I'm not sure the offseason will be as interesting as we may hope.  This is all my opinion (I hope to talk to Chad at some point), but coming off a 3-year run that includes a World Series title, 2 NL pennants and 3 trips to the LCS, I think the organization will feel very little, if any, pressure to make major changes.  A lot of people wanted changes at the trade deadline, none were made and the team still landed in the World Series.  I think Dewitt and Mozeliak will feel empowered to stick to their long term plan and not make significant changes.

I think we can all agree that 3B, SS and CF are the main areas where the Cardinals can improve.  Just my opinion, but I think SS will be the only position that gets an external fix.  Freese has little or no trade value, but I can't see them simply releasing him.  I suspect he will be back in a lesser role.  Wong and Carpenter cover 2B and 3B against RHP and Carpenter and Freese start against LHP.  Although its a "square peg in a round hole" fit, I think Taveras will be the CF (either on Opening Day or by late-May).  Craig will be in RF with Adams at 1B, with some adjustments being made against LHP.

Lynn is the obvious guy to leave.  He should have decent value in a trade--he's 26, he's under control for 4 more years, he's won 33 games in the last 2 seasons, he's a former All-Star and he throws 94-95.  There was rumored to be some interest in Erik Aybar.  I could see the Cardinals exploring something like that.

So if my hunch is correct, where does that leave us?  Here's what I think the team will look like.

SP- Wainwright $19.5M
SP- Garcia $7.875M
SP- Wacha $500K
SP- Miller $500K
SP- Kelly $500K
RP- Motte $7.5M
RP- Rosenthal $500K
RP- Maness $500K
RP- Choate $3.0M
RP- Siegrist $500K
RP- ??? $500K
RP- ??? $500K

C- Molina $15.2
1B- Adams $500K
2B- Wong $500K
SS-
3B- Carpenter $500K
OF- Holliday $17M
OF- Taveras $500K
OF- Craig $2.75M
BN- Cruz $500K
BN- Freese $4M (estimate)
BN- Jay $1.2M (estimate)
BN- Descalso $750K (estimate)
BN- Robinson $500K

Wigginton (dead $) $2.5M

That's a payroll of $87.775 without a SS.  I don't think they open the season with Kozma or Descalso as the starting SS, but I think this team will be more likely to make a major deal in July than this off-season.

FWIW- I intentionally left Martinez off the roster.  I'm hoping they will have him start in Memphis so he's stretched out as a 6th starter.

I wonder what garcia will show up in 2014.  It woukdmbe interest as to what trade value he has?

Someone may have mentioned this, but to no one's surprise the Cardinals declined their option on Jake Westbrook.
Fare thee well, Jake. Winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.

No, no, no, no, NO! ...

http://www.chicagonow.com/loxas-factor/2013/10/cardinals-calling-about-starlin-castro/

artie_fufkin wrote:

Someone may have mentioned this, but to no one's surprise the Cardinals declined their option on Jake Westbrook.
Fare thee well, Jake. Winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.

I believe the pd said he is thinking about retirement after his final start.  I thought it was suprising that they went through the trouble of granting him a fairwell tour.
 

artie_fufkin wrote:

There was an item on the web yesterday suggesting the Caridnals didn't use Miller in the playoffs because they're protecting him from injury so they can trade him to Texas for Profar. That trade won't happen because it makes too much sense.

Here are the potential free agent shortstops. Anyone going to get excited about anyone on this list?
Alfredo Amezaga
Clint Barmes
Willie Bloomquist
Jamey Carroll *
Alexi Casilla *
Stephen Drew
Yunel Escobar * 
Rafael Furcal 
Alex Gonzalez 
Cesar Izturis 
Derek Jeter *
John McDonald
Jhonny Peralta
Brendan Ryan

*-players whose contract includes a 2014 option

Im on board with that trade but nothing else on this list. 
 

APIAD wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

No, no, no, no, NO! ...

http://www.chicagonow.com/loxas-factor/2013/10/cardinals-calling-about-starlin-castro/

I am not worried. Alot of bad info here. First off i dont think the peavy trade was for martinez and wacha. That is crazy to give up ur 2 best prospects. Stupider to believe it to be true. Also how would castro benifit from beltran. He will likely be on another team. This writer is clearly out of touch with reality. Matrtinez and miller...lol.
 

