photo: Paul Goldschmidt via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals’ hot stove was cool over the holidays. Paul Goldschmidt dodged contract extension questions. Our history feature highlights prior team trades and signings that occurred during the December 18-31 period.
News and Notes for the Cardinals offseason
This section features offseason news items each week that do not require extensive coverage.
- Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch reported a couple of weeks ago that the Cardinals are interested in discussing a contract extension with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. His current deal runs through the 2024 season.
On his You Tube Channel recently, Bally Sports Midwest sideline reporter Jim Hayes asked Goldschmidt about the extension possibility. Goldschmidt unsurprisingly dodged the question and replied that he prefers to concentrate on playing the game and leave contract matters to others.
- The annual Cardinals Winter Warm-Up is scheduled for January 13- 15 at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. Details can be found at com/WWU . Autograph tickets are on sale. The autograph schedule can be found here. Free autograph tickets will become available in early January. Admission tickets are also on sale and a link to purchase the tickets can be found at www.mlb.com/cardinals/fans/winter-warm-up.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
- The Cardinals continue to be on the lookout for bullpen help. Last week’s report mentioned that Japanese reliever Yuki Matsui had made a visit to St. Louis. Less than a week after that visit, Matsui came to terms with the San Diego Padres on a five-year, $28 million contract.
The Cardinals reportedly have considered other relievers, including Phil Maton, Hector Neris and former Cardinal Jordan Hicks. All three remain on the market as of this writing.
- Though ostensibly the Cardinals have assembled their 2024 starting rotation, POBO John Mozeliak has not ruled out adding another starter. While the starting pitching market is rapidly dwindling, several good options remain available. 2023 Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell remains unsigned, but Snell is not likely on the Cardinals’ radar. Former Cardinal Jordan Montgomery is also unsigned, though his predicted six-year and at least $150 million contract wishes may also not fit into the Cardinals’ payroll plans. A reunion for Montgomery with the Yankees seems more likely. Both Snell and Montgomery are Scott Boras clients, which indicates neither will be in any hurry to sign before the maximum possible deal is on the table.
In addition, one notable Japanese starter, Shota Imanaga, is unsigned. Given the contracts that Japanese starters Shohei Otani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have obtained, Imanaga may be out of the Cardinals’ league as well.
2023 recaps
Top 10 Cardinals stories of 2023
In memory of 23 Cardinals who passed away during the year
Transactions
There are no transactions to report.
Injury Report
There are no new injuries to report.
Looking Ahead
The year 2024 has begun and spring training is coming in mid-February. The Cardinals Spring Training schedule can be found here.
The first important date in 2024 is January 12, the deadline for teams and arbitration eligible players to submit salary figures. The Cardinals have four players who are arbitration eligible. They are Tommy Edman (second year), Dylan Carlson (first year), Ryan Helsley (second year), and JoJo Romero (first year).
Arbitration hearings run from January 29 through February 16.
The Cardinals annual Winter Warm-Up begins on January 13. Details can be found at Cardinals.com/WWU.
The 2024 international signing period begins on January 15.
The 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame class will be announced on January 23 on MLB Network at 5 pm CT.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past continues the look at some notable trades and/or signings that occurred during the offseason each week of December and January. The following is a list of transactions by date, beginning with the period December 18 through December 31.
December 18, 2004 – The Cardinals traded pitcher Dan Haren, along with Daric Barton and Kiko Calero to the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Mark Mulder.
Haren went on to have a successful 13-year major league career with seven teams that included three All-Star Game selections and two top 10 finishes for the Cy Young Award. Mulder had only one good season with the Cardinals and spent his final three seasons either injured or ineffective. The Cardinals did not exercise Mulder’s 2009 option and he retired in 2010 after going unsigned by any team.
December 20, 1926 – The Cardinals traded one future Hall of Fame second baseman for another with Rogers Hornsby going the New York Giants for Frankie Frisch. Frisch later served as Cardinals player-manager from 1933-1937 and as just a manager in 1938.
December 22, 1995 –A notable transaction was made on this date that didn’t directly involve players. On this day, it was announced that Anheuser-Busch had agreed to sell the St. Louis Cardinals franchise to Bill DeWitt Jr. and his investment group.
December 22, 1980 – The Cardinals acquired future Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Ty Waller, Leon Durham, and Ken Reitz.
Sutter had the pennant clinching save in the 1982 NLCS and the winning save in Game 7 of the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 2006, joined the team Hall of Fame in 2014 and passed away during 2022.
December 23, 2004 – The Cardinals signed shortstop David Eckstein to a three-year contract. Eckstein was named the 2006 World Series MVP and was a fan favorite in St. Louis.
There were no notable player transactions from December 24 through December 31 in Cardinals history.
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