I'm not convinced that Jones is a more valuable offensive player than Jay at all. He has a little more power - that's it. He generates a hell of a lot more outs and his OPS+ after being park/league adjusted was exactly the same as Jay's last season.

He has a higher ceiling, but even Jay still has some room for growth.

Jay and Cox for Jones would be close to fair. Otherwise all you're doing is buying into the hype on a player that's spent 4 years showing 'potential' and only 1 year where he was truly a good player. Even then, he was by no means a great one.

If you trade Shelby Miller, you trade him for Hanley Ramirez (and I think the Marlins would do that in a heartbeat). You don't trade him and Zack Cox for a marginal upgrade over Jon Jay.

So how bad is the Cardinals season going to be not that it's "Offical"ly 2012?

Mocking somebody else's typo FAIL

Meh.

If it was suppose to be official I would have spell checked.

Allen Craig is going to put up a .870+ OPS this season.

Don't you mean supposed?

Craig is going to be out first part of the season. His OPS last year was .917.

Yeah, supposed. :D

As in "The Cubs were supposed to win a World Series at some point in the past century, but it just didn't work out."

I was going to buy a DVD called Chicago Cubs: A Century Without Success

One of these days the Cubs roster who wins the WS is going to sign that DVD for me.

Dude are you new here? Trying to talk smack with spell check? Really!! Really????ROFL

People who have died of old age have been saying that for decades now.

Good thing I'm still young.

Maybe I'll get to see both the Cubs and Chiefs win a championship before I meet my maker.

He's a Marlin.

So....you recognize that ass huh? ROFL

Same way you recognize Pujols'.

I don't have Pujol's ass committed to memory. But if that floats your boat, its a free country.

Different strokes for different folks, homeslice.

Today, my dad asked me if there is any new skuttle-butt on Oswalt...?? I honestly have no clue... is there?

Edwin Jackson just signed with the Nats. Didn't quite get the $13 million that Boras was fishing for. Got a one year $5 million deal. LMAO

Where did you get your info? Everything I've read is that its between 8-12mil with others saying 10mil. Nothing has been confirmed, though.

You may be right. Thought I saw 5. One year contract. Still a lot less than what Boras was going for in both years and amount.

Yep. Even at 8-12 mil its not anywhere close to the 60+ they were looking for.

I was thinking Weaver got around the same after seeking a big deal the free agency period after serving as a rental during the 06' WS run.

Joe Strauss @JoeStrauss Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Scott Linebrink signs with Cards. Locals may recall his pitch fractured Freese's left hand in Atlanta last May. Pen even more crowded now.

Didn't realize it was as good as it is, I just read that the Cardinals have the 4th ranked Minor league system in baseball.


Tons of pitching on the way.

:clap: very cool. 3 World Series's in 7 years. 2 World Championships and we are already reloading.

6 guys in the top 100 4 of them pitchers I believe.

and 2 of them are someday possibly Cy Young winners. Very high ceilings.

Yeah.


They talked about another young guy we picked up with top of the rotation stuff.

I would love to keep those guys, but it's nice to have them to deal if we have to get a HUGe bat somewhere.

Are you reading this Cubs fans?

The future is always now and maybe next year isn't just a cliche :evil:

"Maybe next year" definitely isn't just a cliche, its the Cubs motto.

Not sure what to think of the Linebrink signing.

Yadi reported to camp 2 weeks ahead of the date when pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report. Doesn't seem to be the actions of a disgruntled player.

Agreed. He's no prima donna, he's just a ballplayer.

Been thinking about this for a little while, since I don't think he wants to move to 3.

If you could keep Shelby Miller, would you give up anyone else to get Hanley to play SS?

no thanks to Hanley. They will want miller and more.

What they want and what they'll get are very different animals. They're not going to get anything approaching Miller in return for Hanley, not when the rest of MLB knows they have the Marlins over a barrel and not when Hanley's production was horrid last year.

I'd offer them Cox and Martinez for him. I like Jenkins a ton and don't think we have enough positional talent in the system to trade Tavares. I don't care what anyone says - Cox is Matt Carpenter with worse plate discipline and higher draft status - he's not a starter at the next level and we need to deal him before his value completely craters. I think Martinez's delivery has him in the bullpen one of these days.

I'm thinking that Molina is gone. This is going to be a new era in Cardinal history without Pujols and Larussa. I'd feel a lot better with Molina behind the plate with our young pitching coming up.

JUPITER, Fla. • Having watched his close friend Albert Pujols go through the same situation and answer the same questions a year ago, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was prepared to talk about his contract this afternoon following the first official workout of spring training.
He also was forthcoming.

Molina acknowledged that the two sides had talked about an extension, and that his agent and the club did engage in some dialogue this winter about what it would take to keep Molina from reaching free agency at the end of the 2012 season. Those conversations, however, are now over.
"We stopped talking about it. For now, I think," Molina said, standing at his locker in the Cardinals spring training clubhouse. "For now, we've stopped talking. For now, I don't want to talk about it. Hopefully, when the season starts (something will be done)."