The wording in rumors like this is key IMO.  Note the comment, "Cardinals discussed Martinez/Miller/Wong with CWS."

That statement would be true, even if the conversation went something like this:

Kenny Williams: Hey Moz, I'm looking to get rid of Peavy and Ramirez.  Why don't you send me Martinez and Wacha?

Moz: Martinez and Wacha??? Are you fucking insane?

Technically, that's a "discussion."  Doesn't mean the Cardinals brought it up, nor does it mean they were ever willing to trade any of those players.
 

Last edited by forsberg_us (11/01/2013 1:26 pm)

Anyone see Beltran coming back? He was one of the few that actually hit the ball when it mattered, and if he's someone we can resign, I'd throw another year or two at him.

Adams did a good job filling in, but I didn't see him do enough to convince me that Beltran/Craig would be worse than Craig/Adams in the lineup. Depending on the price of course.

Shrug, just my opinion. I don't like trading Shelby Miller away for anything less than a good/great SS/3B/CF. I know we're pitcher heavy, but he's not the one I would get rid of unless there's a MAJOR upgrade in it for us.

Bernie had the best idea ive heard so far.  Basicly bring beltran back and work a roation of adams and craig at first.  Craig and beltran in right and holliday and craig in left.  I think this coukd work if everyone would see a need for less playing time.  Adams doesnt need over exposed.  Beltran and holliday could use more rest and craig hits the dl every year.

artie_fufkin wrote:

I can't remember if I heard this or it was wishful thinking, but supposedly Thom Brennaman and Cowpie Brantley supposedly aren't going to be broadcasting the Reds next year.
That would be the best news of the off-season thus far.

Second best news: the Cubs hire Dusty Baker back. 

Sorry I wasn't very active during the World Series. Thursday (Same day as game 2) we began a guys trip, driving out of St. Louis, stopping at Mermet Springs in Illinois to pick up rental scuba diving gear, and continued. We made it to Nashville and stopped for game 2, then continued on to Birmingham. We stayed the night there and proceeded to Pensacola Florida where we played a round of golf with an old military buddy, did a shore dive, ate with my friends sister and then proceeded over to West Palm Beach. We stopped at Crystal River to get a boat and snorkel with Manatees, and did another Shore Dive in Lauderdale. Then we ventured south to Key Largo where we spent most of our time in the water (6 reef dives) for two days. After that, we drove the length of the Florida Keys to spend a day in Key West doing two wreck dives, parasailing, and then a nice day of getting drunk on Duval street. Coming back we stopped over in Cocoa to see another military friend which involved booze, "Cards against Humanity", and a serious Rock Band 3 session.

All in all, 10 days, 3250 miles driving, and a fun trip from the word go. Thinking about making that an annual thing, it was absolutely amazing.

JV wrote:

alz wrote:

Sorry I wasn't very active during the World Series. Thursday (Same day as game 2) we began a guys trip, driving out of St. Louis, stopping at Mermet Springs in Illinois to pick up rental scuba diving gear, and continued. We made it to Nashville and stopped for game 2, then continued on to Birmingham. We stayed the night there and proceeded to Pensacola Florida where we played a round of golf with an old military buddy, did a shore dive, ate with my friends sister and then proceeded over to West Palm Beach. We stopped at Crystal River to get a boat and snorkel with Manatees, and did another Shore Dive in Lauderdale. Then we ventured south to Key Largo where we spent most of our time in the water (6 reef dives) for two days. After that, we drove the length of the Florida Keys to spend a day in Key West doing two wreck dives, parasailing, and then a nice day of getting drunk on Duval street. Coming back we stopped over in Cocoa to see another military friend which involved booze, "Cards against Humanity", and a serious Rock Band 3 session.

All in all, 10 days, 3250 miles driving, and a fun trip from the word go. Thinking about making that an annual thing, it was absolutely amazing.

Sounds outstanding. Sure beats the crap out of watching the Cards circling the drain a little faster each day.

 
It was. Good diving for sure. I got to play with nurse sharks, puffers, lobster, rays, moray eels, goliath groupers (that damned thing was seriously 600 lbs and the size of a smart car....), and .... moon jellyfish.

Everything but the last was amazing. The last was beautiful, but swimming through 500,000 jellyfish with a short wetsuit (short sleeves and short legs) is very unfun. luckily I only really got tagged once on the arm, because that was very "ouch ouch ouch".