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Well it's june now and the draft has got a grip on most folk’s attention, i.e., on ESPN and all that they (MLB) are trying to make it.  For Mo though, no trading draft picks for current players is allowed, so the focus is no doubt  moving to the trade deadline, which is just starting to loom on the horizon.  In light of the fact that many VEBs live outside of St. Louis and follow other teams as well as the Cards, thought it might be interesting to do what Mo has to do:  look at every other MLB team and evaluate if some deal might be done that would benefit the cards.  benefit is a loaded word, of course, with a meaning that depends on the time frame the benefit kicks in.  so, a challenge to community to pick a team and the best, most likely trade Mo could swing-and why.  This may be a little premature, but when you consider the magnitude of the task, never too soon  to look at what the front office  must be doing continually.  I'll volunteer a proposal for a mutually beneficial cards-marlins swap to get started.

The marlins situation is deteriorating in the standings and they have several potential salary problems looming.  they have indicated publicly that they can't afford to/aren't willing to sign any more long-term at this point (hanley is done).  i'm not buying this line completely, but i do believe some are likely to be left out (and this is in part their way of soliciting proposals).  of these, uggla is clearly the guy that would benefit the cards the most at first glance (note: he is basically the ludwick of their team though, bats right and has trouble with lefties and is having a career year slugging).  that combined with the competition for him that is likely to unfold, i'd prefer to discus hermida (pretty much same service time as uggla).  

where is the weak link from the marlins perspective?  conventional wisdom (i.e., other blogs and columns) says on the mound, i.e., number one starter is hendrikson.  others have more potential (e.g., olsen), but they aren't there yet.  so, this is a fair appraisal.  they have guys who can hit and some who can field too, but don't have one in every spot, center field being one place.  if they feel maybin is ready, then that may cover the problem, but neither ross or amezaga is cutting it (they signed jones after all).  cantu and helms  at the corner is also not encouraging from a productivity perspective.  in fact, contrary to the conventional wisdom, they need some bats.  for example, no marlin regular has a ba >.300.   if they are serious about contending now and for the next few years (debatable i agree), what they really need are major league players they can use to remain competitive and can afford for a few years until new stadium revenues kick-in.  i suspect most VEBers would go after uggla pretty aggresively, but so may many other teams and it may cost the cards too much.  what i would do, therefore, is offer a package for hermida, with the idea that we include (actually insist) that they accept at least one outfielder.  hermida is a  young and steadily improving player who hits lefties.  luwick/duncan (hopefully recovers)-ankiel-hermida would be our outfield for the rest of the year, with mather as the new spiezio for now.   rasmus is likely (high probability) to be our center fielder of the future more so than rick, who we may not be able to retain (unfortunately) based real concern for the boras factor.  hence, this swap seems a good deal for both.

hermida = reyes, barton,  thompson

saving the mi problem for others