Asked if he would give a hometown discount, Molina said, "I don't know about that. I don't know about that. Like I say _ I always say this _ I like the town. I like the city. At the same time, I have to think about my family ... like they worry about their team. This is business. If I get good money, I'll take it. If not, I go away."

Molina said he did not want conversations about his contract to overshadow his preparation for the season. He was careful to point out that didn't mean he was going to close the door and walk away from negotiations as Pujols did with a deadline a year ago.
Molina is open to talking again.

He also did not rule out agreeing to a deal during the season.
Last season, Molina's agent, Melvin Roman, worked on and finalized an extension for another client, lefty Jaime Garcia, with the Cardinals. That deal was done in the middle of the season.

Molina is playing on the final year of an extension that paid him $21.5 million over five years with the Cardinals. This is the option year on that deal (signed in January 2008), and Molina will make $7 million this season.

You can see video of Molina's interview with the media at our live, real-time coverage of the Day 1 workout. It's on one of the final two pages.
Molina said that he learned a lot by watching what Pujols went through last season and this winter. The two remain in contact. Molina called it "business" and he said that the Cardinals would be making "a business decision," when it came to approaching him again about an extension.
General manager John Mozeliak did not talk at length about the situation with Molina on Sunday morning when asked.

"Our desire would be to find a way to sign him," Mozeliak said.


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...#ixzz1mspyaPN1

I heard on the radio earlier that Molina had resigned for five years, but I don't see anything online about it being official. Looking good, however. I was worried about losing him after Albert shit out on us.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...a4bcf6878.html

Molina, Cards close to deal

The Cardinals and Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina are close to agreement on a multi-year extension likely to make Molina the seventh catcher in the game's history to realize a deal with an average annual value exceeding $10 million.

The Cardinals remain engaged in talks with Molina's agent, Melvin Roman, who has remained in town for nearly a week. Roman arrived shortly after his client hinted at a breakdown in negotiations but "positive momentum" has since been achieved, according to a source familiar with talks.

Molina expressed a desire to remain in St. Louis shortly after arriving in camp more than 10 days before pitchers and catchers were scheduled to officially report. Entering the final installment of a five-year deal that pays him $7 million for the upcoming season, Molina last year led the Cardinals in hitting while also earning a Rawlings Platinum Glove awarded the league's top defender.

Team officials declined comment Monday regarding the status of talks except to deny a rumor that a deal was already in place. Roman did not return a phone message Monday afternoon but did confirm to Fox Sports that the sides are progressing toward an agreement. A source familiar with talks said the extension should be finalized no later than Friday.

Both sides prefer to have the matter resolved before the Cardinals begin exhibition play. Roman insisted last week that negotiations would cease should a deal remain elusive by Opening Day. Soon afterward, the sides began to narrow differences in length of contract and AAV. Molina, 29, is expected to receive a potential five-year deal.

Good Deal.

Fantastic! Excellent backstop to give our future young pitchers the confidence to throw the curve, slider in the dirt.

Btw, the initial reports are 5 years $70 million.

Done Deal, Print em!

The Cardinals finalized a five-year extension with Gold Glove-winning catcher Yadier Molina today and announced the deal this afternoon. The contract will guarantee Molina $75 million over the five seasons from 2013 to 2017.

It includes a mutual option for 2018 and other guarantees that could raise the value to $88 million, a source with knowledge of the deal confirmed to the Post-Dispatch." I grew up here," Molina said at the press conference to announce the deal. "It was my first choice to stay here, and I'm glad we did it."

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseb...9bb30f31a.html

i like it.
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Great news.



With the pitching we have and the pitching we have coming on in a few years, it will be great to have Yadi behind the plate.

Amazing what the tools of ignorance have gotten this young man. Thats a lot of money.

Yep Miller, Martinez and all the rest of the young pitchers have a top quality game caller and defensive backstop to learn and gain confidence why they develop.

I think you are going to see a jump in catchers salaries soon. Its a good way to build a winner. Solid catcher and young under your control pitching.

wonder if they can put a catchers mask, chest protector and shin guards on that old pujols statue out in westport?
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Some people dog him about not running out grounders but the last part of the year when he caught all those innnings in a row and he always catches the extra inning games and doesnt take the next day off. He's not a superior athlete. Far from it. But he's got some grit that a team needs. And besides his homer put us in the World Series in 2006. Thats some serious slack in the bank to be given to him by me.

They probably paid too much, but that's what the market is. Kind of hamstrings them elsewhere. But the length of the deal is pretty good. He has caught nearly a 1000 games which is usually where catchers start grinding down, but he's still fairly young at 29.

yeah, i don't care to see it but don't hold it against him like i would other position players. don't know it it's right or wrong. i've never questioned his heart.
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I always loved Yadi, watching him kick Brandon Phillips' bat after he tried his "It's all good" tap was awesome.

i'll never forget it. :thumb:
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I'm glad we got him locked up. This will help mitigate the loss of Duncan.

