Post-Mortem: Offseason Thread

[redbird89]

I guess like any washed up high school quarter back, we'll spend the winter reliving the glories of the past.

http://youtu.be/jJFMYlKdMz8
http://youtu.be/ynveVHqXWls
http://youtu.be/19ca8WMmZn0
http://youtu.be/l9FrDwKrJqo
http://youtu.be/RBIVC1ARi6Y (warning for some f-bombs)

http://youtu.be/6A4TbHgZsXA
http://youtu.be/3NdbxUc2iqU
http://youtu.be/ZEVX-wJF2DY
http://youtu.be/ksna2C1dNQY
http://youtu.be/uZClaDND5t0
http://youtu.be/-9jWFKIaqu4
http://youtu.be/Gt2kA_9vwHg
http://youtu.be/3Y6bEIZW4sQ

[damwagne]

Sp
Wainwright
Carpenter
Lynn
Miller
Westbrook
RP
Boggs
Mujica
Rosenthal
Salas
Scrabble
Freeman
Closer
Motte

C Molina
1b Craig
2b Carpenter
SS Kozma
3b Freese
Rf Beltran
Cf Jay
Lf Holliday

Bench: Adams, Descalso, Jackson, Robinson, Anderson. This is only if there are no trades.
I think Furcal is gone. Minus the meltdown due to the NLCS pressure, I believe the Cardinals believe in Kozma. He started every game down the stretch and in the postseason and did fairly well. I do think there will be some trades made and it very well could be for an established 2b or Power hitting CF. I think that Jay and either Craig or Adams will be traded. Ultimately I would love to see Beltran go and move Craig to RF and start Adams at 1b. I think the rotation is set until Garcia comes back and then Westbrook moves to the pen.

[Jeffy25]

My big out of the box idea for 2013:

Remember, my out of the box idea happened last year.

I said to let Pujols walk and sign Beltran to play right and help out in center and move Berkman to first. All of that actually happened other than Beltran helping in center, but he didn't have to regardless.


Well my out of the box idea this off-season is a lot less likely to happen, but could be just as beneficial.

Lance Berkman:

Berkman is probably leaning toward retirement. He couldn't play much this season and he was often injured. But he has a place on our team if he can be healthy.

My offer to Berkman would be:

Become an assistant hitting coach with John Mabry. An open door situation. If he can be healthy enough, we activate him and he is on the roster and can play. If he doesn't feel healthy, then he gets started on his coaching career.

So a million dollar base pay, regardless of what he does. If he is activated, then he gets incentives based on plate appearances.

If he doesn't feel well enough to play, then he can start coaching. He is always welcomed into our clubhouse.

Of course, you don't make this offer without a few things.

1. You have to know that Berkman is ready to move on from playing (you don't want to insult the guy)
2. You have to make sure it's fair to John Mabry, who is back next year
3. You have to get agreement from Matheny, McGwire, and all other coaches
4. You have to get approval from the league that it is okay
5. And is it fair to Berkman?

So it would take a lot, but it's a neat out of the box idea. I think we missed his professionalism at the plate more this post-season then we missed Pujols

[Jeffy25]

Isn't Elvis a free agent? If not he is definitely available because they want profar playing everyday

Elvis has two more years before he is a free agent

[Jeffy25]

I heard they may look to put Kinsler in the RF, move elvis to 2B, and open SS for Profar

couldn't tell you where i heard that tho. maybe i had a dream or something lol

Elvis could play left, but he is a fantastic defensive second basemen.

hard to justify moving him off second for someone else. Profar is more likely to play another position than Kinsler.

[Tkais9009]

Nevermind, it's profar, not elvis, to play 2b and kinsler moving to OF

I googled it and found some articles but I'm on my phone

Regardless, we aren't doing that haha

[Jeffy25]

Sp
Wainwright
Carpenter
Lynn
Miller
Westbrook
RP
Boggs
Mujica
Rosenthal
Salas
Scrabble
Freeman
Closer
Motte

C Molina
1b Craig
2b Carpenter
SS Kozma
3b Freese
Rf Beltran
Cf Jay
Lf Holliday

Bench: Adams, Descalso, Jackson, Robinson, Anderson. This is only if there are no trades.
I think Furcal is gone. Minus the meltdown due to the NLCS pressure, I believe the Cardinals believe in Kozma. He started every game down the stretch and in the postseason and did fairly well. I do think there will be some trades made and it very well could be for an established 2b or Power hitting CF. I think that Jay and either Craig or Adams will be traded. Ultimately I would love to see Beltran go and move Craig to RF and start Adams at 1b. I think the rotation is set until Garcia comes back and then Westbrook moves to the pen.

