14 Nov 2014 21:05:05
Cardinals Offseason

Interesting that Mozy suggested the Cards have "financial muscle" to flex this offseason. I like a combo of trades and signings below:

1) Sign Nori Aoki (2yr/$20M) - Aoki would be a great fit in the number 2 hole, allowing Wong, who hits for less average and more power to move down in the order. Aoki fills the one need position in the field as well.

2) Cards/Phillies trade:

To PHI - Randal Grichuk, Marco Gonzales, Juan Herrara, Shelby Miller

To STL - Cole Hamels

This trade addresses Phillies wish list of a couple top prospects, and MLB ready pitching. Should the Phils miss out on Tomas, Grichuk becomes a more valuable add.

Don't have to explain why the Cards would want Hamels.

3) Sign Tom Gorzelanny (1y/$2.5M) - Cards like bullpen projects, and have a need for an additional lefty out of the pen. Losing Neshak and adding Gorz is a bit of a downgrade, but he fills a need, and based on the additional spending the Cards make above, mitigates the cost of adding a decent reliever.

4) Sign Corey Hart (1yr/$4M) - The Cards don't have a lot of power off of the bench, and also are lacking in a capable backup at 1st base. Hart could give the club 30 starts at 1st, another 20 in the outfield and potentially DH when in the AL.

2015 Cards Depth Chart

SP: Wainwright, Hamels, Lynn, Wacha, Garcia/Lackey

RP: Rosenthal, Martinez, Choate, Maness, Gorzelanny, Freeman

Batting:

1: Carpenter
2: Aoki
3: Jay
4: Holliday
5: Adams
6: Peralta
7: Molina
8: Wong

Bench:

Cruz, Descalso, Hart, Kozma, Robinson, Bourjos, Piscotty

1.) 15 Nov 2014
I didn't know that the MLB changed the roster requirement to a 27 man roster lol

2.) 15 Nov 2014
Didn't even think of that, oops!

3.) 16 Nov 2014
16 Nov 2014 14:28:04
The Cardinals would be shaving about $2-3M to take on $25M a year? No way.