I just read on mlbtraderumors.com that jake peavy is available….what do you guys think it will take for the cardinals to get him?

;)

The Rays are going to have to do some housecleaning. They have too many close to MLB starters stuck at AAA. They have Sonnanstine and Jackson-they might prefer to move them and promote one or more of their AAA guys to fill the 4-5 spot. They like speed-maybe they’d rather have Brian Barton playing out there in right instead of Gabe Gross or Erik Hinske or Johnny Gomes. They love Rocco, but how many games is he good for? They want a real closer, or a swing closer, since they still have Troy Percival under contract for next year. They haven’t been afraid to use young players-um, Perez could be part of the deal, no?. Serve an apprenticeship with Percival?
I’d rather keep both of those guys, but not if they’re going to rot in AAA-trade ‘em if that’s their future. For one of the Rays good young extra arms.

Now that we don’t have Mark to kick around anymore, should we go for Zito. Maybe they would take Piniero and a minor leaguer for him. Seems like you could get him incredibly cheaply and I don’t believe he’s done yet. Giants would eat at least 50% of his salary and we wouldn’t have to give up much. What’s a Cardinals team without a project?

No Greene?

Not that it’d kill me not to get Greene, just though he might be a good option, and might come cheap, relatively speaking.

If I could ask Mo one question only, and he had to give me an honest answer, I think I’d want to know what his plans were for SS next year. I really think every other move me make is dependent on how SS plays out.

I like Furcal, but I’d like to see us go after Zobrist first, or try to find another young SS. Not sure who else would fit that description though.

if we dont want kennedy, why would another team?

how about skip, duncan and one of motte/perez for zobrist and either e jackson or sonnanstine. this would give us a legit 4 or 5 starter(something pinieros not) as well as a potential starting ss. sign lopez and either lopez or zobrist plays ss. we then could release keenedy and keep miles. as much as trading motte or perez would suck we can unload one and go sign/trade for a proven closer. one more lefty reliever and we could have a team.

rasmus and perez for joakim soria. look up sorias contract its awesome. perez can be a closer in a low pressure environment while soria gets saves that count. fuentes will cost at least 3 yrs 30 mil. soria is signed for 6 years 30 mil and 12 mil is 2 years of club options so if his arm falls of its cool.

i mentioned this the other day, but it has become even more apparent to me since then…tyler greene is really tearing up the Arizona Fall League…his line is .323/.447/.645. most of that production coming while he was playing 2nd base…could it be that he tends to take playing a demanding and extremely important position like shortstop to the plate with him, and that causes his to not have the same focus as when he plays second? i’m not saying that second isn’t important or demanding, but it’s not quite as difficult as SS imho…maybe greene relaxes more when he is at the keystone

for those of you that think this comment looks familiar…i just posted the exact same thing on futureredbirds

but I was on truth and rumors and they alleged the Rays were on the K-Rod trail. Not sure I totally buy it, but I was looking at Jill’s post way up there, and thinking, maybe the bridge solution for us in the closer spot is a recent departure — would the Rays trade us Percival for some sort of reasonable package, in hopes of picking up a younger, more reliable closer on the FA market? Percival, for all his continuing health problems, might be a good fit. He could be a veteran presence who would likely not pitch the full season, giving motte and perez some exposure, without saddling either with a full season in a high-pressure role. He doesn’t cost ridiculous money ($4M). Given his health problems, we could get him at a discount. He seemed to do well in his time here.

I know nobody wants to add more ailing arms to our squad, but I’d rather have him than Izzy at this point. He seems to be able to pitch capably when healthy, as opposed to being either injured or ineffective. he would be the kind of vet that tony would trust.

So… Who are the notable FA SS?
Orlando Cabrera CWS .281 .334 .371 161 games
Alex Cora BOS .270 .371 .349 75 games
Craig Counsell MIL .226 .355 .322 110 games
Rafael Furcal LAD .357 .439 .573 only 36 games (injury)
Cesar Izturis STL .263 .319 .309 135 games
Edgar Renteria DET .279 .317 .382 138 games
Juan Uribe CWS .247 .296 .386 110 games

I think we need to keep comparable defensive talent at this position, AND upgrade our offensive ability in this position. I think there are a few players on this list that accomplish this goal for us. My first pick is Furcal, but I think it’s more possible (although not probable) that we get Renteria. Does this fulfill our needs at the SS position? IMO it does, but if anyone wants to further analyze this, be my guest. Assuming DET doesn’t pick up their option on him, I like him as our ‘09 SS. Cabrera is an obvious upgrade offensively, but I’ve heard that he’s not so good defensively.

If it were up to me, in this offseason, I would use our OF depth to go after cost-controlled young pitching i.e. anyone from the Rays or Matt Cain from the Giants (since Lincecum is untouchable), Phil Hughes/Ian Kennedy from the Yanks. Or go after some relief help from Boston in return for filling their OF hole (Coco Crisp). THEN SPEND SOME MONEY ON THE SS POSITION!! I’m not saying 90 mil. over 7 years, but can we get another all-star on our infield other than El Hombre? I know Glaus has been there, but I’m tired of replacement-level MIFs… hence the name.

http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mlb&playerID=435179

Scott Olsen is 24, had an okay season w/ the Marlins. Seems like a reasonable bottom of the rotation/LHRP in the mold that Mo is likely looking for. Easily picked up. Not likely to set the world on fire, though with a solid defense and a winter w/ Mr. Duncan, who knows?

MLBTR claims marcus giles is NOT RETIRED. that’s usually a bad sign. He’d be a cheap short term 2b option though. He claims his immediate goal is to make the All-star team. If i were him my immediate goal would be to make, you know, a team.

why aren’t trades like this happening more frequently? both 23 and on the same carrer path at the same level.
very close as equal value in return, imo. both org have the need, per position, and the surplus depth to trade from.
what’s the holdup? too easy?

he is on a philly depth chart behind rollins, utley, bartlett. could be acquirable if PHI could address 3B w/ glaus and go for a repeat. i gotta think they’d try to upgrade feliz/dobbs platoon with glaus if the budget allowed it. glauss’ bat could replace the possible loss of burrell.

don’t now what fair value in return is, in a glaus / donald trade. would think 6 yrs of donald holds very good value, but “others or $ ", would balance it.
if stl could put a better "ss of the future” in the org at AA, it would be a reap the benefits after 09, plan. i can see donalds offensive upside, but know nothing of his D.
could look at it as losing glauss’ 124 ops+ for 09, or a way to replace izturis ops+ long term. with freese/wallace in the chain, and a donald addition at ss, it could possibly make the 2010 left side infield, more productive than the 08. and yrs to come……freese / mather at 3b in 09 shouldn’t replace glaus 08 production, but they might come close. especially if glaus falls off slightly…….random ramblings :)