eckstein Contract Talks Tabled

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The Cardinals and David Eckstein would like to continue their relationship, but it sounds like Walt Jocketty will wait until after the season to hammer things out.

If Eckstein has a poor season and Jocketty lets him walk, the team’s options will be limited.  There’s never a surplus at shortstop.  If 25 year-old shortstop Brendan Ryan can stay healthy and have a big year at Triple A, he could inherit the job.  Otherwise Jocketty will have anywhere from zero to three free agent options.

The Cubs and Sox have similar situations, as both have club options for around $5MM on their slick-fielding shortstops.  Juan Uribe’s option will probably be picked up but Cesar Izturis is a question mark. Omar Vizquel could be available, but the Giants have already met with his agent about an extension. 

Most likely Jocketty will retain Eckstein, but the backup plan may have to be the trade market.  Cristian Guzman, Miguel Tejada, Orlando Cabrera, Erick Aybar, Edgar Renteria, Ben Zobrist, and Clint Barmes could be options there.   

Cards Looking To Trade Rincon

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About a week ago, Joe Strauss reported that the Cardinals might use their lefty reliever surplus to acquire Jorge Julio.  That option is off the table, but Walt Jocketty is still looking to dispatch a southpaw.  Strauss has confirmed that Ricardo Rincon is the player he’d like to move.

The Cards would like to ditch Rincon’s $1.45MM salary.  He pitched in the WBC last year and but was on the operating table for shoulder and elbow issues by May.  He’s said to be fully recovered and could bounce back as a useful LOOGY.

 

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