WHen I think "Replacement level starting pitcher," I think "Joe Kelly."

Sorry guys, I don't like this trade at all.

Craig was awful this year. Awful. But I think that's almost all due to his foot injury. I think if we gave him another year he could right things. Granted, we don't have a spot to play him, but I think had we waited for him to rebuild some of his value we might have been able to turn him into a more valuable piece. His wRC the last three years were 151, 137, and 134. That is a lot of offensive production to lose. I don't know if you can say he just fell off a ****ing cliff. It's gotta be the foot, and those do heal.

Kelly is just a guy, but he is cost-controlled.

This doesn't fix any underlying problems with the offense and Lackey is one of the worst people in professional baseball.

It opens up space for Oscar, so I get it, but I just don't know.

You forget that they have the Robinson weapon waiting down in AAA to platoon with OT.;)

Basically traded cost controlled pitcher for cost controlled RFer who you hope becomes a big bat in your lineup.

It may have been the foot on Craig. But with another year of healing, is another year of age on a guy who already has an injury history that's piling up.

Makes me wonder if they think te foot is what it is and won't improve.

We will always have Torty in our memories !;)

Thing is, how much if that year comes at the expense of Taveras playing time?

Allen Craig was as close to a WS MVP in 2011 as you can get w/o winning the award. I'll always look kindly upon him for that.

The Cardinals made a $60 million profit last year and reduced payroll this year. I'm not worried about "just another guy" salary keeping us from competing.

There has to have been tension between Mo and Matheny over Craig/OT playing time. Maybe Mo finally said enough is enough?

Biggest issue is Matheny. If they fired Matheny, this isn't an issue. Craig starts at first against every LHP, spells Holliday 20 starts per year, another 20 or so for Oscar, plus DH games in Interleague. You can also PH him late against LHP or when a weak hitter in up.

A smart manager should be able to get 570 PAs out of Holliday and Taveras, 500+ from Adams, and another 300 from Craig.

And if they made 60+ million last year and Matheny's contract is less than 10 for the duration, just fire the mother****er who's the real problem.

I don't hate the trade. Lackey is old but he is insanely cheap next year ($500k) and has been a good pitcher. Kelly just kinda sucks. He never gets into the late innings and misses a bat every couple months. Craig, while having some great numbers in the past, does have an extensive injury history and players like that seem to always be hurt. Not to mention Craig's contract right now is not a good one at all for the Cards given his falloff.

If Wacha comes back, your 5-man looks like this:

Waino
Wacha
Lynn
Lackey
Masterson

That's a damn sight better than the shitheap we have right now.

Just like Freese. They were essential pieces that brought us a higkly unlikely WS title. Played major roles in one of the best games evah. At least to me, They will always be welcome as Cardinals.

Easily. However..

A. Matheny isn't going anywhere

B. I think they feel Craig is done and seeing a chance to move him they took it.

He was a big part of success here, but we don't really have a spot. With Piscotty and the others coming on, it would be cheaper and likely as successful to give the abs to them over Craig who has hit his ceiling and is likely on a downward trend anyway.

Matheny's favorite son crap has got to go.