photo: Albert Pujols (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The St. Louis Cardinals welcome back a franchise icon. The club is 5-3 on the spring after dropping both weekend games. Our history feature highlights “The Bottenfield Chain” of trades.
Spring game recaps
Monday, March 21 – Cardinals 7 at Nationals 3
The St. Louis Cardinals took on the Washington Nationals at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Monday. Left hander Steven Matz took the mound for the Cardinals and pitched two scoreless innings with two hits and two punchouts. Genesis Cabrera, T.J. McFarland, Kodi Whitley, Kyle Ryan, Freddy Pacheco, Connor Thomas, and Jacob Bosiokovic each followed Matz with an inning pitched. Cabrera, McFarland, and Whitley each gave up a run. Ryan was the winning pitcher.
The Cardinals offense put three runs on the board in the fifth inning to tie the game on a bases-clearing double by Edmundo Sosa. St. Louis took a 4-3 lead in the seventh on a sac fly by Anderson Tejada. A two run double by Julio Rodriguez increased the lead to 6-3 in the ninth inning and a seventh run scored on a fielder’s choice by Alec Burleson. Nolan Gorman went 2-for-4.
Tuesday, March 22 – Cardinals 4, Marlins 3
The Cardinals defeated the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter on Tuesday with St. Louis as the home team. Home runs by Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan accounted for three of the Cardinals’ four runs.
The first three runs were scored in the fourth inning. Tommy Edman singled, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a ground rule double. Dylan Carlson drove in Edman on a sac fly. Arenado followed with a two-run long ball to make the score 3-0. In the fifth, a solo home run by Donovan increased the lead to 4-0.
Dakota Hudson got the start for St. Louis and pitched two scoreless innings with one hit, one strikeout and one walk. Jake Woodford, Johan Oviedo and Brandon Waddell pitched the next five scoreless innings. Zach Thompson gave up the Marlins’ three runs in the eighth. Thompson was relieved by James Naile who finished the inning. Andre Pallante tossed a scoreless ninth. Woodford was the winning pitcher.
Wednesday, March 23 – Cardinals 3 at Astros 10
The Cardinals were walloped by the Astros in West Palm Beach on Thursday. Adam Wainwright faced Astros starter Justin Verlander. Wainwright gave up two runs on three hits in three innings pitched. One of the hits was a two run home run. The right hander fanned three and walked none. Aaron Brooks surrendered three more runs in three innings of relief following Wainwright. Nick Wittgren pitched a scoreless seventh. Jake Walsh started the eighth and had a tough outing. Walsh gave up five runs while recording only one out. Kyle Ryan relieved Walsh and got the final two outs of the eighth. Wainwright took the loss.
St. Louis’ offense scored two runs in the sixth on RBI singled by Edmundo Sosa and Harrison Bader. Brendan Donovan drove in the final run in the ninth on a double. Sosa, Paul Goldschmidt, Luken Baker, and Ali Sanchez each had two hits.
Thursday, March 24 – Off day
Friday, March 25 – Cardinals 5, Nationals 4
The Cardinals edged the Nationals in a Friday contest at Roger Dean Stadium. St. Louis took an early lead and added to it to prevail over a tough Nationals team.
St. Louis scored three in the second on an RBI single by Paul DeJong and a two-run double by Harrison Bader. The offense added two additional runs in the fifth on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Paul Goldschmidt. Bader and Nolan Arenado each two hits.
Drew VerHagen was the Cardinal starter. The right hander surrendered two runs in three innings pitched on two home runs. He struck out one. Genesis Cabrera, Ryan Helsley, and Andre Pallante followed with a scoreless inning each. Freddy Pacheco gave up two runs, one earned in the seventh. James Naile and Jacob Bosiokovic followed with a scoreless eighth and ninth. VerHagen took the win.
Saturday, March 26 – Cardinals 2, Marlins 9
The Cardinals lost to the Marlins in Jupiter on Saturday. St. Louis was the home team. Starter Steven Matz had a tough day, giving up six runs on seven hits in the first inning of the game. Cory Thompson came in to relieve Matz with two outs and got the final out. Matz re-entered the game in the second inning and pitched a scoreless inning. Johan Oviedo followed in the third and surrendered three runs, two earned, in 2 2/3 innings. Junior Fernandez, Giovanny Gallegos, Kodi Whitley, and Jake Walsh each pitched a scoreless inning. Matz took the loss.
