Micheal Wacha

[Todd4State]

I was disappointed that the Cardinals drafted Wacha over Stratton for biased resaons. Looks pretty good right now.

I'm excited about the Cardinals rotation of the future:

Wainwright
Wacha
Miller
Carlos Martinez
Garcia/Lynn/Kelly/Gast


And then they have Motte, Rosenthal, and Sigriest in the bullpen.

[msstate7]

Very good young staff. If beachy comes back healthy I like the braves, but we need a number 1. Can we have wainwright back?

[Dawg61]

Cards should trade a pitcher or two for a SS. Would you take Starlin Castro for Wacha or Miller?

[HereComesTheSpiral]

Cards should trade a pitcher or two for a SS. Would you take Starlin Castro for Wacha or Miller?

That trade gets a lot of nopes

[messageboardsuperhero]

Does St. Louis clone those big, hard-throwing righties? They always seem to have tons of power starters.

[Todd4State]

Cards should trade a pitcher or two for a SS. Would you take Starlin Castro for Wacha or Miller?

No- but I'll give you Lance Lynn and a minor league pitcher.

I like the Cubs middle infield prosepct that they had at AA Tennessee- Javier Baez.

Wacha, Miller, and Martinez should be off limits. Unless it's one of them for Kershaw.

[Todd4State]

Does St. Louis clone those big, hard-throwing righties? They always seem to have tons of power starters.

They draft one in the first round every year it seems like. They don't have as much of a prescence on the Latin American market- hence the lack of a SS. I want the Cardinals to get the Cuban National Team SS- Luis Barrenbanuela. That dude is an incredible defender. I'm not sure if he can hit at the MLB level- but he would be better than Kozma in terms of WAR.

[missouridawg]

I'm not saying it's going to happen or anything... and honestly, I'm not sure I want it to happen... but there was talk about a Tulo trade when the Cards played in Colorado in September. Honestly, if they're asking a lot for him, I hope we don't.

Anyone counting Joe Kelly out of the rotation going forward is most likely incorrect, too. He's performed very well very consistently this year in the starting spot.

Next years staff will be:
Waino
Miller
Kelly
Wacha
Jamie Garcia/Martinez

I think Lance Lynn is going back to the pen or is going to be wearing a new uniform next year. I also think David Freese is going to get traded to make room for Kolten Wong everyday at 2B, moving Carpenter back to 3B.

The following free agents have an outside chance of getting into our rotation if we trade someone for an upgrade in the field:
Roy Halladay
Dan Haren
Bronson Arroyo
AJ Burnett
Josh Johnson

The Cardinals love to sign a guy after a bad year to a short term, team-friendly contract, and prop him back up.

[Todd4State]

I'm not saying it's going to happen or anything... and honestly, I'm not sure I want it to happen... but there was talk about a Tulo trade when the Cards played in Colorado in September. Honestly, if they're asking a lot for him, I hope we don't.

Anyone counting Joe Kelly out of the rotation going forward is most likely incorrect, too. He's performed very well very consistently this year in the starting spot.

Next years staff will be:
Waino
Miller
Kelly
Wacha
Jamie Garcia/Martinez

I think Lance Lynn is going back to the pen or is going to be wearing a new uniform next year. I also think David Freese is going to get traded to make room for Kolten Wong everyday at 2B, moving Carpenter back to 3B.

The following free agents have an outside chance of getting into our rotation if we trade someone for an upgrade in the field:
Roy Halladay
Dan Haren
Bronson Arroyo
AJ Burnett
Josh Johnson

The Cardinals love to sign a guy after a bad year to a short term, team-friendly contract, and prop him back up.

I think you hit on the problem with that trade- what are the Rockies going to want in return? They need pitching though- the worst guy that the Cardinals have- Lynn, Kelly, and Gast would make them a lot better. But I just don't think it's going to happen because the price is going to be so high. Mozeliak doesn't make impulse trades usually- especially for a high price- and that means that guys like Taveras, Wacha, etc. aren't going anywhere.

Kelly is a good pitcher- I'm not knocking him. But his upside isn't as high as Wacha, Miller, or Martinez. And then they have Marco Gonzalez who will be ready in a couple of years. I'm not complaining.

Lynn has caused problems at times this past year- they've had a couple of come to Jesus meetings with him, and then he was awful in the NLDS. He has value though- he was an All-Star last year and he has decent stats. Most teams need starting pitching and would love to have him.

I don't know about Freese leaving. Wong is still unproven. If it were me, I would give Freese at least one more year if for no other reason than insurance. I kind of like the idea of a Wong/Freese/Carpenter platoon triangle. Start Freese against lefties and Wong against righties. Carpenter starts regardless.

Now this will be contradictory to what I just typed- but I think Oscar Taveras will make Jon Jay expendable. And he's a good player.


Back to Tulowitzki- he would be a good fit for the Cardinals as a player. An All-American type of guy that can hit for power, average, and field. The biggest issue I see with him is his salary and as you said what it would cost the Cardinals. They're going to ask for pitching and since Helton retired- probably Adams who I don't want to give up. My expendable Cardinals are Lynn, Kelly, Maness, Wong, Tony Cruz and Jay. I'm assuming Westbrook and Beltran are leaving. And that will help free up salary space to acquire a guy like a Tulowitzski possibly.

[messageboardsuperhero]

If they go after Tulo, the Cards better have a viable option to back him up. Tulo rarely gets through a season without going on the DL at least once.

[missouridawg]

I don't expect Tavarez to play much CF. I think we see, early on at least, a Matt Adams and Tavarez platoon with Allen Craig playing everyday at 1b or RF depending on which other player is in.

And I think we are more likely to see a Wong, Carpenter, Descalso platoon than the one you mentioned with Freese. Rumor around STL is that Freese has taken a liking to the nightlife and the front office is none too happy with it.