indifferent

No kidding, was it just a year or two ago when they were a dime a dozen? What happened to the conventional wisdom that it was much easier to trade for an OF bat than a starting pitcher?

I think Hendry will be extended but Dusty wont. I'm confused, doesn't Hendry, if he's extended, have the option of extending Baker or not? It's not an ownership decision, is it?

jmajew, I don't see how you differentiate between injury prone and chronically injured. Who cares how many different injuries sideline a player? They're not available to play. JD Drew exemplifies this and Nomar also, to an extent. Cards fans want to apply this tag to Rolen also and it might be applicable, regardless of whether the cause of his injury was running into a player or not.

That's great, can I steal that and apply it to Scott Rolen?

His risks paid off and he deserves credit IMO. To me, it's that simple. If Hendry took some risks and they paid off he deserves credit for them too. I agree with YearofDaCubs, this is a big issue for me. I value GMs for their ability to find the diamonds in the rough with no predictable course for success. If it's about identifying the most productive player regardless of salary or other teams (who can also statistically identify the same player), then have a computer do the work and maybe a sales guy on the front end to talk to the players. Ndistops stated five good moves Williams made. Are they all lucky? Williams deserves more credit than that regardless of his track record and even if it's one year. It's not even like they were the wild card, they had the best record in the AL.

This might be a dumb question, but has any team recently signed and/or traded for players in the same offseason with the purpose of platooning? I would think it'd be pretty expensive for teams to do. It seems to occur when a team is stuck with the last years of a players contract or trying to break in a cheap, young guy.

I'd take Sanders over Jones too, unfortunately we already made that decision. Sanders, IMO, is reasonably priced due to age and will be less expensive than Jones for that same reason. Although it was reported on Rotoworld today that Sanders is now seeking a three yr. deal. I can't see how any team could do that.

Given the reasoning you used, I'm not ready to string up the owners just yet, but I'm not big on the "wait and see" approach. By then it will be too late. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but it seems suspect to pick this year of all years to keep payroll the same.

Should Cards fans feel lied to by the owners in keeping payroll the same as last year? Statements were made by the owners that they would increase payroll with the new stadium. I'm interested in Cubs fans take. It's been discussed ad nauseum on the Cards boards. Those that say no believe either the increases occurred prior to this year in anticipation of the new stadium or that they made these statements prior to knowing how much of the bill they were footing. Those that say yes took their statements literally, believing that they made these statements, the stadium is now opening in 06 and payroll is not increasing.

I think its every bit as bad. the difference is the subtleties. everyone in the world can see when one team is hammering the other in the paint without foul calls, while there are touch fouls called on the other end. with home plate umpiring, it's often times a matter of 1/2 of an inch, and what is outrageous is the media encourages it. "well Roger Clemens is going to get that pitch called. the batter needs to take a hack" or "if you're around the plate all the time, you're going to get those calls" or "he's called that pitch earlier in the game." NONSENSE!!! it doesn't matter if it's Pujols in the ninth at Coors and the tieing runner is on. a strike is a strike and a ball is a ball. (you know what I'm talking about Card fans.) Not really. Who specifically on the Cards do you think gets preferential strike zone treatment?

I agree with you to an extent. But the Cards are in a far better off position then the Cubs to begin with. When you have Albert, Scott, Edgar (in the past), and Jim it is much easier to fill the holes with the likes of Taguchi, Matheny, et al. In the recent past the Cubs had Sammy and not much else. where I will give credit to Jocketty more than anything is his ability to cherry pick when nobody else even sees the orchard. He's landed McGuire, Edmonds, Rolen, Renteria, Williams and Walker for what amounts to Adam Kennedy, Braden Looper, Placido Polanco, and 1/3 of a year of Mike Timlin. but one thing I have always said about Jocketty is his in season trades always seem to be good moves, but the wrong moves. year after year he brings in more hitting when more pitching would have put them over the top. Strangely the last two years, he's done the opposite (in the offseason). He's targeted a "frontline" starting pitcher when we needed the offensive help (according to postseason failings anyway). Trading for Mulder when you had Haren ready to step into the rotation is tantamount to trading for Burnett (if he wasn't a free agent) when you had Reyes ready to step into the rotation. Pursuing Burnett when you need two corner outfielders and bullpen help? And then crying poor when it comes time to fill those holes?