The Cardinals offense scored one run in the third on a solo home run by Paul Goldschmidt. Juan Yepez drove in the second run in the seventh on a single to left. The Cardinals managed six hits in the game that included a double by Corey Dickerson and singles by Kramer Robertson, Tyler O’Neill and Luken Baker.
Sunday, March 27 – Cardinals 3 at Mets 7
The Cardinals suffered their second consecutive loss, this one to the Mets in Port St. Lucie on Sunday. The offense faced the Mets’ two best pitchers in Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer and did little.
deGrom got the start against Cardinal starter Dakota Hudson. Hudson pitched three innings and gave up four runs on three hits, struck out four and walked one. The right hander took the loss. Hudson was relieved by Jake Woodford and Matthew Liberatore. Woodford allowed one run in three innings, and Liberatore surrendered two runs in two innings.
St. Louis center fielder Harrison Bader had two hits against deGrom with the second one driving in the first run for the Redbirds in the third inning. Catcher Ali Sanchez doubled in the second run in the seventh. A long Anderson Tejada home run in the ninth off Scherzer was final St. Louis score. Bader and Alec Burleson each had two hits.
Five of seven arbitration players reach agreement
The deadline for submitting arbitration salaries came and went on Tuesday, March 22. By the end of the day the Cardinals announced agreement had been reached on 2022 contracts with five of seven arbitration eligible players.
The first agreement announced was with injured right handed ace Jack Flaherty. Flaherty and the Cardinals agreed to a one-year contract for $5 million. Subsequent agreements announced were Jordan Hicks ($937,000), Dakota Hudson ($1.05 million), Giovanny Gallegos ($2.41 million) and Alex Reyes ($2.85 million).
Two players did not reach agreement with the Cardinals, Tyler O’Neill and Harrison Bader. O’Neill, a first year arbitration eligible player, filed for $4.15 million. The Cardinals came in significantly lower at $3.4 million. O’Neill had a fantastic season in 2021, hitting .286/.352/.560 with 34 home runs and 80 RBI, making the Cardinals low offer rather surprising. O’Neill also won his second Gold Glove Award in 2021.
Bader, 27, also had a much improved season in 2021, slashing .267/.324/.460 with 16 home runs and 50 RBI. Bader is a second year arbitration eligible player who was paid $2 million for 2021. The center fielder filed at $4.8 million while the Cardinals countered with $3.8 million. Bader won his first Gold Glove in 2021.
The Cardinals are operating as a “file and trial” team, meaning no agreement by the deadline ends negotiations and leads to an arbitration hearing. With the lockout delaying the arbitration process, hearings will take place at various times during the season.
There is no rule preventing the parties from reaching an agreement prior to hearing, but “file and trial” would seem to end that possibility. Last season the Cardinals went to hearing with Jack Flaherty and lost. Prior to last year, the Cardinals hadn’t gone to hearing since Michael Wacha in 2017, a hearing the Cardinals won.
Cardinals acquire trio
The Cardinals continue to build roster depth for the 2022 season with three acquisitions this past week.
On Monday, March 21 the Cardinals claimed LHP Packy Naughton off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. The 25-year-old Naughton was selected by the Reds in the ninth round of the 2017 draft and traded to the Angels on August 21, 2020. Naughton made his debut with the Angels on August 8, 2021.
The left hander started five games for the Angels in 2021 and posted an ERA of 6.35 in 22 2/3 innings pitched. Naughton took the final spot on the 40 man roster and was optioned to Memphis on Friday.
On Friday, the Cardinals announced the signing of free agent 2B Cory Spangenberg to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The 31-year-old last played in the major leagues in 2019 for the Brewers. Prior to that he spent five seasons with the San Diego Padres. Spangenberg played with the Siebu Lions in Japan in 2020-21.
The Cardinals also announced the signing of RHP Blake Parker to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Parker, 36, has pitched in nine major league seasons with the Cubs, Mariners, Yankees, Angels, Twins, Phillies, and finally Cleveland in 2021. He has a career record of 16-11 and an ERA of 3.47 in 350 games almost entirely as a reliever.
