Fixing This Mess: The St.Louis Cardinals

[Josh]

Note: Not written by me. Was written by a guy from another board.

First off to Billy Beane, congrats on totally screwing over the Cardinals organization.

The current roster set:
C -
Y. Molina
G. Bennett

1B-
A. Pujols

2B-
A. Kennedy
A. Miles

SS-
D. Eckstein

3B-
S. Rolen

OF-
J. Edmonds
C. Duncan
J. Encarnacion
S. Spiezo
P. Wilson

Starters-
C. Carpenter
A. Wainwright
B. Looper
A. Reyes
K. Wells

Bullpen-
J. Isringhausen (CL)
R. Flores
R. Springer
R. Franklin
T. Johnson
K. Jimenez
J. Kinney


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First off I think the infield is set. The outfield aside from Duncan needs to be totally reworked. And the pitching staff is horrible. Carpenter (at this day) is on the DL and who knows about Mark Mulder. This is an aging team. From Rolen to Edmonds to Isringhausen. Things need to be shaken up.

Personally Christopher Perez and Jason Motte need to be called up to AAA and given a chance to continue their success. Colby Rasmus isn't ready yet. Blake Hawksworth is doing a pretty good job in AAA, and might deserve a look.

However there is a vast list of SP available this offseason:
John Smoltz
Jason Jennings
Curt Schilling
Freddy Garcia
Carlos Zambrano (Financially not worth it)

Are at least the 3 that would thrive in STL. As for other players, I think it's almost a must to sign Adam Dunn in St. Louis. For far too long now Edmonds and Rolen have been injured and not giving the fantastic 3 that St. Louis is customed to having.

Dunn in LF and Duncan in RF gives them an opportunity to let Edmonds' offens slide as long as he continues defensively, although he has dropped there as well. If he doesn't show any improvement, I'd try for any sort of defensive OF that is available. Surprisingly maybe someone like Brian Anderson from the White Sox, Coco Crisp from the Red Sox or Jeremy Reed from the Mariners.

The pitching however is where a lot of changes need to happen. And this will require a lot of thought, probably more than I'm willing to put into this at the moment. But I'd strongly look to a year of Curt Schilling or 3 years of John Smoltz. There is some talent on the farm to cycle through if Reyes can find himself again, and Thompson and Hawksworth.

Perez and Motte are both showing great promise as setup and closer material in AA. Both have solid K/9IP but have shaky BB/9IP.

[seaver41]

Smoltz signed an extension through 2010 or 2011 I believe. Schilling will probably stay with the Red Sox. Freddy Garcia is expected to have rotator cuff surgery so he'd be out for a year.

The Cardinals would be REALLY smart to trade Isringhausen mid-season. The Indians and Tigers need a closer. The Cardinals could use Percival for the rest of the season to close.

[Zack Attack Troll]

Agreed on trading Izzy. The club needs some fresh pitching for next year, might snag a couple good prospects for him.

Trade Rolen for a young player or two. He is struggling though this year, don't know who would take him.

Basically the club just needs an injection of young talent, preferably pitching. After Carpenter, Wainwright and Reyes, I don't know who is the future of the clubs staff. Obviously there's Mulder, but you really can't count on him at this point. I know they have a young kid Garcia in AA, he might be pretty good, but he's not ready probably until 2009.

[seaver41]

There were rumors of trading Rolen to the Dodgers for possibly Matt Kemp and Wilson Betemit or Andy La Roche. I can't remember if it was rumors or what some SI/ESPN writer thought should happen.

[cardsfan643]

That was Bernie Miklasz, a writer for the St. Louis Post Dispatch who suggested trading Rolen for LaRoche and Billingsley or something like that.

Anyway, it's almost certain that Isringhausen and Franklin will be traded. Percival is probably expected to take over closing games.

Rolen has a No-Trade Clause. He said that he likes staying in the Midwest. The Cardinals have a young pitcher named Blake Hawksworth who could shoot some life into the rotation. The main need is a top of the rotation starting pitcher. Someone like Buehrle. It's up to the Cardinals to spend the money to get a real starting pitcher and not go picking up trash from the bargain bin.

There aren't any better shortstops out there, so we need to sign Eckstein. That gives an infield of Molina, Pujols, Kennedy, Eckstein, and Rolen. That's pretty solid. Then an outfield of Duncan, Edmonds, and Encarnacion. That's adequate. Also Rick Ankiel will be on the team full time next year. He's obviously known for his pitching woes but he is quite an outfielder. Good defense, great arm, and a lot of power.

Chris Perez, the AAA closer who throws 100 mph will probably be called up soon.

There's enough talent to be excited about for next year, but this starting pitching has to change. Next year the rotation will be better with a healthy Carpenter and Mulder, and a re-invented Anthony Reyes with a new two-seamer.

Carpenter
Mulder
Wainwright
Reyes

Then it's either Hawksworth or Buehrle.

[seaver41]

"Rolen has a No-Trade Clause. He said that he likes staying in the Midwest. "

I don't think him waiving it is out of the question. Obviously his relationship with La Russa isn't exactly great and he'd be going to a team in the hunt for the playoffs.