Kozma will likely only be a league average defensive shortstop, with a .600-.625 OPS bat.

He is not a big league everyday shortstop. He gave us probably the most value he will ever produce in the big leagues this post-season


Adams is the most likely to be traded. I can't see them moving Craig, he is too valuable, too cheap, and too versatile to trade unless you get an overpayment to move him.

[Yadi4MVP]

How likely is it to trade for a SS, like a jed lowrie or yunel escobar, i feel they both wouldn't cost is too much

[Skippy15]

I can't see them trading Craig or Jay. Jay is a valuable player and I have to think Craig is nearly untouchable because of his cheapness and great ability.

Only reason to trade Jy is if Tavares shows this year he can be as good or a better defensive center fielder. I don't think he can. In 2014 I'm seeing our line up being, in no particular order.

Jay CF
Tavares RF
Holliday LF
Craig 1B
Molina C
Freese 3B
Wong 2B

Only real question I have is SS. I don't think it would be a bad move to package Adams and some other prospects, probably pitchers, to a team to bring in a future at SS

[Skippy15]

How likely is it to trade for a SS, like a jed lowrie or yunel escobar, i feel they both wouldn't cost is too much

yunel Escobar is not a fit here at all IMO. He's a solid defensive SS and an okay hitter but many clashes with coaches and a bit of a trouble causer IMO.

No interests in lowrie either.

Guys who I might have some interest in:

Jhonny Peralta (if option turned down), not a great hitter but has shown a lot of doubles and home run power. Good not great defender. Improved last few years

JJ Hardy, has great power for a shortstop, some health issues, not a great OBP, elite defender, doubt they want to trade him though.

Jason Bartlett. Basically because he's has some good years and plays solid SS. Plus he's cheap.

Stephen Drew. He should be somewhat cheap and could rebound after a less than stellar year.

[Tkais9009]

Of those guys, I feel like hardy is the only major upgrade over furcal. And we'd have to trade for him so no thanks unless its cheap

Drew has potential if he's healthy but many teams will look at him

[Skippy15]

Of those guys, I feel like hardy is the only major upgrade over furcal. And we'd have to trade for him so no thanks unless its cheap

Drew has potential if he's healthy but many teams will look at him

Problem is how long can furcal stay healthy? Can he start the season even healthy? Can he even be as effective at SS with his elbow issue? Plus he dropped way off in production.

Something I think could be interesting if Kolten Wong isn't ready would be to move Furcal to 2B and bring in a SS. I don't think furcal will have the same arm anymore but he could still be an effective second basemen

If fully healthy I really have no interest in bringing in someone else

[Tkais9009]

as far as im concerned, SS is furcals job to lose.

If he isn't going to be healthy or would move to 2B, i'd be fine bringing someone in. If Drew, Bartlett, or Peralta were fining signing with us as our plan B, then im all for it

[Jeffy25]

I can't see them trading Craig or Jay. Jay is a valuable player and I have to think Craig is nearly untouchable because of his cheapness and great ability.

Only reason to trade Jy is if Tavares shows this year he can be as good or a better defensive center fielder. I don't think he can. In 2014 I'm seeing our line up being, in no particular order.

Jay CF
Tavares RF
Holliday LF
Craig 1B
Molina C
Freese 3B
Wong 2B

Only real question I have is SS. I don't think it would be a bad move to package Adams and some other prospects, probably pitchers, to a team to bring in a future at SS

Taveras isn't a long term option in Center, so Jay will have a place.

Expect Taveras to replace Beltran in 2014 and be our permanent Right Fielder.

So your lineup would be accurate

But Garcia will be our 2014 Shortstop, mark it down. But if he doesn't progress well enough, then trading for Franklin of Seattle and packaging say Adams and maybe Jenkins/Swaggerty or higher level pitching prospect that isn't Martinez or Miller.

[Jeffy25]

I wanted Hardy a few years ago over Theriot. And it would have been the right choice.

However, he played poorly this season.

Hardy is on the block though, Machado is taking over.