Andrew Miller announces retirement
Former Cardinals left-handed reliever Andrew Miller publicly announced his retirement from baseball after 16 major league seasons. The announcement came on Thursday, March 24.
Miller played his final three years with the Cardinals, signing a three-year contract with St. Louis on December 21, 2018. He began his major league career in Detroit in 2006 where he debuted on August 30 of that year. He played the 2007 season with the Tigers and was traded in December to the Marlins.
After three seasons in Miami, the Marlins traded Miller to the Red Sox, who then signed him to a free agent contract for three years. The Red Sox traded him in his final contract year to Baltimore. He became a free agent at the end of 2014 and signed with the Yankees.
The Yankees traded Miller to Cleveland in July 2016, where he excelled in postseason play from 2016-2018. He became a free agent after the 2018 season and signed with the Cardinals to pitch out of the bullpen. In three seasons in St. Louis Miller posted a record of 6-7 with an ERA of 4.34.
Miller’s 16 year career included two All Star game selections and the 2015 AL Reliever of the Year award.
Most recently Miller, as a member of the MLBPA Executive Committee, was an integral part of the union’s team that negotiated the agreement that ended the lockout. Miller voted against the final agreement along with the other seven members of the Committee, but the agreement was passed by the union representatives by a vote of 26-4. Miller along with Max Scherzer were the two player spokesmen for the union in the final press conference announcing the agreement.
Pujols returns
Late Sunday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reported that the Cardinals have had increased interest in bringing back free agent Albert Pujols for 2022. Later in the evening, Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch reported the deal is done pending a physical. National writers Bob Nightengale and Mark Feinsand report the contract is one-year, $2.5 million.
Though it is not yet official, the assumption is that the 42-year-old would be the team’s designated hitter against left-handed pitching. Rookies Juan Yepez or Lars Nootbaar may have lost their roster spot with St. Louis as a result. The longer shot chances of Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan to make the team were also reduced.
The likely five-man bench (that would also cover the designated hitter position) is: Andrew Knizner, Edmundo Sosa, Corey Dickerson, Pujols and one other.
A 40-man roster move to clear space will also be required when the Pujols signing is official.
Transactions
- 3/21 The Cardinals claimed LHP Packy Naughton off waivers from the Angels.
- 3/22 The Cardinals optioned LHP Brandon Waddell to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals optioned RHP T.J. Zeuch to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals optioned LHP Packy Naughton to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals selected the contract of RHP Aaron Brooks from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals placed RHP Alex Reyes on the 60-day injured list.
- 3/25 The Cardinals optioned RHP Johan Quezada to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals optioned RHP Angel Rondon to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 3/25 The Cardinals signed free agent 2B Cory Spangenberg to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
- 3/26 The Cardinals signed free agent RHP Blake Parker to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.
Injury Report
- RHP Alex Reyes (frayed right labrum) has been shut down from throwing for four weeks and has received a stem cell injection in his shoulder. Reyes will begin the season on the 60-day injured list and will be out at least two months.
- RHP Jack Flaherty (right shoulder) had imaging done on his shoulder which revealed inflammation as well as a small tear called a SLAP tear (superior labrum and posterior). Flaherty told the media the tear has been there for several years and is unrelated to the inflammation. Flaherty received a PRP injection in the shoulder and will be shut down for two weeks. Like Reyes, Flaherty will start the season on the injured list. The length of his stay is undetermined at this time.
- 2B Nolan Gorman was scratched from Sunday’s lineup due to back tightness.
Looking Ahead
Spring Training games continue. The Cardinals ended the first full week of spring training with a game against the Mets on Sunday. On Monday the team plays the Astros in Jupiter. After an off day on Tuesday, the Cardinals play the Nationals in Palm Beach on Wednesday, and the Marlins at home as the visiting team on Thursday.
To begin the month of April the Cardinals play the Mets in Jupiter on Friday, and the Astros in Palm Beach on Saturday. The team is off on Sunday to end the week. There are two more games on the spring training schedule on April 4 and April 5 and then spring training comes to a close. The Cardinals begin the regular season at home on April 7 against the Pirates. The complete schedule can be found here.
