Oh look. Matt Adams struck out in a breaking ball in the dirt.

Well that was a productive inning,

Brad Thompson is ruining this game for me.

Why are they running on a guy who can't throw strikes?

Walk the bases loaded ...

Serious question that probably never really matters, but how good would Ozuna have to be before you’d consider re-signing him?

This presumes you could move Fouler and his contract.

By all accounts he completely dogged his rehab this offseason. Assuming that’s true, why wouldn’t he dog it after getting paid.  That’s your risk.

On the other hand, with Goldschmidt in the lineup and DeJong killing it, teams have been forced to pitch to Ozuna and he’s posting monster numbers.

Assume you wouldn’t have to pay him more than Goldschmidt (if someone gives him that, I wish him well). How good does he have to be before you think about it?

I don't think you'll be able to move Fouler this year or next, even if he continues to hit ~.300. The only way they move him is if the Cardinals aren't competitive while he's in the last year of his contract and another team feels the need to add a veteran at the trading deadline.

I'm not sure what you do with Ozuna. If you let him walk, you commit to an outfield of O'Neill, Bader and Fouler. You get decent defense, speed and some power, but you also get a ton of strikeouts. And what happens if you get the 2018 version of Fouler? 

artie_fufkin wrote:

I don't think you'll be able to move Fouler this year or next, even if he continues to hit ~.300. The only way they move him is if the Cardinals aren't competitive while he's in the last year of his contract and another team feels the need to add a veteran at the trading deadline.

I'm not sure what you do with Ozuna. If you let him walk, you commit to an outfield of O'Neill, Bader and Fouler. You get decent defense, speed and some power, but you also get a ton of strikeouts. And what happens if you get the 2018 version of Fouler? 

I know Fouler has a no-trade clause, but if you told him that his option was to waive it to a limited number of teams or spend the rest of his career on the bench, he'd probably consider waiving it.  From what I recall, he bristled at the idea that he wasn't going to be the everyday CF.  My guess is he'd be really prickly if you told him he was going to be the 5th outfielder.

Again, I don't really think it matters because I don't think the Cardinals will commit to an Ozuna deal after re-signing Goldschmidt.  But watching how good the offense has been with both of them in the lineup has to make them at least think about it.

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

I don't think you'll be able to move Fouler this year or next, even if he continues to hit ~.300. The only way they move him is if the Cardinals aren't competitive while he's in the last year of his contract and another team feels the need to add a veteran at the trading deadline.

I'm not sure what you do with Ozuna. If you let him walk, you commit to an outfield of O'Neill, Bader and Fouler. You get decent defense, speed and some power, but you also get a ton of strikeouts. And what happens if you get the 2018 version of Fouler? 

I know Fouler has a no-trade clause, but if you told him that his option was to waive it to a limited number of teams or spend the rest of his career on the bench, he'd probably consider waiving it.  From what I recall, he bristled at the idea that he wasn't going to be the everyday CF.  My guess is he'd be really prickly if you told him he was going to be the 5th outfielder.

Again, I don't really think it matters because I don't think the Cardinals will commit to an Ozuna deal after re-signing Goldschmidt.  But watching how good the offense has been with both of them in the lineup has to make them at least think about it.

I think he would still be happy to be traded.  I dont think stl is ever going to be a place he likes playing.