[Cards667]

So Martinez still gets activated Tuesday for a start and the 2nd game is Woodford or Ponce. Basically the same thing. I was just thinking of a way to keep long men available.

[Cards667]

I think Carp has to be benched. It’s a lot of money to sit. But it’s the only thing to do.
1. Wong 2B
2. Edman 3B
3. Goldschmidt 1B
4. Miller DH
5. DeJong SS
6. Carlson RF
7. Molina C
8. Thomas LF
9. Bader CF

I put Carlson 6th because I think he would benefit from a veteran bat behind him and also splitting up the 3 young OF at the bottom.
Carpenter, Ravelo, O’Neill, Knizner

I said in a post somewhere in 2019 the Cardinals should pick up Miller when he was cut loose by Cleveland. Don’t know if it would have panned out the same, but I hope he keeps hitting because this team as it is now needs him desperately.

[Cards667]

They may have made an announcement on this I didn’t see but the way I see this lining up now is
9-4 Flaherty
9-5(1) Wainwright
9-5 (2) Woodford – Woodford optioned after and keeping the 29th man (Ponce or Fernandez)
9-6 Hudson
9-7 Kim
9-8(1) Oviedo
9-8(2) Carlos – activated as 29th man, Ponce/Fernandez or Elledge optioned after
Then the rotation plays out as Flaherty, Wainwright, Husdon, Kim, Martinez and Oviedo as a long man in the pen and especially on Martinez starts since I’m sure hes not fully stretched out.

Oviedo, Kaminsky (L) (until Miller returns), Elledge/Fernandez/Ponce, Reyes, Cabrera(L), Helsley, Webb(L), Gant, Gomber(L), Gallegos

? On Whitley
Crismatt and Meisinger are probably the next to be DFA for 40 man spots.

[Cards667]

Well if it was cardinal related deadline it would be EMPTY

[Cards667]

Texas and Boston supposedly taking Eovaldi for Odor swap. Maybe Texas wants Wong in a swap for Gallo. And then add Kennedy and Duffy to the pen.

David Phelps could have been a good pen addition. St. Louis guy too. Going to Philly though.

[Cards667]

“What about bullpen help? Both based on current needs and past behavior, that does seem one place the Cards might look to add someone.”

I wanted Rosey back, but he’s gone. I still look at KC though. Ian Kennedy, Danny Duffy (as a reliever) and could they pry Merrifield?
Joey Gallo or JD Martinez to me are interesting targets too. I don’t like Gallo K% but good OF and LH power.
I’ve said before Wong needs to go and I’ll say it again. Maybe Boston would want him since they don’t have a 2B.
I never thought I’d say this, but unless Merrifield could be acquired, then Fowler needs to go back to leading off. I’d definitely include O’Neill for a bat, outside of him it would depend on who were talking about.

[Cards667]

Rosenthal looked good last night, just left the ball to Bader up a little to much, which I guess gets Bader removed from the line up. I always liked Rosenthal and would welcome him back as a cardinal, though it’s not really a need right now. Thought it would have been cool last night if when he was announced the PA sound would have given him a standing ovation the actual St. Louis crowd would have returning to Busch the first time.

[Cards667]

Ryan Sherriff was selected by TB today.

[Cards667]

So Tommy looking more and more comfortable every AB and were just going to start sitting him???

And Molina back up that high? Drives me nuts!!! He shouldn’t be above 8th in the order! Hope he goes 4-4 to prove me wrong, but I’ll still say hit him 8th.

I would have kept Elledge around. He’s looked really good and deserves more innings. Way more than any LH in that pen, especially Webb.

[Cards667]

“FOX Sports Midwest Plus is coming soon to AT&T TV and AT&T TV Now.”

AT&T Now is supported in the Fox Sports Go app now. It wasn’t at first, but it’s what I use now since it doesn’t have FSMW Plus.

[Cards667]

Flaherty
Wainwright
Hudson
Kim (L)
Poncedeleon/Martinez

Gomber (L)
Martinez/Poncedeleon
Reyes
Cabrera (L)
Elledge
Webb (L)
Helsley
Gant
Miller (L)
Gallegos

Taxi: Whitley, Fernandez

Whitley or Fernandez could swap with Elledge, but Elledge has looked good so far. I list Ponce and Martinez in the same slot because I think they piggyback each other until Martinez is stretched back out.

Alt. site : Woodford, Oviedo, Sanchez (L) staying stretched out.

DFA: Meisinger, Kaminski, Cruz, Crismatt, Ramirez

[Cards667]

My guess is

Wong
Edman
Goldschmidt
DeJong
Carpenter
O’Neill
Carlson
Molina
Fowler

Schrock, Miller, Bader, Wieters

Taxi: Knizner, Sosa, Thomas

DFA: Nogowski and Ravelo

Could be Sosa on the roster and Schrock at the alt site, putting a 3rd pitcher on the Taxi squad and a RH IF bat. But I really like what Schrock has shown so far.

