Rockies, Cardinals “Exchanging Names” In Arenado TalksJanuary 14th, 2020 at 11:29am CST • By Jeff Todd

The Rockies and Cardinals “have begun exchanging names” of players of interest as they attempt to structure a potential deal that would send third baseman Nolan Arenado to St. Louis, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports. The Colorado organization is said to want both MLB and minor-league players to move their franchise cornerstone.

It’s a bit difficult to know what to make of this latest update. On the one had, it’s presented as a step forward. Morosi reported over the weekend that the sides had struck up “preliminary trade negotiations.” He now states that the chatter has “advanced beyond a preliminary stage.”

On the other, it seems hard to imagine that the sides had really been engaged in dialogue of much substance if no names of players other than Arenado even came up. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently explained, the Cards have had “longstanding interest” in Arenado but have “found the Rockies’ asking price prohibitive.” So, it would appear the sides are only now returning to a level of discussion at which they’ve previously engaged without seeing eye to eye.

The real question here remains how motivated the Rockies are about taking advantage of the opportunity to move Arenado’s contract and get something in return. If so, then perhaps it is indeed notable that they are back to swapping possible names with the Cards. It’s obviously not the Rockies’ preference to move their biggest star, but there’s huge risk in holding pat given the roster’s 2019 backslide and a slate of contractual commitments that is straining the payroll that the organization has established.

Morosi does go on to name a few names, though again it is not clear how the information is best interpreted. The Rox have both interest and some misgivings in Dakota Hudson, says Morosi, who echoes Goold’s characterization of the Cards being utterly unwilling to discuss Jack Flaherty. In addition to contemplating Hudson, who certainly has his warts but also has thrown over 200 MLB innings of 3.25 ERA ball and won’t turn 26 until September, the Rox are said to be eyeing up the Cards’ top prospects as well.

This is where the skepticism really enters the picture, because that’s quite a haul of talent. Arenado is obviously well worth it from an on-field perspective, but his contract — which, as already written to death, gives him huge downside protection ($234MM guaranteed) with the upside of opting out after 2021 — is less than a straightforward asset to price. It would be a bit odd to see the Cardinals part with that kind of surplus value for the right to take over such a deal, particularly since the team wasn’t notably connected to free agent Anthony Rendon.

Morosi’s report takes a curious turn when he gets to Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter. While the highly compensated veteran is said to be under consideration in talks, Morosi writes that “the Rockies don’t appear to be mandating his inclusion.” That’s a befuddling way to characterize a 34-year-old player who just wrapped up a subpar season and is owed a hefty $39MM over the next two years (including a buyout on an option). Clearly, the Rox would rather not have that contract; Carpenter would be included to help offset the Arenado obligations.

Once more, it’s tough to know what to make of that curious bit. There’s no chance the Rockies are clamoring for Carpenter, but it’s equally true that the club wouldn’t want the deal to seem publicly like a salary dump. So, perhaps this strained characterization constitutes evidence that the Colorado organization is preparing to sell an all-but-assuredly unpopular trade to a skeptical fan base. Or maybe that’s just reading into things.

Two things seem safe to say at this point: First, that there are reasonably serious discussions involving Arenado, with the Cardinals at least one of the teams engaged with the Rockies. (The Rangers and perhaps others are also seemingly still at least kicking around the periphery.) And second, that there remain a number of significant obstacles that must still be cleared to move an Arenado trade scenario from the realm of hypothetical plausibility to one approaching actualization.

Try to contain your excitement ...

The St. Louis Cardinals announced Tuesday that they have acquired right-handed-hitting outfielder Austin Dean from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Minor League outfielder Diowill Burgos.
Dean, 26, has appeared in 98 career games with the Marlins, batting .223 with 10 HR’s and 35 RBI. He slugged .404 with 14 doubles and six home runs among his 40 hits in 64 big league games last season, and in 73 games with triple-A New Orleans, batted .337 with a 1.036 OPS while hitting a career-high 18 home runs.
Dean, a native of Spring, Texas, was the Marlins 4th round selection in the 2012 amateur draft. The 6-0, 212-pound Dean was named the Marlins Minor League Player of the Year in 2018 after batting .345 with 12 HR’s, 68 RBI and a .511 slugging pct. between New Orleans (AAA) and Jacksonville (AA).
Dean, who owns a career .286 batting mark with 65 HR and 377 RBI in 723 minor league games, was an All-Star in 2016 (Jacksonville-AA), 2015 (Jupiter-A) and 2014 (Greensboro-A).
Burgos, 18, was signed by the Cardinals as an international free agent in September of 2017 out of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic and appeared in 58 games last season between the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League.
Dean will be added to the Cardinals 40-man Major League roster which now stands at 39 players.

APIAD wrote:

How the fuck do they let ozuna got for 1 year and 18 mill.  Wtf.  What the mother fucking fuck

Did you not see Dewitt’s comments over the weekend that the team was done spending because payroll was already too high?

