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Does anyone have any idea what kind of contract Matsui is looking for? I am guessing it would be in the neighborhood of 3 years $30M but I really don’t know and haven’t heard much about it.
There was a Japanese article that I believed said around 4yr/$30M, but he probably won’t get that. MLBTR has him projected to get 2yr/$16M.
Left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui is close to signing a deal with a Padres, per source. @YamadaSANSPO was on it.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 19, 2023
I don’t think the Cards should spend 9 figures on a reliever. Nor do I think they would ever do it. Remember Andrew Miller…
Usually giving out big contracts to the bullpen is unwise, as the Cardinals have found out numerous times, but Hader might be the exception to that. He has been very good for quite some time. The Cardinals will not sign him but someone will give him big money, probably the Rangers, Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers, or Giants.
Some years back Mo had said to the effect he didn’t like lengthy contracts for closers. I think he will try to improve the pen in the trade market. We have extra guys at the top of the system now. I expect some turnover.
Besides a big contract the other problem with Hader is that he would cost us another draft pick. We don’t need to lose another one after losing the second rounder on Gray.
The approach to retain the 80-something draft pick eliminates Chapman, Snell, Bellinger and Hader from consideration.
I would be very opposed to giving Hicks a 3 or 4 year deal if that is what he is looking for. Actually I wouldn’t want him back on a one year deal.
The Cardinals can live without Chapman, Snell, Bellinger, and Hader so keep the draft pick and go after Monty or someone in the pen who won’t cost us another pick.
Thors hammer in the 9th
I envision a Thor hammer sitting in the middle of the trainer’s table all season.
From what I saw last year they have very little bullpen help at AA or AAA unless they plan to start Graceffo in the pen when he is ready if he is ready in 2024.
Some of the free agent options are:
Hector Neris…would think he gets b/w $8-11 mill a year, but would probably be best option 68 IP, 41 hits 77 K’s, 31 walks in 2023
Robert Stephenson…did well last year with Rays but seems to be good every other year.
Jordan Hicks…was good in Toronto but seems to always be close to being really good but doesn’t quite get there
Phil Maton…pretty solid last 3 years with Astros but like Gallegos has pitched a lot of Innings and has a lot of appearances
David Robertson…old, was good with Mets was just short of horrible after trade to Marlins
I’d probably try to sign both Neris and Maton, and then hope a couple of the lefthander’s they already have b/w Romero, Libratore (who was pretty decent out of the pen end of last year) King, Naughton can get the job done at least till the summer trade dead line.
Outside of Hader, Matsui (padres I assume), wandy peralta and Matt Moore(injuries) there is not a lot in LH relief….don’t see the Cardinals looking at Chapman I guess they could take a flyer on Brent Suter from Colorado he would be cheap which seems to be the Cardinals M.O. these days.
From what I saw last year they have very little bullpen help at AA or AAA unless they plan to start Graceffo in the pen when he is ready if he is ready in 2024.
With the bottleneck of starting pitchers vying for spots at AAA (it looks like there may be as many as 14) the organization will most likely look for STL bp help there. Traditionally the Card’s FO likes to put potential starters in the Card’s bullpen before going into the rotation.
With the bottleneck of starting pitchers vying for spots at AAA (it looks like there may be as many as 14) the organization will most likely look for STL bp help there. Traditionally the Card’s FO likes to put potential starters in the Card’s bullpen before going into the rotation.
Agreed. I mentioned this in a different thread yesterday. While it is probably prudent for the Cardinals to try to find a quality reliever outside the organization at a reasonable cost it is also likely they will have numerous internal candidates to fill those roles. Will they all be successful? Of course not but that is what the Memphis shuttle is for. Keep throwing someone out there and see who sticks.
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