Jay, Holliday, Bourjos, Taveras, Grichuk, Piscotty. That's too many outfielders.

So I was going to try to give it some time before I began even thinking about the implications this has on the team going forward, but the first guy I saw at work today brought up how horrible that Craig for Lackey trade looks now (like, really, that's where we are going?) but as the day progressed I couldn't help but think about 2015...because...that's what I do.

Right now CF appears to be Jon Jay's to lose, which means it's a battle between the sloppy seconds we got for David Freese as far as who plays RF...I'm not comfortable with penciling either Bourjos or Grichuk into the lineup everyday...I desperately want them to take a serious look at getting someone...anyone...to play RF...

Relax, they'll pick up a journeyman outfielder and he'll have a career year

I think Grichuk has a chance to be a nice player. I would expect they give him a long look there.

What about Piscotty?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Nah...go big...start accelerating that payroll like the front office is promising...



*with the caveat that he is not allowed to stay in the game when the team has a lead going into the 9th inning.

**I know this will never happen...

What I worry about with Grichuk is that they pretty much do what they've done since they traded Craig...give him and everyone else they want to give a "nice look" 2 to 3 starts every week...just enough to keep you interested but not enough to actually let them develop.

As for Piscotty, I would like to see some more pop out of a corner outfielder.

St. Louis Cardinals ‏@Cardinals 23h23 hours ago

A lone light in right paying tribute to Oscar. #RIPOscarTaveras

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Now, to man that hole we have in RF

Carlos Gonzalez is said to be on the block. There are lesser 1-2 year options that could be brought in like Cuddyer or Torii Hunter. I suppose either of those guys could also spell Big City from time to time vs. LHP at first. I aqctually like Torii as a clubhouse guy, and we know Matheny loves his "chemistry".

We could also go internal with a shuffling of Piscotty, Jay, Bourjos, and Grichuk between center and right, but I have seen zero evidence that Magic Mike knows how to deploy a platoon situation properly.

Heyward would cost quite a bit (but less than CarGo), and Giancarlo would probably cost the moon. Marlin are said to be trying to extend him, but I'm not sure why he would stay there.

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Platoon problems aside, I'd argue you don't even want to platoon Jay. He loses some pop facing LHP but otherwise he's just as good regardless of which side the pitcher is throwing from (pretty sure this past year he was actually better against LHP).

Jay in center. Get a free agent for RF. Then find out in spring training who of Piscotty, Bourjos and Grichuk should be the fourth outfielder. No more of this play everyone a couple days a week nonsense.

Jay should play pretty much every day. Whether that's in Center or Right, depends on the other options. Grichuk and Bourjos are good to exceptional fielders, they should be defensive replacements or pinch runners in an ideal roster situation. Grichuk looks like he has some power, but his contact issues say to me that he's only startable against LHP. I don't know if Piscotty is ready, and he really isn't a slugger. This team needs power, and RF is a natural position to get it. I'd love Stanton but that is a pipe dream for Playstation GMs most likely.

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Cards got Heyward.

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-- source

Great deal for both teams I think

I'm not sold on it at the moment. Miller hasn't tapped his potential, and the Cardinals still had him for years at a below market contract. Heyward is basically a one year rental.

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It will look a lot better if/when when Mo extends him. Personally, I hope he has a monster year and breaks the bank. Even if that bank is being furnished by another franchise... we'll still get the compensation pick which we can turn into the next Wacha or Marpenter


HOT STOVE ROSTER

NOW WITH MORE J-HEY and WALDEN! (less Shelby)

Next year's salaries listed

C - Y. Molina_______$14.2MM
1B - M. Adams_______$532K
2B - K. Wong________$520K
3B - M. Carpenter____$3.75MM
SS - J. Peralta______$15.0MM
LF - M. Holliday______$17MM
CF - J. Jay__________$4.5MM
RF - J. Heyward______$8.3MM
CF - P. Bourjos_______$1.6MM (took a pay cut, made 2.5 last year)
OF - R. Grichuk_______$510K
IF - D. Descalso______$1.4MM
C - T. Cruz___________$700K
IF - P. Kozma_________$520K
IF - D. Anna__________???? ($500Kish)