If a player clears waivers are they still eligible for the 60 man pool? For some reason I thought I read where they weren’t. Such as if Nogowski is DFA to clear a 40 man spot for the returning players, if he clears waivers, can he still be added back to the 60 man pool?

[Cards667]

“Pass”

2-4 2 HR today.

I always liked him and hated the trade. And the fact they have nothing to show for him makes it worse to me.

[Cards667]

I wouldn’t mind having a guy that could play all 3 and be 20-60, 2 2B, 4 HR, 6 BB, 14 K .333/.394/.567 158 OPS+.
I know it’s a small sample, but the return for him is a pitcher I think is still in KC organization and 2 injured, mediocre years of a RP who is now in Cleveland, pitching poorly.

[Cards667]

I like Schrock. Reminds me of Skip or Greg Garcia or Danny D.
The offense is a mess. No middle of the order bat, but no #1 or 2 either.
I’ve been saying trade Wong for years and I still say it. Put Edman at 2B. He needs to be moved down and take some pressure off him and keep his front side on the ball longer. He’s flying open to much.

[Cards667]

1. Wong 2B L
2. Edman SS S
3. Goldschmidt 1B R
4. Carpenter DH L
5. O’Neill LF R
6. Miller 3B L
7. Carlson CF S
8. Wieters C S
9. Fowler RF S

Schrock, Bader, Nogowski, Knizner
Vs. LHP Carpenter to 3B, O’Neill DH, Carlson in LF hitting 6th, Wieters 7th, Bader in CF hitting 8th.

Flaherty, Wainwright, Hudson, Kim, Poncedeleon
Woodford, Kaminsky(L), Elledge, Cabrera(L), Ramirez, Webb(L), Reyes, Gant, Miller(L), Gallegos

That looks rough!!

[Cards667]

1. Wong 2B L
2. Edman SS S
3. Goldschmidt 1B R
4. Carpenter DH L
5. O’Neill LF R
6. Miller 3B L
7. Carlson CF S
8. Wieters C S
9. Fowler RF S

Schrock, Bader, ???, Knizner
Vs. LHP Carpenter to 3B, O’Neill DH, Carlson in LF hitting 6th, Wieters 7th, Bader in CF hitting 8th.

Flaherty, Wainwright, Hudson, Kim, Poncedeleon
Woodford, Gomber(L), Reyes, Cabrera(L), Ramirez, Webb(L), ???, Gant, Miller(L), Gallegos

Do players on the COVID IL count against the 60 man pool and 40 man roster?
I ask because they could claim some recently DFA players to fill the holes, especially since there will be so many double headers and having a 29 man roster for those and so little left to bring up.

[Cards667]

40 man is currently full now, but you’re right that Mikolas is still on it and can be moved to the 45 day DL to open another spot if they have to.

[Cards667]

The line up is so weak. Hope the pitching shuts everyone down.
1. Wong 2B
2. Edman SS
3. Goldschmidt 1B
4. Carpenter 3B
5. O’Neill LF
6. Miller DH
7. Wieters C
8. Thomas CF
9. Fowler RF

I’d move Thomas to 6th and LF vs LHP. Bader in CF hitting 8th, and DH O’Neill. Dean could also be a DH option vs LHP instead, especially if Bader continues to struggle. Let Fowler be a 2nd lead off man hitting 9th and maybe he can get on base some in front of the top of the order.

[Cards667]

This umpire’s strikezone is low. I also hate the high strike isn’t a thing. The top of that Zone box is belt high. Carpenter walked on a legitimately belt high pitch.

[Cards667]

“If Dean makes the team, I would guess it may be bad news for Sosa (taking Miller’s spot)”

I think Sosa is safe. (This won’t be the actual lineup, but my “preferred”, knowing they are going to play Fowler.)

1. Wong 2B
2. Carpenter DH
3. Goldschmidt 1B
4. DeJong SS
5. Edman 3B
6. O’Neill LF
7. Molina C
8. Fowler RF
9. Bader CF

1. Sosa IF (Taxi squad when cut to 26)
2. Ravelo 1B/LF
3. Thomas OF
4. Dean OF (Demote when Miller back)
5. Wieters C
6. Knizner C (Taxi squad when cut to 28)

Flaherty, Wainwright, Hudson, Mikolas, Martinez

1. Whitley/Oviedo (demote when to 28)
2. Fernandez (demote when to 26, taxi squad??)
3. Gomber (L)
4. Poncedeleon
5. Webb (L)
6. Gant
7. Gallegos (is he ready???)
8. Miller (L)
9. Helsley
10. Kim (L)

??? – Reyes, Cabrera(L)
IL/RL – Hicks, Brebbia

[Cards667]

With Mlbtraderumors.com doing their mock draft and talking about the possibility of expansion I’ve thought about this.

