but the cost of pujols, rolen and edmonds isn't changing next year, and those first 4 rotation spots are going to cost you enough that you're not going to be able to afford it.

unless the cards are willing to end up in the top five in baseball in terms of their opening day payroll - basically, an increase of $20 million or so over 2007 - i don't see any possible way they could afford both buehrle and zambrano. and that's even assuming buehrle gives a hometown discount, they replace izzy and eck with pre-arb salaries, and don't resign, basically, anyone making more than $1 million.

if you count this year in carp's contract extension, it's a deal for 5/63. again, barring a SIGNIFICANT hometown discount from buehrle, i don't see $12.6/year getting it done...and i really don't see that getting it done for zambrano. i mean, zambrano right now is making $12.4 on a one-year deal just because they couldn't get anything else done. no way he takes that same amount to go somewhere else.

jason schmidt apparently left money on the table and signed for 3/47. zito went for 7/126. i recognize that people have considered that zito contract insane from the moment it was signed. but here's the thing - zambrano is clearly both better and younger than zito. and unless you think 2006 buehrle is the real buehrle - and there's no indication it is - then buehrle is better and younger, too.