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Giants just signed Nick Ahmed, which means Brandon Crawford isn’t returning to SF. Giants beat reporter Susan Slusser reported Crawford and Cards are a possibility which Goold confirms.
I've heard this could come together pretty quickly, so here's more to support that. https://t.co/B8HbLtVpQG
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) February 26, 2024
If this ends the Matt Carpenter era for good. then it is totally worth it. For what it’s worth, Crawford’s rep is playing the party boy clubhouse DJ role. Perhaps a new organization where he plays a smaller, more silent role will rekindle his bat and focus.
Cardinals To Sign Brandon Crawford https://t.co/04WQ486RiU pic.twitter.com/O95vf3aHiP
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) February 26, 2024
The most essential element to this deal is that Donovan and Burly weren’t getting it done on their own. Crawford should raise the mullettude level quite a bit. Teams just don’t win consistently without boasting superior mullets…especially in close games decided by a hair.
I like this signing quite a lot unless they are paying him ridiculous $, which I doubt, Crawford is known as a good teammate and has a ton of playoff winning experience
Should one assume that Winn is still the starting SS coming out of ST? And that the job is his to lose? And that Crawford is the backup SS?
r/Esteemed Rat
Who gets dumped from the opening day 26 man?
Burly?
Carp?Surely they won’t pull the plug on the Carp leadership reunion tour already.
That is my assumption too Rats. BW will have more info as this progresses.
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Gs, I had a bench of:
Herrera
Carlson
Carpenter
AAA shuttleCrawford shuts the shuttle down, until injury backfill is needed.
Crawford’s credentials include an association with a winning tradition that entirely surpasses anyone else who’s currently a member of the Redbird roster including the entire coaching staff. He may well be the answer if what you’re looking for is clubhouse leadership. He’s also a pretty good SS. I’ll take him over a dozen MC’s.
It seems to me if he’s not playing and he is weeks away from facing pitching then it is serious situation. Si it two weeks or twelve weeks. The Cardinals are rarely forthcoming with honest information about injuries. So, I’ll believe it isn’t serious when he’s in the lineup.
Crawford was terrible last year; a WAR of -1.3. And as far as I know he has only played shortstop.
Granted he could be better this year, and could probably play second or third if needed. But if Winn seizes the job, then we will have two “Matt Carpenter’s” dragging down our bench.
But maybe they will team up and fill in the leadership gap that our manager and coaches seem to lack.
There is no one at all on the bench who can hit. Excluding your back up catcher, I am not sure I can remember or imagine a more limp wristed bunch of bench bats. Carlson can hit lefties some, but that hardly makes for a useful bench.
I would have been good with the Crawford signing had they not signed Carpenter. Crawford makes a lot of sense as someone to both help Winn and push him a bit. Plus, if he’s hitting ok, he could take 1/3 of the games and that would be ok. He adds some depth at SS which we are desperate to get with Donovan ailing and Edman somewhat questionable. Even if he doesn’t hit and only plays as a deep reserve, it’s still not terrible.
But having Crawford and Carpenter just feels totally awkward. They are pushing talented young players out so two aging vets who they really can’t replace even if they are bad can hang out at the end of the bench. This could go really badly. They could both hit as atrocious as last year and stay healthy and use up 2 mostly useless spots on a team that could otherwise add refreshing youthful talent. Maybe it works somehow. Hopefully so. But I don’t see it.
Another veteran presense is probably good. We can only guess at the dynamic in the clubhouse last year, but it seems like it was a problem. We should not undervalue the intangible aspect. Crawford has been there and done that.
Crawford is no Albert Pujols, but the Pujols signing in 2022 seemed more sentimental than anything. He was not expected to help much from a production stand point, and ended up being one of our best hitters.
Maybe either Crawford or Carpenter will reach down and find the fountain of youth similar to the 2022 Pujols. I just hope Winn takes charge and we do not have to depend on Crawford to carry the load as the shortstop.
Also, if both are healthy, Edman and Carlson, I would go with Carlson as the center fielder. I don’t think Edman gives you better defense than Carlson, and he does not give you a better bat. Tommy’s career OPS+ is 100, Dylan’s is 99. Carlson was a highly touted prospect and has some pop, and is 3+ years younger than Edman. Then have Tommy as middle infield depth, where he gives you a plus glove and his offense is good enough.
Carlson has not hit righties well, but then Edman bats righty quite a bit against righties so it’s not like he has mashed them. I don’t know, I still see upside in Carlson, but he needs to be 100% ready. If so, play him in center, keep Edman a middle infielder, and get some athleticism on the bench in place of Crawford or Carpenter.
Our team just seems like the pieces do not fit together. Not sure I recall a time in the DeWitt era where I disagree so much with management’s decisions.
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