Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cardinals Rumors

Rosenthal: Belliard To Cards

By | at

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Cardinals will acquire Ron Belliard from the Indians sometime soon.  Belliard went 2 for 4 in today’s game against Seattle.  Will Carroll is reporting that Hector Luna would go to the Tribe.

Belliard, a 31 year-old second baseman, was hitting .289/.335/.419 entering today’s game.  He’s been consistently solid since becoming a regular in 2003.  The second base class plays at a higher level in the NL; league average is .276/.341/.424.  Belliard is also middle of the pack as far as defense, but he will make a skilled double play partner for David Eckstein.  Belliard, an impending free agent, makes $4MM this year.

Belliard represents a clear upgrade over Aaron Miles, though I’m not sure that he’s signficantly better than Hector Luna.  Luna, a 26 year-old, has a career line of .276/.336/.398 in 533 ABs.  The versatile Luna has played every position but catcher in his Cardinal career.  Walt Jocketty got him as a Rule 5 pick in 2002.

Based on yesterday’s update from Bernie Miklasz, the Cardinals seem content to tinker rather than make an impact trade.

Bernie Miklasz Gives Cards Update

By | at

Bernie Miklasz, the fine columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has a message board with the newspaper called Bernie’s Pressbox.  Miklasz dropped by Saturday night to provide an update on all sorts of Cardinals trade rumors.  Here’s a quick summary.

Starting pitchers on the radar: Jon Lieber, Kip Wells, and Dontrelle Willis.

Relievers: Rheal Cormier, Mike Gonzalez, Salomon Torres.

Outfielders: Shawn Green, Jeff Conine.

Infielders: Mark Loretta, Ron Belliard.

Pirates GM Dave Littlefield has gotten a lot of criticism for his asking prices and unwillingness to trade certain players.  I think he could redeem himself by dealing Mike Gonzalez.  Gonzalez is 28, left-handed, and has posted an ERA under 3 since 2004 despite a walk problem for the last two years.  He’s not getting any more valuable than he is now, and he probably won’t be effective by the time the Pirates are competitive again.  Sell high, Dave.  No one wants Jeromy Burnitz.

Olney: Cards Interested In Shawn Green

By | at

In his blog this morning, Buster Olney mentioned that he’d heard that Shawn Green might be a match with the Cardinals.  I think there had been rumblings to this effect, but haven’t seen much in print until now.

At .296/.354/.447 this season, Green falls below league average in the NL (.277/.360/.477).  Still, he’s pretty close and represents an improvement from what the Cards have thrown in left field this season.  On the other hand, Green may not represent any improvement over John Rodriguez or Chris Duncan. 

All of this would be moot if Green won’t waive his no-trade clause to come to St. Louis.  Perhaps as an incentive Green would require his new team to guarantee his $10MM option for 2008.  Regardless, he’ll make $9.5MM next year in his age 34 season.  Yikes – certainly doesn’t sound like Jocketty’s style.  Various Phillies’ outfielders may also be in play.

The Cards are fifth in the league in OPS and seventh in ERA.  They would benefit from an upgrade on either side of the ball, but Green probably isn’t an upgrade.  According to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cards may make one last bid for Dontrelle Willis.  That would be an upgrade.

Trade Rumor Roundup: 9 Days Left

By | at

Let’s see what we’ve got this morning in the non-Hillenbrand department…

This is cool: a commenter over at Viva El Birdos emailed Dontrelle Willis’s agent, Matt Sosnick, asking about the latest trade rumor.  Meanwhile, Jayson Stark was adamant in his chat Friday that Willis will not be traded.

Enough with the Mike Lowell for Jake Peavy rumors, folks.  No. Freakin’. Way.  I know Buster Olney mentioned that Boston must’ve been targeting a notable pitcher given how well Lowell has played this year (.297/.349/.504) but Peavy isn’t going anywhere.  Plus, if you adjust Lowell’s production for PETCO Park it would be pretty close to league average for his position.

Could Mike Pelfrey be traded as a player to be named later?  The answer seems to be Yes, if named in January, and only if sent to an AL team.  MetsBlog tries to decipher MLB’s rules.  Of course, Pelfrey is not going to be traded.  But it’s good to know.

Gut feeling…I think the Brewers will trade Carlos Lee.  Doug Melvin is preparing for a deal, and I think this is an opportunity he can’t pass up.

What’s with the Indians picture next to George Kottaras?

Cardinals Discussing Dontrelle Willis Trade

By | at

The Cardinals message boards are lighting up, and with good reason: there is a legitimate Dontrelle Willis rumor making the rounds.

The thread was started by a respected Cards source who goes by the handle Hawg Wild.  I can confirm that this guy has a track record of success.  Colby Rasmus is a 19 year-old outfielder in high Class A.  He was a first-round pick and is easily the team’s best prospect now that Anthony Reyes is in the bigs.  According to Rasmus’s father:

"Colby just called me and said his agent told him of conversations the cardinals were having with the possibility of Colby and a three or four other Cardinal players going to Florida in return for Dontrelle Willis. Reyes and Colby were the only 2 players Colby was told about, he did not hear who the other 2/3 players were. His words to me, ’Man that sucks.’"

Then to quiet any doubters, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz stepped in:

"I tried to drop a major hint in today’s column….FLA wants Reyes, Rasmus and Duncan — and that’s not all. Probably one more… possibly their pick of the Cardinals’ system."