And Millwood definitely falls into that category if you're talking about the right team. Millwood will make out with the most cash, do you honestly think he's worth it? He's truly capable of a season similar to his 04 with the Phillies.

A player is mostly overpriced when a team has no need, only a luxury, to add them, i.e. any starting pitcher to the Cards or the Cubs. A Millwood, Morris, or a Weaver is simply an afterthought, thus the overpaid tag.

About an hour ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a die hard Cards fan. He said, and I quote, "Matty Mo's biggest problem is he smokes too much weed". I thought for a moment that you were going to say the same thing. :lol: I've heard from my buddies in St. Louis too... that and he enjoys other, more powdery type drugs. That's quite an allegation.

Exactly my point. Injury prone guy stayed healthy and he was lucky to do so. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have gotten no such courtesy from the Baseball Gods the last couple years. How is that exactly your point? You made no mention of his injuries, you were basing your argument on his career stats.

I agree with the original post, the Cards will score less runs this year as currently constructed (and there's not much out there to think this will change drastically). As far as Carp's "luck" is concerned, this is a unique instance where the stats guys need to step away from the computer. He has always had the stuff and he was plagued by injuries. Did you see him pitch in person over the last two years? No fluke and no luck involved (other than staying healthy). Of course, he very well could be injured again. I could go on about lucky, flukish players on the Cards, but Carp's not one of them.

Cards owners are really taking it to their fans. Their ridiculous frugality in the face of the huge revenue coup they are seeing this year was underlined when they couldn't free up a lousy 3 mil a year for Grudz. Pathetic!

The plan is to have Wainwright pitch out of the pen this year (long relief, spot starter) and in the rotation next year. It's how they broke in Morris.

Thompson, Flores, Izzy, Reyes... I think that's it. No Al Reyes, most likely out with surgery for the season. They'll probably have Wainwright and Tyler Johnson as relievers also. Not pretty.

He definitely fits in with the Cubs new look "Catch the Ball" mandate, why not?

Hey, if the Cards are feeling "LEFT OUT" (pun intended), I think the Cubs have a spare crappy lefty that they could call "specialist." I think Hendry would be persuaded to move Bartosh, Koronka, Rohlicek (if not selected in the Rule 5/V draft), heck, I would throw-in (oh what a....)RUSCH..... Flores against left handed batters in 05 (for $300,000 salary) was .250BAA, .333 OBP, .583 OPS. Tyler Johnson to be the other left handed pitcher out of the pen; King was expendable. Salary dump/depth move by the Cards.

But he is good though. No Pierre signing will take that away! :P

I know how you all love the guy, so I'm posting it here. As a Cards fan, I in no way, shape, or form do this deal as rumored for Cano and Wang from the Yankees. People think he had a down year last year, but he still posted a .263, .384, .927 line. Even for 11 or 12 mil with his CF position and defense factored in, I'm not making this or any deal for Edmonds, inevitable age decline or not. You don't make a deal to weaken your team just because your money is running out and you need to fill holes. Say no to trading Edmonds (plus I'm pretty sure he's a 10-5 guy)! Besides, who else would you guys love to hate? Morris is probably gone, it's not Pujols or Rolen according to most here.

I'd kill to be in your shoes right now, BTW. You still have money to spend and you've signed Pierre, Howry, and Eyre and re-signed Perez and Rusch. We've signed a backup catcher in Bennett and a backup utility guy in Cruz. Rumor has it we also have only 10 mil left to sign a 2nd baseman, LF, RF, and a fully retooled bullpen. Cry me a river.

hmm Cubs get: Abreu Nationals get: Williams, Hill, and Patterson/Michaels Phillies get: Hernandez, Wilkerson + Cash from Cubs sry couldnt help it :) If we are making up some crazy deals why not: Cubs get: Bradley and Hudson Dodgers get: Soriano Rangers get: Walker and Patterson BlueJays get: Mench Walker, Texas Ranger