I saw this earlier.  I am really wanting hardy.  Id give up lynn or kelly for him.  The concerns this board has shown for peraltra has convinced me he isnt the answer.  However i did find it interesting that bernie described him as an underrated defender.

APIAD wrote:

4 years 52 million is the reported asking price. 13 million for a 31 year old ss on a four year deal is certainly player friendly but if the cards can afford it why should i care. 4 years isnt that long. Plus he seems healthy.

Sounds like those $$ won't get the deal done according to Jon Heyman of CBS:

"i team that offered $52M for 4 yrs for peralta was told they're not even in game. will be fascinating how high it goes.8:25 PM - 23 Nov 2013"
 

Probably 4 years / 52 million. I guess it was close after all.

artie_fufkin wrote:

"will be fascinating how high it goes"

Let's hope the Cardinals aren't the ones who find out.

 
They are, pending a physical. If they can add one good utility infielder and another good bench bat, this team is set.

tkihshbt wrote:

Heyman reporting it's $52M over four years, but that Peralta was asking $75M over five years from other teams.

Nothing like the goodwill that will bring with him to start the relationship off on the right foot. Liking that the Cards have filled the biggest gaps while losing none of their young talent AND (most likely) gaining a comp draft pick.

tkihshbt wrote:

Heyman reporting it's $52M over four years, but that Peralta was asking $75M over five years from other teams.

4y/52m is high.  It is an overpay but i think it is still an okay contract for the cards to take.  They dont lose a draft pick by signing a different fa and they dont lose any young pitchers.  Those are two big pluses.
 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/twitter-reacts-jhonny-peralta-four-52-million-agreement-194432319--mlb.html

Geesh, it isnt like he is the first roid player to sign a contract.

They also can't go into 2014 with Pete Kozma as the shortstop. The money is pretty secondary here, really. Here's a list of the pre-arbitration guys: Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller, Matt Carpenter, Matt Adams, Joe Kelly, Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, Kevin Siegrist, Kolten Wong and probably Oscar Taveras. Even in four years those guys are going to be cheap. When two-thirds of your roster is going to be making $500,000, only three guys will make over $15 million and two others - Jay and Craig - will make less than $10 million, you can afford to drop $13 million on the chance that Peralta is going to be a good player.

Their aggressiveness with Peralta shows that they are leaving no holes unfilled. 

I bet peralta out preforms drew over the next 4 years.  I suppose drew will get a bigger contract then this.  Id still favor hardy but he is just a one year fix.  Who knows what hardy is worth on the market.  15 to 20 a year for 5 years?  I am also guessing the asking price for hardy was more then lynn or kelly and im not sure id give up to much for a rental.  If peralta hits for a .260/15/60 line out of the 2 or 6th spot it will be a welcome event.

Carp
Bourjos/jay/peralta/taveras
Hoilliday
Craig
Molina
Adams
Bourjos/jay/peralta/taveras
Wong

Right. It's not the most exciting move, but the Cardinals upgraded significantly and the rotation will include Miller and Lynn. I think the Orioles are the ones who missed out here. I think the Cardinals would've been willing to part with Lynn for him, but they got greedy. Bad move on their part.

Goold:

 "the money available does factor into what is a frontloaded deal for Peralta. His salary falls late in the deal, and the lowest salary is at the end of it. This leaves the CArdinals with the "dry powder" to still pursue a RH bat for the bench, ideally one that can play second base and the other three spots in the infield, or at least the corner spots. Mozeliak said he did not see a scenario where he still acquires a younger shortstop and moves Peralta to third. Not for 2014 ..."

Wonder if Ty Wigginton is available?

APIAD wrote:

What kind of move do u think the cardinals still have room for fors? A bench player or are u talking about an everyday player.

I think mo might have set ground work in dealing with gms in the future. Kind of like saying, hey we want this guy but we are not going to be held over a barrel. Gms should have known the cards have the money for other options. If they didnt, they do now.

JV and I both brought up Chase Headley.  He's coming off a down year, but I think some of that's attributable to his injury during the WBC.  He's only got one year left before free agency, but I'd take a chance on re-signing him. 

Taveras probably starts the season in AAA, and that may the best place for him coming back from injury.  But once he gets to St. Louis, it's for good, and you still have 3 players (Adams, Craig and Taveras) for 2 spots (or 4 players for 3 spots if you decide to give Holliday more time off).

As fans, we all know it makes sense for players, especially older guys, to take some time off.  But the players don't necessarily like it, particularly those who are playing for a contract.

The good news for this team right now is they don't have any glaring holes.  They can add to their bench, but otherwise, any move they make will be designed to upgrade a position that's already in pretty good shape.