***Official 2015 STL Cardinals Thread II***

[BigRedChief]

2011 World Series Championship
2012 NLCS. One win from another WS appearance.
2013 World Series. Two wins from another World Series Championship
2014 NLCS. Three wins from another WS appearance
2015 Clinched Central Division title and Home Field advantage in the playoffs. First team in MLB to win 100 games since 2011.

• Made the postseason 11 times in the last 15 seasons.
• Only 1 losing season since 2000.
• Reached the World Series 4 times since 2004 and won as many championships (two) the past eight seasons as it did from 1965 to 2005.
• Made the NLCS 9 times including the last 4 years 2011-2014
• Three million attendance? Take it to the bank.
• 65 post season wins since 2004. 22+ wins more than any other team.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Any chance the A's are going to sell? I saw an idea on twitter that makes sense

With Kazmir already gone, Clippard likely on his way to the Mets and Zobrist being actively shopped, I'd say the 'chances the A's are going to sell' is a moot question.

They're selling already. And no, I'm not interested in Zobrist to SS, Peralta to 3b and Carpenter to 1b as I'm sure that's what the Twitterati are kicking around.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by O.city

Any chance the A's are going to sell? I saw an idea on twitter that makes sense

You want to trade for William Ray for your first base solution, don't ya.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

You want to trade for William Ray for your first base solution, don't ya.

Ike Davis is the A that makes the most sense. He should cost almost nothing to get, gives the Cardinals a LH bench bat and a credible platoon player at first.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Ike Davis is the A that makes the most sense. He should cost almost nothing to get, gives the Cardinals a LH bench bat and a credible platoon player at first.

The problem with Davis is that he hasn't really been worth a shit against RHers since 2012 either.

He's less bad against them than he is against lefties and I guess if he's free he's worth taking a look at, but I really don't see a .750 OPS against righties as something that Piscotty couldn't give us.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by O.city

Any chance the A's are going to sell? I saw an idea on twitter that makes sense

Yes they are selling & the Royals are looking at Ben Zobrist.

[O.city]

Steven vogt, 2 birds 1 stone.

Backup catcher and platoon firsr baseman. DFA Cruz

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

Steven vogt, 2 birds 1 stone.

Backup catcher and platoon firsr baseman. DFA Cruz

Vogt isn't even arb eligible until 2017 though - why would the A's be looking to move him?

He's the kind of guy they hold onto for another 2 years then move him when he's 2nd year arb eligible and costs real money. Granted, at 30 yrs old the time to pounce may be now but he's also a guy that they may want to keep around to develop their pitchers.

Moving your starting C has ripples throughout the organization. I would think Beane would be damn reluctant to part with him.

Worse still, Matheny would just cite the fact that they need Vogt's bat at 1b as justification to never use him as a backup C and instead keep Cruz on the roster. Never EVER underestimate Matheny's tendencies to manage out of fear. The guy carried 3 catchers, a backup MI that can't hit his weight and a 13 man staff at one point all out of pure fear of a worst case scenario.

If you're needing to use your 3rd string catcher, your 8th reliever and Pete !@#$ing Kozma - how 'bout you just chalk that day up as a loss and move along?

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Ike Davis is the A that makes the most sense. He should cost almost nothing to get, gives the Cardinals a LH bench bat and a credible platoon player at first.

IMO none of the A's guys are what you need.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Vogt isn't even arb eligible until 2017 though - why would the A's be looking to move him?

He's the kind of guy they hold onto for another 2 years then move him when he's 2nd year arb eligible and costs real money. Granted, at 30 yrs old the time to pounce may be now but he's also a guy that they may want to keep around to develop their pitchers.

Moving your starting C has ripples throughout the organization. I would think Beane would be damn reluctant to part with him.

Worse still, Matheny would just cite the fact that they need Vogt's bat at 1b as justification to never use him as a backup C and instead keep Cruz on the roster. Never EVER underestimate Matheny's tendencies to manage out of fear. The guy carried 3 catchers, a backup MI that can't hit his weight and a 13 man staff at one point all out of pure fear of a worst case scenario.

