Latest On Jorge Julio
Ken Rosenthal has a new column up. Well, actually it went up 12 hours ago. If it’s whispered, (or just written on FOXSports.com), we hear it (once we wake up, eat some Arby’s, and get situated).
Ken’s main rumor:
The current suitors for the relief ace known as Jorge Julio are the Cardinals and Marlins, with the Bucs and D-Rays on the fringes. For the sake of my Al Reyes sleeper pick let’s keep him out of Tampa Bay. I think the Cardinals could really use a guy like Julio. The acquiring team will be on the hook for all $3.6MM, unless they pony up a top-notch prospect. The Marlins get special treatment I guess.
Cardinals Interested In Julio
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals are interested in Diamondbacks reliever Jorge Julio. Joe Strauss thinks the Cards would send a lefty reliever to Arizona.
The Cardinals currently have five southpaws on the roster aside from Mark Mulder: Randy Flores, Tyler Johnson, Randy Keisler, Chris Narveson, and Ricardo Rincon. Viva El Birdos wonders why the Cardinals don’t just keep Braden Looper in the pen.
Last time we checked in on Julio, the Marlins and Giants were battling for him. Arizona apparently doesn’t want to pay much if any of his $3.6MM salary. The Marlins might convince them to if they offer up Yusmeiro Petit. Personally I think Florida should just use internal closing options.
Should Cards Pursue Bernie Williams?
With a couple of outfielders beginning the season on the DL, the Cardinals might be concerned about their outfield depth right now. One suggestion, coming from the esteemed St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz, is to sign Bernie Williams.
Can Williams be a useful player at 38? He might be able to pitch in as a fourth outfielder. His PECOTA is .258/.320/.388. Maybe he could end things on a high note with the Cardinals, a la Will Clark?
Cards Hope To Woo Clemens
UPDATE: Hendricks squashed the rumor.
The big story this morning: Walt Jocketty and co. met at length with Roger Clemens‘s agent Randy Hendricks yesterday. Other clients’ of Hendricks were the main topic, but Roger’s name came up. Unlike this winter’s Barry Bonds rumor, Jocketty isn’t denying interest.
The Cardinals have some extra money after missing out on various pitching targets this winter. Clemens is quite a longshot, but it’s certainly fun to speculate. This is the single move with the largest possible impact for St. Louis. Adding 100 innings of the Rocket would probably improve the Cardinals by 3-4 wins, based on PECOTA’s projected WARP. And Murray Chass just stopped reading this post.
Aside from Clemens, the Cards could pursue Carl Pavano, Jon Lieber, or Brad Penny. Penny is the possible impact arm and of course would draw much more interest if he’s available. His overall impact would probably be similar to that of Clemens, but the bounty is to be paid in prospects. Colby Rasmus, Jaime Garcia, and Chris Duncan could be targets of L.A.
Will Cards Trade For Pitching?
We discussed this just a week ago, but the St. Louis Post Dispatch is again questioning whether the Cardinals might trade for a starter.
The focus is again on Jon Lieber, Carl Pavano, and whoever the Dodgers might give up (Mark Hendrickson?) The Cardinals don’t really need any of these guys, but rumors will probably float about all spring because much of their rotation is unproven. I say, trust the youth! PECOTA has Reyes at a 3.89 ERA, Wainwright at 4.00. Thus the team has one ace, two very solid youngsters, a nice project in Kip Wells in the #4 slot, and a host of solid candidates for the last. I know there’s a faction of Cardinals fans who think their rotation is better than last year’s. I agree.
The article also mentions that Walt Jocketty will attempt to sign David Eckstein to an extension this spring. PECOTA says $21MM for 2008-10. Shouldn’t be a problem.
One more Cardinal-related note: Phil Rogers has a source saying Kenny Rogers was using "the tacky adhesive used by trainers in wrapping ankles."
Will Cards Trade For Pitching?
We discussed this just a week ago, but the St. Louis Post Dispatch is again questioning whether the Cardinals might trade for a starter.
The focus is again on Jon Lieber, Carl Pavano, and whoever the Dodgers might give up (Mark Hendrickson?) The Cardinals don’t really need any of these guys, but rumors will probably float about all spring because much of their rotation is unproven. I say, trust the youth! PECOTA has Reyes at a 3.89 ERA, Wainwright at 4.00. Thus the team has one ace, two very solid youngsters, a nice project in Kip Wells in the #4 slot, and a host of solid candidates for the last. I know there’s a faction of Cardinals fans who think their rotation is better than last year’s. I agree.