Their strategy for this year is that players underperformed last year. They just need to play better.

That’s usually a great strategy.

forsberg_us wrote:

APIAD wrote:

How the fuck do they let ozuna got for 1 year and 18 mill.  Wtf.  What the mother fucking fuck

Did you not see Dewitt’s comments over the weekend that the team was done spending because payroll was already too high?

Their strategy for this year is that players underperformed last year. They just need to play better.

That’s usually a great strategy.

Yea I did.  And him crying because they built their own stadium that cost them 20 mill that other teams "their market size" dont have to do.  Must if crippled them.  They have barely developed anything since.

Unfortunately, none of the "journalists" who attend these things pushed DeWitt on the mortgage issue.  With a simple google search I was able to find a story written around the time the stadium was opening.  The Cardinals privately financed $200M of debt, which was expected to cost them about $111M in interest (assuming it hasn't been refinanced at a lower rate).  This is year 15 of the stadium.  If they've paid $20M/year, and assuming it wasn't re-financed, then the Cardinals are down to less than 2 years worth of payments.  I wish someone had pointed that out and asked whether that $20M/year will be put into payroll once the stadium is paid in full.

"Their strategy for this year is that players underperformed last year. They just need to play better."

Fucking great. Just fucking great. 

Seems to me that they are hoping that there overstocked outfield produces a home run.....which isnt likely.  If it was a 3 year deal I wouldnt be bitter.  One year....damn

Wieters is back on a 1-year deal. Good move, IMHO.

https://sports.yahoo.com/cardinals-sign-backup-c-matt-wieters-deal-2020-210547199--mlb.html
 

"Cecil"

Forgot about 'ol Chuck & Duck Cecil. But, hey, getting him back healthy will be just like acquiring an All-Star.
 

artie_fufkin wrote:

"Another friend of mine questioned whether they might consider Carpenter hitting 4th. His idea was Edman, Wong, Goldschmidt, Carpenter (switch, left, right, left)."

Ordinarily, that might make sense, but as you say you add in Carpenter's proclivity for selfishness and the whole thing dissolves.
I don't see where Carpenter's role is here. He's not going to play first base. He shouldn't be playing third base, which should be occupied by Edman. The Cardinals were 47-28 in games that Edman started. They were 44-43 in games he didn't start. They don't make the playoffs last year without him. His WAR was higher than Goldschmidt's, even though Edman played in less than 100 games and Goldschmidt played in 161.
Maybe they put Edman in left. But, again, you're letting Matt Carpenter hold the team hostage because they owe him a shitload of money.

Carp ended the year as a part time player.  Im not sure I'd consider him for any role at this point.

APIAD wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"Another friend of mine questioned whether they might consider Carpenter hitting 4th. His idea was Edman, Wong, Goldschmidt, Carpenter (switch, left, right, left)."

Ordinarily, that might make sense, but as you say you add in Carpenter's proclivity for selfishness and the whole thing dissolves.
I don't see where Carpenter's role is here. He's not going to play first base. He shouldn't be playing third base, which should be occupied by Edman. The Cardinals were 47-28 in games that Edman started. They were 44-43 in games he didn't start. They don't make the playoffs last year without him. His WAR was higher than Goldschmidt's, even though Edman played in less than 100 games and Goldschmidt played in 161.
Maybe they put Edman in left. But, again, you're letting Matt Carpenter hold the team hostage because they owe him a shitload of money.

Carp ended the year as a part time player. Im not sure I'd consider him for any role at this point.

His role is as the most expensive pinch hitter since Alex Rodriquez's last year with the Yankees.
 

forsberg_us wrote:

APIAD wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"Another friend of mine questioned whether they might consider Carpenter hitting 4th. His idea was Edman, Wong, Goldschmidt, Carpenter (switch, left, right, left)."

Ordinarily, that might make sense, but as you say you add in Carpenter's proclivity for selfishness and the whole thing dissolves.
I don't see where Carpenter's role is here. He's not going to play first base. He shouldn't be playing third base, which should be occupied by Edman. The Cardinals were 47-28 in games that Edman started. They were 44-43 in games he didn't start. They don't make the playoffs last year without him. His WAR was higher than Goldschmidt's, even though Edman played in less than 100 games and Goldschmidt played in 161.
Maybe they put Edman in left. But, again, you're letting Matt Carpenter hold the team hostage because they owe him a shitload of money.

Carp ended the year as a part time player. Im not sure I'd consider him for any role at this point.

You may not consider him for any role, but they’ve already said he’s the everyday third baseman. They’re not going to have him sitting on the bench making $20M. Edman gets to be the super-utility guy.

So … the every day lineup will look something like this?
1. Carpenter 3B
2. Wong 2B
3. Goldschmidt 1B
4. DeJong SS
5. O'Neill LF
6. Molina C
7. Fowler RF
8. Bader CF
9. Pitcher

That's a strikeout pitcher's wet dream.