2013 MLB postseason running thread

Westbrook won't be back with the Cardinals; they're going to pick up their $1 million option and be rid of him. Carpenter, barring a miracle, won't pitch again.

Next season, Carlos Martinez is a legit candidate for the rotation, and Rosenthal might get a look at that in spring training because he's been a starter his whole minor league career.

Right now the rotation is Wainwright, Wacha, Miller, Garcia and Lynn. Maybe flip No. 3 and 4, but if Wainwright is an ace, Wacha isn't far behind.

I'm more interested in what they do with Beltran. Can the Cardinals count on Oscar Taveras being major league ready by opening day next year? With his ankle injury and aborted Class AAA season, it's highly unlikely, so it might make sense to bring back Beltran. But if Allen Craig is back to form and Matt Adams is ready, Craig goes to right and Adams takes first base, so there's no room for Beltran.

 

Could live without Lynn. Guy always gets off to fast starts and then fades in the 2nd half--don't need that kind of liability in the postseason.

And if I can find a way tomake it work with beltran, I definitely want him on my roster.

 

Isnt' Price a free agent this summer?

 

No. He's got two more years before free agency. But he's arbitration eligible, and likely to price himself (no pun intended) out of the Rays' budget.

 

Westbrook is done, and Carpenter will be lucky if he can still feel his right arm when he's 50.

The Cardinals certainly have a surplus of arms, which is a great problem to have. They also have a glaring hole at SS. I'm sure there's a trade to be made there somewhere.

If I'm the Cards, I try to re-sign Beltran. Stick Taveras in AAA until he proves he's ready. Adams can continue to be a big bat off the bench, and spell Beltran (Craig in RF, Adams at 1B).

The really curious thing will be how they deal with Freese. He hits arbitration this year and will be getting a raise. Matt Carpenter has played third until this year, and they've got Wong waiting for second. I think these will be Freese's last weeks as a Cardinal.

 

Not doubting your statement up there, just commenting that it's a sign that things have really changed if the Braves TV contract is considered by someone to be the worst in baseball. I remember when they had a leg up on others with their games on TBS.

 

It's a 20-year contract that went into effect in 2007, and is worth $10-20 million annually for the Braves.

By contrast, the Rangers' local TV deal pays them $80 million per year.

 

This will be Freese's second crack at arbitration. What I've read in the Post-Dispatch and heard on the Cards broadcasts lead me to believe they'll keep Freese and hope this sub-par year was an anomaly. A big reason is they need a right-handed bat with power (potential this year, actual last year) and aren't likely to find a better one at a lower price than Freese will command in arbitration. Plus the Cards have a very good chance of winning arbitration if it gets that far.

A few other points:

They're not going to play Adams in right field; hell, he'd be more of a butcher than Holiday is.

Wong has proven he can hit AAA pitching, but he looks outmatched at the major league level. He'll have to prove he can hit in spring training if he wants even a bench role. The Cardinals have looked for a second baseman for years, and they already have one in Matt Carpenter. He can be a cornerstone of the club, but he doesn't have the power you want from a third baseman, so that's another reason Freese will stay.

The Cards seem to have a reluctance to part with Lynn because he has a great arm. But his questionable head isn't a great fit for the team, so I wouldn't mind seeing him in a package for a shortstop. Offer Lynn, Wong and a low minor league prospect for somebody's shortstop (not Tulo; too injury prone) or somebody's stud shortstop prospect. I have no idea who that would be, but folks who follow all of baseball, not just the Cardinals, could probably come up with some names.

EDIT: I misread what you said about Adams. If he's on the bench, yes, he goes to 1st when Beltran is out and Craig goes to right field.

 

Dan Straily 12 up, 12 down.

Tigers have now played 31 postseason innings and scored in two of them.

 

Hal Steinbrenner: Cano won't get 10 years from the Yankees ...

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9793441/robinson-cano-get-solid-offer-new-york-yankees-not-10-years-says-hal-steinbrenner

 

I don't believe there's a buyout on that deal, either. At least right away. Horrible, horrible deal.