I don't think it's as much splitting hairs as it is looking at why the players are struggling.  Furcal has been hurt most of the season.  He played 7 games and broke his wrist.  He played 10 games when he returned from the injury and then strained an oblique.  Furcal pretty much sucked for 10 games after returning from injury, but has been pretty good since.

IMO, it's less a matter of "turning back the clock" than it is staying healthy.  Last season, Furcal hit .300/.366/.460.  And what I remember of Furcal, he's a much better fielder than Theriot (then again, who isn't).

It's entirely possible  that Furcal can't stay healthy, in which case this trade is a non-factor.  But if healthy, I would expect Furcal to be a significant improvement of our shortstop position.

Theriot has sucked in July pretty much simply because he sucks.

forsberg_us wrote:

I don't think it's as much splitting hairs as it is looking at why the players are struggling.

This is really the crux of the issue.  And seeing as I was humbled by the Berkman affair, I'll keep and open mind.  Otherwise, AP pretty much summed up why I think this won't help much, if it all.  If all we lose is a nobody, then who cares?  Except, of course, that the deadline is coming up and I don't see that we've done much more than give ourselves a chance to repeat our 83 win championship season from a few years back: squeak into the playoffs and then get very, very lucky. 

There'd been some discussion that either the Yankees or Red Sox might move for Bedard.  Not so much now.  I bet he'd go very cheaply, in terms of players, if some team were to ay his salary.

Last edited by Max (7/31/2011 10:29 am)

Good thing the Cardinals banned alcohol in the clubhouse after Hancock's accident.
I loathe Rafael Furcal.

artie_fufkin wrote:

MLBN is also reporting the Cardinals are still in the hunt for Bedard.

I am surprised to learn his salary is only $1 m this year, and his price, in terms of prospects, ought to be quite reasonable given his performance.  It's a gamble, to be sure, but like Freddy Garcia, Chris Capuano, Brad Penny, etc. sometimes those gambles pay off, and the risk should be taken if the price is low:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/sea/report#notes_quotes

Hey, didn't we trade a AA outfielder for Jeff Weaver?

I'm just sayin' (errr)

tkihshbt wrote:

I don't care for Furcal, but the Cardinals lose nothing in this deal and Furcal is a huge upgrade defensively. I wouldn't be surprised now if we see more of the Westbrook from 2010.

I'm still aggravated by this team's actions, but I think the Cardinals can definitely win 30 of the last 55 to get themselves in position to win it. It's all going to come down to how Milwaukee finishes out at home. They have, by my count, 28 of their last 54 games at home.

Alex Castellanos is having a very good year.  Did they not see him as a real prospect?

forsberg_us wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

MLBN is also reporting the Cardinals are still in the hunt for Bedard.

For what purpose?  Unless Lohse's finger injury is more serious than first believed.

No idea.

Bedard in Boston

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApE0.LjhVxr0ACd80C0GBRYRvLYF?slug=ap-redsox-bedardtrade

Max wrote:

Bedard in Boston

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApE0.LjhVxr0ACd80C0GBRYRvLYF?slug=ap-redsox-bedardtrade

It took more to get him then I thought.  I figured it would take something like the Furcal trade.

Not that the Cardinals need a left fielder, but does anyone else find it odd that Delmon Young was able to be passed through waiver so that he could be traded from the Twins to the Tigers?  He's been hurt a lot of this season, but his 2010 numbers .298/.333/.493, 21 HR, 112 RBI are pretty darn good.  You would think a lot of teams could have found a roster spot for a 25 year old with that sort of production.

Collusion . . . ?