If you're needing to use your 3rd string catcher, your 8th reliever and Pete !@#$ing Kozma - how 'bout you just chalk that day up as a loss and move along?

That was my reason though in that he fills 2 spots for the foreseeable future. He'd probably be pretty costly to get Billy to move him, but he'd be better imo, than dropping something on Chris davis

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

That was my reason though in that he fills 2 spots for the foreseeable future. He'd probably be pretty costly to get Billy to move him, but he'd be better imo, than dropping something on Chris davis

The theory is sound.

In practice, Matheny would just use him as a platoon 1b and Cruz would still be here. He wouldn't end up filling 2 spots because our manager is a dipshit.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The problem with Davis is that he hasn't really been worth a shit against RHers since 2012 either.

He's less bad against them than he is against lefties and I guess if he's free he's worth taking a look at, but I really don't see a .750 OPS against righties as something that Piscotty couldn't give us.

vs. RHP:

2015: 113 wRC
2014: 120 wRC
2013: 121 wRC

Reynolds, meanwhile, has been 95 against RHP this year.

I'd gladly take a 1B platoon that gives you 113 against RHP and 101 against LHP.

Davis projects to give us league average production against righties not just as a hitter, but as a 1B (who average 115 wRC).

Given the impact he could make on the quality of our lineup vs. RHP and the depth of our bench, he represents a great opportunity to improve in a weak area markedly while giving up almost nothing.

[ChiefsCountry]

Also hearing this from teams that have interest in Adam Lind. They think he's going to land in St. Louis. https://t.co/PbTOCz7c7q

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 27, 2015

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

vs. RHP:

2015: 113 wRC
2014: 120 wRC
2013: 121 wRC

Reynolds, meanwhile, has been 95 against RHP this year.

I'd gladly take a 1B platoon that gives you 113 against RHP and 101 against LHP.

Davis projects to give us league average production against righties not just as a hitter, but as a 1B (who average 115 wRC).

Given the impact he could make on the quality of our lineup vs. RHP and the depth of our bench, he represents a great opportunity to improve in a weak area markedly while giving up almost nothing.

Reynolds is wildly overexposed as an everyday player - I'm not discussing him.

I'm saying that I think Piscotty can give us that league average production against RHers and do so in a way that actually develops him as a long-term asset here. Getting the platoon advantage just for the sake of a platoon advantage doesn't move the needle much for me if the advantage still yields a league average hitter.

Sure, if Davis were something more than just a guy that's looking to stand there and take walks against righties, I'd be intrigued...ish. But as it is, you're looking at getting a .250 hitter with a borderline .400 SLG% who will draw walks at the back of the order. Who really cares? I'd give up less for that than we gave up for Cishek. And in the process, that would probably be 'the move' that gets made. It's simply not enough to matter.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The theory is sound.

In practice, Matheny would just use him as a platoon 1b and Cruz would still be here. He wouldn't end up filling 2 spots because our manager is a dipshit.

I ......eh **** probably so.

I still think he'd be a great option, plus he'd give you another potential bat in the hopes you need a DH

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Reynolds is wildly overexposed as an everyday player - I'm not discussing him.

I'm saying that I think Piscotty can give us that league average production against RHers and do so in a way that actually develops him as a long-term asset here. Getting the platoon advantage just for the sake of a platoon advantage doesn't move the needle much for me if the advantage still yields a league average hitter.

Sure, if Davis were something more than just a guy that's looking to stand there and take walks against righties, I'd be intrigued...ish. But as it is, you're looking at getting a .250 hitter with a borderline .400 SLG% who will draw walks at the back of the order. Who really cares? I'd give up less for that than we gave up for Cishek. And in the process, that would probably be 'the move' that gets made. It's simply not enough to matter.

When you are competing for a championship, the moves that improve you on the margins are absolutely vital in an environment where your entire team, and not just your eight position players, will be tested.