The late Hot Stove season continues through spring training. The Cardinals have added LHP Packy Naughton off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. They also added two more players on minor league contracts, 2B Cory Spangenberg, and RHP Blake Parker.
The deadline for submitting arbitration salary figures was March 22. The Cardinals came to agreements with RHP Jack Flaherty as well as RHPs Alex Reyes, Dakota Hudson, Jordan Hicks, and Giovanny Gallegos. No agreement was reached with LF Tyler O’Neill and CF Harrison Bader, which means both players will go to arbitration hearings later this month.
The Major League phase of the 2021 Rule 5 draft has been cancelled and will return in December 2022.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past focuses on a significant trade that occurred over 20 years ago that left a trail of other trades that flowed from it over a two-decade span. What has been referred to by many as “The Bottenfield Chain” started with a trade that occurred on March 23, 2000. This brief history follows this chain to its eventual end in 2019.
On March 23, 2000, the Cardinals made a major trade, acquiring outfielder Jim Edmonds from the Anaheim Angels in exchange for right handed pitcher Kent Bottenfield, and infielder Adam Kennedy.
Bottenfield was acquired by the Cardinals as a free agent signing on January 8, 1998. The pitcher bounced between four teams, the Expos, Rockies, Giants, and Cubs from 1992 until the end of the 1997 season. Bottenfield began as a starter with the Expos but spent some time in bullpens as well. When the Cardinals signed him he was signed as a starter and had his best season in 1999 in St. Louis. He posted a record of 18-7 and an ERA of 3.97.
Kennedy was a first round draft pick of the Cardinals in the 1997 draft and debuted with the Cardinals in August of 1999. He hit .255/.284/.402 in 33 games in St. Louis.
Edmonds came to the Cardinals with seven seasons with the Angels under his belt and a slash line of .290/.359/.498 with 121 HRs and 408 RBI. Edmonds was signed to a 6 year extension worth $57 million dollars. Edmonds excelled as a Cardinal, winning six of his eight Gold Gloves in center field while in St. Louis and being selected to the All Star team three times. In his eight Cardinal seasons he slashed .285/.393/.555 with 241 HRs and 713 RBI.
Bottenfield’s career took a nosedive after the trade, and he was traded again mid-season 2000 by the Angels to the Phillies. He became a free agent at the end of the 2000 season and signed a one year contract with the Houston Astros. At the end of the season he was out of baseball.
Kennedy played seven seasons with the Angels then returned to St. Louis on a three year contract in 2006. He missed most of the 2007 season with a knee injury and was released by the Cardinals after the 2008 season. He bounced around with Tampa Bay, Oakland, Washington, Seattle and the Dodgers, both minor league and major league for the next three seasons before ending his baseball career with the Dodgers in 2012.
The Cardinals traded Edmonds on December 14, 2007, to the San Diego Padres for David Freese. The second link of the chain was forged.
The career of David Freese in St. Louis is well known and will not be detailed here. Suffice it to say that the St. Louis native made history with his 2011 postseason performance. But even the greatest careers have an end and Freese’s time in St. Louis ended after the 2013 season when he was traded to the Angels for center fielder Peter Bourjos and outfielder Randal Grichuk. Chain link three was forged.
Bourjos was a defensive whiz but could never get his bat going in St. Louis. After two seasons he was placed on waivers and was claimed by the Phillies. Randal Grichuk lasted longer than Bourjos. The outfielder had the promise of power with the bat that was too inconsistent to be realized. He was an above average defender at all three outfield positions, but the bat never progressed enough to garner him a full time position in the outfield. Grichuk was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on January 19, 2018, for pitchers Dominic Leone and Conner Greene. The fourth link in the chain was forged.
Greene was gone after one season, claimed off waivers by the Royals. Greene threw hard but could not throw strikes.
Leone spent a good chunk of 2018 on the disabled list with a nerve issue in his arm. He finished the season with a 4.50 ERA in 29 appearances out of the bullpen. In 2019 Leone spent much of the first half of the season at Triple-A Memphis. He was called up for the final time in August of 2019 and finished the season in St. Louis with 40+ innings out of the bullpen and an ERA of 5.53. Leone was designated for assignment on November 20, 2019 and released five days later. The Bottenfield chain was finally broken.
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