The article also mentions that Walt Jocketty will attempt to sign David Eckstein to an extension this spring. PECOTA says $21MM for 2008-10. Shouldn’t be a problem.
One more Cardinal-related note: Phil Rogers has a source saying Kenny Rogers was using "the tacky adhesive used by trainers in wrapping ankles."
Pavano On The Trade Market
Pretty much anyone you ask would tell you Philip Hughes is likely to outpitch Carl Pavano this year. Any projection system or scout would tell you that the Yankees will win more games with Hughes as the fifth starter than Pavano. Why then is Pavano, and not Hughes, penciled in as the team’s fifth starter? The reason is that Pavano is due $23 million over the next two seasons. The Yankees want to get something out of him.
Best move for everyone would be to trade him. Jon Heyman of SI.com tells us that the Rockies wanted the Yankees to cover $15MM of the $20MM remaining on his deal. (Although I do believe Pavano is owed $23MM if you include his buyout). Maybe that means Colorado would take Pavano at the price of $8MM over the next two seasons? Who wouldn’t? Ramon Ortiz just got three mil. However, at this point the Rockies don’t need any more starters.
Heyman goes on to say that if Pavano can show promise this spring, the Yanks might get a team to take on $12-13MM of the money owed to Pavano. So, the team would pay $10MM over the next two seasons. Still not too bad, especially for an NL club looking to get creative (Cardinals?)
Pavano is on a rigorous workout regimen in hopes of returning to a Major League mound and redeeming himself.
Pavano On The Trade Market
Pretty much anyone you ask would tell you Philip Hughes is likely to outpitch Carl Pavano this year. Any projection system or scout would tell you that the Yankees will win more games with Hughes as the fifth starter than Pavano. Why then is Pavano, and not Hughes, penciled in as the team’s fifth starter? The reason is that Pavano is due $23 million over the next two seasons. The Yankees want to get something out of him.
Best move for everyone would be to trade him. Jon Heyman of SI.com tells us that the Rockies wanted the Yankees to cover $15MM of the $20MM remaining on his deal. (Although I do believe Pavano is owed $23MM if you include his buyout). Maybe that means Colorado would take Pavano at the price of $8MM over the next two seasons? Who wouldn’t? Ramon Ortiz just got three mil. However, at this point the Rockies don’t need any more starters.
Heyman goes on to say that if Pavano can show promise this spring, the Yanks might get a team to take on $12-13MM of the money owed to Pavano. So, the team would pay $10MM over the next two seasons. Still not too bad, especially for an NL club looking to get creative (Cardinals?)
Pavano is on a rigorous workout regimen in hopes of returning to a Major League mound and redeeming himself.
Will Cards Trade For A Starter?
The Cardinals’ rotation consists of Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, Anthony Reyes, Adam Wainwright, and some combination of Mark Mulder, Brad Thompson, and Ryan Franklin. Why is this any worse than rotations of past excellent Cardinal teams? I think Thompson is quite underrated and could be one of the league’s better fifth starters. Health/durability risks will require depth, which I think the Cardinals have.
Still, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch mentions the Cardinals will "sift through the trade market this spring." Trade candidates include Jon Lieber, Brad Penny, and Carl Pavano. I assume the Cards wouldn’t have interest in Mark Hendrickson. I suppose if they could snag Liebs or Pavano for a couple of autographed Fernando Tatis jerseys, it’s worth it. But the Cards don’t really have a surplus of anything to use to acquire a front-line guy like Penny.
Will Cards Trade For A Starter?
The Cardinals’ rotation consists of Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, Anthony Reyes, Adam Wainwright, and some combination of Mark Mulder, Brad Thompson, and Ryan Franklin. Why is this any worse than rotations of past excellent Cardinal teams? I think Thompson is quite underrated and could be one of the league’s better fifth starters. Health/durability risks will require depth, which I think the Cardinals have.
Still, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch mentions the Cardinals will "sift through the trade market this spring." Trade candidates include Jon Lieber, Brad Penny, and Carl Pavano. I assume the Cards wouldn’t have interest in Mark Hendrickson. I suppose if they could snag Liebs or Pavano for a couple of autographed Fernando Tatis jerseys, it’s worth it. But the Cards don’t really have a surplus of anything to use to acquire a front-line guy like Penny.