-Release Fowler, eat the last year of that terrible deal and use the spot to protect the future.
-Decline the option on Wong, but could always negotiate with him as a free agent or work a trade of him before declining the option. I’d rather have Edman and especially rather have Edman vs paying Wong 12.5 million.

Paul Goldschmidt (NTC?)
Matt Carpenter (NTC)
Miles Mikolas (NTC)
Dylan Carlson
Jack Flaherty
Paul DeJong
Tommy Edman
Dakota Hudson
Giovanny Gallegos
Harrison Bader
Jordan Hicks
Ryan Helsley
Junior Fernandez
Tyler O’Neill
Alex Reyes

UNPROTECTED (order I would protect for 2nd round too):
Andrew Knizner
Genesis Cabrera
Carlos Martinez
Lane Thomas
Kwang Hyun Kim
John Gant
John Brebbia
Edmundo Sosa
Justin Williams
Daniel Ponce de Leon
Austin Dean
Rangel Ravelo
Tyler Webb

I leave Carlos unprotected. $11.7 in 2021, $17 option, $18 option. If someone takes the contract then oh well, and then they can protect Knizner, Cabrera, Thomas from the 2nd round. I worry Carlos would be very attractive pick to trade off too. If Carlos wasn’t selected in the 1st round, he would be one of my 3 I protect for the 2nd round.
Wouldn’t protect Kim. 31 years old. 1 more guaranteed year. Maybe he gets picked as a trade piece, but don’t view him as a huge protection for now or the future.
Brebbia and Gant are mostly replaceable.

[Cards667]

1 year of Wong. No way I’d pick up that option. I’ve never been a huge fan of his at all and Edman is a cheaper and a better option.
Martinez is a good, but the heath questions are concerning. If they can get out of that contract it wouldn’t be the worst thing. Especially for using the money elsewhere when they have bad unmovable contracts with no trades in Carpenter and Fowler. I’m not real sold that Goldschmidt’s contract isn’t going to be a hindrance sooner rather than later either.
I’m not sold on O’Neill either, the team control doesn’t concern me with him when I don’t think he can hack it as an everyday player and others can fill the 4th OF role.
Ponce was a guy I added because he again doesn’t have a role on the team and there are other options for his partime role and OAK could have more need for him now and value him more than he is in STL.
They need to replace some slugging lost in Ozuna. They need LH bats. I’m not saying my hypothetical idea is the best out there or they could do. But this current OF looks shakey at best and cost effective to ownership that said they aren’t spending anymore money. I’d rather have Edman everyday at 2B than Wong. I’d rather have Pederson than O’Neill especially in a win this season situation. Stripling as the long man vs Ponce is whatever. And clear out Martinez money and question marks while adding 3-4 prospects for the future or a other trade.

[Cards667]

Trade
1)Wong and Poncedeleon to Oakland for some minor league pitching.

2) Hou gets: Martinez, O’Neill, Capel from STL
LAA get: Reddick and cash from HOU
LAD get: minor leaguers from HOU and another from LAA
STL gets: Pederson, Stripling, Raley, maybe a minor leaguer too from LAD

Wong alone covers the Pederson and Stipling money. Martinez clears money and future money for other flexibility, Arenado maybe…

Fowler – LF (S)
Pederson – RF (L)
Goldschmidt – 1B (R)
DeJong – SS (R)
Carpenter – 3B (L)
Edman – 2B (S)
Molina – C (R)
Bader – CF (R)

Miller-UTIL(L), Munoz-UTIL(R), Thomas-OF(R), Ravelo-1B/LF(R), Weiters-C(S)

Flaherty, Mikilas, Hudson, Kim, Wainwright
Stripling, Reyes, Webb, Gant, Brebbia, Helsley, Miller, Gallegos

If Bader struggles then Raley/Thomas platoon in RF, moving Pederson to CF, or Carlson could be possibilities. Thomas can get AB in RF with Pederson too who struggles vs LHP.

[Cards667]

1. Fowler
2. Wong
3. Goldschmidt
4. Ozuna
5. DeJong
6. Edman
7. Molina
8. Bader

Carpenter, Munoz, O’Neill, Martinez, Wieters

Flaherty, Hudson, Mikolas, Wainwright

Martinez, Gallegos, Miller(L), Gant, Brebbia, Helsley, Webb(L), ???

I think I actually lean towards Fernandez for the 8th pen spot. Wacha isn’t a reliever. Cabrera hasn’t shown much. Poncedeleon hasn’t pitched since 9/7. I like Leone when he’s “on”, but that hasn’t been very often in 2019. Mayers hasn’t been getting outs, or game action in 2 weeks.

[Author]

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