quick update: the cards won't be offering julian tavarez arbitration. he's out of the picture.
in and of itself, that news doesn't trouble me --- tavarez faded in september and pitched badly in the playoffs, yet still wouldn't have come cheap . . . . but as part of the overall pattern, i'm not sure i like it. the cards --- so far anyway --- don't appear to be identifying solutions to their problems and bringing them in. they're settling for 3d, 4th, 5th choices.
that approach still may get them into the playoffs, because they return such a strong core and play in a manageable division. but will it get the team where we all want it to go in october?
and who is dictating that approach --- jocketty, or dewitt & co? another note --- outfielder jeff davanon is on the market; released by the angels. he has decent obps despite a low batting avg; i'm not endorsing him yet, but he's at least worth the trouble of looking up his stats. which i'll do in the morning. . .