RHP - A. Wainwright___$19.5MM
RHP - L. Lynn__________$5.5MM
RHP - M. Wacha________$520K
RHP - J. Lackey________$500K*
RHP - C. Martinez_______$520K
LHP - J. Garcia________$9.375MM (DL)

RHP - T. Rosenthal______$532K
RHP - J. Walden________$3MM
LHP - R. Choate_______$3MM
LHP - M. Gonzales_______$510K
LHP - K. Siegrist________$520K
RHP - S. Maness________$520K
RHP - S. Tuivailala_______$510K

Starting 8: $63.802MM

Bench: $5.75MM

Rotation: $35.94MM

Bullpen: $8.592MM

Ghost of Ty Wigginton: $0

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They have a lot of left handed hitters especially at the top. I read they want to move Carpenter in the 3 hole. Do you think they'll hit Yadi 2nd?

Those Lester rumors kinda make sense, yes? Lackey is gone next year, Garcia a question, Martinez a question. Wacha/Lester/Waino would suck. A lot.

I loved when TLR would bat Ludwick or Ankiel in the 2 hole, Magic Mike did that at times with Beltran, or to get Holliday going. (Second-Half Matt is a Thing).

I like Marp at leadoff, he will battle, look at a ton of pitches, and is perfectly happy slicing a quail down 3B line after seeing 8-9 pitches. It definitely can get in a pitcher's head *see Kershaw, Clayton

Yadi is awesome His value to this team is immense to the point of not having to be in the lineup on a given day, and still having a huge influence on the outcome of the game. If one doesn't care about handedness, Wong, Peralta, and whoever the RF was (often Grit Chuck) hit in the 2 hole.

Were I the manager, I would roll with this

Marp L
Holliday R
Heyward L (why not? treat him like a franchise player, he might turn into a franchise player)
Peralta R
Adams L
Molina R
Jay L
Wong L


Matheny is sort of like Hargrove... I don't think he even understands how to deploy a platoon, and likes the set lineup barring injury

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Following Mozeliak and the current regime's track record of gamesmanship... I have little belief they actually intend to acquire Lester.. more just trying to make the up-and-coming divisional threat's attempts to rebuild/retool as difficult as possible.

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I'd roll with this:

Jay (L)
Yadi (R)
Carp (L)
Holliday (R)
Heyward(L)
Adams (L)
Peralta (R)
Wong (L)

Will he take a flyer on a guy like Anderson or Floyd? Are there prospects on the way up? What if Martinez can't handle the starting gig? Kelly and Miller were decent 4th/5th (and many better outings too). Well, I guess Jaime is the injury wildcard?e

I like that too... the point is to put a balanced, intelligent lineup out there on a day to day basis, there are no superstars in that lineup, but no automatic outs either

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Carp
Jay
Holliday
Heyward
Yadi
Adams
Peralta
see if they'll let Carp bat again (and when they won't, Wong)

Gavin? Floyd?
If you were a rival GM of Epstoyer, wouldn't you try to drive the price up on any potential acquisition they were linked to?

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I just looked at Walden (cue up the Thoreau references) and his delivery.

Reminds me of Timmmmmmaayyyyy, technically he is doing a jump-delivery, the rules only say you have to start on the rubber...

watch this a few times (or 30x)

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I don't think they can rely on Garcia for anything. I surely hope they're not factoring him into future plans.

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That is so fucked up. His arm is so late. I have no idea how it stays attached to his body let alone how the hell he's able to throw strikes. This is worse than Robb Nen's toe tap thing.

They don't, we don't... Jaime has thrown his last MLB pitch outside of some ceremony to honor his retirement.
i include him here simply to illustrate that a well-run organization can pay one of their own $10MM to stay home because it's the right thing to do.

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Even Bosio looks at that and would just shake is head and walk away.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Even Bosio looks at that and would just shake is head and walk away.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

It hurts just viewing it, I'm sure Bosio (who's career ended in injury, I think?) can agree?.
It hurts just looking at it.

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