Yeah it just seems different. You know he cares and plays the game with passion. The fact he is a slow footed catcher who plays a shitload of innings gets him some slack.

He would have got more in FA.

We are set up nicely. Loshe, Westbrook come off the books and we will have around $110 million in salary to spend. We can pay wainwright next year without hamstringing the team. With this one game and out playoff system coming, having a stud is essential.

Hate the new system. You're really hamstringing a team that has to have a must win game. They have to burn their ace while the other team gets an extra day or two of rest.

That's more or less the point of it, they've talked about wanting to reward the division winners more.

If by "division winners" you mean bloated payroll big market teams, then yes, I agree, that's why they're doing it.

Personally, I like it when the scum of New York and Philadelphia piss down their multi-million dollar legs and watch somebody else in the World Series.

Sure, its still not as dumb as determining home field in the WS on the ASG. Bud loves him some dumb decisions.

Then make sure you win the division. Thats the point. Put more worth into winning the division.

They just can't have the Red Sox missing out on the postseason either.

Yankees are so confident with the new system in place, they're going to drop their payroll to $189 million. The new Steinbrenner is going to pocket a billion from the Yanks every five years.

Should we worry? From bernies column..............

* Go ahead and send me to the penalty box for two minutes for overreacting, but this neck stiffness with Chris Carpenter is troublesome. And with Joe Strauss reporting this morning that Carpenter left camp to get examined by a local doctor ... sheesh. The anxiety level just went up a bit. This could be absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. It could be something else. But the Cardinals put in a program for Carpenter this spring to limit his throwing, just to be on the safe and smart side after his laborious 2011 season. It makes a lot of sense. But in reducing Carpenter's workload, the Cardinals signaled at least some internal concern over Carp. That is duly noted. And excuse me if I'm a little reluctant to accept the Cardinals' attempts to downplay the situation. We've been through this before.

* Including the postseason Carpenter worked 273.1 innings last season and threw 4,155 pitches. (For means of comparison, that was 775 pitches more than Jaime Garcia.) Over the last two years including the postseason, only Roy Halladay has pitched more innings (522.1) than Carpenter (508.1) And only two pitchers, Justin Verlander (8,047) and C.J. Wilson (7,961) have thrown more pitches than Carpenter (7,704.)
I'm not suggesting the Cardinals keep Roy Oswalt's phone number on speed dial, but still ...

Carpenter threw his ass off last year, this should've been expected.

Then again, I'm not too concerned about it just yet. There's little indication that this is likely to be a game-changer, though it could be a sign of things to come. I've battled a bad disk for years and they're annoying as hell, but ultimately can be managed. If that's what he's looking at here, it can be addressed.

We'll be lucky to get one more full season out of him, IMO. But it's not like he hasn't done enough for us.

I'm kind of wishing they'd pulled the trigger on Oswalt, though.

5tb game in Philly. WS win on 3 days rest. He has earned a place in Cardinals lore. He's earned the right to stand alongside the Cardinal greats on Opening Day till the day he dies or as long as he desires.

We are damn lucky to have Miller ready to take his spot in the rotation next year.

Don't tell me they let Carpenter towel himself off.

Season has started. Furcal leading off and Loshe on the mound.:shake:

Freese picks up where he left off.

:clap: I need a new favorite Cardinal now anyway.:rolleyes:

Giancarlo destroyed that ball, that shitbag Lohse is lucky.

Well, Freese is a WS MVP, that's something you know who doesn't have.

I've always liked the underdog, the guy who hustles, overachieves. The local kid makes good story has tremendous potential.

I've been a long term hard core fan of one guy (Pujols) on the Cardinals since the Gibby/Brock days. Never was a fan of McGuire. Liked Willie and Ozzie but not at the level of Gibby and Pujols. It may be another 20 years. :rolleyes:

After the AP mess I will just stick to rooting for the team and loving the TEAM and just like some players as they come along.

The name on front is the key, not the one on back. Hell I am having to adjust to liking guys like Berkman and Beltran.

I'm having a problem wrapping my mind around Holliday being our main guy. I just don't like that sonofabitch and I don't think I ever will.

The Jays were apparently after Beltran in the offseason. Would have been nice, he's still a very good hitter. Apparently he wanted to play in the field still rather than DH, though.

I felt that way last year, for some reason I think he will step up now and become "The Guy" that every team needs.

yeah thats the way it was after the Gibby/Brock era for me. I was a fan a long time before Larussa/Pujols and I'll be a fan till I'm worm food.

I went and saw two spring training games this year for the first time with my son, the 5th generation Cardinal fan. Thats some deep ****ing roots. :harumph:

Yea my dd got me into the Cards and I am almost 41. I figure I loved the Cards before AP etc....not like I am going to stop watching and rooting for them.

**** him. Go Cards.