The Cardinals need a big move; it looks like Walt Jocketty may package everything he’s got to get D-Train.  Check out Viva El Birdos for analysis.  After much deliberating, Viva chooses to endorse such a trade.

Dellucci To The Cards?

By | at

This one is very much through the grapevine, but I thought I’d pass it along.  You can definitely trust this rumor if it truly comes from the Post-Dispatch’s Joe Strauss, though right now it’s a message board report.  (Thanks to Viva El Birdos for the tip.)  I’ll post more when I get it.

But this isn’t a crazy one; David Dellucci is just the type of underrated, underpriced pickup that Walt Jocketty should make. We know the Phillies will see fit to send off the impending free agent; the only question is where. 

I’m a huge fan of the 32 year-old outfielder.  He’s typically been used against righties only, and that worked quite well in his last full season with Texas.  In 2005 Dellucci hit .251/.369/.525 against righthanded pitching.  You’ll just have to get past Dellucci’s typically low batting average; he doesn’t make contact frequently.  However, he did show an excellent ability to draw walks when he led off last year.  He walked in almost 15% of his plate appearances, which is Brian Giles territory.

This season he’s drawn just seven walks in 115 plate appearances, but he hasn’t been a regular so I’d like to think he’s retained the ability.  Dellucci would fit nicely in left field with the Cardinals and would add less than $450,000 to the payroll.  Plus, the Cards could acquire him with players other than Reyes and Wainwright.

Jeff Weaver Traded To Cardinals

By | at

Breaking word is that Jeff Weaver has been dealt to the Cardinals for minor league outfielder Terry Evans plus cash considerations. 

Evans is a 24 year-old outfielder currently hitting .307/.369/.640 in 75 ABs for the Cards’ Double A affiliate. He struggled in High Class A last year, but mastered the level in two months this season.  He’s been described as the "out of nowhere prospect who mashed his way out of A ball" by Viva El Birdos. 

Weaver is expected to join the team in Houston.  News of this trade comes courtesy of Fox Sports Midwest.  A week ago, I wrote about how Weaver has had terrible luck and his strikeout and walk rates are similar to expectations.

Special thanks to the St. Louis Swarm Softball organization for passing this along.

Jocketty Aiming High

By | at

According to a source close to the Cardinals, Walt Jocketty is shooting for the stars if he is to trade prospects for a starting pitcher.  Word is that the Cards will either acquire a front-line pitcher – Dontrelle Willis or John Smoltz – or none at all.  The team does not have interest in the second-tier names floating around.

Beyond Willis and Smoltz, could any other top-flight starters be had?  Purely my own speculation, but St. Louis could also consider attempting to deal for Jason Schmidt, Barry Zito, Gil Meche, or Brett Myers.  Problem is, the first three guys are on teams that are very much in contention.  The Phils are 6.5 games out of the wild card, but may try to rid themselves of Myers regardless.  Myers doesn’t fit with the Cards’ classy image, but then again neither did Sidney Ponson.   

Although Jocketty is not going to trade decent prospects for the Cory Lidles of the world, Jeff Weaver still could be worth a flier.  Viva El Birdos points out that Weaver would cost just $115,000 for the balance of the season now that he’s been designated for assignment. 

Another Option For St. Louis

By | at

My Mets source has sent an update regarding the recent Victor Diaz information.  Seems the Cards just weren’t offering enough in Mark Worrell for Diaz.  Diaz remains widely available, and could be used to acquire a decent second baseman like Mark Grudzielanek.

The Cardinals have another outfielder on the radar – old favorite Reggie Sanders.  Reggie is 38 now, and he’s not showing any ability to get on base as a regular for the Royals.  Still, his .259/.301/.476 line (8 home runs) is not far from his work with St. Louis back in ’04.  Sanders typically walks about 7-8% of the time, but this year it’s been below 6%.  I guess his new club is influencing his style – KC is second to last in the AL in walks this year.

Sanders’s .777 OPS is just the 12th best among AL right fielders.  He signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Royals last offseason.  He’d probably play left field if he returned to St. Louis.  As a group, the Cardinals’ left fielders have hit just .243/.305/.321 with one home run.  At the least, Sanders would provide a power threat.

The Cardinals will likely settle for a second tier outfielder in the trade market, as I’m told Anthony Reyes and Adam Wainwright are being slotted into the 2007 rotation.

Cards Interested In Victor Diaz

By | at

Walt Jocketty and the Cardinals are currently mulling over various options to add an outfield bat, and one player who is definitely on the radar is Victor Diaz. 

The 24 year-old Diaz had a fine year in 2005 between Triple A and the Majors.  However, after losing the Mets’ right field battle to Xavier Nady this year Diaz has become the odd man out.  He’s stumbled to a .245/.310/.371 line in Triple A and his stock is at an all-time low.  Still, Diaz has shown 25 HR power and was projected to hit .265/.323/.469 for the Mets by Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA system.

New York doesn’t have much use for Diaz, and one player they like is 24 year-old righthander Mark Worrell in the Cardinals’ system.  Worrell uses an unorthodox, sometimes sidearm delivery to retire hitters.  He did a fine job as a closer in A ball last year, but the jump to Double A hasn’t been so kind.  Worrell has 15 saves and a 1.28 WHIP, but he also owns a 5.27 ERA.  Walks and home runs have been a problem.

It’s a swap that makes sense – a couple of minor leaguers who have not met expectations this year.  My Mets source tells me that discussions are ongoing.   

Show all

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top